There was a moment of awkward silence before Ban and Akabane screamed, "What the hell do you think you're doing!" in unison. Akabane crossed one arm over his chest and used the other one to reach out and smack Ginji in the face before grabbing what was left of the torn dress.
"It's your clothes, Akabane-san!"" Ginji cried, holding his hands over his now-bleeding nose. "You have to take off your clothes!"
"What!" Ban demanded.
"There's a tracking device in Akabane-san's bra! I felt an electrical buzz when she got into the car!"
"Why did you not just say so, Ginji-kun?" Akabane asked, rolling his eyes. "In that case, you are more than welcome to take it off," he purred, holding his arms out in an open invitation to Ginji.
Ginji turned as red as a tomato as blood spurted out of his nose. He grabbed up a handful of tissues and stuffed them rather unattractively up his nose. "Noth thank, Akabane-than. You can tathe it oth youthelth," he mumbled.
"All right, all right. Close your eyes, Ginji-kun."
He did, and then felt a small electric buzz and soft fabric in his palms. He opened his eyes curiously to find the bra lying on his hands. "IE! Why'd you give it to me!" Ginji cried, jumping away from it as though it were a wild animal.
"Is the tracking device in there?" Akabane asked in frustration, one arm crossed over his chest.
"Oh. OH! I felt the buzz!"
"I hope you are referring to a buzz in your hand and not your…" Akabane paused and smirked. "Throw it out the window."
Ginji made a tare face. "A buzz in my what?" he asked, tossing the offending garment. He was trying his best not to look at Akabane, who was sitting there in just shoes and panties.
"Why are you blushing, Ginji-kun? You were the one who tore my dress in half."
"Ban-chan told me to hurry…"
"Don't you dare blame this on me!" Ban shouted from the front. He was having trouble focusing on losing their tails and arguing at the same time. The wheel of the car skipped in the gutter, causing Akabane to fall across the seat from the force of the impact. When Ginji realized that he had a bare breasted women lying in his lap, he let out a "MYERF!" noise and turned as white as a ghost. Quickly, he pulled off his green vest and put it over Akabane. "There," he squeaked nervously. "You can cover yourself with that."
"Thank you, Ginji-kun… but I do not understand why we have not managed to lose them yet."
Ginji and Ban both came to the same conclusion at the same time, turning equal shades of white. "A-Akaba-bane-san?"
"What is it, Ginji-kun?"
"It… it is possible that… there's another tracking device… in your panties?" he asked, stammering. Akabane could not help but notice that Ginji's hands were tightly pressed between his legs, and wondered if he was correct in guessing why Ginji would be sitting rod-straight like that.
"I would not know, Ginji-kun. Only you can feel the electrical charge given off by them."
Had it been possible for Ginji to lose any more color, he would have. "I… I have to touch… Akabane-san's panties?"
"Ginji, now it not the time for hesitation!" Ban shouted, still as white as could be as well. "Now is the time for action!"
Ginji jumped. "Hai… hai… Ban-chan!" He looked as if he might faint. Slowly, with one trembling hand, he reached out… drew closer… closer… and then released a sigh of relief. "No electrical buzz there!"
"Good. I'll work on losing them, then," Ban said, diving dangerously down another off-ramp. After much deft traffic maneuvering, it seemed to work and Fujimoto's men were soon lost in traffic. "Phew," Ban sighed.
"That was… exciting," Akabane mused, voice deadpan.
Ginji glanced over at Akabane, and then quickly looked away. His vest was covering everything that needed to be covered, but still left enough exposed that it was making him uncomfortable. "Ban-chan, can you open the window? It's hot back here," he whined, tugging on the neck of his shirt.
Akabane smirked audibly in response to Ginji's comment. Ban scowled and glared in the rear-view mirror. "So now what do we do with it?" he asked, as though he were talking about a bag of garbage.
"Ban-chan…"
"Well, obviously I can not go home until the matter of Fujimoto-san is resolved, since the presence of that tracker means that he knows where I live… unless you would like to let me handle this my way," he smiled, waving a scalpel briefly between his fingers.
"No, no, no! No more killing!" Ginji shouted, crossing his arms in a "you're out" position over his chest."
"Listening to him is the least you can do after he saved your life. After all, any killing you make after this point will eat away at his consciousness. Save the life of a murderer, become responsible for the deaths of the people he kills."
"Ban-chan!"
"Midou-kun is making an allusion to a very popular manga. A man- a doctor, if you wish to push the analogy- saves the life of a young boy who becomes a serial killer. Through a series of frames he becomes responsible for the boy's crimes. He was not referring to me at all. He would know that insulting me to my face is hazardous to one's health…"
Ginji broke out in a cold sweat as the car became a lightning rod of tension. Akabane's hands were tightly curled on his knees, fingers twitching in anticipation of a fight. Ban's hands tightened around the wheel, eyes glued to the rear-view mirror also in anticipation of a fight. The hostility in the air was so thick you could cut it with a knife, or more appropriately, with a scalpel.
"I can pull this car over," Ban threatened.
"Please do." Akabane smiled.
"No, no, no!" Ginji whined. "Stop fighting, Akabane-san, Ban-chan!"
The two let out deep breaths of air and settled back into their respective seats, Ban glaring out the front windshield and Akabane staring boredly out of the window. Ginji, not liking the tension, brightly made a suggestion. "It's a long ride back to the Honky Tonk and traffic is slow, so let's play a car game!"
"A car game?" Akabane and Ban asked in unison.
"Yeah, yeah. Natsumi-chan was telling me about the ones she used to play with her mother and father. Like… let's play spot a red car! First person to spot the red car gets a point!"
"Is it cheating if I make the cars red?" Akabane asked, pulling out a handful of scalpels. Ginji, in response, just kind of turned green while Akabane smiled.
Ban grunted. "Could this day get any worse?" he moaned to himself. Akabane was about to say something in response when suddenly the car jolted forward, causing both him and Ginji to fall out of their seats.
"What was that? Fujimoto!" Ginji asked, getting back up so fast that he smacked his head on the sun roof. "Ow ow ow!"
"Ginji, the sun roof was closed!"
"I figured that out!" he shouted back, rubbing his head. "Did something hit us from behind?" The car suddenly gave another violent jolt, and then the sound all of them dreaded hearing came- the sound of silence. The engine had quit.
"What do you know, Midou-kun? You were capable of stopping the car."
"Shut up!" Ban fumed, getting out and running back to the engine. As he pulled the compartment open, black smoke billowed out, causing him to cough and gag. It became clear immediately that they were not going anywhere anytime soon.
After a lot of pushing, Ban and Ginji managed to get the car over to the shoulder. Akabane had offered to help, but Ginji had felt it best that Akabane not try to push the car in high heels, panties, and an oversized men's vest. "Now what, Ban-chan?" Ginji asked.
"What other choice do we have? Call a tow truck."
"Ban-chan, we can't afford that…"
"I will pay for the tow truck, as thanks for services rendered…" Akabane offered.
"At least you're good for something," Ban muttered. "Ginji, get the cell phone and call a tow."
Ginji turned red in the face. "I knew I forgot something at the Honky Tonk…"
The two looked at one another, then at Akabane. "Do you…?"
"It is in the pocket of my coat, which is currently at the restaurant."
"Ah! It's not! I saved it!" Ginji cried. Ban's face brightened. "But… it's in the side car of Himiko's bike…" Ban's face fell again.
"Looks like there's no getting around it. We'll have to walk to the Honky Tonk. It's not far from here, and I don't have any yen to make a pay phone call with."
"What about Akabane-san? We can't leave her here in case Fujimoto's men come past!"
"We can't take it with us; it's barely wearing any clothing!" Ban argued back.
After a lot of arguing and clothes-swapping, the three finally found themselves walking down the shoulder of the road. Akabane was wearing Ginji's white shirt, an old shoelace tied around the middle in an attempt to make it look more like a dress. Ginji was wearing Ban's black tank top underneath his vest, and for the most part, Ban still looked as if he were dressed normally.
I can really tell she's not wearing a bra, Ginji thought to himself as he watched Akabane follow Ban down the stairs to the street below the overpass. Immediately, his face turned red and smacked himself in the face for thinking dirty thoughts about Akabane's breasts. Female or not, Akabane-san was still scary Akabane-san. He really, really hoped the clouds threatening rain overhead would hold off until they were under a roof. He had no desire to see Akabane in a wet T-shirt.
"Geeze, you're slow!" Ban prodded Akabane.
"Do you want to trade shoes?" Akabane asked in irritation. Balancing on three inch heels was obviously a new sensation for him, especially while walking down uneven city streets.
Ginji immediately ran up so he could stand between the two of them. "No fighting! We have to get to a phone!" He said, holding out his arms as if to keep two opposing boxers in their respective corners of the ring.
"I just thought of something. How is Jackal going to pay if Himiko has his wallet?"
"I assumed Himiko-chan would meet us at the Honky Tonk, where we would have your car towed, and I could pay then."
"You had better hope you're assuming right about that," Ban threatened, cautiously avoiding a lawn sprinkler that was doing a better job of washing the sidewalk than anything else.
"Ginji-kun, you are shivering," Akabane noted, changing the subject.
"I… I'm okay…" he answered. In truth, he'd been frozen when he'd gotten caught in the crossfire between Akabane and Ban's icy stares. If the sun hadn't been so bright, he might have transformed into a snowman right where he stood.
"I hope we arrive soon. I have to go to the potty," Akabane pointed out. Ginji snorted, trying to hold back a giggle. Akabane frowned. "What is so funny, Ginji-kun?"
"It's just that… you're always so serious, Akabane-san. Hearing you say potty was really funny!" Ginji giggled, covering his mouth.
Akabane's frown deepened. "I take it you see me as less threatening as a woman, and that is why you are laughing at me?" Ginji turned red in the face and quickened his pace so that he could walk protectively next to Ban, letting Akabane trail behind. Akabane was definitely not smiling anymore, and when Akabane was not shiny-happy, it was a far worse thing than when he was. Akabane was very confused and frustrated, as he hadn't changed inside. Why were people assuming he had because his outside was different?
The neighborhood was nice enough that they were not really attracting any bad attention, just a few salary men staring longingly after Akabane as she passed. "How in the world do guys that look like that get a girl who looks like that?" one whispered.
"Maybe she's their sister…"
After about half an hour of walking, Akabane finally spoke up. "The Honky Tonk is near, you said?" he asked. It was obvious from the way his steps were faltering that he was having trouble staying upright on his heels for that long.
"It's not much further. Only about two more miles," Ban shrugged. "What is the matter, the infamous Dr. Jackal can't take a little hike?"
"You can ride on my back again, Akabane-san, if your feet hurt…"
"That is a very kind offer, Ginji-kun, but I have been challenged now. I will walk the rest of the distance," Akabane said, nodding his head in acknowledgement to Ban.
Ban grunted. "Do as you want," he said, quickening his pace to make it intentionally harder for Akabane to follow. Ginji felt a tinge of pity for Akabane, but Akabane's own stubbornness was at fault. He'd offered a ride…
Another half hour passed before the heels finally got the better of Akabane. If he had not been so stubborn, he might have realized he could take them off and walk cautiously the rest of the way. However, so determined had he been to prove his prowess in walking in heels that he'd refused to admit that there was a limit to how long even the strongest could go walking in heels.
An uneven crack in the sidewalk caught his heel, and he was too tired to lift his legs high enough to get out. He stumbled and fell, sprawling himself on the sidewalk. "Akabane-san!" Ginji cried, running over.
Akabane sat up, shaking his head. "I am all right, Ginji-kun. I missteped… I did not even scrape up my knees," he answered, but his voice and even his smile looked tired.
"Don't be so stubborn, Akabane-san. I'll carry you the rest of the way," Ginji said, turning around and squatting down to make it easier for Akabane to climb onto his back.
Akabane found himself staring. Is this how weak I've become in this body, he wondered in his head. So weak I can not even walk for an hour without falling? He forced himself stubbornly to his own feet. "I do not need any help, Ginji-kun," he said, but staggered again upon attempting to walk forward.
Ginji jumped forward in alarm, arms outstretched. The good news was that he caught Akabane. The bad news was that he caught him from behind in such a way that each hand was tightly squeezing one breast. He immediately released them, nearly dropping Akabane in the process. "I'm so sorry, Akabane-san!"
"Nevermind, I am getting used to it," Akabane sighed. "I have been kidnapped, crushed behind a door, stripped naked in the backseat of a car, and more today. One little accidental squeeze will not bother me."
"I'm glad you're not mad, Akabane-san."
"It is not my nature to get mad." He paused, and then smiled deliciously. "It is my nature to get even."
Ginji swallowed nervously. "Come on, Akabane-san, please let me give you a ride…"
"Oh, for the love of… look, we're never going to get anywhere if you keep doing the whole 'Oh, Akabane-san, I'll carry you!' 'No, I could not!' 'Oh, but I must!' 'No, no!' thing," Ban commented, prancing about like an idiot to accentuate his point.
"Ban-chan, stop it," Ginji said angrily. He adored his partner to the point where he'd throw his life away for him, but sometimes he just went too far. Ginji didn't like it when Ban went too far with making fun of him.
"I do not want to be the thing that drives a wedge between the ironclad partnership that is the Get Backers," Akabane finally said, trying to quote Himiko's exact words as best he could. "That would spoil my fun. I will leave."
Right as Akabane was turning around, a small red car pulled up and honked. "Hevn-san!" Ginji cried happily, bouncing up and down on the sidewalk with joy as the driver rolled down the window and waved at them.
A moment later, the three were in Hevn's car, heading for the Honky Tonk. "You're a life-saver, Hevn-san."
"Especially since it turns out that we walked past the Honky Tonk a half an hour ago, but we did not know it because we were one street too far to the South," Akabane said, irritated. He was sitting back, high heels in his lap, looking over his swollen and bruised legs.
"Hey, either of you could have pointed out that we were on the wrong street!" Ban shouted in anger, trying to absolve himself of blame. "I just can't wait to get back to the Honky Tonk so we can call a tow truck."
Hevn pulled up in front of the building, leading the way as the three dragged along behind her. "There you are!" Himiko snapped, looking up from her drink. "I've been waiting for you for over an hour. I was afraid Fujimoto had recaptured you."
Ginji came over and flopped down next to Himiko on the bar. Ban flopped down next to Ginji, and then put his feet up so that the last available bar seat was taken up. Akabane looked at him, then down at his feet, then up at Ban's face again. Akabane said nothing, but walked around them in the tense silence that followed. "Where are my clothes, Lady Poison?"
She handed him the folded pile of his possessions. He looked down at them, and then frowned for a second before looking over at a nearby table, upon which Natsumi had piled clean white tablecloths. "I will be right back."
Akabane disappeared into the bathroom for a moment. When he emerged, he smiled and handed Ginji back his shirt. "Thank you for sharing, Ginji-kun."
Ginji stared, realizing that leaving his jaw hanging open wasn't exactly polite but unable to do otherwise. "Akabane-san, are you wearing a table cloth dress?"
"It was good enough for Scarlett O'Hara, so it is good enough for me," he argued with a shrug.
"You're mixing up your movie references," Ban pointed out. "That dress was made out of curtains.".
"This place does not have curtains that would make attractive clothing," Akabane shot back. "And I have more pressing concerns than what house wares I happen to be wearing. For example, I have no place to sleep tonight." He looked over at Himiko. "Lady Poison…?"
"No way, my apartment is too small," she said. Akabane knew she really meant that she wouldn't spend a night sleeping in the same apartment as a monster like him from the tone of her voice, even if she didn't dare say it.
"How about you, Ginji-kun?"
"There's no room for anyone but Ginji and myself in our apartment," Ban snapped.
"But Ban-chan, we sleep in the ca-" Ginji ended up stopped as Ban pummeled him in the forehead with a fist.
"Speaking of cars, here's the tow truck," Ban pointed out. "I'll go with them."
"What about me, Ban-chan?"
"There is only room for one person to ride in the truck. Besides, you wanted to save Jackal. You stay here and spend some quality time with him."
"My, my, will that not be fun, Ginji-kun?" Akabane smirked, eyes bright.
"Ban-chaaaaaaaaaaaaan," Ginji wept at his rapidly disappearing partner.
"You can stay upstairs tonight," Paul said, not looking up for that paper he was seemingly always reading. "There's a cot in the room next to the computer room."
"I'll go back to my place and bring you a change of clothes," Hevn said, standing up. "I have to give Natsumi-chan a ride home now anyway."
"Thank you, Hevn-san!" Natsumi said, running out of the kitchen with her book bag. "See you tomorrow, Ginji-san!" Before Ginji could say a word, the two girls melted out the door.
Himiko stood up. "I have an actual job tonight."
"Not you too, Himiko-chan!" Ginji begged, tugging on her shirt. If she left, it would be only him, Master, … and Akabane.
"I'm sorry, but work comes first. Wouldn't you agree, Dr. Jackal?"
"Of course," Akabane said, nodding and tipping his hat. He was very grateful to have it back again.
Ginji whimpered like a dog that no one had remembered to walk all day, creeping down in his seat. Look on the bright side, Ginji, his internal monologue said. You walked Akabane home alone yesterday, and this time, Paul is here. Nothing scary is going to happen at all…
Right then, the first flash of lightning illuminated the Honky Tonk and the first peal of thunder raced across the sky. "Oh my," Akabane said, looking out the window as the rain went from zero to buckets. "It has been a terribly rainy week. It is a good thing you did not go with your Ban-chan, you would be soaked!"
"Yeah… yeah. I guess you're right, Akabane-san," Ginji said, swallowing hard.
"You know, Ginji-kun… lightning makes me think of you," he said, smiling. A second flash of lightning cast frightening shadows across his features. Ginji shivered. At least Paul is here at least Paul is here at least…
"Master! Why are you putting on your coat?" Ginji asked in alarm.
"I didn't buy gas for the backup generators, and this storm looks like it is going to turn nasty. I'll be back as fast as I can. I'm going to lock up and leave a temporary out message. You two stay here and guard the place until I get back."
Ginji turned white as Paul vanished out the door. Wait, wait, no reason to be afraid. I walked Akabane-san home last night alone and nothing happened. Why should it be different because we're in the Honky Tonk, with the lights on no less? Yes. No reason to worry at all.
Ginji stood up and nervously rubbed the back of his head. "It's so quiet in here with only the sound of the storm. Do you like music, Akabane-san? I'll go turn on the radio. We can listen for storm warnings then," Ginji stammered, turning on the radio. At least it was better than sitting in silence with Akabane. He only realized then that the street had been different- he'd been out in the open with Akabane, where anyone could see if Akabane had tried something. Here inside the Honky Tonk… here was different.
Ginji wiped a bit of sweat of his brow. Akabane wouldn't try anything, even in the Honky Tonk, would he? Akabane looked up and smiled, showing sharp teeth, as though he could read Ginji's thoughts. Then, with a very brilliant flash of lightning… the lights went dead.
8