To my lovely readers and followers! So sorry for the irregular updates, life taking place and all that jazz :P Still hope you're enjoying Banter of the Strongest! (Don't worry, Levi will shortly return to the scene :D After all, Rina is doing all this to protect him *awwww* )
I followed Mizuka down the familiar Underground maze and back into his humble abode. Twinkle Toes and Candy Floss followed close behind me, seemingly at ease.
"Bruce, go get Mary and a shitload of bandages." He shot me a sharp look and I grinned in response. "Liam, there's a package in my third left side drawer. Take the packaging and give it to the dear MP here. I don't want her to find out about-"
"-about all your dirty little secrets? Don't worry, I don't want to know." I crossed my arms and leaned against the wall. "And while youre at it, Candy Floss, the letter that came with the payment would be nice."
"Letter?" winced Mizuka as Mary came in with a basket full of bandages.
"I doubt someone gave you a telepathic message to indicate that the payment was meant for you to distract the Corporal." I replied, rolling my eyes.
"Here." Liam gruffly declared, handing over the brown packaging and attached letter. I flipped through the evidence briefly, double checking for anything obvious missing.
"You can check at your own place. You're ruining my gang vibe."
"How did you manage to get this package in the first place? It's not like messengers make their way into the Underground Maze." I mused, running my eyes over the Sina postage.
"It's none of your business to how I get my mail." Mizuka gruffly replied, gently rubbing his now-bandaged hand. I shot him a sharp look.
"It is my business when it has something to do with my case. And you better believe it would be my business if it has something to do with attacking the Corps Corporal." I snapped back, eyes flaming. "The deal's off."
"Hold the fuck on." Mizuka shot onto his feet in a second. "You said you'd leave it if I gave you the packaging. Shouldn't this be a lead for you?"
"You still didn't hold your end of the bargain." I unsheathed a sword and held it up against his neck. In the next second, three rifles were pointing in my direction.
"How about this? We renew our bargain and you'll live to put the MP behind bars?" Mizuka suggested, criminal confidence seeping from him. I sighed and relaxed, sheathing my blade again. I knew when I was beat. The rifle barrels also moved away from me, a silent agreement that the bargain was back in place. I chuckled and held the evidence up in thanks before leaving.
I soon emerged from the Maze and readied myself for flight back across Wall Sina. There was a shift in the air and I froze before the package was swiped from my hands. I looked up in time to see a dark figure flying away on their own wires. Swearing, I leapt up and reeled myself after them.
The culprit surprisingly knew their way through the Rose area streets, taking back roads that even I didn't know. However, as the chase neared Wall Sina I gritted my teeth. Once they entered the main city, I would be in their playing field. I had to somehow grab that evidence back before all was lost. Keeping that in mind, I lowered my head and sped forward, using my Survey Corps 3DMG skills to my advantage. Although the pair of us swerved and shot through tight corners, I managed to close the gap between us, triggering the gas canisters every time I could. Making a split second decision, as soon as I within an arm's distance from the culprit, I reached out and snagged onto the edge of their cloak. As soon as my fingertips found a grip, I yanked back on the cloak, earning a satisfying sudden choke from the offender. I threw them behind me and abruptly changed my 3DMG direction to make sure they didn't get away. As I turned, I watched as they flew backwards through a window of an abandoned house. Glass shattered, followed by the heavy thump of a body hitting the stone ground. I vaulted off an neighbouring building and dived through the glass-less window, landing smoothly on my feet beside the unconscious thief.
First things first, I had to get that evidence back. I crouched down and reached for the package still wedged between their fingers. I didn't even notice the other arm moving until a sharp force collided onto the back of my neck. I choked and collapsed onto my stomach, all the breath knocked out of me. a hand tangled itself into my hair and roughly yanked it up, forcing me back onto my knees and for sudden tears to water my eyes.
Bastard.
My hands automatically reached up and grabbed onto the culprit's own head, before I pulled it towards me and headbutted it. A sharp pain resonated through my forehead but the fingers loosened from my destroyed ponytail. Taking that chance, I leapt back onto my feet and then slammed the culprit's face into the ground using the grip I still had on their head.
"Bastard, that's what you get for tugging on my hair. Now who the fuck are you?!" I growled, my hands tightening around their cloak covered head. I waited but there was no response, no movement. My eyes widened.
Shit, did I just kill-
"Urghhhh…" a soft groan came from the body and I mentally sighed in relief. All good, I just knocked them out.
Speaking of them, I roughly flipped the body over and pulled back the hood. As their face registered into my mind, a smirk crawled onto my face.
"Well, if you look at that…"