(chapter 22)

ASAKA

Mizuchi could smell them before she heard them, not that they were trying to be heard. Whoever they were probably didn't realise they weren't as stealthy as they believed they were. She carefully handed her briefcase to her Senpai.

"Aunt Kuroko, I know you don't like paperwork," she whispered. "But I think you and Mr Kurusu should go back over it. Inside. I've just got to get something from the car."

"Don't take too long, Mizuchi-chan," Miss Smith took the hint, and led Mr Kurusu back inside.

"Why did Miss O'Reilly call you her aunt? I thought she was just a high-schooler on work experience."

"I've known her since she was ten," Smith replied. "Her family were one of my first assignments."

"There weren't many host families six years ago." Miia commented, as she slithered into the room. "Did they host an Oni, or a Kobold?"

"She's also the first person I've ever seen, who instinctively avoids my webs," commented Rachnera. "Her home-stay was obviously an arachne."

"Didn't either of you notice the eyes and horns?" Smith asked, as she was handed a cup of coffee.

"Suu noticed," said Suu, holding a smaller-version of herself to her chest. "She also hides a tail under that long dress."

"She's taking an awfully long time coming back from the car," commented Kurusu.

The front door burst open, startling Miia, causing her to instinctively wrap her tail around Kurusu.

An unconscious orc was amongst the wreckage.

===/===

"...I've just got to get something from the car."

Mizuchi walked towards the front gate, pretending that everything was normal.

"Are you sure this time?" whispered a voice.

"How many red-haired sixteen-year-old girls can there possibly be?" whispered another voice.

"Too many," whispered the first voice. "The boss is getting impatient with us. However, the other person called her 'Mizuchi', so we might have found the right person this time."

Mizuchi hesitated, pretending to look at her smartphone. They're after me, and they've screwed up a couple of times. She continued towards where the car was parked.

"Bag her!" Six orcs surrounded the teenager.

"Look at the rack on that," commented one of them. "Could we have some fun with her, before we hand her over to the client?"

"Client? Are you sure they paid you enough?" Mizuchi shifted into a fighting stance.

"Aww! The little girl thinks she's tough!" one of the orcs made a grab for her, and was surprised when she stepped into his reach, and effortlessly threw him into another orc. She then took advantage of her lower positioning, and charged into another orc.

"Fuck! The bitch has horns!" he said, as one of her horns pierced his flak jacket. He grabbed her waist, and hauled, lifting her off the ground. "Someone get her. ARRGH!" he dropped her, as he felt something slash his arm.

"Bitch has a blade on her tail!" called out another orc, as he drew a knife.

"Boss! Did we pick the wrong girl? She's obviously a liminal."

This one must be the brains of the group, Mizuchi thought. Although that's not saying much.

"We don't know that," said 'knifeboy'. "She fits the description the boss gave. FUUUCK!"

The rest of the group winced at the sound of the bones in his arm snapping, as the girl struck his arm.

THWACK! One of the orcs went flying through the front door of the Kurusu residence, as a blonde centaur joined the fray.

Ka-chunk!

The noise of the firing-pins of some AK47s being primed got the attention of the group. "Get into the van, or the mermaid gets it!"

===/===

JSDF Special Training Facility, Location Undisclosed

"How can four teenagers be outperforming a veteran squadron?" Captain Sakurada asked the Sylph sitting next to him in the observation tower. "They may be using paint, but something tells me they'd still perform well in live-fire exercises."

"Training against liminals is something you guys haven't had experience with," replied Hikari. "The older members of your battalion, who used to be attached to UNIT, are the only ones who are experienced in fighting non-humans. Unfortunately, they're all approaching mandatory retirement age."

"Those four kids fight too coherently. It's got me worried."

"Well, Galadriel was rescued from being a child-soldier. However, all four of them use their natural abilities. Galadriel is an expert marksman, and is using a camouflage cloak I picked up on my travels. Ventris is naturally stealthy, and good at setting traps with her webs. Renata is also naturally stealthy, and is a natural with small-arms. Being an Echidna, also gives her an edge in close combat. Hiroshi is a natural at strategic-thinking, and tactics. Plus he's good at cyber-warfare, and has probably hacked all of your satellite and drone-feeds."

"He hacked our cameras?" Sakurada, clicks on a couple of computer monitors. "Where are they?"

Hikari typed in a couple of commands. "These are from UNIT's satellites and my drones." Three of the four teenagers become visible. "Galadriel is here, by the way." Hikari points to an elevated platform. "There's the barrel of her sniper rifle."

"How does your little brother know their abilities so well, at such a young age?"

"Galadriel and Ventris have been his girlfriends since he was ten, and Renata joined in not long after. I don't know how long ago they started 'sharing' him, but they all instinctively protect each other."

"Three girlfriends, and they aren't at each others' throats? The only thing that makes me unable to believe that, is Lamiaii don't like to share outside of their tribes."

"It is a common trait, I agree. However, a few of them aren't. You'll find that many individuals with unusual traits and talents exist amongst all species. If the exchange program didn't exist, your daughter would be trying to learn magic on her own."

A Warrant Officer, and a blonde arachne appeared up the side of the tower. "Sorry to interrupt, Captain," apologised the Warrant officer.

"We've just received an important phone call," said Harmony. "Mizuchi has been kidnapped, along with Princess Meroune Lorelei du Neptune."

++MechaFaerie1337: Hiroshi! Get your girlfriends. The exercise is cancelled.

++ShadowStalker013: What happened?

++MechaFaerie1337: Mizuchi has been kidnapped.

The JSDF's squad leader feels a tap on his shoulder. "Mission's aborted," Hiroshi said.

Red flares suddenly appear over the battlefield, originating from Hiroshi's position. Galadriel puts away her cloak, revealing her position. Two of the other JSDF squad are also shocked to find out how close Ventris and Renata were to stealing their flag. Both squads head back to the staging-area. They could already hear the transport helicopters approaching.

===/===

Somewhere

A black van is driving recklessly through the streets. "Keep that gun pointed at the mermaid," commanded the orc with the broken arm. "She's the only thing keeping the girl in check. Nazbit! Fix the airconditioning!" he directed to the driver. "It's freezing in here."

"I can't figure it out!" the driver whined. "The heater is on full!"

"What are you smiling at?" demanded one of the orcs with the AK47s.

"I was just remembering what temperature it takes to make petrol freeze," replied Mizuchi, as the van's engines start to splutter. The van lurched as it was impacted from the side, while running a red light. Mizuchi took advantage of the distraction to grab the mermaid, kick open the door, and run.

"How exciting!" Mero exclaimed, as Mizuchi unfurled her wings, to keep the bullets from hitting her. "I didn't think there were any dragons in Japan! I definitely didn't think I'd ever see a Frost Dragon in my lifetime!"

"Now you have something to tell your little girl, when she grows up."

"I suppose Zuu will find this to be an interesting story."

"I'm not talking about Suu's baby. You're pregnant too. I can feel her heartbeat."

"Oh my!" Mero exclaimed. "By the way. Why aren't you flying?"

"I'm still not strong enough to carry passengers," replied Mizuchi. "I'm still only a baby, by dragon-standards."

===/===

Somewhere else

A shadowy figure is talking on the phone, his right eye twitching as his contact is reporting the 'progress' of the orcs.

"Did they get the wrong girl again?" he snarled. "My granddaughter being a redhead does not automatically make all redheads my granddaughter."

"They were pretty sure, this time," replied the contact. "The ICEP coordinator she was with even called her by name."

"Right now, those bunglers are chasing a demi-human around, not my granddaughter."

"With all due respect sir, what do we really know about her? Your son did dump that mechanic's daughter, on your orders, before you found out they were keeping secrets. This girl is the only Mizuchi O'Reilly in the prefecture."