I'm so sorry for how terribly it turned out.
Was going for this mysterious, angsty vibe. Then it churned out into middle-school edge.
I spent a month on this
Enjoy
TW: Su*cidal ideation (mild), g*n violence, bl*od, cr*me, c*rpses, generally dark themes, ap*thy, der*alization (?)
⊢—❣—⊣
In another world, she didn't exist.
In another world, Shizuka Uehara was never born.
In another world, there would be no dark-haired infant that did not wail and possessed large, curious eyes. There was no child that grew up with a dead, dead heart and childish features that reflected no light.
Perhaps once upon a time, this world would have existed. But here, Shizuka Uehara lived.
⊢—❣—⊣
The Rice Flower Street Home for Children was the biggest foster care centre in the Beika region, majority run by kindly elderly folk that genuinely loved kids, the sort that took time out to listen to their stories. A tad small, but more-so in a rustic and beloved way than a cramped and industrius way that vaguely reminded one of stories of grizzly bears and honey.
Tall windows that bathed the centre in welcoming golden sunlight, walls filled with arts-and-crafts of whimsical design and bright colours. It felt almost like a small paradise, some oasis in the city.
Ever since she was a child, Shizuka realized that she was different. Most children usually found this out later in life, when their personalities and affinities have developed somewhat to differentiate between their peers, to join different clubs at school in accordance and make friends with similar interests.
For her, it was a bit different.
It happened on the playground one day, bright and sunny. Grandpa Ige, one of the caretakers, had brought the children outside after school, stating that homework could wait, but this weather might not. Gentle rusting of wind against leaves, tiny ants that crawled along the floor looking for scraps to eat...
Shizuka was sitting on the swing when a bird hit a pole A muted thump of something soft hitting metal, and twenty-seven heads turned to see the bird hit the dirt. The shier and gentle ones stayed behind while the more curious and bolder ones crowded around the critically-injured guest. Children were morbidly curious like that.
"What do we do?!" said Shigeo Toda
"I don't know! Call a teacher!" Ren Inaba
"Cool" Kamiko Yamauchi
The children erupted into fervent hushed chatter. Shizuka stared at the bird. A small trickle of blood was steadily seeping onto the grass, staining it a deep ruby. It likely wouldn't live long – blunt-force trauma directly to its little bird-head, delicate thing would last another hour, tops. So why were they discussing it like it were some great tragedy? It was a bird, there were dozens of them roaming around. Tomorrow, a new one would replace this one, and they would forget about the unfortunate critter.
Perhaps perceptively, Shizuka kept these thoughts to herself. Soon enough, Grandpa Ige rushed out with a napkin and picked up the sad little thing. Shizuka knew he knew it would not survive. Still...
"Shizu-chan, Shigi-chan, Ren-chan, Miko-chan, back inside now. We'll send the little birdie off to the vets"
It was kind of him. Shizuka realized that day what kindness was. She realized that was what was missing.
Even as a child who were by nature more chatty, Shizuka never spoke out much. It wasn't out of some sense of lonliness or isolation from her peers, simply that she saw no point. Shizuka always felt a bit sorry for Granny and Grandpa – she wasn't like the other kids, was there something wrong? They worried over her more than anyone else... - thus by the age of four, Shizuka learned to act and lie better than most adults six times her age. She started to play with the kids in the playground, formed shallow friendships, and became known as a relatively sweet child around the Home.
Shizuka regretted this. The thought that kindly folk like Granny and Grandpa were caring for a sub-human monster like her felt so wrong. They didn't know – and would likely never know – that they were smiling upon a demon in a little pink dress and soft curly hair that shone a dull henna when the sun was out.
"Hirata-obaachan"
"What is it, Shizu-chan?"
"I picked some flowers for you!"
"Oh! How sweet of you darling! Lets get them to some water. Ohhh Nakata-san, come look at what Shizu-chan brought us!"
No one could ever know that she was a lie.
Quietly, seven years would pass.
⊢—❣—⊣
Shizuka was ten when she first held a gun.
The rain was pouring heavily, and she wanted some melon bread before heading back to the home. The way home from Teitan Elementary cut through a small shopping plaza. Melon bread was tasty and she recently got a perfect score on her last maths test. She deserved a treat, especially on a dreary day like this.
(Dreary day, that was how people described gloomy weather right? Yeah, her classmates said that a lot, so she would too. Personally, Shizuka liked gloomy weather. It was the only time her high-energy classmates would sit still and everything was quiet. Not that she'd ever say it outloud though)
Her favourite bakery was off the beaten path, away from where mothers with children and well-intention business-people would linger. Their prices were very good, and their stock fresh-made, but it was not safe.
Little clear umbrella, pink-tinted raincoat. Not many paused to stare at children, and those that did never bothered to look deeper. Rainboots on puddle, the crunching of gritty tarmac, the bakery came into view behind a laundromat and rug-cleaning service. Shizuka was just leaving when a flicker of movement caught her eye.
A strange sort of scene was occurring. Two grown men clad in almost-identical inky suits seemed to be in conflict. The muffled sound of fists-on-flesh carried to her now-alert ears. Down the alley, a shorter and stockier man seemed to be trying to pin an older man who was more lank than height against the moss-ridden brick wall. One of them had a gun, she noted with some interest.
"Hands off, Vodka! What do you think That Person would say if they saw you-"
"Do you ever stop talking?" They paused to knuckle away a bit of blood on their lips. "Who do you think gave us the orders, Lager?"
"You mean-" the person named...Lager?..'s eyes widened in a perfect picture of shock.
"That's right! That Person caught onto your scent, you stupid, scheming bastard. Be glad partner ain't here, else you wouldn't be so lucky."
Oh, the stocky man managed to pin the other against the wall, free hand on the handgun's trigger. M14, she realized. A bit low-powered, but definitely enough to kill a man at close range.
"Wait-"
"I'll give you to the count of three to spill everything you know and beg for your life"
"I-"
"One"
"You...You can't do this. We were partners! We worked togeth-"
"Two"
"Gin! Gin help me!"
Lager stared behind the stocky man, eyes wide and mouth frozen. Shizuka was vaguely reminded of Munch's Scream.Instinctively, Vodka turned around.
"Partner..?"
Whoops
Distracted, Lager threw his assailant off, fumbling for the gun as Shizuka heard the distinct sound of the safety being turned off. What a shame, but then again, she wasn't here to judge. Shizuka thought about walking away, it was getting dark and Granny Hirata might be worried if she didn't come home on time.
Clack!
Toss, spin, and thud. The gun clattered the ground away from the two men's fighting, skidding to a choppy stop right before her. For the first time, they noticed they acquired a spectator.
"Hey, girl! Hand me the gun-"
"No! Don't listen to him. Take it and run-"
"Shut up Lager, you've done quite enough"
"Kiss my ass Vodka! You knew there was no choice! I had to take the risk!"
Shizuka picked it up. She looked at the two of them. The taller man seemed to be nearing his limit, because with a curse that shouldn't be uttered in front of children, he wrenched out of Vodka's grip and lunged for her.
"Give it here you little brat!"
Bang!
It felt weird. Not unpleasant, but weird. Mindful of recoil, Shizuka shot with two hands, legs braced apart. She stared indifferently as the larger man froze dead in his tracks.
Slowly, as if the entire city had paused to observe this tableau, the man slowly crumpled to his knees, then fell forward with a bodily thump. On his face was one of confused shock. The two surviving members watched as a stream of blood trickled down the sidewalk, into the crannies of the tarmac, and down a storm drain. Then, everything was silent.
Shizuka broke it first.
"Is this yours, mister?"
She turned around and held out the gun, hilt-first. Numbly, Vodka reached for it with unsteady hands.
She stared at him. He was a rather stocky man, someone that maybe she could grow to surpass with lots of sunshine and milk. He had an uncertain face, the sort that nervous salarymen and that one lady that shopped at the same convenience store she did wore from time to time. Halfway between having bitten into a lemon and mildly constipated. He was waiting.
"Having fun?" a new voice from behind them.
"Partner-" Vodka flinched and spun around.
Shizuka looked at her watch. Darn, she was definitely going to be late now. She'll have to make something up for Granny Hirota.
A tall man came into view, with long silver hair and a hooked nose, drenched in more black then she's ever seen. To normal children, this would be a rather intimidating sight. Shizuka stared at him, uncomprehending. A single cigarette smoking dully between the them, lazy curls of smoke in cold September air.
"What happened, Vodka?" his voice was definitely rougher, but also lower at the same time. Shizuka was distantly reminded of a cougar lying in wait, like those on Animal Planet or nature documentaries.
"...Lager has been eliminated"
"How?"
"What do you mean-"
Gin took the cigarette from his mouth and tapped the gun with the smoking end.
"You're holding the gun but your finger isn't on the trigger. The safety's been put back up, and I doubt you were the one to do it. There's an entry wound on his forehead, but no burn mark*. You either had the luck of the devil itself, or someone else shot him. Spill, I don't have all day"
"Partner..." he paused, then swallowed hard. "The girl shot him"
Shizuka looked up with curious eyes as the attention of both men in black focused on her.
"The girl shot him?"
"I-I'm s-"
But the tall man wasn't listening anymore. Instead, stared at her, discerning eyes half sharp half mildly incredulous. Shizuka supposed this is where normal children should feel fear.
"Name"
(it wasn't a request)
"Shizuka Uehara, class 2-C at Teitan Elementary"
"Did you shoot the man?"
"I did"
"Why?"
"He was gonna hurt me first"
"What are you doing here?"
"I was buying melon bread"
To emphasize her point, Shizuka brought up a piece of the still-warm pastry from her backpack. She broke off half and handed it to the taller man. It was nice to share, people liked children that shared. Would he like her more this way?
Gin stared at the professed offering.
"Where are you from?"
"I'm not supposed to tell strangers where I live"
"Is that right?"
For the first time, the corners of the man's mouth twitched upward, as if he found something funny or interesting. Behind him, Vodka swallowed hard, a nervous expression resembling a balloon about to pop.
"Thank you for helping out my useless partner" he replied, standing up and shooting a dirty look at Vodka. "I suppose he gave away his name too"
"Vodka-ojisan, right?"
"Yes, Vodka-ojisan.I'll see you soon, shrimp"
With that, the two men walked away. On the pavement, the strange man was still bleeding. Shizuka considered moving him, but decided against it. She'd wasted enough time, and dinner was getting cold.
⊢—❣—⊣
The strange man did not disappear from her life, but Shizuka did not expect him to.
He seemed to appear in the oddest of places, in inconspicuous but public places, like internet cafes or aquariums. Shizuka could not go to the latter often – they charged admissions, you know – but he would appear there still, paying for both and going through their exhibits. Shizuka quickly got very good at identifying species of fish.
Gin was a strange man. Clad all in black, nary a speck of colour save for his startling silver hair – was it dyed? - he might have been a hitman.
"What's your name, ojisan?"
There was no reply. Adults usually ignored children because they didn't like them, but then the strange uncle had brought him to nice places and never hurt her. For some reason, Shizuka didn't dislike it.
"Gin-ojisan"
The man looked down at innocent eyes.
"I'll call you Gin-ojisan then, since your hair is silver**"
"Hn"
The newly-dubbed Gin did not reply, but after a minute of silence, Shizuka took his hand – calloused ones – and looked at him expectantly.
"The seal exhibit is closing soon, lets go see it"
Gin allowed himself to be led away by a slip-of-a-girl, and Shizuka decided that he was okay.
⊢—❣—⊣
"Shizu-chan!"
Grandpa Ige was never the most excitable type, this must be important. Shizuka looked up from where she was working on some Japanese homework. It was the weekend already, and sensei had let them off early to enjoy the sun, which meant she was hiding from the other kids since they were back early.
Grandpa Ige had a large smile on his face. In his hands held a sheaf of papers. They looked important.
"You're gonna be adopted!" he said, effectively scooping up the sitting child into a massive bear-hug. Shizuka allowed for this, being spun around in exuberance and other people's joy.
"Really?"
It was surprising, but not for the right reasons. She knew she was a quiet, obedient child that listened to rules and hardly stepped out of line, but who would take someone that was going to be churned out of the system in another eight years? Most people wanted cute children they could mould to their expectations, taking on an older project was-
"I'm...I'm happy for you, really-" Grandpa Ige choked a bit, and Shizuka reached for a tissue. "You're gonna have a real family...a nice couple will be coming tomorrow. I have their files for you..."
Because the child chose the parents as much as the parents chose them, and while Shizuka would have happily gone along with anyone – she was reasonably confident she could fool whoever it may be – the gesture was still appreciated.
Two pictures popped out from the yellow-tinted manila folder. An elderly couple, a grandfather with a rather scary-looking face, and a kindly grandmother that seemed so out of place. Below were their names, written in bold, black-typeface.
Miyano Akemi
Masuyama Kenzo
⊢—❣—⊣
"Masuyama-san? Miyano-san?"
The elderly lady named Akemi Miyano looked back. Grandpa and grandpa had already bid their farewells, the entire squad of children there to send her off. Only grandpa Ige cried for her, for the children hadn't known her well to be sad enough to do so. Their car was a modest one, rather homey and a few years outdated.
The sun was rather bright today, the sort that might inspire some poet in waxing a haiku or freestyle. It felt like such a contrast between what she really felt, what was so joyous about this day in particular?
"We're headed home love, there's someone that wants to see you real bad"
"Someone wants to see me?"
Shizuka turned up her nose at that. Out of all the children, they chose to adopt her? Really?
"You've actually met him before" Akemi continued. Strangely, she sounded tense.
"I don't know"
Beside her, the grandpa named Kenzo sighed impatiently.
"Tall, long hair, ugly mug, slick son-of-a-prick"
"Oh, Gin-ojisan"
"Yes, Gin-ojisan. Why are we picking this brat up again?"
Akemi scowled at his tone, but didn't comment.
"Gin requested Shizuka-chan specifically, he didn't say why. If you're so curious, why don't you ask him yourself? I'm sure he'll be more than happy to explain"
With the business-end of his pistol was left unspoken. Kenzo glared at the smaller woman. The rest of the drive was silent. Slowly, Shizuka saw a massive warehouse loom into existence.
Akemi opened the door, and Shizuka stepped out, confused. It was on the very edge of the city, the sort of structure that the government should condemn but never got around to. Gravel-paved paths lined the aging shack, and several cobwebby glass windows were set high into the ceiling.
It seemed a welcome committee had assembled, because as soon as massive double-reinforced squeaked open, two pairs of eyes swivelled onto her.
Akemi Miyano tore off the mask, revealing her real face. Kenzo Masuyama – Pisco who had needed no mask – nudged the brat towards the silver-haired assassin. The echoing footsteps of Mary-Janes on hard concrete seemed freakishly loud.
"Dunno why, but here you go Gin. One brat, fresh from the streets"
She guessed Pisco didn't like children then, but Akemi-san's real face was rather kind. She felt like a nice person. It kind of made her wonder what she was doing in a place like this.
"Hello, Shizuka." that voice was familiar. Shizuka turned around.
This is the part where most adults would crouch down to be at eye level.
Gin looked down on her. Shizuka stared back at him, dull honey-gold eyes that didn't reflect light, curious.
"This is our organization. From today, you are one of us. You will be tasked with many missions. If you have any requests or questions, ask before you act"
This was not her decision. Shizuka supposed that in addition to their trips to the aquarium to learn types of fish and making it through fractions at school, she was expected to kill too.
"Will ojisan train me?"
"Your training will be overseen by multiple people."
"Okay." Oh, so that was why Gin wanted her.
Vermouth nodded in approval at at the fast answer. She looked at Gin.
"Where did you get this one?"
"Do you realize the position you're in?" Gin ignored her.
"Of course I am"
Then a thought struck her.
"Does that mean ojisan is my daddy now?"
For a moment, everything was dead-silent. Then Vermouth burst into laughter as Pisco snorted beside her. Akemi looked like she just swallowed a very dry lemon.
"That's what you took from this." Vermouth cupped her hand on her cheek in a you're-so-cute sort of way. "Oh, you are too precious" Shizuka stared back. It's been a rather long week, she wondered how long this would take.
Vermouth patted her hair, like one might with a pet.
"Congratulations on becoming a father, Gin"
Nevermind that Gin was a killer, and nevermind that Shizuka seemed to see nothing wrong with current proceedings.
⊢—❣—⊣
Shizuka couldn't stay with any of the members, a child was too much a liability. But the organization owned many small apartment complexes. Coincidentally, one was close to Teitan Elementary.
Word didn't filter out about a child living by themselves. Most children were independent by this age anyways, and people just assumed their parents worked late. The apartment was students too busy to take notice of their three-inch neighbour, or side-hustlers that usually preferred to drink on weekends than socialize with strangers. Shizuka didn't think this was an accident.
People saw what they expected to see.
Her days formed a consistent routine. Wake up, stretch, have breakfast, check for cameras and bugs in her apartment, change into her little sailor uniform, lock the door before go to school, pretend she isn't some assassin-spy-mercenary-thing in-training, come home, make dinner, finish homework, and get picked up by Kir to go to training.
She met Chanti, Korn, and Calvados in the first month. Chanti is loud and hates kids, maybe she didn't have a good childhood, Korn doesn't seem to know how to act around them – or doesn't care – Calvados is the nicest, by that she means he doesn't actively try to avoid her and sometimes pats her on the head.
Shizuka thinks that Calvados has a crush on Vermouth, not that she'll ever reciprocate it. He looks at her with respect rather than fear and just a hint of something more, the sort that Shizuka's read about in books where they turn a little red and their pupils dilate. Vermouth was really attractive, it came with the job.
She was a fast learner in all other aspects and there was no such thing as too-young to train. Picking up foreign languages proved to be useful, and acting came naturally to her to nobody's surprise. Disguises were a bit trickier – her hands were less dexterous than those around her – but she managed under Vermouth's excellent tutelage.
Firearms practice was limited however. There was simply a strength-cap to how much recoil a child could handle. Consequently, Shizuka spent much time in a dimmed auditorium-style training room, a tiny black pistol in hand and muffs on her ears.
"Aim further up. You're dropping your arm when firing"
"No, two-handed grip only"
"Don't do that! You're gonna wring out your back-here let me show you" Chanti was never the most patient of teachers despite being their best sniper.
⊢—❣—⊣
Gin wasn't often home these days – since she was adopted by Gin by technicality, even though Akemi and Kir picked her up, wouldn't that make the Beika hideout their home? He seemed to frequent them the most – but when he was and had time to kill, Shizuka was right there by his side.
Today was special. Today was her first time running missions with Gin.
"Otou-san"
Gin stared down at her, steely eyes that landed on innocent blue.
"You'll be given your first mission soon. I've reviewed your files, and your performance is satisfactory. You are almost fourteen?"
"Yes"
"Good. Go to Vermouth to disguise yourself, we'll be running a mission. Eliminate a man named Sombai. He's been useless as of late, his position would be better suited for a different agent. Lure him to the eight-floor utilities closet of the Styles Hotel"
"Okay, that's it?"
"Yes. He doesn't know your face yet. Don't disappoint me"
Gin was not kind, Gin was not gentle, Gin placed a hand over her head, and Shizuka froze.
"Is this family bonding time?" she asked. Gin didn't reply.
⊢—❣—⊣
"I wonder, petite madame, why you took a shining to Gin."
"Gin-san is cool"
"Mm, well if he ever cleaned up that mug of his, I suppose he might be decent-looking, but that's not what I'm asking, ne?"
Shizuka turned around, where Vermouth was brushing her hair. It was after-school already, but Shizuka had finished her homework at school and made her way to base early for training. For some reason, the blond-haired actress seemed to have taken a remarkable shining to the dead-eyed child.
"He could have killed you, very easily. Gin's not the sort to spare children" she continued, delicate fingers carding through black curls.
"I know"
"So you knew? And yet here you are"
"If Gin-san wanted to kill me, then he can go ahead"
Shizuka didn't understand. Most people had some semblance of self-preservation, but she'd never been most people and if her book came to an abrupt close at the hands of an unfortunate encounter, so be it. Oh, Granny and Grandpa might be sad, but she was far from their favourite and they would recover in time. She knew Gin wasn't quite...kind? Affectionate? Any semblance of warmth?...towards her, and that didn't matter.
Shizuka liked Gin, because out of all the people she's ever spoken to, he was the only one that came the closest to understanding. It didn't matter if he hated her or killed her.
She didn't love him, not in the way she thinks she's supposed to, but it was more sincerity than anyone else and that's probably close enough to kinship.
Vermouth paused at the blase confession, manicured hands momentarily stilling before their steady, rhythmic movement stated up again.
"You're so...fascinating. I can see why Gin picked you up.
And there was nothing to say to that. Shizuka sat still as Vermouth continued to brush her hair.
⊢—❣—⊣
"Miyano-sa...ah, Professor Sherry"
"Uehara-san"
They nodded to each other, cordial but not familiar. By all technicalities, Shizuka was of lower in rank than Sherry, but it was Gin himself that recommended her to the organization, and that meant something.
Sherry was the only person close to her own age around here, and between semesters, she would always come home to Japan to spend time with her sister. Children usually made friends with other children their age right? Shizuka thought she should do some of the same.
"Congratulations on your promotion" Shizuka replied amicably.
"Thank you, is Gin in today?" Shiho asked, subtly looking around. After all, the little apprentice only ever came to get debriefings and to see Gin, and there were no debriefings today.
"Otou-san is not here today, he's out on a mission with Vermouth"
"Is that so. What brings you here today?"
"I am to take lessons with Korn today"
"Korn? What happened to Chanti?"
"Singapore"
"Is she? Well, I shan't keep you. Good day, Uehara-san"
⊢—❣—⊣
"Gin?"
"You're here"
Vodka and Gin, both clad in identical black. Shizuka, still in the Teitan blazer uniform. She set her bookbag away in a corner of the warehouse. They did a lot of mission briefings here.
Shizuka changed. While Gin never looked like a child – she'd met him as a young adult and the thought that he was once her age felt faintly awkward. To her, he was always larger-than-life, some force of nature than any one man. It never scared her though, she recognized kin. - she herself had definitely grown some.
What was once a child became...well still a child, albeit a taller one. Her hair was still short, curling around the base of her neck, and she may forever remain short. Clothing consisted of Akemi's hand-me-downs and generic black tees and jackets that seemed omnipresent around HQs. However, her attitude was not that of a child. Dead dead dead eyes that didn't belong to adults, less children...
She looked at home in the Black Organization. Whatever appearance she took, Shizuka Uehara would only be comfortable here.
"Haido District today. You'll be luring the target to the window. The victim is one Masa Tashiro" Vodka handed her a photo of a middle-aged man in a smart black suit. He seemed like a kindly person, doubtless one that liked children and were patient with interns. "Gin will be the one doing the killing"
"This will be your first official mission"
"My first mission..?"
Vodka stepped in.
"Your previous missions didn't count, as partner here was there to bail you out. Think of this as your...one-of-us mission instead of us-and-you"
Shizuka froze. Her first real mission...
Shizuka stepped forward and hugged Gin. She would be forbidden from doing so in a few more years, and took advantage of her small size and age to embrace her adoptive father.
Gin didn't respond, but tellingly, did not pull away either.
⊢—❣—⊣
"Oji-san..?"
"Oh, yes madame?"
"I'm so sorry to trouble you, but could you help me with my luggage? I'm afraid I have a bus to catch but I can't get all this down myself..."
Clad in a yellow summer dress, sun hat, and shades, she really looked like an innocent little schoolgirl. Masa Tashiro felt his heart fold a little.
"Of course, where is your room..?"
"Ah, down that hall and to the left. I'll lead you there"
Masa Tashiro wasn't suspicious, not even when she led him down a quiet hallway-
(She booked the entire floor, so there were no witnesses)
-around two turns-
(It was an intentional decision, long and winding that distorted one's sense of direction)
-and down to the last door on the left. Masa Tashiro never expected the delicate schoolgirl to pull a gun on him when he knelt down to pick up the brown-leather suitcase, silently from where she tied it to her inner thigh. Masa Tashiro didn't notice anything out of the ordinary when Shizuka kindly thanked him again for his help.
But Masa Tashiro did notice the sound of the safety being turned off.
Because child hitmen didn't exist, but Shizuka Uehara did, and the ground was stained red and the man – body now – folded in on itself and fell bodily forwards. Their clean-up crew would be here soon and dispose of the evidence. Idly, Shizuka checked the clock in the room. Goodness, it was almost lunch. Maybe she could get a bite on the way. There was a nice restaurant that just opened nearby.
⊢—❣—⊣
"Shizuka's first mission?"
Chanti lowered her rifle, fresh out of a two-hour training session. Calvados looked up at Vodka, sniper stuck between his legs. Vodka never came to visit the sniping simulations room.
"Little shrimp did good, even the boss was impressed. He's agreed to consider her for a higher position in the org"
"Hoh? What did she do, only miss her target by a meter or so?"
"Her mission report's on partner's desk, read it if you're curious"
Chanti didn't reply, instead merely raising a hand in acknowledgement. She turned around and walked over to the commands panel, switching her target from known politician to random coriours.
But she would be lying if she said she wasn't a tad curious.
What did Gin's protege do this time?
⊢— —⊣
Sherry's lab was comfortable, in a sterile, competent sort of way.
Their latest batch of experiments turned up a dud, which left Sherry sifting through piles of notes and observations for a potential cause. Shizuka wasn't well-versed enough in chemistry to help, but she did keep her company and make pleasant talk to fill empty waiting time.
"Your latest batch of rats look promising" she commented as Sherry stared with distaste at the cages. Two of the populations had died overnight, the third one exhibiting symptoms similar to mediocre arsenic poisoning.
"Mmm...I can't make sense of Professor Miyano's notes...ah, she was my mother and head of research before me, it seemed as if they were developing a completely different drug."
"What is the organizations' goal?"
"If Gin hasn't told you, then it's not my place to"
She smiled, a hint of bitterness in her face.
"I shan't imagine Gin would do much to reprimend you though. He likes you, and he doesn't like anyone. He's killed his previous two partners for looking at him wrong, y'know. I envy you, Uehara-san"
Shizuka paused before standing up and making her way to a glass-enclosed cabinet. She took out two mugs and a tin of loose-leaf green tea.
"Did you know? Monsters aren't considered people, they don't think or do things that ordinary folk do. We look like people, but we don't belong. It's why I'm here, some might call it fate" she said.
For a moment, Shizuka looked so, so tired, like one bearing a colossal weight on their shoulders. It was the sort of exhaustion resembling of veteran officers and paramedics. You've seen things, experienced things that changed you. It came easily to some, never to others. Sherry recognized it because she saw the same thing in the mirror.
"I suppose that makes two of us" Sherry replied, as Shizuka dispensed hot water into both cups. She was a bit surprised when Shizuka shook her head.
"Not yet. I don't think its gotten to you yet. Protect your heart, Sherry-san. If I had one, maybe we could have been better friends"
Twin cups of steaming hot tea, she placed before Sherry.
Sherry stared at the profused cup for a few seconds, as if something interesting had just happened.
"...thank you" she said.
⊢—❣—⊣
There was a few months of peace in the organization. Spring vacation begun, which meant more time training in a dark room. Korn, in an odd gesture, gifted her a sniper rifle on her sixteenth birthday. A six-point-five calibre Creedmoor he left in the training room one day, Shizuka had spent every free moment learning to use it.
It was lighter than most, and yet still heavier than what she was used to. Quickly, Shizuka realized that she would never be good enough to become a black org sniper, but it was the gesture that mattered. Gin was home more often these days, there wasn't much to do and most of the time was spent catching up on paperwork or healing old injuries.
Shizuka was happy to spend more time with Gin. She wasn't happy, but it was an absence of emptiness in her chest and wasn't that similar?
The peace couldn't last.
"Dai" Gin growled, Shizuka sitting beside him doing basic arithmatics homework. Gin wasn't angry – really angry – often, so when he was it was always something big.
One of their core four snipers. Real name Dai Morobushi, actual-real name Shuuichi Akai. Shizuka didn't see him around often, but he seemed like a pleasant enough person, the sort that wore a smile on their face and ghouls on their back. He outranked Chanti and Korn by a long stretch, what a shame he turned to be a mole.
People didn't touch Gin when he was in this state. His previous two partners made this mistake exactly once, the same one Vodka didn't make. But Shizuka could, so she placed a hand on his forearm, a blank expression on her face. Was this how family comforted each other? They offered support right?
Weren't Akemi and Shuuichi boyfriend and girlfriend? Akemi wasn't an important part of the organization and was left on a longer leash and thus hardly ever around, but Shizuka's spent enough time with Sherry to know of their relationship. She also knew the petite auburn chemist disproved of their relationship greatly but never could quite speak her thoughts when she saw how happy her sister was...
"Do you need help?"
"No, he knows your face now, and even Vermouth can't disguise you enough to meet him vis-a-vis. Blasted FBI"
Gin fell silent, going through a mental inventory of what Shuuichi knows, what intel have they lost? Thank goodness for his moron-of-a-subordinate, Camel Andres or something. They were right to plant someone there.
"Otou-san"
The silver-haired hitman turned around, and Shizuka took his hand. Gin's were gloved, while Shizuka's were soft. Blank eyes stared back up at him, unbllinking.
"Otou-san has been working hard lately" she said. "Otou-san should take me somewhere nice, somewhere with rollercoasters and definitely no men with suitcases"
Gin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Would you like to go on a trip, shrimp?"
Shizuka beamed up at him.
⊢—❣—⊣
Tropical Land had a rollercoaster that peaked tops of all the other high-rises and structures around Beika. It was the only reason. Gin and Shizuka rode it together – it was less suspicious for an adult man and "his daughter" to go on a ride together. No one paid her father any attention when his clearly-more-charming daughter took centre-stage.
"Two tickets please!"
"Ohya, hello there little lady. Off with your father?"
"Mmhm!"
In public, they were Shizuka Uehara and Mr. Uehara. The missus was not in the picture anymore, it usually dissuaded most from asking further. She held Gin's hand as they boarded.
In the darkened tunnel, the at the apex. Her sharp eyes didn't miss much anymore. The brown-haired boy in front of her was familiar, with a dark-haired girl. Did they graduate from the same class?
The ride stopped, and Shizuka shot Gin a look. Quietly, he nodded his head. So their man came after all. It would make disposal so much easier.
"Kudo-san"
Gin turned to her. She explained.
"Kudo-san is in my class, the high-school detective"
Right, how could she have forgotten? Shinichi Kudo, high-school detective, today's Sherlock Holmes. He's already been instrumental in solving several cases, even the chief of police was talking of roping the teen in as soon as he was of age. The sort of talent that only came once a century, Shizuka was actually a fan.
He was young, but that didn't make him any less observant.
Shizuka would know.
"Mm...keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't get too curious"
"Okay, otou-san"
⊢—❣—⊣
It was going smoothly, except Vodka – that idiot, well-meaning idiot but an idiot nonetheless – couldn't catch a single teenager slipping through their defences.
Shinichi Kudo saw Gin's eyes. Shinichi Kudo was not a fool. Shinichi Kudo knew that Gin was not a normal civilian on an outing with his child. But then he looked at Shizuka and she smiled and waved shyly, and doubt surfaced in sharp blue eyes as he shook his head and wondered if he had gone temporarily insane.
"Kudo-san, yes? Ah, otou-san, you can go meet with your business partner now, I can get back myself. I'll bring dinner on the way back"
Gin patted her head before taking his leave, Shizuka redirected his gaze with a soft smile.
"I haven't seen you in a while. How is Mouri-san?"
"Ran? Oh, we're fine"
"Is it? I heard Kudo-sensei's new Night Baron book was coming out soon. Hopefully I can do a book report on it, I know Eihara-sensei is a fan of your father's. Oh, forgive me, I'm Shizuka Uehara from 2-C"
"Shizuka...oh! I remember. Nakatomi's class right? The one with the moustache?"
Small talk like that. Shinichi let the two strange men out of his sight, caught up chatting with his classmate.
A day after, he was suspicious. Two days after and still no sign, he began to cautiously lower his guard. A month after and nothing happened, he dismissed the pair all-together. After all, the Shizuka he knew would never be involved in anything like that.
⊢—❣—⊣
"Sherry?"
"Uehara-san, please save my sister"
In her lab, where Shizuka brought her a coffee, they sat across from each other on matching lab stools.
"That Moroboshi...Gin's going to do something about my sister. He sees her as compromised, a liability. You're his...daughter, family, next-of-kin, but that wasn't quite right...direct subordinate, can you do something to...to..."
Shizuka knew what she was talking about. In fact, she was there when Gin planned it out with Vodka, after receiving the greenlight from above. Huddled under a table, on a weekend, Shizuka sat beside the two gunmen as they poured over a blueprint.
It was for the Beika City Bank, the largest bank in the Beika region. Akemi would get hired there, gain their trust, and carry out their plan. But there was something wrong with it, a lone woman only modestly trained in shooting and even less in strategy and espionage, sent right into the deep end.
The organization did not need money. This was not about money.
Akemi would not live.
Sherry would never be free.
Two days later, Akemi died. The case was given to the first division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, who classified it as a robbery-suicide. Apparently Shinichi came poking around as well, but never linked it to the strange man with the cold eyes that night in Tropical Land. Nobody was any the wiser, and even genii detectives weren't omnipotent.
"Uehara-san, you're my closest confident here. But right now, I despise you"
Shizuka tilted her head at Sherry, acknowledging.
"I know"
A week later, Sherry escaped the organization.
Gin wanted to kill her, but Shizuka persuaded him otherwise – and here Vodka almost went cross-eyed at the sight of a schoolgirl disagreeing with Gin and him actually listening – that Sherry was still important. What Elena couldn't finish, maybe her daughter could.
⊢—❣—⊣
It was easy to retrieve Sherry, though how she got into contact with the FBI was beyond Shizuka. Thank goodness for her foolhardiness, driving with Jodie Starling and Shuuichi Akai hidden in the trunk. Vermouth did a good job disguising as Araide even that Sherry couldn't sniff her out. Vermouth wanted to go alone, but Shizuka had a holiday next week and volunteered to "keep her company".
Surprise surprise, the drug shrank her instead of killing her. Their fault for pushing a prototype onto the field. Apoptoxin, what a strange name.
It was kind of funny that Professor Jodie turned to be the FBI agent dispatched to sniff them out. While Gin and James Black were brooding and making counter-plans for counter-plans, Shizuka was chatting with one of their top agents about last week's English homework. Shizuka really did like Jodie, she was pleasant enough company if a bit too sharp for her own good.
"Uehara...san?" Jodie stopped, eyes wide in shock as she stepped out of the car, still clad in the Teitan uniform, sniper in hand.
"Jodie-sensei" she replied before turning around. "Ah, Ver-sensei, may we leave her alive? I'm afraid her death will draw suspicion to my school, which may limit my movements"
Vermouth seemed to consider this, gun cocked and pointed at the blond-haired teacher-cum-agent. It was a bit unnerving to see the pair discuss something so morbid so casually.
"Mm, I'm afraid not dear. She's too much of a threat to leave like this"
Shame.
Wait, if Jodie was here, then where was..?
Suddenly, Shizuka whipped around and booked it for their sniper tower.
"There's one more here. Akai-san is near. Ver-sensei, take cover!"
Vermouth's eyes widened as she realized. Immediately, she fired – once in the abdomen and once in Jodie's right leg to cut off her escape. Shizuka wasn't around to hear a surprised scream of pain, nor the sound of fabric hitting the tarmac. She bolted up to the tower. Calvados was there, and if Calvados was there, then Shuuichi was-
There!
Right there, the gleam of a scope trained on him hidden in shadows and moonlight. There was no time. Quickly, she dove, tackling both of them to the side. The bullet grazed her cheek. Both fell bodily in a tangle of limbs.
Instinctively, both booked it for the closest cover as two more bullets missed them by millimeters. Whipping around, Shizuka returned fire. A hail of sparks burst from steel beams, falling like some malignant firework. She couldn't hit him, but she could buy time.
The black rook made their move, it was white's turn.
Shuuichi missed his shot, which meant his element of surprise was gone. Now that Calvados was aware and the FBI outnumbered, there were only two options left. Try to save Jodie, or leave the faux-English teacher and shoot Vermouth down.
The choice was easy.
⊢—❣—⊣
Sherry came back eventually, to the car with minimal injuries. Full of tears and anger at Vermouth, quietly sitting beside Shizuka and Calvados. Vermouth was in the driver's seat, looking a bit like a raccoon coming out of a dumpster fight but otherwise unharmed.
The city looked so lovely at night. Bright lights that rushed by like rivers. It was strangely tranquil, there was nothing better than the car ride home after a mission well-done. Rhythmic movement of tire on tarmac, dull lights that bothered noone, it was truly...
Sherry didn't speak for a long time. But when she did, it was halting and broken, half-torn and half-revulsion.
"...neechan is dead"
"Yes"
"Neechan is really dead"
"..."
"Why?"
"Shuuichi Akai-san chose her to be his way in" she didn't need soft words, Shizuka was simply confirming what she already knew anyways.
"...I hate Akai"
"I know"
"He's mine"
"Sure. Welcome back, Sherry-san"
⊢—❣—⊣
So the FBI were investigating them again. It was annoying, but not unbearable. It would've been so much easier if the idiots cooperated with the CIA or even Interpol, but they didn't trust each other and their loyalties lay opposite directions.
Inefficient, dumb, slow
Gin received report of Shizuka's mission of course. She handled herself fine, calmly and followed orders without emotion, as one would expect of a proper agent. It wouldn't be far-off to say he was pleased with the results.
Au contrair to what most people thought, Gin wasn't dismissive of gut-feelings and sixth-senses. It gave him an edge where most men would fall short, it was part of the reason why he was so feared.
It was this feeling that led him to Shizuka that day. From the very beginning, he knew she wasn't normal. There was innocence in those eyes, but it was the sort that saw no wrong in crimes that would make most pale in the face.
He could have killed her, would've been more logical to, but instead he took her in. It was a gamble to see if she could be an asset.
It paid off more than Gin could anticipate.
Good with guns, as serpentine as Vermouth, flexible and level-headed. Sniping left a bit to be desired, but no one was good at everything. She was more than a simple agent. She could become an executive like himself in the years to come.
A natural killer, one that smiled with the barrel of a gun pointed between your eyes...
Shizuka Uehara, a born assassin. If Shuuichi was the FBI's Silver Bullet, then she will be their own Waxing Crescent***.
⊢—❣—⊣
Kir – Rena Mizunashi – would never admit she made a mistake.
Not everyone knew of Gin's project, his little subordinate – Gin commanded many people, but not many were his direct subordinate. Vodka was one, mostly due to his simplistic nature and unwavering loyalty than any real skill – the black-haired girl who wore pink and red that picked flowers off the sides of roads and took them home in a blown-glass vase.
Not many knew. Kir herself thought she knew more than any others – moles or otherwise – in the organization, until she heard word of Akemi.
She killed her, her own sister. Akemi who took care of her like she was her own child, who gently guided her. The Akemi Miyano that was more a mother than Gin ever a father.
She killed her. She didn't pull the trigger, but she may as well have murdered her with her own two hands.
Rena realized then, that she was not so much child as monster. That she'd made a grave mistake assuming that one Shizuka Uehara was fundamentally human.
⊢—❣—⊣
The air was cold on the day of the assassination.
High-profile targets were always a pain in the neck, but with Chanti and Korn free, and Kir successfully scheduling an exclusive interview with their target, everything should go smoothly.
The FBI were due to show up of course, but without Jodie – hospitalized after their scuffle – and Camel reduced to paperwork, there was only so much one man could do. Oh, James definitely tried his best, simply that his best wasn't enough. He was no deity after all.
A pity Jodie didn't die though, but one could not be too greedy. All in all, it was a good week for Shizuka.
Gin placed a large, calloused hand over her shoulder, prompting a curious look. Atop an abandoned building armed with two snipers if things went south, it seemed to be an unnecessary precaution after all. Chanti didn't miss. Not at that range.
"Mission complete" she said, and Gin nodded.
"I suppose they did. You've done a fine job today"
Shizuka leaned towards him.
"Can we go home now? I have a science project due next week"
"Sure. Let Vodka give you a lift. We'll do what you said"
"Okay"
"And Shuuichi Akai?"
"I want him"
"Mm, in light of your achievements. Consider this your reward"
Together, past totalled cars and terrified screams and the vague, coppery smell of spilled blood by the gallon, Shizuka and Gin turned back, towards back to HQ.
Home.
⊢—❣—⊣
Notes first!
Hope y'all enjoyed. Any critique is welcome either via comments or DM.
Hopefully Shizuka didn't come across as too pretentious...kind of realized that during editing process but by then it was too late to go back /3
Clarifications below:
* The reason why Gin said this was because if you put a gun against skin and pressed on the trigger, the shot will leave a burn mark on the skin from where it was fired. This implied that Vodka didn't fire at point-blank
** Gin refers to the alcohol, but also to the colour "silver"
*** Waxing Crescent is the first phase of the new moon. Since the name "Silver Bullet" was derived from werewolf mythology, I thought a moon metaphor may be appropriate