Hey, guys! For all of you and the positively wonderful reviews from the last chapter, I made this chapter as quickly as I could and as neatly as possible, since this'll be a favorite of mine to type, and the two others after this. For all three of them, the order is gonna go like this; this chapter will have episode ten while the next will feature episodes eleven and twelve, the last one finishing off with episode thirteen. Why in this order? Well, there's a pretty good chance of cliff hangers happening then and I'd really like to bring one in. I know that sound like a lame excuse, but I'll follow it this way if I want to. Since it is, of course, my fanfic, after all, heh-heh ^w^
Ah, now I'm getting even more excited! ^_^ Well, I won't want to make this linger on some more so, let's get this chapter rolling!
Disclaimer: Tiger and Bunny is under the rights of Viz Media. I am only fulfilling a request.
~Episode Nine: To Battle We Go!~
The clothing bag, covered in a thin layer of dust, was pulled out of the back space of the closet and shaken a bit, sending dust clouds flying.
"Freakin'- hack, hack- Hell!"
"Mom?"
"Ah, I'm still on, baby," Katsuko starched up her eyes and nose and shook her head, placing the old clothes bag down on her bedroom bed with her phone cradled between her shoulder and ear, looking around her room a little. "Alright, keep going. You were on your four's times table."
"Mom, what are you even doing?"
"Oh, well. . ." Patting away the dust, Katsuko smoothed her hands over the wrinkled bag and grinned sheepishly. "I. . . Well, I guess you could say I have a meeting with a co-worker of mine and he wanted to talk over dinner. Only business stuff, Kaede. It sounds really boring if you think about it." She explained, though her grin dropped with an annoyed sigh. "He said he wanted to dress formally for tonight so I'm just looking through the old relics for an old dress I haven't worn in a bit."
"Wait. . . So you're going on a date then?"
"H-Huh? No!" Her mother shook her head with a wide-eyed, embarrassed expression. "D-Don't be silly, honey! You know your mommy will only and always love your daddy! Till death do us part and everything-"
"Mom, do you think dad would have want you to do this to yourself?"
"E-Eh?" Katsuko asked, stopping on the wild dance her feet caused from becoming fidgety.
"If you ask me, I think dad would be OK if you started dating again," At home, Kaede leaned back in her chair at the kitchen table while Anju was washing the dinner plates. "I mean, I don't mind. It would be a little wired, but I guess if the guy was nice enough and he treated you right, then I'd be alright. I wouldt be nice to see you happy again."
"B-But I am hap-"
"Not since dad passed away," After an awkward pause, the younger brunette cleared her throat. "Mom, what I'm trying to say is not me or dad would be upset if you started dating again. You haven't dated for months and just being by yourself worries me. I know you're happy but I want someone else to make you happy, too. You're not getting any younger, mom."
Katsuko chuckled weakly. "I don't think that should be your line. Someone I know tells me I'm getting old, too." She said, referring to a blonde-haired, emerald-eyed "bunny" she knew.
"But really, it's OK. Have fun with this guy tonight, alright? See if it works out and enjoy yourself." There was another pause. "But not too much. I don't want a new baby brother or sister just yet."
"H-Hey!" Katsuko exclaimed, appalled by her daughter's words. "Who the Hell taught you about the "Birds and the Bees" at your age? Was it your uncle Muramasa? I swear to God, I'm gonna kick his-"
"Mom, I've already learned this at school! I'm not a baby anymore!" Kaede snapped with a huff. "You've just been away too long. I'm growing up and you just can't see it. Get a grip, mom!" The phone was slapped on the kitchen table and Katsuko could hear Kaede retreating to her bedroom. Sighing, she laid back on her bed just as the phone on the other line was picked up.
"Oh, you know she didn't mean it like that, right?"
"I know," Katsuko turned her head and twisted the corner of her pillow. "It just kind of sucks I can't be there to make up with her for real. Living over here while she's growing up all the way over there. It hurts, mom." She admitted. Katsuko knew the pain for the long time, long distance putting a strain on between her and her only daughter. Katsuko knew Kaede was growing up but it all felt like it was happening too fast. It felt like only yesterday that Kaede was an innocent baby. Now she was nine-years-old, going on ten, and if one thing was for sure, it was the intelligence her little girl had was getting better, knowing what her mother needed and wanted. And what she knew he mother needed now was a boyfriend.
"I know. It was hard for me to see you grow up, too, dear." Anju looked off to the side. "But I don't think that's what Kaede's upset about. To tell you the truth, she lost her teddy bear."
"A toy?" Katsuko tilted her head, confused. "I. . . Really don't see why she's so worried about it, mom. I mean, I bought her plenty before and-"
"Dear, it was the black one with the blue eyes and the green bow tie."
"Huh?" Katsuko gasped, seeing the point before looking to the side of her photo collection. One of them showed the teddy bear in question, held by Tomoharu as he crouched and beamed at a three-year-old Kaede, her first steps learned by the motivation of the precious toy. She remembered that day. Tomoharu made the little toy within a few weeks and Kaede adored it. No wonder her daughter seemed so upset. "I-I see. . ."
"It's time like this when she needs her mother around," Anju said with a hint in her tone. As Katsuko stood and walked over to the dresser she owned with a few photo's taped to the mirror. Kaede's primary school picture taped to the corner with the teddy bear in her arms. "Don't you think you can ask for a few days off? Just for a weekend?"
"Ah, mom, you know I would do that if I could, but a hero doesn't get free vacation time," She stuck her tongue out as she pulled open an old jewelry box from a cupboard, looking at the few pairs and sewing buttons mixed about. "Maybe I can ask my boss sometime, but I don't think now is good. Besides, I'm a little worried about Bunny."
"You have a pet rabbit?"
"No!" Katsuko shook her head and sighed. "Mom, I mean that new partner I have, the rookie. You know, presumptuous, a little spoiled, classy-"
"The one you're dating?" Anju raised her brows from the other end. "Dear, I thought you said you wouldn't date anymore."
"I'm not! It's more like play dating!" Katsuko cursed at how lame her rebuttal was. "I-It's something our company came up with. You know, get more attention with the people if there was some sort of love story going on. It's not like Bunny and I are actually. . ." Her voice trailed off, her memories turning back to the past few months she spent with her blonde co-worker. What was their relationship after all this time, knowing each other better? They weren't enemies, but they were exactly friends either. They talked mutually and accidentally got into a few awkward (and kind of nice) situations that couples would get into, but that meant nothing, right?
'If I said it once, I said it way too many times; Tomoharu is the only man I ever wanted and needed. I can't just replace him like that. . .' She crossed her arms as Kaede's words bounced back to her. If Tomoharu would be OK for her to date again, then it didn't sound that bad to put herself out there again, not that she ever did so in the first place. Dating was out of the question after her husband died, and with balancing Wild Tigress's duty and with family life, Katsuko didn't want to handle the pressure, not to mention the guilt, that came with dating. And there was still the fact that she hardly had time for her own daughter. What time would she have for a boyfriend?
'But Kaede would be fine if I dated again. And maybe she wouldn't mind if Bunny were my boyfriend. She seems to like him in some sort of hero-worship sort of way. . . Wait, Bunny and I aren't actually dating at all, damnit! God, would people stop putting thoughts in my head! I don't want those kind of thoughts, damnit!'
"Dear?"
"I'm here," Huffing, Katsuko settled with a pair of ordinary silver earrings she hadn't worn since high school. "Look, mom, I wanna chat some more, but I gotta get ready for the business dinner. Talk to you tomorrow, alright?"
"Of course. Take care of yourself. Goodbye."
"See ya." Katsuko hanged up and sat back on her bed, rolling the rings in her palm. The gleam of a third single band caught her eye and she sighed with a hint of sadness and placing her face in her hands.
Alexander Lloyds wan never a patient man. As the CEO of Apollo Media and one of the most well-known business men in the city of Sternbild, he was not one to dawdle on things or to wait for someone else while they wasted his own time. This was why he tapped his font impatiently as he waited, dressed in a more pressed and refined version of his grey suit as he stood in the waiting hall of Olympus, one of Sternbild's most well-established and fanciest restaurants. And since it was such a well-known restaurant as well, he was getting pretty annoyed that he looked like a complete loner without his client showing up.
"Ah, there you are," He nearly growled when Katsuko walked in, sheepishly nodding her head to the valet who opened the door for her. "Here I was thinking you wouldn't show."
"It's not like I can go to this place whenever I want." She muttered under her breath, feeling squeamish under the sophisticated atmosphere of Olympus. She could almost feel the intimidating pressure of the wealthiest citizens stare at her, most of their attention drawn to the mask fitted across her eyes. "Geez, what's with these people?"
"Who knows?" Her boss said sarcastically, before giving a look. "Where on earth did you get that?"
"What?" Katsuko pulled at the hem of her cocktail dress, tilting her head. "It's the best one I could find that still fits me. I don't do dress shopping like three-fourths of the women here every day."
"It's white-"
"Yes?"
"-With tiger stripes."
"Your point?"
"You know what? I'm not even going to say it," Giving up completely, he was at least grateful that Wild Tigress skipped on donning her cat ears, settles for curling her long brown hair it the end of its length and for using white flats. She looked modest, even with her domino mask shrouding her face. "Come on, Barnaby's waiting with everyone else."
"Everyone else?" Asked his client as he noted down Katsuko's reservation and led her into the restaurant. Olympus reminded Katsuko about what Sparta would look like, from what he text books had said back in high school. Each wall was painted in off-white and gold, a deep red carper all over the floor as if it were painted. Glass windows, chandeliers, and pillars were made of white marble and crystal while the white-clothed tables and booths were constructed to look like twisted tree branches, twined and knotted, while the chairs were cushioned and matched. At one table stood Barnaby, who snapped into action and pulled one chair back, nodding his head to Katsuko.
"Uh, thanks, Bunny?" Katsuko said uneasily, taking her seat and raising a brow when Barnaby pushed her lightly to the table and took a seat next to her, Lloyds taking the seat across them. As a waiter dressed in white, black, and gold bought them glasses of water and menus, Katsuko took a quick swipe around the room, now realizing what Lloyds meant by "everyone."
The rest of the Hero League sat at tables and booths with people from their companies, tow companies a table. Helios sat with Kronos, Odysseus with Titan, and Helperides with Poseidon. While CEOs and bosses were dressed in suits, their clients were dressed more formally and regal-looking. Even Barnaby went smart and had a dark red suit with a white dress shirt and matching pants, white dress shoes, a white tie, and his usual glasses replaced with purple-tinted ones; a pair Katsuko had noted that he only wore for sophisticated affairs.
Looking at the pattern of her own dress, Katsuko reached for her water and gulped down half of it, her face burning. No wonder Lloyds was upset with her attire. She looked like she was dressed for a high school dance.
"Hey," A hand went on top of her own and dropping copper eyes looked up to meet Barnaby's softened pair. "You look nice, OK? I thought you didn't care about this kind of stuff anyway." The blondes thumb delicate brushed along the top of her hand, similar to the veteran's palm tracing, and Katsuko's shoulders eased their tension.
"I don't, it's sort of a reflex, I guess," She sighed and smiled a little, squeezing Barnaby's hand in thanks. "No worries, right, Bunny?" Barnaby nodded and after a few second, Katsuko cleared her throat and looked at her lap. "Um. . . You can let go now, Bunny."
"Don't think I will."
"What?" Katsuko asked, turning red.
"Public appearances, remember?" The blonde reminded, though he was lying to himself. This event was more privet, so the press wouldn't have much of a field day on it. This was more of the perfect excuse to hold Katsuko's hand, which was smaller and a tad cold. Barnaby didn't mind though, as he enjoyed seeing Katsuko's face turn scarlet under her domino mask.
Having no idea what to think (or taken by the warmth that radiated from her partner's larger hand) she accepted it and looked to her silver ware, her fingers trapped snuggly in Barnaby's palm.
"Professional as always, Barnaby," Lloyds smiled, before turning to Katsuko. "Now, about why you're here-"
"I thought it was just for "public appearances"." The hero quoted.
"Let me finish," Her boss clipped as Katsuko reached with her free hand and took a sip of her water. "Tigress, you have vacation time tomorrow for three days."
Katsuko spat her water into her cup in surprise, coughing and beating her collarbone. Barnaby lightly patted her back, looking concerned. Katsuko would have fallen out of her seat with the way his eyes softened or how his lip curled delicately, yet she breathed sharply once and looked at her boss. "A-A vacation?"
"Yes. You've put in the hours, so now is a good chance to use them," Lloyds explained. "Starting tomorrow, why don't you take three days off?" He suggested, looking down his menu.
"I'm not interested," Katsuko answered immediately, looking at the silky table cloth. "I'm needed over here. A hero's duty is never done and I can't just leave the city like that. I can't just go running off, I mean, c'mon." She shook her head. "It's a flat out-"
"Give her time to think about it," Barnaby cut in. Katsuko shot him a look and opened her mouth to rant about interrupting and answering for her when the band of violins, cellos, clarinets, and harps in the middle of the room began to play. At that second, couples turned into a small pool of elegant dancing. "Mr. Lloyds, if you will excuse us. . ." With her hand in his grasp, Barnaby stood from his seat and bowed gracefully.
"May I have this dance?"
"Huh?" Katsuko squawked, too stunned to answer as the blonde pulled her up, green eyes faintly glinting behind purple specs.
"I'll take that as a yes," Without another word of consent, Barnaby lead the wobbly-footed veteran to a free space on the floor. "You know how to dance, right, old bat? And I'm not talking about the Hustle."
"Smug little- Of course, Bunny," Making a face, Katsuko placed her hand on Barnaby's shoulder and took his right hand to hers, raising her chin with a triumphant and mischievous smile. "See?"
"This isn't a high school dance; get closer to me," Her feet almost slid beneath her as Barnaby wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing their bodies together, his other hand dipping to the small of her back. Katsuko gasped, her nose pressed to a well-framed chest. "Now you put your hands here," Barnaby's elbows lightly brushed hers upward to rest on the top of his arms, her hands resting on the curves of his biceps. Startled gems of amber looked up at him, a red stain across tan cheeks. "Like this, alright? Just follow my lead. . ." All at once, they flew across the floor, sweeping past the other couples as if they were the only two in the room.
Tracing her feet after her partner's, Katsuko held her breath for a minute as Barnaby mostly guided her feet through-out the dance. She flushed as he guided her like a child, yet he was being so gentle and dolce, his unreadable eyes holding a flicker of kindness. Katsuko thought she would not live to see such a handsome look that held gentleness.
"What's with you, Bunny?" She asked aloud.
"Huh?" The blonde hummed, lost in the swaying himself.
"I-I mean," Katsuko coughed and looked away, turning a darker shade of red. "How come you told me to think about the offer? I wanna stay around here."
"You haven't seen Kaede in a while, right?" Asked the rookie, sighing as Katsuko moved her arms around his neck, their movements slowing down. "If you really want to see her, you should go. I can take care of things around here," He released and dipped her to the floor, pressing his nose to Katsuko's and softening his smile. "You trust me, right?" He whispered alluringly.
"B-Bunny. . ." Breath held in her throat, the heroine nodded and held on as Barnaby bough her back up, an inch apart from the both of them and their footwork stilled. ". . . Yeah." She finally said, smiling as she petted golden curls without a care. "I do trust you, Bunny. But are you sure? You did look a little funny a week ago. . ." She moved her palm to his cheek, a pink tint gathering under her hand. "Will you be alright?"
Taken by her concern, Barnaby nodded, almost nuzzling into her palm and slipping his eyes closed half-way.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Just promise me you'll take care of yourself, too. I don't. . ." I don't want to lose you was stuck at the tip of his tongue. But like a hot rod of newly-made iron, the band of Katsuko's deceased love pressed against his neck. No matter how many times he convinced himself, that it meant nothing, he knew he was wrong. It did mean something. It meant a lot to the woman he fell in love with. To the same woman who's heart had belonged to a dead man. It sounded like the most unobtainable love. He bit his tongue, sealing the words and replacing them, "I don't need you to worry about me so much. It's flattering but I don't need it. I'm not a child."
"I know. But I can't help it," Katsuko lightly pinched his cheek. "You look so much like a little kid when you say stuff like that. It's really cute, lil' Bunny." She giggled, smiling as Barnaby turned his head stubbornly and his nose twitching the slightest.
'Yep, he's a total bunny!' Katsuko thought with a smile, resting her head to his chest and sighing. 'He's not that bad of a guy, I guess. And I know. . . I know that a part of me really, really likes him. And that part is telling me to go for it and date him. But still . . . I wonder if Kaede was right a little while back. I really wanna know if Tomoharu would be OK with it. I always promised to keep my ring, telling myself that no one else out there would replace Tomoharu. But that's just it; I'm. . . I'm not replacing him at all. In my heart, where Tomoharu is, a space is there, meant for someone else. And I think. . .' She closed her eyes and nuzzled to an astonished Barnaby. 'I think it's for Bunny. . . '
"Old bat?" Barnaby asked, a small smile his only reply. Sighing, he pulled his dance partner closer and rested his chin on her head.
'Don't leave me in that dark. Tell me how you really feel, old bat. . .' He thought with anxiety biting at his thoughts. 'Don't leave me clinging to this one-sided love. . .'
"OK, I'll go on the vacation. Bunny," Katsuko answered, pulling away a little and smiling up her dashing dance partner. "There're some things I gotta take care of over there anyway. Just be good and save some hero duties for me when I get back, alright?" She gave a winning smile with gleaming eyes. "Be a good Bunny! Promise me."
"I. . ." Barnaby's tongue twisted like a shoe lace, caught and dry before he fought back a laugh. He settled with a huff. "Yeah, old bat. And it's not Bunny. My name is Barnaby."
"Sure, sure, Bunny."
Barnaby's lip curled at the nickname. But instead of a crossed look, it was a simple and well-hidden smile.
The next day wasn't only a day-off for Katsuko. Every hero in the league was off to do as they pleased for the day, and not one of them was alone.
Kyle met up with Pao-Lin and the both of them decided to head over to the arcade, playing every dance and fighting simulation game they could find, winning tickets and cashing in the prizes as if they won the lottery. Antonio was at the usual sports bar, cheering out the next game. He was surprised and a little freaked out that Natalie cheering with him and didn't even make a move to grope him. It was out of character for her to be cheering out and yelling as the opposing team scored a point, with a Southern-accent to boot. It was odd, but he liked a little. Even Iva wasn't alone, flying a black dragon kite from one of her favorite anime movies, bumping (literally) into Keith and joining him and his golden retriever, John, on their usual walk, the large dog taking a liking to the shy and flushing Russian.
Everyone was off doing something, Sternbild was having one of its most clear and sunny days, everything at peace.
Barnaby yawned and looked at the radio clock at his side, blinking as he saw he had stayed up the entire night. Murmuring a curse, he popped both his shoulders and few times before his phone vibrated. Clearing his throat, his checked the caller ID and answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Bunny. I need to ask ya something real quick," There was the sound of items being juggled between arms. "What would you say is your color?"
Barnaby blinked once, shaking his head hard enough to make his slightly flat curls puff up a little. "What?"
"Just answer the question, Bunny."
". . . My hero suit's color, I guess?"
"Oh, pink then!"
"It's not pink." Was the blunt answer.
"It so is, and you know it, Bunny!"
"What's the point of the conversation?"
"Oh keep your hair out of a knot-" Barnaby's hand stilled when he found a not in his hair while he was checking it. "As if hearing your voice in the morning is my ray of sunshine. I just needed to know, alright?"
"Then I won't bother to ask," Barnaby spun himself back to his computer screen, watching as more criminal files popped up along with the ones he found. Ever since that brief memory flash, seeing a sharper and clearer image of t6he killer's face, but still staying from who he was looking for. "So, you be gone for three days, right?"
"Hope you won't miss me too much!" Katsuko giggled.
'I might,' Through his mouth, he said, "If it puts your heart at ease, then I'll miss reminding you that "Bunny" isn't my name."
"Oh, so you do care!"
Barnaby rolled his eyes and poised his fingers over the keys, ready to move onto another file when the last one blinked onto the screen.
The solemn look in the man's rolling eyes hit a sharp stab in Barnaby's mind, the crisp and burning slap of fire rolling into his memories.
Everything flickered before his eyes like an old movie screen. Ashes rose from every piece of furniture caught on fire, the presents and Christmas tree licked at by tongues of flames. Barnaby, young and frighten, held his breath as someone stalked over to him, grinning as the face came clear past the smoke.
"Hey there, kid," The voice said lazily and sleaze-like, casting a wicked eye to the bodies lying in their own blood. He chuckled, raspy and haunted, before grinning at him insanely with the flames almost swirling around him in a satanic way. "How does it feel? To watch 'em die?" He snickered, reaching for the boy.
Gasping, Barnaby trembled in his seat, his eyes never leaving the face of the man with the defeated and lost look.
"Bunny, you still there-"
The phone was slapped shut and opened again, fingers dialing at the keys before Barnaby bought it to its ear.
"Mr. Maverick, the man who murdered my parents. . ." The twenty-year-old feeling of vengeance cracked over green eyes like lightning, the man's photograph reflecting within them. ". . . I've found him."
"That was weird." Katsuko stared at her cell phone as the dial tone rung back at her, shrugging as she slipped it back into her pocket and gazing into the shopping bag she had. Standing in front of one of Sternbild's largest toy stores, she giggled at the toy she found for Kaede. "She's gonna love it!" She said happily, pulling out two other stuffed toys she bought. They were two teddy bears with one paw sewn to the other's hand. They would have looked adorable if they didn't have the stitches, torn patches, dead-looking eyes, and the fake bullet wounds on the back of their heads. "Ha, Bunny's gonna freak when I put these in his office." Stashing the bears back into her bag, Katsuko walked over to her car and stepped inside, driving off the nearest highway and connecting her phone to the radio.
Once she entered the bridge that would help her out of the city, Katsuko switched her phone to blue tooth and smiled as it rang.
"Hey, mom."
"Kaede, guess what? I'm on my way right now!" With a hum, Katsuko stopped and inched little by little along the bridge, chatting with her daughter. "Three days of fun are up for you, baby. What do you want to do when I get there? Skating? Shopping? Maybe head over to that old dinner you loved when you were little? It's your day, honey."
"Are you sure you're coming this time, mom?"
"Of course! I'm on the road right now, like I said. When I get there, it's gonna be our girl bonding time," She looked out her window, sighing as the cars moved only a few centimeters. "As soon as I get out of traffic. Promise! Oh, I got you something, too! Something I know for sure that you'll like!" She dug through the bag and laughed at the toy bears she bought, mindful of Kaede's gift that was tucked under the bears. "I also found some of these toy bears, too. They say they're getting pretty popular, too-"
"Mom, please don't tell me you bought Mad Bears." Katsuko jumped at the question, looking at the pink and green bears warily. "Ugh, those things are so freaky-looking! I just can't stand to look at them." Katsuko shook her head and stuffed the toys under her seat, shaking her head.
"Yeah, same here." She sighed, looking straight ahead just as the clock struck eight o' clock.
The middle of the bridge was ripped apart by an explosion suddenly. Katsuko gasped and threw herself onto the wheel, swerving her car just as many others twisted and curved to stop themselves. When he car came to a jerky halt, Katsuko grabbed her phone and ran out with the crowd, looking at the wall of smoke that hid Sternbild from a part of the world.
"Mom? Are you still there? Mom, what's going on?"
Katsuko bought the phone to her ear, sighing.
"Sorry, Kaede. I think I'm gonna have to break that promise."
"I knew it!" The phone was slammed down angrily and Katsuko yanked her phone away from her ear at the loud sound. Groaning in frustration, the hero jabbed her phone into her pocket and hid away from the crowd, her wristband vibrating. She picked it up and huffed. "Yeah, what?"
"Wild Tigress, we're getting reports of a terrorist attack at Brocs Bridge," Said Lloyds, speaking directly. "You're nearby, right? Get to the scene, quick."
"Aw, come on!" Katsuko threw one of hands in the air in anger. "First you want me to take a vacation, and now you're ending it on the hour! Make up you damned mind up already!" She shouted.
"Wild Tigress, a hero's duty is never done."
"Hey, I said the same thing to you!" Katsuko shouted, peeved that her own words were thrown back at her.
"I'll send the transporter car to your location. Keep an eye out and let no one see you."
"Bite me," Katsuko muttered when he boss hung up. "Really, today of all days. I was actually starting to like this day-off!" Shaking her head, she switched onto Barnaby's line and connected to him not a second later. "Did ya get all that, Bunny? Some terrorist split the Brocs Bridge." She informed, looking around for the transportation car. "Where are you right now?"
". . . Actually, I was heading over Abbas Prison right now."
"Huh?" Katsuko had heard of it. The prison island just off the coat of Sternbild was meant for the worst of criminals, so dangerous and unstable that they weren't allowed at the normal prisons and they were cut off from the rest of the world. Barnaby's intentions for going there were a mystery to his partner.
"I wanted to see an inmate," His voice held controlled anger, almost scaring Katsuko. "It's the man who murdered my parents."
"What?!" The brunette grasped, her hand flying to her chest. "Holy shit, Bunny, are you serious? Are you sure this is the guy?" She asked, unable to hold back her worry and adrenaline.
"As sure as anything else in my life," Barnaby sighed regretfully on the other end, the clench Katsuko had on her chest tightening. This could be one of Barnaby's last chance. If he didn't do this now, then who knew when he would be able to confirm this twenty-year revenge and end his self-suffering. "Look, I'll be there in a-"
"Nah, you go on ahead."
Barnaby gasped on the other line.
"Look, you've been searching for this guys for what, twenty-years, right?" Katsuko acted as if she heard the story a million times, her confidence brazen. "You can't stop, not when you've gotten this far. Go and show that bastard what for."
"But that'll mean you'd have to face the terrorists on your own-"
"Remember what happened at the dinner, Bunny?" Not waiting for an answer, Katsuko smiled and spoke softly. "We gave each other trust. As your partner, right now is when I need you to trust me the most. I can take care of these guys." She smiled and winked. "You just take care of that guy and I'll make sure to give ya a kiss for a job well done." She giggled. "Later!" And hung up, laughing and holding her stomach as she laughed in the middle of the room. "Oh, God! Nat would be proud!"
In his car, Barnaby shook his head, blushing as he reminisced about kissing Wild Tigress again. It was a beautiful imagine that bought a smile to his face, a boost of motivation as he floored the gas pedal and drove off.
"Alright!" Cracking her knuckles past the metal of her gloves, Wild Tigress stepped forward and peered through the thick wall of smoke with her visor. "Who's the guy looking for attention? . . . Huh?" She double-checked her advanced and regular vision, making sure that she just wasn't seeing things.
Standing at the edge of the road was a tank decked out to look like a robot warrior that stepped out from a sci-fi movie, twin exhausts and turbo canons adorning it's bulky form. Katsuko's screen analyzer couldn't make any sense of it. Her blood pressure rose within her as she soon saw that more than dozens of the similar killing machines were behind the first, all looking prepared to go into battle. Katsuko bit her tongue as a growl came from her throat.
"Worst. Vacation. Ever."
It didn't end from there. Each and every hero (Minus Barnaby) was gathered at the bridge, scattering to destroy the robots before they did any fatal damage to the city and its people. Minute by minute, more kept popping up in different places, everyone ordered to split into different groups until Wild Tigress was left on her own to look over the bridge. Upon recent discovery, she found out the controllers behind the machines were Mad Bears, just like the couple-themed one she bought as a joke.
The mystery behind these terrorists attacks were twisting into tighter knots, seemingly impossible to solve.
Katsuko doubled in her efforts as she jumped into the air and grabbed two of the robots' heads, smashing them together and landing back on her feet. Her Hundredth power had dwindled on her a while after the first hour of the battle, and relying on the natural strength combined with her suits tough exterior was already wearing her down, her muscles and bones screaming in protest at every blow and attack she took.
"Someone help!"
At the call for help, Katsuko dashed to the side of the bridge and looked over, seeing a woman trapped in her car with the bumper held only by a lose cord of titanium.
"Don't worry! I get you out of there!" She called, lassoing out her wire gun and throwing it, snatching the bumper and hauling with all her might. The weight was slowly and painful bringing her down with gravity, but she threw her other arm and released the second wire, catching the large pole of the bridge. Throwing her body into a turtle's roll, she held her arms hard as the robots fired a multitude of bullets at her, the small missiles of destruction barely making a dent in her armopr and flying everywhere.
'Damnit. . .' Katsuko shut her eyes, refusing to let the woman die by the hands of drawing or bullets. She would not give in, not until her last breath was taken. A little a part of her was crying out, shouting, 'Shit, I kind of wish Bunny was here. . . Damnit!'
"It looks like Wild Tigress is in a heap of danger!" Everyone outside of the battle watched their television screens, lost in breath as Wild Tigress put all her strength into hanging on, the citizen's life and safety the only things on her mind. "She's sacrificing herself to save an innocent life!"
Barnaby's car screeched to a stop as he heard this from the radio. Right before his eyes, he could remember when Katsuko had took off into the air without a second thought, taking Lunatic's arrow to the shoulder in order to protect him. She has smiled at him and asked if he was alright. She had made sure that he was alright first, not caring about her own health or safety. This was what was happening right now. Katsuko was doing all that she knew and cared about; protecting a life and pushing everything else inside. Barnaby could now see it, and he know understood. It was a noble thing of the veteran.
'It's one of the reason that I'm. . . That I could be in love. . .' Barnaby sighed at the confirmation, looking back at the sky before nodding once, knowing what he had to do.
"This should. . . Do it!" Wild Tigress sealed the two steeled clamps of her wire guns, standing up and bracing her arms across the front of her as the bullets pressed on. "Ma'am, I'll be back in a second! Please, hold on a little longer!" She shouted, diving forward in a set of front flips and grabbing the machine gun she ripped off one of the battle tanks. She aimed and cocked the weapon, wincing behind her mask. "I'm really against using weapons 'cause they can get messy, but for you guys, I'll make an exception!" She pulled the trigger and shot. "Say hello to my little friend!" The double-powered bullets barely knocked them down and Katsuko looked around, just as something rammed her to the edge of the bridge.
She screamed and reached out to catch something as she fell. The wind beneath her suddenly turned solid and she blinked, realizing she was caught and being carried back to the top.
"Are you alright?"
"Bunny?" Katsuko made sure she was looking at the same metal suit with blue gem-cameras looking at her. "What the- When did you get here, Wait, what are you doing here?"
Barnaby landed the both of them safely near the broken side of the bridge. "I asked you if you were alright." Asked the blonde more firmly, his voice threatening to break with another emotion. Wild Tigress could have confused it with concern, but she thought better; Since when we Bunny ever worried about her?
"I'm fine, I'm fine, Bunny. Can ya put me down now? This is embarrassing." That poked a small smile behind the pink and white mask.
"You should relish in this, old hag. I bet no one's carried you like this since you were little. Must've packed a few pounds over the years, hm?"
"Oh, quit the sweet talkin' and put me down already, Romeo!" Barnaby held back a laugh, though nonetheless placed her down. "And as I was saying, just what are you doing here? I thought you had to go see if that guy was from Ouroboros." A white file was handed to her, the golden-eyed hero's confusion only raised higher.
"His sentence is two-hundred-and-fifty-years. He's not going anyway for a while. Besides," Barnaby tilted her chin suddenly, leaning in and dropping an octave. "I owe a favor to a friend. So we're even now."
"What?" Katsuko asked. Barnaby added something that made her turn red behind her mask.
"And I'll take my kiss later, thank you."
"I-I was only kidding-!"
"A deal's a deal, old bat," He shrugged and stood to her back, winding his hands into to fists and spreading his legs to hold himself as the robots formed a ring around them. "Now looks sharp and get ready."
". . . You really are an asshat." Sighing with worry, Katsuko pushed aside her promised kiss and got as ready as her young partner, the duo raising one brow as the hatches to the robots suddenly opened. As if there were fireworks planted in them, the heads of the Mad Bears shot into the sky and exploded in the air, business cards now raining everywhere in the city. Katsuko caught the first one she saw and looked at the symbol. "This is-"
Barnaby gasped audibly, the image of a snake consuming it's own tail with a sword pircing through its body. "Ouroboros. . ."
"Attention, citizens of Sternbild!"
The young man's voice rang throughout the area, everyone looking up and searching for him as the city was still rained with cards.
"Your resistance will not be tolerated," The voice purred, the shadow of a blimp hovering over the Brocs Bridge. As it rolled into the sky, it switched from the symbol of the crime syndicate to two people, both in a dark room with Mad Bears collected around them.
The first young man looked as if he hadn't hit his twenties yet, his short black hair pulled back with a few stray locks poking out of his black and red top hat. He dressed smartly in a white vest and red gloves, along with black jeans with holes in the shape of diamonds made across his knees and lower legs, the ends tucked into red boots. Even in the dark room, he spun a parasol with a spider webs over the material and had black sunglasses over his eyes.
The man next to him was a foot taller with muscle, complicatedly-styled dreadlocks on his head and eyes squinting. He was dressed in a full, black body suit, his arms and face marked with jagged swipes of red pain.
"Now that we have your attention," The boy chuckled childishly, twirling his parasol. "We'd like to introduce ourselves. We are known as Ouroboros. And to make sure we could get to know each and every one of you without a single person leaving, we've sealed off every major traffic points around your city! I'm afraid that Sternbild's now isolated from the rest of the world. Or, as your precious Justice Bureau would put it; everyone in this city is a hostage to our organization." He tittered behind his hand, just imagining the shrieks of fright from the scared people.
"Please, there's no need to be scared. We only take violence if we don't get our way. And you're about to see what happens when we don't get our way unless you listen to a tiny request we have," He bought his pointer finger and thumb together to either be proving it or to poke the sleeping bears within them. "There's a comrade of ours in Abbas prison and we would like to pick him up without being attacked by your little guard dogs you call "heroes".
"This guy's off his rocker!" Katsuko exclaimed. The rookie next to her couldn't have agreed anymore, had it not been for the fact that he was waiting and dreading that the boy didn't say the name he didn't want to hear.
"If you don't listen to our demands, we shall destroy the pillars that hold Sternbild above water," Said the young man, twirling a piece of his hair with his finger. "I doubt that all of your citizens can tread water for eternity. The clock is ticking, and you know what you have to do in order to save your lives, you must release one man from Abbas." His eyes glowed a light blue behind his sunglasses, a boyish smile on his lips. "His name is Jake Martinez."
"That little shit!" Katsuko threw her arms at her sides, turning to Barnaby. "Bunny-what should we-"
But the man before her was distracted with something else. The file he had shown Katsuko before was being crumpled by Barnaby's gloved hand, incoherent grunts snarling from him. Katsuko took a step to him, almost frightened of Barnaby's odd behavior, when she finally caught the words written in black and white.
"No. . . No!" She shook her head, grabbing at her helmet and grasping at it, trying to erase the name that was burned into her mind, making her heart stop. "Damnit, why? . . . This isn't right. . . Just. . . Just. . . NO!"
Deep Within the very pits of the moist and buried floors of the underground prison known as Abbas Prison for the criminally insane and mentally unstable, a man nude as the day he was born sat to a wall, biting at his fingers and scratching the wall before him. His lunch laid untouched and the rusty water faucets behind him dripped with slug filled water.
He licked his finger and wrote curvy lettering under his master piece. The wall was painted in burnt blood and saliva, the outline and figure of a human skull hidden behind a ravine of trees. The man smirked with triumph, lazily pulling his long hair back and snickering in a rasp chortle.
"All done. . ." He laughed, drawing his eyes to the signature he left cleverly behind.
Jake Martinez
Barnaby: Hi, I'm Barnaby. The member of Tigress and Bunny who likes to drink rose wine. Ouroboros, you've finally come out of the shadows! With all the trouble we're going with cast aside, we just need to find some way to escape the biggest. Origami, I know you can be able to pull this off. You didn't graduate from Hero Academy for nothing! And with the old bat back and not screwing things up, I could finally get close to. . . Unless something like that happens! Damn you, old hag! Next time, on Tigress and Bunny; When All is For Naught How could you do that?! I wish I never met you at all, you old hag! Stay out of my way for good! See ya!
Didn't I tell you guys there'd be a cliffhanger? Yeah, I know, I had to pull that card, but trust me, it'll be all worth it once the next chapter comes up. Which will be soon since I work on this fanfics with every chance I get when I don't have school, which I started about a week ago. Don't worry! I'm not giving up on this fic until the last chapter is done! I promise you guys! Well, I hope you all enjoyed it! Please leave a review if you did and I'll see you all next time, really soon! Till the next chapter, bye-bye, for now!
This is me saying, Peace!