Unlikely Ally in an Unlikely Job

Come around the end of May...

'Tsunade! We got a job!' Shido called out. 'Let's pick up one more willing to come with us.' he said. 'Normally I'll ask Kazuki but he's off somewhere with Juubei so let's ask Emishi.'

'Alright, go call him, I'll check on the house before we go.' said Tsunade as she ran to her room to get dressed in her job outfit for the summer, basically the same outfit without her duster and instead of her usual leather boots, its a pair of ankle boots comfortable for the heat, baring most of her legs and a red-orange bandanna wrapped around her head.

xxx

Mugenjou...

'Really?! Oh wow! I'm coming baby~! I'm not gonna miss out on earning pocket money!' Emishi cheered at the phone. 'I'll meet you guys outside Mugenjou alright?'

'What was that about Emishi?' Makubex asked him curiously.

'Oh, Shido-han invited me out on a job since their mediator said get a partner who's available! Apparently the Get Backers turned her down for some reason so she called Shido, Tsunade and they're bringing me along!' said Emishi. 'Something about the Venus de Milo...'

'Venus de Milo?' Makubex looked it up the internet. 'Ah, in the society they're usually involved in, there's an auction to be held on a cruise ship to take off from Okinawa. A Miss Hera somehow found the genuine pair of arms of the Venus de Milo and attaching it to the goddess will be broadcasted worldwide. On public it claims to be an auction for wealthy folks, but do they look like high-class society to you?'

Emishi and Sakura looked at the monitors, at photos taken.

'Oh my! They're the Underworld aren't they?' Sakura exclaimed as they saw the faces and expressions...and bodyguards involved.

'Yup. I looked into the background of Ginji-san's mediator...she tends to get big-paying jobs off of people like them. This is gonna get hairy so listen to this...'

xxx

Outside Mugenjou...

'Jeez...she didn't tell us those!' Shido swore, twitching at the extra info he got off of Makubex. 'Lucky us!' he griped grouchily.

'She probably wasn't told either so her Freelancers will accept it and then let the risks peek-a-boo on us while scrooging all of us off our dues.' Tsunade sighed. 'After all, the riskier the more a client has to pay.'

'That's life.' the older men groaned unhappily.

'Well, a job's a job.' said Shido. 'We gotta be pros. But fiiirst...we gotta get rid of some rivals! If they get to our booty first we won't get paid. Hevn saw them take Clayman as a client for that same Venus when she looked into it!'

They set off to get plane to Okinawa thanks to Makubex hacking for them.

xxx

Okinawa...

'Man its so hot down here compared to Tokyo...' Tsunade gasped out at the searing heat wave they all felt upon landing. 'The heat is so nasty Mugenjou's much colder in the summer!'

'It makes Mugenjou twice as cold in winter as a setback.' Emishi shuddered as they got off their plane. 'But will he really come?'

'He said he'll try and that's all we got.' said Shido. 'We can only bank on it. Otherwise we'll have to use a shark just to get away. Tsunade's the only one who can fly.'

'Eeeee...I'd rather not ride a shark...' Emishi went pale.

'At any rate, let's do 'dispose rivals'. I wonder if they got a niiice pig farm...' Shido wondered as his eyes glinted mischievously. 'This is your first job Emishi.'

However, hours later...

The 'rivals' were two pigs in wigs and a pair of shades with a note that read, 'got any good dreams lately?' complete with a caricature of Ban himself.

'Looks like he got you.' said Tsunade as she could understand the pigs saying, 'Poor guy!' and 'What a dope!'

'I'm so sorry!' Emishi wailed apologetically on dogeza. 'I totally screwed up!' he then bounced back, flailing angrily. 'Next time I'll show them why I'm called Bloody Joker!'

'Maa maa Emishi, making him spend one Jagan is good enough.' said Shido in amusement. In a battle, spending your trump card early on is stupidity to the max. And Ban just used it on Emishi just now.

'Yeah, I guess I did...'

'Heh, things are just getting started...right, guys?'

'Its a cool power but a really sucky setback.' Tsunade giggled. Then she looked thoughtful. 'But what happens if he used it a fourth time or can he even?'

'Who knows?' Shido wondered as well. 'But at any rate, I'm counting on you to get us on that ship.'

'Right!'

And so...the sneaking around began.

But...

'...why did we have to steal a costume for you?' Shido asked, baffled as Tsunade walked into a clothing store that sells costumes, and a shoe store that sells ballet flats.

'I felt I need it for some reason! This time, we really go in!'

But sneaking in...is another whole story.

Because the sole entrance was guarded, they have to get on the ship by using Dolphins...and Tsunade guided them to a Circus Troupe.

'Nice!' Shido grinned. 'No wonder you bought a costume! Let's grab ours Emishi! Get dressed Tsunade!'

'Right!' he and Emishi knocked out a pair of men and stole their outfits, and stuffed said men in a box.

'Goody, we can get by with these on!' Emishi cheered as he dressed in a bear costume while Shido dressed as a Beast Tamer.

'You idiot, you're a whip user, why'd you wear something so bulky?!' Shido scolded.

'I want to wear this once in a while and they'll never guess my size in here so I can dodge knives and bullets!'

'Somehow, we just can't buy your word for it...' the pair of Mariudo's deadpanned.

'You two are so mean!'

'At any rate, let's watch the entrance.' said Shido. 'We got in here but by using our Rabbit Ears, neither Mido or Ginji are onboard.'

'Well, while they're good fighters...they're idiots everywhere else!' Tsunade tittered.

'I can see that...let's go watch.' they took out binoculars...and waited.

They soon saw various attempts of posing as deliverymen only to get foiled time and again.

'Are they...idiots?' they all sweatdropped.

'There's no way the mafia will let them in, they know everything to expect getting in on this ship.' said Shido with a snort.

'Yeah, their delivery gag won't work...and where'd they get that sushi and pizza?' Emishi wondered.

'Well, we win before the battle even started, who cares?' Tsunade took to chilling around.

'Let's chill alright. After we scope things out more. Let's walk around.'

'It'll be dangerous after an hour so let's do this quick.' said Tsunade. 'Countdown begins now.'

They slipped out.

'How are we going to scope things out?' Emishi asked.

'If we have Bat Ears we also have Rabbit Ears.' Tsunade grinned. 'That makes us top-notch eavesdroppers!' she chimed.

'We'll fill you in later so for now, be absolutely quiet.' Shido told Emishi as they walked around dressed as performers.

And so...they walked around though they really can't avoid the kids, having no choice but to perform some tricks to please the kiddies and better blend in.

While they were doing it, elsewhere...

'Boss, that presence...' someone gasped.

'Yeah...that one's powerful...who the heck is that?' said his companion.

'No idea, but we better find that one. What are they doing flaring it around?!' said another.

'Whatever, we'll see who it is.' said a much-younger person. 'The problem is, with all these guys around...its hard to tell who's who. We'll deal with it later, this operation is more important right now...this ship is our only chance to nail it.'

xxx

By around 4 pm...

Was the only safe time to have dinner. So they went to stuff their faces as much as possible, and the chance to use the urinal ten minutes away from their next job...as performers as part of the masquerade.

However, Tsunade warned them of danger during the performance so they got ready because they were found out when their 'colleagues' made them take the middle of the stage during the encore.

'This is it eh?' Emishi mused. 'Those guys we knocked out ratted us out somehow.'

'No shit. Well, we do this by ear.' Shido agreed as a cage slammed down from above, trapping them in. 'We got company.'

The lights went back on again.

/Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to tonight's Main Event!/ the announcer announced. /A staged battle between two giants VS a Beast Tamer, a Clown and an Acrobat! The acting in this show tends to be realistic and shocking so children and those with weak hearts, cover your eyes!/

'Yeah, right, they plan to dispose of us onstage!' Shido spat out with a sneer.

'Well, we do realistic best...riiiiight?' Tsunade said in a singsong voice with a dark smile at her partners.

'Guess these costumes aren't good enough...ah well.' Emishi chuckled. 'Sorry guys, but lemme go up first. Been a while since I last got a workout.' he said, getting out of his costume.

'Suuure...but be careful of that sewn-up horse intestine.' Tsunade warned, looking warily at the preserved organ that's sewn up after being filled with something. A rather morbid-looking, but effective weapon for blunt force trauma. 'Its heavy with a nasty gimmick that hurts the face.'

'Right, thanks. Anythin' else?'

'Let's just say you'll want to put them in a Food Processor. I dunno why though.'

'Guess I'll find out~!' Emishi psyched himself up. 'Time to laugh amid a rain of blood!' he cried, waving his whip around.

Soon, the men spoke in chinese.

So did Emishi.

'...he knows chinese?' Tsunade blinked. She didn't know that.

'Emishi is from the nomadic tribe of Rouran. Its in China.' said Shido. 'How he wound up in Mugenjou is beyond me.'

Emishi soon got pissed. He was yelling something angrily as he controlled the braids of his whips that somehow unwound and became strings! He wrapped the chinese men in it.

'Wow, he taking lessons from Kazuki now?' Shido whistled, impressed. He didn't know Emishi had that gimmick and had he used that move on him back in Mugenjou, he'd be a goner.

'Color me impressed!' Tsunade gushed out as Emishi spun them to lethal levels. 'Way to go Emishi!'

But its not over yet. Two bald guys came in with a Siberian Tiger...that they killed in front of them that pissed off both siblings.

'Emishi, sit this one out...this is personal.' Shido spoke coldly as Emishi gulped, wisely backing away.

After all, these guys killed a tiger in front of a pair of Beast Tamers!

'I take the one with the plastic-looking blade.' Tsunade called out.

'Fine, I take the other one.'

'Alive or dead?'

'Roasted because we're really running out of time for our job so we vamoose for now, we deal with them later and have Emishi and the other guy run with the goods.'

'Right-O~!' Tsunade's eyes glowed as she raised her arm...and let out a massive flash of flames.

'WHOOOOOAAAA?!'

'That kid's the one from earlier?!'

'Shit, what's she doing here with strength like that?!'

'I don't know but we'll find out soon enough...they're clearly intruders after something that these guys decided to stage a show to kill them...not that it worked. Romario, you stay here with Adolfo, Battista, Cleto, Dario and Eliodoro. You guys will pretend to be all of us in illusions and participate. The rest of us will sneak out after those three.'

'Yes boss!'

Once the flames faded away, the bald twins sported second-degree burns and nearly naked.

xxx

'Jeez, we didn't get to retrieve the target before landing at the Auction Site, good thing we planned a getaway.' Shido swore.

'Heeey, lookit that island!' Emishi marveled as they looked at the island that's so dark its barely lit up with fireworks and giving a kind of a silhouette. 'What an interesting shape. Looks like a battleship.'

'According to the Mediator this place used to be a Coal Mine.' Shido quipped.

'Now its used by the Chinese Mafia and created an auction house for the rich and famous eh?'

'Something like that.' Shido answered him. 'Its no simple auction house though...its cliffs on all sides. Its an impregnable base where mafia from around the world make their deals...even an army would have trouble getting in.'

'Yeah, the only way in is that China Bridge thing but its the only way in and out, unless we're willing to jump over and safely land on our getaway.' Tsunade sighed. 'To get our way out, there's gonna have to be a lot of body count.' she stated grimly.

'No shit. Better them than us.' Shido scoffed.

'Hooo?' came the dark words of a voice they knew. 'So that's China Bridge eh?'

'Mido?!' they all hissed in disbelief, but Tsunade raised her arm as if to get them to stay back.

'...where the arms and Dr.-Fucking-Jackal are...'

"Arms? Akabane?!" they gulped at the second part though. None of them want to deal with Akabane. None of them were in the man's paygrade!

'5...4...' Ban turned to leave while Tsunade still counted. '3...2...1...' he fainted.

'...the hell happened to him?' Emishi wondered.

'Akabane happened obviously.' Shido deadpanned, smelling blood.

'He sounds pissed...and in a bad mood too we have to wait till he fainted.' Tsunade mused. 'At any rate, he's a deadweight if we lug him with us the way he is now so I guess we shove food down his throat. A couple Eel should fix him.'

'Yeah, let's eat too.' said Shido. 'Honestly, and where IS Ginji? They clearly got separated!' he swore as he worried about the blonde idiot.

'Oh, he's fine.' Tsunade informed them. 'If Mido's worrying about Ginji we should worry but his words earlier were all about Akabane while all pissy. Had he mentioned Ginji things would change. However Mido's delirious from blood loss and severe exhaustion so we should make some distance to be safe.'

'Sou da na...let's grab us some nice, big eels. I'll whistle for five each of us.' Shido whistled...

xxx

In a safe place somewhere...

Ban woke up to the smell of food. "Food?" not just any food, grilled Eel!

'Yo. Finally awake, Mido?' Ban turned to face Shido who was with his group.

'Monkey-boy?' Ban frowned as Shido was with his group.

'We already ate, so that one's yours.' Tsunade pointed at what's near and below Ban's eye level: a banana leaf full of grilled eel. Big. Fat. Eels. 'You said something about arms earlier so we have no reason to be rivals with you.'

'Haa? I don't get you?' Ban asked, discombobulated as he noticed his injuries were wrapped up as well. Well, that's proof he doesn't have to fight them for money now... 'But aren't you after the Venus too? That's what the clown said earlier!' Emishi looked rather flattered.

'We're after the body, not the arms.' Shido clarified, sitting elsewhere as Ban started munching on his food.

'The body? What the hell?' Ban was even more confused than ever. 'Its a fake replica that'll be thrown away once the arms are tested!'

'I guess Clayman didn't know this, being solely an art thief.' Tsunade giggled. 'That body is worth about more than hundred billions in yen you know~'

'Yeah. To all the mafia on this island, the arms is mere chump change compared to the body.' said Shido darkly. 'I'll tell you the true secret of that Venus.' he said, tossing Ban a vial. 'Here.' Ban caught it with his hand. Its a corked glass vial with some white bits in it. 'You know what that is?'

One look alone and Ban knew.

'Drugs huh? Looks like some serious shit...' he muttered darkly.

'An ultra-refined drug known as Aphrodite.' said Shido, just as dark. 'Even in Mugenjou you rarely see that devil powder.'

'Heee...so how much is this worth?' Ban looked at the small, round clumps inside the vial.

'About 2 million yen or 14000-something Euros.' Tsunade informed him before pausing. 'Wait, why'd I mention euros for?' she wondered aloud.

'No idea, your intuition usually runs your mouth you end up usually saying vaguely prophetic stuff that usually comes true 100% of the time.' Shido chuckled.

'So you're saying that the statue has Aprhrodite buried in it?' Ban asked him.

'No. That statue itself is the drug.' Shido clarified as Ban's gaze turned nasty. 'They created a statue out of that drug.'

'Have you any idea what that statue can do to Japan alone as well as countries around Japan's size?' Tsunade asked Ban, wondering why her mouth is running vague words on her again. 'That statue that can sell for several billion yen, can turn Japan into crazed junkies with no hope of even rehab while plunging our citizens into a deep pit of debt in a desperate bid to get some in their withdrawal of despair.' she said anxiously. 'If this auction succeeds, they can get more funds to make art pieces out of these drugs to sell disguised as art auctions, the police and the law are helpless as they can't interfere in people's hobbies.' she explained.

'This drug trade is so set up that they can't do squat. Our client wants us to get it before it changed hands...and before Japan is screwed in all ways literally Mugenjou will look like an innocent Kindergarten Playhouse if we fail here. Japan will fall to madness while that bastard swims in money and victimize more countries, starting small...until he can move to the bigger fish to the point he makes an enemy out of various intelligence organizations and by then millions of people can only be given Euthanasia to give them sweet relief.'

'Who's behind this?' Ban swore darkly.

'Liu Meng-Yan. I'm sure you heard of that name, being a fellow Underground Shinjuku Citizen.' Shido pointed out as Ban clearly recognized the name.

'Liu Meng-Yan has used his drug trade to become one of Ura-Shinjuku's Big Bosses in the Black Market.' Ban mused. 'The police and other drug kingpins have their eye on him. Making a huge deal like this to change the landscape of the drug trade is something very hard to pull off unless precise conditions are made leading to where we are today.'

'Yeah, that's what Hevn-san said too.' said Tsunade. 'That's how it is guys...and you guys in the shadows!' she called out as Shido, Emishi and Ban looked alarmed as from the dark tunnel...out came a young blonde guy and bodyguards in black suits.

'Whoa! Who the hell are you?!' Ban yelped shrilly.

'Well, we're not bad guys just so you know.' said the blondie.

'Well, I can believe that for now.' said Shido. 'Tsunade mentioned the words 'countries around Japan's size'. Her power knew they were there before she herself realized it.'

'Dammit, I wish I can control this more.' Tsunade moped. 'Who're you?'

'We're security from Italy if you will.' said blondie. 'I'm Dino Cavallone, nice to meet you.' he told them. 'We're after that thrice-damned bastard ourselves and proof to nail him. Underground Italy...is not in a good shape.' he said in utter vexation. 'We tracked the trace all the way here that we came here guised as wealthy elite with bodyguards.' Shido, Emishi and Ban looked at Tsunade as one.

'Half true half lie.' that got them bristling. 'You lied about your identity but you're reliable.' her partners relaxed. 'We'll let it slide for now since we gotta be pros and save our own countries but we answer to our client OK? I hope we're not rivals for that statue since as long as its proof to nail Liu Meng-Yan, its destroyed afterward.'

'Ahaha, don't worry, we handle his drug ring, you can have the man and the statue.' Dino smiled.

'But we got formidable enemies...beyond your paygrade.' Tsunade told Dino. 'Leave the bodyguards to us. As you are now...you're dead in a blink.' she said seriously.

'What?!'

'Boss is strong!' the bodyguards protested.

'But not good enough even if all of you team up.' Tsunade told the guards seriously and the offended guards bristled. 'Hell, even Mido who's our best fighter has to use all he's got or die against Dr. Jackal. In the Freelancer world of Japan, give it all you got or die on the get go. You can't be slow or hesitate. Heck, even the weakest in Japan can easily kill you guys and that person is in Mugenjou. Mido, other than Akabane and the baldy twins since Emishi already killed the descendants of his sworn enemies, who else is on the line up? I need to make tactics fast.'

'There's seven more.' said Ban. 'The Seven Miroku siblings. From bottom to top, Yukihiko, Kirara, Tokisada, Tsubaki, Ukyou, Hikage...and Natsuhiko.'

'That many?' Emishi shuddered.

'That's age, not power level...right?' Tsunade quipped as her eyes started to glow, utilizing her other form to the best.

'Power too with Natsuhiko being the most dangerous. Oh yeah...Jackal is mine...OK?' Ban growled in pure anger and loathing as they could see a snake coil around him.

'Yeah yeah, have fun with Kaka-bane.' Shido snorted. But still, why is Ban so pissed?

'Now that we ate well with some eels, time for a fight of our lives.' said Shido, cracking his knuckles. 'How's Ginji, Tsunade?' he asked as Tsunade shrugged.

'He's one lucky bastard, I can tell you that much...I sense him alive and well.'

'That's good enough for me.' said Ban in relief. 'But I wonder what shenanigans he got into since we got separated. Tsunade, from my words earlier, determine who you can't and can't fight.' he said. 'Let your intuition run your mouth.'

They didn't notice Dino's group take note of what he just said.

'Let's see...for you, its Jackal, Natsuhiko, Hikage, Tsubaki and Yukihiko.' Tsunade declared. 'None of us can handle them but you.'

'Gee, that's pressure much?' Ban twitched but it also gave him clues on how strong the others are...

'For Ginji, its Yukihiko, Tokisada, Kirara, the baldy twins. For him its convenient he's a long-range fighter but because he's so damn nice, he's severely handicapped. Otherwise he'd have won easily with no trouble. He can handle Ban-Class opponents if he went Raitei though but we'd need Mido to stop that fighting machine side of his afterward.'

'That's Ginji alright.' Ban, Shido and Emishi deadpanned in a half-hearted, amused manner.

'For Shido, its the twins, Ukyou, Tokisada, Tsubaki, Yukihiko to an extent because he's Ginji-class nice but unlike Ginji, when he goes 'its out of necessity', run.' Shido gulped.

'Emishi, the baldy twins, Ukyou, Tokisada, Tsubaki to a limited extent. Everyone else, run.' Emishi balked.

'As for myself, with my flames, I can deal with anyone but Mido-class guys can easily kill me while in speed, Kirara and I barely match as she's better than me and my intuition compensates me in where I lack and I'll barely survive her as her fighting level is a couple notches better than me. I'll run from others but deal with the mooks to give the older boys more room. Yukihiko will let me go while its still him so I gotta run before the others take over. That's IF we meet them alone but if we're together, we can team up and compensate and at least, survive with a win.'

'Its decided.' Shido nodded. 'We'll handle the Freelancers with our lives. Cavallone can get the goods outta here. We better give Kazuki a phone call, he's our getaway guy who'll take them to our client.'

'Wait a minute, how old are you, Tsunade?' Dino asked Tsunade apprehensively. 'Handle the freelancers...with your lives...?' he asked in disbelief.

'Soon to be 13 in October 14, why?' Dino balked.

'You're only twelve and you're in a job like this?!' Dino cried shrilly in disbelief.

'Hey, I didn't grow up in a kingdom of roses like most kids my age, OK? I grew up in a dark, dank place with my older brother where death is just normal.' Tsunade glared at him. 'That made me who I am today in terms of stuff like this. We're pros. Age is nothing compared to competence in our world so don't give me some sympathy or pity or I'll be insulted.' she growled, her hackles raising. 'Be a pro because our countries are on the line here, got that?'

'...fine...' Dino sputtered as his bodyguards looked at him helplessly. 'But I don't like this. I can accept the reality of death if its just us adults but...'

'That's how it is dude. Explore your world some more.' Ban told him. 'Underground Italy is just a piece of the puzzle of the underworld and we're very active in Japan. If you look it up, you'll see Tsunade having records with Shido. These two always work as a pair being siblings. And she's easily our equal in terms of professionalism and reliability even if she's one of our weakest fighters but she can still kill you.'

'Yeah, been that way since four years ago.' said Shido. 'Although four years ago she's my informant while I do the fighting but now, she fights by my side. In a couple years she'll surpass most of us. She's a fighting genius who learns quick. Let's go.' and they ran for it.

'...'

The Italians reluctantly followed.

They're not sure about this one...

Their morals refuse to accept Tsunade willing to die for a job even if she's clearly professional.

But there's something else.