Tales From Roanapur
Part One
"Yeah?" Revy said as she answered the phone. She listened for a moment then answered, "Yeah, okay. Be a few hours, though."
Rock's neat black hair fell into his eyes as he watched Revy hang up the phone then gracefully get up from her seat in the apartment the Lagoon company shared. She strode towards the front door and was gone, her long purple hair swinging behind her.
"Dutch?" Rock asked after a moment.
"Yeah?" Dutch asked, the muscular black man laying back on the couch. His ever present sunglasses shielded Dutch's eyes, making him hard to read, though Rock still found most of the members of his new company hard to understand.
Rock looked bit worried, "Where is Revy going?"
"Dunno," Dutch actually smiled a bit, "don't wanna know, either."
Benny sauntered in from the back room, presumedly where the blond haired man had been working on a piece of equipment for the Black Lagoon. "Revy's the kind of woman who needs her space," he advised, "she'll be fine."
"I hope so," Rock sighed.
"Revy, you bitch!" Bao yelled some time later as his bar, the Yellow Flag, once more erupted into gunfire and chaos. Limp brown hair fell across his forehead as he scrambled for cover, the bar reinforced to be bullet proof for just such emergencies.
"Hey," Revy yelled back as the T-shirt and cut off clad young woman returned fire, "I didn't fuckin' start it!" A bit of blood splattered the black tattoos on her right shoulder, thankfully the blood was from somebody else.
"Hell, you just have to walk into the bar and shit happens," Bao shot back.
"Aww, stop whining like a bitch," Revy snarled as she rolled between tables to try to get a sense of who was firing on her.
The two young men had ordered drinks, gone to a corner table then after a few minutes, opened fire on the bar. It was a crazy move, considering the sorts of bad asses that used the Yellow Flag, but so far they were surviving the stunt.
'Wonder if it's a hit,' Revy mused as she drew her pistols, 'or if they're just trying to make a quick reputation?'
"Fuck!" a voice yelped, then was cut off in a wet gurgle.
'Wimp,' Revy thought contemptuously. Deciding she'd had enough fun playing with the punks Revy moved, body uncoiling like some wild animal. Dodging fire Revy leapt up onto the bar, pausing a moment to savor everyone's shock, then jumped up towards the bar's roof, twisting in mid air.
"Oh shit," one of the gunmen managed to mouth, his red hair standing on end.
BLAM! BLAM! Revy fired both of her pistols cooly, dropping both men in a splash of red blood as they fell to the floor. The bar rang out a cheer, even as Bao roundly cursed her in the background.
"You couldn't have done that sooner?" Bao sighed as he got up, looking at the mess all around the bar.
Revy smirked, "No fun that way."
"When I find out who sent those two fuckwits," Bao scowled, "I am going to get the repair money out of them or I'll wield their damned assholes shut!"
Revy walked over to the bodies, kneeling down to fish around for papers of any kind. "Chinese names," she noted, "but no passports or money. Think it was a job?"
"Fuck if I know," Bao admitted. He sighed as he grabbed the phone, "I'd better call Sawyer, get her in for clean-up."
"Well," Revy sauntered over to grab a still unbroken bottle of rum, "I'd better be going." Leaving some cash on the bar she added, "I've still got places to go..."
"And people to kill," Bao muttered as she left. Raising his voice he yelled, "Stay away a few weeks, at least till I get the damage payed off!"
"Yeah, yeah," Revy waved.
The streets of Roanapra were busy as they day shifted into twilight, men and women hurrying about for business and pleasure. There were street walkers, dealers, sidewalk merchants and more, all scrambling to make a buck or just survive in this mostly lawless town.
And Revy fit in to this place perfectly. A snarled word sent a druggy staggering away as she stalked down the street, a glance shutting up a busker looking for some change. She walked like this was her back yard, and the people around her looked on with a wary respect.
As arranged Revy turned the corner to the hotel, nodding to the young man at the desk as she went for the stairs. The fire that had once swept through the place was mostly repaired now, and you wouldn't even know that the bastard Cheng had been blown to hell in this very wing of the building.
Revy knocked on the door then called, "It's me."
"Come in," a woman called out, and Revy opened the door and went inside. Sitting across the room Balalaika relaxed on a sofa, her blonde hair flowing in a graceful wave down her back. As usual she wore a low cut business suit, her Soviet Army uniform coat draped over her shoulders like a cape.
"I brought the booze," Revy waved the bottle of rum as she walked over to where the other woman sat.
"No vodka?" Balalaika teased, her blue eyes twinkling as she smiled.
Revy sat down beside her as she answered, "You think we could actually get a decent brand of vodka here?"
"True," Balalaika laughed.
The burn scars that came down the side of her face, down her neck and disappeared beneath her clothes didn't take from her beauty, in an odd way they enhanced it. Balalaika had been through so much, and carried the marks to prove it, but she had survived. No, in fact she had triumphed, becoming stronger than she had been before.
Revy twisted the top off after pulling the cups Balalaika had already set out earlier. "So," she said as she poured, "why call?"
Balalaika took he glass, swirling the rum around before tossing it back. "I can't want to just talk?" she asked.
Revy tossed her own drink back, calmly thumping the glass down on the coffee table in front of them. "Not your style," she said flatly.
Balalaika took a turn pouring their drinks. "No, it's not," she conceded as she drank, "I wanted you here..."
"Yeah?" Revy drank.
Balalaika set her glass down then leaned forward, kissing the taste of rum from Revy's lips, "It's been too long since we've done this."
"Hmm," Revy turned to savor the kiss, reaching up to savagely twist her hand into the older woman's hair. "Too damn long," she murmured as they pulled back, "why the hell did you wait?"
"I was worried," Balalaika admitted after a moment, "that you were too busy playing with your new friend Rock."
Revy laughed, long and loud. "Rock's not like us," she shook her head, "he's going back home to Japan sooner or later."
"I'm glad," Balalaika gasped out as Revy bit her neck, sucking at both her healed flesh and her scars.
She might not admit it, but Balalaika cherished having Revy around, knowing the wild gunslinger wasn't bothered by the scars on her body. They weren't lovers, love had nothing to do with their relationship, what each offered the other was a safe sort of relief to dangerous pressures building within them both.
"So," Revy helped Balalaika shrugged off her military jacket and undo her blouse, "you gonna talk or are we getting down to it?"
'Revy doesn't change,' Balalaika thought with as grin as she unbuttoned the other woman's tight cut offs, 'thank goodness.' Curiously she asked, "Bedroom?"
"Why waste time?" Revy pounced.
End
Notes: Revy and Balalaika are both straight in Black Lagoon, at least as far as I know. They do both strike me as tough, as well as fairly sexual beings, and I could see them having a "fuck buddy" like relationship. May revise this as I see more of the series.
Part Two
Frederica Sawyer aka 'the cleaner' was a woman few people understood, even those who claimed to know her well. On the job she wore surgical scrubs, a mask and goggles, a anonymous figure who sliced and diced the living or dead bodies the underworld needed 'cleaning up.' Few saw her off the job, especially after the Greenback Jane fiasco, where for the first time she had shed her protective whites for her prefered goth clothes and attempted to be a killer.
'Of course,' Sawyer thought as she saw the door to the apartment open, 'I wouldn't have met my partners if I hadn't joined in the hunt for Jane.'
Shenhua had a cool smile on her face as the taller asian woman entered, her impressive figure confined by a Chinese dress. She moved more like a feline than a human, gracefully sliding across the floor as if she wasn't weighed down by all the hidden knives she wore. She shimmered with sensuality, her eyes twinkling with a certain kind oif amusement at the world arround her.
"Lotten checking out possible job," Shenhua told her, refering to their partner and the man who had saved both of them from a deadly fire. In the aftermath all three had decided to work together, reaoning that Lotten might very well be lucky for both women.
Using the ultravoice device around her throat gave Sawyer a odd sounding voice, but it was far better than being mute. "Good," she answered her, "I hope it won't be just a disposal job."
Shenhua grinned as she sat down beside her on the couch, stretching out her long, sexy legs as she relaxed. "Those be fun too." she pointed out.
Shenhua enjoyed her work, almost as much as Sawyer did. There was a warm, fuzzy feeling that rose within her when she finished a good clean-up job, a sense of completeness that Sawyer didn't find anywhere else in her life. In her more honest moments of self reflection Sawyer rather suspected she had a damaged personality, though she'd never admit it to anyone else.
"What you want to do?" Shenhua asked curiously, fixing her with a thoughtful gaze.
Reluctantly Sawyer asked, "Do you want to go out?" Unlike her two partners Sawyer wasn't as comfortable going out, feeling exposed out of her normal work gear. Shenhua and Lotten seemed to love going out, though Sawyer suspected that for them it was as much about keeping an eye on the competition.
"We go to Yellow Flag," Shenhua offered eagerly, "maybe see how far Bao get in repairs."
"Is he still angry at Revy for shooting the place up?" Sawyer had to smile at that thought. A pair of Chinese toughs had tried to make a name for themselves by starting a gunfight in the Flag, but it had ended with their deaths at Revy's hands. Predictably, Bao was less than greatful she stopped them and annoyed she hadfn't done it sooner.
"When is he not angry?" Shenhua said with a shrug as she got up from the couch then took Sawyer's hand and pulled her up.
As Sawyer rose she stumbled a little, falling against Shenhua's lush curves, feeling her arms moving around her to holdi her gently. She blushed faintly as she pulled away, not used to the casual touching that the other woman so enjoyed. "Let's go," she said as they set out together.
THe Yellow Flag was, as usual, a gaudy neon hole that the people of Roanapur fell into, the worst of the worst congregating there. Deviants, killers, hookers and more all gathered at the bar and tables, talking business, making arrangements or just being seen by their and occassionally nervous nods of greeting were exchanged between them and various associates, the two heading through the crowds looking for a drink.
"Sawyer, Shenhua," Bao nodded curtly as the bartender gave them a wary look. "What can I get you?" he asked them cautiously.
"Rum," Shenhua said briskly.
A little hesitantly Sawyer offered, "Wine, please."
"Coming right up," Bao said with his usual scowl as he headed back to pour the drinks and presumedly water them as much as he thought he could get away with.
"Only a few tables still have holes," Sawyer noted as she looked around.
"Bao probably gets discount on tables," Shenhua noted with amusement as Bao delivered the drinks.
"Not likely," Bao bitched, "Hotel Moscow charges me the going rate." He looked at them and sighed as he conceded, "At least you two don't bust the place up often."
"Thanks," Sawyer croakled, "I think."
"Hey, Chinglish!" Revy waved from one of the tables, Rock sitting beside him.
Shenhua gave Sawyer a thoughtful look, "Want to?"
Sawyer thought about it then nodded slightly, "Why not?"
"We be right over, Twinkie!" Shenhua called to Revy as both women got up, carrying their drinks over with them.
"Don't call me Twinkie," Revy growled as Shenhua sat down.
"Then don't call me Chinglish," Shenhua shot back calmly, Sawyer sitting down quietly beside her.
"Ladies, please...?" Rock held up calming hands as he looked at them anxiously.
Revy smiled slightly, "It's all right, Rock. I'm not starting something tonight." She smiled slightly, "This is the first time you've met Sawyer when she wasn't trying to kill you, right?"
"No hard feelings," Sawyer croaked at him politely. In fact she did feel a bit of disappointment she hadn't gutted him, as a professional she hated to leave a job half done. Still, she thought that a bar wasn't quite the place to bring that up.
"Quite all right," Rock smiled weakly, "you were just doing your jobs just like us,"
Things relaxed a bit as the drink flowed, Shenhua and Revy boasting as Rock and Sawyer made somewhat more quiet conversation. Watching Shenhua talk was a kind of entertainment all on it's own, seeing her eyes flash and her hands gesturing gracefully.
"I was impressed you kept away from me," Sawyer admitted to Rock.
Rock shrugged as he answered, "Sheer terror will do that."
Before anything else could be said, the front doors bursat open with a crash as three men rushed in. "Nobody move!" the leader called, holding a machine pistol in each hand and waving them about wildly.
"We just want the women who killed our brothers a week ago!" another man added, his hair falling in front of stylish sunglasses, casually hefting a shotgun.
"Give her to us and nobody gets hurt," the final man offered, hefting a impressive looking sword of some type.
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!' Bao yelped, ducking behind the bar as usual.
"Rock, get down," Revy hissed. She looked at Shenhua, "You wanna split 'em?"
Shenhua grinned, "Oh, thank you. You good friend."
"Too bad I didn't bring my chainsaw," Sawyer pouted.
"Oy," Rock sighed as the room exploded into violence once more.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Lotton blinked as Sawyer and Shenhua walked into the apartment, both women splattered with blood. "What happened?" he had to ask.
"Just some fun at Yellow Flag," Shenhua told him cheerfully.
"Ah," Lotten nodded. "I got us that new job, we're chasing some gangsters the Triads say are muscling in."
"I think we've met," Sawyer noted as she thought of the men Revy & Sawyer had killed. "Do we know how many?"
"About ten," Lotten said dryly.
Shenhua grinned, "More fun for tomorrow."
End.
Notes: I rather like Shenhua, Lotten and Sawyer, tho I will easily admit they're fucked up people. Of course, MOST of the cast in Black Lagoon are messed up, so eh. Set after 'Greenback Jane' and before Chapter 44 of the manga.
Part Three
Black Lagoon/ Master of Martial Hearts
Aya Iseshima came to Roanapur to forget, and most often she succeeded. The good looking brown haired woman sat at a table in the Yellow Flag, drinking a rum and coke that was more coke than rum, her expression oddly serene for her surroundings. The bar was full of drug runners, gunfighters, murderers and gangsters, and the young Japanese woman should have fit right in.
Aya tried not to think about how she got here, and how much her life had changed in just a year. Back in Japan she had lived a happy life, oblivious to the darker things lurking beneath the surface, trusting in the friends she had. She had assumed her parents were like everyone else's, but she had been very very wrong. That happy life had come crashing down when she had been tricked into joining a underground fighting tournament, and eventually discovered her 'friends' had set her up in a complicated revenge scheme against her family.
Aya had been horrified to discover the truth about her family, that her family's wealth had come from slave trading. Her mother had been a tournament fighter who had slaughtered and killed. Her mother and father had destroyed lives and walked away, not knowing or caring that there would be consequences. A madwoman they rendered mute had children she filled with hate, and in the end those children destroyed Aya.
Aya still didn't remember what she did to Miss Honma. All she remembered was opening the door to the Honma home, the expression of sheer terror on the woman's face... and blood. SO much blood. She had returned to her home, cleaned the blood off and originally planned simply to wait for the police to arrest her. But on her bed she had found a letter from her mother, with numbers for Swiss bank accounts and instructions how to flee the country. Her mother wanted her to live...
With blood on her hands and the memory of screams in her ears Aya fled Japan, eventually ending up in the criminal underworld of Roanapur. She started out selling her fighting skills in cage matches, and it had been at those fights that Balalaika had discovered her. After the slaughter she approached Aya, and offered her a role as a guard and enforcer for Miss Balalaika.
Now Aya drank as she waited for her next assignment. She wondered, occasionally, what her classmates might think if they knew what had happened to her? Or any of the people in her old life, who never looked under the surface to see the darkness in the world? But questions like that only tormented her...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Nikolai picked up Aya at the Yellow Flag, the loan collector who was one of many working for Hotel Moscow. He knew some of her story, though not all of it. She had appeared in Roanapur some months ago, running from... something. She got into a few street brawls, proved she was a hell of a fighter and ended up fighting for money in the underground pit fights.
Nikolai looked at the tall girl following him oddly meekly, once again wondering if this was a good idea. He had seen her in her pit fighting days, and she had been merciless. Her foes were lucky to escape the ring alive, much less intact. Could a woman capable of such violence be able to control herself? And there was something in her eyes... something damaged. He was a old soldier, but she worried him a bit. She would snap, he knew, and he didn't want it happening around the innocent. Assuming there were any innocents in this town...
"Where to first, sir?" Aya asked, keeping a wary eye around her. She was dressed in shorts for ease of movement, along with a simple t-shirt. Her books were slightly heavier than runners, and the only nod to her being a fighter was the gloves she had with padding across the knuckles.
"There's a gambling den that's been slow on paying it's share to Hotel Moscow," Nikolai said as they went down the alley, "we need to convince them to pay up."
"Understood," Aya agreed.
The gambling den was off a side street, based in a basement of a run-down building. A big bruiser was guarding the door, and he clearly recognized Nikolai and wasn't happy to see him. He moved in front of them, "You can't come in, sir."
"This is a Hotel Moscow operation," Nikolai answered him flatly as he calmly stared the muscled man down, "let me pass."
"Not any more," the big, scarred man smiled back coldly "we're going independent. Now get lost." He reached out and pushed Nikolai backwards, laughing softly.
"Let him go," Aya swiftly pulled his hand off Nikolai's shoulder, surprising both men with how fast she could move.
"Letting a girl protect you now?" the big man recovered from his surprise enough to laugh. "Go home little girl."
Without a word Aya shifted her grip, holding on to him firmly. With her other hand she grabbed his index finger and pulled back, breaking it with a loud snap. He screamed in pain as she forced him to his knees, unrelenting in her hold on him. She finally released him and he whimpered in pain, cradling his broken hand as tears ran down his face.
After a moment Aya looked over at Nikolai and calmly said, "Let's go."
"Uh right," Nikolai agreed, the two going inside the door to see a smoky, crowded room.
The basement was filled with tables, men and women gambling on cards, games of chance and other things. The guests looked up as the two entered, and the wiser men folded or got up, getting ready to run, knowing trouble when they saw it. The guys in charge cursed on seeing their guard hadn't stopped then, and advanced on the intruders with knives at the ready.
"All right, Hotel Moscow sent me and they are not happy with you holding back money," Nikolai started, hoping these fools would see reason. Not that he thought it was likely, but he had to at least try before doing anything more drastic.
"Screw you and Balalaika," the leader snarled, his face puckered by a hideous scar. "what the hell has she ever done for us? We're working for ourselves now."
"It doesn't work that way," Nikolai countered, but the three men weren't listening, rushing them after hesitating for a moment.
"Stay behind me," Aya ordered, pushing him behind her slightly.
The guys charged, the leader swinging a knife at Aya. She coolly stepped aside then chopped his hand, making him drop the knife. As the other closed she whipped her first attacker around into the other two men. Blood splashed as the knife of one jabbed into the man's side, then the weight hit the other two and sent them staggering backward.
"Dan!" the oldest yelped, releasing the knife he had jabbed into his friend.
The third snarled in anger and lunged at Aya, keeping a firm grip and using the other hand to guard. He was clearly a skilled knife fighter, but Aya faced him with that same eerie reserve she used in fighting the first two guys. He feinted with a attempted slice to her face but she didn't even flinch, unnerving him a bit.
"I'm gonna cut you up, bitch," he huffed, "I'm your worst nightmare."
Aya smiled, but there was no humor in her eyes as she answered, "I've lived through my worst nightmares. You don't come close."
He snarled, then Aya calmly kicked out, sending the knife flying away from them. He tried to go for a backup weapon and she struck, a powerful palm strike to the middle of his face. The ugly man's nose broke with a wet snapping sound and he reeled backward, blood pouring down his face. She kicked out almost casually, a high kick that took him in the side of the head and sent him crashing to the ground, out cold.
Nikolai was impressed. In less than a minute she had dropped three armed men, and had done it without being injured herself. Yes, the three were gutter scum, but still it was quite a feat. In fact, if he was right she was barely breathing hard.
Aya calmly looked at Nikolai while still putting herself between him and the downed men. "Do you want me to kill them?" she asked mildly.
Nikolai didn't feel surprised by the question, though the lack of feeling in her voice was a bit disturbing. "No, not yet," he said. He knelt down by the apparent leader and asked, "Where's the money you owe?"
"Safe," the wounded man said quickly, waving towards it and rattling off the combination.
Nikolai went to the safe, opened it and removed the money owed to Balalaika, leaving the rest as he tucked it into his overcoat. He walked back to the three men, who were starting to recover a bit from their shocking defeat. "You work for Hotel Moscow," he told them, "and you'd better remember that. This is a mild punishment compared to some of the things the boss is capable of. Don't fuck around on us again."
"Just keep that crazy bitch away," the man who had been stabbed muttered as they left.
Nikolai waited until they were away from the building and on their way up the street to ask, "Did you mean that?"
Aya looked at him calmly, "Of course. You and I both know they'll betray Hotel Moscow again. Better to just get it over with."
"Suppose so," Nikolai shrugged. Yeah, the girl was really, really cold blooded. Or messed in the head. Either way he could see why Balalaika might like her...
To be continued...?
Notes: Master of Martial Hearts is, frankly, one of the worst anime I have ever seen. It starts out as a fanservice fighting anime, then in the final episode attempts a series of plot twists to make it dark and edgy. With no proper lead in and ham handed writing. And it ends with a cliffhanger implying the lead girl commits cold blooded murder against a crazy lady.
But despite how awful the anime was, I found myself wondering what could happen after it. I mean, the main character's life is in ruins, shes probably going to be wanted for murder and has been horribly traumatized. What happens next? And this fic is my attempt to address that. No idea if I'll continue it, depends on reader response and if I get inspired.
Part Four
"Eda," the elderly nun named Yolanda smiled, "Hotel Moscow is sending a delegation over to talk about a new shipment. We'll need to be ready."
"Right," Eda agreed, knowing that in her case it meant her just looming around dangerously. Of course she 'loomed' in more than one sense, since she was sure Hotel Moscow knew of her USA connections too. Working with the Church of Violence made a good cover for her various activities, and honestly she liked the work.
Even so, Balalaika of Hotel Moscow scared Eda, who was a long time veteran of the CIA. The scared, tall blonde haired Russian could fight and win a war, if it came down to that. Eda knew that if she was ever ordered to take over Roanapur, her very first move would HAVE to be killing Balalaika. And god help her if she failed.
Unlike usual where Balalaika brought along a gunman like Boris, she had a attractive brown haired woman, dressed in a tailored business suit following her. But the way the woman moved, light on her feet yet with a dangerous kind of focus, made Eda decide she was a martial artist, and probably just as much a threat as a gunman.
"Sister Yolanda, thank you for seeing me," Balalaika smiled coolly.
"Always a pleasure," Yolanda replied politely then asked, "tea?"
"Please," Balalaika said as they both sat down. Yolanda poured tea for both of them, then Balalaika took out a flask and poured what looked like vodka into it.
Yolanda winced just a bit at someone ruining good tea like that, but carried on, "Well, what can we do for Hotel Moscow?"
Balakaika drank a bit then put down her cup. "We need some specialized gear. While I'm sure my contacts could bring it in," she started.
"Of course," Yolanda smiled slightly.
"I'll acknowledge you can get it here faster," Balalaika conceded.
Eda turned out the negotiations, keeping a eye on the bodyguard. If Yoland needed her to kill someone, she'd give a signal. Besides, the bodyguard needed watching. The girl stood with a deceptive casualness, but Eda suspected she could move like a shot.
'If I'm gonna take her, as I draw I have to back up as fast as I can,' Eda silently studied her, 'or she'll nail me before I can fire a shot.' Thankfully the discussion finished before any shots were fired or blows needed to be traded.
"A pleasure doing business with you," Balalaika purred.
"Likewise," Yolanda agreed, shaking her hand.
Eda watched them go, and only once they were out the door did she let herself relax. Yolanda puffed out a sigh of relief too, then smiled at Eda wryly. "I won't say that woman terrifies me," she admitted, "but I'm always glad to see her gone."
"True enough," Eda agreed with a wry smile. "Any idea who the Japanese chick with her was?" she wondered aloud.
"No idea, but I expect you will find out," Yolanda said with a calm smile.
"Ha. True enough," Eda agreed.
As part of her job as a CIA spook in Roanapur, Eda tried to keep close tabs on the major players. She could, with little effort, tell you what Chang had for breakfast, what the Itallian mob had for lunch or what Benny and the Lagoon company were drinking that night. So finding out about a new arrival working for Balalaika was fairly easy.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
"Hey, Rock!" Eda waved cheerfully, the sexy blond having shed her nun's habit for t-shirt and shorts. Her skimpy top and short shorts made the man blush, and she fought down a laugh as he squirmed uncomfortably.
"What the hell do you want, Eda?" Revy asked, her guns in twin holsters under each arm, leaning up against the bar.
Not that Eda wasn't armed too, but she was more subtle about it. "Ah, Revy, as sweet as ever," Eda smirked. "Is Rock not making you happy, yet? I could relax you..."
"Shut the hell up, Eda," Revy growled, punching her in the shoulder.
"Touchy touchy," Eda purred teasingly.
Rock cleared his throat as he tried to head off a fight. "Were you looking for me, Eda?" he asked, studying her thoughtfully.
Eda smiled, "Yeah, there was something I wanted to ask you about."
As Rock's eyes narrowed a bit, she reminded herself not to underestimate the seemingly mild mannered Japanese man. While he wasn't as combat saavy as her and Revy, he more than made up for it with brains and a talent for planning.
"Have you met Balalaika's new enforcer yet?" Eda asked.
Rock raised his eyebrows a bit. "Heard of her," he admitted after a moment, "but I haven't seen her face to face yet."
"Why not?" Eda smiled, "I'd think you'd want to meet a fellow Japanese."
Rock sipped his drink as he quietly mused, "The last time I went home to Japan things didn't go especially well."
Eda smiled faintly. From what she had heard Rock had actually impressed Balalaika, that time. Still, she had to agree it hadn't ended well for the girl that Rock had been trying to save. Who knows, maybe this had actually killed Rock's 'White Knight' tendency?
"I'll agree you had a rough time," Eda agreed, "but that doesn't mean you can't at least look a fellow countryman up."
"Why are you pushing this, Eda?" Revy demanded, looking at her warily.
Eda waved down the bartender, "Hey, how about some beer over here?"
"Keep your shirt on!" Bao snapped back, but he quickly provided her with a bottle of nicely chilled beer.
Eda twisted off the cap and chugged, then slammed the empty down as she sighed happily, "Ah, that's good."
"Stop stalling," Revy growled as she drank some rum.
"I did some digging, as well as talking to the pit fighters about her," Eda admitted, "if the stories are true she's seen some fucked up shit."
Eda sketched in Aya Iseshima's background, and Rock, at least, was horrified. Revy tried to shrug it off, but even she appeared mildly stunned.
"Wait a fucking minute," Revy blinked, "they posed as this kid's friends for YEARS until they decided to spring the trap? That is deeply fucked up."
"You can say that again," Eda agreed, "but that's not the strange bit."
"Oh?" Rock wondered.
"If I'm reading things right there were at least three fatalities, maybe more," Eda said, "with Aya having killed one woman herself." She drank some beer, "But as far as I can tell, no charges were pressed and none of this made the news, other than the building burning down."
"Da fuck?" Revy blinked.
"Someone killed the charges and buried the story," Rock realized.
"Exactly," Eda agreed. "Mind you that's good news for her, maybe. She could go home. But why would the story be killed, and who did it?"
"Huh," Rock murmured thoughtfully, picking up his drink and sipping.
"Why the hell did you do THAT for?" Revy growled at Eda later, leaving Rock to his thinking.
"You know he's been down since the Japan trip," Eda shrugged. "And the whole Roberta mess hasn't helped."
Revy made a face, but didn't deny it. "So?" she asked.
"So maybe this will get him off his ass and back into the game," Eda shrugged.
"And why the hell do you care about Rock?" Revy asked, frowning.
Eda smirked, "Because all of you make things more interesting..."
"Oh screw you," Revy rolled her eyes.
"Promises promises," Eda winked.
To be continued...
Notes: So, should I continue with the Master of Martial Hearts crossover? Or just dump it? Let me know please.
