"It's a pleasure doing business with you."
"Fufu, same here."
And with a handshake, the deal was made. Exiting out of the office in DU, the girl and her companions return to their working space.
Opening the door and with a smug grin, she took her rightful place as their boss. A true menace. A leader. And…
SLAM!
A hard-boiled fixer that had just blown their savings and down payment out for a hit.
"Kufufu~ We're broke as ever now, Aru!"
"Haah… Mutsuki's right. We went over budget."
"D-Don't worry, Aru-sama! I'll work ten- no, a-a thousand times harder to get our money back!"
"N-No Haruka, it's alright" Aru coughed before she let her hands to hold her head as it continued to swirl and throb from her horrible financial decision.
"…But, you gave me the thumbs up to hire some extra muscles, Kayoko…"
The girl in question pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Yes I did, but not all of them. I was expecting half or maybe a one fourth of them."
"Fufu, did you expect anything less?" The red-haired demon smirked and let her hands to rest. Hiding the turmoil. "It's just a minor monetary setback! We'll get two- three times the amount if we finish the job! I'll make sure of it!" Aru jumped out of her seat and puffed her chest.
"As expected of Aru-sama!"
The impish girl giggled and grinned in a teasing manner. "So, what's next on our agenda?"
"Right! Onwards to Abydos!" She puffed out her chest again. "Preparation is the first key to victory and today… we finish our jobs. Such is the way of an outlaw…" She spoke menacingly again, trying to look cool.
"Haah, let's go then."
"Kufufu~"
"Y-Yes!"
And barely an hour later, the four made their way to Abydos. Exiting the train as their foot met the sands.
"We're back here again." Aru grinned.
"I don't understand why we couldn't stay here yesterday." Kayoko sighs.
Aru jolts a little. "It doesn't matter, our commission starts…" She smirks and walked ahead with the four in tow behind. Marching from the station and to the sand blown city with dreams of filling their already extensive portfolio of being one of the notorious outlaws Kivotos could offer.
…That is without counting their already present and rising reputation of being one of the biggest troublemakers Gehenna had, right under the Gourmet Club and that Hot Springs Club, and since then… the Prefect Team and the Head Prefect herself got her eyes on her and her crew, and Aru could still remember all the grim details.
The running and shooting especially from Captain Iori… the way they fled around the many black uniformed members… and although Head Prefect Hina had never come down to meet them personally, it still felt like she was there all along.
The endless creeping paranoia and nightmares never left her.
Just by thinking about it already had sent shivers down her spine.
On days like this… she should really count on her blessings, especially with this commission they had been given, a paycheck long overdue to say. Because they had gone rogue… or in her own words, "find her own path as a hard-boiled and powerful outlaw in all of Kivotos" their bank accounts had been frozen for a good while.
Life as a hard-boiled outlaw is a harsh one.
And a broke one.
But who said the path she and her loyal friends chose is easy? No, it's full of challenges, hardships, and more often… absolute hilarious moments, as Mutsuki would say, being the giggling correction needing imp that she is, but Aru couldn't and won't complain about the struggles of being an outlaw. She enjoyed the thrill and the way she would feel excited about every ring her office phone made.
While usually its debt collectors and prank callers… but when commissions came, she would make sure her crew would do well to see it completed without flaw, being the cool fixer boss she is. Plus, what kind of boss to disappoint her employees?
So, she would focus on the task and let her razor sharp eyes to scan around the sorrowful sandblasted cities. Her hands to rub across the walls, and the grains of sand underneath. Truly, she had respect for the strong and brave civilians who still call this district their home.
She smirked to herself, ignoring the looks Kayoko gave her and Mutsuki's continuous teasing behind as she kneeled down and stroked the sands below.
"A magnificent sight. Even if nature went against them, they still stood tall and defiant… just like we are."
She monologues with a cool expression. Standing up to smirk towards her employees.
"Don't you agree?"
"Y-Yeah!" The timid purple haired girl nodded furiously.
"Hmm? I don't know… but there is something I can agree on." The impish girl raised her hand.
"Oho? What is it, Staff Chief Mutsuki?"
"I'm hungry!" She twirled around.
"Eh?"
"Yeah, I'm a little peckish as well." Kayoko joined next, putting her hands on her hoodie with a neutral expression.
"N-Not me. T-trash like me could stay two weeks without lunch… yes, you three can go and find food. I'll keep on scouting and watching and…" The purple-haired girl gripped on her shotgun as she mumbled on and on and on before her stomach grumbled in defiant.
"No. You're my precious employee as well, Haruka. We'll eat together."
"A-Aru-sama…"
"Fufu. Let's find someplace to eat before we-" Aru reached for their shared wallet and-
…They had less than six hundred yen.
"…"
"…Haah…"
"Kufufu."
"S-Share the money among you three! I'm used to eat from the t-trash l-like… myself!"
Aru gave a look of determination and patted her shoulder.
"No. We'll manage. We are all going to eat, and that includes you, my faithful employee."
"R-really?"
Aru grinned and nodded. "We'll find something less than 600 yen."
"B-Boss…!" She almost teared up.
"Kufufu~ then let's go then!" Mutsuki walked ahead with a skip in her steps.
Kayoko patted both of their shoulders and nodded. "Let's go boss, Haruka."
And with that… lunch jumped to their first priority.
Moving from store to store, to stall to stall, and to restaurant and to restaurant. And after over 30 minutes of walking…
"…Ugh…" Aru groaned as she exited the tenth store they had visited. It was expected to be hard, and being the fact they had searched for something that cost less than 600 yen… they were already scraping the bottom of the barrel.
The hunger was really getting to her as she tried her hardest not to show it, yet apparently… she is the one struggling the most. Kayoko listened and hummed to some tunes on her earphones. Mutsuki remains her usual cheerful gremlin self, and Haruka is just glad she is being brought along.
Was she really the only one feeling that hungry?
There must be something they could… then on cue something caught her eye.
"Look there! Ramen!" Aru pointed.
Shiba Seki Ramen.
"Let's go!" she raised her hand and the crew followed suit, entering the establishment with a ding and letting her eyes to take on the homely décor and atmosphere around them. Soon enough, a black-haired cat girl instantly greeted them.
"Welcome to Shiba Seki!"
Aru cleared her throat to talk, but Haruka had already spoken first.
"U-Um… excuse me, how much is the cheapest thing on your menu?"
"Our lowest price dish?" The waitress hummed for a moment. "That would be our regular Shiba Seki Ramen Bowl for only 580 yen! It's our signature dish and it's tasty too!"
"Heh. We finally found something that costs less than 600 yen!" Mutsuki jumped in.
"Fufu, a yen saved is a yen earned. I knew we'd find one." The boss smirked.
"Y-You're right. You really do know everything boss…" Haruka's eyes glinted with awe at Aru.
And the black and white-haired girl simply sighed.
"Well, I'll show you to your seats." The waitress nodded before the imp interrupts. "Oh, no, no, no. You don't have to do that. We're only going to order one.
The black haired waitress blinked in surprise. "Just one…? Still, you may as well be comfortable. Plus, we're not very busy at the moment." She insisted and waved a hand to follow.
"Well, isn't that nice of you? Don't mind if we do." Mutsuki answers as the waitress leads the fixers to an empty table.
"Here you are, just a single bowl of ramen, I presume?"
"Yup. Oh, and can you get us four pairs of chopsticks while you're at it? Thanks, little missy."
The waitress almost dropped her notepad.
"Four pairs?! Uh, you're not thinking of splitting a single bowl between the four of you, are you?!" She must make sure. Surely not…?!
Then without warning, Haruka jumped out of her seat with a tumble, interrupting the catgirl's thoughts as she pressed her head down to the floorboards as she trembled.
"S-SORRY! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry we're so broke and poor!" Haruka continued to prostrate herself under the foot of the waitress.
"What the?! You don't have to apologize to ME over something like that!"
"No really! What's the point of living like this?! We're just a waste of air… lower than dirt… we shouldn't have come in here. Sorry, sorry-"
"…Haah… for crying out loud… knock it off, Haruka. You're making a scene." Kayoko sighed and rubbed her temples, considering the many eyes they had on them by the other customers.
"W- Don't say that! Being poor isn't a crime or anything to be ashamed of! You shouldn't be so hard on yourself," The waitress spoke with courage as she knelt down to the trembling girl.
"…I- I shouldn't…?" Haruka timidly raised her head back up.
"Plus, you're students! No one expected you to be LOADED in cash!" The girl gave a reassuring smile. "You and your friends scraped enough to share a bowl of ramen together. That's saying something, isn't it? So raise your head back up."
"U-Uuu…" Hesitantly, with Aru patting her shoulder, Haruka rose back up, feeling touched by the waitress' kindness before she was pulled back up to the seat.
"Well, hang on tight. I'll bring it to you in a jiffy." She nodded and ran off to the kitchen, with their order… and an idea as well on her mind that she's sure her boss would like to listen.
"…I think she got the wrong idea." Kayoko huffed.
"Yup. It's not like we're beggars… it's just because Aru blew through our cash."
"Hmph. That's 'boss' to you. You should know better than to not refer to me by my title in public, Chief of Staff Mutsuki." Aru disciplined. She should've known better to refer her by her name.
"Pfff, really? You still want us to call you boss when we're off the clock? And what kind of boss can't afford to treat her employees to more than one measly bowl of ramen?"
Aru felt like she was stabbed by daggers. Ugh…
But even so, she still tried to keep her cool façade on.
"Maybe you should've thought of that before you went over budget." Kayoko sighed. "Do you even have enough cash for tomorrow?"
Aru kept her cool expression on. "Like I said, we'll get our cash back from this operation… that is why we hired the goons just to make sure. Be grateful we had enough for a bowl of ramen."
"Haah… but I wish you had more for us four."
"Fufu! Just admit you forgot to account for today's lunch!"
"...Hehe." Aru laughed it off in an unreadable expression.
"I just hope you blowing through our savings is worth it." Kayoko tapped on the table
"…I hope so," Aru spoke sheepishly. In truth, she is also a little worried about their commission. That is why she went overboard on hiring the goons. Sure, the Kata-Kata Helmet Gang are just silly and pathetic goobers that are beneath them, but really? A rundown school of five students plowing through the gang in a tide?
And even if they're supported by the rumored and c-cool sensei of SCHALE… it sounded really too good to be true. But she did watch the videos… so, expect the unexpected?
Yet even with sensei or without sensei, she still respected their tenacity and their power… and that is what made her a little uneasy… she doesn't want to disappoint her contractor and her friends…
"Aru probably doesn't know. That is why she hired the goons! Because she is a chicken!" Mutsuki teased, pointing a finger at her and striking a nerve.
"Hey! Who are you calling a chicken?!" she snapped, slamming her hands to the table as she looked at the mischievous smug imp. "I'm just being careful and covering our bases! Failure is not an option. You all know Problem Solver 68's motto…"
She snapped her fingers and let her cool expression to return.
"Expect the unexpected."
"…"
"…"
…That doesn't sound as cool as she expected and the rest of her crew just gave her the looks. Well, except for Haruka, who looked at her with stars in her eyes. Bless that girl.
"Do we even have a motto? That's the first time I've heard of it."
"Kufufu~ pretty sure she just made it up on the spot!"
"Ugh! Shut up! I'll treat you all to sukiyaki once we finish the job and get paid! So you better go all out!" Aru defended.
"…Suki…yaki? What's that?" Haruka asks.
"It's a dish that adults like, and it's REALLY expensive." Kayoko answers.
"W-Wow… I don't know if dirt like me could appreciate it then. Would I have to sacrifice my life afterward for overindulging?"
Aru flashed a confident smirk. "Heh heh. We're an industry titan at this point. We deserve only the best, wouldn't you agree?"
"Hehe. You're so ambitious, Aru!" Mutsuki giggled, and cupped her own cheeks.
"Thanks my faithful- Hey! Call me Boss!" Aru complained. Growling before she was interrupted by the loud thud.
"Order up! The bowl's hot, so be careful!" It was the waiter. Placing down a humanely enormous bowl of ramen on the table, with the noodles stacking up high into an impossible amount upon the small black bowl, surrounded by generous cuts of beef, eggs, and some seaweed. No matter how you see it, spin it, or justify it, this is NOT a bowl made with just a single patron in mind. And the fixers just stared at the massive stack of ramen for just a good few more seconds.
"…The bowl's huge…!" Mutsuki gave a shaky smile.
"It looks like it could feed ten people." Kayoko looked at it with disbelief.
"U-Um… a-are you sure t-this is the right order?" Haruka pointed at the bowl.
"Hm? What are you talking about? This is exactly what you ordered. A plain old, 580 yen Shiba Seki Ramen. Isn't that right, boss?"
"That's right. I might have overfilled it a smidge, but who cares about it?" Master Shiba answered, walking out with something in both of his hands. Two large plates of dumplings and some extra chicken katsu.
"W-What the- w-we didn't-"
"Pah, it's on the house. Take it as a first time coming here gift." He placed the plates down and folded his arms, giving them a small smirk before walking away.
"Enjoy your meal."
The four looked at each other, then at the plate of food. Waiting… tempting… and when their stomachs rumbled in protest…
"It would be rude for us to send it back." Aru gave her crew a bright smile.
"Yup." Kayoko picked up her chopsticks.
"…Slurp." Haruka contained her hunger a little.
"Kufufu… eat first, and ask questions later!" And Mutsuki is already holding her chopsticks.
Without missing another second, they started to dig right in. Breaking open their chopsticks perfectly in half except for a certain hard-boiled outlaw who had done goofed. But instead of getting a new one, she used the imperfect chopsticks anyway.
J-Just because she can.
The three took a generous amount in their utensils. Spoons filled with the broth, and chopsticks with the soft noodles.
With a nod, the four opened their lips.
Slurp.
And their world began to shake.
The taste was unmatched. It was like a single piece of heaven right inside their mouths. Dancing and spreading in and out in their tastebuds, while at the same time melting all of their stress and frustration from the days before.
And Haruka might have shed some tears of joy.
"!"
"I-It's so yummy!"
"Who knew there was such a good ramen store out here in the boonies?"
"Right? Isn't this place just the best?"
Came along a voice of a student sitting on a table right next to them along with her friends.
"I can see why! I've been on my fair share of shops, and ramen THIS good is hard to find." Aru continued with the conversation.
"Right. We're regulars here as well… sorry to interrupt your meal, by the way. We just wanted to say it's good to see students from other schools to come here and visit Abydos." A bespectacled elf spoke.
"Mm. By your uniforms… you're from Gehenna? That's a long trip." A white-haired wolf continued.
"Correct! Heh heh. Glad to see hospitality is not lost in the district!" Aru continued on with the conversation, with a bright smile on her face from the kind and friendly greeting from the strangers.
This day just couldn't get any better!
"Fufu, girls sharing a bowl of ramen together like this… it's a little nostalgic, isn't it?" The blonde spoke to the sleepy girl next to her.
"Heh. Wasn't that a bowl of udon?" The short pink haired girl smirks, as she kept her eyes closed. Listening to the growing conversation between her friends and the girls from Gehenna.
"…"
But even if Aru and Haruka opened to them, Kayoko kept her eyes focused, studying their every step.
"Their uniform…" she mumbles.
"Hey, you're right." And Mutsuki bumped in, whispering next to her.
"Haha! I never expected to run into fellow connoisseurs here. Isn't life wonderfully unpredictable sometimes?" Aru continued on.
"…Something tells me Aru hasn't put two and two together yet."
"Should I tell her?"
"Nah. This is interesting. Let's see what happens next."
Kayoko let out a small huff.
…This job isn't going to be easy, isn't it?
She watched alongside Mutsuki as she continued on with their long conversation with the Abydos students as they finish their meal, before eventually… they must part ways.
Knowing full well, it's going to be a little bitter on their lips.
"Take care on your way back home!" The catgirl waitress said.
"Good luck with your business!" And the blonde waved her hand.
"Same to you guys! Good luck with revitalizing your school, I'll be cheering you on! Bye bye!"
And with that, the two factions waved and said their goodbyes, leaving to thread their own paths in the sands.
"Heh, what great kids, yeah?" Aru said to her employees.
Ah… life is filled with so much surprises. They're so hardworking it brought a tear to her eyes. Students who are brave enough to face the storm, challenging it head on without a wavering in their determination! That is something she could respect as a hard-boiled outlaw!
Right now, nothing could spoil this moment.
Yet, why are Kayoko and Mutsuki still insisting on keeping their mouths shut? Is there something bugging in their mind?
"Um, Kayoko? Mutsuki? Is there something wrong?"
"..."
"…"
The two continued on to look at her with pity.
"Boss, didn't those uniforms look familiar to you?" Kayoko broke the silence.
"Huh? No, why?"
And the punk sighed. "Those were Abydos students."
"…" Aru blinked and let the information to process in her mind.
Abydos. Students.
Then it all came crashing down.
"W-WHAT?! WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" No… that would mean…
"Haha! You should see the look on your face!" Mutsuki laughed.
"Then… are they our targets? Sh-should I go and snuff them out?" Haruka offered, hugging her shotgun tightly.
"No! Wait… I mean, w-we're going to… um, get them anyway! So save it for later, Haruka… ugh.." Aru stopped the idea as she let out a small sigh. "…Why is fate is such a cruel mistress… do we… do we have to wipe them out right this second…?"
"Yup. The hired muscle is waiting for instructions." Kayoko tapped on her phone.
"Kufufu! Looks like our sweet little Aru is being torn apart. What happened to doing the crime as long as they got the dime? Problem Solver 68 doesn't let emotions get in the way, so what's going on?" Mutsuki, being the brat she is, slowly gaslight the poor gold hearted boss of the crew.
"U-Ugh! I know that but… no, you're right! I gotta pull myself together! What kind of a boss I would be if I hesitate on a simple job like this?!"
And apparently, the imp succeeded.
"Let's do it! Round up the muscle!" Aru ordered, and Kayoko picked up her phone.
With a phone call and an hour later… the muscles arrive one by one in their vehicles. Cars, trucks, and even a small jeep, gathering around the fixers as their leader came out. Exiting with her hard hat worn hastily on her head, and her trusty old rifle in her hands.
The Part Time Cleaners
This is what they call themselves. Students who work in labor and also in… other types of undesirables.
"Hey. What took you so long?" The mob said.
"Just taking care of business. Are your girls ready?" Aru walked to her.
"Yes, yes. Just remember we're clocking out on the dot. Especially since you cut our pay." She huffed and raised her rifle.
"We can leave the fine print for later. Let's get going! It's time to attack Abydos!" Aru cheerfully shouted.
"Let's move!" Mustuki cheered.
Kayoko kept her calm demeanor and sighed.
"I-I won't let you down, boss!" Haruka cheered, and her expression slowly turned to a cruel grin. "…We'll crush them to dust…"
Aru knows she won't let her down.
This is it.
No matter what, she'll do her job as a fixer.
Even if she was incredibly conflicted right now. But, the wellbeing of her employees is what she must focus on. It would be a shame, but… a job is a job…
Let's hope there are no hard feelings after all of this.
…they're such good kids, after all.
It was just a few good minutes later when he arrived in Abydos. Since his students told him they're going back from a quick errand run and lunch, Hans stood idle in the classroom. Reading a book he had just taken randomly from the shelves. His students should arrive by...
"We're back!" Nonomi greeted to the classroom, with her friends in tow behind her, even with Serika as well, given she was told to take a break by the boss since the busy hours had ended. With them, they brought some plastic bags filled with foodstuffs and some extras they might need later.
…Right now.
"…Welcome back." Hans greeted. Putting down his book down as he gave them a nod.
"Nn. We brought you something, sensei." Shiroko followed, and she handed the teacher some takeout chicken katsu.
"Appreciated." He took the meal from Shiroko and put it down. He'll save it for later.
"Everyone, let's put away our groceries and count our supplies. Um, it it's not too much of an hassle, you can help as well, sensei." Ayane spoke to start the gears running.
"Aye aye." Hoshino yawned, but still do the job exactly as Ayane asked, with the others following as well, including Hans.
"Oh right! Sensei, we met a few fresh faces around Abydos today. Apparently some outside girls got a gig running around here!" Nonomi made idle chatter.
Hans nodded, listening to her as he continued on with his own part. "...Is that so?"
"Yup. They're apparently from Gehenna. A bit far from here." Serika added.
Hans stopped for a moment. His hands freezing above the shelf. "...Gehenna?"
"Yeah. Have you been to Gehenna before, sensei? You look like you need to say something," Hoshino commented. Noticing his dulling expression.
Bless her and her observant nature.
"…Something-"
"Wait! I-I'm getting something on our radars! I'm detecting a large armed group 15 kilometers south of our campus!" Ayane immediately cuts in, her eyes widening at the alert ringing from her drone.
"Is it the helmet gang again?" Shiroko frowns.
"No! This is… they look like mercenaries! 25 contacts with extra transports!"
"What? Did someone hire them from the Thugs Depot at the crack of dawn? It must've cost a fortune to hire all of them." Hoshino narrowed her eyes at the sight.
"We can't allow them to get any closer! Sensei, can you-?"
Hans was already inserting some fresh mags on his Mausers, and with his free hand he typed in a message for Chinatsu. Just in case… that they're facing the fixers. He raised them, and gave everyone a nod. "...Let's go."
With him and his strike team rushing out of the school, everyone got inside their vehicle and made their drive to meet with their attackers on the first defense line on the sands, and just by a few minutes driving, the task force exited the car and made on their way on foot. Standing behind some defensive structures they had made.
And sure enough, barely a few minutes later, the shadows of their attackers show themselves over the horizon before they stopped a few meters away. Exiting out of the vehicles to meet them on foot.
Surrounded by the mercenaries, they march ahead, and five familiar figures made their way out into the front. Letting the students to know… that they're the masterminds behind this, the very same girls they met back at the ramen shop.
"We met again, students of Abydos… and finally we met eye to eye, the rumored sensei of SCHALE."
The red-haired demon spoke out,
and Serika snapped.
"YOU! YOU GUYS ARE THE ONES ATTACKING US?! AFTER ALL WE DID FOR YOU AT SHIBA SEKI RAMEN?!" she shouted, her eyes glinting with rage as her powers slowly manifest themselves.
"YOU. UNGRATEFUL. PRICKS!"
The impish girl raised her hands with that grin on her face.
"Hehe! We really did appreciate that, but in the end, a job's a job! There's nothing personal here!"
"Yes… It is regrettable." The punk continued, with her tone matching her true feelings at the unfortunate circumstances. Then, her eyes met with him… she huffed and shook her head.
"…Sorry, sensei. But we have to uphold our contract."
In which Hans merely shook his head. "…I'm disappointed."
"There's nothing we can do, sorry if you feel that way. I can offer you to surrender but… I believe you won't consider it, right?"
"...Yes."
"…Then like I said, sorry it has to turn out this way." A pause. "...I appreciate what you did for me, just to let you know."
The black and white-haired punk stopped talking along with him, as the two sides just let the two of them to interact without butting in, glancing back and forth between the adult and at the student.
"Psst, sensei… um, you know her?" Nonomi leaned in to whisper.
"…They're fixers."
"W-What?!" Her eyes widen at the answer, before her focus went back to the five again. "What kind of job is that for girls your age?! Shouldn't you work normal, part-time jobs?!"
"W-What?! Ahem!" The red-haired demon then jumped in to answer, glad that the tense air between them had soften… even for a little. "It's not a part-time job! This is a real respectable business with titles and everything!"
She leaned towards the impish girl.
"Mutsuki is the chief of staff." Mutsuki couldn't help but to giggle as she was introduced.
Followed up with her pulling the punk close.
"Kayoko here is my department head." Kayoko couldn't help but to sigh.
Lastly, she put her shoulders on the timid purple haired girl.
"And finally, Haruka! She might just be an intern, but one day, she'll be the best of us!"
And the girl couldn't help but to blush vigorously as she hid her giggles and grin.
"…Y-Yes! I'm going to do everything to make Aru-sama proud!"
Continued, she pointed a thumb at herself. "And I, Rikuhachima Aru, is boss of our respectable organization! The Problem Solver 68!" She declared it with grandiose and such confidence it almost looks like she had no shame to give.
The Foreclosure Task Force didn't comment, much of the boss' dismay as they simply gripped their weapons of choice tighter. Especially that black haired catgirl, as her most recognizable blue flames would continue to leak bit by bit.
Well, what did she expect? She and her crew did… attack them.
"…We don't care." Shiroko bluntly spoke out their collected thoughts with such aggression and coldness that made her flinch. "What we care is the one who hired you. Well… we can always use force."
"W-Well…" she nervously commented before clearing her throat and her gaze returned the same focus the Abydos girls had.
No hesitation.
"Heh, good luck." She raised her hands. Her index and thumbs meeting as she prepared herself to make the signal.
"…We don't spill trade secrets."
SNAP.
"Get em' girls."
With her snapping her fingers, the signals of combat had ensued.
The mercenaries along with the fixers rolled out, running towards the Foreclosure Taskforce with their weapons ready and primed, their hands on the triggers, and as they aimed,
"RAAAAAAARGH!"
Serika roared first as she ran to meet them head on. Her fires surrounded her as she immediately fired her rifle to begin the exchange of bullets.
Raging blue fires enhanced her bullets as they met their targets, with her rage masking the pain from getting lead on her body, pushing on to punch through the amateur mercenaries without struggle until she was getting a little too beat up for her liking. That is when Hoshino butted in, pulling her close as she marched ahead to absorb the bullets.
Following that, Shiroko let her drone to fire the rain of rockets and throwing her very own grenades to throw into the good part of the mercenaries. Hans was already running ahead as well, shooting his Mausers to stand next to Hoshino and fire some more bullets alongside her and Serika.
Eventually, breaking the frontline enough for Nonomi to see enough of an opening for her to rain down her powerful ear shattering hailstorm of bullets out to the open.
"Ow!" Aru gritted her teeth as a round from Nonomi's attack hit her shoulder.
"Boss, you're alright? They're pinning us down, get your focus back on our targets!" Kayoko mused, firing her own pistols down to no effect as they hit the rage filled cat. Narrowing her eyes as she watched the hired thugs fall one by one from the endless onslaught.
…Well, they did get what they paid for.
"I'll…. I'll never forgive you… You hurt Aru… you hurt…!" Haruka trembled. Her voice lowered as she slowly rose from her cover, her hands gripping over her shotgun like it was her soul manifest.
"I'LL POUND YOU ALL TO DUST!" she screamed, running head first like a rabid dog set loose directly into the line of fire.
"Fufu, come on Aru! Haruka is fighting by herself!" Mutsuki smugly said as she jumped out as well, following Haruka.
Aru gritted her teeth and rubbed her shoulders again.
She is still her boss, and she must do well to be the example for her employees.
Hans watched as Haruka ran ahead and pumped and pumped and pumped. Shooting out more ammo than she put into her shotgun, pushing out Hoshino back with her endless blasts and her unnatural prowess to eat every single lead and explosions they had sent to her way.
"Ow!" Serika grunted, as buckshot met her chest. "Pull bac- EEK!" A hand came to her shoulder as she was picked up and carried away to safety by Hans.
KABOOM!
Then an explosion ringed out in the middle of where she had been standing before.
"Kufufu! Let the explosions begin!" Mutsuki grinned as she throws another round of explosives from her bag.
"Nice save sensei! But that Haruka girl, she's tough- OW!" Nonomi shouted as she was hit directly in the head by an explosion, pushing her down to the ground as she held her singed forehead.
"Nonomi?!" Shiroko and Hans ran to her, looking at her bruise.
"Incoming!" a voice shouted over the earpiece and an explosion of rejuvenating gas came to their general area. It's not enough to heal their wounds, but just enough to dull the pain.
"Thanks Ayane…!"
Meanwhile, more explosions came as the sands were thrown into the air, followed by screams from an enraged Haruka that almost replaced the gunshots.
"Ugh! Why won't you just fall already?!" Hoshino exchanged blows with Haruka "OW!" but the girl is more resilient, more unpredictable, and completely determined to pound her down. Matching the senior to a standstill.
"Ehe… ehehehe! Mystic energy, sister! My body hardens in response to physical trauma!" She raised her shotgun and pounded it down to Hoshino's shield before firing and pumping out a few good volleys of buckshot, and the sheer force of it pushed away her shield.
"You can't hurt me, girl! I'm going to OBLITERATE ALL OFF YOU FROM THE FACE OF THE-"
And before she could finish, a hand came to her shoulder… and she was thrown to the golden, lead filled sand.
"Uwah!"
"Nice one, sensei." Hoshino gave a thumbs up as she ran to Haruka, pointing her shotgun directly to her face before-
"Mutsuki!"
"Yup! Take this!" She throws her entire bag into Hoshino and Hans. "Go and blow up! Ex-plo-sion!"
"!"
KABOOM!
A loud ear-splitting explosion came out from it, pushing dust and sand up in the sky.
"Cough! Cough! Uwehh… thank you, sensei." Hoshino continued to cough a little as Hans gripped her close in behind of a large downed car, and when the sands clear… Haruka was already standing far away, with her friends by her side.
"Now, taste our combined wrath!" Aru raised her hands-
RING RING RING RING RIIING!
Before she was interrupted by a loud ringing that merged into a loud orchestra from the pockets of the hired muscles, and one by one, the remaining goons lowered their weapons. In much confusion by the two parties from the broken adrenaline and the strange development of their conflict.
"Ugh… ow. I- I think that's our cue." A part time goon said.
"…Ouch, yeah… it's finally time to clock out. Damn, my body hurts."
And slowly, the ones on the ground were picked up as they made their way out of the battlefield. Limping or being carried away like a potato sack around their shoulders while they're still moaning and grunting.
"Wanna get a piece of soba on the way back?"
"Yeah… ow, after getting some meds first. Seriously, these students are strong like heck, even more with that adult by their side… I think that is Hans-sensei from SCHALE..."
"Oh… damn, no wonder it was tough as nails…"
"Wh-What?! Wait a second! What are you-" Aru shouted at the surprising development, being the voice of everyone here. Including the Foreclosure Taskforce's.
"Hm? Like we said, we're ticking out on the dot. That's… ow… all you get for the money you paid us… ouch… today." A goon said, limping a little as she made her way to the remaining vehicles.
"You can handle the rest on your own… let's go, ladies."
"…Uhm, say… Hans-sensei, you're a big deal, right? Um… can we have a private counseling session?"
"H-HEY! SHUT IT!" A goon shouted and shut her friend up.
Waving goodbye and wishing good lucks to Foreclosure Taskforce and to Problem Solver 68, the rest of the part timers left the battlefield like they hadn't just been here, and trying to take out the Abydos students just a few minutes ago.
To be fair, they're probably hardly even care to see who wins in the end. It's just a day in the office for them, and another job to do and to finish on the dot.
Vroom! Vroooom… Vroom…
With the sounds of engines roaring, now it's just the five of them against the six of them, including Hans. Even as confused as they are with the sudden development, it quickly faded and their guns still aimed high at each other.
"…Well, looks like we're boned! Should we keep on fighting or should we run for it?" Mutsuki smirked, still with her machine gun aimed at Serika.
"…We're tired as it is… but we're still standing here, right?" Aru grunted a little.
"So, we're going to do this again?" Hoshino picked up her shield. Her expression is a mix of aloofness and a certain bitter anger.
"Heh. You haven't seen what we can do that much…" Aru folded her arms, and tensions rose again.
The students held their breaths… wondering who shall make the first move.
Click!
KABLAM!
KABOOM!
"Agh! Ow!" Aru fell back as buckshot met her chest, and Hoshino's eyes narrowed as she ran ahead with her smoking gun and her companions, before they were interrupted by an enormous explosion around them, obstructing their sight by the cloud of dust and sands.
"Nice planting Mutsuki!" Aru cheered Mutsuki throws some more explosives around them, followed by some something around the sands.
Then Shiroko and Hans dashed out from the cloud without wasting a beat, their eyes noticing it.
KABOOM! KABOOM!
Mines.
The imp planted mines that the two narrowly dodged, as Hans hoisted Shiroko high to his shoulders before putting her down.
"Sensei!"
Hans nodded, aiming his pistols to shoot away the mines while dodging the bullets the rest of the fixers fired.
"I'll burn… I'll destroy you!" Haruka shouted as she ran ahead again. Cocking her shotgun as she fired and fired and fired towards the two, until she was thrown to the ground by Hans again, then followed by Shiroko, who stomped on her abdomen, causing her to gasp a little for air before she pinned her down.
"Ugh! Let me go! Let me go!"
"Nonomi!" Shiroko shouted, signaling as the rotors of her minigun spun. "Ok! Leave it to me!"
"No." Kayoko aimed her pistol towards the blonde and fired. Gunpower exploding as the bullet was pushed out from the chamber… and an aura of darkness formed around the blazing bullet towards Nonomi's forehead.
CLANG!
But instead of the blonde, the bullet struck metal.
And Hoshino was already there, in front of Nonomi with her shield raised up. She was safe… but Hoshino was not.
"Uahh! AAAHHH!"
A blood-curdling scream left her lips as the aura burned itself around her. The bullet did indeed hit her shield… but there was something horrible surrounding the metal.
Her memories scrambled, and THAT moment flashed over and over again.
And she fell down and scrambled back for a few good seconds.
"Hoshino?!" Serika and Nonomi shouted in unison as they looked at the sweating mess she is.
"I-I'm okay, this old man is okay! Keep your head on the game!" Immediately, picking herself up she stood up again with her shield raised up, blocking more and more bullets from Kayoko.
"I'm all fired up!" Serika growled as she ran as well.
And Nonomi immediately fired a volley.
"Tch." Kayoko scoffed and hid again behind some barricades.
"Hold it!" Aru aimed and fired her explosive bullet towards Serika.
"Serika!" Hoshino immediately jumped ahead, and using that as a distraction… some more explosions have been set off from the mines that missed them by an inch thanks to Hans' quicksteps to pull them back.
But with him there with Hoshino and Serika, Shiroko was left alone. As an explosive bullet met her face, that was enough for Haruka to follow up with a punch.
"Ngh!" Shiroko winced as she was thrown down, and Haruka immediately fired some shots at her before she ran away.
"Aru-sama! Aru- AAGH!"
A volley of gunshots came to her back, pushing her down to the ground before it refocused towards Aru, pushing her back to the covers.
"Oh no you don't!" It was Serika and Nonomi, followed by Hoshino who was ready to put Haruka to the ground.
"No!" Aru shouted. "Mutsuki! Give them a surprise!"
"Yup! Let's start some fireworks!"
Musuki jumped out from the covers, followed by Kayoko and Aru as she throws her last bag to create a middle ground. Yet… just before it was barely a few meters ahead, bullets spun towards as it explodes in the sky.
Then followed by a thrown shield.
"OW!" Mutsuki screamed out as she fell tumbling back.
"Mutsuki!"
Aru's heart beat faster and faster as the ashes continued to clear and the Abydos students with the adult were marching at them. Guns ready and primed, with rage and disappointment in their eyes. There is little choice to be made, Mutsuki and Haruka is downed and she was such an idiot! They should've made their way out before this happen!
"Kayoko! I-I think we-"
"I know… Looks like there is no other choice."
Kayoko coughed, and she raised her gun up high.
"I hate using this. Sorry everyone."
BANG.
Aru closed her eyes, and she ran ahead as the gunshot rang above them followed by a demonic roar, and a blast of pure black energy as it engulfs the whole battlefield in its horrible aura.
One by one, everyone was caught in its blast. Sending them down to the deepest, darkest pits of their minds.
One by one, they felt their memories rose up back. Their fears, engulfing their entire minds as it all played on repeat over and over and over again.
Like a broken record, inside their own personal hell.
"Uah-! NO! AAHHH!" Hoshino held her head as her eyes spun. Falling down to the ground as she screamed bloody murder. "YUME! YUME!"
"N-NO…! NOOO!" Nonomi followed next, dropping her minigun as she felt hot tears to form, falling down and crawling away. "I'll do better! I'll not be a burden! No! NO!"
"A-Ah! Wh-WHAT IS- NO! I MUST… GET AWAY! GET AWAY!" Serika's eyes widen as she immediately turn around and ran before falling and crying. "No... no… everyone… I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"!" Shiroko trembles and fell down immediately, curling into a fetal position as she continue to shiver. "Cold… cold… cold…"
"What?! What is everyone! Snap out of- sensei! S-Sensei!"
A voice called out from their earpiece.
Yet it all fell into deaf ears.
And in the middle of all of that, a lone wolf remains standing, frozen as his eyes slowly widen and the scene shifted.
His mind playing on repeat as it all came back.
"I got her!" Aru grunted as she held Haruka close, hoisting her up to her shoulders.
"Aru-sama… you came back for me…"
"I always come back for my comrades. Mutsuki! Let's go!" Mutsuki grunted as she was pulled by Aru as well, and the three made their way to escape the battlefield.
"Kufufu… thank you so much Aru-chan! Ow… let's go!"
"Right." Kayoko then nodded as she ran to them, hoisting Mutuski to help her walk and escape.
She hated using that. But if it was to help her friends, she would do anything. Plus, she'll find another way to pay back Hans-sensei for his help back then.
She just hoped he would forgive her.
Kayoko continued to move along with her friends as her demonic fear aura will end in just a few seconds, and she expected them to take another few good seconds to gather their thoughts.
But what she didn't expect was a sudden horrible CRACK as something hard came to her back. Followed by a searing pain,
and the taste of blood on her lips.
Sensei?
"!"
" █████!"
" █████! GO! GO! WHERE ARE- AAGH!"
Slaughter.
War.
Blood.
Rampage.
From the many breeds Gaia herself had made, only the Garou remains.
The last of the Fera facing the end alone.
Weaver.
Wyld.
Wyrm.
The Weaver, destroyed first. Leaving mankind without its adoptive mother.
The Wyld, now fully diminished and beyond saving. Barely even breathing anymore.
Now, only the Wyrm remains. Gnashing it's teeth as it devoured and destroyed everything they had known.
The ending of their story, and he is running away like a coward. Running and running and running as his pack that he had known all of his life was slaughtered like bugs.
The last night.
Running.
Running.
Running as the screams of war and despair filled the air.
Running as the last desperate shouts of his comrades ring in his ears.
Then he stopped… and trembled.
Something kicked inside of the wolf.
What is it that he is doing?
…Why is he still here?
If he wanted to run and escape from all of this, why is there so much hesitation? Why is there still doubt lingering in his heart?
Go back.
Go back and fight.
This is what you are made for.
Combat.
Fight.
For your pack.
For Gaia.
For honor.
For loyalty.
If you still know what that is, coward.
You are born and gifted under the full moon of Luna, an Ahroun.
Go back, and act like it warrior.
The wolf clenched his fists and looked back. Corpses of Garou mixed with the remaining leftovers of other Fera met his eyes, followed by the stench of blood as it filled his nose again.
You are a fighter.
You are a soldier.
Fight.
He closed his eyes.
His kind is already dying.
There is nothing left if he remains here.
What's one more corpse going to do in the already growing pile?
His pack is waiting for him, and the gigantic serpent was going to attack again and again till it was stopped. This is their last chance, so to say.
…He had made up his mind.
So he ran back. Back towards the battlefield. Back to where the night shall end.
His claws sharpened under his terror turned rage, his eyes glowed red, and the last target of this last hunt is right in front of him.
A shadow. A creature.
Something that is the source of his horror.
Dashing to the shadow, he raised his leg and kicked the creature down. Watching as his strength pushed it into a wall with a loud crack and a bang.
It struggles, it trembles,
Then he put his hands on its neck.
Tightening.
It struggles.
Tight.
Something damp hit his hands.
Tight.
Small hands fell on his arms.
Break it. Break it.
Wyrm.
Die.
Die.
d-
BANG BANG BANG!
CRACK!
A dull pain came to his abdomen, followed by something hitting the back of his head. He was thrown aside as he felt iron to pierce his body even more, in the chest, and in the head as his blood and viscera splattered across the ground.
Then it all stopped.
Yet he remains breathing, growling as he fell on four legs and dug his nails to the ground as the pure white fog surrounded him, regenerating the lost tissue and muscle from the strange blows.
He opened his fangs as his left iris fade to pure black, as beast within slowly crawled out… before it all faded away and his mind clears.
He blinked as his rage diminishes.
And when he thought about where he was, he wasn't.
No Wyrm.
No Garou.
No war.
Instead, he saw something else.
A pink shotgun, smoking from the barrel, and splattered with red.
A barely breathing student bruised by the neck.
The sands, stained with chunks of meat and crimson.
And the horror filled faces of his students.
-Der Wolf heult nach der Sonne-
Hoshino stood still as the memories came back. The moon, the freezing sands, her limp body, and the remains of her halo. Everything in the same grim details, the look on her face… and what she felt on that day.
It all felt so real… and even if it was just a few seconds, it still felt like hours upon end.
She still felt the horror… until it was hastily broken by a loud bang as the sands in front of her were kicked back by a tremendous force.
Then followed by a loud crack…
And screams.
"KAYOKO!"
That is when she snapped back into action, picking up her shotgun immediately as she ran. Looking back to her juniors as they slowly picked their pieces up from the ground.
Her heart raced as she felt something… something horrible is happening.
Where is sensei?
Kayoko felt the impact of the blow as she felt the metallic taste to rise and drip out of her mouth.
"UAGH!"
Before it all came out, mixed with whatever left of that ramen they ate back then.
CRASH! TUMBLE!
She felt like she was flying at mach ten with the weight of the thing that struck her back, plowing through the ground before finally hitting a large derelict tank, punching through it enough to make a horrible dent in the armor, pushing it down to the sides, and releasing a large cloud of dust to engulf everything around it.
Everything hurts.
Even with a halo, she felt so lightheaded. Everything spun and spun and spun.
Her eyes blurred, and the metallic taste still filled her tastebuds.
Yet, even with her hindered sight, her attacker is still clear to her eyes.
Red eyes. Fair tanned skin. And so… much... rage.
His expressionless face, once that held warmth now felt so… so cold, something that she had never expected to see,
and never expected for him to have.
"..Sen- URK!"
Before she could say her piece, she felt his gloved hands to grip around her neck. Tightening and crushing her throat with every time she tried to struggle.
"Ugh… gah… s-sen-s…say… ugh! Cough!"
She tried to push him away, yet he was too strong. Too cold.
Her hands desperately clung to his arm.
"P-Plea-"
Then it tightens again.
Her eyes slowly rolled back, and her mouth was begging for air. Opening wide as she felt her life was being stolen away.
Her halo flickers… and slowly cracked.
She took one last glance at him as her vision slowly darkens.
"…I… Is this… how I die?"
BANG BANG! BANG BANG!
When everything was thought to be lost, the loud cracks of a buckshot came from behind. Hitting its target as it pierced through his chest, spraying his red tainted blood all over the sands… and his student, as his grip on her neck loosens.
Kayoko's halo flickered again… and she returned to the world of the living. Weakened but… alive.
"Gasp! Cough! Cough!"
As her eyes cleared a little, she held her chest and took painful breaths and she blinked. Thinking that Haruka had been the one who saved her. Who else she could credit? Haruka is the only one to use a shotgun.
But as she finally could see her savior clearly… it wasn't Haruka.
It was nobody else, but the pink-haired girl from Abydos.
And Kayoko stared at her as she aimed her shotgun at him again, feeling her heart to beat faster from what she saw behind the girl's twin colored eyes.
It was… utterly empty.
Like her light had faded away.
Her hands gripped on her shotgun as if she was running on autopilot, using the butt of her shotgun to bash his head in before cocking it back and pressing down the trigger once more.
BANG!
Then a cloud of crimson, followed by chucks of torn flesh from the buckshot as it scattered and spilled all over the golden sands.
Permanently staining it red, along with her shotgun.
And that is enough for Hoshino to regain her senses, blinking as she had just realized what she had done.
Sensei had no halo.
He had no halo.
And when it all came crashing down, Hans was already falling to the ground, tumbling and slumping down. But instead of laying still, his hands gripped on the sand. His foot made a line across the grains, and thick white mist formed all around him.
Stitching away his wounds and repairing his lost tissue, while slowly engulfing his body into something that should be impossible.
The students had one thing on their minds, Abydos and Gehenna alike.
They're in a presence of an apex predator.
They continue to watch as his body continues to regenerate and sculpting together like clay, how his eyes glowed fierce red, and as he opened his mouth… his fangs sharpened before being followed by a low growl of a wolf. Freezing everyone in their tracks, as the sheer fear filled their thoughts.
All expect for Shiroko. Who instead… looked at him with pity.
Yet before it escalated, it quickly receded… and he stopped. The mist slowly fading away and his fangs and claws following soon after.
And he blinked.
Confused… and terrified for a moment.
What happened?
Immediately, he stood back up, uncaring at the gaping hole in his greatcoat. He looked at his hands, then at everyone else.
What had he done?
"Cough. Cough…"
Kayoko coughed as her throat continue to burn from the bruise.
His usual reaction would be to run to her and immediately carry her to safety and attention, but as soon as he tried to do so, she flinched from his touch.
"…S-Sen..sei... I… um…"
Kayoko trembled and spoke in a whisper.
Yet Hans already curled his hands.
There is no place for him here.
"…I'm sorry."
Then he turned on his back and jumped high, dashing from building to building in a blur before he he eventually disappeared from their sights.
He was gone.
The students looked at where he had once been, then to the dripping thick crimson that had painted the sands next to Kayoko.
"Ugh.. urp!"
Hoshino went to cover her mouth. She couldn't handle it anymore. Dropping her shotgun as she over, and feeling the rising bile. As much as she was bitter and still is skeptical of Hans and his true intention, she had almost killed him.
"Ugh..! Geh!"
Her lunch rose back up and fell on the ground, mixing with the grains and turning it into a dull brownish yellow.
"H-Hoshino...!" Nonomi and Serika immediately came to her and hoisted her up, reaching for a handkerchief as she went and wiped her lips.
Meanwhile, Serika picked up the senior's dropped gear. Her eyes glanced again at the crimson before she looked away in pain.
As the Abydos students regained their footing, Aru snapped back from the experience and silently walked to Kayoko.
"…Hush." She said gently. Raising her and holding her over her shoulders as Mutsuki held Haruka up.
"So… that is something. Let's just go, Aru." Mutsuki said in a whisper. Her brattiness gone, replaced by a serious and somber tone.
"…Wait." A gentle voice called for the fixers as a drone came down, following by Ayane's hologram as it appears from the drone.
"Um… you… you're hurt. Terribly. We may be enemies for today but… please, come with us. Gehenna is… far away, and I doubt you'll made it there without first aid."
Aru shook her head. "…Thank you, but-"
"Ayane is right, plus… nothing personal, right?" Nonomi gave a small smile. Even as shocked and hurt as she was, she still strived to be the voice that binds everything together.
Aru was clearly conflicted. Her eyes dart back and forth between her friends and her targets. They had truth in their words and she wanted to accept their help, but… this all felt so wrong.
She had just attacked them, and now they're still showing them hospitality?! WHY IS FATE SO CRUEL?!
"…Boss, I'll be… cough!" Kayoko tried to speak again, but the trauma on her body struck back. She knows exactly what is going on inside Aru's head. The choice is tearing her apart to bits, and she knows it as well.
The choice of accepting their offer, or to just… leave. And she hoped whatever choice Aru would have made it would be the one that came from her heart.
"…I… ugh, thank you again for the offer… but, as a fixer… we- we can't accept the offer. And, no matter what, we can't tell you who hired us."
Aru gritted her teeth and turned on her back along to the Abydos students.
"…We'll leave your hairs soon enough." Then, with a shaky breath, she flashed them a smile.
"Thank you again for the ramen and your offer."
With that last farewell, the fixers made their way out of their sights and left the Foreclosure Taskforce all by their lonesome.
"Well… we tried." Ayane sighs. "…I'll wait for all of you here. Return safely…" Then she ended the communication.
"Thanks Ayane." Nonomi said. "Let's go back... everyone."
"…You guys go ahead." Shiroko held her rifle and walked in the opposite direction.
"Shiroko…?" Serika looked at her in surprise. "Are you-"
"Yes. He needs someone to talk to."
Hoshino and Nonomi looked at her silently.
"…Are you sure? Maybe sensei just needed some time alone-" Serika continued.
Shiroko shook her head. "No."
"Then go get him. We won't stop you." Nonomi gave her an encouraging smile.
"N-Nonomi! B-But…"
"Trust her." Nonomi spoke gently.
"…Guh… fine. Be careful, Shiroko."
"Nn. I'll get going." She nodded back and sprinted across the sands.
"…Seriously, I don't understand what is going on inside her head." Serika pouted. "…And I suppose sensei had an explanation to give… ugh…" then her lips curled into a frown as she crossed her arms.
Meanwhile… Hoshino didn't say anything. She let her eyes to remain closed and let Nonomi to carry her towards wherever as the memories came back.
And when she did, she can feel her stomach churning again at the sight.
She doesn't want to hold her shotgun again.
"Urp! Ugh..!" She held back the rising bile.
"Ugh, cough! Cough!"
Nonomi held her close again and wiped her mouth once more.
"Rest, Hoshino."
How can she rest? There are so much thoughts running inside her head, bouncing inside her brain and screaming to her.
What is going to happen next? To them?
To… him?
What other secrets he had?
And what she feared the most is,
What the hell is HE?
Can he suddenly SNAP again and do the same like he did to that Gehenna student?
He owes them an explanation.
And the thought of trusting him deteriorates even more.
Edited 17/4/2024