It had been… what? Somewhere between five to fifteen minutes? In truth, Vash had stopped counting since a while ago. He certainly did not anticipate the sleeping gas, but to be completely fair, he also never thought of such thing to be possible. It did make some senses when one considered the immense durability of Kivotos denizens. As far as non-lethal takedown technique was concerned, tranquilizer or paralytic gas was the bomb… okay, that was some really lame joke he just thought up.
Guess I'm way too used to the brutally crude methods employed by folks back home…
However, he did still have a few tricks up his sleeve. He had ended up letting his smart tablet go in favor of uplifting his student's tattered spirit, but that wasn't a trade he had a reason to think twice over anyway. Serika needed more than just words. To sit idly while being taken hostage was not only stressful, but also maddening. Most people did not have the spine nor endurance to withstand nerve-wracking emergency like this. In a different way, that put some emphasis on Serika's mental toughness, but once again, she was a teenage girl at the end of the day. Everyone had limits; adult and children, him and her and all the people out there.
Well. Enough sappiness. The darkness was getting pretty boring.
"System call."
The dim blue light illuminating the dark space appeared. It gently washed over him and the silent and fatigued and also sleeping figure of his student. The air was getting really stale and humid… or rather, very warm. This metal-covered confinement room either had a low ceiling or was situated outdoor. Judging by the texture of the floor beneath him, there were chances of them being inside a cargo. They might also be in the back of the black van the helmeted gang had been using; no way some dozens of people could reliably carry around an outdated anti-air gun emplacement.
Gotta be quick, then. "System call: geographical map and location sharing."
The white tablet lying ahead of him flickered. As white cleansed blue, he could glimpse the application menu summoned through verbal orders. The Shittim Chest was an utterly bizarre device he had ever seen throughout his life. Even in the spacefaring age he had come from, a tablet that worked intuitively like this was entirely lost to the remote star's harsh climate and coarse sand. Its battery was also extremely long-lasting like you wouldn't believe. Vash could only give praises to whoever was responsible for its creation, and… that there looked like it.
A rhythmic series of pings. A blue triangle inside a gray circle fast approaching. There was only yellow areas all around, but Vash could expect backup in less than an hour.
"Alright. Looks like we managed to get through." Vash proceeded on cracking his neck and rolling his shoulders together. He needed to add some finishing touches to his covert work, but he also didn't want to give Serika false expectations. He was the sole adult in the room, so he had to act like one and make his actions better than good. "Was it this one... nope. That one… nu-uh. Maybe this one, then… aha!"
As a crisp click came from his left elbow, the object poking out from the layers of rope wrapping his whole body around reflected the light cast by Shittim Chest.
A thin but serrated one-edged blade. Perfectly suitable for cutting years old beef jerky and tough bread into chewable pieces. Unfortunately, it lacking more than half of its original length was not even the end of his plagued luck.
"Ah… that's definitely a huge chip there." Vash had suspected that to be the case, but this was what he got for recklessly throwing out his cards on the table. The price he had to pay for deflecting that anti-aircraft shell was bigger than expected. It'd take a whole load of skills, effort and time to free himself. He wasn't even sure he'd have the energy to cut off enough to free himself… but! "Better than nothing…!"
Without hesitation, he began to cut away at his binding. Rolling his shoulders around, wiggling up and down, writhing and turning and tossing all over the place… completely unaware of the half-lidded stare on his back.
"...sensei? What the heck are you doing?"
And—there went his last chance to show off…
The sun was climbing up and high. The promised time for the dealing to take place was soon upon them all. The sky was clear, and the wind was breezy. Which meant it was time to do final checks—for a given amount, of course.
What? She wasn't a fan of meticulous work. A gangster had to do gang work, but that did not mean she needed to obey some creeds like a boorish stickler of rules. Those with principles yadda yadda were not much different to the stuffy honor students, all barks with no bites. An outlaw's life was a life of brash freedom. All things that existed were free for them to take, with or without permission!
"Boss, you're up!" As she leisurely walked out from her room, one of her henchmen sped up to follow after her. A gun in hand her halo bright like light bulb. "Heh he, today's our payday, isn't it? How much do you think we'll get?"
"A lot, for sure." The gangster boss yawned. The desert air was bad for the skin, but the helmet kept her face and hair guarded from the element. Plus, hers was customized to have in-built rechargeable cooler to it. "What's our hostages' status."
"Quiet and subdued. We've had no problems to the point the guards we posted around the truck are complaining about backpain."
So they fell asleep on the job? The red-helmeted outlaw rubbed her chin, pondering on some vindictive punishment for the sloppy job. However, that also meant the night had passed safely with no trouble whatsoever. They had been in high alert after they barely managed to get away from the enemy's reinforcement. That said, this wasteland was not any ordinary wasteland. It was the site of an abandoned railway project, and you could easily see traces of the companies responsible for its development.
By all rights, it was a junkyard. Even the local transceiver tower no longer worked, but that made it the ideal spot for backdoor dealings. The perfect haystack to hide the needle in, the perfect cover, the perfect final phase for a perfectly immaculate plan.
As if those imbeciles could figure it out! "Come on, warm up the engine! We're gonna have a big haul incoming!"
At the cheers of her gang members, the gangster boss breathed out a smug chuckle. It was, without a doubt, their lucky day! No, wait. Actually, more like a lucky streak.
Some said victory was a heady feeling. That was not wrong. She walked towards the black van sitting around—and she heard a faint buzzing sound.
"Hurm? Fly—?"
When she looked up, two to four cylindrical objects dropped from above. They did not make sound, but there was no denying the gray body and the dark red tip.
"Wai—huh?!"
The micro-missiles landed around the perimeter and blew up. The cheers drowned out in the coming waves of shrieks and cries of surprised agony. Clouds of smokes and sand particles rose up, blocking her vision almost entirely. What the hell!?
"Gyawaah!? What the—aaauggghh!?"
"E-enemy's attack!? Enemy attack…!"
"No-no way!? Isn't this no-signal zo—ouchouchouch! Help! Heeeellllppp!"
Shadowy blurs and rapid gunfire flashed in and out of her peripherals. The gangster boss immediately propped up her gun, but what was she supposed to aim and where? The chaos immediately breaking out all-around her vicinity also made it impossible to tell who was who, but then… but then!
"Screw this shit!" She took out a grenade and threw it directly ahead of her. The ensuing explosion immediately dispersed the clouds, sending hot airs everywhere. Her skirts fluttered but her vision worked just fine thanks to the full helmet she wore. "Oy, you sacks of oafs! Get yourself toge...ther…?"
As the winds billowed and slowed, she was greeted with a bunch of combatants lying on the grounds. Defeated. Knocked out. Groaning in pain from incapacitation. Not just a few of them, but nearly half of her minions had been swiftly defeated. It was a surreal sight, but what was worse was the group of familiar ingrates standing right behind the black van holding in the hostages.
"Oops, looks like we didn't do a thorough sweep of the area." One of them, a pipsqueak armed with a towering iron shield blinked. She was holding the stupid thing up and front to protect the back of the van, blocking a clean view. "Don't worry, though. My juniors are very reliable~."
"I've got the key!" A glasses girl yelled out from the driver seat of the van. "Well, uh, actually, it's been stuck in the ignition slot. But anyway, we've got this, senpai!"
"Shiroko-chan, how's the lock?" Then at the back of the vehicle, a blondie glanced to the doors and back to the pinkhead.
"Too complex. Let's just break the chains."
"Good idea! Leave it to me!"
With the solid sounds of metal broken apart, there was no doubting it. The hostages were about to be freed anytime, now.
"D-damn you all! Hey, get up! Our money is running away!"
This was ridiculous. Their plan had suddenly gotten awry, and so close to the promised time for the end of their contract even. How could this happen? No, wait. That didn't matter all! Whatever was going on, a failure at this point would just completely ruin their big gamble for an easy life!
We've still got overwhelming numbers and better gears than these penny pinchers! "Get up already, you dumbasses! Get up! Get up…!"
From this point on—it was all or nothing!
A race against time. That was the game this time around.
Okusora Ayane felt her hands trembling. Her nervousness was reaching the limits of her capacity, and the only thing that did not make her fail at alternating between the gear box, the transmission pedal, brake and gas was the fact that she and her friends had somehow managed to be in time for their friend and teacher's rescue effort. Her heart was drumming in her ears, her senses heightening while her trusted handgun rested in the inner pocket of her blazer; the cold steel comforting her thoughts briefly.
Ping. Finally, something echoed from beside her. Glancing at the red-white tablet showing off the digital output of topographical surveying for the current location proved that the key to this rescue was neither a dream nor a trickery. When all things seemed to be at a lost, it had been the coordinate sent to her contact by her teacher that roused her spirits.
The adult from Schale. The teacher. Vash the Stampede was the one person who did not give up even though he was the one taken away along with Serika by those mobsters.
"Chains broken! Serika, are you alright!?"
"Serika-chan! Sensei!"
Ayane gasped. This was it. The moment of truth. She looked at the side mirror and saw the fluttering of long pink hair and a thumb up thrown into view from the blind spot of the black van. That was the signal… oh no!
"Hang on, everyone!" Ayane kicked at the gas pedal, her left foot tapping across the brake and transmission pedal as she all but threw a full spin to the vehicle's steering wheel. The black van jumped forward, but right before a grenade flew to its previous spot and exploding. "Wa-waaah!?"
"Oh man, they're really at it, huh!" From the back, Ayane could hear the tense voice belonging to Hoshino. "Even the value of hostages stopped mattering… well, I guess we completely and utterly screwed up their oh-so-great scheme."
"They should've learned better than to expect perfect victory." Shiroko's mild-mannered voice belied the clicking of safety and reloading. "No plan survives contact with the enemy, after all."
A small part of Ayane thought of running away. They did have Serika and the teacher, but that did not mean their situation was any better. Judging by that last attack, it was clear to Ayane that the grenade had been launched through a contraption instead of thrown—meaning the gangsters were much better equipped this time. The van's engine also had quite a power to it, and since Ayane did not detect any damage from a brief scanning of the vehicle's frame through her tablet's sensors…
What kind of powerful group is backing these gangsters? It didn't make a lick of sense to somebody like her. Powers given to the wicked did nothing but cause unending chains of troubles. And yet, somebody out there had decided that it was best to give problem children more arsenals to use for wanton destruction. All this money, all this effort and equipment—we must get to the bottom of this…!
It was something she believed that her group must do, even as Ayane threw another powerful spin to the steering wheel in counter clock-wise. The van dodged yet another launched grenade, and bullets stormed forth. Blinded by rage and frenetic impulses, the girl could only feel some relief that the enemies had yet to regain enough clarity to shoot at the back of the van with united focus. However, that did not mean they were out of the hot water just yet.
"We should escape, don't we!?" Ayane yelled out.
"Nah… I think we need to wipe the floors with these delinquents."
Wait, what?! Ayane would have expected Shiroko to say that sort of cruel and ruthless line, but that was thrown out by none other than the Taskforce's de facto leader; why would Hoshino believe direct confrontation was for the best?! Did something happen—
"Agh… owowowoww… e-everyone…?" That strangely feeble voice… but why—
"Serika, here's water. Drink well." A pause. "You're definitely dehydrated. Sorry… we got here really late."
"Sensei, you look horrible… did they beat you up? Ooh, I can't forgive those people!"
...oh. That was it. That did it. No wonder their third-year senior would say something that went against her typical character. Ayane glanced back at the side mirror, her fears and worries nearly dissolving away before she knew it. The girl gripped the steering wheel tightly and felt its form deforming a bit. How could they… they…!
"Alright, then!" Her mind and soul now singing in a harmonious waltz of wrath, Ayane gritted her teeth as she pedaled the accelerator to the limits. "Let's do this, girls!"
" " "You've got it, chief!" " "
Their counterattack—was only just beginning…!
The dazzling light cleaving the darkness almost blindsided her. It was only because of the adult's smart tablet's light that allowed her eyes to safely adapt with the sunlight pouring from ahead of her. Serika had braced for something, anything, and visibly felt the shivers running down her skins.
That was why—the girl didn't know what emotions she felt nor what thoughts were running through her mind. Even as she came to recognize Familiar shapes of halos, familiar voices, and faces and words and demeanor all too kind and caring to a dishonest somebody like her. Serika gulped, words dying in her throat and warmth bordering on heat pooled in the edges of her vision.
"Sen...pai…? Senpai…!" The first-year cried out. "Shiroko-senpai! Nonomi-senpai!"
"Uh, uncle's also here…"
Hoshino-senpai, too…! No way. This couldn't be happening. Did she manage to get rescued or something? Was this just a dream—boom!—what the hell!?
Her thoughts were cut short. As reality anchored her back, her focus shortly and intensely trained on the world beyond her prison. Ahead of the second-years, the third-year student of Abydos put up her riot shield and fired her shotgun when she could. As sparks and gunsmoke scattered into the winds, a few bullets struck at the door frame to the back of the vehicle.
"Hrrmh…! This is getting out of nowhere!" The pink-haired girl with a towering shield looked back and over her shoulder. "Sorry, girls! The tear-jerking reunion can wait for a bit, yeah? Think we need more than just taking the fight to our foes, here…"
"I can get down—"
"Denied. Shiroko-chan, we need someone to protect sensei and Serika-chan—"
What… Serika blinked. Sure, she was weakened and still feeling parched, but she wasn't so powerless she couldn't be a backup to the team. However, at the same time, the words said by Hoshino brought her attention somewhere else. Her gaze fell on the last person yet to be addressed in this narrow and suffocating place.
"Ahh… looking for little old me?" The wry laughter of an adult filled the air. It was quite unnerving how could Vash the Stampede sat on the floor and scratched at his cheek with a smile completely in contrast to the situation. He sported bruises and scratches on where the skins could be seen, yet the teacher slowly got up and straightened his spine; giving a few weak pounds to the small of his back all the while. "Oof. Yeah, that sure hurts a bit. Sleeping on the floor is definitely bad for your spine."
"S-sensei…"
"Hm? Yeah, I'm here." Vash smiled. He reached out and placed his gloved hand on top of Serika's head, the warmth and firmness to his fingers transferring away. He then glanced away to meet Shiroko as well as Nonomi in the eye. "No, seriously. This isn't the first rodeo for me, and you girls already did your part so well. So…"
As he drawled out his words, all attentions began to gather on him.
"Yeah, uhh. Can I give some suggestions, by the way?"
He raised his index finger and pointed upwards. The way he grinned felt like an adolescent boy full of mischief.
The back of the van had regained a lot more space. Probably because sensei and Nonomi had already dropped off a few minutes ago. Serika was in the passenger seat next to the driver's seat, but she had been oddly quiet. Maybe she was getting really hungry. Food for thoughts for later, Shiroko supposed.
"I'll borrow your shield for a bit, senpai."
"Un. Sure been a while since we last do combo attack like this, huh?"
That's true. Sunaookami Shiroko had rigorously trained herself in practical combat training classes, but her specialty in truth closely leaned to independent operative. She excelled in acting out and away from command control's reaches, and she happened to be resourceful enough that she could come back alive from solo scouting missions with 90% success rates. Being on the defensive doesn't suit me.
And yet, she was now providing covering fire from behind the riot shield propped up by her upperclassman. Throwing grenades and sending out drone strike would play their cards a bit early, so she had to hold back—
"Oops, looks like the truck isn't gonna hold up." The strong shaking was caused by a grenade that landed a bit close to the speeding van. As it circuited through the maze of junks and ruins formed by incomplete railway system, it naturally threw itself through obstructions and frequent attacks. Even if the vehicle had been heavily modified for additional power and armor, it was fundamentally still a common vehicle. "Ayane-chan, you still doing good over there~?"
"Y-yeah! We should be good! Right on schedule, even!" From the driver seat to the front of the car, Ayane's terse voice delivered a response. "ETA, two minutes!"
Right. Shiroko ought to conserve her ammo, then. It would be way too easy for these helmeted outlaws to get away, so rounding them up was the only way out. Good thing that the topographical surveying results given by both Ayane and the teacher were extremely accurate as they could be. Breaking down the enemy's formation, picking off their numbers until they turned manageable, and then…
"Heh he~… this sure feels weird." Beside her, the smug grin on Hoshino's face carried a tint of spirited focus. It didn't look like she was completely angry, but her smile did not quite reach her eyes either. As expected, even Hoshino could get horribly upset. "Sensei is an odd sort, isn't he? This strategy feels less like a gunfight and more like a cat-and-mouse game."
"...un. He's completely unlike what I thought an adult would be."
Always smiling. Carefree. Cheerful and energetic. Friendly, liked to banter, bad at throwing jokes, and completely inept at being a professional educator. He was an adult that acted unlike one. However, by some strange coincidences, he managed to accompany Serika and protected her from actual harms, even when it came at his expense. Vash the Stampede turned to be quite reckless and brash, but so what? Shiroko was certain, now.
I can trust him—we can trust him.
Tightening her grip and straightening her aim, the girl reaffirmed her resolve. Another pursuer shot down, another route blocked from felling a piece of the pile of scrap heap left lying around. The van hardly have the speed necessary to outpace a student in this narrow junkyard maze, and soon more enemies popped up. Her aim stayed unwavering and without mercy, though.
"We're reaching the clearing!"
Shiroko quietly inhaled. As the van came to a swerving stop, she and Hoshino immediately disembarked to draw the frontline. Up ahead, the Kata-Kata Helmeted Gang poured into the clearing like ants drawn to cookie crumbs. Their boss even showed up, though she stayed in the middle of the formation like a spineless general. Shiroko glanced back at Ayane who hid behind the side of the van and away from the engine. Serika, in the meanwhile, poked out only the crown of her head right below Ayane. The glasses-wearing girl gave a thumb up while the fluffy dark cat ears twitched.
Well, now. Preparation's done—let's go.
It was time to repay the debts incurred over those who had bared their fangs at her precious friends. A week… no, wait. A month of hospitalization ought to suffice. Any more than that and it'd be way too troublesome to deal with.
The helmeted delinquent clad in red pointed at them with her index finger. "Heh… heh he he…! Hah ha! Finally! It's over, you dirty rats!"
"Uheh~… she sure is making things harder for herself." Hoshino tilted her head to the side, a lazy smile flitting on her face. "Girl, you gotta take some deep breaths, okay?"
"Shut up! You're all dead meat…!"
Shiroko stepped forward. In her senior's protection range, she could easily find cover and strike back with ease. The ashen-haired girl looked forth… or to be more exact, past the group of outlaws and at the sole entrance to the clearing. Mountains of junks, rusted rails and steel beams, even abandoned cargo and train cars made for such a dull sight that the stars of the show could easily step forward to block the entryway.
"Alright," the second-year Abydos student said. She raised a hand up to her eye level before swinging it down. "Give 'em hell."
The tell tale sounds of a whirring gun barrel emanated. Some of the outlaws situated far in the back immediately turned around, but too bad for them. They saw the maw of an exquisitely designed minigun a step too late—
"Izayoi Nonomi," the student of Abydos announced with a cheer. "Here. We. Go~!"
Propping the firearm of mass destruction with a brilliant smile, Nonomi unleashed torrents of hellfire upon the unsuspecting fools.
A/N: When you go to the seaside, of course fresh seafood is the way to go. Though maybe not so far as straight out fishing in the sea. Having no signal in the 21st century truly feels mindboggling. I have more respect for Shiroko to be so spirited even while on survival mode, now.