Throughout the streets of Hyakkiyako district, denizens of Kivotos from all walks of life gathered. Delicate pink petals, as numerous as there were stars in the sky, meandered toward the earth from the grand sakura tree forming the centerpiece of the district, their morning dew glistening in the gentle sunlight. The ambient chatter of the festival-goers was complemented by the leisurely plucking of a koto in the distance and, if one listened closely enough, the staccato of distant gunfire.

Such was the hubbub of Hyakkiyako's Cherry Blossom Festival. The turnout was not only expected, but welcomed by the denizens of the district itself; tourism was the lynchpin of the district's livelihood, after all, so residents made it a point to exude hospitality at every feasible opportunity.

However, not every attendee had such mundane intentions.

A lone figure slinked through one of the banner-strewn streets, keeping to the shadows… or, at least, whatever shadows could be found at such an hour. With fire in her heart and a determined gleam in her eye, the aspiring ninja eyed her potential targets.

The Eastern-styled ramen stand was a promising mark, though it didn't seem like they had that many customers; lots of competition among neighboring stands, and not many attendees were keen on sitting down and having something as heavy as ramen so early into the festival. Next to the ramen stand was a food cart selling assorted dumplings. Also low priority - the smell was delightful, however, and Izuna made a mental note to stop by later. Knowing the importance of time and place was but one of the hallmarks of being a successful ninja.

So many targets to assess. Her client was clear on her objective - strike at the area that would cause as much havoc and property damage as possible. All other details were up to her discretion.

Discretion… Yes, that was good. Izuna had that in spades. One doesn't consume as much ninja-associated media, fictitious and historical alike, without gaining a keen understanding of discretion.

… Still, the Cherry Blossom Festival's atmosphere was so inviting that Izuna had to stop herself from leaning into it and partaking. Seeing such bright merriment, delicious food, and smiling faces was almost enough to make Izuna stop to consider whether what she and the Street Mouryo were doing was really okay.

Almost. After all, one mustn't doubt their clients. If she was to be a proper ninja, she had to trust in the judgment of her client and enact their will. Only then would she be worthy of seeking out a lord to duly serve.

"Dango, huh…"

One of Izuna's fox ears twitched as she overheard a commotion coming from a stall near her. A trio of Trinity students stood in front of a stall that was selling various flavors of colorful dango on a stick. There was a rather sizable group of people queued up already.

"Looks pretty packed. Wanna get in line?" the student with short black hair with magenta highlights and cat ears said.

"Sure. This place has to be popular for a reason," the blonde one said as they took a place in the back of the line. "Kinda hard to see the menu from here… oh, lemme just…"

She took out her cell phone and zoomed in on the distant menu, snapping a picture. The other two students looked over her shoulder as she brought up the highres image.

"They've got a good selection of flavors…" the blonde student said. "No chocomint, though. Sorry, Airi."

"Eheheh… It's fine, Yoshimi-chan," Airi said sheepishly. "I'll just get the matcha flavor; it's the closest thing, right?"

"Pretty sure the only similarity between matcha and chocomint is the color, but you do you…" Yoshimi mumbled. "I'll get the mitarashi. How about you, Kazusa?"

"Anko sounds good, for a change," Kazusa replied after a moment of thought.

"I think I'll get something for when Natsu-chan comes back," Airi said. "What do you think she'd like?"

"That glutton will eat anything that has sugar in it," Yoshimi said flatly. "Pick a random number from one to ten and order that."

"I don't think that'll be necessary…" Airi replied, scratching her cheek while smiling sheepishly. "I'll get her some matcha as well; can't go wrong with that…"

"Did she say how long she'd be gone?" Kazusa asked.

"No. She just said that Sensei needed her for a bit," Airi answered.

"I guess we should've expected she'd - surprise, surprise - go away on Schale business while she's on Schale duty," Yoshimi grumbled. "But what's the point of inviting us to the Cherry Blossom Festival if she's probably not gonna be here, anyway?"

"Well, it's not like we get to attend a Hyakkiyako festival every day, right? Natsu-chan probably wanted to enjoy it with us and Sensei when they're done with work," Airi reasoned.

"Oh, yeah. Wasn't there a rumor that he was… well, with one of our schoolmates?" Yoshimi said.

"... With?" Kazusa cocked an eyebrow at Yoshimi's wording.

"Um, yeah. Y-you know…" Airi sheepishly said. "On a date?"

"You haven't heard?" Yoshimi asked, surprised. "Everyone back home wouldn't shut up about it for the past few days."

"I try not to get involved in rumors if I can help it," Kazusa replied neutrally.

"I guess," Yoshimi said. "It's just a bit strange, is all."

"What's strange?" Airi said.

"The thing with our schoolmate. And now, it's Natsu. Does Sensei have a thing for Trinity students or something…?"

"You're sounding a bit hopeful there, Yoshimi." Kazusa smirked teasingly.

"T-the heck do you mean, hopeful? I don't even know the guy!" Yoshimi defended, turning red. "All I was wondering is if we're just Natsu's third wheels here or something, that's all!"

"Hmm…" Kazusa hummed, unconvinced, which seemed to irritate Yoshimi even further.

"W-what's your deal, anyway, Kazusa?! You trying to replace the candy philosopher as the After-School Sweets Club's resident gear-grinder?"

"Nah. Just amusing myself, I guess." Kazusa's smirk faded as she shrugged nonchalantly, the novelty of the situation having worn off. She shoved both her hands inside her sweater pockets, leaning back in an easygoing manner. "But now that you mention it, it is a lot more boring without Natsu's weird ramblings."

Before they knew it, the line had been reduced by about half as a group of students left with their dango, and the Trinity students moved forward.

"Oh, that reminds me, Kazusa-chan," Airi said. "Didn't you sign up for that class under Sensei?"

"I didn't hear about that one," Yoshimi said, surprised. "Did you, Kazusa?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "I happened to be on the phone when the registrations opened. Since it's free, and exams are coming up soon, I thought why not?"

Yoshimi snorted. "That was kinda stupid, now that I think about it."

Kazusa raised an eyebrow. "... Oi. You talking about me, my exams, or…?"

"Huh? Oh, no, no," Yoshimi quickly said. "I meant the registrations. They were only open for like a few minutes before filling up, right? So, realistically, who the heck would've signed up? You would basically have to have been on your phone by coincidence or be a massive stalker or something."

"I guess I just happened to be lucky," Kazusa said.

"Which is why it's stupid, because if it just comes down to luck, what are the chances that someone who needs the extra help will be one of those students?"

"Huh. Never thought about it like that," Kazusa admitted.

"Well, Kazusa-chan's exams are coming up, so we know for sure that there's at least one student who'll benefit, right?" Airi said, smiling.

"Right…" Kazusa said uneasily, clearly uncomfortable with the topic of her grades. "Oh, we're next."

"Welcome! Would you care for some dango? It's all freshly pounded!" the robotic salesperson greeted.

"Sure. I'll take one. Anko flavor," Kazusa said. "And these two are with me, so go ahead and charge us together."

One moment later, and the robot handed Kazusa a stick on which three pieces of reddish dango were impaled. She stepped backward to let her friends order, nibbling on her dango.

"Mm… So good~" Kazusa hummed in delight at the taste of rich red bean flavor mixed with sweet rice flour. Dango was an extremely common Hyakkiyako import available in Trinity stores, but being able to get it fresh and handmade was an absolute treat in itself.

Just as Yoshimi received her dango and Airi stepped forward to order, a loud gunshot from nearby drew everybody's attention.

The source was a girl with multihued pink and light blue hair who wore a purple star hairpin and a gray Trinity serafuku adorned with badges. In her right hand she held up a bullpup shotgun with a freshly smoking barrel, and her left hand pointed into the group in front of the dango stand - or more accurately, at Kazusa.

"KYOUYAMA KAZUSA!"

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me…" Kazusa groaned, covering her face with her free hand. "She followed me all the way here…?"

"Everyone's superstar vigilante, Uzawa Reisa! Has arrived on the scene!" the girl proclaimed, skidding forward until coming to a stop, then striking a heroic pose that really spoke to Izuna. "To think that Cath Palug's foul influence threatens to enshroud not only Trinity, but Hyakkiyako!"

"Cath… Palug…?" Yoshimi repeated, bewildered, causing the girl in question to shudder violently.

A secret identity? Izuna wondered.

"She's pointing at you, Kazusa-chan…" Airi said. "Is she a friend of yours?"

"Nope. I've never seen this nutjob in my life," Kazusa said quickly through clenched teeth. She was visibly restricting herself from visiting violence on the hapless Reisa, and likely would have done so, were it not for Airi's words. Perhaps she didn't want to reveal her true self in front of her friends? Or could they really be said to be friends?

As more of the passing crowd stopped by the dango stall to watch the spectacle, Izuna saw an opportunity to fulfill her mission. Fortunately, the dashing display of Uzawa Reisa enraptured the hearts of everyone present - so much that nobody noticed the ninja who took advantage of the distraction and slipped behind the dango stall.

"You LIE, Cath Palug!" Reisa said accusingly. "You would attempt to conceal your timeless feud with the Apostle of Trinity, even while proof stands before you in the flesh?! Nay, I say! I shan't be fooled, for this so-called 'student' before me is, in truth, the sealed beast of Trinity herself. Yes, she could be none other than the mythical Cath Palug, who has awakened from quiescence, gaining strength for when next she may envelop the world in darkness!"

Izuna peeked out from behind her new hiding spot, nodding fervently. Reisa took it upon herself to pursue an ancient evil lurking amidst Hyakkiyako - to bring to justice a veritable wolf in sheep's clothing. A most noble goal, indeed; were Izuna not sworn to secrecy, she would have enlisted Reisa's help to complete her mission.

Izuna's phone briefly rang from a text message, but thankfully, Reisa's gallantry all but assured her that her cover was not blown. Izuna quickly finished laying the rest of the explosives and promptly slipped away, her fox tail wagging in anticipation.

"Kazusa-chan…?" Airi said worriedly, noticing Cath Palug's worsening demeanor.

"Kyouyama Kazusa! I, Uzawa Reisa, challenge you to a duel! Accept my challenge, and witness that wrath of my almighty fist of justice!" The Apostle of Trinity dashed forth and put herself between the students and the dango stand, then held out a printed and signed letter of challenge toward her adversary. Wait a second, she was standing right in the middle of the trap-

"Listen, you pest," Cath Palug snarled. "I told you to stop following-"

BOOM!

Izuna winced as the explosives she set up on the dango stand exploded outward, knocking all nearby customers back and sending dust and bits of wood flying everywhere. Uzawa Reisa singed form, having unwittingly taken the brunt of the explosion, lie face-down on the concrete, one leg twitching in the air.

"A-as expected of Cath Palug…" Reisa coughed out, dazed from the attack. "Laying traps in anticipation of your nemesis' arrival… You, urgh, may have won the day, but know that justice will always prevail in the end…"

"W-what the…?" Yoshimi coughed and unslung her rifle, squinting amidst the destruction. "Were we attacked?"

"I think so…" Airi said, getting to her feet. "Kazusa-chan? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Cath Palug replied. She looked around, clicking her tongue once she saw the destroyed dango stand and the stunned Uzawa Reisa. "Can you two check on the dango seller and that wannabe on the floor?"

"Okay!" Airi replied. "But what will you do? … Kazusa-chan?"

Izuna didn't get to hear Cath Palug's answer, for she had already made her escape from the scene, weaving through the nearby crowded streets.

In five minutes, the Mouryo gang members downtown were going to focus a strike on the Festival Operations Department's sector. Normally, they'd have to worry about the Inner Discipline Club interfering, but now that Izuna had caused a commotion elsewhere, that ought to divert their attention away long enough for her client's plan to come to fruition-

"Oi."

"Eh?" Startled, Izuna turned around, coming face-to-face with a displeased Cath Palug. The student's face was slightly dirty from the blast, and the fingers on her right hand caressed the straps of her gun in anticipation.

For some reason, Izuna felt a chill run down her spine at the mere sight of her. Was this the unveiled aura of the beast who no longer cared about concealing her identity?

"What's the big idea? I can tell when an attack is meant for someone, and you definitely didn't mean to hit the shopkeeper, or that idiot… even if she's freaking annoying." The Trinity student's frown deepened. "So, what did that mochi stand do to you?"

Cath Palug was asking about her motives? Why would she do that? Explaining the motive was the sort of thing reserved for the villain in the ninja dramas Izuna watched. This was all wrong! But Izuna supposed that giving a minimal response out of courtesy was what was expected of her…

"Izuna's goals are beyond your understanding!" she proclaimed. "All you need to know is that a ninja must abide by their client's will!"

"Ninja…?" Cath Palug blinked, then shook her head. "Whatever. I guess it doesn't matter."

"It doesn't?"

"Nah." The miscreant from Trinity cracked her knuckles menacingly. "You messed up the mochi I bought, trashed the stand, and you didn't even let Airi order. And, that vigilante idiot didn't deserve-" she exclaimed before stopping herself. "... Well. Point is, I'm gonna beat the snot out of you."

Just then, the hairs on Izuna's tail stood on end, as if sensing the looming danger from the awakened beast before her. Nonetheless, Izuna faced the threat head-on.

It wasn't just about her mission now. If that brave soul, Uzawa Reisa, was to be believed, this beast represented a danger to the entire district. Everything about her confirmed it, from her belligerent attitude to her intimidating aura. Her client's task for her suddenly made sense; if the Cherry Blossom Festival harbored such dangerous elements like Cath Palug, then maybe there was something gravely wrong with the festival holders themselves. That had to be why Date Meowsamune was trying to disrupt the festival; she was trying to free the denizens from Hyakkiyako from a most nefarious fate!

The sheer nobility of her client humbled her, not helped by the fact that it took her this long for her to figure out her client's master plan. She had a long way to go before she could be a proper ninja.

… Unless this was her moment - her opportunity to become a ninja in its entirety. After all, what better way to prove herself than by overcoming a great adversity on her client's behalf?

… That was it!

Izuna mustered up her courage and shouted in defiance, "I-Izuna won't let your evil take root in Hyakkiyako, Cath Palug!"

Izuna could've sworn she heard a distant glass shatter as Cath Palug, upon hearing her true name unveiled, shuddered, then became catatonically silent. She clenched her teeth, her latent anger like a dam near bursting.

"Listen here, you. Would you stop saying that damn name-"

An opening!

Deciding that a preemptive strike was in order against such a powerful opponent, Izuna reached into her belt and pulled out four small bombs, which she held between each of her fingers.

"Secret Weapon: Exploding Shuriken!" Izuna nimbly hopped backward, simultaneously launching the four shuriken at Cath Palug's face mid-sentence, where they exploded one after another. Landing on her feet, she eyed the aftermath as the dust began to clear-

-only to find the sealed beast of Trinity was still standing. Worse than that, she barely even seemed hurt from Izuna's secret weapon.

"Now you've done it," Cath Palug seethed. She unstrapped her weapon, a light machine gun which, in Izuna's professional opinion, didn't look 'light' in the slightest, and brandished it at Izuna.

"Izuna-style ninjutsu!" Izuna panickedly incanted, speeding through the necessary hand gestures. Though she didn't even have time for the full incantation, she nonetheless succeeded as she disappeared in a puff of smoke right when Cath Palug fired.

"What the…?" Cath Palug said in confusion when she noticed her bullets perforated a fox-shaped doll decoy rather than the ninja. Looking around, she noticed Izuna unsteadily landing on a nearby rooftop. "Oh, no you don't!"

Cath Palug deftly jumped onto some nearby crates, using them to propel herself onto the roof to give chase.

Wait, that's illegal! Izuna thought as she blanched and broke into a cold sweat.

Yelping as a series of bullets followed by a pinkish contrail grazed her ears, Izuna fled down the rooftops, Cath Palug hot on her trail.

I have to warn Date Meowsamune! Izuna thought. Thanks to Reisa's warning, it was now clear that Cath Palug would threaten the entire district if not stopped. They would have to assemble all of the Mouryo gang at once to have even a smidgen of a chance at repelling the beast of Trinity. All Izuna had to do was get away…

Izuna looked behind her shoulder and instantly regretted it as a bullet struck her between the eyes, dazing her slightly.

Cath Palug was still keeping up with Izuna, even though she was currently employing her optimized, aerodynamic ninja-styled running form? How could this be?!

Izuna's heart thumped hard enough that she heard its beats as she ducked under another stream of gunfire. She wasn't scared, not at all; ninjas don't feel fear in any capacity.

Meanwhile, Cath Palug tossed a macaron in the air, then, without skipping a beat, caught it in her mouth. She crunched down on it menacingly as she gained speed.

Fortunately, Izuna's salvation became visible in the form of a group of five Street Mouryo who were perched on one rooftop - the group responsible for creating a distraction downtown.

But then why weren't they downtown? And why had some of them taken off their masks? They were supposed to be on a mission!

Izuna didn't have time to contemplate these things as she bolted toward them, the nimble steps of Cath Palug not far behind.

"What the- hey, Izuna!" one of the unmasked Mouryo said as she held her RPG loosely at her side. "Didn't you get the memo? Job's called off-"

"Cath Palug has awakened and seeks the suffering of all studentkind!" Izuna wailed as she all but dove past the group, trusting in safety in numbers.

"Cath Palug?" one masked Mouryo gang member repeated. "What the heck is that- gah!"

The vengeful fist of the beast of destruction collided with the Mouryo's tengu mask with enough force to shatter the elongated nose of the Mouryo's mask, knocking the student to the ground and taking her out for the count.

"DON'T SAY THAT STUPID NAME!" Cath Palug manically screeched.

"Oh crap!" the first Mouryo exclaimed in panic, quickly readying her RPG. "Eat this, tourist…!"

Before she could fire, Cath Palug darted forward and kicked her square in the stomach, sending her careening off the roof, her RPG firing into the sky uselessly. Frightful screams and then a thump was heard as the Mouryo hit the festival ground below.

The rest of the group of Mouryo began pelting Cath Palug with automatic gunfire but were swiftly dispatched. Once everyone else on the roof was incapacitated, Cath Palug panted in exertion, taking a moment to rest.

"Now, where did that last one go?" she muttered after reloading, looking around the roof cautiously. Suddenly, her phone rang.

"Hello? Airi? How's everything?"

"..."

"And that Uzawa idiot?"

"..."

"Just up and bolted off as if nothing happened, huh…" Cath Palug sighed. "Sounds like her."

"..."

"Er, no. Never in my life. First impressions are powerful, you know."

"..."

"Me? Uh… Just hanging around, I guess. Needed to catch a breather."

"..."

"Okay. I'll be there. Bye."

The student's phone clicked as she put it away. She slowly walked to the edge of the rooftop overlooking the festival. There, she stood silently for a few moments before clicking her tongue.

"... Whatever. Not worth the trouble."

Cath Palug walked away, hopping off the rooftop to an adjacent lower one. A minute after the sounds of her footsteps petered out, Izuna peeked her head over the edge of the roof, making sure the coast was clear. She pulled herself from the wall she was clinging to and left her hiding spot, wincing once she saw her decimated colleagues. It was regrettable that she had to leave her allies to contend with Cath Palug, but it was a difficult decision that she did not make lightly, as her client's mission was at stake.

The path to being a ninja was a lonesome, cruel one, indeed.

The moment Izuna arrived at her client's headquarters, it was obvious that something was off.

The place was deserted - not a single one of her Mouryo allies to be seen. Normally, there'd be at least fifteen of them guarding the outside of the warehouse they were using as a base of operations, but there was nothing, not even any signs of a struggle or gunfight. It was as if they just up and walked away. While this slightly put Izuna's mind at ease, what could possibly have caused everyone to leave while they had a mission to complete?

Or… perhaps her client was testing her. Izuna certainly remembered situations like that in some dramas, where the protagonist springs a trap that was set by their mentor figure specifically with the intention of assessing their growth.

Whether it was a test or not, however, Izuna had no intention of failing. The first step to solving any conundrum should be information gathering, and so Izuna set herself to the task as she grabbed a few stray boxes and stacked them next to one portion of the sides of the warehouse until they reached the windows.

Balancing on her impromptu stepladder, Izuna got closer to the glass to take a peek into the warehouse.

As soon as she did so, a harsh ripping sound followed by a feline cry of pain rang out from the building interior. That could only mean one thing…

"Maybe you'd be more willing to talk now." A man in dark clothing tossed a strip of duct tape aside, looming over her client, who was cocooned in what seemed to be even more duct tape. The mask the man wore glowed with a dangerous red light, providing some of the only illumination in the room other than the sunbeams streaming in through the window Izuna was peeking through.

… Her client was in trouble!

Izuna nearly sprung into action until she registered the sight of two other figures in the sparse lighting - one Trinity student and a floating robot. She didn't know about the robot, but the student was going to be difficult to fight as long as she had her client in tow. Izuna had no choice but to lie low and wait for an advantageous time to swoop in.

"Y-you're Sensei…" Date Meowsamune croaked out. "How the hell did you get past my guards?"

"I snuck in."

"Snuck in?" Date Meowsamune scoffed. "What fool do you take me for? You, your robot, and that pink one couldn't possibly stand out more!"

"Actually, Sensei told me and ED-E to wait outside until all the guards had left-" the pink-haired student started, only to be cut off by Sensei.

"Natsu."

"Oops. Interrogation time, okay."

Sensei reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone that clearly didn't belong to him, waving it in front of Izuna's client's face. "If you're holding out hope of someone saving you, give up. I messaged all your cronies to go home or they'll be in as deep water as you are."

Izuna's eyes widened as she got out her phone. She checked her messages, and sure enough, she had one unread message from her client's number.

'Your boss is compromised. If you don't want to rot in jail until you graduate, then lay down your guns and go home.

S.C.H.A.L.E.'

When in the world did that get there?! Izuna thought, until it occurred to her.

Back at the stand, when her phone rang and almost gave her position away…

Izuna thought it was common sense that ninjas shouldn't answer their phones when they were on missions. But this was vital information that would've been useful to her and her client!

Was there an official handbook anywhere regarding ninjas and cell phone etiquette…?

"That's where they all went?! Why, t-those lazy, good-for-nothing…" The feline spat. "What do you mean, deep water? I have done nothing wrong!"

"Mm-hm?"

"Don't you have any idea who I am? Once my name is cleared, my associates will see to it that you're never allowed in Hyakkiyako ever again!"

"Of course I know who you are, Date Meowsamune," Sensei replied matter-of-factly, then muttered to himself, "Weird thing to name your kid."

Ignoring the slight on his name in favor of more pressing matters, Izuna's client recoiled. "H-how did you know that name?!"

"I know everything about you. Date Meowru, head of the Hyakkiyako shopping district's merchant's guild, who funneled funds from his organization to hire the Mouryo gang and disrupt the festival," Sensei stated. "The authorities will be the least of your worries when your merchant's guild allies find out where your funds have been going… assuming they aren't complicit, of course. But that's another matter entirely."

"Ghh! H-how?! I covered my tracks flawlessly…" Date Meowsamune growled, more to himself than anything.

"Flawlessly…?" Sensei sounded almost impressed. "You were walking around in broad daylight, the gang members you hired stick out like a sore thumb, they talk very loudly, you chose the seediest place possible as a hideout, and your 'disguise', if you can even call it that, consists of an eyepatch. All I had to do was follow you once you left Momoyodou and wait until you were alone in your office. Your transaction records you thought were safely locked away in your safe back at the guild were just the cherries on top."

"Indeed. Cherries complement any dessert quite well," Natsu sagely said, causing Sensei to look at her strangely.

"I-impossible…!" Date Meowsamune choked out. "You're nothing but a regular adult. How could this happen?"

"Well, you see-" Sensei began, only to be interrupted by the loud beeping of the hovering robot next to him. "Hm? What is it?"

The robot bobbed up and down as it let loose a series of beeps, then faced directly at Izuna. Luckily, Izuna managed to duck in time to not be seen.

Sensei tilted his head at the robot as if processing what it said.

"Oh, that. Don't worry. I already know," Sensei dismissively said, then turned back to Date Meowsamune. "Anyhow, I have everything I need to prove you're scum. All that's left is a confession."

"Confession?" Izuna's client paled, probably from the stress of facing the prospect of a forced confession. "Y-you aren't getting anything out of me!"

"Oh, don't be like that." Sensei crouched down next to the tied up feline and clasped his hands together. "Pretty please? Things would go a lot easier if you just agreed."

Seeing that he had gained an advantage over Sensei, Date Meowsamune said, "N-not a chance! I will profess my innocence at every turn!"

You tell him, Date Meowsamune! Izuna internally cheered.

"Really. Ain't that a shame," Sensei said in disappointment. "Welp, guess I've got no use for you, then."

Eh?

"Eh?" her client mirrored her thoughts.

"Oh?" Even Natsu joined in.

"Incidentally, it's been awhile since I've last eaten," Sensei hummed a cheery tune while he traced an index finger along her client's flesh.

"W-w-what does that have to do with me?" Izuna's client began to shiver.

"Well, I've never had cat before…" Sensei's tone turned low, dangerous. Izuna couldn't see his face, but she got the most terrifying feeling just from his presence in that moment alone. "I wonder; are you gamey? Lean?"

The floating robot beeped twice, and Sensei nodded as if he understood it perfectly.

"I'm betting on lean too, but I've been surprised before." Sensei leaned in closer to Date Meowsamune, while the horrified feline desperately wiggled away from the madman as best as he could. "If I'm feeling generous, I might even cook you before digging in."

"Sensei, are you hungry? We have sweets; no need for cat," Natsu offered, looking a bit sick.

Sensei sighed in exasperation. "Hush, Natsu."

Punctuating his remark, Sensei pinched at his captor's flesh, and Date Meowsamune regained the ability to speak amidst his terror. "S-someone! Police, Mouryo, Izuna, ANYONE! HELP! Get me away from this madman!" he begged.

Upon hearing her name, Izuna hardened her resolve. Waiting for an opportune time to intervene was one thing, but a direct summons was another entirely.

"Like I said, there's no one coming to help you," Sensei said. "So why don't you make this easier on both of us and confess?"

Natsu's eyes lit up as she caught on. "Mhm. You'd better hurry. I don't think even sweets will be able to hold Sensei back for much longer…"

"I… I…"

Whatever Date Meowsamune was about to say was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass as Izuna barreled through the window she'd been spying through.

"Honored client, your personal ninja heard your call of distress and has arrived! Nin nin!" Izuna proclaimed, facing both Natsu and Sensei. By the time Natsu turned toward her, Sensei had already drawn some boxy, plastic-looking gun at Izuna, as if he'd been expecting her. Anticipating her presence and sneaking past that many Mouryo… Was Sensei actually a master ninja?

"I-Izuna!" Date Meowsamune exclaimed in relief. "Thank heavens you're- mmph!"

Without lowering his weapon or looking away, Sensei slapped the same piece of duct tape he'd just removed back onto Izuna's client's mouth.

"Regrettable though it may be, you oppose the will of Izuna's client!" Izuna said to her client's captors, drawing her weapon while Natsu hopped in front of Sensei and her client, shield at the ready. "Release him at once!"

Rather than taunt her like the antagonists in this situation usually did, Sensei merely tilted his head at her.

"Izuna, right?"

"Indeed!"

"Do you know why we captured your client?"

"Because you're the enemy?" Izuna answered plainly. She thought it was clear as day; why wouldn't a master ninja like Sensei understand the concept of being bound to a client's will?

"And why do you suppose we're enemies?"

Why they're enemies…? But she already said why!

"Because you oppose Izuna's client's will!"

"Uh-huh. And why do you think we're opposing his will?"

Huh? Where was this line of questioning going? Enemies weren't supposed to be asking her about morals - unless they were trying to sway her to the wrong side? That had to be it; enemies in these kinds of scenarios usually had only ill intent in mind.

"Because… you're evil?"

"Evil, huh…" Sensei mused. "You sure are quick to slap that label onto somebody you've never met. Tell me, what makes you think I'm evil?"

They were going in circles; was this some new form of deception-based ninjutsu?

"Because you have Izuna's client!"

"Right," Sensei said slowly. "And has it not occurred to you that your client is the one who may have done bad things, not us, and that's why we captured him?"

Her client? Was Sensei saying her client might be… evil?

… No, the idea was unthinkable! Date Meowsamune worked tirelessly to better the lives of Hyakkiyako citizens! Additionally, he was the only employer who entertained her dream, which was why he allowed her to work for him!

"Here, I even have proof-" Sensei continued, before Izuna cut him off.

"E-enough talk!" Shaking her head as if to dispel her doubts, Izuna took up her crouched ninja battle stance. "If you will not release Date Meowsamune, you leave Izuna no choice! For the sake of her client and all of Hyakkiyako, Izuna will stop you!"

"All of Hyakkiyako?" Sensei snorted, putting his finger on the trigger. "... Whatever. Suit yourself."

Izuna tensed. Sensei may have been a master ninja, but she wasn't supposed to attack adults like him. It wasn't even against ninja code; more like common sense. Fortunately, Natsu held out a hand before him, sparing Izuna the moral dilemma.

"Hold on, Sensei. Let me handle this."

"Natsu?" he confusedly said. "What are you doing?"

"Students should fight students. It's simply the natural way of things here in Kivotos." Natsu turned and nodded at Sensei. "I would be grateful for your support, though."

Sensei stared at her silently for a moment. "So, you want me to just stand on the sidelines and, what, give you words of encouragement?"

"Moral support can be a source of energy in hard times, same as any sweet."

"... If you say so?" Sensei replied unsurely. He lowered his gun and patted the robot next to him. The robot beeped twice, standing down. "Then show me what you're made of."

"Aye," Natsu said, then faced Izuna. She made a 'come here' gesture with her hand that she then used to pick up her shield. "Okay, ninja. Let's dance."

A duel! Izuna thought excitedly. The only thing that would make this better was if she had a lord to pledge herself to, but a client was the next best thing.

"Watch as I achieve victory on your behalf, Date Meowsamune! You can watch too, Sensei!"

"Mmph! Mmph!" Her client tried to offer what Izuna was certain was an expression of faith in her.

"Sure," Sensei said simply as he awkwardly stood next to her client, looking quite unsure of what to do with himself.

Now that the intent was declared on both sides, Izuna wasted no time in starting off with a strong move in the hopes of ending the fight quickly.

"Exploding Shuriken!" Izuna called out as she tossed a volley of explosives at the Trinity student. Natsu raised her shield just in time to intercept the attack, and the shuriken exploded one after another against the shield.

Natsu fanned away the resulting smoke with her shield, revealing that she was no worse for wear.

"Hoh? Starting off with your strongest attack? Quite brazen."

Immediately after, Natsu retaliated by firing a stream of bullets at Izuna, who dashed to the side to throw off her aim. Vaulting over some warehouse crates, Izuna made use of a strategy she had seen in one of Shiba Dog Wang Wang's films and used the cluttered interior of the warehouse to her advantage.

Bullets impacting against metal reverberated through the warehouse for the next ten minutes as Izuna darted around the building interior, returning fire at Natsu whenever she paused to reload, which was surprisingly often.

"Hidden Art: Smoke Screen!" Izuna tossed two smoke pellets into the air and fired one round at each of them, causing them to explode in the air. The resulting smoke cascaded down onto the battleground, eventually enveloping the entire warehouse interior.

Natsu squinted as she looked around for her target, only to receive a burst of gunfire to the back. By the time she wheeled around and returned fire, Izuna had already disappeared back into the shroud of smoke. Moments later, a sound from an area to her side caused Natsu to turn and shoot, only for a shuriken to emerge from the shrouded area behind her to explode at the back of her head.

"Ugh…" Natsu blinked as she shook off the pain.

"Too slow!" Izuna remarked as she perched on a nearby crate, quickly dodging once Natsu peppered her general area with gunfire.

She could do this! Natsu might be tough to try and take head-on, but a ninja's forte was utilizing the shadows. Furthermore, Natsu was slow; Izuna was quite literally running circles around her. As long as she kept up the pace, Izuna would be able to wear Natsu down enough and claim victory for her client.

And then Sensei's robot beeped.

"Natsu. Your five o' clock," Sensei called out.

Natsu immediately spun on her heel and hip fired in that direction, nailing Izuna right in the face and causing her to yelp. Izuna fled into the shadows created by her smoke screen, and readied herself for another strike from another angle.

"Twelve o' clock."

Izuna managed to back away just in time to avoid getting a mouthful of bullets. This time, however, before she could even think about how to attack next, Sensei had already directed Natsu toward her target.

"Ten o' clock. Light 'er up."

Trepidation filled Izuna's heart as she was forced onto the defense, with Natsu liberally spraying Izuna's general direction with reckless abandon. Izuna couldn't even see all that well in her own smoke screen, instead relying on her superior sense of hearing to find her way, so Izuna's only advantage was largely nullified now that Sensei was guiding Natsu.

The smokescreen began to clear, but Izuna chose not to redeploy it, instead taking cover behind a forklift while she reloaded. The magazines on her belt were starting to become a little light, and she had only enough shuriken left for one barrage. Meanwhile, Natsu showed no signs of slowing her fire.

Just how much ammo was Natsu carrying for that thing? Considering how trigger happy she was, it had to be only a matter of time before…

Click!

"Uh-oh," Natsu said, looking down at her gun. She patted herself down, pursing her lips pensively. "I'm dry."

"Figures. You need to take your finger off the trigger sometimes, Natsu," Sensei chided.

Natsu tilted her head at Sensei.

"You know, short, controlled bursts?" he suggested.

She stared blankly at him.

Sensei sighed and held a hand to his temple. "... What are you using? 9mm?"

"Yes," Natsu succinctly said, blocking a volley of bullets from Izuna, who started to go on the offensive.

"Toss me your mags."

After catching an empty SMG magazine Natsu quickly threw toward him, Sensei took out a small ammo pouch and began rapidly loading bullets into the magazine. Once the deed was done, Sensei tossed it back to Natsu.

"Pick your shots more carefully. I don't carry that much 9mm ammo around," Sensei warned, then muttered, "Stuff's too unreliable anyway. Maria's proof."

"I'm grateful!" Natsu called out as she reloaded using the new ammunition.

"That's not fair!" Izuna wailed as a three-round burst from Natsu grazed her shoulder. Somehow, these new bullets hurt more; Izuna had no idea ninja-piercing rounds were even a thing. As expected of Sensei to be aware of such ancient forbidden knowledge.

It was the fate of the ninja to have the odds stacked against them, but an already formidable foe backed up by a master ninja?

Was Izuna's failure inevitable? Her client, her duty - would her own inexperience doom them?

… No. No! Regardless of how well-fortified a position was, no matter how invincible a foe, any ninja with a discerning eye should be able to make out a weakness! Being able to snatch victory from the harrowing jaws of defeat was part of what made ninjas and ninja movies so inspiring! It was much too early to give up! She had to pass Sensei's test and free her sworn client, as her duty demanded!

Exchanging bursts of gunfire with Natsu, Izuna carefully examined Natsu's actions. Every time she reloaded, she passed the empty magazine to Sensei to refill. So if Izuna just went along with the timing…

Seeing the most recent refilled magazine sail through the air, Izuna swiftly shot it out of the air right before Natsu was about to catch it. This caused the Trinity student to reflexively outstretch herself to catch it as it veered off course… leaving Natsu vulnerable.

"Izuna-style Ninjutsu: Final Bombardment!" Izuna yelled out as she swiftly tossed the remainder of her shuriken at the unshielded Natsu, the resulting explosions lighting up the darkness of the warehouse and causing the building to shake.

Panting in exhaustion and residual adrenaline, Izuna stepped back, watching as the dust cleared, revealing a scratched and banged-up Natsu, who had fallen to her knees and was covering her head with her shield.

"Ow…" she whimpered, obviously unable to continue fighting.

Izuna… won? She won! Maybe she'd buy some mochi for Natsu to make it up to her afterward; Izuna hit her pretty hard, after all. But for now, she had to confront Sensei. As the victor of the duel, Sensei had to recognize her victory and surrender her client!

"Natsu? You okay?" Sensei called out to the crumpled student.

"Uuugh…"

"Thought not." Sensei sighed. "I'll take over from here. But I'm fighting with you next time, okay?"

"H-hold on… I'm not through just yet." Natsu held out a hand, facing Izuna once more. "I was saving this for a rainy day, but you leave me no choice, ninja."

Natsu reached into her pocket and took out…

Izuna and Sensei tilted their heads when they saw Natsu hold the item up to the sparse lighting.

… a carton of milk?

The room was silent, save for a brief pop as Natsu stabbed the milk carton and took a long drink. Izuna's stomach dropped once she saw the result - the various cuts and other damage Natsu had sustained during their fight had disappeared.

"Healing milk," Sensei muttered emptily, watching as Natsu stood back up. "Sure, why the hell not…"

"Come, ninja," Natsu said, wiping her mouth with her sleeve and bringing her shield back to bear. "We can do this all day. Maybe even until the next festival."

"B-but the next festival in Hyakkiyako isn't until a few weeks from now!" Izuna tearfully refuted.

"I know what I said."

Natsu took one menacing step forward while Izuna took a step back. She was exhausted, had no explosives left, and was low on ammo. Natsu, in comparison, had supplies from Sensei and was ready for round two.

Was this the end…?

"Stop," Sensei simply ordered. "I've seen enough."

Natsu immediately paused and looked at Sensei questioningly, as did Izuna.

"You sure?" Natsu asked. "I've got her by the ears."

"Maybe she's willing to listen to reason now."

"I-Izuna has nothing to discuss unless it's your surrender!" Izuna defiantly said, putting on her bravest face.

"That so? Then how about this? We'll have a chat, and if I like what you have to say, I'll let you and your client go."

Another test, this time a test of ideals? Given the alternative, Izuna all but jumped at the opportunity.

"Okay!"

"Then to start: what are your goals?"

"To save my client from you and the evil in Hyakkiyako-"

"I'm talking about your personal goals. Your dreams, aspirations." Sensei looked her up and down curiously. "You have something you're striving for, don't you?"

"... Izuna…" she started, looking into his red 'eyes'. They seemed to bore into her soul. "Izuna… wants to be the greatest ninja in all of Kivotos," she confessed. Izuna didn't quite know why she was telling an enemy this in the first place when telling people about her dreams in the past got her nothing but ridicule, but she got the distinct feeling that lying to Sensei wouldn't help her situation.

"The greatest ninja?" Sensei mused. Izuna waited for him to laugh, only for that part to never come. "I assume that's why you want to dedicate yourself to a client?"

"T-that's right," Izuna stammered. "You… don't think it's weird? Or stupid?"

"I've heard stranger things." Sensei shrugged. "Wanting to be a ninja is probably one of the least offensive dreams out there, believe you me."

Izuna was speechless. Sensei didn't find it strange after all. When she thought about it, it was a foregone conclusion; Sensei knew about the essence of being a ninja, even if he didn't strictly walk that path. This was the man who managed to sneak by an entire warehouse full of guards, hold their employer hostage, manage to get them all to stand down without any violence, and direct a single student to victory despite being at a stark disadvantage.

Someone so accomplished, so knowledgeable in the art of ninjutsu… She never thought she'd meet someone like that. In an ideal world, she'd have finished her mission for her client and used that as proof that she was worthy of retainership for Sensei - a master ninja, and the one who would be her new lord. But this was not an ideal world.

It just made Izuna's heart ache all the more knowing that this person was an enemy.

Sensei let Izuna wrestle with her emotions for a bit before continuing. "So, Izuna. What do you think makes someone a great ninja?"

"A great ninja?"

"Yeah."

Izuna had to stop to think. It was difficult to condense years and years of historical material, documentaries, movies, wiki trivia, and fanfiction into just a few words, but she had to try, else she wouldn't be able to rescue her client anytime soon.

"A great ninja… serves their lord. They use whatever tools they have at their disposal, whether fighting ability or cunning, to fight for justice, no matter the opposition. Even when all hope is lost, it is up to the ninja to work from the shadows to turn the tides in favor of their lord."

And unlike Izuna, Sensei already exemplified much of her ideal. The difference was that Sensei didn't, as far as she knew, serve a lord, and that he was fighting for evil. But then how did he exemplify so much of her ideal ninja if he fought for evil?

Everything was so confusing.

"Sounds to me like you're already well on your way to becoming a great ninja, though," Sensei pointed out.

"E-eh?" Izuna had to make sure she heard him correctly. "What makes you say that?"

"Every one of the mooks this guy hired fled at the first sign of things going south. But not you," Sensei said. "You stayed and fought, trying to free your boss despite the fact that Natsu here-"

"Yo." Natsu waved at her.

"-was well on her way to kicking your tail to the curb. You quickly adapted your fighting strategy to fit the changing circumstances and, when that failed, you immediately took the next available option, which was trying to talk your way out of here. That kind of loyalty to an employer isn't something that you can find just anywhere." Sensei shrugged, becoming thoughtful. "You might even be better than I am in that respect."

"...!" Izuna felt heat rush to her cheeks. What was Sensei saying now? There was no way that she could be better than Sensei at serving an employer. Someone of his skill failing an employer in any way was unimaginable; Sensei was probably just trying to make her feel better.

"But, you made an error in judgment, Izuna," Sensei said. "You claim that ninjas are on the side of justice, yet your employer is not. How do you justify this?"

Izuna repressed her doubt once more. "Izuna's client is innocent!"

"He is not, and I'm frankly not sure why you would ever think so," Sensei firmly said. "Now, I could show you the records of him funneling money to local gangs as proof. But I think it would just be more effective to ask you what he's been having you do."

"I-Izuna can't reveal that kind of information…"

"Then I'll answer for you, since I found the orders he gave you," Sensei said. "Bombing festival stalls, targeting infrastructure, attacking public transportation, harassing tourists…" he listed, growing agitated. "Think, Izuna, think. Does that sound like something a righteous employer would order you to do?"

"I…"

Sensei reached over to her client and ripped off the tape gag once more, making Date Meowsamune cry out in pain.

"W-what do you want?" Izuna's client asked fearfully.

"Defend yourself," Sensei plainly said.

"... What?"

"Explain your actions to us. Go on."

Quickly, Izuna's client turned to her. "Izuna, don't listen to him! I'm trying to save Hyakkiyako, believe me!"

Izuna's hopes that the situation was all a misunderstanding rose a bit, right before Sensei joined in.

"Save it from what, exactly?"

"T-the… the…" he stammered. "The Festival Operations Department, of course! They are running Hyakkiyako's traditional values into the ground, relying on shoddy Millennium technology for one of our district's most important events!"

"What technology?"

"They've outsourced several of our festival attractions to Millennium Science School, like our fireworks." Date Meowsamune spat. "Holographic fireworks. What a fantastically useless, not to mention expensive, waste of funding, when regular fireworks have sufficed for hundreds of years!"

"Holographic fireworks..?" Sensei mused curiously for a few seconds before returning to the main topic. "What's your solution? To direct the events yourself?"

"Precisely! If I were at the helm, I would ensure Hyakkiyako's self-sufficiency is preserved."

"And that's what the Mouryo are for. To sabotage the event so that the Festival Operations Department is not trusted with running festivals in the future. Then you can take over."

"N-now hold on, who said anything about the Mouryo?"

"This place was crawling with them not too long ago; save me and Izuna the time and don't try to lie to our faces."

"You… you…" Date Meowsamune became red with anger.

"Izuna." Sensei turned back to her. "I don't know why you've thrown your lot in with him, but you've worked for him. You see the damage he's doing - no, the damage he's ordering you to do to your own district. Your home. Regardless of the reason he's giving you, do you think that's right?"

"I… I don't…" Wracked with indecision, she desperately looked between her bound client and the person whom she thought was her enemy.

Meanwhile, Natsu loudly slurped from her milk carton, watching passively.

"Izuna! Come now!" Date Meowsamune said. "I'm the one who recognized your potential, remember? I'm not a bad person! More importantly, you have a duty as a ninja to help me, your client!"

Izuna's eyes snapped to her client. That was right, he hired her when no one else would! Whatever misunderstandings they had together, they could clear up once he was free.

She looked back at her client's captors. Sensei was fiddling with the big watch on his wrist while Natsu looked at what he was doing, leaving Date Meowsamune largely unattended on the ground. If she was quick, she could grab her client and escape through the broken windows before they had a chance to retaliate. She might take a few anti-ninja rounds from Natsu, but she could weather it for her client's sake. It was what any proper ninja would do, after all.

Izuna leaned forward, readying herself.

"She asks for a mere fourth of the pay compared to the Mouryo, as her primary goal is furthering her growth as a ninja… Preposterous."

A voice that sounded suspiciously like Date Meowsamune emanated from Sensei's watch.

"W-wait… where did you…?" Izuna's client's jaw dropped.

Sensei flicked another switch on his watch, and another recording began to play.

"Urgh. These Mouryo… So incompetent, getting driven off by three meager students! Need to get Izuna in there. She's surprisingly strong, even if she's a bit of an idiot. Hmm, but that's what makes her useful…"

Izuna's tail drooped so low it touched the concrete floor.

"Izuna, h-hold on!"

"Once the merchant's guild runs festival operations in Hyakkiyako, we'll control basically the entire district. Hell, we won't even need the Yin-Yang Club or that useless Hyakkaryouran to run things. Can get the Mouryo for guard duty full-time; they and that stupid girl are expendable until I can get someone better. Maybe Kaiser? Ah, but they charge a pretty penny. Decisions, decisions…"

Sensei turned a knob on his watch to end the recordings, and he lowered his arm. "I'll never understand peoples' need to say incriminating information to themselves out loud. You never know when someone might be listening, you realize?"

"T-t-t-that…" Date Meowsamune choked out as he began sweating bullets. "... that's merely a fabrication! Fancy Millennium AI tech! I'd wager that robot over there is responsible!"

The robot let out a beep that sounded almost confused.

"One: ED-E's not from Millennium. Two: he can do many things, but synthesizing peoples' voices beyond playing recordings is not one of them. Probably." Sensei shrugged, then looked over to the ninja. "Your client doesn't give a hoot about you or your dream…" He stopped when he saw her blinking back tears as she looked at the ground. "... Izuna?"

Not only was Date Meowsamune not working for the good of Hyakkiyako, but he was just like everyone else who ridiculed her dream.

It was stupid. A waste of time. A child's dream. These were his true thoughts.

Why would he lie to her like that? Was he just using her?

Izuna had to blink back tears, her troubled mind barely registering the sound of Date Meowsamune frantically shouting at her, only to be silenced as Sensei slapped a new tape gag onto his mouth.

Could it really have all been a lie? Their contract. His plan to save Hyakkiyako. The evil lurking in its streets…

Wait. Something didn't add up.

"But… what about Cath Palug?" Izuna finally asked.

"... Who?"

He didn't know? Then could it be possible that there really was a danger to Hyakkiyako roaming its streets as they spoke?!

"The sealed beast of Trinity!" Izuna claimed, noticing Natsu stirring at the mention of her school. "She has awoken to devour all of Hyakkiyako, starting with our mochi!" Izuna cried out.

"Mochi?" Natsu repeated. "... What does this 'Cath Palug' look like?"

"Eh? Um…" Izuna thought hard. She had sealed that part of her memory off because she didn't want to be corrupted by the beast's foul influence… definitely not because she was scared. "She wore a black sweater? And she had ears of a wild beast!"

"You don't say," Sensei said, looking at Izuna's own ears for some reason.

Natsu's face scrunched up slightly. "You mean Kazusa? Hangs around with Airi and some shortie named Yoshimi?"

That sounded familiar.

"Yes! That's the one!"

"Ah. Well, she's harmless."

"Ehhhhh?!"

"Mm. Kazusa's got a mean temper, but she's not one to bare her fangs unless you really do something to get under her skin. And believe me, I would know; I do it all the time," Natsu said, placing her hands on her hips.

"You sure seem proud of that…" Sensei muttered.

"But… but…" Izuna trailed off as she realized that even the threat to the district was a misunderstanding, this time on her part.

The more prominent question was now: what should she do? A contract between ninja and client was a most sacred one. However, if one side does not respect the terms of the other, could such a contract really be considered as valid? Of course, that was assuming a ninja contract meant anything in the first place…

A light pressure on the top of her head pulled Izuna from her thoughts, and she confusedly looked up to find Sensei's hand resting between her ears.

"Sensei?"

"Don't give up," Sensei said.

"Huh?"

"If your mind is really set on something, have at it."

"But… people always tell me…"

"Who cares what anyone else says? It's your life." Sensei sighed. "Listen, kid. You've got skills, you've got grit. You also have a strong sense of duty. I have no doubt that if you were to dedicate yourself to a cause that actually wants to make a difference for the better, you'll go far."

"Y-you mean that, Sensei?" Izuna clasped one hand over her wrist, holding both hands to her chest.

"I do. My only advice, though? Pick your employers more carefully; you can do so much better than being a petty thug for a small-time crime boss," he said, wisdom of an experienced ninja lining his every word. "And please, please, please look into a job before accepting it."

Izuna shifted her feet uncomfortably at his words, taking one last look at her former client, who appeared to be trying to wriggle away at a snail's pace. Truth be told, she still didn't feel quite right letting him get captured. A part of her mind still felt like it was slow in catching up to the day's events. But the proof of Date Meowsamune's misdeeds was undeniable.

Back to being a rogue ninja for her, then.

"Is this the place?" a voice from outside the warehouse asked. "C'mon, guys! We're here!"

"Kaede-chan, please… You're running too fast…" another voice panted.

"Looks dark in there… I wonder if it's a good place to rest…?" A third voice said, yawning.

One of the side doors to the warehouse burst open, and a short dark-haired girl bounded in. "Never fear, for Hyakkiyako's temporary peacekeepers and ladies-in-training are here!"

Following her in were a winded pink-haired girl and a sleepy-looking girl carrying a large shield.

"Kaede-chan… please-" the pink-haired girl, the leader, said. "Oh! Sensei?"

"You're the Inner Discipline Club, right?" Sensei asked.

"Yup! Dashing, elegant, and reliable in a pinch! That's us!" Kaede bounded up and down energetically. "We came running as soon as you sent out your message!"

"Shizuko told me you might come to help out. You were quicker than expected."

"Well, we certainly expected more resistance along the way," the leader said. "But…"

"The Street Mouryo suddenly stopped attacking for some reason. It was really weird!" Kaede said.

"And even then, it seems we weren't quick enough," Mimori commented, looking around the empty warehouse. "Did you have to fight your way through all the Mouryo here? Are you hurt?"

"No. I managed to bag the culprit and get the rest of the Mouryo to stand down." Sensei nudged the squirming culprit in question with the tip of his boot.

"Whoa, you snuck past all those Mouryo?!" Kaede exclaimed. "The streets were full of them, so there must've been even more here! Did you turn invisible or something?!"

Mimori laughed gently. "People can't turn invisible, Kaede-chan…"

"Mmmm…" Tsubaki murmured while nodding off. She cracked open one eye, looking straight at Izuna. "That girl over there is trying, though…"

"Hey, she's with the Mouryo, isn't she?" Kaede asked.

Izuna froze. She was hoping they wouldn't notice her, but it seemed the Inner Discipline Club was too competent to be fooled by mere presence concealment ninjutsu. She was in no condition to fight them off, much less run away - Mimori and Kaede were manageable, but Tsubaki…? She was even tougher to fight against than Natsu.

Oh, wait. She had no reason to fight them. Not anymore. What was the correct thing to do here? Surrender?

"Hold on. I don't think she'll be giving you any trouble." Sensei stopped them as they prepared for a fight.

"Are you sure, Sensei?" Mimori asked in concern. "She gave us quite the trouble earlier."

"It's fine. She was just hungry," Natsu claimed. "You're not quite yourself when you're hungry. Right, ninja?"

"Yes, yes!" Izuna nodded, sweating a bit under the watchful gaze of the Inner Discipline Club… but mostly Tsubaki.

"Well, alright…" Mimori relented. "Sensei, would you like for us to take him off your hands?" she pointed at the bound culprit.

"I'll take him; I have evidence to deliver, anyway. Where do you process criminals?"

"That's a bit complicated. Since the Hyakkaryouran Resolution Council is in hiatus, we've had to fashion a temporary holding area for misbehaving students and citizens. We can take you there."

Sensei nodded, then picked up Date Meowsamune with one arm, slinging him over his shoulder unceremoniously.

"Good work today, Natsu. You're dismissed."

"For the rest of the day?"

"Yes. Go enjoy the festival with your friends."

"Okay. Will you join us?"

"Depends on when I get back."

"Hm. 'Kay."

Sensei's gaze turned to Izuna.

"Izuna?"

"Yes, Sensei?"

"Be good."

Izuna looked upon the visor of the wise ninja who stopped her from making a grave mistake.

"Izuna hereby pledges to be the goodest of ninjas out there!" She smiled brightly. "Nin nin!"

Sensei nodded satisfactorily and followed the Inner Discipline Club out of the hideout, beckoning for his robot to follow. The robot bobbed up and down in front of Izuna before it buzzed away to join them.

"It's good to finally meet you, Sensei." Mimori smiled at him brightly as they exited the doorframe.

"Likewise. Mimori, right?"

"Yes!"

"You sure you need to go with me? Surely you three have a lot of ground to cover."

Mimori hummed. "The Street Mouryo have ceased hostilities for the most part, but some of them just might try something if they see you with their leader. I don't think it's likely, but it's best to be on the safe side."

"Makes sense. Lead the way, then."

"Of course!" Mimori went silent for a moment as she stared at Sensei. She held one hand to her pink locks self-consciously, face flushed. "Oh… my hair is naturally pink, actually…"

"... I didn't say anything, though?" Sensei replied, sounding a bit freaked out. Izuna supposed that was just the fabled power of the Inner Discipline Club - they could make even a seasoned ninja like Sensei temporarily lose his composure.

"... Never mind," Mimori said sheepishly.

Sensei followed the Inner Discipline Club along with his robot, out of earshot, leaving Izuna alone in the warehouse with Sensei's student.

"Hey," Natsu said with a blank face, tilting her head. "You okay?"

"Izuna thinks so," she said.

Granted, while she promised Sensei she would be the goodest of ninjas, she had to admit that she had no idea how she would make that happen. Date Meowru, er, Meowsamune was the only employer that she'd found that was willing to entertain forming a ninja contract. Maybe Izuna just needed to talk to more people? She didn't relish the feeling of having to wade through another ten rejections and people laughing at her, but…

The Trinity student suddenly put both her hands on Izuna's shoulders, startling the ninja.

"Find your flavor," Natsu cryptically said.

"E-eh? Flavor?"

The Trinity student nodded. "Just as one searches tirelessly for the ideal ice cream flavor, one must also find their path in life. Your path may not always be apparent; you may have to sift through many an unpromising dessert in your search for your ideal. The solution? Sample all of the ice cream flavors! All of them! One by one!" Natsu stressed each word with a consecutive shake to Izuna's shoulders. "Even if it ends up giving you a tummyache, or the people in line behind you start complaining that you're taking too long, or the lady running the ice cream booth ends up hating your guts for asking for so many free samples when it's already past closing time…"

"Uh…" This was shaping up to be one odd metaphor. Not to mention eerily specific.

"If your choice doesn't work out, keep trying until it does. When you find the one that gives you joy, stick with it. It will serve you well in your darkest hour, or even when you're simply in need of comfort food." Natsu hesitated briefly. "... Even if it's chocomint."

"Chocomint?"

"Unimportant. What is important is that as long as you find your own way, it'll all be worth it in the end. Go forth without any regrets and everything will begin to make sense, like with ice cream." Natsu removed her hand from Izuna's shoulder. "Oh, speaking of ice cream, you're from Hyakkiyako. Do you know any good places nearby?"

Izuna blinked at the blindingly fast change of subject. Or maybe this was the subject all along? Maybe Natsu was a practitioner of some kind of sweets ninjutsu?

Regardless, Izuna was not one to be shown up in her own area of expertise, and she rose to the challenge. "Izuna knows all the best places! There's this one place that sells shuriken-shaped donuts, nunchuck-shaped sweet bread, oh, and they have these red bean pastries modeled after ninja field rations…"

"Okay, let's go."

"E-eh?! Right now?!"

"No time like the present. I shot you up pretty good, so it's on me," Natsu offered. "Oh, and show me where to buy bullets, too. Tourists without ammo are sitting ducks."

"Okay!" Izuna replied, then shuddered. "Er, are we going to meet up with Cath… Kazusa-san?"

"Yes," Natsu answered, eyeing Izuna's expression. "Worried about her? Don't be. I happen to be an expert at calming her down, you see."

"I-is that so…" Izuna said in relief as the two left the warehouse. Not that she was scared, mind. She just wanted to make sure that there were no hard feelings between them. Heavens knew how many movie sequels happened just because there was bad blood between characters. "By the way, Natsu-san?"

"Hm?"

"Are you… Sensei's disciple?" she asked.

"Indeed!" Natsu exuberantly said. "Sensei teaches me all about matters concerning romance."

"Eh?! Romance?!" Izuna repeated, her face flushing while Natsu smugly nodded.

As expected of a master ninja… Skilled in every discipline.

Izuna wasn't sure if she was advanced enough to learn those kinds of lessons, but surely Sensei had a wealth of other things to teach to a rookie ninja. He also didn't look down on the art of ninjutsu. He would make an obvious choice for any rogue ninja seeking a lord to serve, really.

… Hmm, now there was an idea.

The light of sunset died on the horizon, letting the radiant festival lights of Hyakkiyako district illuminate the busy streets below. However, not all vendors partook in the festivities for one reason or another.

It was down one such street that a single person and his companion strode, undeterred by the fact that most of the illumination in this particular neck of the woods came from the occasional streetlight. The buildings on the side of the streets were either rundown or abandoned, and what few stores were open were set up in makeshift huts and tents.

It seemed even Hyakkiyako had slums.

"{Careful beeping}." The man's robotic companion shuddered as distant gunshot-like sounds echoed throughout the nightly air.

Stopping to look around, the man relaxed once he saw where the sound originated - a series of fireworks were launched into the sky, where they exploded in a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors one after the other.

"Just fireworks. Put the zapper away, will you?"

"{Affirmative beeping}."

Sensei put his hands in his duster pockets as he craned his neck upwards. They were almost as flashy as the Sierra Madre's fireworks during the Gala Event - at least, as far as he remembered. He wasn't in the right state of mind to properly appreciate the aesthetics of fireworks back then.

Ironically enough, he somewhat agreed with Date Meowsamune's words regarding holographic fireworks. Loaning expensive technology from Millennium when the real deal would more than suffice just struck him as wasteful. Fireworks weren't even especially difficult to create, especially with gunpowder being as common as it was in Kivotos. Though he supposed fireworks ideally were the among the least of the district's concerns at the moment.

He shook his head.

What in the hell was going on in Hyakkiyako?

Gehenna and Trinity were well-defended, as befitting a territory of their size. Millennium had extensive networks of automated defenses and fortifications. Abydos' defenses were abysmal but understandable; their peacekeeping force consisted of five people, with the only patrolling force at night being Hoshino. But a massive tourist-centered economy like Hyakkiyako couldn't afford to prop itself up against attacks from organized crime, instead relying on vigilantes like the Inner Discipline Club? Really? He had half a mind to march over to the Yin-Yang Club, Hyakkiyako's student council, to outline in no uncertain terms as to why having no standing defense force was a godawful idea.

And waiting until their beleaguered citizens called Schale for help didn't count as a defensive strategy, either. He was well-used to getting sidetracked by random bullshit in the Wasteland, but he couldn't be everywhere at once. Going around solving all the problems in the city one-by-one just wouldn't fly, as it seemed every district had their own slew of problems.

Resuming his walk, he noticed an old nearby poster advertising the premier of some new ninja movie, reminding him of the events earlier in the day. His weary frown gave way to an amused smile.

Real ninjas, straight from the pre-War comic books. Apparently, Kivotos residents found the idea absurd, but he didn't know how they came to that conclusion. Ninjas were no more strange than talking animals and bulletproof teenagers.

Some brief clicks from ED-E notified him of a living entity nearby.

"Wouldja look at that…" he muttered curiously.

In one dimly lit corner of Hyakkiyako's shopping district, there was one large, decrepit tent that one would certainly not mistake for a storefront if not for the shoddy wooden sign scrawled with the words 'Pawn Shop' hung up next to the entrance. It was this storefront that Sensei chose to visit, lifting up the tent flap for his robot companion to enter before stepping in himself.

"Hrm." The storerunner, an old dog with gray hair and a tuft of fur on his chin which resembled a beard grunted noncommittally the moment he saw he had potential customers. He returned to absently wiping the countertop he was behind with a wet rag.

The pawn shop's interior consisted mostly of a few rows of shelves stocked with knicknacks - mostly pretty baubles and not much in the way of weapons, to Sensei's disappointment. Sensei walked through the small aisles, feeling a bit at home; the rather disorganized arrangement of merchandise and makeshift nature of the store reminded him of stores back in the Wasteland.

He hadn't planned on shopping in Hyakkiyako, as he wasn't quite feeling secure with funds just yet, but Sora's words regarding pawn shops came back to him. If pawn shops were among the only places in Kivotos with enough good sense to [Barter], then he just had to check it out.

"Howdy," Sensei greeted as he arrived at the counter.

"..." The old dog barely looked up from what he was doing.

"Got any snowglobes?"

"No."

Sensei pursed his lips and nodded slowly. That was quick. Though in fairness, he much preferred straight answers to an insincere sales pitch.

"How about keystones?"

"... What?"

"You know, those little blue rock-looking things with glowing runes on them."

A pause. "No."

"How about guns? You buy guns?"

"Depends."

"... You wanna buy one from me?"

"Show me."

Sensei reached over to his pack, an action the shopkeeper finally deemed important enough to look at, then withdrew a sleek black assault rifle. He placed it on the countertop.

The shopkeeper picked up the rifle, first checking if it was loaded, then continued with his inspection of the gun.

The shopkeeper arched an eyebrow. "Huh."

"Something wrong?"

"This gun is from Kaiser, isn't it?"

"What makes you think that?"

"The make and the serial number." A pause. "Risky move trying to go around selling this to people."

"You look like a resourceful person," Sensei replied neutrally, not mentioning the fact that this was the first time he's tried pawning off one of the weapons he'd looted from Kaiser automatons in the Abydos Desert.

"Resourceful?" The shopkeeper shook his head. "This is just dangerous. Kaiser is locked into the weapons trade. They find out you're trying to pawn their stuff, you're done. Doesn't matter who you are… Sensei."

"That bad, huh?" Sensei said, internally taking note of the shopkeeper's words. It never occurred to him that gun theft would be taken that seriously in a world that treated tools of war as expendable commodities. In the Mojave Wasteland, the only major manufacturer capable of maintaining a system to keep track of their flow of guns was the Gun Runners, and even then, they didn't have the time or manpower to go around actively enforcing it. "Thanks for the warning. I trust this'll stay between us."

Sensei was already about to take the gun back when the shopkeeper said, "Never said I wasn't buying."

Analyzing the shopkeeper's eyes and finding no trace of deceit, Sensei asked, "After that whole spiel about it being dangerous? Why?"

"... Truth is, Kaiser is a big part of why I'm in a tent like this in the first place," he admitted.

"You're from Abydos, aren't you?" Sensei guessed.

The old dog nodded. "Used to have a store proper there back before it turned into a damned desert. My shop was located in one of the less affected areas, so I thought I could weather the storm, at least break even with the customers still remaining in the district." He scowled. "Then Kaiser bought out the property from under my feet. Couldn't keep up with their rent. Now I'm here."

"... I'm sorry to hear that."

"Me too, kid. Me too." The shopkeeper sighed. "I guess the point is if I can stick it to those bastards in some small way, I'll do it. I'll buy guns and other equipment from them, but it'll cost you a bit of their total value, for the risk involved."

"Yeah? And how do I know you're good for it?"

The old dog gestured with a paw around his store. "Look around for listening devices or cameras all you want; you won't find any… that aren't for sale, that is. If it comes down to it, it'll be your word against mine, and guess whose word will carry more weight?" He shook his head. "If anything, I'm more concerned about you. Aren't you supposed to be some kind of do-gooder supercop? How am I supposed to know if that robot of yours isn't some kind of spying device used to rat me out?"

He actually isn't that far off the mark, considering what Eyebots were designed for…

"ED-E records everything around him, but he can't help it." Sensei patted the robot on the chassis. "But what I can promise you is that we're no friends of Kaiser."

The shopkeeper squinted at Sensei, then looked at the piece of stolen equipment in front of him. He shrugged, grunting. "Good enough for me. Let me see how much I can offer you for this."

Sensei looked at ED-E, and after confirmation that the store was free of listening devices, he nodded. "Please do."

The shopkeeper deftly turned the weapon around in his paws; Sensei found the dexterousness of the appendages despite the lack of fingers rather fascinating. "Near-mint condition, minus the charge for the trouble of making this thing untraceable… I'll give you 80k for it."

A good sum of money; considering that was only one of the many guns that they ended up looting after Kaiser's eviction, Sensei didn't particularly feel like he had to haggle for a better payout.

"Sounds good."

"There's one problem, though; I don't have that much money on hand."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. You can either buy some stuff here to even it out or come back when I scrape together that much. Your choice."

While Sensei was reasonably confident that the shopkeeper wasn't with Kaiser, he wasn't quite sure if the shopkeeper was trustworthy enough for an IOU. "I'll look around."

The old dog grunted in affirmation, then moved the rifle under the counter for safekeeping.

ED-E buzzed next to Sensei, watching as the man curiously sifted through the shelves. The robot shuddered and beeped, notifying Sensei of a nearby entity approaching from a block away, but he paid them no heed and returned to perusing once he saw they were non-hostile.

Among the miscellaneous items were bullets of various calibers, power tools, a frag grenade, some cell phone parts, a motherboard for a Kivotos terminal, first aid equipment, gun attachments such as suppressors, a middle schooler's guide to Japanese kanji, a kimono mending kit, and more. Many of these things interested Sensei, but ultimately were unnecessary. He didn't have the luxury to go around buying just anything that caught his eye…

Something caught his eye.

Lying under several pieces of gardening equipment was a familiar shape. Sensei reached over and grabbed the protective sheath out of the pile, shaking off the fine layer of dust that had accumulated on it.

It was a katana.

"That old thing?" the shopkeeper asked. "What, you into those Shanhaijing cartoons all them kids are watching nowadays?"

Sensei ignored him and began to pull the blade from its sheath. It nearly perfectly resembled the one he bought from the Dino Dee-lite gift shop all those years back, just a lot rustier and chipped in areas. As he recalled, the weapon wasn't quite as effective against armor - not as much as, say, a ripper - but it was a lightweight weapon that served him well against faster, more lightly-armored targets, such as the common Legion soldier, Feral Ghouls, and even Cazadores.

"If you cut up the tent walls, it's coming out of your payout," the dog gruffly said once he noticed Sensei taking up a stance, balancing the fully-unsheathed sword in his right hand.

Sensei gave it a few experimental swings. It was as light and easy to handle as his old one, though it was in pretty bad shape from a combination of disuse and lack of maintenance. Nothing he couldn't fix up, however. His old katana was regrettably locked away in his Novac motel room, so this one would surely make a fine replacement.

Just as Sensei was poised to make a mock overhead swing at the empty space in front of him, the tent flap from the entrance opened, and a student stepped into the pawn shop. Atop her head were two catlike ears, above which an unusual halo with an eye-like center hovered. She wore a standard school uniform, and draped over her shoulders was a blue garment adorned with a white floral pattern. Strapped around her shoulder was what seemed to be a dark blue bolt-action rifle. Once she guardedly stepped further into the room, Sensei noticed two identical cat tails swaying behind her.

Mutant cat?

Sensei regarded the human-feline-mutant curiosity for a half second longer before returning to testing out the old weapon. ED-E had already notified him of her presence the moment she arrived on the block a few minutes ago, and since he didn't raise the alarm, she was probably harmless.

"Help you, miss?" the old shopkeeper asked, looking a tad wary.

"Not at the moment; I am currently browsing," the girl curtly replied.

"Hmph."

The girl glanced at Sensei for a moment before picking up an old book from one of the counters, skimming through the pages.

Sensei gave a few more practice swings with the old weapon, ignoring the strange glances the student occasionally shot him. Nodding in satisfaction, Sensei said aloud, "How much for the sword?"

"Price is on the pommel, bub."

Indeed it was. However, he wasn't happy with the price, as it was more expensive than what the shopkeeper was offering for the gun.

"One-for-one sounds more fair to me."

"No deal. That sword is older than all of us in this room combined," the dog replied. "Might be worthless as a weapon now, but among collectors? That price is a steal."

Sensei looked at the old dog, unimpressed, then turned to the student.

"Hey. What's your name?"

The student, hiding her surprise at being called out, pretended that she wasn't just eavesdropping, and lowered her book. "Kir… Kikyou. Just Kikyou."

Sensei noted her slip but didn't pursue the matter. "Kikyou, are you a collector?"

The girl arched an eyebrow but nonetheless answered, "I am not."

"What about you, ED-E? Are you a collector?"

"{Affirmative beeping}."

"Scrap metal and electronics don't count."

"... {Negative beeping}."

Sensei gestured around the store unceremoniously. "Well, I don't see any collectors here. Do you?"

The old dog rolled his eyes. "No."

"You're trying to sell a ratty old sword in a city that regularly uses automatic guns and tanks," Sensei continued. "A new gun for an old sword is more than a fair deal."

"... Fine, take it," the shopkeeper relented. "Been trying to get rid of that thing for awhile, anyway."

"Much obliged." Sensei slipped the sword back into its sheath and strapped the sheath to his belt, satisfied that the sheath was entirely obscured under his duster. Nodding to the old shopkeeper, Sensei exited the store with ED-E in tow.

"Good day," Kikyou said to the shopkeeper right before she followed Sensei out.

"Can I help you?" Sensei asked, turning to face the student.

"... No, I suppose you can't," she replied, her tone level but her posture guarded. "I simply wanted to inquire if you are having trouble navigating Hyakkiyako. It is your first festival in this district, is it not? If you wish to be directed toward the more lurid venues, I can assist you."

"I've got a map, thanks. I'm just here to take a break from the music and flashy lights."

"Understandable," Kikyou replied, then looked toward his hip. "A fine purchase, by the way. Would you happen to be a history enthusiast? Or perhaps you're a fan of anime?"

Sensei resisted the urge to sigh. Why was everybody associating every other thing he liked with anime? It wasn't like cartoon producers invented the idea of swords and Power Armor.

"Neither. I just like swords."

Kikyou nodded and said nothing, yet made no effort to move. She continued to stare at Sensei, as if scrutinizing him.

"What do you really want, Kikyou?" Sensei asked after a moment.

Kikyou tilted her head forward in what was perhaps a gesture of approval. "... You have acquitted yourself well."

"What?"

The student's vision turned skyward as the last of the fireworks were exhausted. "In regard to your actions earlier."

"Oh, that? It was nothing."

"Far from it. Allow me to provide but a scintilla of context," she said, crossing her arms. "The Street Mouryo may seem like a common gang to you, no doubt. But they are an organization that has festered in the Hyakkiyako Alliance for years, resisting all attempts to clear them out for good. The Street Mouryo especially relish wreaking havoc during the festivals held here. Like any opportunist, or particularly persistent parasite, they lie in wait, observing for the time our defenses are at their most vulnerable, then they strike. How quickly they are quashed thereafter is incumbent on our ability to respond accordingly." Kikyou closed her eyes, frowning deeply, almost to the point of a scowl. "If it hasn't been clear, we are lacking. Exigently so."

"It's pretty clear, yeah," Sensei said plainly. "What will you do about it?"

Kikyou went silent for a while, her neutral expression fending off frustration. "Our course is, as of yet, unclear. We will continue to monitor the situation, but…" She shook her head. "In any event, whether its denizens realize it or not, Hyakkiyako owes you a debt for your role in safeguarding the festival."

"A debt, huh? Do I get paid interest?" Sensei joked.

The student blankly stared at him then sighed in apparent disappointment, as if she expected that all along. "If that is what you desire, then yes. We may not have much in the way of capital, but I can muster some meager recompense from my personal savings since the situation requires it."

"Hey, hold your horses. I was kidding," Sensei said quickly.

"Do you not like money?"

"Don't get me wrong, I love money. Capital L. But…"

"Then why lie and say you were joking?" Kikyou retorted, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"A person can love food and not go on a rampage the moment they enter a restaurant, can't they?"

"Merely for fear of physical and legal retaliation. However, what conceivable downside is there to accepting a due monetary reward from someone whom you don't even know?"

"Could be dirty money, for one."

"Just what are you insinuating about me?" Kikyou replied indignantly, scorn in her eyes.

"Absolutely nothing, I'm just defending myself! Why are you so eager to turn this on me, anyway?!"

"I simply wish to understand," Kikyou said. "Schale was an instrumental asset in maintaining order in this district, yes, but was ultimately just that - an asset - to which we may assign worth. Such an exchange would be transactional in every way that counts. So why would you refuse?"

"Because it's at your expense, when you're probably in no position to be shouldering a debt like that," Sensei replied. For some reason, he felt a ping of deja vu. "Wouldn't make much sense if I benefitted at the expense of the very people I'm trying to help, would it?"

"..." Kikyou frowned pensively and stared into his visor, futilely searching for any indicator of the true feelings of the person before her.

"If your district can offer me payment for my services, I'll gladly accept. If you can't, fine by me." Sensei shrugged. "The world won't get better if we attach a price tag on everything we do."

"Is that your goal? Make the world a better place?" Kikyou said incredulously.

"Nothing so grand. I just think it'd be great if people could just live in peace, that's all."

"... What drivel," Kikyou said sharply. "You expect me to believe such sanctimony? That you would do this out of the kindness of your heart?"

"Believe whatever you want. It's not my place to change your mind, especially since it seems made up anyway."

"... Tsk." Kikyou took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I suppose it matters not. Regardless of motive, you've done Hyakkiyako a service. I like to resolve debts as quickly and efficiently as possible, but I have no choice but to set the matter aside for the time being in favor of more immediate concerns."

"If you say so."

"... Hm. I can't say I fully grasp your intentions, but this has been enlightening nonetheless. After all, it behooves a successful tactician to seek to understand all the possible resources at her disposal, no?" The ghost of what may have been a smirk passed over her features.

"A successful tactician also understands the unpredictability of the human element of said 'resources'," Sensei retorted, using air quotes for the last part.

Kikyou furrowed her brow as she took apart what he said. She looked like she was going to ask for clarification but decided against it. She inclined her head politely. "I bid you farewell, Sensei."

"Later."

Kikyou departed down the empty street, the girl's twin tails swishing from side to side like a pendulum, probably indicating some kind of emotion. If only cats weren't extinct in the Mojave, or if Serika were just a teensy bit more feline than human, he might've been able to decipher Kikyou's body language.

The shopkeeper exited his store, watching alongside Sensei as she turned a corner and disappeared.

"That blue haori… That girl was from the Hyakkaryouran," the dog said furtively.

The Hyakkaryouran Resolution Council… That was Hyakkiyako's equivalent of a police force. If Mimori's words earlier were any indication, they were in some kind of limbo, which the Mouryo and Date Meowsamune took advantage of.

"Aren't they currently inactive?" he asked.

"That's what I thought. Guess a few of them might still be running around, trying to do what they can," the old dog said. "No idea why she's interested in you, though."

Sensei had an inkling as to why. But being likened to a simple resource wasn't new to him. He used to work for the NCR and that warhawk, Moore.

And House…

"Guess it's a mystery."

The old dog grunted. "Well, it's probably best if we don't speak to one another for some time. Just to be safe."

"Got it."

With that, Sensei made to leave the district, as the festival was already winding down; dropping off Date Meowsamune and the evidence he'd gathered took much longer than expected. He marked the location of the train station on his Pip-Boy, electing not to contact Schale for extraction. Had to take it easy on using helicopters to get around; Schale had helicopters dedicated for twenty-four-hour usage in the field, but fuel wasn't cheap. Personal finances were one thing, but the club's budget itself wasn't something he could afford to squander, else he wouldn't be able to use Schale's assets whenever he needed it.

Walking it is, then.

Sensei turned on his radio, deciding to take the scenic route.

"There was never a man~

Like my Jo-"

Sensei turned the radio off.