Black Market District
Hifumi was not having a good day. Sure, she had known that sneaking into the black market was dangerous and not a good idea, but if the rumors were true, there was ultra rare Peroro merchandise being sold there. The collector in her knew she could not ignore the call of Peroro.
Unfortunately, she had quickly been ousted as a Trinity student (how did they figure her out?) and thugs in hope of holding her hostage for ransom had begun to chase her through the market. She didn't even understand why they were doing it. It wasn't like she was well connected enough that someone would actually pay her ransom.
Somewhere in Trinity, a certain cake roll loving Tea Party member sneezed.
As she ran, she glanced around desperately for anywhere to hide or anyone to help, she failed to see the pothole before her and tripped to the ground. "Ooof…"
She looked up to see the thugs closing on her like crows surrounding their prey. "Peroro, please save me!"
CRACK!
Two thugs flew back as the rest of the crew turned to see a sole young woman standing before them. She had pink hair with fluffy fox ears as she hefted her shotgun at the would-be kidnappers. "You know, even if this is the black market district, I don't condone grabbing students in broad daylight."
"What do you know, you little do gooder!? Girls, get her." The lead delinquent shouted.
The fox girl in question sighed as she hefted her shotgun. "Young Miss, if you would kindly shield your eyes."
Hifumi didn't hesitate as she threw her face down onto the ground. A moment later, she heard the words "Flashbang!" followed by a loud crack. She could barely hear the cracks of the fox girl's shotgun over the painful ringing in her ears. Finally, a minute later, Hifumi felt a hand touch her shoulder.
She uncovered her eyes and looked up to see the fox girl smiling at her, extending her hand. "Are you okay?"
The dazed girl accepted the hand and allowed herself to be pulled to her feet. "Thank you."
"My pleasure. I apologize for the inconvenience. Flashbangs were the best option to discombobulate those thugs long enough for me to take them out."
Hifumi's brain swirled. "Discom-what you late?"
"Discombobulate. It means to stun the enemy." The girl responded. "Is your hearing ok?"
The younger girl nodded. "Hai, the ringing is finally stopping."
"Good to hear. How about this? I'm running a small shop just down the street. You can come by and tell me about why a young student such as yourself is wandering through the Black Market."
A few minutes later, Hifumi found herself munching on the best inarizushi she had eaten in her life while she relayed the events of her day to the kind stranger. The fox girl was a fantastic listener and after Hifumi had finished her tale, the girl smiled and offered her another inarizushi. "My my, it sounds like you went through quite the ordeal. I must say, you are quite lucky you ran into a kind soul like myself instead of a cruel criminal syndicate."
"Ah, yes. Thank you very much, Miss-" Hifumi tried to get the helpful stranger's name.
Only for the stranger to deflect her attempt. "-Don't fret it. Now then, how to best assist you? Hmm…" The fox girl looked around before her eyes landed on a group of students being escorted by a taller man with blue hair. "Ah ha, how about you ask them for help? I'm sure they'd be willing to help you."
Hifumi turned in surprise. "Wait, it's that the Schale Sensei?"
"Exactly. Sensei has said he's always open to helping any student with their problems. I'm sure that if you asked him for help, he'd be happy to help you." In fact, the girl reached into the back of her small stall, "I'll give you an incentive for him to help you."
Hifumi found a small box placed into her hands. When she opened it up, she found a dozen inarizushi packed into neat rows. "Inarizushi?"
"They say the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach." The fox girl winked. "I would also tell him that the answer to his problems is to investigate the Stygian bank."
"Stygian bank?"
"That's the one." The fox girl pointed in a direction. "I have a feeling that he'll find the answers he's looking for in that direction."
Confused, Hifumi nodded slowly, "Ok…so I just go up to Sensei and give him the inarizushi…then he'll help me?"
"That's right." The fox grinned and gave Hifumi a helpful tap on the shoulder. "Remember, you've got this. I've heard Sensei is a very nice person and would be happy to help you with your problems."
"If you're sure." Hifumi nodded slowly before heading in that direction. She took a few steps before remembering. "Thanks again, Miss-" She turned around to find the small sushi stall gone and the fox girl vanished without a trace. "Huh?"
As she returned to greet the mysterious Sensei, from an alleyway, a familiar fox girl watched from afar. "Fox 2, sending intel to Desert Leader."
"Roger that Fox 2. Got her on my scopes. Also did you need to go through that entire bravado to help that little brat?"
"Just helping a little fledgling Fox 4. Besides, Teacher Ao wouldn't mind helping out the poor kid one bit. Fox 2, moving to the rendezvous point."
With that, Niko turned around and left the alleyway.
When Hoshino saw the childish girl with the pigtails run up to them asking for help, Hoshino had been suspicious. Wasn't it just a little too convenient that someone would ask for their help out of the blue?
But she had an act to maintain, so she smiled and put her arm around the girl. "Just let good ol' uncle Hoshino show you around the block."
"Th-thanks." Hifumi replied sheepishly as the rest of the task force followed Hoshino's lead to hear her out.
As the girl explained her dilemma, the older senior wasn't sure whether she was actually really good at this con or if she was just plain naive. Seriously, who goes into the black market just to get rare tv show merchandise?
She looked up to Sensei, trying to gauge his reaction. The man frowned as she retold her story. Then he smiled softly. "Peroro really is a great hero, isn't he?"
Hoshino's mind blanked out as Hifumi's eyes widened. "Wait, you know Peroro?"
"Only the most hardworking and diligent hero in the Momo friends gang. Of course I know him." The bearded man gave the girl a genuine smile. "He's very loyal and never abandons his friends. I can get behind a person like that."
Shiroko nodded. "That sounds like an excellent comrade. Does he also rob banks?"
"Oh my," Nonomi chuckled, "So the big badass Sensei watches children's cartoons?"
"Don't diss Momo friends nor their fanbase. Never was there such a loyal and dedicated fandom." Sensei beamed with pride.
Serika stared at the fully grown man with a mild expression of disgust. "O…Kay…"
"Anyways, did you have anything else to tell us, Miss Hifumi?"
The girl frowned, then remembered the very obvious case that was in her hands. "Ahh, that's right. I also got you some snacks."
She opened up the container and the smaller girl's eyes widened to see over a dozen neatly arranged inarizushi.
"Ehh?" Serika stared.
"Oh my," Nonomi giggled, "you even brought a bribe with you."
"Wait, it's not a bribe I swear," Hifumi tried to protest.
"I humbly accept the bribe." Shiroko didn't even hesitate as she grabbed one with lightning fast speed. A moment later, the entire sushi was in her mouth. The girl's eyes widened as she gulped down the snack and grabbed for another.
The rest of her underclassman grabbed a piece, enjoying themselves thoroughly as Hoshino stared at the sushi with suspicion. Even Sensei seemed to partake without any suspicion.
Sighing, the self -proclaimed uncle put the sushi in her mouth and froze.
Two years before
"Yume, you need to finish your paperwork."
"But it's so hard, it's all this math and numbers and I just don't get it." The senior protested. "Mou, why couldn't Haru stay with us? Then I could ask her to do it."
"You know just as well as I do that we can't rely on Haru to do all your work. She's got a new life in the GSC and you can't keep pestering her for help with your own paperwork. It's your duty."
First year student Hoshino walked up to the bickering pair. "Shichido senpai, with all due respect, you're a member of the Disciplinary Force and you're only a second year. You should respect the President."
The dark haired fox girl turned to her underclassman. "Takanashi, while I can't comprehend why you would want to work under a lazy slob like Yume, I do see your point. Officially, we as the Disciplinary Force are the blade and arm of the Student Council and should act accordingly."
She gave the younger student a smirk. "Unofficially, you should avoid following in this slob of a student council president's footsteps and remain a bright and talented hard working underclassman."
"Hey, I'm not a slob!" Yume protested, "I just take longer to do work."
"Then maybe you should be doing said work instead of forcing it all on your poor underclassmen." Yukino rolled her eyes. "That being said, I have faith that you'll turn out alright."
"But it's so easy." The President protested, "Hoshino here is so good at her work and Haru is always willing to give an ear when I ask her."
"On second thought," The Disciplinary Force president smirked, "Takanashi Hoshino, have you ever considered a career with the Disciplinary Force? You've got a knack for combat and under Kurumi's tutelage, you could become the next point woman in the force."
"Hey, no poaching my dear Hoshino!" Yume pouted, running up behind Hoshino and grabbing the girl from behind. "This is my dear underclassman and you're not taking her from me."
"Sorry Shichido senpai, I am perfectly happy with-" Hoshino wanted to defend her president until she felt a heavy feeling atop her head. She glanced up to the weight on top of her and then back at her figure. Then she looked at the slender figure of the Disciplinary Force president. "On second thought-"
"HEY!"
"Now, now," The trio turned to see a trio of fox girls join them, one of them holding a platter of sushi. "Girls, you can all behave. We're all on the same team and are able to help each other out when the other needs it."
Niko held out the platter. "Inarizushi anyone?"
Hoshino took one of the sushi, eyeing it carefully before taking a bite.
"Senpai, are you alright?"
Hoshino jerked out of her daydream to find the rest of the Foreclosure Task Force looking at her in concern. She raised her hands, "Ah, sorry about that. I'm fine. I'm fine."
Shiroko, Ayane, and Hifumi shrugged. Nonomi and Serika frowned but didn't pursue.
Sensei nodded. "Right then, so about those clues?"
Stygian bank
"Masked Mizugi gang move out!" The football helmet wearing Sensei commanded as the task force charged out of the bank, alarms blaring and guards rushing forward.
"Mizugi 3, lay down suppressing fire!"
"Roger that!" The masked gangster opened up on the guards with her Gatling gun.
"Mizugi 2, give us air cover."
"Mizugi 2, following orders." The wolf eared gangster responded, sending up her drone and sending rockets into the enemy lines.
The masked football player dived behind a fallen pillar. "Mizugi 4, take out their snipers. Mizugi 1 and I will push forward."
"Don't give me weird code names!" Came the cat girl's snarky retort.
"Uwah, uncle's going to have to go all out." Came the calmer response as the girl hoisted her riot shield.
With a nod, Sensei chucked a smoke grenade from his cover. A moment later, he leaped out of cover and as one, the two charged through the smoke. Hoshino reached the guard line first, taking out the first pair of security automata in the first slug and another in her second. Behind her, Sensei took a knee and gunned down the stragglers with his FAMAS.
"Nice work Mizugi 1," The teacher called, his eyes searching for any reinforcements. "Mizugi 5, you can move up now."
"H-Hai!" The Trinity student in the Taiyaki bag rather clumsily joined the teacher and the Abydos-err Masked Swimsuit gangsters.
Despite the girl's reluctant agreement to help them with the heist, the teacher had no intentions of letting the student enter the line of fire. After all, very few academies had the rigorous general combat curriculum that Abyods did. Even if the high school was on the verge of collapse, the teacher had been happy to know that the combat manuals and doctrines that he and the other Abydos faculty had meticulously prepared was still being followed, ensuring that the entire Task Force was familiar with his command style and knew exactly how to follow the orders he gave. He could not trust the Trinity student would know how to follow his orders, nor could he expect them to be followed out the way an Abydos student would.
"Sensei," Hifu-err Mizugi 5, called out to the teacher.
"It's Mizugi Helmet!" The helmet wearing teacher corrected.
"H-Hai!" The paper bag wearing student nodded sheepishly. "How can I help the team?"
"You can keep your head down. There's more than a few snipers out there and sniper rounds will most certainly-" He dropped his head down as a bullet ricocheted off a wall. "-hurt. A lot."
The girl anxiously dropped her head down as more bullets began to strike around them. "HAI! Please don't hurt, why did I ever think it was a good idea to come here?"
The teacher was about to respond when a voice called over the radio. "Sen-err, I mean Mizugi Helmet! We got reinforcements coming up from both sides. What are your orders?"
The teacher grimaced. Those Black market forces work fast. He peeked out to see a squad of automatons rushing towards them. "Mizugi 3, get ready to lay down covering fire. Mizugi 1 and 4 will prepare to meet the forces coming from the alleyway while-"
He never got to finish his orders as a loud crack resounded from overhead. Sensei winced as he looked over to the rest of his team. "Who got hit?"
The wolf eared student shook her head. "Not us, them." She pointed at the pair of robots who had dropped from their positions. Another crack resounded and two more bots dropped as well.
"SNIPER!" The black market leader shouted, "They're over the-" The robot didn't even get to finish as another bullet sent him down for the count.
Serika looked up. "Ayane, what's going on?"
"I don't know. Someone from the south side just opened fire on the security team. I can guess a general idea of where they are, but as for the exact location-"
"-Don't worry about it Mizugi 0. What matters is we now have a diversion we need to get out. Squad, with me!"
Without hesitation, the five girls and one adult rushed past the fallen security team and deeper into the market, past the eyes of the security teams. As they ran, Hoshino heard more cracks from an anti material rifle as she frowned. Now where had she seen that sniping style before?
End of the Day
Sensei lay back on his chair, a weary sigh escaping his mouth. The day had been a non stop affair and he was in dire need of some rest. "Gah, this old man is getting too old for this kind of action."
"Uwah, that's my line Sensei. Don't steal my shtick."
The man looked up to see Hoshino sitting on his desk, her back against the wall. "Being lazy and old is my thing. Don't take it away from me."
The teacher rolled his eyes. "You going out on patrol? I recall you doing it years ago and assumed if Abydos is still safe, then it must be thanks to you."
"Uwah, I've been ousted." The heterochromia eyes watched the teacher. "Anyways, I wanted to ask a question."
"Go ahead."
The girls eyes narrowed. "What exactly happened to Shichido Senpai and her girls? I never kept track of where everyone went after they left Abydos. But I know for a fact that Niko senpai made those inarizushi we ate in the black market. And Otogi senpai's sniping style is unparalleled from anyone else. So let me ask again, Sensei. Why are my former Senpai helping us now?"
The teacher sighed. "It's exactly as you said. I've kept in touch with Yukino and her girls. When I came out here, I asked them to keep an eye on things. As we speak, they're busy gathering intel for us to work off of."
"Oh, is that so?" The club president pondered the new info. "So that's where they went off to." She shrugged, "I'm guessing you're not going to tell me more, so I'll have to be ok with being left in the dark."
She turned towards the door, her eyes darkening. "M-make sure to thank them for me. Ok?"
"Perhaps you can tell them yourself." Sensei didn't even get up from his chair. "I'm not trying to hide anything from you. You of all people deserve to know the truth." He turned to his tablet. "Arona, check in with Yukino and see if she can take a call right now."
"Of course Sensei." Arona's chipper voice replied.
Hoshino's mind had ground to a halt as she tried to comprehend, "Wait, hold on a sec, you don't need to-"
"Yukino said she is free. Calling now."
"Hold on," the girl spun around, "I said I don't want to-"
"Hello?"
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Hoshino froze. A soft smile on his face, "Hey Yukino. Sorry to bother you but I have someone who I think would like to talk to you."
"Oh, I see. This is Shichido Yukino, hello there."
"Hello there freshman. I'm Shichido Yukino. Are you interested in joining the disciplinary team?"
A small tear rolled down the younger student's cheek as she finally spoke. "Takahashi Hoshino here. Hello Shichido senpai."
"Takanashi Hoshino? It's good to hear from you. How are you doing?"
"Ahh…fine…I guess."
"That's excellent to hear. We're sorry we've been out of touch. Things have been rather hectic-"
"-hey is that Hoshino?"
"Hey Hoshino, remember me?"
Hoshino nodded. "Hai Otogi Senpai."
"She remembers me! Isn't that amazing?"
"Of course she remembers you. Your insufferable personality makes you impossible to forget."
"Mou, how mean Kurumi!"
Hoshino snorted under her breath. "Senpai, your sniping is unforgettable as always. Th-thanks for helping out today."
"Ah so you noticed! Glad to see I left an impression. You can thank Kurumi here for keeping those thugs from attacking yesterday."
"Naturally, they stood no chance against me. I'm the star point woman of Fox squad after all."
"Sorry Hoshino. That's just Kurumi's way of saying that she cares."
"Otogi!"
Sensei watched the lone president break into a laugh and chuckle as she chatted with her former classmates. He smiled softly before getting up to find a new sleeping spot.