"What?! You're going to Hyakkiyako, now?!" Yuuka raised her head from the piles of paperwork they had been cutting since this morning—scattering the documents all over the floor. "But you- it's not even half a week since you've been discharged!"
"I agree. It's too soon, sensei. You'll burn yourself." Kayoko said with a frown on her lips. Taking a sip from the cup of coffee she brewed for herself… and him.
"Yeah… why are you going to Hyakkiyako anyway, sensei?" Aru put down her stamp and shoved away the pile of papers obscuring her eyes.
"…Festival."
"Festival?" Aru cocked her head, interested.
"Oh! The Sakura Blossom Festival? It almost crossed my mind!" Mutsuki rose from the sofa she had been lounging herself in. "If you're going, I'm going with you!" She declared with a wide grin.
"Huh. Right. You're a fan of those." Kayoko commented with a miniature shrug.
"W-What? How- since when?" Aru turned to ask her subordinate, confusion etched clearly on her face.
"Since forever, duh! Where do you think my fireworks come from? Those guys are built different, I tell you!"
"Why have you never invited us to join?!" Aru asked. Heartbroken and feeling a little left out.
"I did!"
"She did. Our schedule just got mixed up in the most inconvenient ways somehow." Kayoko answered as she took her usual calm sips of caffeine.
"W-Well… um, can't we go r-right now?" Haruka suggested.
"Nope. We got a request coming to deliver some goods later on." Kayoko took another sip before setting the cup down. "When does the event ends, Mutsuki?"
"Ehh… hold on…" Mutsuki checked her phone. "The fireworks start at seven and… oh! and the event ends at nine PM. Though there is still closing ceremony tomorrow. There's still time, unless the commission is that long."
Kayoko nodded. "What do you think, boss?"
"Hum. I don't see why not. Sure. We can go later." Aru agreed with a grin. She had never explored Hyakkiyako before… it'll be a fresh change. Plus, they could use the vacation.
Haruka… could use that vacation.
Hans gave them a thumbs up as the clock ticked to the hour, signaling that it's time to leave.
"Okay, I'm coming with you, sensei." Mutsuki rose from her seat and stretched. "Even with your cute secretary, someone still needs to keep an eye on you." The imp winked.
"Wait a minute—hey! What about your commission?" Yuuka pointed out.
"Eh. It's a quick one, and I trust them to do it well without me." Mutsuki shrugs. "Why, Miss Calculator? Do you want to join us?"
"?!" The girl rose immediately from her seat. "First up! Do not call me that! Second…! I… can't, I have an all day meeting with the seminar in the afternoon…"
"Kufufufu! Well then~ see you guys at night!" Mutsuki waved her hand.
"Mm."
"Yeah!"
"Y-Yeah! See you later…"
Mutuski left the room first as Hans walked to the coat hanger. He inched towards his usual olive greatcoat… until he changed his mind. With a shrug, and a call from Mutsuki, they rode down to the elevator. Waving their hands once more to the students still remaining in his office.
Down and down it goes towards the lower floor until it chimes with a cheerful "DING!" as they made their way to the garage—where his jeep was waiting.
"You should buy a new ride, sensei." Mutsuki entered the passenger seat and leaned on the seat. Throwing her black bag of knick knacks behind to the back seat with a sly smirk on her face. "Why do you like going around in the jeep anyway instead of going with the helicopter? Poor missy Ren is really itching to use the helicopter again, you know?"
Hans gave her a look, then started the engine. Driving out towards their shared destination as he thought back about the pilot assigned by the GSC, the very same girl that delivered him to Abydos for a while until he decided to drive there.
Maybe she was still lounging in the café eating something, or in the study room. Either way… he could pay her a visit and let her carry him again sometime.
"…I enjoy… driving more."
Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.
The empty store's clock kept on moving as the owner of the establishment paced around back and forth and back. Chewing on her nail, the insides of her cheek, before going back to the hardened keratin like it was a strange routine. A rare sight to see, but uncommon to her closest peers as they are the first hand victims of her usual Stress by running the and panic fueling her uncertainty as the clock continues to tick.
And her peers don't know what to do to calm her down.
"S-Sensei will arrive soon!" Umika said again for the nth time of the day. "Don't panic, Shizuko!"
"Sensei hadn't answered our Momo, so he is probably still be driving here!" Pina followed up with a determined grin.
That was two hours ago. The drive from SCHALE to Hyakkiyako was around an hour and around ten minutes. Forty-five by train. Considering Hans-sensei reputation to… drive around personally instead of using helicopters or trains, she had expected him to arrive by now.
Was it a mistake inviting him here those few weeks back? Was he still recovering? Was he still busy with whatever was happening in Abydos?
"Ahh…! We're going to be behind schedule at this rate!" Momoyodou's idol held her head, aching from the unseen circumstance. "Ugh… I thought that-"
DING!
Just as the devil spoke, the doors of the establishment opened by the ring of the bell.
"Wow~ I never had the chance to visit here… this place looks as wonderful as it was from the brochures."
The teacher, along with someone else—a white-haired girl, entered Momoyodou. The teacher nodded at the girl, gesturing his approval before setting down a white paper bag he had been holding down to the table.
"S-Sensei! Welcome!" The Idol shuffled from her panic and cleared her throat. "I mean… welcome, nyan!"
Hans... pretended that he did not see that. Opting instead for a nodded politely, and his companion giggled.
"Kufufu~" Somehow it made her feel a little pissed off.
Eventually, the enigmatic teacher opened his lips and spoke in his usual hushed whisper before he raised the white paper bag to them.
"Sorry we're late!" The imp said. "Here's a little something for ya!"
"Huh? What's this?" Shizuko asked.
Without a word, Hans opened the bag. Inside it were a few snacks you could find around Hyakkiyako: dorayaki, a few sticks of dango, mochi, and manju… really, they weren't anything too fancy—in fact, all of them are ordinary.
Shizuko had eaten them for years and she knew them all.
Every recipe, every taste, and every shape and form it was all engraved in every crease of her brilliant mind, so familiar like the back of her hand.
Yet in this slight gesture, Shizuko smiled warmly, like it was the best gift she had ever received.
The ice-cold sensei. The silent ice king of SCHALE, a walking, living image of mystery and strength.
Yet… He is really a handful kind of guy.
Someone that was utterly genuine, wearing his heart on a sleeve even under his blank and neutral expression.
At least what she saw on SCHALE's Momo and those whatever Kronos had made.
"Wow… thank you, sensei…" Umika said. "B-But… MPH?!" but her lips were hastily clamped shut, courtesy of Shizuko.
"Thank you, sensei! We appreciate it!"
The adult didn't know what to make of it, so he politely nodded.
"Sensei, please take a seat. I'll fetch us some tea and prepare the snacks you've brought us." The idol continued with a smile and a clasp of her hand right under her cheek.
"Kufufu~ I can't wait to taste Momoyodou's famous tea." The white-haired imp giggled to herself. Taking a seat tight next to the adult. Leaning close, and even resting her head on his stiff shoulders.
Though the adult doesn't seem to mind… the other students had their mouths wide open.
Shizuko doesn't know what to make of it.
The sound of pouring tea filled his ears as Hans took his time basking in the environment. Momoyodou as what him and Arona had researched before, it was one of—or THE most popular café around Hyakkiyako with the short girl wearing a traditional… maid outfit as far as he could describe it, being the poster girl and self-proclaimed "idol" of her own establishment, priding it on traditional tastes and décor while adding her own unique spin of modernity onto it.
Hand painted paintings and murals, some with ink and charcoal on paper. The welcoming stench of hot tea and aromantic floral candles… and a few pots of bamboo accompanied with other types of decorative plant he couldn't identify.
If he closed his eyes at this moment, thinking of nothing… he would've loved to snooze.
"Here, sensei! Momoyodou's special. Matcha tea! Of course we have the latte kind but, I think you would like this. Both of you, that is." The idol said with a polite smile before… she struck. A. Pose.
"I hope you enjoy it, nyan!"
That is another memory going to the bin. Somehow this is so much worse than Nonomi's…
"Kufu~ Aren't you adorable?" The imp winked. "Sadly, mister grumpy here doesn't react much to it." She playfully pointed to Hans as he came back to his senses and replied with a shrug.
"Eh… then it means I just need to try harder."
"Kufufu! Be my guest, missy. Thanks for the tea." Mutsuki blew cold air into the steaming drink. Once, twice, then thrice before she raised the cup to her lips and took a sip.
Hans followed soon after, acknowledging his thanks with a nod.
As he took a sip, bitterness exploded in his tongue until it slowly melded into a tang of sugary goodness. There was no question. It was a high-quality leaf, or maybe a blend—though he was leaning it towards the leaf.
"…It's… good." Hans said with a small smile-
"PMHFHH?! PFFF. COUGH COUGH COUGH!"
"S-Shizuko!? Are you okay?!" Her blonde companion rushed to the host's side, followed by the dog ear student.
"Shizuko?!" Patting her back as she expelled the tea inside of her lungs with a cacophony of coughs.
"U-Uhm. Ugh. I-I'm fine. I'm just… a little surprised I suppose f-from sensei… u-uhehe." The idol said with an awkward smile as she wiped the stray drops of tea around the corners of her slips. "That was unprofessional of me, sorry sensei… and his companion. Ahem."
She cleared her throat and claimed the air of professionalism as if nothing had just happened. Though the adult's traveling companion was giggling to herself with that… smug look etched on her lips—eyes narrowing as if she had just seen the world's most amusing thing.
"Before we start, let me officially welcome you to Hyakkiyako Hans-sensei and Miss…?"
"Kufufu~ Asagi Mutsuki. I'm here to make sure Hans-sensei didn't get into anymore trouble, especially since he had just woken up from the Abydos incident." Mutsuki raised her hand with a wide, teasing grin. "Just call me Mutsuki."
"Asagi… Mutsuki?" The girl repeated and quirked her eyebrow. She swore she heard that name before… when was it? "Hm… well, nice to meet you, Mutsuki!" She returned her smile, cleared her throat, and brushed her long brown hair with a swipe of her hand.
"I'm Kawawa Shizuko! President of the Festival Operations Department! And these are my peers…"
She gestured to the girl on her right.
A dog-eared girl with mossy-gray hair tied with yellow ribbons, wearing a blue Japanese-maid style uniform to complement Shizuko's pink dominant clothes.
Her halo was akin to a swirl of three light blue waves, while Shizuko's own was a pastel of two hot pink hearts inside of a circle with two triangles on the sides.
"Satohama Umika." The girl bowed slightly, accompanied by a smile. "Nice to meet you, sensei, Mutsuki. Please, call me Umika."
Satisfied, Shizuko gestured to the last one. The girl standing on her left.
She has long blonde hair, blue eyes… and fair skin… Hans tried to think of something else. But the ramblings of the late Führer still rang in his ears.
Übermensch
"And Asahina Pina!"
Though that broke him out from that old memory.
The girl wore a loose red kimono under the same-colored overcoat with what looked like a golden wing pattern on it as decoration.
Black pleated skirt, loose white socks with yellow and black ribbon on the rim and red thick wooden geta. Other than her superhuman lineage, she looked flashy. Almost like a gangster or something close.
"Nice to meet you boss, and Mutsuki! Just call me Pina! I'm an employee of Momoyodou!" She cheerfully greeted before her gaze hardened, her cheerful attitude burned away and folded for her next set of words.
"And I have a dream."
She spun and spread her legs apart in a powerful stance, her hips inching to the right, and knees slightly bent as though bracing herself for the weight of her own declaration.
Her left hand rose to rest lightly against her chest, fingers curling and grasped her crimson kimono, tugging it hard enough to strain the fabric—showing skin and the sarashi underneath, while her right hand hovered just above her hip, forming a tight fist to grasp her ideals.
With a final sharp exhale, she opened her bright blue eyes. Shining with a burning conviction of someone who had already set their sights on an unshakable dream. And with a voice filled with unwavering resolve, she declared her sole purpose.
"To be a Gang-Star."
The room fell into a resounding silence from the weight of her dreams.
Umika hid her face with her palms. Her cheeks burned bright, along with her ears, as she let out a tiny squeak.
Shizuko was slack jawed before she snapped back to reality. "P-PINA! I THIS IS NOT WHAT I MEANT AS A POWERFUL GREETING!"
"Eh?"
"GYAHHH!" Shizuko screamed as if the world had ended, prying away the thoughts of bashing her skull into a wall repeatedly.
"Boss? Hm…" Thank Mutsuki for steering the conversation, though Mutsuki had her lips quirked up, as a mischievous idea came right into her noggin… and a bad feeling came into the old wolf's heart.
"Well, if we're thinking like that… should we call you boss too, sensei? You pay us monthly, and gave us some work…"
Pina gasped and leaned toward the duo. "He did?!" Her eyes sparkling with hopes and dreams.
"Kufu! There's a contract and all! There are four of us now! Well, five if we're counting that girl from Millennium. Sensei, SCHALE is still open for students to enroll, right?"
Hans shrugged. "…Your situation… is different."
"Ehh… but barely, though," Mutsuki replied with her own nonchalant shrug. "Aru did kinda get her dreams jolted up from the contract."
"Wow… then, I've made up my mind! Sensei—no, boss! Hire me too!" Pina exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest with renewed determination.
"Pina…!" Shizuko interjected, trying desperately to regain control of the conversation that was rapidly going off the rails.
"You can apply, Pina! Though…" That glint again in her eyes.
Hans narrowed his eyes as the bad feeling he had came back with a vengeance.
"You shouldn't push your student too hard, sensei." Mutsuki added with a pout, puffing out her cheeks and crossing her arms. "Students are girls too, you know?"
The room froze.
Hans stopped mid-sip, tea dribbling from his lips and down onto the table.
Shizuko's mouth hung open wide enough to swallow an entire whale, and her cup clattered to the floor.
Umika's trembling hands overfilled her teacup, her face burning as if it had reached a thousand degrees.
But Pina? Pina was utterly delighted. Her baby-blue eyes twinkled with curiosity and conviction, oblivious to the chaos unfolding around her.
"Asking us to do this and that… and then that again… of course, sometimes we'd offer." Mutsuki continued, her gaze shifting away as she tried to hide her cheeks, her pout intact.
As in Hans asking them to assist with his paperwork.
"Though the load is really unbearable sometimes…" she said, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye.
As in the down horrendous amount of paperwork the GSC had sent to SCHALE.
"But in the end? We're fine with it… sometimes we even like it."
A full-blown mischievous grin spread across Mutsuki's lips—so wide it looked like it could blow Kivotos sky high.
Hans had enough.
Carefully, he set his tea down with a resounding click.
"Fufu… what's wrong, Sensei?" Mutsuki asked, her bratty grin plastered across her pale skin and rosy cheeks.
A dark shadow seemed to loom over Hans as he turned to face her, his crimson eyes boring a hole into her very soul with the wrath of a star burning at I ts core.
At that moment, Mutsuki's smugness crumbled into a shaky, terrified grin.
"S-Sensei… y-you're scaring me," she stammered.
Hans raised his hand, and before she could react, he delivered a sharp flick to her forehead.
Somehow, Pina was beaming even more. "Ooh…"
"Yeouch! Ueh… I'm sorry…" Mutsuki muttered, rubbing her forehead, though her teasing smile quickly returned. "Hehe, but I'm not wrong… the paperwork the GSC sends is too much sometimes…"
Even with Hans's correction, her mischievous grin only grew wider.
In light of her revelation, the oppressive air of misunderstanding lifted, leaving Shizuko and Umika to release long breaths of relief. Meanwhile, Pina remained blissfully unaware of the tension that had just dissipated. Bless her heart.
"A-Anyway. A-Ahem!" Shizuko stammered, hurriedly regaining control of the conversation with a forced clearing of her throat. "T-The reason we asked you here is simple! We want you to participate in our events! Plus, it's a good way to start building a relationship with SCHALE. Uhehe… imagine the tourists we'd get with your marketing-"
Her eyes sparkled as visions of capitalism flooded her thoughts: mountains and mountains of money, and her drowning in it.
"U-Uwah!" Shizuko jolted back to reality, hastily wiping a thin trail of drool from her mouth. "W-Wait, hold on!" She flailed her hands frantically, noticing the growing frown on Hans' lips. "We didn't invite y-you just for that! W-well I did, but there's something else, I swear!"
His ears perked up slightly, followed by a nod.
"Phew…" Shizuko exhaled in relief before continuing. "Well, it's about… our event."
Her voice dropped a decibel, and the surrounding air seemed to shift.
Hans's sharp eyes noticed it immediately: the bags under her eyes, the faint tinge of annoyance and disdain etched into her expression, and the subtle tremor in her hands.
Umika and Pina stood silently, their expression matching Shizuko's.
"Our job in the Festival Operations Department is not exactly an easy job, yes, but we prided ourselves because we delivered. No matter what. Festivals are our life and blood, and without it, Hyakkiyako couldn't exist." She paused. Letting Hans to absorb the information before she continued.
"Hyakkiyako itself is not a… centralized academy per se… instead, it is an alliance academy from many clubs and committees doing their own thing. So if trouble arises, we would have to either suck it up or ask for help." Shizuko swallowed a stubborn lump in her throat.
"We had our fair in hiccups and trouble-makers making life hard enough for us, but this time… it's awful, sensei.
The festival is just around the corner and… someone really wanted us to fail. There had been non-stop skirmishes from the Mouryo gang recently, and it's not exactly something that we… can do alone.
…but sadly, except for the weirdo- I mean… the Inner Discipline Club, the rest had their hands tied."
Mutsuki raised her hand. "Sorry for interrupting but, doesn't Hyakkiyako have… something like an enforcer club or… team around here? I think I saw them on my previous trips here… eh… those girls in blue haori?
"Blue haori… are you referring to the Hyakkouran?" Umika asked.
"Uh, maybe. I don't know." Mutsuki shrugged. "I've seen em' patrolling a few times before. Are they unavailable?"
"Well… it's a complicated topic…" Umika looked away and stroked her left arm. "President Ayame and Vice President Nagusa had… gone missing."
Another one.
"…Explain." Hans, who had been satisfied listening, suddenly spoke up. "…How?"
"That's the thing, no one knows!" Shizuko raised her voice in frustration, throwing her hands up before she folded it. Leaning back in the chair with a click of her tongue. "Believe me, Hyakkiyako was united to search for them for weeks until… we gave up.
The last time I've heard of them is Kiryuu Kikyou had been trying to keep things in check. But because of this, we can't ask them for help."
"Well… except for one, boss." Pina interrupted as she scratched her cheek. "Kanedoji Yukari. She… answered our call for help."
"W-What?! When?!" Shizuko slammed her hands on the table, pushing her up in a jolt as the teapot and plates of prepared snacks topple and spill all over. "HOW?!"
"Y-Yesterday…" Pina raised her hands. "We met by chance!" Pina recounted the fateful encounter. "We exchanged Momo, and I convinced her to help as soon as sensei arrive. It's just her though since we're going…"
Pina glanced left and right before she whispered. "Off the grid."
"You've… convinced her to go vigilante…?" Shizuko paled.
"Eh? There's no harm in that, right? Plus, she said that there's really nothing much going on."
"Ugh... If Miss Kanedoji says so… I can't believe it…" Shizuko slumped back to her chair with a sigh.
"I-I'll fetch us some fresh tea," Umika said, eager to take a break from the exhausting conversation. Hastily picking up the fallen teapot, followed by a quick wipe of the table, and a sudden burst of speed as she flew to the kitchen.
Hans made a mental request to ask Arona about the Hyakkouran later. In which, seconds later, she gave him a thumbs up and the tablet filled itself with new reading materials.
Shizuko bit her nails. She had more words to say, more of her mind to lay it out on the table, but the sudden BANG ringing on the streets changed her mind.
"Speakof thedevil and hedothappear." Shizuko said in alarm and with a click of her tongue. "Looks like the Mouryos are starting something again." Picking up her firearm, she waved her hand. "Umika! Take care of the shop for a little! Pina, sensei, Mutsuki. Can you lend me your hand?"
"You got it! Be careful, Shizuko!" Umika declared out from the kitchen, clenching her fist, followed by a pump of it. "And good luck!"
"Lead the way boss!" Pina picked up her crimson modified Lewis Gun with a confident smile. "Eh wait, should I call the others?"
"There's no time! It's right in front of us!" Shizuko said.
Hans stood up and raised his Mausers with a nod and a grunt. "..Mm."
"Kufufu~ let's go!"
The deal was sweet as dango on a hot summer day. Lit up some fires here and there, sabotage some supplies, and enjoy what they like to do the most.
Causing trouble, and let Hyakkiyako knew who ruled the streets. The money was just there to sweeten the deal and fatten their pockets.
"Get moving girls! Our client needed more trouble! Use grenades as much as you want!" A short girl with panda ears and tail raised her hand and barked her orders.
Her lips curled for a grin as she popped a stick of dango into her mouth. "Mm! Delicious…!"
"Is that…?! I want some too great leader Arata!" One of the masked grunts said as she turned to face their leader, hands raised to take one for herself, but it was slapped away.
"We'll buy some later! A pack for everyone!" She ushered her grunts before firing some rounds to the air and some at the empty stalls, their fervor and morale soaring sky high.
"OOOH!"
"LET'S GET TO IT!"
"WHEEE!" A masked grunt spun a pack of fireworks lighting it up with a spin, before she tossed it towards a cart of goods.
As it exploded magnificently, she raised her hands in a short-lived joy and pride, as in a twist of fate, her world seem to spin. Her legs felt like jelly and before she knew it, her mask was broken in half.
As a bullet pierced it, and left a bruise on her forehead.
"W-WHAT?!" Arata shouted, before she was interrupted by the deafening roar of two machine guns.
"GREAT LEADER, DUCK!" One of the grunt pushed her to the ground, as the bullets flew towards them like a pack of angry hornets.
"Bastards…! Who the hell are you to challenge The Street Mouryo?!" the little gang-leader shouted as the gunshots died, and a good chunk of her members had fallen unconscious.
"CAN IT! GRAHHH! I CAN'T HAVE IT WITH YOU GUYS!" Shizuko emerged from the smoke and dust, along with Pina and… someone. Firearms locked and loaded.
"Tch, it's you Shizuko and Pina… and…who the hell is that white-haired girl and adult beside you?" Arata clicked her tongue before her confusion sunk in.
The girl in question merely giggled and the adult shrugged.
"Hmph! It doesn't matter!" She raised her hand with a snarl. "You might have caught us off guard once, but NEVER AGAIN!"
Inhale…
"GATHER ROUND, STREET MORYOU!"
"OORAHHH!"
One by one, the troublemakers came out rushing to the call of their great leader, all of them coming for a singularity season. Gentlemen ame to her support. Firearms raised as they circled the small group of three.
"Hah! Try getting yourselves out from this!" Arata raised her hand with a cocky smirk plastered on her lips.
"Girls…! RATTLE THEM!"
"MUTSUKI, SENSEI, NOW!" Shizuko shouted before every single firearm could spout the iron and flame, bursting forth, propelled by an explosion.
It was a millisecond away before the first gunshots emerged, fingers curled and pulling their triggers as Mutsuki threw her jet-black duffle bag with a shout.
They didn't wait.
All hell broke loose, as the Mouryos fired their bullets… and a blur of white made itself known. Dashing from left to right, bouncing from stall to stall, knocking and destroying merchandise along the way of its flight as it propelled itself like a powerful jet.
Bullets zoomed past the blur as it went for the black duffle bag, taking it out from the sky before throwing down to the gang, hitting Arata directly in its path.
"Oomph?!" The leader yelped and fell down on her behind as the heavy bag rested on her body.
"Leader!"
Her subordinates swiftly rushed to her side, yet… the duffle bag sizzled. There was no time to react, to move, to dodge before smoke, heat—then a blinding white light assaulted their eyes…
And an explosion rang their ears to the point of oblivion.
"GYAHHHH!"
"Here we go!"
In one clean sweep, fireworks erupted in a dazzling burst, intermingled with a chaotic barrage of bullets—7.62mm, .303, and specialized 7.63x25 rounds cutting through the air.
From the flank, the adult emerged, his movements precise and deliberate, encasing those still standing under the hail of bullets, leaving them buried beneath an unrelenting assault with no chance of respite.
Haloes flickering in and out until it blinked out of existence with the chorus of clattering of firearms and clay masks breaking apart accompanying the Moryou as they fell one by one like flies.
Yellow kimono fluttering, stained with gunpowder and marred in holes.
"How… are they… so… strong…" one voice murmured weakly.
"Who is that adult…? Ugh…" groaned another.
Yet among all of it, the shortest member still rose. Coughing away, as she tried to keep her balance. Her body marred by black ash and dust as she rose from the ground—muscles aching, and tears coming close to break the dam.
"…Owie… uuuu…"
A gun barrel loomed inches from her face.
The man holding it stood tall, his hair white as snow. A pristine white suit contrasted with black pants, and an azure armband gleamed faintly under the smoke-filled sky.
"E-Eeekk!"
"Hey! Enough screaming!" Shizuko snapped, cutting through the tension. She stepped forward, eyes blazing. "You! Why are you doing this at a time like this?!"
The trembling troublemaker, Arata, shrank under Shizuko's glare. Her mouth opened and closed in wordless panic as her gaze darted between the intimidating adult, the Festival Committee duo, and the white-haired stranger grinning impishly at anything and everything.
Her thoughts were a tangled mess, her mind a raging maelstrom, but somehow, she mustered the courage to shout:
"NO! I'LL NEVER TELL YOU! THE STREET MOURYO DOESN'T GIVE IN TO FEAR!"
Ah… she had done it now.
Shizuko's knuckles cracked ominously as she strolled toward the trembling girl. The winds howled, tossing her hair like an angry demon as her eyes glinted with dangerous intent.
In that moment, she was death incarnate—a wrathful idol, an avatar of capitalism and fury.
Kawawa Shizuko.
"You got three seconds."
Death.
"EEEEK!"
Shizuko's fist cracked like thunder, breaking through the sound barrier as it inched towards the screaming thug–
Until something… someone interrupted her.
"Ninpō,"
忍法:
"KEMURI KAKURE NO JUTSU!"
「HIDING IN MIST TECHNIQUE」
煙隠れの術
Balls of paper rained down between Shizuko and the thug, erupting into a burst of thick smoke. Irritating eyes and throat with something following soon after.
Sticking themselves to the ground, with a burning paper tied to them.
"Go, shuriken!"
KABOOM!
Miniature explosions erupted in rapid succession, sending the young idol of Momoyodou tumbling backward. She braced herself for impact—only to be caught by Hans with a solid thump.
One hand steadied her, while the other gripped his sidearm tightly. His crimson eyes scanned the thick smoke, tracking the rapid movements of a figure darting through the haze.
A blur—a girl with fox ears and wagging tail emerged briefly, only to vanish again.
In a flash, the fox-eared girl grabbed the thug in a bridal carry, whisking her away to safety before Shizuko's wrath could catch up to them.
"Protecting my comrades and completing my mission
That is my ninja way!
Nin nin!"
Every eye landed on the girl standing on the rooftop with the thug held by her arms in a bridal carry. Shivering, eyes wide as plates, as she stared at her savior.
Scarf dancing in the air as the smoke clears, and she stood tall in all of her glory. Tail wagging left and right in pride, followed by a single twitch of her right ear.
"Kuda Izuna, has arrived! Nin nin!"
She wore the classic sailor uniform underneath her marigold-colored flower-patterned kimono and a magenta scarf with the logo of Hyakkiyako at the end of it.
A fox mask hairpin, three fingered gloves on both hands along with elbow straps, mismatched socks with her left being a standard gray while the other is a webbed stocking, and a belt of those throwing knives on her left thigh.
Lastly, a pink-colored halo with a hollow five-petal cherry blossom pattern inside of it.
"…Izuna…?" Hans mumbled, and Arona filled him in with a buzz.
"She's a member of the Ninjutsu Research Club…? Hmm… looks like one of those role-playing clubs if I'm going to be terribly honest, sensei."
Shizuko was absolutely flabbergasted at the strange development. Her?! Izuna helping those Moryou thugs?!
"Izuna! What on earth are you doing?!"
"No hard feelings, Shizuko! I'm just doing my mission as a loyal ninja, nin nin!" The fox gestured, still with the girl held on her arms while the thug looped her arms around Izuna's neck, clinging to dear life.
"I-Izuna! J-Just get me out of here!"
"Eh? But Arata-san, this is the perfect moment for me to demonstrate my ninjutsu!"
"I-Izuna! I heard that a great ninja knows when to retreat and when to strike! T-This moment calls for retreat, and regroup!" The thug said, lying out of her mouth. She would do anything to just get her away from a wrathful Shizuko, along with her friends.
Izuna gasped as the thought ran rampant in her mind.
"YOU'RE RIGHT! How can I forget…! D'oh, Izuna's journey to being a great ninja is still so far…! Thank you for reminding me!"
"Y-Yeah, no problem just…!"
"Mm!" Izuna nodded with a grin before she realized something.
"E-Eto… Izuna can't form hand seals with me holding you…"
"JUST RUN OR SOMETHING!"
"Ah!"
With a curl of her legs, the rising ninja leaped from rooftop to rooftop, and disappearing soon after. Leaving nothing but a gust of wind and the swirl of green leaves behind her wake.
"…Well, that's just… happened." Mutsuki whistled and rested her heavy MG. "Who was that, anyway?"
"Kuda Izuna. She belonged to the Ninjutsu Research Club… basically a club of students trying to learn those ninjutsu things on anime and manga. She's a bit of a weirdo around these parts as well… but she never really hurt anyone. Come to think about it…"
Shizuko explained with a huff before dusting herself off from the dirt and ash on her clothes. "Ugh… let's continue the discussion back in the café. I need to change… I can't let my customers see me dirty. Thank you for your help, everyone."
They couldn't agree more. For Hans, however… he stood still, watching the rooftops where Izuna had been before walking back to a waiting Mutsuki.
He had a hunch that this was… going to be a problem eventually.
The door to Momoyodou slid open, and Shizuko stepped inside, ready to change and take a much-needed shower. She was sweaty and dirty from the day's chaos, but that plan quickly evaporated.
"Hm? Oh, you're back, Miss Kawawa."
A guest was waiting, calmly sipping tea while Umika hovered nearby, pacing nervously and mouthing silent apologies as she tended to the guest.
A gray tabby cat person wearing a black kimono.
"O-Oh! Merchant Guild President Date Meowru!" Shizuko exclaimed, instantly dusting herself off at the speed of sound, and dashing to his side with urgency. "If I knew you were coming, I would've prepared some of your favorite desserts!"
"There's no need, Miss Kawawa," He replied, raising a hand to calm her. "This isn't an official visit. I'm merely passing through. However, the commotion outside was hard to ignore."
"Hm, hm," Shizuko nodded, her mind already racing. "I wonder why, though. If they keep this up, the festival could end in disaster! Gah—!"
She froze mid-sentence, her gaze flicking to Hans, and hastily regained her composure.
"J-Just like that, nyan," she finished awkwardly.
Hans tightened his lips, his expression neutral as he pretended not to hear or see the slip-up. Or her doing that... pose again.
"Hm…" Date Meowru hummed, mercifully glossing over the moment. "It seems they truly dislike the festival." He tucked his hands into his sleeves, leaning back on the chair thoughtfully.
"But why? This event is supposed to be for them to enjoy as well," Pina said with a somber frown.
"If I remember correctly, didn't you kids plan something different this year? Something involving the fireworks?"
"AH! That's right!" Shizuko clapped her hands.
"Eh? What now about the fireworks?" Mutsuki interjected, confusion written across her face. "Did you guys change something about it?"
"Well, it's this." Shizuko walked away, disappearing behind the employees-only door. After a series of clicks and bangs behind it—she returned, carrying a hefty metal box.
"This is… oomph!" Shizuko grunted as she set the box down with a heavy thump on the table. "Phew. This is the special technology we borrowed from Millennium for the Cherry Blossom Festival finale."
She huffed proudly, with her hands on her hips. "What you're looking at is a miniature version. The real one is much larger and has already been set up by Pina."
"Mhm! All primed and ready, boss!" Pina grinned, flashing a thumbs-up.
"Huuh?! So you're telling me…" Mutsuki's jaw dropped, her voice rising in disbelief. "You're telling me there won't be real fireworks at the event?!"
Her expression fell, crushed under the weight of immeasurable disappointment. "Gahh… my day is ruined…"
"Hey now, it's not that bad! Festivals have to evolve with the times, you know? We can't stay stuck in the past forever!" Shizuko defended, waving her hands wildly to calm the disappointed explosion-maniac from Gehenna.
"But the fireworks… the kaboom…" Mutsuki slumped to Hans. Her soul visibly drifting out of her body and flying away.
"Hmph. That could explain the Moryou's sabotage," Date Meowru mused, narrowing his eyes at the box. "Classic resistance to change—and that device…" His gaze lingered on it. Watching it with…was it disapproval? Contempt?
"It must have cost a fortune to acquire."
"It did," Shizuko admitted, her voice softer now. "But for the festival, no price is too high… right?" Her pride dimmed slightly as doubt crept into her words. There was some merit in Date Meowru's words, after all.
"It's just a thought. There could be other factors at play," Meowru replied, raising his hands in a calming gesture. "Still, your dedication is commendable."
He turned his attention to Hans and Mutsuki, his sharp eyes narrowing as they focused on them.
"Hm. You two are new. Did Miss Kawawa ask you to assist with this trouble? Where are you from?"
"Yeah, she did." Mutsuki answered casually for them both, shaking off her earlier despair with a sigh. "But I'm not new to Hyakkiyako, I've been here a few times."
Hans raised his ID wordlessly, letting the badge do the talking.
"SCHALE…" Meowru murmured, studying every inch of the ID before nodding. "I see… then I'll trust your judgment, Sensei."
Hans returned the nod, silent as ever.
"And you, girl…" Meowru turned to Mutsuki, his eyes narrowing. "You said you've been to Hyakkiyako before?"
"What about it?"
"Do you, by chance… enjoy shopping for fireworks?"
Suspicion crept into Mutsuki's expression as she raised an eyebrow. "Yess…?"
For a moment, Meowru studied her with the precision of a merchant sizing up a customer. Then, suddenly, his demeanor brightened.
"Haha! I knew I'd seen you before!" Meowru clapped his hands, a broad smile spreading across his face, and the earlier tension melted away. "It's finally nice to meet you in person! We've been so grateful for your generous purchases at Nekomata's Fireworks!"
He beamed with pride, the abrupt shift in tone almost blinding Hans.
"Ohh! Wait, you guys run my favorite firework shop?"
"That's correct! Come visit us again, and we'll reward your loyalty with discounts on all purchases—just this month!" Meowru reached into his sleeve, producing a flyer and coupons.
"Kufu~ I'll be sure to stop by!" Mutsuki grinned as she folded the flyer neatly.
"Well, this has been pleasant. Good luck, everyone… Sensei."
With a nod and a soft hum, Date Meowru paid for his tea and left the establishment satisfied—ignorant of the pair of eyes watching the feline's every movement, words, and gestures. Locking, homing like a predator sizing up its next target.
"…Arona…"
"Mhm. I'm looking right at it."
"Sensei? Something on your mind?" Mutsuki glanced at Hans who was deep in thought and conversation with Arona.
"…I don't… trust him."
Izuna perched atop a balcony, her sharp Kitsune eyes scanning over Hyakkiyako like a hawk—thanks to the new directive from her employer, fitting perfectly on her aspirations to be a ninja.
Scout around Hyakkiyako, report any movement, and most importantly… locate that man she had encountered during the brief but devastating skirmish between her comrades in the Moryou and the Festival Operations Department.
Even if Izuna herself didn't fully agree with the things the Moryou were doing…
"A true ninja must fulfill her mission, no matter what! Nin nin!"
She pushed aside the nagging thoughts of doubt and betrayal, steeling herself with a nod. She would stay true to herself and uphold her honor as a ninja! Nin nin!
Nothing would escape her laser-focused vigilance. Not the man buying pickles, not the girl getting Takoyaki, not the couple heading for a ramen lunch, and definitely not… n-not…
Not that limited edition ninja gear, complete with explosive tags, sitting proudly in the shop window.
"…"
T-The mission could wait five minutes.
With a leap from the rooftop and a soft oomph, Izuna glanced left and right to check for onlookers. No one seemed to notice her. Her stealth ninjutsu was still active.
She was in the clear.
With a hop and a skip, she dashed toward her destination: the fabled ninja gear shop she frequented, sometimes with Michiru and Tsukoyo, but often on her own.
"The Hidden Leaf… we meet again," she murmured dramatically as she entered the quaint establishment.
The shop's owners, an elderly black Shiba Inu and his wife, greeted her warmly. Masterful in their wares and kindness, no wonder the aspiring ninja had such deep respect for them both.
"Oho, Izuna. Welcome back." The elder greeted with a nod, setting down a box of wares on an empty shelf.
"Izuna! It's good to see you again. Are you here for more sewing lessons?" Grandma Chiyo chimed in as she appeared from the back, leaning on the counter with a kind smile.
"Not today, Grandma Chiyo! I'm here for the new limited edition ninja gear!" Izuna exclaimed, practically vibrating with excitement.
"Heh, lucky you, Izuna." Grandpa grinned, pulling a carefully wrapped box from behind the counter. "I saved one just for you. But… sorry it's not as cheap—it's a collector's item."
Izuna gasped as her fingers traced the edges of the box. The price tag stared back at her, mocking her shallow pockets and meager monthly allowance.
"...I'll take it!" she declared.
The path of a ninja was never easy, after all.
With her new treasure in hand, Izuna hummed with joy. Nothing could ruin this moment—until…
Izuna's ears perked up, her sharp senses caught on a hushed conversation.
"Those Moryou are acting up again, aren't they?"
"…Mhm," came the hushed reply from the shop owners.
"At this rate, we might have to close up. We can't take another attack around here."
"We just need to hold on a little longer. The festival's coming up, and the kids will love our new stock," Grandma Chiyo reassured him softly.
"I hope you're right. Heh, what am I saying? You're always right."
The weight of their words cutting through her happiness, and those traitorous thoughts came back like a common cold.
Her choices, her mission… her dream.
"Nin!" She slapped her cheeks with both hands. "Ninjas don't falter! The mission is what's important! Those who abandon missions… are worse than trash!" she exclaimed to the clear blue sky, reaffirming her resolve.
"Phew…" she sighed, calming herself once more. She wouldn't fail. Not now.
Her determination renewed, Izuna walked ahead. Humming a tone of a song until…
BUMP!
"Owie!"
Izuna staggered, feeling as though she had just walked into a brick wall. Her box of precious ninja gear slipped from her hands, clattering to the ground, and before she could hit the pavement, a firm grip caught her.
Blinking away the dizziness, her eyes adjusted to see the pale hair and piercing crimson eyes.
The adult she was tasked with investigating.
"Uwah!"
She leapt out of his hands in a flash, landing gracefully a few steps away. Her fingers moved quickly, forming hand seals.
"Ninpō,"
忍法:
"Kawarimi no Jutsu!"
「BODY REPLACEMENT TECHNIQUE」
変わり身の術
A puff of smoke exploded around Izuna, blinding the teacher in its wake.
When the smoke clears—that she was gone. Replaced by a plush of a white fox in the place where she had been mere milliseconds ago.
Hans bent down and picked it up, inspecting it out of curiosity.
It was… surprisingly well-made.
Wow.
Meanwhile, a few meters away, Izuna wiped her brow, huffing and puffing as the adrenaline rush died out from her veins. A sigh of relief escaped her lips. She had nearly compromised her mission and failed her client because of a moment of carelessness… but thankfully, a good ninja always has a thousand ways to slip back into the shadows! The adult was probably disoriented by her ninjutsu, so she was safe.
Safe… with my new limited edition ninja pack!
Or so she thought.
Her eyes snapped open with sudden realization.
Her kit.
She had left her precious kit behind in her haste.
"Oh… oh no…"
Izuna fell lifelessly on her knees like a puppet without strings. Her pride and joy were engulfed by a dark cloud, swirling like a storm, in light of her amateurish mistakes as disappointment claimed her thoughts.
"NO!" she shouted, jolting upright. "I-Izuna can find another one! Yes, that's right!" She puffed out her chest in defiance.
"…Phew… but where?" she murmured, tapping her chin. There was another shop a few blocks away, but the prices were… quite… um… bloated. It would be a while before she could afford another.
Crunch.
"!"
A sudden crunch and creak of the tiles jolted her to attention.
The rhythmic steps inched closer and closer with every second she wasted. Her hand instinctively reached for her firearm, while the other hovered over her explosive shurikens.
The adult stood behind her, his silence unbroken, stopping mere inches from her position. Piercing crimson eyes hidden underneath stray strands of his snow-white hair bore holes right into her mind.
She staggered, swallowing a hard lump in her throat as she stared on. Thinking of anything to do, should this moment call to fight, flight, or… diplomacy?
"H-How can this be?! How did you track down a ninja like Izuna?!" she demanded, her voice a mix of uncertainty and… respect.
For the man that could step without a sound, expertly bypassing her ninja defenses like it was nothing. A man of his stature couldn't do that… not that she know of. Izuna asked why, how, and when… until eyes widened as realization struck her like a bolt of thunder.
"MISTER, YOU—YOU'RE A NINJA TOO?!"
Arona barked out a laugh, reverberating through the old dog's skull as he mentally glared at the young AI.
"W-Wait… no, don't tell me. Secrecy is the—"
"…Yes," Hans interrupted, deciding to play along for simplicity's sake.
Arona giggled.
Izuna inhaled so deeply, she swallowed an entire Hindenburg's worth of air right into her lungs.
"N-No way! You must be…! No, hmm…" she muttered, mumbling to herself until she thought of a technique.
One of the beginner, and yet most important skill of a ninja…
Information gathering!
"Michiru and Tsukuyo will be so surprised… hehe…" Izuna giggled to herself before clearing her throat.
"How come Izuna's never seen you around, mister?"
"…New… around."
"Oh! Are there are ninjas outside of Hyakkiyako?! Ooh… this is the first time Izuna's heard of this!" Her eyes lit up, tail wagging left and right excitedly. "Where are you from? Izuna needs to know about foreign ninjas!"
Hans reached inside of a breast pocket and showed her his SCHALE ID.
"Hans… Günsche… SCHALE?" Izuna repeated, her brows furrowing as the pieces fell into place. "Wait, a-are you the rumored sensei?! T-THE ONE WHO GATHERED ALL THOSE FORCES TO KICK KAISER PMC OUT OF ABYDOS?! THE ONE WHO BEAT BIG SIS WAKAMO?!"
Her tail wagged furiously like a rotor being pushed past its limit, bellowing smoke and fire on the sides of The Deus Ex.
Hans gave her a single nod. Also… big sis?
"That makes so much sense! Only a great ninja could do all of that! I can't believe it…!" She was about to say more but caught herself, her excitement being slowly stamped out as the mission came back in thought.
"As great as you are, Sensei… Izuna can't get along with you. I have a mission to fulfill—a path to become a great ninja one day!"
Hans nodded again.
Mission
Their suspicions were confirmed: Moryou was working for someone, and Izuna had been hired as part of their scheme. Whatever it was.
"…Maybe… not now," Hans said, raising his hand. In it was the ninja kit she had lost. "…In… the future."
Izuna glanced back-and-forth hesitation coming out in a warning, yet, something told her that the great ninja was… trust worthy. She knew the news of SCHALE's reputation, Hans-sensei going to a week long healing coma after the 'Abydos Event'
She was going to take a risk, though… what was so bad about it?
"In the future." Izuna repeated, and a smile forming on her lips as she took the kit from his gloved hands. "As expected of a great ninja such as yourself, sensei. Izuna… Izuna has much to learn." She stood tall, clutching the kit.
"But mark my words, Sensei! Even if we do not clash blades today… I promise when we meet again, my powers will have doubled! Nin nin!"
She formed a hand sign—thumb, middle, and ring fingers touching while her pinkie and index fingers stood upright, reassembling the snout of a fox as Hans narrowed his eyes.
Hans raised his thumb in return, offering a simple gesture of support.
"…I believe in you."
"Y-You do…? A-AS EXPECTED OF THE GREAT SCHALE NINJA!"
With one final grin stretching from cheek to cheek, Izuna disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind the white plush fox, and a flurry of leaves.
Hans picked up the plush, brushing dirt and leaves off its soft fur.
He had two now…
"…"
Glancing toward the direction Izuna had fled, Hans leaped down from the roof and made his way back to Momoyodou.
His curiosity was sated, and his suspicions proven true.
Author's note:
Gentlemen, Welcome to Hyakkiyako.
I focus much today on Shizuko and co, with a hint of Izuna. Next up, we will really focus for Izuna's story as well as the other clubs making their appearance.
And yeah I'm making the Hyakkouran known this early, I hate that they appeared late (damn you Nexon), especially I fell in love with Nagusa and Yukari instantly.
Oh and Kikyou and Renge as well I guess.
Anyway, I'm going to jump start the Abydos rework after this, so expect new chapters to be slow as heck again. Thank you!
You can follow the progress (and chat with me) on my Discord. See ya!