Two Ninjas

Two Ninjas

(Chapter 9)

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[<<]

"{Once I get you in there we're gonna incinerate him. HERE IT GOES!}"

The young Harmonie leaps from atop the roof diagonally behind Blood-Eye. He closes the distance in a mere second or two and brings his boundless wrath down on him.

"{AMITHA!!!}"

[>]

[Valentina]

After completing the task that Guillelmus gave her, she rushes to the bathroom to meet mom.

"Oh! Valentina; I thought you weren't coming. "

"It's not your fault. Is the water still warm?"

"…It's about going cold. I'll have to heat some up for you."

"Can't I just do it myself then?"

"Aren't you an I.M.U?"

"Oh yeah… I'll just need you to ignite it then right? {That idiot! When he gets back I'm SO gonna punch him again.}"

"Or you could take a dip until the water comes?"

"I haven't taken a bath with cold water before. I'll just wait."

[Arthur]

The Raid Unit: Succubus observes from a cliff at one of the boundaries of the Evil Forest. Several meters to their left lies the water fall. On the left of the river that gains its source from the waterfall is a small village with vegetative plots further along the river. It seems to be self-sustained.

"This is the place, right?" Daara asks.

"I think so… Angelica, I was absent minded when she briefed us. Know what we're up against?"

"I think she said a Mal-Hecate."

"You mean the Emerged that inspired Paz' Raid Gear?" Daara asks.

"Mhm."

"Which means we can assume that it's a reasonable distance from here? It wouldn't get close to a probable target, right dearest?"

"Wait a sec," Daara interrupts. "If it's a sniper… First of all, there are only two vantage points to target the village, which are this point and the other side of the waterfall. If it's not at the other side then it amounts to the second scenario."

"Which is?" Arthur asks.

Angelica lets out a loud "*GASP*!" And throws herself in front of Arthur. The black projectile makes contact with no time to spare, the Mal-Hecate's stealth bullet. Daara thinks to himself in a split second.

"{It was paranoid about the spots that it would most likely choose, and spotted us as a result}"

[Mr. Alex]

He lives in one of the nobles' houses. Theirs is actually quite the establishment. Unlike other Tudor houses, even the wood on the exterior is lacquered. The sign says "Mondragon Residence". He walks up the doorstep and plugs the key in. The key doesn't even fit.

"They changed the locks," he says almost surprised. "Well I should've expected this; it's more like I had it coming." He turns around to walk away but he hears the door being opened behind him. The blonde twins of the Raid Unit: Veteran stand at the doorpost.

They are: Alexander and Alexandra. The latter is a semi-supercilious brazen teen. She doesn't behave far from the truth however. She could actually hold a handle to Angelica if she made an effort to play fashion and aged a few. However, she also has the flaw which more or less could be the end of her; she fell in love with the Guilds pervert.

The preceding is actually of good behavioral and moral standard. Like his sister, he always seeks the chance to flaunt his "superior" strength as an E.M.U. However, he's what you might call "the silent type".

"Well look at that; your key opened the door after all," he says. Mr. Alex turns around to take a look at them; it's a look of mixed feelings. "Aren't you gonna come in?" she asks. He shakes his head no. They approach him from behind as he starts on his way.

"What's THAT supposed to mean Grandpa?" Alexander asks.

"I think it's about time I left. As you can see—your parents don't want me here."

"But why is mother doing this?" she takes her turn.

"It's not your mom's fault. She's only trying to keep the family together."

"But she's your daughter," he cries.

"Ain't that a cryin' shame. It's for that reason that she shares your father's grief. She experienced firsthand what it was like to have family in the guild. They think if they got me outta the equation, maybe—just maybe, you're gonna quit."

"If they wanna see us quit then how 'bout retiring from here?"

"No. It must've been painful to agree to this; she didn't even come to tell me herself. I'm sure she agreed because she loves you more."

She hugs him tight. "Where're you gonna stay?" she sobs.

"I'll hang around our old place in the lower residential area for a while… but I think I'm gonna leave this place sooner or later."

"Then I'll come and stay with you. I don't care where it is."

"Won't you explain things to her Alexander?"

"… You say that now but a high maintenance girl like you might not be able to do that. Besides, the old salt feels like his last voyage is near."

"*gasp*"—she drops to the floor—"…Isn't that more reason to stay with us?"

"… He never said that I was gonna die, geez." He scratches his head. "I don't have a clue what in the world drew you to me, but guess what?"

"What?"

"I'll give you this baby after I defeat the Black Minotaur. That's right, the Veteran Tower: Cranium."

She bursts into tears and covers her face. "You idiot.

"Hunh? What'd I do now?"

"How do you expect me ta carry that thing? Leave me something better." They all have a good laugh

[Eris]

Now the moment we've all been waiting for. If I can quite remember, Harmonie was gliding through the air to deliver a fatal blow. Eris has no clue about what's transpiring behind her. He notices a great illumination burst out from behind her, as if a massive flame brewed up behind her. She turns around to behold a flaming blade that's chipped of a portion of the floor tiles. Blood-Eye dodged!

[Guillelmus]

He thinks to himself in a split second. "I messed up." [DEATH AVERTED] Blood-Eye side-stepped in a flash. What's worse is he and Amitha set off a visible flame. If there's any accomplice nearby he must've noticed. Now he has to defend himself and protect Eris—Impossible.

"You fool." That derogatory remark could only mean one thing. However, there's no way that Guillelmus could retract his blade in time. Blood-Eye however kicks him so hard in the ribs that he goes rolling over. That's not enough to stop him though. Harmonie springs back up on his feet.

Harmonie unleashes an evil flurry of slashes at him in an attempt to end him as soon as possible. Blood-Eye is skilled though and he just keeps on maintaining the distance between them. He can tell a killer's eyes from experience.

"You're that guy from the alleyway aren't you?"

Harmonie doesn't even take a break. He thrusts at him as if he were using a rapier. That's actually due to the fact that Amitha was a rapier before. He actually manages to spill some blood though.

"If you don't come down to reasoning I'm gonna have to fight you for real!"

"Hunh?"

That stops him in his tracks and baffles his brains a little. After standing still for a second or two he says to himself that he's not gonna fall for it and takes the first bound but Amitha tells him to end it.

"{Why?}"

"{You already missed the Death Clef. It wouldn't hurt to get some information outta him.}"

"{What about Eris?}"

"{She's already out of sight. She ran around the corner the instant you landed.}"

"…I'm listening." He says with a deep voice, muffled out by the mask.

"Attack at intervals to make it look natural."

"Alright then,"—he lunges in and slashes—"How'd you know that I was about you?"

"All amateur murderers radiate mana as a result of their bloodlust."

"You have the nerve to call me a murderer?!" he takes another slash.

"We need not prolong this fight. I just wanted you to know that I am not you your enemy."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Your girlfriend looked pretty healthy to me."

"…Gonna give you the benefit of the doubt. What do you want from me?"

"The new Jacket is in the region."

Blood-Eye initiates a relentless barrage of slashes that compromises Harmonie's footing, and gives him a devastating kick to the face.

He leaves him a message. "If you want to wear the Jacket, you'll have to learn how to fight enemies with an intellect." After saying that, he descends on him with a slash. Of course, it's deflected and he withdraws.

"{Damn it! Did he intend on cracking my skull?.}"

"{Thinking about what he said… you actually have little knowledge on fighting.}"

"{How'd I defeat the previous Alley then?}"

"{Circumstances were different then. You never failed to hit the Death Clef then.}"

"{And why d'you think I missed it this time.}"

"{Maybe it depends on your relative skill level. He coulda just been fast enough to dodge.}"

"{If that's the case, the higher ranks of the Dark Alley are gonna be dangerous.}"

"{Aren't you gonna get up?}" she asks the kneeling soldier.

"{I'm not down on a knee to look awesome. That kick really rocked the hell outta my brains… Eris!}"

"{Stay put.}"

"{Why?}"

"{What if she has a tail? Observe from a distance and make sure that she gets home."}"

"{Alright.}"

[/]

Blood-Eye observes him from a nearby rooftop. That suspicious grunt approaches him from behind with a tiny dagger at hand, his intentions—evident. He's detected before he can get within a meters range but Blood-Eye doesn't turn around.

"What is it that you seek?"

"*gasp* {He noticed? But how?}. I… I was just curious to know why you let him go."

"I never said it was a him."

"A kunoichi?"

"Just kidding. Someone decided to play dress up. It only reminded me that I needed a few more players to make the game entertaining."

"… That Is feasible but… are you sure you didn't play dress up like he did. You do look like you're in a shinobi-casual." He marks out as he stashes the dagger.

"Hunh? Me?"—he turns around—"I look normal—"

"No you don't boss." the dark-skinned one appears.

[Valentina]

The bath actually has a coal chamber under it with a metal plate that makes direct contact with the water in the tub. After mom went through the trouble of igniting the coal, she had to fan the coal till it could manage on its own and even wait for the water to warm up. She can't believe how mom is able to do that every day. No wonder she prefers to have a second person in the bath. She takes a dip in the warm water.

"Mmmmmm. Finally… I would've been comfortably off to the dream world if it wasn't for that annoying… Wonder what he was up to. I thought he was role-playing until I brought that sack inside. Could it be that he stayed in the sack?" she thinks aloud. "I SHOULD be right back."

[>]

"MMM! MMM! MMMM!"

"Serves you right."—she unties it—"I've untied the knot; you can come out now."

The person in the sack doesn't emerge. She gets pissed and kicks the sack a few times. There's still no response so she gets closer and opens it. He springs out and topples over to the "fairy" in the bath robe. He even gets to cop a feel.

She's startled and taken off guard so she fails to react within the first few seconds. "Oh my. Did I wind up in heaven—?" she gives him a shot in the nuts so that he rolls over and chips in quite the concussion to remember.

"*heavy breathing* What the hell?"

[Harmonie]

After trailing Eris for a short while, she arrives at the place she calls home. She means to take her key out but she must've dropped it somewhere. She bangs on the door for a while and Erin comes to open up.

"{I guess we're done here.}"

"{I guess so. A great weight's been lifted off my shoulders. I think we can finally go to sleep; don'tcha agree?"

"{Let's hurry then.}"

[Arthur]

Daara shoots a void looking blast back and hacks away at the incoming bullets. Arthur can't believe he let this happen because he let his guard down. It looks bad. There's no evidence that Angelica was wearing white before. He doesn't know how he's gonna resuscitate this mess. He freaks out.

"ANGELICA NO!"

"Arthur! Pull yourself together! I can't keep this up!"

"ANGELICA! Stay with me. PLEASE!"

"ARTHUR! YOU'VE GOTTA GET HER OUTTA HERE!"

Daara's footing is compromised. The next volley of bullets takes its course. It's not looking good for Succubus.

------------End of Chapter 9-------------

Man, they couldn't even wait for one day after Elmus messed up. Whatever; someone's gotta die sooner or later.

To be continued…