Hi Yukio!

Sneaking out of the mansion ground was starting to feel like a sport for Wade. With every step, he perfected his technique—silent, stealthy, and just the right amount of cocky. He was about to hit the front door when a voice broke through his confidence.

"Going somewhere?"

Wade stopped dead in his tracks, groaning under his breath. "Ken, I swear, if you keep doing this, I'm putting a bell on you."

You knew he's behind you all time tho.

'I am encouraging his stealth skill!'

(You practically screamed to take him with you!)

Ken stepped into view, arms crossed, wearing a smug little grin that said I caught you again. "And if you keep sneaking out, I'm telling Mom and Dad."

Wade turned slowly, flashing a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh, you're playing dirty now? I thought we were a team, man."

Ken shrugged, leaning against the doorframe like he owned the place. "We are a team. And as part of that team, I'm coming with you. Again."

Wade rolled his eyes, hands on his hips, doing his best big-brother-who's-seen-too-much-of-this-before look. "Ken, you realize what this is, right? It's not a school field trip. It's serious. You know, mercenary work, where people shoot at you, and I have to, like, keep you from dying."

Ken just blinked at him, deadpan. "Yeah. And the last two times, I saved your butt."

(Literally too! That time was hilarious!)

We'll have to regrow our ass painfully if he didn't.

Wade raised a finger, ready to argue, then dropped it with a sigh. "Okay, fine. But the minute you started to bother me on my job, I'm dragging you back. I'm not dealing with Rogue's I told you so speech."

Ken's smirk widened. "Deal. Let's roll."

Wade shook his head, muttering, "You're like a little demon child," as they slipped out the gate, this time with Ken trailing close behind, just like always.

-

"Mr. Lively?" the pizza boy, Jeremy, asked, still frowning at the order receipt. "I got a delivery for a Mr. Lively. This is 211 Oak Street, right?"

The homeowner furrowed his brow, clearly rattled. "What the hell? I didn't order a pizza, man! You might want to get your head checked."

Jeremy persisted, citing the address again. "Then who placed the call?"

From the shadows of the hallway, Wade stepped forward like he owns the place. "Oh, that'd be me. Yeah, I ordered the pizza. Pineapple and olive? Sweet and salty!" He smiled, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he grabbed a slice from the confused delivery boy's box.

"Fuck are you? The fuck you doing in my crib?"

Ken appeared beside Wade with a gun pointed to the pizza guy, already started picking a slice. "Did they burn crust?"

"Oh, God, I hope not."

"Awww, we specifically told them to burn the crust! Dammit! Get in here!"

The homeowner, now completely unnerved, took a cautious step back. "Woah, man, look. I-is this about last night's poker game?" he stammered. "Look, I told Howie, I didn't mean to—Just uh, just take whatever you want."

Wade didn't even look at him. "Shut up," he growled, he pulls out his own gun and pointed it at the guy, freezing him in his tracks.

The homeowner trembled, reaching for his wallet like it was a peace offering. "Just take it, alright? Take everything. I won't say a word."

With a casual shrug, Wade snatched the wallet, flipping through it without even breaking his stride. "Thanks."

Jeremy, still blissfully unaware that he was in mortal danger, looked between the two intruders and the shaking homeowner. "Uh… Sir, before you do anything to him, mind if I get a big tip?"

Ken shot Jeremy a devilish grin. "Oh, Jeremy, is it?" He leaned in, voice low and teasing. "That is ah, a no go on the tiperoo, Jer. We're not here for him. We're here for you.

The words hit Jeremy like a sledgehammer. "Wh-what? M-me? Why me?"

"Oh, hey, wow, dodged a big time bullet on that one!" The homeowner exhaled in relief, happy to not be on the hit list.

"You're not out of the woods yet. You need to seriously ease-up on the bedazzling. They're jeans, not a chandelier. P.S., I am keeping your wallet. You did kind of give it to me."

The homeowner, trying to regain some control of his life, muttered "Hey, look man, can I just have my Sam's Card—"

"I will shoot your fucking cat." Wade cut him off without missing a beat.

"I don't even know what that means. I don't have a cat."

Wade cocked his head, feigning confusion. "Then who's kitty litter did I just shit in?"

Silent.

Wade sighed, wiping some pizza grease off his hands on Jeremy as he turned his attention back to Jeremy. "Anyway? Do you know Meghan Orlovsky? Orlovsky? Orlov... Did I said it right? Whatever, you know who I'm talking about."

Wade hands a piece of pizza to the homeowner, who reaches for it, but Wade just casually dropped a slice of pizza onto the floor near his feet.

Jeremy swallowed hard, his face turning pale. He nodded. "I-I, uh, yeah… I know her."

Wade nodded, finally turning his full attention to Jeremy. "Great. 'Cause she knows you. Jeremy, We belong to a group of guys who take a dime to beat a fella down."

"And Megan, she's not made of money, but lucky for her, her dad made of money, and money is one of our soft spot y'know?"

"I'm, uh…"

"A stalker. Threats hurt, Jer. But not nearly as much as serrated steel. So, keep away from Megan. Cool?"

Jeremy's voice shook. "I-I wasn't stalking her! I swear, I just—"

"Save it." Wade's tone was flat. "We know everything, including the fact that she's underage. And guess what, Jeremy? Her dad found out about you. And he doesn't like guys like you hanging around his daughter."

Ken grinned darkly. "Neither do we."

"Dude!!! That's fuck up!!!" Homeowner said. The homeowner cleared his throat. "Uh, d-do you… need anything else? I can, uh, step out for a bit…"

Wade laughed, waving the man off. "Nah, stick around. You can be the witness. Always nice to have one of those."

"So, stay away from Meghan kay?" Wade asked, his attention is back at Jeremy again, tapping the side of Jeremy's head like they were old pals.

"Yes, sir." Jeremy stammered, barely keeping his voice steady.

"Kay, we're cool." Wade turned to walk off, but Jeremy, bless his little confused heart, piped up.

"Wait, we are?" Jeremy blinked in disbelief.

"Yeah, totally done." Ken added, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.

They all start laughing. Wade then points to the homeowner. "You should have seen your face!"

"I didn't know what to do. I was so scared." the homeowner stammered, clearly still shaken.

"Soft spot, remember?" Ken said with a chuckle.

Then, without warning, Wade and Ken grabbed Jeremy by the neck and slammed him against the wall. The sudden shift in tone sent a shiver down the homeowner's spine.

"Here's the deal, Jer," Wade said, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous growl. "You will learn in the worst of ways that I have some hard spots too. That came out wrong. Or did it?"

Ken's eyes twinkled with that mischievous glint. "And now, here's the fun part: options."

Wade cracked his knuckles dramatically, his grin spreading like a Cheshire cat. "You see, Jeremy, there are so many creative ways to deal with creeps like you. Option one—" Wade grabbed Jeremy's trembling hand and lifted it like he was about to appraise a diamond. "We take this hand. Y'know, so you can't, uh... 'enjoy' your favorite hobby anymore." His voice dripped with mock sympathy.

Jeremy's knees buckled as he whimpered, "P-please…"

Ken gave a theatrical tap to his chin, as if seriously pondering the situation. "Or... we could go for the chest. Little stab here, little stab there. Let you bleed out slowly, maybe hum a tune while you suffer."

Wade leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Or, if you're feeling adventurous, we could take you to the bathroom... and drown you. Slowly. Let you feel it."

By this point, Jeremy was visibly shaking, tears streaming down his face as if his brain had short-circuited from sheer terror. "I-I'll stop! I swear! I'll never go near her again!" His voice broke with desperation.

Wade exchanged a casual glance with Ken, who shrugged. "Yeah, sorry, while that's is her request, her dad request is more… gory…" Wade said.

Jeremy barely had time to scream before Wade and Ken got to work. The homeowner, who had watched this entire scene unfold like it was a bad dream, stood frozen in the corner, eyes wide. He flinched every time Jeremy made a sound but wisely kept his mouth shut. After all, he knew what would happen if he made a wrong move.

"S-sorry. Look, that guy... Totally deserved that. So i'm not gonna. Like, call the cops or anything, okay?"

Wade and Ken both ignored the homeowner. Wade, ever the clean freak, grabbed a napkin from the pizza box and wiped the blood from his hands like he was dealing with nothing more serious than pizza grease. He tossed the napkin onto Jeremy's lifeless body with a satisfied sigh. "Always love taking down a pedo. What about you, Ken?"

Ken nodded, looking pleased with himself. "Yeah, beats therapy of all time. Beside, we got paid!"

"Well, I mean... I'm gonna have to call the cops eventually, but... I won't tell them I—uh, saw your faces or anything," the homeowner said, nervously wringing his hands.

Wade and Ken stopped mid-bite, side-eyeing the guy. "You haven't seen our faces."

The homeowner laughed nervously. "Yeah! I mean—no! Exactly! So, uh, you can just... leave."

As they strolled out of the house, Wade casually pulled out his phone like he was about to check his Instagram feed but instead dialed 9-1-1. "Yeah, hi. I'd like to report a murder," he said, his voice trembling with a perfectly rehearsed, fake panic. "Uh-uh, the guy who lives 211 Oak Street? I just saw him torture and kill a pizza delivery boy. He's still in there. Hurry, though. I think he's trying to flee the scene."

Hanging up the phone, Wade turned to Ken, grinning. "Now that is how you get triple payment from one job done!"

-

Ten minutes later, the two brothers stood outside the familiar door of Sister Margaret's School for Wayward Children, also known as the best worst idea Wade ever had. Inside, they were greeted by the dingy glow of neon lights and the not-so-welcoming stares of shady characters nursing cheap beers.

Sister Margaret's School for Wayward Children was buzzing with its usual crowd of unsavory characters. Wade pushed the door open, the smell of stale beer and broken dreams hitting them like a wall. It was a comforting kind of awful, in a weird way.

"Home sweet Margaret," Ken quipped, walking in beside Wade like they owned the place.

"You say that now," Wade replied, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder. "But if Weasel tries to offer us another sewer gig, I'm leaving you here."

Ken grinned. "You wouldn't."

Wade snorted. "You're right. But I'd think about it."

They made their way to the bar, where Weasel was polishing glasses with a look that screamed I'm done with you. He spotted them, sighed deeply, and shook his head.

"Again? Really? How the hell you both always finish three jobs under one hour!"

(He always seems so scared of us…)

We did torture and intimidated him so we could go in to the bar.

"Oh, you know me!" Wade waved casually. "I always strive for efficiency!"

"Well, you always had your ways on doing things and to think we got money from the girl, the dad, and that guy wife! Here you go!"

"And the guy wallet! But that's more for our tip, really!"

"Anyway, do you had anymore jobs for us to take? Anything lightweight? Contract killing or just retrieving some 'valuable' things from the cops?"

Weasel raised an eyebrow. "Don't you've a school to attend tomorrow?"

"And?" Wade shot back, clearly not giving a fuck about his educations.

Before Weasel could retort, a shadow fell across the bar. Wade turned to see a figure he kinda recognize. An Asian girl—young about 16-years-olds with a pink and red streak on her black hair, but with an air of confidence that said she could probably take down half the room without breaking a sweat. Holy fucks that's Yukio! Hey, should he cuck Negasonic Teenage Warhead? Ahh, no, he will not do that to a friend even if he did like Yukio most. She always got that supportive Goth/Alternative girlfriend that he's vibes with.

(Is it really cucking if it was not the same person? I don't think Negasonic and that Yukio were already born in this time anyway. Beside she looks more fierces and dangerous than that Yukio.)

'Oooh Dangerous, my type of woman exactly!'

Maybe this Yukio is her mom? Relative maybe? Or just someone with same name?

"Wade and Ken Howlett, right?" she said, her voice flat and direct.

Wade blinked, glanced at Ken, then back at her. "Depends. Who's asking?"

"My name is Yukio, I am from Yashida Corporation."

(Whoo! She is the different Yukio! The Wolverine one Yukio! Go for her dude! We still held the dude code!)

The girl—Yukio, as she would soon introduce herself—didn't flinch. "I'm looking for your father. It's important."

Ken gave Wade a sideways glance, eyebrows raised in that we don't know this chick way that Wade knew all too well.

"Important, huh?" Wade said, arms crossing in a mirror image of his little brother. "Is this the life-or-death kind of important? Or just the 'I really need someone to take out the trash' kind?"

Yukio didn't even blink. "Life or death."

Wade looked at Ken, who just shrugged. "Sounds legit."

Wade shot a quick glance at Ken again before giving her a reluctant nod. "Alright, but this better not be some kind of elaborate revenge plot. We've been down that road, and it's really lost its charm."

Ken looked equally suspicious but stayed quiet.

"Meet us in the morning, we still need to take some missions."

"Okay, I'll wait here."

-

Back at their cottage home near the mansion—they leave there ever since the X2 movie arc happened, Wade and Ken led Yukio into the kitchen, where Rogue and Logan were lounging and hanging out with beer in their hands. Laura is there too, watching a cartoon near while munching on her cereals.

"Well, this is new," Rogue said, crossing her arms as she spotted Yukio. "Wade, you bringing a girl home? Didn't think Ah'd see the day."

Ken couldn't resist. "Yeah, Me too, I thought he gonna bring a boy first, he is awfully close with Peter..."

Wade grinned, hands thrown up in mock exasperation. "Guys, come on, it's not like that. I mean, technically, this isn't how I imagined bringing someone home to meet you all... But hey, at least she's not trying to kill me or dead, which is more than I can say for my usual social circle."

We really set the bar low. Really low.

(Still counts as a win, though!)

Logan raised an eyebrow at that. "You sure about that, kid?"

Laura, watching Yukio carefully, finally spoke up. "She smells weird. Like death and ashes."

Wade shot Laura a look. "Okay, first off, rude. Second, I'm pretty sure she was a ninja assassin or sumthin'. Third, Aww, are you turning into a bro-con for me already?"

Ken just shrugged, smirking. "Because she knows this is the closest thing you'll ever have to a date."

Ouch. Well played, lil bro.

(Ooooh! Burn!!!)

"Oi! Again! Rude!"

It's true. You still couldn't touch any girl before you sucked her soul dry.

(This is why I said we should try train our sucking power first!!!)

'Bracket, you kidding me right? I am not kissing any frog to train it!'

(IT WAS THE SAFEST BET! BESIDE WE COULD HAD SICK TONGUE AFTER THAT!!!)

Sometimes, I wonder about your state of mind, Bracket.

Yukio, seemingly unfazed by the family dynamics playing out around her, stepped forward and gave a small bow, her voice calm but direct. "Mr. Howlett, Mrs. Howlett, My name is Yukio. I work for Master Yashida, the man Mr. Howlett saved during the bombing of Nagasaki."

Logan's posture stiffened at the mention of Yashida, but he said nothing, letting her continue.

"Master Yashida sent me to find you," Yukio said, her eyes locking on Logan's. "He has not forgotten the promise he made to you. He wishes to give you the sword he promised in person, and he is dying. He has asked me to bring you to Japan so that he may thank you before he passes."

Logan let out a long breath, a shadow of old memories crossing his face. "Look... I am not really the guy who want to go flying halfway across the world to say goodbye to someone he barely remember. I had a stable job and family now, I couldn't just leave them."

Yukio didn't blink, her tone unwavering. "If you want to bring them with you, it wouldn't be a problem. Master Yoshida also wanted to see his savior family before he passes."

"It's not like that, I got to teach and the kids still had their classes to attend. It's not really a good time—"

"Please, this is my master final wishes before he died to me! I need to made it possible!" Yukio is now bowing even lower before Logan and Rogue. She seems really determined to take Logan to her master.

Logan was quiet for a moment, glancing at Rogue. She was watching him, her expression guarded but knowing. There's something fishy about this whole thing.

There was a beat of silence, everyone taking in the weight of the situation, when Wade—ever the master of timing—raised his hand like a kid in class.

"So, if Dad can't go, can I? I mean, I have been looking for an opportunity to make my own anime."

Ken immediately cracked up, doubling over. "Oh my God, you'd totally turn this whole thing into some cringey action-comedy anime."

Wade smirked. "You say that like it's a bad thing. Besides, if anyone's anime material, it's me. Superpowers, katana and ninja skills, a tragic backstory... I'm basically already a main character. Literally. Well, except for the whole dead parents thing, hopefully..."

This is it. Our anime arc is finally here. Next stop, Konoha!

(NINJAS! SWORDS! MECHA SUITS!)

Rogue shot Wade a look. "You're not going anywhere near Japan, sugar."

Aww, c'mon, party pooper.

(But, but, our ninja arc! Our anime!!!)

Wade shrugged, completely unfazed. "Just saying, I'd rock the ronin looks!"

Laura, who had been quiet until now, muttered, "You'd look like an idiot."

Wade sighed dramatically. "And this is why I'm never bringing you to do mission with me."

Rogue rolled her eyes at her son. "We also didn't want to bring you to any mission but you just to stubborn to be told not to! You've been rubbing off your bad influenced to Ken! Honestly!".

Logan's expression softened, but he still looked conflicted. "I've to discuss this with my family first." he muttered, almost to himself, before turning to Yukio again. "I'll give you my answer tomorrow."

Yukio bowed again, grateful. "Thank you. I'll be ready whenever you are."