The Retrieval #3: Taking Action

"2:58....2:59...3:00" Kagura uttered to herself as she walked to the underground central. Her breath was becoming unstable, her hands shaking, her knees becoming weak.

"What am I doing? I don't even know if I should fight or surrender" Kagura questioned herself. "I don't even care anymore. I just... want to see them... again"

Kagura walked straight, not stopping on the way. She didn't notice that she was already surrounded by men in black. They grabbed her by the arms, restraining her. The took the umbrella from her hands.

"Don't even try to struggle. We already have the umbrella" one of them said with a smirk

"Then give my family back!" Kagura shouted

"Hahaha! You actually believed that? How gullible can you get?" They said, mocking her

"I-" Kagura couldn't collect her words. Her face became blank, her brain couldn't think of a response

"Shows over, losers" A familiar feminine voice was heard from the back of the men.

A figure wearing the same black attire as the others, but a different aura radiating from her. She threw a something on the ground that radiated smoke. No one could see a thing, the area became foggy. As soon as she did that, a black shadow moved so fast, drawing out it's katana, cutting every single one of the men in black at the knee.

"Here's your umbrella. Go cast a spell or something" It went behind Kagura, handing her the umbrella.

Kagura's eyes lit up. She held the umbrella tightly, throwing it near the kidnapers. "Shogyo Mugyo!" She said, making the umbrella shine. A line formed between the enemies and the umbrella pulling them to it, leaving them unconscious while their knees bled.

Kagura's eyes widened as the two ninjas in black took of their masks. "Hanabi!? Hayabusa!? I thought I told you to stay out of this!" She said

"That's what I told him but his head is as hard as a rock" Hanabi said, facepalming

"I guess you can say, I'm your prince in shining armor?" Hayabusa said jokingly

"Die" Hanabi and Kagura said at the same time with the same annoyed expression

"D-die!?" Hayabusa said nervously

"All jokes aside, thanks for being here for me!" Kagura said, smiling with her hands on her chest

Hayabusa was stunned by her actions causing him to blush and become flustered, "H-hey! Stop that..." he said, looking down while his hands were on the back of his neck.

"Stop what?" Kagura asked

"Forget it" Hayabusa said. It was the first time he saw Kagura as more than friends. The way Kagura's eyes became smaller as she smiles, the kind way she spoke to him, and her selfless personality somehow became more clear to Hayabusa. He blushed with the image of Kagura glued to his brain.

"Are you okay? You're turning kinda red. Do you have a fever?" Hanabi questioned

"Hehe.... I'm totally fine! I don't know what you're talking about" Hayabusa said in panic

"If you say so" Hanabi said, concerned for her friend's health

"Anyways, we should get going. It getting dark too" Kagura suggested, picking up Her umbrella from the ground

"R-right" Hayabusa answered

"We should tell the officials about this incident. Your family isn't here, right Kagura? Although these men said they'd bring them, so technically they're still missing" Hanabi stated

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"We will handle this situation. Thank you for your cooperation. We'll tell you if we make any progress finding them" an official said

"Please do. I'll be waiting" Kagura said, worried about her family

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The whole walk home was unusually silent. The wind was strong and cold. The atmosphere was tense.

They arrived at Kagura's house. She bowed goodbye as she showed her kind smile. The other two were walking again, although they didn't know where to go. Nothing changed, everything was still uneasy

"I know you don't want to go home yet" Hayabusa said

"So you're a mind reader now?" Hanabi uttered

"I can see it in your face. It's getting pretty dark. Oh! The moon is already here, time moves so fast" Hayabusa said looking at the moon.

The sky was lit up by sparkling stars. They stood near a lake. The water reflecting the stars.

"Would you like to have a match?" Hayabusa said

"Why all of a sudden?" Hanabi question, fighting back a smile

"Since you didn't exactly get to fight today, I thought you might feel left out" Hayabusa explains

"Fine. But don't regret it!" Hanabi said

They stood across each other. Their swords were hitting each other. They were in synch.

"You can't hit me this time. I observed your moves!" Hanabi said, with a cocky smirk

"More like, copied them!" Hayabusa jokingly shouted

They fought until dawn and they couldn't move a muscle anymore. The two, laid down on the grass, facing the bright sky.

The sky was still bright as ever, which reflected on their eyes.

"We can call today a victory, right?" Hanabi asked

"We won the battle for sure. I don't know if we won the war though" Hayabusa answered, sighing shortly after

"Even so, I'm happy I got to do this. I've been locked up in the dojo for as long as I can remember" Hanabi mentioned

"You're with us now. You don't have to worry about being so alone anymore" Hayabusa said with a smile as bright as the moon

The stars were twinkling but something else caught Hanabi's attention. Her heart ached and she was fighting back a smile. Hanabi didn't have many friends growing up, everyone was aware of the fact that she was sa Supreme Grandmaster's successor. The majority of them stayed away, the other look at her with jealousy. It's the first time she didn't feel alone. She stared at Hayabusa as he stared at the sky. Hayabusa's eyes were brighter to Hanabi than before. Everything felt different for her, like entering an entirely new world.

"Hey... can we do this again?" Hanabi requested

"Sure! It's fun hanging out with you like this" Hayabusa said, his words piercing through Hanabi's heart

"I'm glad" Hanabi said, smiling like bewildered puppy