Inside the safety of the van, a palpable tension filled the air. Kobeni, her breaths shallow and rapid, turned to face Denji. Her face was a maelstrom of emotions; the fierceness from before had melted away, revealing a vulnerable young woman beneath.
"Denji," she started, her voice shaky, "I'm...I'm truly sorry for trying to hurt you. It's just...everything's been so intense, and I nearly lost Hirokazu." A tear slid down her face. "This job... it's slowly tearing me apart."
Denji looked back at her, unsure of what to say. He could see the toll the job had taken on Kobeni, the internal struggles she faced. The weight of it all was evident in her tear-filled eyes.
"It's alright," Denji said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We all have our breaking points. But we're here for you."
Kobeni looked up, managing a weak smile through her tears. "Thank you, Denji." The moment served as a reminder to all in the van about the real cost of the battles they fought, not just in blood and bruises but in emotional scars.
Ryota glanced over at Kobeni, a soft, teasing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You know, as a thank-you for always being such a great sis, I'll let you cuddle with me tonight."
Kobeni's eyes lit up for a split second before she managed to regain her composure. "Really? I mean...we're not kids anymore, you know?" she tried to sound nonchalant, but her excitement was palpable.
Denji chuckled, "Come on, you two. You're not little children anymore."
Power, tilting her head, curiously inquired, "Cuddling is only for kids?"
Aki sighed, looking a tad envious, "Having family close like that...sometimes, it's better than always trying to act like a grown-up."
Power's eyes darted to the steering wheel, her feline curiosity evident. Without a word, she lunged for it, grabbing hold and trying to steer the van herself.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Kobeni shrieked, trying to wrestle control back from Power.
Denji, gripping his seat, exclaimed, "Power! Don't just hijack the wheel!"
Ryota groaned, "This is exactly why we can't have nice things..."
Aki, eyes widened in alarm, yelled, "Power, do you even know how to drive?"
Power, grinning wildly with her signature chaotic energy, retorted, "How hard can it be? Just move the thing and press the thing!"
The van veered wildly off the road, crashing into a tree with a loud, crunching sound. The impact sent everyone inside tumbling. As the dust settled and the groans of pain echoed, the group tried to gather their bearings.
Denji, rubbing his head with a grimace, said, "That's it, no more driving for devils!"
Aki, checking on a cut on his arm, shot a stern look at Power. "You just HAD to grab the wheel!"
Katana Man, disheveled and clearly not in the mood, snapped, "Can you morons do ANYTHING right?"
Akane, groaning from the pain, added sarcastically, "Great driving skills. Really."
Power, her hair even more disheveled than usual, pointed at Kobeni. "It's her fault! She taught me how to drive like that in my dream!"
Kobeni, incredulous, responded, "I never taught you anything! Especially not how to crash a van!"
Ryota sighed deeply, "Just another day with this group, huh?"
Power continued to argue her point, "It's all about dreams and reality. You taught me in a dream, so it's real!"
Denji couldn't help himself and joined in the fun, "Yeah, and I dreamt I was a millionaire once. So where's my money?"
Aki, seeing the comical potential, chimed in, "I dreamt I had a peaceful day once. So why am I here?"
The situation quickly escalated from playful banter to a frenzy. Denji, his chainsaw revving with mischievous intent, said, "Power's going to learn her lesson the hard way."
Aki rolled his eyes but said in a half-joking tone, "Let's do it then. But remember, she comes back to life."
Kobeni, joining in with a mix of exasperation and amusement, quipped, "She better remember this lesson for at least a week."
Power, sensing the imminent playful onslaught, tried to protest, "Wait! It was a joke! I was just... Oh, come on!"
Ryota laughed, "This is what you get for being so chaotic all the time."
Katana Man and Akane, still bound, watched the impending comedic violence with a mix of fascination and amusement. Akane turned to Katana Man and whispered
Katana Man and Akane, seeing a potential opportunity, tried to negotiate. "Hey, if you let us go, we'll help you out with the whole... discipline thing," Katana Man offered with a smirk.
Akane nodded in agreement, "Yeah, might be fun."
Ryota, stepping in between them and Power, raised an eyebrow, "As tempting as that offer is, you two aren't going anywhere."
Power, realizing her predicament, tried to put on her best innocent face, "I promise I'll be good...?"
But her pleas fell on deaf ears as the group began their playful punishment session, ensuring that, while they were venting their frustrations, they wouldn't actually harm Power too seriously. After all, she was one of them, even if she was a handful at times.
The scene was chaotic. Power, in spite of her incredible strength and resilience, was now on the receiving end of some "tough love" from the team. They took turns dishing out punishment, ensuring she felt every hit, kick, and smack
Amid the ruckus, Denji, looking at the damaged van, sighed, "Can't we just walk to where we need to go?"
Ryota, brushing off some dirt from his clothes, responded, "It's way too far. We'd be walking for hours."
Aki, pulling out a small map, pointed, "The nearest town is about twenty miles from here. We can't risk walking, especially with prisoners and all the stuff we have."
Power, her body battered but still feisty, grumbled from the ground, "If someone hadn't crashed the van..."
Kobeni shot her a look, "Don't even try to shift the blame!"