Katsumi said as she led Kusanagi away.
Both girls had failed to notice that Ranmaru had been listening in on their entire conversation, and there was a fierce glint in his golden eyes as he watched Kusanagi leave with Katsumi...
“Oujo-sama...”
***
Katsumi had forced Kusanagi into a low-cut, dangerously short, formfitting, emerald green tube dress that had sparkly sequins all over the material making it shimmer in the streetlights. She was wearing a pair of black, knee-high boots and Katsumi had styled her hair into two wild pigtails on either side of her head. Personally, she thought she looked rather ridiculous. But when she turned to look Katsumi over she couldn’t help but wonder which one of them was the more ridiculous. Katsumi was wearing a pink tank top that was at least two sizes too small, revealing a lot of the cleavage of her ample chest and which was riding up to show off her belly button ring. She had paired this off with a short jean skirt and a pair of platform shoes that Kusanagi was surprised the airhead could even walk in properly without falling flat on her-“OW!” Katsumi tripped as they finally reached the entrance to the club Tsuki Hana. There was a large sign hanging over the entranceway to the club, which had the name Tsuki in dark blue, then a yellow crescent moon shape, and then the word Hana that was also in dark blue followed. The background of the sign was pitch black and the club building itself was a muted gray color.
Kusanagi smacked a hand to her forehead, “I spoke too Bitch 81
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soon...”
They were immediately waved into the club and Katsumi was immediately the center of attention. Katsumi let out a
‘whoop!’ of excitement as she skipped out onto the dance floor and immediately began getting her groove on. It wasn’t long before several guys tried to come up and dance with Katsumi, however, the oblivious girl wasn’t really paying too much attention to her surroundings, and so as she was twirling and spinning she ended up smacking the guys, who had been trying to get close enough to dance with her, in the face sending them flying. Katsumi was stronger than she looked apparently. A trickle of sweat formed on Kusanagi’s brow as she watched this. And here she had been a bit worried about leaving the airhead on her own in a club like this. She shook her head and began to scan the crowd for suspicious looking characters. That’s when she felt a hand tapping her shoulder. Her reflexes taking over, Kusanagi spun and punched the guy in the face so that he went flying across the dance floor. Kusanagi blinked when she realized that it was just some guy trying to ask her to dance. Opps. Oh well. No big.
Kusanagi continued to scan the crowd and adjusted her dress for the about the tenth time that evening by pulling it down. It was way too short. But when she pulled the dress down it revealed more of her cleavage and so Kusanagi had to pull it back up again and the process repeated until in the end she gave up in exasperation. How Katsumi had managed to find that dress in her closet she didn’t even want to know. Kusanagi then caught sight of a pale, sick looking girl who was swaying on her feet and had dark bags under her eyes. She was heading towards the bathroom, maybe to puke...but then again maybe not...
Kusanagi saw that the Grim Reaper’s shadow was trailing behind the girl...Uh oh. Kusanagi nodded to herself and decided to follow the girl.
Kusanagi stopped just outside the bathroom door as she began to hear a slight commotion coming from within-“Onegai! Please...I need more HANABI.” The girl was 82
saying with a tinge of desperation in her voice.
“Do you have the money?” A gruff voice was questioning her. Probably a pusher or drug dealer, Kusanagi decided.
“No...no...I ran out...but...you have to give me more!” The girl was beginning to sound a bit frantic and then Kusanagi heard some kind of struggle going on within.
“Get off of me, you crazy bitch!” Kusanagi heard an unmistakable smacking sound as the man must have backhanded the girl across the face. “If you don’t have the money then get the hell out! Don’t make me hurt you.”
The girl cried out as she was backhanded and fell to the floor where she moaned in pain, “Please...”
Kusanagi walked in to look down at the pathetic, addicted girl.
“Now, that wasn’t very nice. Is that any way to treat your return customer? They say the customer is always right, you know. Tsk tsk tsk.” Kusanagi wagged her finger at the three men that were inside of the bathroom and all looking equally suspicious. They were all dressed similarly in black clothing with dark sunglasses on their faces. Didn’t they know it was the middle of the night? Losers.
“Who the hell are you?” One of the men demanded coming towards Kusanagi.
Kusanagi gave them a haughty smirk. “Hmm~ Maybe I’m a potential customer. Tell me more about HANABI. I’m curious about why this new drug is so popular. I just might have to try it for myself. Where does it come from exactly? What yakuza clan is behind the distribution of this drug?”
“I smell something fishy about her...” One of the other men declared as he looked Kusanagi over.
Kusanagi frowned, “I showered before coming here, bozo.”
The man blushed, “That’s not what I meant!”
“Is she a cop?” Another of the men suggested.
“She’s gotta be.” The first man declared as he began to crack his knuckles. “She asks way too many questions for a teenage girl about to buy some drugs.”
“That’s just my inquisitive nature.” Kusanagi argued in a snarky manner.
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“Let’s get rid of her.”
“Yare yare, my oh my,” Kusanagi put her hands out in a helpless gesture, “You guys aren’t very nice are you? Well, it looks like I’ll just have to get the information out of you guys the hard way. I tried to be nice guys but you should know what they call me on the streets - The Bitch.”
Recognition lit the eyes of the three yakuza thugs.
“You!”
Kusanagi smiled and licked her lips, as she began to put on her black leather gloves. She didn’t want to ruin her repaired manicure after all. She then cracked her own knuckles as she glared at the three men, her emerald green eyes flashing. “This is going to be fun.”
“You wish you little bitch!” “Yea, we can take her!”
“Who cares if she’s The Bitch!” “Let’s get ‘er!”
The three men all rushed at Kusanagi-20 seconds later... The three yakuza thugs were all moaning in pain on the cold, tiled bathroom floor sporting cuts and bruises. Kusanagi picked up one of the thugs and slammed him into the back wall, a demonic glint in her eyes, “Now, tell me what I want to know. Who’s behind the distribution of HANABI?”
“I’ll be killed if I say anything...” The man sniveled.
“Oh? And are those guys really scarier than me?”
Kusanagi questioned, smiling enough so that her incisors seemed to be poking out of her mouth like fangs. It was a creepy smile indeed. (She had practiced this smile in front of her bathroom mirror for hours as a part of her Bitch Mask creation process.) The man gulped. “It’s…the Kuroneko Clan.” He hung his head in defeat. “I’m so dead.”
“Those guys?” Kusanagi frowned thinking back, they had tried to kidnap her before, but they were still a bunch of small fries. “And just where did they get the HANABI? Is it an import?
Or where is the drug being manufactured?”
The thug laughed, “I think you mean ‘grown’. HANABI is a yokai plant seed. The Kuroneko Clan has a yokai working for 84
them. It’s being grown inside of a special warehouse that’s next to pier 32 at Tokyo Bay.”
Kusanagi nodded, “Thanks for the info, bub, you’ve been most helpful.” Kusanagi slammed him back into a urinal and with such force that the ceramic urinal shattered and water began to spew out from the pipes. The man fell to the ground completely knocked out.
Kusanagi exited the bathroom, “Katsumi time to go-”
However, when
she caught sight of her pink-haired friend she realized that the Kuroneko Yakuza Clan had captured Katsumi. The man that held Katsumi tightly in his arms was dressed all in black and had a black cat domino mask on his face. “Kuso. Shit. Katsumi!” Kusanagi made a move in Katsumi’s direction and realized then that she was surrounded. She looked around to see several men all dressed in black and with matching black cat domino masks on their faces surrounding Kusanagi on all sides. She was trapped. “The Kuroneko Clan. Dammit this is so not good.” Kusanagi bit her lower lip.
She tried to look for an opening to rush towards Katsumi however-“Don’t move.” Kusanagi looked up to realized one of the Kuroneko guys was pointing a gun at her. Shit. The man who held Katsumi had also pointed a gun to the girl’s head. Others were following suit until all of the Kuroneko yakuza had their guns aimed in Kusanagi’s direction.
“I hear, you’ve been asking some dangerous questions, police girl...” The yakuza man declared and Kusanagi noticed the drug-addicted girl from earlier was standing by his side and looking quite pleased with herself. Ungrateful bitch...that’s what Kusanagi got for trying to be nice and saving her worthless ass. Sigh. No good deed will go unpunished. Kusanagi shook her head at the saying.
“I’m not with the police.” Kusanagi glared at the man and crossed her arms over her chest.
“Even so, you know far too much to let you leave here alive. Men - finish her.” The yakuza thug declared. Kusanagi frowned darkly.
“Kusanagi!” Katsumi cried out in fright.
“You guys can’t be serious. Do you have any idea who I Bitch 85
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am-” Kusanagi was saying but realized it was too late for negotiations or bribes. She could see their fingers squeezing the triggers of their guns. She was really going to die this time. Shit!
Shit! Shit! She had totally underestimated these guys and they had managed to catch her off guard. Kusanagi shut her eyes tightly as the shots were fired.
However-Ranmaru suddenly appeared from out of nowhere to stand before Kusanagi with his sword raised before him in a twohanded grip. The blade of his impressive katana Kuroki Ryu was glowing crimson. He moved his sword back and forth through the air rapidly and with lightning speed blocking all of the bullets with the blade of his sword, so that the bullets were falling down in a pile around him and Kusanagi, making a clinking sound as they ricocheted off of Ranmaru’s sword and then hit the floor. Kusanagi opened her eyes and stared at Ranmaru in awe. This was her goofy, stoic Samurai Butler? It was like he was a completely different person! Those dull, hooded, sleepy eyes of his were now sharp, narrowed, fierce, deadly and glowing red. There was this aura around him of murderous intent and Kusanagi could swear she could see it with her eyes, flaring around him resembling red, gold and orange flames. It sent a shiver down Kusanagi’s spine. It was so...cold. Was this really...Ranmaru? He was like...a monster!
Aura flaring around him and his sword Ranmaru surged forward, bloodlust taking over. He was ready to kill each and every one of the men who had threatened his Mistress. Ready to cut them into tiny little pieces. Ready to obliterate them. And enjoy it. But Kusanagi realized what was about to happen - a total bloodbath, a massacre - and so cried out-“No! Ranmaru! Don’t kill them!”
Ranmaru, who was about to cut a man in half with his sword, had to turn his sword at the very last second so that he instead cut through the man’s gun-
BANG
A shot rang through the air.
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Ranmaru’s shoulder was hit by the bullet, blood spurting into the air, but it didn’t seem to faze him as he turned to face the remaining yakuza. In the blink of an eye, he was upon them, spinning and moving his sword swiftly through the air while slicing through their guns and cutting them in half - rendering them completely useless. In seconds, there was nothing but a pile of useless metal on the dance club floor.
Ranmaru then pointed his sword towards them
challengingly and took one single step forward-The group of freaked out yakuza that had huddled closer together all took a step back simultaneously at Ranmaru’s approach. They then all cried out at the same time as Ranmaru smiled at them charmingly but with obvious ill-intent hiding behind that fake smile, so that they all turned to flee at the same time.
“Oh my god! Let’s get the hell out of here!” “Run!” “That guy’s not human! He’s a monster!”
Ranmaru sunk to one knee from the pain in his shoulder and he let out a small grunt-Kusanagi’s mask slipped up as she rushed to Ranmaru’s side, “Ranmaru! You’re hurt!”
Ranmaru forced himself to stand. “It’s nothing, Oujo- sama. I’m sorry to have worried you.” His last words caused Kusanagi to frown at him. He ripped the material of his shirtsleeve to show Kusanagi what he meant. The bullet wound was pushing out the bullet and he was already healing right before her eyes.
Kusanagi stared at the wound wide-eyed,
“Regeneration...”
Ranmaru seemed to be back to normal; Kusanagi noticed that he had that same indifferent expression and dull, hooded eyes as he turned to Kusanagi to check her over for injuries. The fool. He was the one who had gotten hurt.
Katsumi was also looking equally surprised, “Only very powerful or ancient yokai have such incredible regeneration abilities, ouji-san, old man.” Katsumi teased Ranmaru elbowing him in the side playfully.
Ranmaru emotionlessly watched the yakuza running away, “They’re getting away.” He informed Kusanagi in his Bitch 87
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monotone voice.
Kusanagi was glad to have the normal (and annoying) Ranmaru back. “Let them. I already have the information I need to stop all this. Come on, let’s go to warehouse 32, Tokyo Bay.”
***
Ranmaru had transformed into his true yokai form in order to take Kusanagi and Katsumi to the warehouse. Kusanagi had been completely surprised when they had stepped outside of the Tsuki Hana discothèque to have Ranmaru suddenly transform in front of her and become a giant nine-tailed fox. In his fox yokai form he was slightly larger than a horse, had beautiful coppery colored fur, and his golden eyes seemed larger and brighter for some reason. His fur had looked so soft...Kusanagi had had to resist the urge to reach out and pet it, or to tug on Ranmaru’s furry looking ears.
Go ahead and pet him. You know you want to. Kusanagi’s inner voice teased her. Come on, he won’t mind if you stroke his ears…hehe.
Oh shut up. Kusanagi blushed slightly since her inner self had taken notice of her secret desire.
Katsumi hadn’t been as hesitant since she really had nothing to hide, “Eeee~ So that’s your true form, Ranmaru senpai! You’re just too cute and fluffy!” Katsumi declared as she threw herself at Ranmaru to engulf him in a glomping hug. Purely, out of reflex, Ranmaru had stepped out of the way and instead Katsumi had gone flying into a nearby trashcan.
CRASH
“Ouch.” Kusanagi flinched as she watched.
Ranmaru opened his mouth and picked up his sword to hold it between his long, sharp teeth.
Kusanagi ignored her airhead friend as she mounted Ranmaru. “Come on, we’re wasting valuable time.” Kusanagi declared as she wrapped her arms around Ranmaru’s neck. Katsumi quickly got up and dusted herself off intent on coming with them.
“Hey! Wait for me!” Katsumi declared as she hopped up 88
behind Kusanagi lithely.
Kusanagi sighed heavily in resignation, “Alright, fine, you can come but try not to get in my way.”
Katsumi was nodding vigorously, “Don’t worry, I won’t!
You’ll see I can make a great sidekick, like totally!”
Kusanagi’s eye twitched, “Sidekick? Just what do you think all this is?”
Katsumi tapped her chin thoughtfully, “A mission to save the world or something right? Whee~ I’ve always wanted to go on one of those! Let’s go! To save the world!”
Kusanagi sighed and didn’t respond. It was bes
t to leave airheads alone. “Yosha! Let’s go Ranmaru. To warehouse 32!”
“Hai, Oujo-sama.” Ranmaru replied using his mind to communicate telepathically with the two girls as he sped off. He leapt up into the air and they were soon jumping across rooftops to get to their intended destination more quickly. It wasn’t long before the rag-tag group had arrived at warehouse 32. When they had arrived they were surprised to see that the warehouse that was in front of pier 32 was more of a greenhouse from the looks of it. That must have been what the man had meant when he told Kusanagi it was a ‘special’ warehouse.
Kusanagi hopped down from Ranmaru’s back and strode towards the front door, wasting no time in simply kicking it open and waltzing inside of the green house as if she owned the place. Rows and rows of tables with strange looking potted plants filled the greenhouse. The plants were similar looking to daffodils but were a surprising bright pink color and appeared to be somewhat fuzzy in texture.
Katsumi immediately cooed when she caught sight of them. “Ooo~ Those are just too cute!” Katsumi declared rushing up to one of the potted plants, intent on petting it. Katsumi reached her hand out but Kusanagi caught sight of a slight bit of movement that oddly enough had come from the flower.
“Wait Katsumi!” Kusanagi called out but it was already too late.
The funnel-like center of the daffodil had opened much like a mouth to reveal razor sharp teeth that once Katsumi’s fingers were in a close enough range had quickly bitten down upon them and latched onto Katsumi’s hand. Katsumi cried out in Bitch 89
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a mixture of pain and surprise and immediately began to freak out. “Ahhh~! Get if off of me!” Katsumi cried as she swung her arm and with such force the plant went up into the air still attached to Katsumi’s hand, and then as Katsumi shook her arm frantically the plant was finally forced to let go and went zooming across the room to where the pot shattered against the far wall.
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