Shinimaru's breath hitched, his eyes widening. The Ozoku building wasn't a new sight to him by any means, but every time he was in its presence it always seemed to shake something in his gut. It stood with almost ludicrous enormity---its size rivaling the likes even the tallest of skyscrapers in Neo City.
It was hexagonal, each point of convergence between walls connected by a great, multi-leveled tower. It was made up of some sort of black stone or brick---though with a toughness far beyond the likes of both. Topping it all off was a massive dome at the center---stretching even further into the sky than even the towers supporting it.
From the square just before its massive gates, Shin finally tore his eyes away. To his left, Helix squirmed. Shin had managed to procure the boy a set of...less outlandish clothing---at least by Kitsuji standards. Regardless, he didn't seem to enjoy the feel very much. His discomfort likely wasn't helped in any form by the vastness of the crowd around them.
By Shin's estimate there had to have been at least a few hundred people in his line of sight alone. A feeling of creeping apprehension tingled down his spine---though he quickly dashed it away. Most of the people around were terribly average-looking, haughtily-carried men. Men in far over their heads. Even with that fact considered though, Helix's nerves still seemed to be bothering hm greatly. He was an awfully lofty boy when it was just the two of them, Helix noted, but he didn't seem to do very well with crowds. It made sense, though. He was still just a boy, after all.
Abruptly, the square's buzz of chatter fell to a hush. The gates had begun to creak open. Helix looked to Shin, expression grim. Shin looked back, nodded, before focusing his eyes back on the gargantuan doors.
Slowly, ranks of men began to march their way through the still-expanding opening. At the head of the rows and rows of uniformed men, was a single person. He carried himself with the dignity one would expect of a man commanding such a force---chin lifted high, steps measured and graceful. The collar of his long, swallow-tail black coat was flared up with an air of uncaringness, and his short, white hair swished along with each of his calculated steps.
Shin recognized this man as Commodore Hebi. He felt Helix shudder at his side, barely kept himself from doing the same. The authority these figures were able to command was harrowing.
The mass of soldiers finally came to a stop in the center of the square, the contestants having cleared the way for their approach. Hebi also stopped, and reached into his coat, fishing around for something. After a few seconds, he came back up with a megaphone in hand.
Hebi tapped the device a few times before clearing his throat, raised the speaker to his lips. Voice amplified, he boomed: "Noble warriors of Kitsuji! We welcome you to the Annual Ozoku!"
These words whipped the crowd into a whirlwind of cheers and shouts, a wave of movement pulsing through the mob. Hebi grinned, before extending a hand outward, silencing the herd. He spoke into the megaphone again.
"All of you here, in your love for our nation, have made your honorvulnerable," he blared through the instrument. "For this, you are cherished by your fellow champions, and by the state itself! So, as a display of gratitude, we would like to show you to your quarters for this afternoon!" After another short outburst of sensory rape, the still-grinning commodore slipped his megaphone back into his jacket. He turned in a 180 with a flourish, before quaintly beckoning the audience to follow.
A lump began to form in Shin's throat as he and Helix flowed among the writhing mass of warriors, inching toward the gates. The Ozoku building alone had been enough to dullen his faith in the plan---its raw size putting into perspective just how much searching they would have to do---but as they waded among the crowd of jittery soldiers, the common man didn't seem all that weak anymore. Up close he was able to size up a considerable many of the contestants, and they were far more imposing than from afar.
He liked to think that, all things considered, he could take any of these countless people in a straight-up fight---but logic wouldn't allow him to be so confident. Any of these men could be seasoned veterans, trained warriors, Twitch users, Tamajutsu users---there were simply too many factors for Shinimaru to conclusively believe that he and Helix could guaranteed make it out alive.
That would simply be the reality they'd have to live with, though.
---
The people of Murayuki were far less inviting than I had hoped. The name of the snow-laden city hadn't been hard to dig up, what with signs and the like. Any further information, though---any important information---would be locked behind word of mouth. And, as I'd come to find out, as a military police officer, people expected you to know essentially everything.
Why would a police officer need to know basic knowledge like the layout of the city he patrols? That's stupid if you ask me.
I kicked aside an empty glass as I fell, defeated, into an unoccupied bench. I hung my head back, sighing, staring at the sky above. The fluttering of the falling snowflakes was almost hypnotizing. It was a nice relaxation from my endless exertion.
Maybe I should just throw in the towel here. I thought to myself. I really don't gain much from drawing this whole ordeal out because of some bad blood I have with a girl I met today. Just then, a noise caught my attention, and, much to my neck's protest, I snapped my head up.
Across the street, there was a small girl crying. She fit the general cookie-cutter outline for any East-Asian (Or whatever it was in this world) child, nothing entirely special about her. I would've entirely ignored her, actually, if it wasn't for the cadence of her voice. Even filtered through a wall of whimpers and shrieks, I recognized the undertone.
I stood up faster than I ever had before in my life, straightening my jacket and pulling my cap down to cover my eyes. I was, of course, unarmed---unless one considered my Twitch a "physical" weapon---but my presence as a supposed enforcer still drew looks as I abruptly stood. Cautiously, took a quick, second glance out toward the girl.
A few people had stopped to see what was a wrong: a man and a woman and what looked to be a child of their own, a boy maybe aged 3 or 4. I ground my teeth and strode forward, called out: "You there! Girl!"
The girlchild swung her head in my direction just as I came to a stop a few feet away---her cries suddenly subsiding. The older couple drew back a few steps, the mother grabbing her son by his shoulders, pulling him close.
"I'll take it from here," I said, pitching my voice lower. "You three can go about your business."
The man looked apprehensive, but ultimately nodded, nudging his partner to be off. He said: "We thank you for your service, sir," and waved, turning.
Wasting no time, I grabbed the girl by her wrist, began towing her away. She squirmed at the sudden seizure, protesting, her voice less wobbly now.
"What are you doing?!" she questioned in a squealing voice. Talking over her cries of disapproval, I said: "Yes, yes thank me later... yeah, I know I'm amazing it's just my job..." The girl's forehead wrinkled, her expression became more controlled, and she looked up at me. She glared through eyes that couldn't possibly have belonged to a little girl.
I finally released her, as I'd led us into an alleyway. Callously, I tossed her to the ground. As she hit the pavement, though, she didn't cry out as a normal child would.
No, she perfectly stuck the landing, and, drawing herself up, she stood straight, before speaking, now undiluted, but still with an undertone of unsettlement.
"How did you escape?" She asked shakily, yet still holding her ground. Any reservations I may have had about my suspicions up till that point all faded to nothing in that moment. I took my soldier's cap in my hand, cast it aside. "I had a sneaking suspicion you were still on the clock," I said, running my hand through my hair.
The girl clicked her tongue---and then leaped into the air. She was fast, sure, but I was faster. The moment her feet lifted off the ground, my body lunged to react, red energy streaming after me. Her head whipped around displaying a face of terror just as I came upon her, whirling in the air. In a quickened spin, I drove a charged kick into her head---muscles strained as they propelled me through the nothingness of midair.
Dragged back to the ground by the force of my attack, I straightened myself, exhaling in satisfaction. I dust off my pantleg, drawing my foot from its crater in the alley floor. Then, exhaling I waited.
I waited for ten seconds, and I didn't hear a body hit the ground. I turned around, jostled, eyes narrowed. Where I had just supposedly made contact with the girl in midair, there was naught but a puff of waning smoke. I pursed my lips. This wasn't going to be as simple as I'd hoped.
A sound from deeper in the alleyway drew my attention, and I hastily turned to address it. I had a feeling I already knew what it was, though. Standing tall, and---to my surprise---relatively unbothered, was Kiri. She was clad now in less... scandalous dress. She bore a flowing set of kunoichi's armor, a katana sheathed at her waist, and her posture strong. Her eyes, scarily, carried the same harsh glare they had just minutes ago, purple spheres of resentment.
We stood, staring each other down for what felt like an eternity. It was so grueling, in fact, that it had grown to feel less like the buildup to an altercation and more like I was about to ask her out or something. So, I broke the silence, said: "So are you like a ninja or something, or...?"
In that moment, she dashed forward. The speed of her attack nearly caught me off guard---my brain working to react. Quickly, I swept my hand up through the air, an arc of lightning following. With a scream, it repels her blade narrowly as it nearly takes my head off. The magnetic force should have sent her flying backward, but, with supreme litheness, she leapt backward through the air, twirling before landing gracefully upright.
I wipe the perspiration from my brow, giving a sharp exhale. The way she'd swung her blade worried me---she'd entirely shifted her center of gravity mid swing. If I hadn't deflected her attack, I'm not sure I would've exactly loved whatever she had planned.
Kiri began to pace as we resumed our stare-off, both going over the intricacies of or clash---both trying to dissect the other. Out of nowhere, Kiri stopped, said: "What are your qualms with God Plateau?"
Caught off guard by the question, I stopped as well, allowing my guard to lower slightly. Kiri flinched as if to instinctually lunge at the opening, but she held herself back.
"I have no 'qualms' with this country, per say," I responded. "I have qualms with the man who is planning on killing my friends. And he just so happens to be here."
Kiri simply nodded, sheathed her blade. Without so much as a huff, she turned and began walking away. Imperiously, she spoke: "Then you have our battle here is pointless, if you have no qualms with me. Good day."
In disbelief, I sputtered. "You use obscuring words to distract me from my obvious issue with you!" I said, jogging to catch up to her. She turned angrily on her heel, met me with steely eyes. "Listen," she spoke. "What I did to you was nothing personal. You're not the first person I've done that to, and you certainly won't be the last. So, if your more pressing issues do not lie in relation to me, you have no reason to pursue me any further. You're free now, are you not?" This said, she turned to walk away again.
This time, I didn't follow. I stood there, shocked. She was right, wasn't she? Something within me, though, felt a burning anger... or was it jealousy? Jealousy at her ability to simply walk away from this entire interaction. Her ability to look at it objectively. It was an unidentifiable, horrid feeling.
Just as she made to turn the corner, I called after her. "Wait!"
Kiri paused. She didn't look at me, but she waited.
I found myself pleading. "Where am I? At least send me off with that knowledge...!"
I sensed irritation in her voice. "Masquerading as a guardsman as you are, you could attain any information you so wished."
I gave no response. She was telling the truth. Kiri seemed to wade in his silence, ruminated over it. The meaning it could hold.
She stepped off, out of view, but called after me: "Come."
I felt like in that moment I should have smiled. I'd won, hadn't I? I'd gotten what I came for... right? A twisting in my gut as I strode after the girl told me otherwise.