Sector 1- STAM HQ [9:10]
The 6 agents walked into the briefing room with hair wet with sweat from their combat training. Ryu whined as he fanned himself with his shirt, “Why are we having a meeting now? Couldn’t it have waited till after a shower??”
Seiji pulled his hair in a high ponytail, “There must be some important mission...”
Kyou pushed a hand through his hair, “Shut up- at attention,” he barked at them as they filed in line before Shizune.
“We’ve got a lead on a mazoku believed to be involved in the spread of the mazoku drug. One of the mazoku captured from the warehouse confessed. A woman named Mei Lin who runs a bath house in Sector 8. There have been warrants out for her arrest for years now, but her whereabouts had remained unknown until now. This mission was going to be given to Rank 2, but Rank 2 and 3 are behind in their weekly quotas for the 3rd week in a row-”
Ryu rubbed his neck nervously and Seiji scoffed.
“Rank 2 and 3 will be sent on containing missions. You will return with a minimum of 2 mazoku or you will be demoted from your ranks. Rank 1 will deal with the situation in Sector 8. You are free to dispose of the mazoku Mei Lin and any others.” Shizune left without another word.
“This is such bullshit!” Seiji cried out once she had gone. He pointed at Kyou angrily, “If you wouldn’t have taken the Free case from us we would have captured all those mazoku!”
Kyou rubbed his head. He really didn’t want to deal with Seiji right now, “How about you just do your own fucking job for once Seiji?” he sighed and walked to the door, “Come on Kenji,”
Sector 8- Near Chaoshi Luu [10:02]
“Three agents in broad daylight heading into a bath house….this is such a bad idea...” Keiko mumbled.
“That’s why we’re taking the back alley. Look- no one around,” Aku was leading them, with Arisa close behind her, while Keiko walked further back to check for anyone following them.
Arisa’s chest was pounding. There were times in the past that she had imagined going on a mission with them together like this. In those day dreams, Arisa was confident, leading, and kicking-ass, but now that she was here all she felt was anxiety.
“There it is...” Aku stopped at the end of the alley that opened up to a larger street. On the other side was a large wooden house with a dragon on it.
“It doesn’t look that heavily guarded...” Arisa whispered as she peered over Aku.
“They can’t just have guards all over the place in the middle of the day,” Keiko mumbled, “We’re just gonna go in and politely ask her to hand over her supply.”
“And when she doesn’t?” Aku asked.
“We’ll ask her a little more politely...” Keiko glanced at Arisa, “Once the fighting starts I want you to get close to Mei Lin to make sure she doesn’t escape.”
Arisa fluttered at Keiko actually giving her an order, “OK.”
Keiko sighed heavily, “Alright let’s do this.”
They made their way across the road and opened the door to Chaoshi Luu. A large man in a bathrobe looked at them up and down before letting them pass.
It was an all wooden house, filled with dense steam and thick smoke. The whole building was just one giant room with several inground tubs that had steam rising from them. The room was filled with people, some in baths, some just beside them- most smoking from long pipes.
As they walked down the center of the room they saw her. Mei Lin was a thin, pale woman. Her dark black hair was cut in a short bob and she wore only a thin, silk bathrobe decorated in dragons made of colorful smoke. She sat in a large chair with people to her left and right holding things for her. As her eyes came to see the three agents she took her pipe from the closest person and waved for them to leave, “Well if it isn’t MRPA- I wondered how long it might be before you found me here,” she inhaled from her pipe and blew large, thin smoke rings.
“We know you’ve been selling MS to humans. We’re here for your supply,” Aku spoke- her hand still resting on her hilt.
“Isn’t that cute- you think I’ll just give it to you?” Mei Lin remained calm- even with the top agents before her.
Keiko turned her head to the far wall- there was a thick cloud of smoke over there- she thought she could hear someone speaking. Her focus was taken by that voice, she couldn’t turn away. She felt her feet move on their own.
“You don’t understand!” Arisa spoke up suddenly, “MS is lethal to humans!”
Mei Lin coughed out smoke as she laughed, “You think I didn’t know that?” the men in the baths laughed with her, “I don’t care about some stupid humans. Better them than us.”
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Sector 4: East Train [10:10]
“This is stupid!” Seiji whispered into his earpiece. He wasn’t in his usual STAM uniform, but in casual clothes and sunglasses to hide his face.
From the far side of the train Shou was leaning against the door, “Shut it I’m sure this will work.”
The train was crowded. This was the most popular train for people leaving both work and school, and even though it was the weekend it was still packed with people.
“I’m just saying. How are you gonna contain anything with it being so crowded?” Seiji’s eyes were all over the train looking for any sign of a mazoku.
“Will ya just trust me?”
The doors opened and a new group of people pushed on and off. This was it, the next stop wasn’t for 6 minutes which was plenty of time. The moment the doors closed Shou reached for his dog tags and pulled out his pistol, “Excuse me everyone!” he shouted, “I’m R2 Container Shoutarou with STAM,” he projected his dog tags so they could all see, “I am doing a routine inspection of passengers to make sure everyone is safe. This gun can only hurt mazoku,” he held the gun up to his own head and squeezed the trigger before anyone could even react. The gun fired but Shou’s smile remained, “See? So if everyone will hold their hands out to me and I will come by and verify that there are no mazoku on board this train. Please cooperate,”
The man beside Shou held out his hand immediately, “There better not be any mazoku on this train!”
A mother held her daughter close, “We are safe right?”
Shou took her hand and verified that she was indeed not a mazoku, “You’re just fine.”
Meanwhile, Seiji was watching the back of the train for anyone who seemed nervous. He too could use his weapon to test out humans, but a knife is still a knife.
As Shou made his way through the train a man in a suit loosened his tie, set down his briefcase, and placed his hands behind his head, “Do not shoot me. I am a mazoku, and I will go peacefully.” tears streamed down his face.
Though there was no room on the train, people moved aside and screamed at the confession. Shou approached the man and traded his gun for his omega-cuffs.
“NOO!”
A younger man jumped up over the people in the train for Shou. Passengers screamed and climbed over each other to get away.
In that moment Seiji leapt from his seat, grabbed the man’s leg and threw him to the ground. After a short struggle with the man Seiji pushed his knee into the man’s lower back and held his arms behind him.
“Nice one partner.” Shou gave him a thumbs up.
Seiji shrugged, pulled off his glasses and cuffed the man.
Sector 8: Chaoshi Luu [10:05]
“You should be thanking me for taking out our biggest threat..” Mei Lin took a long pull from her pipe.
Keiko was only inches away from the thick wall of smoke when she could finally hear the voice clearly. It was soft and shaky and creaked with the dryness of age, “The true King will transcend onto the Queen Stone- and from their union shall the great evil finally fall….the true King will transcend onto the Queen Stone- and from their union shall the great evil finally fall….”
“This isn’t a joke Mei Lin-” Aku gripped onto the hilt tightly.
Keiko peered through the smoke and saw him; it was an old man, draped in thin fabrics, who spoke. His eyes were shut as he spoke that same phrase over and over again, “The true King will transcend onto the Queen Stone- and from their union shall the great evil finally fall...” he inhaled through his intricate pipe deeply before repeating the phrase, “The true King will transcend onto the Queen Stone-” his eyes suddenly shot open and stared at Keiko, “and from your union shall the great evil finally fall.”
The door suddenly slammed open, “ Nobody move!!” Kyoushirou held his arm out in front of him and bent his elbow toward him- his anti-mazoku weapon, strapped to his forearm.
Aku was the only one able to respond- she grabbed Arisa’s arm and pulled her under her coat- shielding them both just in time.
From the weapon on his arm came a blinding light that infected every space in the room- all shadows were eaten- all smoke was pushed through: all enemies touched.
As the light faded Kyoushirou spoke again, “Is there anyone unaffected by that light?” he waited for a response, “If there is anyone able to move you are allowed to leave. We only want the mazoku.”
“Leave some for me, will ya partner?” Kenji walked past him and poked one of the men in the bath, “Shame it’s a one hit wonder…”
Kyoushirou groaned, “You only have permission to go after Mei Lin, all the other mazoku here will be brought back to STAM for testing,”
“Shizune said we could dispose of all of them though...” Kenji mumbled as he clenched onto his spear.
Aku was still under her coat with Arisa- they were both able to avoid the light, “Are you ok?”
Arisa nodded, “What about 013?”
Aku shook her head, “We have to continue the mission, shift into Mei Lin. Try and convince them that you are the real one,”
Arisa nodded and shifted to look like Mei Lin- yet her clothes of course remained.
Aku threw her coat dramatically and looked over to Keiko, she had been paralyzed. But from the looks of it she was able to shield herself from the full force. With any luck she would be able to join this fight.
“Ooooh I hoped a black agent would make things more interesting,” Kenji licked his lips as he looked Aku up and down. Aku didn’t waste any time and lunged straight for Kenji.
Kenji blocked her attack with his spear.
“OI!” Kenji screamed as Aku went to chase Kyou. Kenji grabbed her ankle and threw her into the bath, “You are fighting me!”
Kyou ran to the back of the room to see Mei Lin frozen in place- when another Mei Lin suddenly stood in front of the frozen one, “And you are-” his own throat closed up as he saw the MRPA uniform- the double zero sewn into the chest- could it be the shapeshifter?…
She took several deep breaths. Her hands went cold and she could feel them shake. Mei Lin wasn’t in MRPA’s database and therefore she couldn’t change her voice- she would have to try her best to deceive him….Kyoushirou…
“Mei Lin,” her voice felt awkward and unreal- but she stayed confident and balled her hands into fists.
Kyoushirou looked at her skeptically, “Then why are you in the mazoku uniform?”
Arisa couldn’t look him in the eyes, “T-t-...” she felt her throat swell shut and tears threaten to well in her eyes. She sucked in a deep breath and stared Kyou in the face, “To protect me, from you.”
Aku hated her luck- this bath was murky. Yet within the murk she saw it- a shadow she could use. Where she came back out from was Kenji’s own shadow. She grabbed his ankle and pulled him into the ground. As she came down with her blade she felt his spear connect with the side of her head and send her flying into the wall.
Arisa tried not to look at Aku or Keiko- even though she begged for their help.
Kyoushirou looked at her skeptically, “You’re the shapeshifter aren’t you?”
Her eyes widened in surprise, “I-”