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The Hello! Project Fanfics => H!P Fanfics => Topic started by: Estrea on March 10, 2007, 05:12:30 PM

Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: Estrea on March 10, 2007, 05:12:30 PM
A side story collection to my main fic, All Aboard!. I'll add short stories whenever I feel like it. Yes, most of them will be fic canon, kinda like backstory that I can't find a way to properly insert into the main body of the fic itself. Expect quite a bit of craziness here too. And I'll get around to writing the twins' backstory here too! :) So look forward to that.

Ok, the first story is an expansion to a reference made in Chapter 3. So if you haven't read Chapter 3, GO BACK AND READ IT NOW!!!! XD

Well, to those who HAVE read Chapter 3, here we go!




SideStory 1: The Melancholy of Goto Yuuki


"Huh?! You're runn--mmph!" A young Goto Yuuki, about 13 years old of age, his eyes wide as his elder sister clamped her hand around his mouth to prevent him from yelling out her plans to the whole house.

"Yes I am leaving, and you are going to help me." A resolute Goto Maki, age 14, her short hair fluttering a little in the breeze. Beside her, a boyishly dressed Matsuura Aya, age 13, her once long hair hacked off unevenly to leave a short bob.

"Me?" Yuuki blurted softly as soon as his sister released his mouth. "How?"

Evil grins spread across the faces of the two girls in front of him, and Yuuki felt the first chill of utter fear course through him...

Later that night, Lord Goto, back on a rare visit home, came in to check in on his daughter in her room, only to find her crouching in the corner of her room, sobbing piteously. Worried, he hurried over to his daughter's side.

"What's wrong?" The young girl, who had her face buried in her knees until then, choked out.

"Yuuki..ran away!" The voice was uneven, a bit higher pitched than normal. One slender hand was clutching a crumpled note, which Lord Goto took and read.

It was in his son's handwriting, alright. Just a short note informing his family about his decision, but without leaving any details. The nobleman crushed the note in his hand, suddenly angry at his wayward son. He tried to comfort his daughter, coaxing her to bed. After which, he mobilised the men under his command to go out searching for his runaway son.

Unfortunately, they were unable to find him. His daughter remained inconsolable and locked herself in her room for a whole week. It had taken much persuasion to even get her to step out. When she finally emerged, her father gazed at her intently, making her shift uncomfortably for a few moments.

And then he hugged her, and told her not to be too sad about her brother's disappearance. The child clasped within the embrace stiffened, but said nothing.

The head of the Goto family had to leave then on a business trip, leaving the servants to attend to the Young Mistress of the household. For almost 3 weeks, no one noticed any difference in the behaviour of their young mistress, except that she was more withdrawn and rarely spoke, probably due to her younger brother's disappearance, so they were careful to leave her alone whenever she retreated into hers or the young master's room.

3 weeks passed, and Lord Goto returned again. At dinner, his daughter finally spoke up.

"Dad..."

"Yes dear?"

"Dad, it's me..."

"What do you mean? Of course you're you."

"It's me...Yuuki."

The older man dropped his fork.

Yuuki didn't know whether to laugh or cry. No one had noticed his charade for a whole month. If he hadn't chosen to reveal himself, he didn't know how long it would have taken for his masquerade to be exposed. Probably until his voice broke...in a few years.

I hope you're happy with this, sis...

The most unmanning experience of his life...the worst humiliation Goto Yuuki would probably ever suffer in his whole life...

No one even noticed...





XD XD XD Poor Yuuki. I just had that idea after watching a video of Maki and her brother Yuuki on the same show, and the host commenting on how similar they looked despite a year's difference in their ages...and Maki commenting that she had dressed Yuuki up in a dress before when they were kids! XD Hence, this. :P Hope that coaxed a laugh out of someone. :P
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: JFC on March 11, 2007, 02:59:19 AM
:ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO:


...



*inhales deeply*


...


:ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO:
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: shindoushiz on March 11, 2007, 04:27:16 AM
aww...poor Yuuki, no one could figure out that he was there all along.
Maki did say he looked better as a girl than she herself did so, hehehe.

Great side story! I'm looking forward to the main story as well:)
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: rndmnwierd on March 11, 2007, 05:35:27 AM
*collapses in laughter* Oh my god, that is so awesome! I need to start paying more attention to Maki and Yuuki.
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Estrea on March 12, 2007, 07:33:15 PM
And I'm back with the 2nd sidestory. Time to see how Aya first met Keita. XD Should be fun. ^___^

Oh and this is the same party mentioned in Chapter 5 where Natsumi first meets Rika as well. Many firsts there. XD

Well, enjoy. ;)





Side Story 2: Love At First Sight...Not.


Soft music played, courtesy of the mini orchestra artfully placed in an aesthetically pleasing spot. The quiet murmur of refined voices engaged in polite conversation filtered through the air, almost melting into the music that played on that cool autumn evening. Here and there, delicate laughter and the tinkle of glasses against each other provided a quiet counterpoint to the music of the evening.

The young lord, second son to the Duke Tachibana, was smoothly making his own circuits through that large ballroom, an ever present smile on his handsome face as he greeted fellow nobles and assorted dignitaries, currying favor for the sake of his elder brother, heir to the Duchy, who was at present attending to his very pregnant wife and was thus unable to attend the event. As the younger brother and a member of the Tachibana clan, Keita saw fit that they should not go unrepresented, especially at such an event where so many luminaries were present. It was a good time to exchange information, and to build relations with the other noble clans. One could never have too many friends, after all.

Tachibana Keita had the charm and skills of a diplomat, and so it had been obvious since he was but a green youth. Since the younger sons of most noble families did not inherit their family titles, they usually had to find alternative forms of employment, either in the corps, or within the bureaucracy. Of course, there were many who simply lived off their families for the rest of their lives, but Keita rather turned his nose up at that notion. What was the point of idling at home with nothing better to do?

Well, he couldn't take that. Already, he was gaining some small recognition by way of his social skills and mature outlook on current events. It was said that he was even more charming than his elder brother, but of course it was never blithely mentioned in the open. That would have been rude. Naturally though, it didn't stop them from gossiping about it over tea (for the women), or over a bottle of fine wine (for the men) informally.

Tagging along behind Keita, his two faithful family retainers attended dutifully to their master. Keita saw them more as friends than servants though, since they had practically grown up together, but he had never had any doubts over whether Ryuichi and Ryohei would ever be able to compare to him. He was the master, and they were simply his retainers, bound in service to him. That was all there was to it, friendly relations with them or not.

Tachibana Keita was a confident young man. He was well groomed, charming, polite, and could sweep just about any girl off their feet in moments. Thus far, not many ladies had managed to catch his rather critical eye. He was in no hurry to find a life partner himself, since he was under no obligation, as his elder brother had been, to produce an heir.

It was thus completely to his surprise when he had seen her.

Keita had seen his fair share of society ladies. Primped and plumped to their best, adorned in glossy finery meant to ensnare the attentions of the opposite sex. They looked all the same to him after awhile, frankly, their smiles and laughter all carefully coached and fake, to his trained eye. One could say that most society darlings bored him, since they were no different from one another.

She was...different. That was the first thing Keita noticed. She stood out like a flame in the darkness, and he was drawn, helplessly, like a moth to that very flame. When he had first seen that radiant smile on her face as she conversed with her companion, he felt as if his heart would stop.

Was it love then? If it was, and he had a sinking feeling that it was, then Heaven help him. He felt as if he would drown just looking at her from a distance. How on earth could he even approach her up close then?

But he had to try. Gathering up his courage, he made his way straight towards her, taking a deep breath...and ended up conversing with one of her companions instead, his guts failing him at the critical moment.

It was with a vague sense of failure and disappointment as he gracefully allowed himself to fade back into the mingling crowds, the better to hide his less than favorable mood at the moment. The girl hadn't even glanced once in his direction when he had been nearby, and that fact didn't exactly do wonders for his self-esteem.

His loyal retainers had quickly sensed their master's shift in mood. Murmuring quietly between themselves, they quickly put two and two together to figure out what had upset their master. After all, they had known him practically all their lives, and were sensitive to the shifts in his behaviour. A few more muttered lines passed between the two, wondering how to help their master solve his problem. After all, that was part of their job.

Keita eventually found himself retreating to the carefully manicured garden outside, the better to get a breath of fresh air, as Ryohei had tactfully suggested. He needed time to sort out his thoughts and feelings, before trying to approach her again.

The main problem, he thought to himself, was that he couldn't even speak to her without feeling like a helpless, stuttering little boy again. So, Ryuichi had suggested, why not practice a little before going back in again? Usually Keita didn't need to prepare a speech beforehand to charm women, but this time he felt the need to at least plan out what to say, since he was fairly sure that he would probably freeze up if he didn't have a clearly defined goal and the steps taken to reach it planned down to the last detail.

His servants were very obliging and helpful, Keita had to admit. Their presence reassured him that he could do this. Ryuichi even offered to be used as a prop for Keita to practice his lines on, which was better than talking to thin air. Seeing no problem with that idea, Keita agreed. After all, with his long hair and delicately feminine features, Ryuichi looked vaguely androgynous, and it made Keita feel a bit better than practising on someone else.

Forming the various opening lines he could possibly say, he tried them out on Ryuichi, but either found them too cheesy or contrived himself to sufficiently impress his target. It took a while, but Keita finally figured out what to say, and his speech was eloquent, poetic even, and his movement, his gazes, all geared to elicit maximum response in most targets. Near them, Ryohei often made thumbs-up signs to signal his approval of his master's ingenuity.

As Keita made his final move to clasp his target's hands, on in this case, his practice buddy Ryuichi's hands, he was suddenly interrupted by a loud snort, followed by a derisive snicker. Freezing in place, Keita slowly turned his head around to see two very familiar faces. He thought his heart would stop for the second time that night.

"You know, I didn't know he swung that way. Could almost have fooled me." The taller figure smirked at her shorter companion, who was eyeing the men with an almost amused expression. "Guess now we know why he has two pretty boys following him around all the time eh, Aya?"

"Why don't we just leave them alone for now, Gocchin?" Aya's smile was definitely on the evil side, her voice having stressed the "alone" part in ways better left undiscussed in polite society. Chuckling, Maki held out a hand in an almost gentlemanly fashion to her best friend, who took it with an impish smile, the two turning to leave the garden.

Keita had barely been able to react during that short exchange, his mind going into overdrive as he panicked over the fact that the love of his life had just mistaken his sexual orientation. As the two girls were about to leave though, he finally regained his motor functions and spluttered.

"Wait, I'm not like that!"

Maki just looked over her shoulder with a conspiratorial wink.

"Don't worry about it pretty boy, we won't tell on you~"

And just like that, they vanished without a trace into the night, leaving behind a heartbroken Keita to whimper pathetically over and over again.

"But I'm not like that..."






XD XD XD XD Oh, I'm evil. I really am. Kekeke. That was fun to write.
Well, bedtime. Happy reading, and laughing too, I hope! :P
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Amarghetta on March 12, 2007, 07:48:48 PM
Funny, it was. Evil? Not enough... XD
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: len.chan on March 12, 2007, 08:53:20 PM
Aya 1 - Keita 0 FUUU! XDXD
you know what'd had been more evil? Maki kissing Aya in front of him:ONwahaha: :ONwahaha: :ONwahaha:
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Estrea on March 13, 2007, 03:27:30 AM
Quote from: len.chan;327692
Aya 1 - Keita 0 FUUU! XDXD
you know what'd had been more evil? Maki kissing Aya in front of him:ONwahaha: :ONwahaha: :ONwahaha:


You know, I actually considered that. XD Maybe an alternate ending might be in order....:P

You guys are eviler. :P
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: JFC on March 13, 2007, 04:11:31 AM
Again I say...
:ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO:


...



*inhales deeply*


...


:ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO: :ROTFLMAO:



Quote from: Estrea;327630
XD XD XD XD Oh, I'm evil. I really am. Kekeke. That was fun to write.
Well, bedtime. Happy reading, and laughing too, I hope! :P
Quote from: Estrea;327979
You guys are eviler. :P
You know you love it just like we love it. :ONwahaha:
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: rndmnwierd on March 13, 2007, 12:24:11 PM
Roffle times a thousand!
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Estrea on March 14, 2007, 04:41:22 PM
And I'm back with the side story I promised at the end of Chapter 6! XD

It's set a few years before the main story begins, and it covers a bit of how Makoto joined our favorite pirate crew. XD

Warning, some sexual harassment ahead (poor Ai-chan *cough*). Also some violence, but we knew that already, didn't we? XD




Side Story 3: Tavern Rumble


A snaking hand slithered towards the general vicinity of her rear end, but she slipped skillfully out of range, a skill born out of necessity and daily practice.

Takahashi Ai didn't know whether or not to be flattered that so many of the patrons liked trying to cop a feel of her, or just be irritated by the constant attempts at sexual harassment. She supposed she should be used to it though. As a barmaid working at a tavern whose main clientele were pirates, being harassed was pretty much part of the job description. She didn't have to like it though.

The doors to the Sea Coconut tavern were forcefully thrown open, and a familiar crew swept in. Ai-chan couldn't help but smile. If they were here, that mean that Mako-chan, her childhood friend, was here too. Makoto had joined those pirates about 6 months ago, after they had helped to fight off some troublemakers at the tavern. Ai had hated to see her friend go and join a pirate crew, of all things, but this particular group didn't seem too bad. A bit strange they might have been, but they didn't feel evil. Ruthless and a bit vicious maybe, but not evil.

Besides, they were an all-female crew, so it wasn't as if Mako-chan would be too much out of place. Mako-chan loved the sea and had always wanted to sail on it, which was why she had begged to be accepted into the crew of the Red Dawn in the first place. This would be the first time since Makoto had left that she had seen them again, and she was rather looking forward to checking on how the younger girl was doing. After all, they had grown up together and were sort of like sisters. As the older one, Ai felt that she had a responsibility to look out for the younger girl. It was the right thing to do.

"Ho Ayaka! Bring up the rum!" No guesses as to who had said that. The proprietress just laughed and brought out a whole tray of bottles, passing them to Ai to bring to the table. The barmaid blinked and tried hard to balance everything as she gingerly picked up the load, turning towards the corner where the crew lounged around lazily.

Meanwhile, a decidedly more tanned Makoto bounded up to her "sister" with a wide smile. "Ai-chan!" The slightly taller girl tried to hug her, but the humongous tray sort of impeded that action. "Let me help you with that!" The younger girl grinned toothily and grabbed several of the bottles to lighten the seriously overloaded tray. The older girl smiled gratefully, straightening herself and delivering the alcohol to the pirates.

She had barely set the tray down when Yuko reached out to snag a bottle, taking a long swig, a blissful expression blossoming on her face. Yossi politely thanked her, ever the gentleman, which always struck her as odd, somehow. Oh well, it was a refreshing change of pace from the leering and lecherous...

Grope senses tingling! A familiar instinct kicked in as she made to back away, but it wasn't soon enough. She felt a quick hand slip smoothly down the waist of her skirt, stroking and pinching her butt lightly, eliciting a startled yelp from her as she tried to motor away. Instead, she managed to lose her balance, falling backward...

...only to be caught by a smugly smirking Miki, whose wandering fingers simply refused to stay still even then, this time inching up the back of her blouse. Flaring an intense shade of red, Ai-chan finally found her footing again and stomped off out back indignantly, face still flushed and muttering some of the more creative curses she had heard some of the patrons utter. Makoto came up behind her apologetically.

"Sorry Ai-chan, Fujimoto's always like that whenever she's not feeling grumpy..."

Calming down slightly, the rapid beating of her heart slowing down as she regained her equanimity, Ai-chan smiled at her friend. "I'm fine now, really. That...that woman just shocked me a bit." She said, laughing shakily.

Makoto nodded. "Yeah...Fujimoto is a bit weird...sometimes all standoffish, and sometimes, ah, too friendly."

Eyeing the young pirate, Ai simply had to ask. "Did she do it to you too?"

Makoto shifted around on her feet, flushing slightly. "Um, well, once or twice..." She mumbled evasively. Then she hastened to add, "But Yossi talked her out of it. Yossi's really nice." Makoto nodded as she spoke of the dashing Second Mate.

Ai was about to ask after her wellbeing when a loud ruckus in the tavern alerted the two friends. "What now?" They both blurted out at the same time, looking at each other, before shrugging and rushing back in.

It was the same group of troublemakers. Except, there were more of them. Evidently, the original group had been pissed at Yuko's crew for kicking their collective asses that time, and had called in more help to revenge their loss after hearing that they had docked in.

Yuko was smiling lazily, still loosely holding a bottle of rum (her 3rd) as she swaggered over to the antagonisers. "Let's take this outside, shall we?" The pirate captain drawled, smirking insultingly at the other group's leader.

"Inside, outside, you're going to pay anyway!" The other group's leader, a heavily scarred man missing an eye (courtesy of Miki and her flying daggers), growled threateningly even as they all spilled out into the street outside. The other patrons all swarmed out to watch the entertainment as well, even as Ai stood worriedly on the edges of the imminent brawl, concerned for her friend's safety.

The crew of the Red Dawn was outnumbered 3 to 1, so the fight took a bit longer than usual.

10 minutes later, three quarters of the antagonisers were either lying dead or dying in the bloodied dirt before the Sea Coconut tavern, much to the roaring approval of the mostly drunk patrons, who didn't really care which side won as long as they got to see a good fight.

Some of the men were clearly aware that staying any longer would be hazardous to their health, and thus attempted to flee. Keyword: attempted.

Three of the four who attempted to run away received a parting gift of a knife in the back, courtesy of a viciously grinning Miki. The last one, already a good distance away and thinking that he would make it to safety, was roughly disabused of that notion when a well hurled harpoon from Reina impaled him through the chest, the wonky eyed pirate having already dispatched of the opponents around her and thus could afford to do so.

One burly man, seeing that running wasn't an option, turned on Yuko with a desperate battle cry. The often-drunk captain currently had her sword stuck in the chest of an offending sailor, and it seemed that she would not be able to pull it out soon enough to meet the downward stroke aimed at her head. Kei cried out in horror, and the rest of the crew, too far away to help, could only stare as the cutlass descended with terrifying certainty...

...only to be met by a bottle. The strike broke it, sending rum and shards of dark glass flying, but the original route of the slash had been interrupted. Yuko smirked.

The burly sailor raised his cutlass for a second stroke, but it suddenly hung in midair as his whole body stiffened. Yuko had shoved the jagged edges of the broken bottle she was still holding right into his belly. Still smiling, Yuko twisted the bottle for good measure, before letting go and kicking the other corpse off her sword. When the heavily wounded man behind her made one last, clumsy attempt to swing at her, Yuko only spun around, and laughing, disarmed him...literally.

The wet splotch that the severed limb made on contact with the ground had a triumphant ring to it.

Mari and Yossi absently cleaned up the last couple of men around them, having turned back to their "work" upon verifying that Yuko was in no immediate danger.

There was only one man left, a weasly fellow who had a shifty-eyed look around him. He had been on the edges of the fight, and after seeing what had happened to those of his comrades who had tried to flee earlier, he decided that he needed a better way to ensure his continued survival.

"Ai-chan!" Makoto cried out in horror, as that last man grabbed the nearest person, who just happened to be the currently futilely struggling barmaid.

"Just let me go and I'll let the wench live!" The wretched sailor called out, holding his cutlass to Ai's throat as he used her as a convenient body shield, apparently all too aware of the effiacy of Miki's flying daggers.

Miki, who was the closest to the man, smirked. "Do you think we care about some tavern wench? Go ahead and kill her, I'll send you straight after her into the next world." She had casually slipped a knife from out of her sleeve, sensually licking the gleaming blade as her eyes bored deep into the terrified man's, making his knees shake involuntarily.

Makoto was about to protest, but the twins quickly stopped her, Tsuji holding her back and Kago clamping up her mouth. "Just wait...Miki knows what she's doing." Tsuji hissed into a struggling Makoto's ear.

Takahashi Ai was terrified. She had never been so scared in her life before, and that was saying something. And now that smug, annoying creature of a pirate was willing to let her die just to get to the bastard that was holding her hostage! She made up her mind to kick that Fujimoto's ass should she get out this safely.

Miki walked a couple of steps closer, just about 5 feet away from the two, never taking her eyes off the cowardly man before her. Said cowardly man backed off a couple of steps, desperate to flee from the monster that was bearing down on him. His cutlass pressed just a bit closer to his captive's neck, drawing just a thin trickle of blood...

Ai-chan fought the urge to to scream. That knife-wielding devil was staring at them. No, she thought. Staring at her. That was a strange gleam in those fiery eyes. Get ready, it seemed to say. The barmaid had barely enough time to process that thought when a flash of quick movement hurtled through the air, burying itself within the rogue's right shoulder, eliciting a pained howl. The subsequent knee-jerk movement as the pain kicked in caused his cutlass-wielding arm to move back and away from the girl's throat.

The young woman didn't need a second hint. Pushing away from her captor, she stumbled forward, right into a waiting Miki's arms. For her part, the pirate had already drawn yet another knife from somewhere on her body, reversing it smoothly and using the hilt to rap smartly on the wounded man's wrist, forcing him to drop his cutlass. He was whimpering in pain and fear when the knife-throwing devil edged up to him, still holding the gasping barmaid close to her.

"You know," Miki started conversationally, "I really really hate assholes like you who don't even have the balls to go down fighting like a man." Even as she spoke, the pointy end of her dagger moving down from his throat, down the chest and stomach, ending up down below at a very sensitive region. The man started sweating even harder, if that was even possible.

Miki was smiling with all the warmth of an iceberg. "Since you're such a poor excuse of a man, I don't really see the need for you to have them."

Ai-chan buried her face in Miki's chest as the man howled in agony. All the other males in the general vicinity winced, unconsciously using their hands to cover that portion of their anatomy at the same time. Miki didn't bother to extricate her dagger even as the pathetic creature in front of her collapsed. She did, however, yank the other knife out from her victim's shoulder before escorting her prize back to her amused shipmates.

"You know, as much as I like the fact that you're clinging to me, it's ok to look up now." Ai-chan looked up into the smug face of her rescuer, embarrassed by her own actions, and was about to thank the smirking pirate, when she felt those damned hands going too far south for her liking.

Gratitude turned immediately to embarrassment, and then quickly on to anger. Without even thinking about it, she made to stomp on the pirate's foot, but Miki simply jumped back laughingly out of the way, releasing her at the same time. Miki smirked again, deliberately licking the fingers that had touched her down there...

Her face flaming, Takahasi Ai fled, too mortified to stay around that infuriating, arrogant and lecherous groper of a pirate, Miki's mocking laughter following her all the way as she made her escape.





XD XD XD Miki kicked ass. I had a lot of fun. Haha. Chapter 7 might be delayed though...hope this sort of makes up for it until I finish the chapter. *apologetic*
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Amarghetta on March 14, 2007, 06:56:15 PM
I think I liked Yuko better than Miki, not that she wasn't great at all... It's just that Yuko seemed cooler with the bottle thing, he.
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: rndmnwierd on March 14, 2007, 10:35:34 PM
Bar fight. fghhjyiyjgh Xo
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: JFC on March 19, 2007, 01:50:11 AM
Quote
All the other males in the general vicinity winced, unconsciously using their hands to cover that portion of their anatomy at the same time.
I did that. :o
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Ren on March 19, 2007, 11:21:05 AM
I laughed so hard :ONxD:
Especially during the Yuuki part, I didn't notice that they switched places!

You must continue to write more side stories! :ONtantrum:
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Estrea on March 23, 2007, 05:26:53 PM
And I'm back with a random side story that I had been dying to write ever since I started. XD

Short one ahead. Haha.

====================================

Side Story 4: Bonnie and Clyde


"This is intolerable!" A loud voice boomed, followed by a smashing thump against the wooden table. The men ducked spittle and splinters alike as the Chief went on ranting and gesticulating while destroying random furniture in his tirade.

"A whole district wrecked in a single night! What are you fools doing?! Can't you stop those pesky criminals from ruining more places of business?! I'm getting complaints from all the owners!" More flying objects were directed at the Chief's underlings, who all went undercover behind large pieces of furniture that were still intact, clearly trying to avoid death-by-projectile.

"But sir...it's the red light district that's being disrupted. Shouldn't we be glad that those dens of vice are being cleared out?" One of the more junior constables ventured bravely. Everyone winced in sympathy and murmured prayers for the poor boy, even as the Chief turned purple in rage, his veins popping almost dangerously out of his forehead.

"VICE? Those are legitimate, registered businesses! They pay their dues and taxes on time! The town depends on the income! Where do you think our budget comes from?!" The Chief looked like he was about to have apoplexy as he raged on, this time directing all his ire at the unfortunate rookie who had spoken out of turn.

A few of the men had to carry the knocked out body of the young constable out of the room after the Chief was done with him.

At the very least, that singleminded outburst at the rookie had served to channel the last of the anger from the Chief, and he was now marginally calm enough to speak without smashing or throwing more objects. Unfortunately it didn't do anything about the spittle that flew in all directions whenever he spoke, so the more experienced men all wisely stayed out of range as the Chief spoke. The less wary received a coating of spit, courtesy of their plump and potbellied Chief.

"We need to nab these foul criminals! Does anyone even have a profile on them?!"

A diffident man, one of the veterans, stepped forward (but still out of spit-range). "Our reports seem to suggest that it's the work of two people or possibly more, but we're unable to pin down the exact number or type of person who has been perpetrating these crimes. What we do know however, is that they move very fast and are very clever when it comes to avoiding pursuit. We never seem to catch up to them..."

"What do I employ you fools for?! Find those people, and find them fast! Or you're ALL fired!" The Chief roared, sending them all scattering out of the station.

"Useless bunch of idiots..." The Chief muttered to himself as he poured out a glass of fine whiskey that had managed to remain intact through his earlier rampage.

"Ahhh...that hits the spot..." The red-faced man sighed contentedly as he drank.

A giggle. The Chief frowned, did he hear something? There was nothing but the sound of the wind blowing in the evening air, so he shrugged and relaxed, pouring himself another glass.

A creak. The Chief jumped up a little in his seat, spilling a little of the whiskey onto his lap. But there was no repeat of the sound. Probably just the wind again, he reasoned. No need to get panicky over nothing.

He was just settled in again when he thought he saw a shadow flit past the window, making him choke in mid-drink. Spluttering a bit, he stared out of the window, even going so far as to walk over and open it, looking out of it to see if anyone had passed by. But there was nothing. Most people didn't bother to lurk around the local sheriff office unless they had something to bring up with the constables.

Deciding that it was probably his own imagination, the Chief turned his back on the open window, ready to rejoin his drink that was still waiting on the table for him. He had barely made a step in that direction when someone swung in through the window and made contact with their feet onto the back of his head, sending him to the land of the unconscious almost instantly.

The intruder landed lightly and gracefully on their feet next to the comatose man. A few seconds later, her companion joined her, having entered through the back door on the other side of the building.

"Nicely done~" The newcomer complimented her partner, who simply executed a flamboyant bow in response, making them both giggle.

"Shall we get started then?"

The twins looked at each other, grinning viciously, and got down to work.

The next morning, the town was in an uproar at the sight that greeted their eyes when they woke up. Mothers covered their children's eyes, desperate to spare their virgin eyes from the spectacle, and there were scandalised titters flitting throughout the more proper amongst the varied crowd that had gathered in the town square to witness the sight on display.

The Chief Sheriff, naked as the day he was born, was hogtied to a post in the middle of the town square, the only scrap of material that was on him being a long roll of white cloth that was tied to his neck and allowed to fall freely downwards to cover some essential bits in front and back. There were words scribbled on the cloth.

I am a corrupt official, I take bribes and allow brothels and gambling dens to operate. That was on the front.

I am also a fat, lazy bastard that sucks the lifeblood out of the peasants. Was on the back.

There were also a lot of derogatory designs scribbled on the man's face. But what really stood out to the more appreciative of the crowd was the calling card left behind by the ones who had done this, carved onto the fat man's side.

Courtesy, from da 'Bon and Non'.

======================================


XD

And this covers part of what Aibon and Nono were up to prior to joining our favorite pirate crew. XD They're sadistic, yes, but they're not evil. They just use extreme methods to work against things they don't approve of. ^___^

As for why I used "Bonnie and Clyde", well, it just felt right. Even though the originals were bandits, but then again, what the twins are doing is still fairly illegal even if morally justifiable. :P

Hope you liked!
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Yuuyami on March 23, 2007, 05:57:01 PM
The twins are so silly <3

But damn, that guy was too spacey to notice anything, roffle xD

Loved the notes the twins left on the guy, roffle xD!!!!!!!!
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Ren on March 23, 2007, 06:01:07 PM
Yay for Aibonnie and Nonclyde! XD and again for another side story :heart:!

Little lovable trouble makers :heart:.

They sure like to make their victims naked, huh? Pervy Bon and Non :heart:.

Even though it is said they are in such hard times after running away from home and before they joined the pirates crew, it sure seems like they are enjoying their time XD.
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: rndmnwierd on March 23, 2007, 06:11:12 PM
XDXDXDXDXD

*wipes away tears* Oh man, I love the twins!
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: FeverInducedMadness on March 23, 2007, 06:52:37 PM
o_o I didn't know there was a thread with SIDE STORIES in it!
...But I'm glad I do now. haha.

The note things on the guy remind me of the Marauder's Map. Cracked me up so hard. <3
Title: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: JFC on March 24, 2007, 04:46:15 AM
Quote
Courtesy, from da 'Bon and Non'.
That's just perfect! :ROTFLMAO:
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Estrea on April 10, 2007, 01:20:16 PM
Next up, it came slightly unplanned, frankly. Maybe a little prematurely too. But I guess it had to be done.

-------------------------

Side Story 5: Smile

I am always smiling. Everyone says that of me, many more have complimented me on it. Such a beautiful smile, they said. It almost puts the sun to shame.

Your eyes were red-rimmed when you came to me. I smiled for you, asking what was wrong, even as my heart twisted at your distress. Why are you crying inside? Why do you hide your tears even in front of me? It hurts to see you so.

But I keep smiling, holding my arms out for you, knowing that you needed me simply to be there like always. Your embrace was rough, desperate, and needy. I keep forgetting how much taller than me you are. Your childlike face makes me forget all that.

Your grip is firm, strong, almost painful. If it were someone else, I would be frightened. But it is just you. I have nothing to fear. You would never hurt me, not intentionally. I trust you.

I smile again, chuckling a little and scolding you for being like a big baby. Like I always do. Like I always would. But then you look up, and it makes me stop in my tracks. Your eyes are different. It feels different. Something feels wrong.

My heart leaps within my chest. Different. Uncertainty, excitement, and a kind of wariness filled up within me, but I kept my smiling face. I didn't want to betray my emotions in front of you. In front of anyone. But especially not in front of you. I couldn't expose myself that way, not for you. You didn't need to see my vulnerability, not when you are so vulnerable yourself.

I couldn't be selfish and worry you as well. I am supposed to be the older, the more responsible, the strong one for your sake. You didn't need to see the small, weak, uncertain me. You wanted, needed, the steadiness of my companionship. That much I could I give you. No matter how much it broke me up inside, I will keep smiling for you.

You surprised me, you really did. I never thought you would reach for me this way. I never thought you would do that, because I knew you had your eyes elsewhere. I was just your older sister, in a way. I was ready to accept it that way. Better some closeness than none, right?

Your lips were softer than I imagined, but you tasted of tears. I thought that it would be sweeter, but all I discovered was the sharp tang of pain and bitterness. You were so hurt inside, even your kisses reflected that. I wanted to be closer, stroke that injury away, ease that pain I felt resonating within you. I wanted to do something for you.

You were so desperate, so needy. But even then you still hesitated before you touched me, your eyes silently pleading for permission. For forgiveness. I couldn't resist you. I could never turn you away. Not now, not ever.

You were shaking inside from all your repressed emotions, your movements jerky and almost forceful. Yet your hands on me were gentle to the last. Even in your frenzy you never deigned to hurt me. At least, never intentionally.

It was over so very quickly. I lay on my back gasping, still reeling from the experience. You were crouched over me, panting hard, your hair falling a wavy curtain down on either side of your face, leaving it in shadow. Even as the heat of the moment started to fade, I could see the horror starting to form in your eyes as they raked over the marks you left on my body. Horror at what you had done to me.

I reached up with one trembling hand to touch your face, but you pull away as if shocked. I saw the fear in your eyes, and the guilt as you refused to meet my gaze. You made to get up, wanting to leave, run away from me, from what you had done to me.

But I couldn't let you go. I embraced you from behind, heedless of my state of undress. I didn't want you to blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. I didn't stop you, after all. Whatever you took, I gave it freely to you. You had to understand that. That I didn't blame you for anything. That it wasn't your fault.

You begin to weep bitterly, for yourself, for what you had done to me. Your helplessness moved me to take you back into my arms, and you sobbed into my bare chest like a lost child. You were so afraid, so very afraid. Afraid that I would hate you and abandon you, after what you had done. Silly one, I could never do that. I cared too much for you to hate you. I could never hate you, no matter what you did. Don't you understand?

"Why?" You asked, the confusion evident in your voice. "Why don't you hate me? I hurt you..."

I shushed you then, pressing a finger against your lips. I didn't want to explain to her. I couldn't. Or I didn't dare to. So I cut off all further conversation by sealing my lips against yours. You were surprised at first, but you responded, almost shyly at first, before growing in heat and passion as the kiss intensified.

We didn't talk anymore that night.

You had finally fallen asleep, your tear-stained face calm in repose. I said nothing, just watched you wordlessly. Watched your peaceful, innocent expression, clinging to me like a child. You were still so young. It almost felt like I was taking advantage of you, when the reverse was true. It still hurt, you know, knowing that tonight was probably just an aberration. I knew that you were just confused and lonely, and desperate for comfort. But I had let it happen anyway. Maybe I really was taking advantage of you after all.

Brushing your hair away from your face, I pondered the question you posed to me. Why did I not hate you? The answer was so simple that I was surprised that you didn't think of it yourself. But that was you I guess. You could be so remarkably dense at times, it was exasperating. But despite that, I still loved you. Which was why I could never hate you, no matter what you did.

And I could never tell you. Not now. You're not ready to know. I didn't want to take advantage of you more than I already have. When you're ready, I promised myself. When you're ready to love again, I'll tell you.

"Sleep well Gocchin." I whispered, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. You stir lightly and pull me closer, trapping me against you. Your throat rumbles softly as you mumble sleepily, one eye cracking halfway open.

"G'night Nacchi..."

I smile again, but you didn't see it, your eyes fluttering shut again. Nor did you see the tears glistening behind my smile, unshed and hidden away. You never could see them anyway, even when fully awake.

Because I loved you too much to hurt you, and it's killing me inside instead. Knowing that you didn't love me the way I loved you.

But for you, I'll endure. For you, I'll smile even if each one twists another knife inside my heart. Because you needed me that way, and I loved you too much to disappoint you.

I will always be here for you Gocchin. Even if you never realise it, I'll be there.

Because I love you.

-------------------------------------



I blame listening to Amasugita Kajitsu while typing this. >_>

It's a bit premature to post this, but oh well. Little insight into how this pairing works. And the angst behind it. >_> Gah. I feel bad. =X
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: len.chan on April 10, 2007, 03:18:22 PM
Quote
I am always smiling.

just with that 4 words I knew that she was Nacchi. And, of course, if it was Nacchi, the other girl had to be Gocchin XD But por Nacchi... Maki's probably in love with Aya and that's why both are so sad. Gocchin because Aya would never fall for her and Nacchi 'cause she thinks that Maki would never forget Aya XDD *crazy thoughts, you know? XDD*

 I love everything that you write
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: JFC on April 10, 2007, 03:45:44 PM
TELL HER NACCHI! TELL HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!   :pleeease:
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: freya86 on April 10, 2007, 07:09:22 PM
Waaaaaaaaaaaaa, I feel loved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Umh, well, ... yeah ^^

Anyway, Nacchi/Gocchin FTWMFW!!!! This was so sweet. A little sad, but I foresee a brighter future for these two :heart:
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Yuuyami on April 10, 2007, 07:24:57 PM
Aww! ;_;

I like how poetic this chapter feels. The words flowed together really well <3!!! It must be the first person view which made the chapter have a smooth flow xD!

Oh Maki and Nacchi... xD
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: YoukaiChica on April 11, 2007, 01:28:46 AM
*sigh* That was beautiful. Definitely a master piece. I LOVE Nacchi/Gocchin and that was so well written. I just had to compliment you on it. Now, back to lurking!!
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: black velvet on April 11, 2007, 01:32:05 AM
Oh, man . . . That was really beautiful. We knew that they had a special night together, but we didn't know if it was fun or what. That's pretty deep.

Nacchi, you should tell Maki! >.<
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Owaranai_sLaVe on April 11, 2007, 02:00:13 AM
Why....why is Gotou so broken? Why is she like that... don't tell me she had unrequited feelings for Aya!

I tried to pin point my favorite part...but I couldnt find it. It was probably the post-love scene part.
I dunno, like Yuu said, this chapter did give me a poetic vibe... and I likey.

Hmmm new obsessing pairing for me? I think so :D

-Owaranai_sLaVe
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 11, 2007, 02:15:39 AM
I've been so depressed this weekend and to come back and read my feelings down here. It's uncomfortable but wonderfully written.
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: coachie on April 11, 2007, 10:16:07 AM
that was so beautiful
poor Nacchi *sobs*
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Mikan on April 11, 2007, 11:11:00 AM
Damn right! Lol!
I was sitting at my desk thinking "there isnt enough NachiGoto love...".

I came up with nothing but it seems you did.

Wow, its so sweet...XD
You could kinda tell right from the start it was them...ahhhhh
But I wonder whats the story behind the story?....
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files
Post by: Estrea on April 18, 2007, 05:05:30 PM
Haha thanks everyone for the comments. Yeah Nacchi and Maki started off in a very screwed up way. Whether that will fix itself in the future....well, who knows? XD

Next side story coming up! coachie wanted to know what happened with Koharu in Chapter 18, so here it is. XD

--------------------------------------

Side Story 6: When Enough Is Enough


She had just had about enough of this. As if it wasn't already bad enough to have his wolf's eyes mentally undressing her (oh how she cursed her early physical maturity!) while she danced with her partner, now he was getting a little too close for comfort, on the pretext of "guiding" her in the proper steps of the waltz. Waltz her ass, he was watching her butt move more than the way her feet were moving to the beat. Perverted old man.

Now her partner was called to stand aside so that the instructor himself, in all his full perverted glory, could personally lead her in the complex steps of the new dance that he himself had created. New dance her foot. All he probably wanted to do was the horizontal mambo with her. She couldn't stand him. He was almost 3 times her age! Old enough to be her father. Her grandfather even, if he had knocked someone up early enough!

There were limits to her patience. Limits to her ability to endure his lecherous gazes and less-than-innocent touches when they were dancing, either with him as a partner or him just standing on the sidelines. Any and all time spent within 10 feet of him, within seeing distance of him, was an arduous and repulsive task. The several hours of being in the same room with him was sheer torture. The man was a pedophile. How he ever got away with all that for so long was beyond her. Maybe all his previous victims were pushovers. Well, she certainly wasn't going to roll over for someone like him.

Gritting her teeth, and it didn't help that it was that time of the month, she endured...for all of 30 seconds.

There was no need, she knew, absolutely NO NEED, for his hand to start stroking her bottom. At first, she tried to shift away from that wandering hand, but the only option away from it was to move even closer to the old man's body, and she had no intention whatsoever of doing that. She would sooner drown herself than do that.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Maasa, one of her usual dance partners during these lessons, give her an encouraging look that told her to endure it for just a while longer. Just a bit longer, and then she could tear herself away from this disgusting proximity to her perverted dance instructor, and return to more amiable company with a far more dignified Maasa. The older girl might only be a servant, but she had way more honor than this so-called gentleman who was currently discreetly touching her butt.

She could do this. She had done it many times before. She could just stand his loathed presence for a couple minutes more...until the man decided to give up on subtlety and just pinch her bottom while leering at her.

That was IT. Absolutely IT. She had enough. More than enough. She wasn't going to put up with this sorry excuse of a pedophilic lecher anymore.

Maasa winced reflexively when Koharu unceremoniously brought her knee up with great force to come in contact with a sensitive part of the male anatomy, doubling the man over with a pained howl. The tall girl then resisted the urge to cheer out loud (since she despised the man as well) when Koharu, clearly not satisfied with simply kneeing her long-time tormentor in the balls, drew back her fist, soundly nailing the middle-aged dance instructor in the face with a punch worthy of Maasa herself.

And that was something, coming from someone who specialised in close combat herself. Clearly, Koharu had been paying attention to the self defense lessons Maasa had given her on a whim during lazy afternoons cooped up indoors. The poor man had one hand covering his lower half and the other hand clutching at his bruised face, writhing painfully on the floor. Koharu stepped back, an uncharacteristically vicious look on her usually cheerful face, and kicked the man once more for good measure. Maasa hid a chuckle at that.

When Koharu walked back to face her, Maasa put on her most professionally detached expression, but the younger girl only grinned impishly.

"Well, now that he's out, I guess lesson's over." Koharu said off-handedly. "Thanks for being here Maasa." The taller girl shrugged it off, and watched as Koharu flounced off with a distinct bounce in her step. Casting one last glance at the pitiful creature curled up on the carpet in the middle of the room, Maasa briefly pondered if she should call a doctor to help. The man groaned. She decided to leave him to his own fate.

He deserved it anyway.

----------------------------------------


XD XD XD

And that's what happened. XD Yay for Koharu, and yay for Maasa. XD

Edit: And yeah, only Miki is allowed to grope people without fear. XD Anyone else just deserves what Koharu did to that man. XD
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: Amarghetta on April 18, 2007, 05:35:57 PM
Ah, pulling Miki-esque moves on Koharu? Pfft! Only Miki can get away with that... :D
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: coachie on April 18, 2007, 09:50:12 PM
whooooooooopies, this was fun!!! Go Koha, yay!  ;D

now that she's tasted some ass (ball)kicking blood, hope she goes all out in the main story as well

thanks Estrea
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: JFC on April 18, 2007, 10:38:15 PM
Quote
Well, she certainly wasn't going to roll over for someone like him.
I love the way that in this story, this line can both be taen in a figuative and literal sense.


Quote
Maasa winced reflexively when Koharu unceremoniously brought her knee up with great force to come in contact with a sensitive part of the male anatomy, doubling the man over with a pained howl. The tall girl then resisted the urge to cheer out loud (since she despised the man as well) when Koharu, clearly not satisfied with simply kneeing her long-time tormentor in the balls, drew back her fist, soundly nailing the middle-aged dance instructor in the face with a punch worthy of Maasa herself.
WOOT! YOU GO GIRL!!!  :cool1:


Quote
Edit: And yeah, only Miki is allowed to grope people without fear. XD Anyone else just deserves what Koharu did to that man. XD
Damn right!  :kekeke:
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: rndmnwierd on April 19, 2007, 06:49:18 AM
Koharu is official coolness!
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: iacus on April 19, 2007, 10:57:03 AM
Story #5 Nice, I'm gonna assume along with everyone else that Goto is pining for Aya. If that is the case, wasn't it implied somewhere in the main story that Aya and Goto got it on one night?

Story #6 LOL
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: Mikan on April 19, 2007, 11:27:38 AM
Hahah HA!

Yeah I was wondering as well......well, its nice to know! hahahahha

Poor teacher...(sorry, I had a lengthy discussion today with my friend about being hit in the koala berries...) you still have to feel for the man...despite is heavy perversion..
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: Ren on April 21, 2007, 08:39:14 AM
#5
I didn't think its Nacchi O_O. She deserves some more loving from Gocchin >_<~

#6
Koha knows to kick some ass even if she's the daughter of a renowned family! Miracle indeed :D! Too bad she still had to taste some groping XD I bet Miki can grope better than that leecherous pedo guy XD.

Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#6: When Enough Is Enough]
Post by: Estrea on May 14, 2007, 07:04:10 PM
Look everyone, I apologise in advance for my cruelty below. It's just that...it needed to be written. That's what I felt. Long side story ahead (almost like a regular chapter o_o;)

=======================

Side Story 7: Captain


It was late. Or specifically, it was very early. It was about an hour before dawn, but none of them were asleep. They were awake as a show of solidarity.

"They're late." Sudou Maasa said from her place by the window, a tinge of worry in her voice as her eyes remained staring unwaveringly outside. The words pierced the tense atmosphere in the room, and Risako whimpered slightly, prompting Momoko, who was sitting next to the younger girl, to grip her hands comfortingly. Yurina and Chinami were seated opposite Risako and Momoko, and their hands were interlaced tightly, betraying their nervousness. Meanwhile, Maiha was pacing up and down the middle of the room like a caged tiger, impatient and worried at the same time.

"What could be keeping them? It doesn't take so fucking long to finish the test." Maiha muttered tensely, prompting an evil eye from Momoko, who clapped her hands around Risako's ears. "Language, Maiha!" The remarkably foul-mouthed 12 year old snorted dismissively and resumed her nervous pacing, constantly glancing at the door as if in doing so it would bring their missing members back faster.

The sound of light footsteps pattering up made them all perk up, ears twitching. Maiha was the first to the door, while the others all got up to their feet in anticipation as well. The door swung open, only to reveal Yajima Maimi from the other squad. She too wore a concerned expression on her faces. Maiha sighed loudly.

"What the fuck do you want?" Her tone was more impatient than malicious, and the visitor didn't appear to take offense, knowing as she did of Maiha's tendency towards foul language. Besides, the aggravation in the girl was fully justified.

"Is Miyabi back yet?" Maiha stepped aside to let her see into the room, which had a distinct lack of Miyabi, and of course, Saki as well.

"That answer your question? Maiha folded her arms, tapping one foot against the floor. Momoko walked over to greet her.

"So what brings you here?" Maimi, the other squad leader, sighed.

"Well, even though we're split into different teams, we still trained together in the beginning. Our squad's worried about Miyabi too."

Maiha was about to open her mouth to say something rude again when Maasa calmly walked over and clapped a hand over Maiha's mouth, before hauling her away by the scruff of the neck. Momoko smiled wryly at Maasa. "Thanks Maa-chan." The taller girl just nodded with a faint smile, shoving a sulking Maiha down right next to Yurina, before taking a seat as well, effectively sandwiching Maiha in between her and Yurina, keeping the problem child in place.

Maimi had a slightly amused expression on her face. "Still with that attitude eh?" Momoko shrugged.

"We get used to it after awhile." Then the tiny girl got serious. "Come to think of it, isn't Kanna taking her test right now too?"

"Yes, and she got back just now. I dropped by to check if Miyabi passed too." Momoko smiled faintly. "Tell her I said congrats."

Maimi nodded. "Will do." The other team leader then paused diplomatically. "I'm sure Miyabi will be fine." She then shrugged. "Well, I'll be off now. See you in the afternoon classes!" With a wave, Maimi jogged off again into the dark. Momoko stood silently at the still open door for a few moments, staring out and hoping to catch a glimpse of their own errant members. The darkness made it hard to make out anything.

Movement in the shadows. Momoko strained her eyes in that direction, trying to make out who it was.

It was only one person. Judging from the height, it had to be Miyabi. Captain wasn't as tall, Momoko concluded. The others had also noticed the return of their comrade, and had all rushed to the door, spilling out into the darkness to welcome her back.

"You passed!" Risako pounced almost immediately on her ebiru partner. The conclusion that Miyabi had passed the test was easy to come by: she came back alive. Failing the test generally meant that you got yourself killed, or otherwise screwed up so badly that you had to be silenced. Either way, failing meant death. The very fact that Miyabi was walking up to them now meant that she had passed her test.

"Ow! Get off!" Miyabi snapped, though her voice sounded more pained than anything else. Risako immediately slid off, and Maasa was the first to notice that Miyabi's left shoulder was held lower than her right one. "Miya, your shoulder..."

"Dislocated." Miyabi said curtly, her eyes strangely hooded and dark with an unknown emotion. They parted instinctively, allowing her into the warmth of the room, and in the light from the fireplace, they finally saw the full extent of her injuries.

There were a few scratches on her cheek, and there were oddly discolored stains on her jet black ensemble. The raw smell of blood gave away the identity of the stains, and part of her left sleeve was ripped and torn, and an ugly gash peeked through the fabric on her upper arm. There was also a narrow slash wound on her right side, not particularly deep, but they had learned early in their training that the light cuts could be just as painful, if not more, than a deep stab wound. There were also splashes of blood on her forearms and hands, but seeing a distinct lack of cuts on them, the blood there probably wasn't her own.

The others didn't speak at first, simply going straight into tending Miyabi's wounds. The tough and devil-may-care exterior the older ebiru usually portrayed was conspicuously absent, and she was strangely subdued as she sat there mutely, not even protesting even as her teammates rapidly stripped her of her equipment and part of her clothing in order to attend to her wounds.

Maasa rounded to Miyabi's left, taking hold of the shoulder gently but firmly. "This is going to hurt." Miyabi nodded, her eyes still focused on a spot on the floor. Risako silently took Miyabi's free hand, kneeling by her side. Maasa swiftly and professionally forced the joint back into place with an audible pop. Chinami winced at the sound, even as she cleaned the wound in Miyabi's side, the water in the basin turning crimson when she rinsed the bloodied rag in it.

Seeing a silent and unresponsive Miyabi didn't surprise them quite so much had they not already seen what happened before. Momoko and Chinami had already passed their own tests a few months ago, and while they both suffered varying levels of injury (Momoko broke several ribs and strained her back, Chinami burnt her arm and twisted her ankle), the one universal factor that remained the same was that when they came back, they were all quiet and acted strangely for some time afterwards. They also didn't tend to talk about what happened afterwards. In any case, the others respected the silence and asked no awkward questions.

Momoko, amidst preparing a herbal brew that had the a sedative effect, kept glancing towards the now closed door. Where was Captain? Saki had passed her own test with flying colors (only collecting a few bruises and scratches) the year before, and often snuck along with those of her squad members who were due for their own tests, in order to keep an eye on them or even step in to ensure that nothing went wrong. It was a dreadful breach of protocol which could get her severely punished, but Saki kept on doing it anyway, concerned for the welfare of her team.

Momoko knew about it only because she had caught Saki following her on her way back from the mission, and had been sworn to silence by the older girl. All the other squad members thought that Saki was out watching for the member who was being tested to return, but the truth was that the tiny captain followed them out, and then pretended to intercept them at the entrance to the training camp when they returned, accompanying them to report to their superiors before going back to their building.

"Where's Captain?" Maiha was the first to break the relative silence. It was unusual for Saki not to have returned with Miyabi. Momoko had a dreadful feeling in the pits of her stomach, fearing for the worst. There was a heavy pause, before Miyabi replied hollowly.

"Sensei wanted to talk to her after I finished my report." Momoko breathed out a quiet sigh of relief. At least Saki wasn't hurt or, worse, killed. The extent of Miyabi's injuries had worried Momoko, since she knew that Captain would never have allowed anyone to have hurt her teammates that badly if she were able to stop it.

The deadened tone of Miyabi's voice was still unsettling though. Momoko fought another surge of panic as another possibility occurred to her. Had Captain's actions in aiding her team been discovered? If that was the case... Momoko repressed a shudder even as she poured the steaming herbal brew into a bowl, spilling a little as her hands trembled. The punishments for misdemeanours were too hideous to even consider. Death would likely be preferable. The sadistic ways of their trainers were all too well known to all the children in the training camp. Yurina had never been quite the same after she had been sent to The Room. No one knew exactly what happened to her in there, but the girl had been rendered mostly mute for weeks afterwards, and would often get hypnotised by the flames. It had taken months of hard work by everyone, particularly Chinami, before they got her to open up and behave somewhat normally again. They never did manage to get rid of her obsession with fire though.

The efficient team effort had gotten Miyabi's wounds cleaned and dressed up in no time at all, and Risako had also given the older girl a wipe down with a wet towel, knowing that Miyabi was probably too stoned too take a bath now. Momoko came over, bearing the bowl containing the medicine, before handing it to Miyabi, who downed the steaming brew without pause, as if eager not to remain conscious for much longer. Chinami grabbed the bowl before it fell to the ground, even as Maasa caught hold of Miyabi as the medicine kicked in quickly. With Yurina's help, they pretty much carried the comatose Miyabi over to her bed, tucking the girl in gently.

"Heavy dosage eh?" Maiha asked after she had taken the bowl from Chinami and sniffed at the dregs. Momoko shrugged distractedly.

"She looked like she needed it." Maiha made a noncommittal sound as she put the bowl down. Momoko was pulling on her heavy outer coat, heading for the door.

"Where are you going?" Maasa asked.

"Gonna go look for Captain. Whatever the talk, it shouldn't take this long. We do have classes tomorrow, well, later today." Momoko opened the door, the cold air hitting her with a blast as she did.

Maiha rolled her eyes. "Midget love. Captain can take care of herself!" Momoko ignored the remark and shut the door behind her, her mind too occupied.

The trek to the main building was short, but it felt like longer to Momoko. Unconsciously, instead of walking openly, she was sneaking, blending into the shadows like they were all taught to, and generally concealing her presence. For some reason, she didn't feel like announcing where she was. The small girl inched along the wall of the main building, heading to the single lighted window down by the side.

Peeking into the window, she saw two of their instructors within the room. One of them was seated at a table, sorting through some papers. The other was coiling up a whip and hanging it back inside a closet. There was no Captain. There were, however, some marks on the floor. Red lines. Like blood. Fresh blood. Lines that looked like imprints of that whip. Bloody imprints.

Momoko's blood ran cold suddenly. Her veins literally turned to ice as her gaze were riveted on those bloodstains, and she almost forgot to conceal herself. At the last minute, before she was discovered, she managed to drag herself away and into the darkness of the woods behind the main building.

She felt sick. Those bloodstains...was Captain alright? Was Captain alive? Momoko's mind sternly refused to even contemplate that Saki could be dead. Captain was too strong to just die like that. They wouldn't really kill one of the best students, would they?

You are dispensable. The words of one of their handlers came floating back to haunt her. With a shudder, Momoko realised that it was terrifyingly true. They were disposable and replaceable. If one died, they could simply pull more of those homeless orphans out of the streets to replace them. Given the state of war, disease and famine in certain less fortunate parts of the world, there were plenty of fodder for them to mold into unthinking soldiers for the Empire.

Momoko hated them. Hated those people who brought her here. Hated those who trained her, turned her into a monster. Yet, if they had not done so, she would surely have died of hunger after that years-long drought had driven half their village into starvation, with the other half simply wasting away, waiting to die. If she had never been taken then though, she would also never have met her current squad. They were her friends, her family now. It was a double-edged sword. On one hand, her humanity was being worn away by the brutality of their circumstances, but yet her friends, also suffering from the same fate, were the ones who kept her sane.

Captain in particular was a pillar of support. She was the oldest amongst them, and despite her small size, was a reliable person and tougher than she looked. Momoko couldn't imagine what life would be like if Captain simply wasn't around anymore. No, she wouldn't even imagine that, since there was no way that Captain could be dead.

Pulling herself together with a grim effort, Momoko started searching around for clues. If Captain had left the building injured but didn't go back to the dorms, then she should be able to track her down. Of course, if Captain were dead, those damned trainers probably wouldn't go very far to dump the corpse anyway. Momoko kicked herself mentally for even thinking that, and focused instead on finding Captain's trail. It was difficult to do that in the dark, but dawn was coming soon anyway. She had to hurry.

It was so small that she had nearly missed it the first time. A splash of blood against a bush, probably made when someone who was bleeding had brushed past it. It had to be Captain, since the blood was still relatively fresh. Having discovered the start of the trail, it was not too difficult to follow it. Momoko might not be quite the bloodhound that Maiha was when it came to tracking someone down, but she was competent, and an injured Captain probably wouldn't be too concerned about covering her tracks all that much. In any case, the trail wound deep into the forest, further than they usually went during their training exercises, but Momoko didn't slow her step. She had good stamina, so it didn't bother her. What did bother her was that Captain was going so far while bleeding, since she found bloodstains on the ground from time to time.

The trail ended abruptly in front of a cliff face, and Momoko paused in confusion, wondering where Saki could have vanished to. Her gaze was drawn to the vine-covered side of the cliff, and she walked towards it, noting a conspicuous crimson stain on the greenery. Pushing the vines and underbrush aside, she was surprised to find that there was a small cave concealed behind it. The opening wasn't very large, and people like Yurina or Maasa would probably find it difficult to climb through, but Momoko was tiny...and so was Captain.

"Who's there?" A voice whispered, and Momoko froze when something sharp tickled her throat. Figures that Captain would be so jittery. Clearing her throat, Momoko identified herself.

"It's me." The sharp edge was removed from her throat in a flash, even as Momoko's eyes adjusted to the gloom inside the cave. What she saw stunned her.

Saki was sitting at the back of the cave, having taken off her shirt...or what was left of it. The remains of the bloodied cloth lay by her feet, ripped and torn beyond recognition. Momoko winced when she saw the marks crisscrossing Saki's torso, angry red welts and bleeding gashes undoubtedly left by the whip she had seen the trainer put away earlier. A surge of anger and pain coursed through her tiny frame, anger at the trainers, and pain because seeing Captain hurt so badly was like being hurt herself.

"Momochi? What..." Saki cut herself off halfway, scrunching into a tiny ball from the pain that all those lacerations must have caused her. Momoko was at her side instantly, tears brimming in her eyes, but she did not let them fall. She wouldn't cry, not when Captain herself wasn't crying, and she was the one this badly injured.

There were some herbs and bandages lying on the stone step next to Saki, as well as spare clothes and equipment stashed in a corner. Clearly this was some sort of secret hideout that Saki must have stocked in her spare time. Why Captain had not told them about it, Momoko wasn't sure, but she wasn't thinking about that now. Instead, she grabbed a clean rag and the jug, dampening the rag with the medicinal alcohol from it and proceeding to swab at each and every lash mark on Saki's torso gently.

Saki hissed at the stinging pain, her fingers digging into the soft sand of the ground below her. She glanced at Momoko, who was biting her lip so hard that it had started to bleed as well, and her entire body was tense, almost trembling from all the repressed emotion.

"How could they flog you so badly?" Momoko sounded pained as she treated every cut tenderly, trying her best not to hurt the older girl.

"Well, I did break the rules..." Saki tried her best to keep her voice light, but the strain was evident. How Captain had managed to keep from not crying out at the pain from her wounds was beyond Momoko's imagination. The older girl then continued on in the same unaffected tone.

"It could have been worse. At least I'm alive..." Saki trailed off when a broken sob emerged from the girl treating her wounds. "Momochi?" She reached over awkwardly to pat the younger's shoulder, wincing at the pain the movement caused her.

"Don't act like it's nothing! You almost died!" Momoko burst out, startling the older girl. The younger held up the bloody rag, as if for emphasis. "Look at this! You could have bled out here and we wouldn't have known where to find you! You could have died!" That last bit seemed to take the wind out of her sails, and Momoko's voice dropped to a hoarse whisper. "You could have died..."

"But I'm not dead now. That's what's important." Saki's voice was crisp, yet gentle at the same time. Leaning awkwardly forward, she tentatively wrapped a teary Momoko in a light hug. "I'm fine now, I'm safe. I'm not going anywhere." The 13 year old spoke reassuringly, sounding much older and more mature than her real age. When one had seen as much as she had did at her age, it wasn't all that surprising anymore.

Momoko sniffed quietly in her captain's arms for a bit, before pushing away gently, wiping at her eyes with her sleeve. Her face was determined as she looked up, and Saki gulped and gritted her teeth together as Momoko started applying the herbs to the worst of her wounds, and bandaging them. It seemed that the whole of Saki's small torso was swathed in bandages after Momoko was finally done. For some reason, the trainer had avoided whipping at anywhere else except the torso, where it would be hidden once Saki put on her clothes, as she was struggling to now, until Momoko stepped in to assist her.

"I requested it to be that way." Saki answered when Momoko posed that question to her. Before the younger girl could blurt out more questions, Saki raised a hand.

"Listen. I didn't want you guys to be worried." Momoko was about to protest, and quite vehemently too, but Saki shushed her again. "It's not so bad, I heal fast. Besides, what could you guys have done even if I let you know about it? You can't turn against the trainers. We just can't. I need to protect all of you. It's part of being your Captain."

"You don't have to suffer in silence on your own! You don't need to be that noble!" Momoko protested, then her eyes narrowed as she remembered something. "This isn't the first time they flogged you, isn't it?" Saki looked away, and Momoko stared aghast at her leader.

"Why? How could you let them do this to you?" Her voice was cracking as she spoke, but it was firm, as was her grip on Saki's wrist.

Saki refused to meet her eyes. "I had to protect all of you. They would have punished the whole squad, so I..."

"So you volunteered to take the whole punishment yourself? Are you crazy?" Momoko asked, her voice rising to an almost unnaturally high pitch due to her agitation. With some effort, she calmed herself to ask. "So all those times we escaped punishment, you were the one who took it for us?"

"Yes." If Saki weren't already injured, Momoko would have beaten her to a pulp for that display of idiocy. She was angry, deeply angry that Captain would do such a thing, but even more angry at the whole system they were trapped in. It wasn't fair at all.

"And that time, when Yurina-chan got let out early from the Room..." Saki sighed. "Yes, that was me too...and Maimi as well." Momoko frowned, thinking back to that time.

"Wasn't Umeda-chan also thrown into the Room as well?" When Saki nodded, Momoko asked again. "So that means, you and Maimi shoulder most of the punishments for us because you two are the leaders? Whatever for?!"

Saki sighed. "Because we care, Momochi. We don't want you all to suffer, and we would have gotten heavy punishments as the captains as well, so we might as well just take the whole burden onto ourselves and spare the rest of you..." She didn't get to finish when Momoko cut in angrily.

"The rest of us would rather share the punishment together! If we suffer, we suffer together! Don't try and play hero anymore, Saki-chan! It's not worth it..." The image of the scars old and new on Saki's body was burned into her mind. Now she knew why Captain so rarely changed clothes in front of them. The scars would have been difficult to explain away.

It hurt, hurt her so much to know that Captain had taken all those punishments, just to spare the rest of them. Tears flooded her eyes again, and she choked back a sob. It wasn't fair at all. Why did they have to suffer like this?

"It's ok Momochi. It really is. You guys don't really screw up often anyway, so..." Momoko interrupted again.

"Then tonight's mission, Miya...?"

"It's not her fault." Saki defended her friend. "The information they gave her was faulty, and she got cornered by a bunch of guards. She was doing fairly well with those chain sickles of hers until one of them got too close...she froze when she stared into the man's eyes. It's always hard to do it when that happens. You understand that, don't you?" Momoko nodded stiffly, bile rising in her throat at the memory of her first upclose kill. It wasn't pleasant, but she had managed it. She did throw up a lot though, after it was over. Miyabi couldn't be blamed for not being able to cross that hurdle. It spoke rather kindly about the girl's character, actually. Strange how someone who acted so evil normally was actually more humane than Momoko herself had been when push came to shove.

At Momoko's questioning glance, Saki nodded. "Yeah, I stepped out and finished him off for her. He would have killed her if I didn't. Unfortunately, the observer identified me...hence the flogging. Should have been more careful I guess." Saki shrugged. "Oh well, I'll be more careful next time."

"Next time?! You're going to do it again?" Momoko asked, aghast. Saki nodded gravely.

"Maasa's test is coming up soon, and Maiha's should be in a few more months. Maybe I worry too much, but I just want them to make it out alive, you know."

"I'm coming with you." Saki stared at Momoko like she had grown another head. The younger girl looked determined.

"You're not going to stop me Captain. I'm just as good as you are in stealth and evasion. I spotted you after my test, didn't I? I can handle it, and you need someone to watch your back. I'm not leaving you alone anymore." Momoko's gaze was steely, and Saki shrank back, slightly unnerved.

"Well I guess that's fine...but are you aure?"

"Never more." Momoko suddenly embraced Saki. "You're not doing this alone anymore. I won't let you."

Saki smiled. "Thanks Momochi." Then she winced. "Um, ow?" Momoko relaxed her grip sheepishly. "Sorry Captain."

"Shall we go back then?"

"Right."

"Don't tell the others, ok?"

"...if you say so."

"Thanks Momo."

No, thank YOU, Captain...Saki... Momoko didn't say it out loud, but simply held on top Saki's hand tightly.

There was only one Captain in their hearts. Only one worthy of the name.

No one else could compare.

===============================================


Don't bash me, I feel bad enough for writing this. T_T
Bit of Berryz past. Not all fun and games, unfortunately. Oh well.
...and you'll notice that C-ute is around too. Yeah they just don't really figure that much in the main story yet. We'll see.

Time for bed.
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: kitaoji on May 14, 2007, 07:29:57 PM
Quick reply post.

Between you and FeverInduced Madness, the two of you have made me into a Berryz Koubou fan. >_<

I seriously want to cry now.

It also suggests that the main story's going to get more epic, since Something Big Has To Happen to these poor kids later on.  I hope they'll be okay. :pleeease:

O Captain! My Captain! [your] fearful trip is done.

wtf am I playing with Walt Whitman now? ???

edit: have you been watching the anime Pumpkin Scissors? Because the stuff that's happening to these kids (and the city, really) feels similar.  Short of actual human experimenting, though.   :fainted:

edit some more: does Konkon know about the Berryz'... profession?  I mean, she's the one who designs and upgrades their equipment, so she has to know what they do in order to ... arm them with the adequate weaponry.  Or something like that.
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: Yuuyami on May 14, 2007, 07:55:46 PM
Oh my *-*

Captain and Maimi are such sacrificial leaders! ;_;

It touches me how they have to go through so much pain to make sure their teams aren't harmed ;_; Good assassins after all? <3

For some odd reason, Captain with lots of scars and lacerations on her body is kinda hot... o_o'

<3
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: Saikami on May 14, 2007, 08:08:58 PM
Wow. o_o;;;

They really have it bad. ;_; It's really amazing what one would do for another friend (or in this case group of friends) Captain is such a good kid. :o

It makes them a good team. <3

Yuu: Pervert. -_-;
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: JFC on May 15, 2007, 02:13:49 AM
Quote
Meanwhile, Maiha was pacing up and down the middle of the room like a caged tiger, impatient and worried at the same time.
OMGASS! Maiha's back!


Quote
"Where's Captain?"

...

"Sensei wanted to talk to her after I finished my report."
That...does not sound good.


Quote
Yurina had never been quite the same after she had been sent to The Room. No one knew exactly what happened to her in there, but the girl had been rendered mostly mute for weeks afterwards, and would often get hypnotised by the flames. It had taken months of hard work by everyone, particularly Chinami, before they got her to open up and behave somewhat normally again. They never did manage to get rid of her obsession with fire though.
WTF Yurina's a pyro???   


Quote
Peeking into the window, she saw two of their instructors within the room. One of them was seated at a table, sorting through some papers. The other was coiling up a whip and hanging it back inside a closet. There was no Captain. There were, however, some marks on the floor. Red lines. Like blood. Fresh blood. Lines that looked like imprints of that whip. Bloody imprints.
Oh no... :o


Quote
The remains of the bloodied cloth lay by her feet, ripped and torn beyond recognition. Momoko winced when she saw the marks crisscrossing Saki's torso, angry red welts and bleeding gashes undoubtedly left by the whip she had seen the trainer put away earlier. A surge of anger and pain coursed through her tiny frame, anger at the trainers, and pain because seeing Captain hurt so badly was like being hurt herself.
Heads will roll for this!  :tama-mad:


Quote
Saki refused to meet her eyes. "I had to protect all of you. They would have punished the whole squad, so I..."

"So you volunteered to take the whole punishment yourself? Are you crazy?" Momoko asked
A noble gesture...but also a stupid one.


Yuu - WTF?
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: Yuuyami on May 15, 2007, 02:19:07 AM
Excuse my S&M side, ya'll xD

Besides, I'm imagining the older version (present day in the story?) with the lacerations all faded >>; I'm not THAT pedophile-ish to think of a twelve year old in scars is hot o_o; That's just wrong xD

Edit: What the heck? Did some mod take out my 'not' from "I'm not THAT -so on and so on-" o_o
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: FeverInducedMadness on May 15, 2007, 12:26:30 PM
;________________;

-sniffle-

 :gyaaah:

-too emotional to comment, but that emoticon basically sums it up-
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: Ren on May 16, 2007, 12:17:48 PM
Evil empire ;_;.

What exactly did they do to Saki? Do they only try to kill her and she managed to survive or they make her their personal punching bag?

Is the test a kind of test where they kind of passed of being a real assasin?

But aww... Captain/Momo
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: rndmnwierd on May 18, 2007, 04:00:37 PM
Poor Berryz and yay Momo/Saki. I'm trying so hard not to like the Kids (mostly on principle) but it's so hard when I find them written so well.
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#7: Captain]
Post by: Estrea on June 13, 2007, 09:31:20 PM
Ok, I'm back! XD

And this time, it's not a good thing. Really.

There's a new side story! But it's a bad thing! Really!

You'll know what I mean soon enough...


Warning: All Berryz fans, Captain's fans in particular, I apologise in advance! >_<;;; Don't kill me too much. >_>

==========================================================


Side Story 8: Break


Insubordination was not tolerated. That was the guiding principle of this place. This hell on earth.

Eyes downcast, obedient, fearful. Inwardly rebellious.

I did nothing wrong. I was only protecting my squad, my team, my friends.


Chained and hauled in front of a tribunal. If the term could be used. Cold eyes. Couldn't see their faces. Piercing, unrelenting gazes.

"You killed a trainer."

Yes, yes I did, and the bastard fully deserved it!


She did not speak. Could not. There was nothing to be said. Reply and she would be beaten. Don't reply...

SMACK

And she would still be beaten.

Her face hit the ground with great force, the sound of flesh against stone ringing loudly in her ears. The impact made her dizzy, but her training kept her from passing out immediately. Unfortunately.

"Speak when you are spoken to."

A voice devoid of sympathy or even basic decency and kindness. A voice that delighted in power and the wielding of it. A voice that was the rule of law in this place. She tried to reply, but her mouth couldn't respond properly. It was a pain to move her jaw, and it felt as if there were marbles in her mouth. Coppery marbles. She spat and a few teeth came out, along with a dribble of blood.

Another hacking cough, and a booted foot was driven down on the small of her back, forcing her face down into the small puddle of her spat blood. It was difficult to breathe, let alone speak. Her back felt like it was being broken in two. She focused and tuned out the pain, just like they were taught to. It was easy, for this was nothing. She had had worse before.

"Do you think yourself above your superiors?" The voice sneered coldly. "Do you think you are irreplaceable simply because you are the best?" It was not a question.

She could not speak. She wasn't allowed to.

"Let me tell you this then. You are NOTHING. You were worthless, hopeless rejects until we took you in and shaped you to become our weapons." There was a superior pause. "We made you the way you are now, and we can break you just as easily." There was a note of triumph in that voice. "Remember this. You are worth nothing until WE gave you value. And we can just as easily discard you any time we want." Another dramatic pause.

"You have overstepped your bounds. On account of the fact that you're still worthwhile as a tool, we will not simply kill you. No, you merely need to be taught a lesson in obedience." One could hear the smile in the voice. A smile entirely devoid of warmth or mirth. She shivered, instinctively, reactively.

"Please show our dear Captain what it means to be a good soldier."

~*~*~

They were all worried. With good reason.

Captain had disappeared. Missing, for 3 days.

There was no mission, no objective that could have pulled Saki away from them. No, Captain would not leave without telling them. And if there were a mission, one of the trainers would inform them of the absence.

But right now, there was simply...nothing. No news. No information. It was as if Saki had just vanished into thin air.

The trainers were just as unresponsive. Maiha had gone up to demand an explanation, but ended up being sternly rebuffed (and made to run laps for speaking up unnecessarily). Maasa and Miyabi had gone snooping around the whole training camp for some hints, but turned up nothing at all. Maasa had even gone dangerously close to the forbidden area of camp, very nearly getting caught, but had not been able to discover anything useful.

They were united in their worry. Even the others not from their team. Saki was one of them. It was natural to be concerned.

Momoko had gone beyond worry. Hysteria would come closer. She hid it well, but the others could still read it in her movements. She had good reason to be hysterical, because she was the last one to have seen Captain before she had disappeared. And the last meeting had not bode well.

"Momo, I killed a trainer."
"What?! Why?"
"Don't ask. Just...don't."
"But...what now?
"I...I don't know... But if I don't make it back...take care of the others for me."
"Captain? Wait, Captain!"


And that, was a perfectly valid reason for her panic. Momoko was terrified that Captain might have been killed. Or if not, had been dubbed a renegade and marked for execution, which was pretty much as good as being dead. But if Saki had run away, why did the trainers not have any reaction or announcement of that fact? And if they had had Captain killed, why did they not make any mention of it either?

It was all very confusing, and they were all afraid.

Captain, please be alright...

~*~*~

CRACK

"Orders must be obeyed!"

The lash bit deep, the hooks digging into tender flesh and ripping out with a spray of blood and meat. Barely a whimper came from the prone figure. It had not been the first lash on her. After the first hour, the pain had just turned into...part of the background. Ever present, and consistent.

"Loyalty to your superiors!"

NO! I HATE THEM! I HATE YOU!


She might have screamed. It might have been all in her mind. She did not know. She could not care. It was all the same.

It came again.

PAIN


Ice cold water. Over her ragged, beaten body. Her dry, dehydrated tongue, hanging loosely from her mouth, reacted to catch stray droplets. Salty.

And it burned. Oh, how it burned. Old scars, old wounds reopened with the whipping. New ones made. Salt water all over.

She might have screamed. She did not know.

She might have cried. She also did not know.

Thought was slowly being erased. Instinct was all there was.

And then there was the pain. Only the pain.

Nothing else.

~*~*~

A week. A whole week. And still no Captain.

The team was falling apart. They could not focus in training. They made mistakes, mistakes that they would not have made usually.

Worry was eating at them, and it was killing their concentration.

The trainers fretted, punished, and harangued. To no avail. Fear alone could not motivate them. They needed stability. A calming influence.

They needed their Captain back.

~*~*~

Dark. Cold.

"Do not question. Listen and obey."

Alone. Dark.

"You are a soldier."

Can't see. Alone.

"You must be loyal to the master and to the mission."

Hungry. Cold. Dark.

"Good soldiers are rewarded."

A drop of honey. Lick. Not enough.

More. Please?

"Bad soldiers are punished."

Painpainpainpainpleasepleasepleasenomorenomorenomore!

Fear. Pain. Cold.

Stop. Stop.

"Obey, and there will be no pain."

Yes. No. What?

I don't know!

"Are you a good soldier?"

No. Yes. Yes. No.

Hurts.

I'm scared.

"Listen, and you will be free."

I don't know.

I don't know anything anymore.


~*~*~

It was all so difficult. Being without Captain, their leader. And more than that, their friend.

Miyabi was getting more evil and sadistic than usual. Maiha kept picking random fights with people and getting into trouble with the trainers. Yurina started setting surrounding shrubs on fire. Chinami got mad at everything. Risako was crying in her sleep. Maasa tried to do everything and achieved nothing. Momoko was trying to hold them together, but it was all falling apart.

Captain...wherever you are...please come back to us...

We need you...


~*~*~

The voices kept whispering. Whispering, whispering.

She was going mad. Almost. So close.

A single tear rolled down pallid cheeks.

So alone. I'm afraid.

Where is everyone?

Don't leave me.

So scared.

Help.

I can't take it anymore.


~*~*~

Lockdown.

It had just gotten to the point where the squad couldn't function properly at all. The pressures of their training, without a solid center, was caving them in. They were distracted, disturbed, and disorganised. The trainers simply locked them into their building, and told them to shape up...or else.

Two days without access to food or water or the outside world. Two days in the dark.

But at least they were all together. Save for one.

Where are you Captain?

~*~*~

I am a soldier.

The world was black. But it did not matter.

Soldiers obey orders.

Cold? Irrelevant.

There is only the mission.


Pain? Irrelevant.

Death before failure.

Fear? There is no fear.

Fear is for the weak. Are you weak, soldier?

No. Not weak. Strong.

There is an enemy. What will you do?


Kill. Kill the enemy.

You are wounded. The mission is not over. What do you do?

Continue. There is only the mission. Pain is irrelevant.

Good girl.

No.

No?

I am a soldier. That is all. A good soldier.

I'm a good soldier.

Nothing else.

~*~*~

Captain was back.

Pale, gaunt, and wounded. But back. After a whole month.

Everyone was so happy to have her back that they didn't even notice the difference...at least right at first. It became more and more evident as time went by.

Something was missing. Saki might have returned to them physically, but something else was simply not there.

Her eyes were hollow. She no longer smiled.

Saki the soldier had returned. But not their Captain. Not their friend.

What was going on?

~*~*~

A mission. Too soon.

Only 3 days after they were reunited. The wounds had barely closed.

But they sent Saki and her team out anyway.

It was a quiet mountain village on the north coast. Said to be harboring subversives and traitors to the Empire. It was a threat, and had to be eliminated. They sent a bunch of pre-pubescent assassins-in-training. It would be more than enough.

Never mind that they would be outnumbered about 15 to 1.

Saki, despite her condition, was still an effective leader. The plan of action she drew up was simple and ruthless. It would eliminate everyone in the village. Innocent or guilty, all would perish. The order had been given. They would die.

There were doubts. Maiha looked perplexed. Maasa appeared troubled. Chinami looked uncomfortable. Yurina stoppd paying attention after hearing "burn". Miyabi was simply glad that Risako had been left behind. Momoko just looked worried.

But they said nothing. Captain was still Captain. It was just their orders, right?

Right?

~*~*~

It was easy to kill those who fought back. It always was.

Kill or be killed. It always came down to that. It made taking another life just a little easier, knowing that it was a matter of survival. It would not be pure, coldblooded murder. It was a fight to survive.

That was the idea.

There were some who tried to resist. Sort of. Armed with crude tools and weapons at most, these were hardly the well-armed subversives and traitors they were informed about. Simply a normal little village of peasants. Unarmed, defenseless peasants.

They couldn't do it. Maasa knocked a few people out, but didn't kill them. Miyabi killed those who attacked her, but otherwise tried to stay out of trouble. Maiha didn't have any problem with killing the men, but she spared the women, the old, and the children. Yurina was indiscriminately setting things on fire, and Chinami was trying to limit her.

Momoko tried to avoid killing as well, and tried to track down Saki. It wasn't too difficult. You just had to follow the trail of blood and corpses. Incomplete corpses.

The stench was making her ill. So were the mutilated corpses. Saki's choice of weaponry was ruthlessly effective in a massacre, but very messy. Momoko tried to avoid looking at the expressions of shock and horror frozen onto those dead faces. Those that still had faces. Some heads were missing. Momoko didn't want to look for them.

But where was Saki?

Amidst the carnage, a small figure stood. Red painted her from crown to toe, slick and glistening. She dripped as she moved, wet, heavy drops of crimson hitting stained soil. A few broken arrows hung out of her flesh, one in her shoulder, another in her thigh, and yet another in her side. It didn't seem to slow her down very much.

Surrounding her, were the dead. Torn off limbs, severed heads, eviscerated bodies, the entrails spilling out all over the ground...all steamed in the cool air. The blood was so fresh that it hadn't even begun to draw flies. Momoko resisted the urge to retch, her eyes set on the almost frail-looking form of her Captain. That familiar back just didn't seem very familiar now, covered in blood and gore.

"Captain?" Momoko's voice was barely audible, but it did draw a slight reaction from Saki, who turned very slowly around. Dead, empty eyes met worried, horrified ones. And there was silence, for the dead no longer spoke, and the living...well, the living were no better than the dead.

"Must we kill them all?" Momoko's voice wavered as her eyes skipped across a woman's body, a child in her arms. Both were dead. The killing was indiscriminate. Total.

The village burned around them. Saki did not reply for a moment, but there was a flicker in those hollow eyes. Just for a moment. Momoko's heart leaped, and then died down when the spark vanished back into darkened depths. She took a step closer, uncertain and afraid, but knowing that she had to get through to Saki somehow.

In the distance, Miyabi and Maasa watched, wary. Maiha was off to one side, also observing, usually mischievous eyes dull, yet alert at the same time. Yurina was simply watching the flames, entranced, Chinami beside her, holding her hand, casting glances back where Saki and Momoko were. They were all nervous. Uncertain. Terrified.

And then, movement.

Saki reacted on reflex, ready to spring an attack, but Momoko reacted just as quickly, pouncing on her tiny Captain and immobilising her arms from behind. There was a brief struggle, but Momoko was strong, and Saki was still comparatively weaker from injuries old and new. The subject of their attention, a child, probably around their own age, staring wide eyed at them. No, at Saki, the blood-covered executioner that had laid waste to the village. Frozen with fear.

"Captain! Stop it!" Momoko half-shouted, her voice hoarse. Saki gave no indication of having heard her, continuing to try and break the hold, but to no avail. With the best of her effort, Momoko latched stubbornly onto Saki, refusing to let go.

"It's enough....more than enough...please...Captain...Saki...stop..." Momoko pleaded, whispering into Saki's ear. A brief shiver ran through Saki's body, and the struggles died down a little. Momoko breathed out a tiny sigh of relief, but didn't stop talking.

"Captain...please...you've done enough...come back to us...we want you back...we need you...I need you..." Tears were rolling down Momoko's cheeks, a tiny sob escaping her lips at the end. Another shudder ran through Saki's body, and the muscles underneath Momoko's grasp relaxed.

"Momo...?" Saki's confused, tired voice whispered. "I...what...happened?"

The others had all drawn closer by now, sensing that the worst was over. Relief was on their faces, although most of them still had a wary expression while approaching them. The memory of Saki slaughtering with a coolly detached face was still too unnerving to forget easily, if ever.

It had been like a dream for Saki. A nightmare. She was disorientated and confused, her memories fogged and hazy. She could not remember much of that awful nightmare she had just woken up from...until she saw the blood. All of it.

Blood. Everywhere. On her face. Her hands. The dead.

She reeled inwardly. Dead. So many. She recognised the marks.

It was her. Had been her.

It had not been just a very bad dream. It was real.

Dead. All dead.

All because of her.

"Captain?" Momoko's voice suddenly seemed very far away to her. Blood on her hands.

"Are you alright?" No, not alright. Not alright at all.

It would never be alright again.

She looked up, wildly. Stared into accusing eyes. That child. Fear, hatred, pain. All directed at her. All because of her.

My fault. My fault. My fault.

It rang over and over. Wouldn't stop. She couldn't hear anything else. All my fault.

"...ptain!" Momoko. Miyabi too. Saki shook her head dumbly, her eyes distant and in shock.

"Don't touch me." The others all flinched back, the empty, haunted tone in Saki's voice chilling them.

A monster. I'm a monster.

"Captain?" Chinami tried tentatively.

"I said, GO AWAY!" Saki screamed, falling to her knees, refusing to look at them.

Go away, don't touch me.

I'm dirty, so dirty. Unclean.

A monster. Don't touch me.


She wept silently. It would never be alright again.

~*~*~

"You're doing it again."

Saki looked up at the source of the voice. Momoko was smiling down at her, albeit a bit disapprovingly.

"Don't even try lying. You're thinking about that time again, aren't you?" Momoko sat herself down next to Saki, while Captain looked back out across the lake.

"Is it that obvious?" Saki smiled almost sadly, throwing another pebble and watching it skip acros the water's surface.

"Only because I've seen it before." Momoko reached out to hold Saki's hand, her fingers working open the tightly clenched fist before entwining their fingers together.

"Oh." Saki was quiet after that, staring at her reflection in the water. Momoko squeezed her hand lightly.

"We love you Captain, no matter what you did. It's all in the past now. Everything's going to be alright." Another reassuring squeeze. Saki smiled a little.

"Thanks, I guess."

The ending of that dream. Her friends had rallied to her. Refused to leave her alone. Despite what she had done. They did not leave.

"I'll always be by your side. All of us. We'll never abandon you." Momoko leaned in and embraced Saki. "Never."

Together, always.


========================================


Ahem. Sorry. Yeah. I got a little obsessed with writing about the Berryz here. o__O But they have very interesting pasts that just couldn't be covered properly in the main body of the fic, which is why it's here. DEAL WITH IT. XD

So yeah, I hope I didn't scar anyone too badly. See there, nice fluffy ending. :P

Comment people! -is starved of comments-
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: FeverInducedMadness on June 13, 2007, 09:39:31 PM
 :cry: Poor Captain...

>< FIM-chan wants to kick the trainers in the faces. (Or well, she just wants to kick them, really. ><)

-sigh-
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: Loser87 on June 14, 2007, 01:15:03 AM
You make me want to cry my eyes out you know that?
You evil..evil....see you messed up my thoughts too!!
But you know what you should do?
You should update more >_> *cough*
Like right now, with more chapters and more Berryz goodies *cough*hinthint*cough*

Update~
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: rndmnwierd on June 14, 2007, 04:21:29 AM
I think I died a little inside. But in a good way!
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: JFC on June 14, 2007, 05:58:03 PM
Hooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooly :o
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: iacus on June 15, 2007, 07:49:42 AM
Boy oh boy, the Berryz are kinda fucked up aren't they?
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: kitaoji on June 16, 2007, 07:59:45 AM
Oh. My. The. Pain.

At least it's somewhat comfortable to know that (a) the Captain returned, thank goodness; and (b) the Berryz are very united in their team (maybe this could be a bad thing in the future...?)

I don't know how or why, but I find pyro!Yurina sort of funny. (funny-sad?)  Her alluded-to treatment in The Room seems nowhere as bad as Saki's (multiple?) but if it leaves her THAT traumatized I worry for her too. (Not that I don't worry about the other kids, either.)
Title: Re: All Aboard!: The Hidden Files [#8: Break]
Post by: glcorps2002 on June 18, 2007, 01:22:03 PM
(Shocked).....That's some fucked up shit right there.