Kumakawa stood in front of Shiro's house. He rang the doorbell, and after about five minutes, a woman opened the door. She looked terrified, her face pale. She quickly closed the door again, and Kumakawa rang the bell once more.
He shouted,
> "Ma'am, this is the police! I'll have to kindly remind you that disturbing our work is against the law and means you will be arrested!"<
The woman opened her curtain and looked out, full of fear and disbelief. Kumakawa walked toward the window, holding up his police badge to calm her down. She looked shocked, then opened the door.
> "Sorry, I thought you might be a scammer trying to get in… or worse, a killer?!"
Medamesh laughed in Kumakawa's head, knowing the woman was almost right.
> "See, Kumakawa, your look suits you. It shows your murderous intent."<
Kumakawa narrowed his eyes at the woman. She shrugged at his look; she seemed like she had been through a lot. Kumakawa asked her some questions about her son Shiro, and she sighed, pointing upstairs.
He searched Shiro's room thoroughly and attentively. He found out almost everything about him.
> "So, he likes what every male his age likes soccer, girls, and… porn magazines? How cliché."<
Medamesh laughed again, talking in his head.
Kumakawa smirked at her comment. He went downstairs, thanked Shiro's mother, and left the house. He went back to Shiro's school, scanning the area for a building with a perfect view of his target.
Medamesh was curious why he wanted to find a high place.
Kumakawa reached the roof, laid down his suitcase, opened it, and took out his sniper rifle. He assembled it and followed Shiro's every move through the scope.
> "Tell me more about yourself, Shiro. Who do you like, and what are you? … I see, that's the type you like… that's the woman you hate… and of course, you have a shitty character. Oh, what do we have here? Medamesh, you see what I see?"
Medamesh gave a firm and cold yes in his head. They saw how Shiro talked to Brunhilde, another supporter. Brunhilde then jumped from the roof high into the sky and disappeared.
Kumakawa's eyes couldn't follow her.
> "Man, she's fast… I hope she never becomes my enemy."<
Medamesh laughed coldly, her competitive side coming out.
Kumakawa smirked, thinking,
Medamesh agreed firmly and emerged from the shadows. But before she could leave, Brunhilde was already behind them. She smashed down on the roof, leaving cracks and a small crater. She was careful not to destroy it completely.
> "So there she is the burned queen of a fallen kingdom. It's a pleasure meeting you again!"<
Kumakawa was on guard she was too fast to be seen. He and Medamesh looked at each other, nodded, and clapped hands before Kumakawa rushed down while Medamesh stayed behind to protect the hallway.
They began to fight.
Brunhilde charged at Medamesh with incredible speed, her blades and chains thrown to the left and right. Medamesh stood in the middle as the blades suddenly changed direction Brunhilde could control their movement.
> "It's over for you, Medamesh! You have no chance of escaping this attack!"
Brunhilde pierced through Medamesh, but she knew it wouldn't be that easy. Deep down, Brunhilde hoped it would at least defeat her somehow. Medamesh smiled then her doppelganger disappeared. The real Medamesh stood behind Brunhilde, landing a kick to her side that sent her flying off the roof into nearby buildings.
Medamesh narrowed her eyes, floating toward the wreckage.
> "Did you really believe that nonsense would kill me? I trained you better, Brunhilde."<
Brunhilde sent her chained blades flying from the building she had crashed into. She tried to strike Medamesh's head, using the darkness to her advantage, but Medamesh simply tilted her head to dodge.
> "Predictable, Brunhilde… Is that all you learned from our time together?"<
Brunhilde stepped out of the rubble, visible under the night sky, her pink hair catching the moonlight perfectly.
> "Of course not. I was just hoping to get you while playing dirty just like I did when we were alone."<
She charged at Medamesh with both blades in hand, slashing again and again, but nothing connected.
Medamesh was faster and stronger not only from her own power but from Kumakawa's strength as well. She easily dodged most attacks.
> "You're way too slow, my dear Brunhilde."<
Medamesh punched Brunhilde in the gut, then kicked her toward the school.
Brunhilde flew through the air, crashing into the lower hallway near her master, Shiro, and Kumakawa.
> "Aarrgghh…"
She fell to the ground in pain, blood running down from her head. She coughed up a little blood.
> "God, I hate her so much… if she weren't so damn hot…"<
Brunhilde stood up, holding her side.
> "Now we're on my playground, hottie."
She ran at incredible speed toward her master, but Medamesh burst through the wall, destroying it completely. She punched Brunhilde midair, grabbed her, and threw her against several lockers, shattering them.
Brunhilde was badly injured. She tried to think of a way to escape.
She threw rocks at Medamesh. Of course, Medamesh blocked them easily, but Brunhilde used that as a distraction. Her vision blurred, her body shaking from the beating.
Medamesh looked at her with a victorious grin.
> "Had enough? You see, you walked into a bargain sale and didn't make it out alive!"<
They locked eyes a battle of stares.
Brunhilde suddenly ran toward her master. Kumakawa had found Shiro and shot his kneecap with a shotgun he'd taken from his car.
Medamesh tried to follow but got stuck because she hadn't paid attention to her footing.
> "What? That little cold...!"<
Brunhilde made her way to her master, deep in thought.
She reached the room and opened the door, panting heavily. Kumakawa turned around, his guard up, shotgun raised. Shiro looked shocked at first, then recognized his supporter.
> "Hahahaha, you're fucked, brown-haired uncle! Brunhilde, kill this fool for shooting me!"<
Brunhilde stumbled her vision was blurry, her body weak. Kumakawa noticed and rushed at her, using his gun like a baseball bat. She couldn't dodge or block it; her body failed her. She collapsed to the ground after the hit.
Kumakawa sighed and turned back to Shiro, walking closer.
> "So, where were we? Oh yeah funny fact: your supporter is gone."<
Shiro's face twisted with fear. Kumakawa shot his second kneecap without hesitation. The sound echoed through the hallways. Lights turned on in nearby buildings, windows opened.
Some residents recognized the sound.
> "That was a gunshot, wasn't it?"
"Sure was. Let's call the police."<
They did and it didn't take long for the police to arrive. Kumakawa knocked Shiro out, while Medamesh carried Brunhilde to the car. They tied both up in the back seat Shiro with normal ropes, Brunhilde with chains mixed from Medamesh's melted metal.
Kumakawa looked at Medamesh with relief. He opened the car window, letting the cold night air in as they drove past the incoming police cars.
> "That was a close call, don't you think?"
Medamesh looked at him with a triumphant smile.
> "I showed that cold, covered lady who's boss, didn't I?"
She laughed, then gazed into the distance with a sad smile, remembering the cold night she was burned alive a night just like this one.
Kumakawa remained silent while driving, occasionally glancing at her, sensing something was off. But he gave her time.
> "You're not gonna ask? Not a word about why or when it happened?"
Medamesh was still looking out the window.
Kumakawa answered warmly,
> "You know, I wanted to ask, but I thought it'd be better to give you time. I don't want to pressure you."
Medamesh's eyes widened. A smile formed on her lips a feeling of relief she hadn't had in centuries.
> "What if I want you to ask? What if I want you to know… You remind me of Kumaka a mercenary, just like you. Doing the work no one else liked."
Her tone was firm but warm something she hadn't shown since she was first summoned.
Kumakawa smiled faintly. His expression stayed serious and cold, but in his mind, she could sense the warmth behind it they were synchronized.
They arrived at the office building.
He carried Shiro, and Medamesh carried Brunhilde to the elevator. It was strange for Kumakawa the receptionist wasn't there.
> "Something's off. Hide, Medamesh. I'll investigate."
Kumakawa grabbed his pistol from under his jacket. He tossed Shiro and Brunhilde into the elevator; they lay there unconscious as the doors closed and the lift went up.
Medamesh's voice echoed sweetly in his head.
Kumakawa replied with frustration.
The elevator doors opened. He carried Shiro and Brunhilde out.
His guard was up. He moved with utmost caution. Medamesh stood next to him, invisible to others only she could use that power.
> "Master, you're incredibly tense."<
What he saw next froze him: blood, and two bodies lying together. The fairy was almost gone.
Medamesh recognized the cuts and who she was.
> "Poor Elaine. She tried protecting her master, whom she loved, I assume… always forgot to look out for herself. Her attire was so revealing, it offered no protection…"<
Kumakawa examined their injuries, but it was too late. Then he turned toward the next door Hiroki's room. He opened it, expecting the worst, which made Medamesh giggle softly.
Nothing happened Hiroki sat there, smiling.
Kumakawa's back stiffened; she never smiled like that.
> "Kumakawa! You're back. How did it go with Brunhilde?"<
Kumakawa lowered his guard slightly, seeing her fine, but Medamesh warned him not to.
> "It went well, as you can see. Hiroki, why did those two have to die?"
Hiroki's smile tensed; she was irritated by his question.
> "Because they talked shit about our organization."
She stood up and walked toward him, advising him to bring Shiro and Brunhilde in. Kumakawa did so.
> "So… tell me, what happened, Hiroki? What happened to those two? Wait why is only the man's body there? Where's the girl?"<
Kumakawa looked around, but Hiroki stopped him.
> "Kumakawa, sit down. It doesn't matter. And no, I won't tell you what happened here. It
Kumakawa looked around, but Hiroki stopped him.
> "Kumakawa, sit down. It doesn't matter. And no, I won't tell you what happened here. It wasn't interesting anyway. interesting anyway."<