Brandon and Jun were riding in the back of Mr.Nakayama's car. Other police vehicles following close behind them.
Back at the unknown location, Himmy was looking around trying to get free. Her arms were tied to the arm chairs. Her eyes darted around, she saw the kitchen to her left. It was also wrapped up, she could see kitchen. Knives stabbed into a cutting board. She then winced as she could feel her gun wound, the pain was sharp and felt like needles were leaking from her body. "F-...Fuuuck!" Himmy grunted. She looked at her hands and saw she was tied down with lots of tape. Himmy was exhausted and drooling a bit. She spit out a wad of spit, and then shook her head.
"Ok ok ok! I need to pull myself together. Kibe said that I may be captured at some point. I need to focus and not let myself lose it.
But- GOD DAMNIT! That bitch really pulled a fucking gun on me!" Himmy grunted. She then looked across the table and saw Juo or what seemed to be him. Badly beaten and cut. He didn't even look alive. Yet somehow, Himmy could still hear him breathing. She felt awful seeing him like this, but she knew she had to get back to Kibe. Himmy looked at the tape around her wrist.
"Well, she actually knows how to tie up people pretty good. Too bad for her ass! I'm not most people!" Himmy thought as she then ripped herself free from her bonds. She then undid the tape around her legs. She stood up, a bit wobbly, but she could stand. She could feel her wound leaking. She made her way to the kitchen, she looked back at Juo for a moment before continuing. She walked over to the stove. She leaned aginst it, her head dripping with sweat as her other hand held her wound. Thats when she'd notice the windows were boarded up.
"Bitch..." Himmy said as she then turned around and looked at the stove. She then leaned to it to sniff it. "Its been used." She thought. Thats when Himmy looked through the drawers for a large utensil. She then saw the knives from before. She looked at one of them and found a butcher knife. She grabbed it and then turned on the stove to high. She placed the butcher knife ontop of one of the stove heads. As she waited she could feel her wound and the pain getting worse, she clenched it tight. The blood dripped down from her fingers and in-between them. Himmy's breath got shakeier.
"F-Fuck. Come one!" Himmy grunted as she then grabbed the butcher knife and then took off her shirt. She looked at the wound and closed her eyes. She then put the butcher knife back and wrapped her shirt around her arm. She bit down in her arm where the shirt was and got the knife again. It was steaming hot.
She looked at it and her wound. She took a couple of deep breathes. "Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on!" She shouted as she then put the butcher knife's flat side aginst her wound. Himmy bit down hard as it sizzled and the wound aginst the extreme sealed up. Himmy then threw ontop of the stove and then put her shirt on. She got up slowly and grunted a few times. She breathed quickly and heavily. "Hey there stranger." Said a familiar voice, Himmy turned around to see Kat leaning aginst the kitchen entrance. Himmy stared at her, her eyes filled with disgust and anger. Kat was wearing a black long sleeved shirt and pants to match.
"You...bitch." Himmy said.
"Don't be so heartless Himmy, I've always pictured that our reunion would be grand. But this is...well I got sidetracked by that boyfriend of yours." Kat smiled. Himmy had every chance to strike this girl. "What would Kibe tell me to do right now? Wait for more information, don't do anything reckless and most of all. Don't get caught." Himmy thought.
"To be honest Himmy, as much as I like seeing an old flame again." Kat said as she then revealed her own weapon from around the corner. She grabbed it and it was a scythe. Himmy looked at it and her in shock. "What the hell do you think this is a cartoon?!" Himmy shouted.
"Can't it be?" Kat smiled, Himmy looked at her confused. "Don't you see? This, all of it. You, me and him. This is all the perfect reality I've waited for, for so LONG! I've been trapped in this fucking world filled with these hypocritical rules and laws that no one really follows. The government, the system, IT CAN ALL GO TO HELL! THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS TO ME IS WHAT I WANT! WHAT I DO! And I've been wanting people to know that for so long. But now I can showcase it for EVERYONE to see.
And I'm glad you can be the first one Himmy." Kat snickered as she slamned the blade of her scythe into the tiles of the ground. It went deep into the floor. Himmy was shocked at Kat's strength. Himmy backed up a few paces. Kat smiled a devilish look as she lifted the scythe with ease. Himmy figured that thing must at least weigh around 50 or so pounds. The scythe was black, near the top of it were some hanging cat skulls. Himmt got in her fighting stance ready to brawl. Kat smirked at her.
"This our first fight, a fight to figure out once and for all! Whats real and what isn't! And rather if it even matters at all.
Maybe once I cut you open little fox, maybe I'll find the secret to this piece of shit world or maybe just a lot of blood and guts. I'm hoping for the guts if you didn't know heheh." Kat said
"Fuck you." Himmy replied.
Outside the hotel, the police had arrived. Jun and Brandon were standing in front of the police car looking up at the large hotel. There also seemed to be some tapes over near the top, implying construction was still being done. Brandon noticed it. "Alright guys heres the deal, we go in there and-" but as Mr.Nakayama talked Brandon then saw as Bato, Junna and Piko entered the building. Brandon immediately snuck around Jun and followed them, he moved past people going in and out. "Excuse me, excuse me, excuse me, excuse- Hey!" Brandon said as he eventually squeezed his way in. Piko turned around and saw Brandon.
"Well well, look what the cat dragged in." Piko said. Junna turned around yet Bato didn't. "Good to see you guys." Brandon said.
"The feeling is mutual Mr.Wright." Bato said. Brandon saw they were wearing some rather casual clothes. Brandon caught his breath as he then stood up tall looking at them. "What brings you here? This is going to be a crime scene soon." Brandon said.
"We have business here. I'd rather not be late just because you're all catching some lose strays." Bato said. Brandon looked at Bato who still faced away from him. The atmosphere was tense, there was this feeling of a calmness, one that was right before a large storm. The air was thick with it.
"Bato." Brandon said. Thats when Bato turned his head to look at Brandon. The two's eyes studied one another. Two individuals from whole other worlds. They would never see that about one another, yet at this moment. It felt like as if they could see it. Their worlds painted in their own eyes. It was like witnessing nostalgic yet unfamiliar years of your own life flash before you in memory.
Brandon and Bato at that moment were both standing in the same place. Not one towering over the other and not beneath the other. Bato wouldn't admit it, but Brandon had suprised and impressed him. And the same went Brandon. The two now seeing each other's eyes for the first time.
"You know you won't get away from me. I will expose what you are, him included too." Brandon said. "...I sure hope for your sake that day never comes." Bato said.
"You must be happy that you're friend never did break when we took him in." Brandon said "If by friend you mean the individual who came with me, who I have no ties with. The you'd be wrong. But I am glad to hear that whoever they are associated with has their undying loyalty." Bato said. Brandon just stared at him. Bato then completely turned to Brandon. Jun walked near the front of the hotel, she was looking for Brandon, thats when her eyes looked inside and saw him there with Bato.
"..."
"It would seem though that you're at the end of your rope. You look like a starving stray ready to bite off their own leg.
Catching the White Rabbit not as easy as you thought?" Bato said "I never said it would be. Just that I could do it." Brandon said. Bato snickered.
"And don't misjudge me. Just because I can't catch you the legal way, doesn't mean I can't my way." Brandon said. Bato smirked. He then turned around and waved his hand.
"Either way, I can't wait to see the results." Bato said as he, Junns and Piko all walked away deeper into the lobby. Brandon watched them. "What was that about, friends of yours?" Jun asked.
"Not even close." Brandon muttered. "Huh?" Jun said.
"Nothing, this is the place. We should look around for some clues. Anything that can tell us where she'll be here." Brandon said. Jun studied him for a moment before answering. "The tarps on the building. It shows this place is under some construction which is right up with the report of this place." Jun said.
"She noticed. She's more brighter then I thought." Brandon thought as he looked at her. "Which means we shouldn't be looking at regular rooms. But ones that aren't made yet." Jun said. Brandon nodded as he and Jun went to the counter of the registration.
Outside the hotel there was a private park. It was connected to the back alley of the place. It had a nice park that elevated a bit above the street. A large wall separating it from the street and alley. Its also where Bato was meeting with Mizuki. Piko and Junna were standing near the entrance of the park.
"So, why did you call me here?" Bato asked. Mizuki was wearing a white suit, staring up at the open the sky. He was wearing shades as he stared at the partially cloudy sky.
"Did you know there are 10 different types of clouds? Its fascinating all the different levels of knowledge there are in the world.
The world has a lot to share with us and us it." Mizuki said. Bato just stared. "Whats the point here? Incase you haven't noticed I have a lot of school stuff to take care of." Bato asked.
"...The WOI wishes for you to withdraw from your current operation. The calender we have set already has no room for you antics any longer." Mizuki said. "Antics?" Bato said.
"Yes, antics. The IPOW begins tomorrow and so does the trials for entry. The Pale Palace is sending over some help to make sure the event goes smoothly thanks to Kibe's recent activities.
We are expecting you're full cooperation in this Bato. Don't get yourself into a deeper mess." Mizuki said. Bato stared at him annoyed and frustrated. Mizuki then checked his watch.
"Well then. I should get ready. I'm going to be helping with the IPOW this time around. I must say I'm a little excited." Mizuki smiled "Just who is this "help" you're getting?" Bato asked.
"Two students from our branch in England. They've been assigned to deal with local thugs and plausible rift raft that mys interfere with the IPOW. That includes this case as well." Mizuki said. Thats when Bato's eyes got wide.
"Wait! Are you saying they'll be impeding on the investigation? Not Offically I assume. Which means you'll have them doing some under the table crap.
You can't do that. If anything were to happen to Kibe-"
"I told you to forget your antics. Let him go. Or we will be forced to let you go." Said Mizuki. Bato and him shared a intense glare. "Then you better just let me go then." Bato said surprising both Piko and Junna. Mizuki stared at him with an unamused face.
"Trying to call my bluff huh? Fair enough." Mizuki said. "It is one." Bato replied. Mizuki smirked. He then turned around and faced the other entrance to the park. Putting on his shades. "I meant what I said Bato, that any and all problems that come up with the IPOW will be dealt with. All of them." Mizuki said as he began walking to other entrance into the park. Bato stared at him. "Thats bullshit." Piko said. Junna just stared at Mizuki before then looking at Bato.
Mizuki exited the park where he stopped at the intersection of his path and another hallway. Where two shadowy figures stood against the wall. One large and bulky and the other average height and rather well built, however it was too dark to tell. Mizuki side-eyed them both. "Be sure to watch them closely. Nothing funny." Mizuki said before he continued on his way. Back outside, outside the walls of the park. Kibe would run over. He'd look up at the wall and see how smooth it was, no way to scale it at all.
"This is the place...Himmy is here." Kibe thought as he then looked back and forth down the alley. He then walked back a bit. He noticed the wall that was next to him. It was way too far. He then just closed his eyes and took a breath. "Just...believe in the you that believes in...himself? Ugh." Kibe groaned. At this moment. Both Himmy and Kibe were both getting ready to do the impossible to see and save the other. The question never was will they, its can they.