The sun began to be blocked out by clouds as the rain started coming down softly, like mist.
Izumi stared at Rina as she zoned out.
She thought back to the weekend and how Rina used similar powers to her.
She began to frown more, slightly clenching her teeth.
"Kumiko and Eri will be absent for the time being. I will be assigning each of you different tasks for the remainder of the week" Rina said. Izumi still zoned out, only hearing muffled words.
"Ayumi and Daiki, you will be tending to Kumiko Sumi as she recovers" Rina said as Ayumi and Daiki celebrated.
"As for Izumi and Koji…" Rina said, Izumi snapping out of being zoned out.
"There's been recent reports of missing persons in the Zora district." Rina said as Izumi looked shocked.
"No… not… not there…" Izumi thought to herself, slightly frightened.
"I will be assisting you two to make sure Ren or Mori don't show up. This investigation could be related to them." Rina said as Izumi slammed her hands on her desk.
"I don't need help, I'm going alone!" Izumi exclaimed as Koji looked annoyed.
"God, there you go again acting like you're some hotshot who can take on the world. Might I remind you who beat you in the tournament?" Koji said as he sat back in his seat, hands behind his head.
Izumi turned to face him, her face scrunched with anger.
"Shut the hell up! You don't know anything about me!" Izumi yelled "guys, cool it!" Rina shouted.
"I know enough that you're not strong enough to take on a mission alone!" Koji said, standing up, pushing his chair over behind him.
Izumi got her staff out and extended it, about to hit Koji with it.
A purple flame divided the two as Rina knocked them both down with the force of her flames.
"Neither of you are strong enough to do solo missions! Now stop fighting or I'm suspending both of you!" Rina yelled as Koji pulled himself up.
Izumi sat on the floor as she fixed her glasses. Ayumi and Daiki looked terrified as they watched on.
"If all of you don't put your differences aside, you'll end up dead!" Rina yelled as she slammed her hands down on her desk.
"As far as I can see, none of you are any step closer to being allowed out into the field without supervision. Much less worthy of your powers!" Rina said in a stern voice.
Izumi closed her eyes, facing the ground.
Daiki and Ayumi looked somewhat hurt from the realization. Koji faced the window.
"Now. Me and Sumi brought you all together because we saw potential in all of you. It's been several years and you all still can't work together. I suggest you do your best to at least act like you want to live." Rina said as the bell went off.
Rina sighed "class dismissed. Koji, Izumi, you're coming with me to the Zora district. Daiki, Ayumi, please head to Tanos class to meet up with Sumi and the others." Rina said as she opened the door and walked out.
The students stared at the door as Izumi rushed out.
Izumi caught up to Rina as she looked angry.
"Where did you learn those powers?" Izumi asked Rina.
"What powers? I have a lot." Rina asked
Izumi pulled Rinas arm to stop her.
"You know exactly which powers. Those were only taught under certain roofs. I know damn well you aren't a religious person." Izumi said with a stern look.
Rina stared down at Izumi for a moment.
"Who said I'm not?" She replied.
"Do you believe in God?" Izumi asked, "Do you?" Rina asked back.
Izumi paused for a moment.
Rina shook her arm to free herself from Izumi. Holding her book with her hands on top of each other.
"I learned them from an old friend. I wasn't under any religious roof, but yes, I do believe. That reason alone is why I'm able to tap into these powers." Rina replied as Izumi looked down.
"I know you have a connection to Zora. What are you scared of returning there?" Rina asked her.
Izumi walked past Rina, brushing her shoulder.
"Forget about it…" Izumi said as she kept her head down. Rina looked on with concern.
***
The girl looked in horror as she watched her mother bleed out on the pews. She dropped the knife covered in blood as a pastor walked up behind her, covering her mouth and restraining her. The girl started shouting and trying to kick away from him.
"Shut the fuck up or I'll kill you here!" The man said, the girl started crying as she began to grow weaker.
Two men walked in with masks on as they carried bags with them inside the church.
"Christ kid, you made a helluva mess." One man said.
"This is gonna be a bitch to clean…" the other remarked.
"I don't care how long it takes, just get it done!" The pastor said.
The two men put the body in a bag as the little girl cried more.
"You really think this brat is worth the trouble?" One of them asked.
"She better be. Her blood should be pure Zara. The boss wants it for some experiments." The pastor said.
"You're sick boss" the man laughed, the two carrying the body out.
the girl grew angry, looking up at the pastor as her heart swelled with fear.
"Now, for you." The pastor said, reaching for chloride to knock her out.
She stomped the pastor's foot as he uncovered her mouth.
"Fuck!" He yelled, trying to cover her mouth again. She knew she couldn't risk him catching her again. She bit down hard on his hand. He got his hand loose.
"You little shit, I'll beat the shit out of you if you don't behave!" He yelled as she let her rage control her.
He reached to cover her mouth again as she bit down on his finger. She bit as hard as she could as she bit off his ring finger.
Her mouth covered in blood as she ran out the back of the church. The pastor yelled in pain as the two men came back in, seeing his finger on the ground next to him.
"Go after her, damnit!!" The pastor yelled as she kept running through the parking lot, the rain growing heavier.
BANG BANG
The men shot their guns as she slipped, trying to avoid them. She ran to the chain link fence surrounding the property. BANG. Another shot as she fell down the top and fell to the grassy ground on the other side.
"Don't kill her you dumbass! We need her for the Kitsune!" The pastor said as he took the man's gun.
"Shit, we lost her." One of the men said as the pastor looked on beyond the forest.
"Come on, we'll find her. Let's get you to a doctor, boss." The man said as they walked back inside the church.
The girl continued running through the forest, the rain and trees made it hard to see without moonlight. She slipped on mud and fell down a steep incline as she fell to her stomach.
She tried standing, but was in too much pain.
She crawled to a tree nearby and sat herself up against it. She was tired and in pain, her adrenaline was wearing off as she felt warm on her side.
She looked at her hand as she felt a thick substance, lightning flashed as she saw red dripping off her hand.
"I… I think I'm bleeding" she thought to herself as she began to fade. Passing out against the tree.
***
The taxi drove off as Koji, Rina and Izumi stood on the sidewalk.
Koji had his hands in his pockets, Rina looking over notes as Izumi held her weapon strap around her body.
"The report happened on the other side of the block. We'll meet up with some police and figure out what happened" Rina said as she and Koji walked away. Izumi looked up at the church bell as it began to ring.
"parents reporting missing children, murders, arson. This place is a shit show" the officer said as he huffed his cigarette smoke out his mouth.
"Do we know what he was killed with?" Rina asked the officer.
"Killed? A boy was kidnapped." The officer replied as Izumi looked horrified.
"Oh God… okay…" Rina said in pain as she pinched the bridge of her eyes.
"Is there any evidence here that would give us an idea of who took them or where?" Rina asked as the officer exhaled smoke again.
"Lady… if we did, we wouldn't have called you." The officer said as Koji analyzed the scene.
Izumi looked through the smoke the officer exhaled. There was a faint glow on the wall behind Koji.
"Let me see that" Izumi said as she took the cigarette from the officer's hand "Hey!" The officer said, confused and upset.
Izumi breathed in and exhaled the smoke against the wall, coughing.
A handprint illuminated against the smoke, Rina and the officer walked up to her, looking at the wall.
"How did you…" the officer asked.
"Depending on the blood in a person's body, ash will illuminate it. Nicotine, tobacco, fire. Anything to get a reaction going." Izumi replied.
"Smart kid. I didn't even teach you kids that yet." Rina said, smiling at Izumi.
"This also gives us a hint as to if the handprint is energetically charged too." Koji said, standing up.
"What?" The officer questioned, "It means that the hand print belongs to someone who has powers" Rina said as she snapped, speaking a flame for a second.
"Now where does it lead?" Izumi asked as she took a newspaper off the stand next to the small coffee hut.
"Please?" Izumi asked, handing Rina the paper. Rina lit a fire on the tip of her finger, lighting the paper on fire.
The smoke revealed more handprints as they descended down the stairs along the wall.
"They stop here…" Koji remarked as the prints stopped against a brick wall.
They all looked hard at the wall as the officer pointed "look there!" There was a thick outline along the bricks, almost like an entrance.
Rina put her hand against the outline, feeling a light breeze through the other side.
Koji and Izumi pushed against the wall to try and move the door, but it didn't move.
"How do we…?" the officer asked as Rina saw a brick look more worn out than the others. She pressed it in as the door opened outward towards them.
Behind the door was a flight of stairs.
"Stay here in case anyone shows up!" Rina said as her and the students walked down the steps. "Right!" the officer replied.
The light turned to darkness as they descended down more and more. Eventually they heard humming, proceeding with a red light eliminating against them.
"What is this?" Koji asked, "Kitsune ritual… I thought the rest of them died off with Mozoku…" Rina stated as they watched.
A young boy, no older than 15, with bloody hands was chained down around a circle on the ground. Figures wearing Kitsune masks surrounded the boy as he yelled out for help.
"We have to help him, that's the missing kid!" Izumi said as she started walking down, Rina stopped her.
"Hold on, if we try to take them all on, there's no telling what would happen." Rina said as Izumi turned around with a disgusted look. "I'm not going to let him die!" Izumi said as she jumped down, the figures looked at her.
Izumi opened her staff as she held it with her teeth, forming a hand sign. "Pharaoh!" Izumi yelled as two walls of water crushed 2 members, leaving 2 left. The main leader lifted his hands up, almost like he was praising.
Izumi had a shocked expression as she saw the member had a missing finger.
A wall of fire surrounded Izumi as she snapped out of it. Two bullets ripped a hole through the flames as they hit the second member.
Rina cut through the fire as she tried to attack the leader, but he dodged.
"Are you okay?" Koji asked as he helped Izumi up. "The other two are getting away!" Izumi pointed as the two she hit earlier started running.
The leader pulled out a dagger as he started blocking Rina's attacks. The second member started shooting blasts of energy at her, she started to flip out of the way as Izumi created hand signs again.
"Red sea!" Izumi yelled as the ground beneath the leader caved in.
Koji ran up the steps as he tried to find the other two "dammit! They must have another passage!" He exclaimed, he walked past the door looking down as he grunted from shock.
The second member caught the leader as he helped him up, Rina jumped to the other side to attack, but the second member kicked her down the divided ground.
"Rina!" Izumi called as Rina fell down. Izumi quickly reached out to her staff as Rina caught it.
The second member was about to shoot Izumi as the leader grabbed his shoulder, shaking his head.
The two walked away as they exited through another hidden passage.
Izumi pulled Rina up as they both tried to catch their breath. "They got away." Izumi said as Rina stood up. Flames surrounded her hands as she formed gauntlets. She smashed the chains off the boy's hands and feet as she picked him up.
"We stopped them from doing whatever it is they were going to do…" Rina said, Izumi looked slightly relieved.
The two walked up the steps as Koji and a few officers stood by. They saw the officer from earlier dead on the ground.
Sometime later, the kid sat in the back of an ambulance as Rina and Koji talked to authorities.
Izumi looked at the boy with slight relief.
***
The young girl woke up in a bed, her side bandaged up as she tried to sit up. Birds chirped as the sun broke through the windows.
"Woah woah, don't try to move on your own just yet." The man said, walking into the room. Izumi looked scared, trying to back away as she kicked to move up the bed.
"Don't hurt me! I don't have anything, please just leave me alone!" Izumi screamed as the man tried to calm her down. "Eli, get in here!" The man yelled as he continued to try to comfort Izumi. "Hey it's okay, we're not going to hurt you!" The man said as a woman came in, concerned.
"Hey, hey! It's okay sweetie!" Eli said in a soft tone. Izumi cried as her eyes were wide open. She held her hands against her head as she curled up, hyperventilating.
"Don't worry" Eli said as she gave Izumi her hand. "Are you hungry?" Eli asked as Izumi calmed down a bit. She shook her head slightly as she was still scared.
Izumi ate quickly as the skillet sizzled.
"Slow down, you'll get sick" Eli said as Izumi chugged her glass of water.
"How long have I been out?" Izumi asked, "I feel like it's been a couple days." Izumi said as she looked up at the two.
"It's been about a week since we took you in. It seems like you hit your head." The man said as he poured food onto Eli's plate, setting the skillet down, turning around to sit at the table.
"You don't remember what happened, do you?" Eli asked as Izumi shook her head.
"No, I just remember my side hurting and feeling warm." Izumi replied. "What's your name?" Izumi asked, pointing her fork at him.
"I'm Ethan, you are?" Ethan asked, Izumi looked down for a moment, wondering if it was safe. "Are you okay?" Eli asked, Izumi looked up.
"It's Izumi." she said, as she continued to eat with a blank look.
"When we found you, you were in pretty rough shape. You had a wound in your side. From the looks of it, a bullet wound." Ethan said as Izumi looked up at him.
"It went through, so we were able to close up the wound no problem. You had blood around your mouth, but we didn't see any other injuries, so damaged arteries or anything." Ethan said. Izumi immediately remembered what happened that night, she pictured vividly biting the pastor's finger off.
Izumi dropped her spoon and split the food that was on it. She covered her mouth as she gagged hard.
"Izumi are you okay?" Eli asked as she stood up.
Izumi ran out of the room as she rushed to the restroom.
She opened the toilet seat as she puked, Eli rushed in to make sure she was alright.
"Izzie, are you okay?" Eli asked as she kneeled down, rubbing Izumi's back.
"It was the pastor, I bit his finger off." Izumi said in a sickly tone, gagging again.
"Why would you…?" Eli asked hesitantly, "He was going to sell me to some group. He did things to me, he…" Izumi said as she started crying
"I don't want him to find me." Izumi said as Eli comforted her. "We won't let him"
***
Izumi walked up to the boy.
"Hi" Izumi said "are you okay if I sit here?" She asked.
The boy nodded as he kept quiet.
"We were lucky to find you when we did. Your disappearance reached all the way to Ichibuko" Izumi said as the boy looked up at her.
"I ran away from home… I came here and felt a draw to the church. It was locked, but I thought I heard someone in there." The boy said, Izumi looked at him with confusion.
"It sounded like a group, but when I tried looking into the window, it was empty. When I left, I got attacked out here. I thought I was done for…" the boy said as Izumi stood up.
"Hey wait, what if they come back for me?" The boy asked, Izumi stood still for a moment. She turned around as she smiled slightly. "We won't let that happen" she replied, walking towards Rina.
"I think I know where to find our suspects." Izumi said as Rina turned to face her.
"The church was occupied when the boy came here." Izumi said as Rina shook her head.
"You're right, but he said it was empty too. I heard his story." Rina replied, "But we can't just go barging in, especially a place of worship." Rina stated.
"Bullshit! I know he's in there!" Izumi said with an angry tone, Rina looked confused. "Who?" Rina asked, Izumi stayed quiet.
"We can't just barge in, not without permission to search the premises. It'll take time, but I'm working on it with officials." Rina said as Izumi stormed off. "Izumi, wait!" Rina said. Koji looked up at Izumi as he looked somewhat concerned.
***
Ethan and Eli set the table as Izumi washed up.
"Dinner will be ready in a few!" Ethan shouted as Izumi shouted back "okaaay!"
Izumi shook her hands a couple times as she picked the towel up and dried her hands off.
Eli walked in and kneeled down to Izumi
"I have a gift for you. Hold out your hand." Eli said as Izumi opened her hands up.
Eli placed a train ticket to Amaia in Izumi's hands, Izumi gasped as she looked up at Eli.
"Your wounds are all but healed. We know someone out there who will take care of you. She's trustworthy and will do everything to protect you more than we can." Eli said as Izumi teared up from joy.
"Thank you!" Izumi said as the two embraced for a hug. "Will you and Ethan come with?" Izumi asked. Eli smiled, "we'll see you off. But we can't stay there." Eli said as Izumi frowned.
"It's okay, you'll be strong." Eli said as she stroked Izumi's hair out of her face.
"Just promise me you'll stay strong, okay?" Eli asked, Izumi closed her eyes as she nodded.
"I'll do what I can to get stronger" Izumi said, suddenly there was a knock at the front door.
Ethan walked over to answer the door. "I'll get it" he yelled out as he opened it, an officer stood at the door as Ethan looked confused.
"Can I help you, officer?" Ethan asked. BANG Blood sprayed from behind Ethan's head as his body fell to the floor.
The officer walked over it.
"Ethan?" Eli called in a worried tone, she walked down the hall towards the living room as Izumi stood in the doorway. Eli backed away as she gasped, she turned around as she ran towards Izumi.
"Izzie, run!" Eli yelled, BANG Eli fell face flat on the floor. Her hip started bleeding.
"RUUN!!" She screamed, reaching out. BANG
Eli's face rested on the floor as Izumi started to run towards the backdoor.
"You've been giving us hell for a while now. Why don't you come home?" The officer asked, Izumi tried opening the back door, but it wouldn't budge.
BANG a bullet nearly missed her hand as she fell back.
"I won't say it again!" The officer yelled as Izumi stared at him in fear.
Izumi's heart started pounding as she tried to stand up. She lifted herself up against the kitchen counter. The officer grabbed her as she knocked over pots and pans along with silverware that was sitting on the counter.
The man aimed his gun at her head as her eyes widened, her face filled with fear.
"Your sacrifice is going to be greatly appreciated!" The man smirked as he shoved the gun up to her throat. She struggled to get free as she kicked her feet. A wave of fear and numbness washed over her body. She felt like her life was about to end.