Chapter Text
"Thank you for your help miss" Said a woman shaking hands.
"You're welcome. It's part of my service" Replied the other girl accepting the handshake.
"Here is your pay, we look forward to your help in the future if we need it again Miss Shinobu" The woman pulled out a sack full of mora, which the other girl grabbed to leave.
Kuki Shinobu was leaving the place where she had done her last job. It was normal for her to do several jobs during the week. After all, she specialized in various areas, from sewing to law. Still, she didn't have a steady degree, so she couldn't hold a steady job.
She was about to head to the small apartment where she lived, but someone got in her way.
"Sorry to bother you, but do you know where the Tenryou commission is?" That question came from a boy a little taller than her, with dark reddish hair, green eyes and a mole under both eyes.
"Sure, it's not too far from here. Just go ahead and turn right, there should be some guards at the entrance" Shinobu was pointing with her hands where the stranger should go.
"Thank you very much" He thanked her and went in the direction she had indicated.
Shinobu remained thoughtful about that fleeting encounter, even though he had not said his name, she knew what it was. After all, she watched him from afar from time to time. She wanted to analyze why the boy had created that encounter, but that would not be possible because of the arrival of someone else.
"Hey Shinobu! I already know what our next plan to defeat that Tengu will be" An oni appeared behind her. Out of surprise, she pulled out her knife and brought it up to the oni's throat. "H-hey easy it's me" He mentioned with a trembling voice as he held the sharp object so close.
"Don't show up like that" Shinobu put her knife away. "Besides Itto, the first plan that comes to your head isn't always going to work."
"You're wrong, I've been planning this with the guys for a week" Itto replied proudly then leaned his arm on his partner. "Think about it Shinobu, if we can beat that Tengu we might prove that the gang isn't bad"
"It seems he still doesn't understand why they think the gang is criminals" It was a thought Shinobu had, seeing how his friend looked so excited when he spoke.
"Alright, let me change and go to the lair" Shinobu said as he pulled Itto's elbow out.
"Perfect" Itto replied excitedly. "Then I'll wait for you there, masked ninja" Itto said goodbye with a big smile and then left jumping the roofs of the houses.
Shinobu thought that when she got to her apartment she could think about what had happened before Itto arrived, but now she had other plans where she might find him again. Before continuing on her way she felt the presence of someone, but she couldn't place him.
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"Let me get this" Shinobu sighed as she held her hand to her head. "You want me to leave a note on the Tenryou commission, which says that you want to meet her on Hanamizaka exit so that way you can dialogue with the general, don't you?"
"If you put it that way it sounds even simpler! Right guys?" Itto was stroking an onikabuto on the sofa.
"That's right boss!" replied three excited voices in unison, these belonged to the other members of the group Itto had called the Arataki Gang.
"That's the attitude guys! We’re going to show that Tengu how cool the band is" Itto set the onikabuto aside to stand on the couch.
"It would be even cooler to be able to make an act using different visions, but only you and Shinobu have one..." Genta said with a sad tone, to which Mamoru and Akira reacted in the same way.
Itto noticed how his boys' spirits were at rock bottom, so he got down and pulled the three of them together to cheer them up.
"Come on guys, don't worry about it, someday you'll get yours! Even if you don't have one, you're always there to help me, and I'm grateful for that." Itto said with one of his characteristic smiles, his companions felt better knowing that their boss accepted them with or without vision. "Besides, if Shinobu got one, why didn't you guys?" Akira watched how Shinobu looked somewhat annoyed by the last thing their boss had said.
"Boss, I think Shinobu didn't like the last thing you said" Akira whispered. Itto turned his head slightly, he didn't need to turn around to feel his friend's slight anger.
"W-well guys, it's time for the one and oni and his assistant, the masked ninja, to go start the plan. See ya!" Itto walked away from his friends and started to push Shinobu towards the exit.
Shinobu already had the note in her hands as Itto pushed her, when they were at the exit she stopped Itto to go her own way and do her part. While her friend went to wait at the place she had mentioned.
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Shinobu had done her part without fail, it was not the first time she had left things by the windows of the Tenryou commission. To her luck or misfortune, the one in charge of finding the note appeared not long after she left. This one took it upon himself to read it before seeking out his superior and handing it over, though he couldn't help but let out a slight chuckle at the way it was worded.
"Madam Kujou, they left this note for you" The boy pulled the note out of his pockets as he found his superior.
"Let me read it" She grabbed the note, read it quickly and almost as soon as she finished reading it, crumpled it into a ball and threw it into a garbage can she had nearby. "Looks like we're on for work tonight, get ready kid."
"At your orders, although, I would like you to call me by my position. Or do you want me to call you Tengu?" The boy said that with a mocking tone, which made his superior a little angry.
"You are getting closer and closer to end my patience, now go away doushin" Kujou replied with a noticeably angry tone.
"It wasn't necessary to tell me to leave, but if you order it, I will" It was the last thing the boy said before leaving the room.
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Finally the moment had come where Itto would manage to convince Kujou that the band wasn’t bad, or so he thought. Itto was with Shinobu waiting near the big cherry tree at the Hanamizaka exit. Itto was bored of waiting for them to arrive, he had been waiting for a long time. Because of this he decided to take a nap, but this would be interrupted.
"Boss, be careful!" An arrow charged with Electro energy was about to land on the oni's left shoulder, but thanks to the quickness of his companion, who deflected the arrow with her sword, she managed to save him from a scratch.
"Hey! It's not fair to attack while someone is going to rest!" Itto claimed as he stood up.
"Arataki Itto, surrender at once and we won't have more fights like this" The owner of that arrow was giving a warning to her opponent.
"Ha! Don't think I'll let you beat me so easily, Kujou chicken! Neither your assistant nor you could go against me, the one and oni, Arataki Itto!"
Itto was putting on airs and graces until he saw the bow-wielding woman shoot another arrow, which he managed to dodge with luck. Shinobu and the woman's assistant were just watching the scene as if they were just spectators and not involved in the matter.
"For the last time, my name is Kujou Sara" She mentioned with an annoyed tone. "And if so, why don't you face me without your partner?"
Itto had been speechless, he felt like his pride was attacked. Sara noticed that he was distracted, so she decided to take advantage of that moment to attack. Itto reacted quickly creating a wall to prevent her enemy from approaching. Still, she quickly climbed the wall and started aiming with her bow.
"Take care of his partner's kid" Sara ordered her partner.
"Understood" The boy agreed, taking his hands out of his pockets to arrange his hat.
"Shinobu, do the same" Itto mimicked what Sara had said not knowing what else to say.
"You didn't need to say it boss" She replied as she held her sword in a defensive position.
As Itto and Sara started to run away, their companions stayed where they were, none made a move, the place had been flooded in silence.
"Your senses are always as sharp as a cat, not bad" Mentioned the boy to break the silence.
"Your stealthy way of walking is very good, I could sense Sara but not you, it seems that if you go to your trainings" She replied lowering her sword.
They were both praising their skills to waste time, neither had the true intention of attacking the other. It wasn't the first time they were in that situation, it's been so many times they already lost count.
"I have no intention of fighting this time, in fact, I come with a propos-" The boy couldn't finish speaking because a dagger was heading in his direction, which he managed to stop using his hand.
Shinobu was going to start the confrontation because she was getting a little bored. Besides, she enjoyed practicing her skills against him, or as his boss called him, little detective, because of the kind of clothes this one wore.
"Not only your senses are sharp, you also attack fast, at this rate I should call you kitty" Was the last thing the detective said, with a mocking tone, before approaching to fight.
Shinobu drew her sword as she saw how slowly the boy was approaching, he before being completely close threw a punch in the air, which she had to block it with her sword. The boy began to attack with his fists in martial arts style, although they seemed easy to block, Shinobu had to be careful of receiving a cut, since those fists were imbued with the Anemo element. At one point, she managed to find a weak point in her rival and made a counterattack with her sword, now she was the one who dominated the fight. In one of her attacks, he managed to parry it with his hands, causing them to meet face to face.
Although neither of them knew each other in depth, they always remembered something about each other, their eyes. Their gazes collided and without realizing it, both remained like that for a few seconds, it was not until Shinobu heard the call of her boss that she imbued her sword in Electro to move away from the boy. As she did that, a small explosion occurred from the reaction of both elements. From that explosion, both received small scratches on their clothes.
"Looks like they're done with their daily fight, so it's time to retire. See you later, masked kitty" The boy said that to tease her before leaving the place by jumping over the roofs of the houses.
Shinobu didn't hesitate and immediately went to look for her boss, which wasn't far from there, but when she arrived she found him on the ground.
"Boss, are you okay?" She asked as she helped Itto stand up.
"That coward ran away again!" Replied the oni accepting his friend's help. Getting up he shook out his pants, using his Geo powers always left him dirty.
They both decided to go back to the lair to rest. Itto planned to play with his onikabutos while Shinobu just wanted to go to sleep.
"Did you manage to defeat the little detective?" Itto asked, he was curious as he noticed that his friend's clothes had a few small scratches on them.
"It was a close fight, so there was no winner" Shinobu replied as she checked how her arms had a few small scratches.
For the rest of the way, Itto was telling how he was dominating the fight, but his partner wasn't paying attention at all, her head was thinking about something else.
" 'I came with a proposal, was that what he meant? But if that's the case, what kind of proposal did he have? Could it be that he's planning something? That's the only way I can fit the meeting before and the one now" Her head was full of doubts that she wanted to solve, but she didn't have enough information to come to a good conclusion.
"Hey Shinobu, answer my question." Itto was calling out to her, she was so immersed in her thoughts that she hadn't heard him.
"Oh right, what was the question?" She shook her head a little to try and focus on what Itto was going to tell her.
Itto let out a laugh. "That's weird, you're not distracted. I never thought I'd see you someday asking me to repeat something."
Shinobu cleared her throat "My apologies, I was just remembering the schedule I have for my activities tomorrow" That was the lie she gave as an answer to avoid mentioning her true thoughts.
"Before you go on about your boring jobs I want you to answer my question" The oni cleared his throat "Do you have any mora? It's just that the boys and I need some to buy a new uhmm broom, yes, a new broom" He was speaking with a nervous tone that didn't go unnoticed by Shinobu, she clearly knew he wasn't asking for mora to buy a broom, he didn't even know how to use one.
Her experience being part of that group told her that it was to gamble with the kids that live near Hanamizaka, it was what they always did. She didn't think about giving him a single mora, but a lesson that he should get a job and stop wasting money, but she would leave that for later, she had more important things to occupy her time.