Miscalculation A Side Story by MokonaChiirushia and Hokuto Kuzuki Narrator: It's a quiet day in the apartment of our three favorite bounty hunters. Kanoe is out on an errand with Sakura, Kai is visiting a friend of his, and Suzuki is taking a nap in his apartment. Satsuki is sitting at the table, checking up on bounties. Sailor Bob is listlessly pacing in what has now become his and Kai's room. Satsuki: *taps at Val* Sailor Bob: *sighs, opens door and heads towards kitchen, looking downcast* Satsuki: *looks up* Oi! Bob! What's the matter? Sailor Bob: Huh? Oh, hi, Satsuki-san. Sailor Bob: I... I dunno, I just feel kinda down... Satsuki: *nods knowingly, is clueless* Have a seat, then. Sailor Bob: *sits down* Satsuki: Why are you feeling down? Satsuki: *has no subtlety* Sailor Bob: It's just... everything, really. Satsuki: Like...? Sailor Bob: Well, it seems like... Since I met you, and Kai-chan, and Kanoe-san, I've only brought trouble. Satsuki: Oh, that's not true. We get in trouble anyway, trust me. Satsuki: ^-^ I can't count the times we've managed to screw things up royally and still pull through. Val: *beeps in agreement* Sailor Bob: But... Satsuki: But what? Sailor Bob: *sighs* Satsuki: *sighs herself* Sailor Bob: I don't know... Satsuki: Yeah... me, too. Satsuki: Things have been kinda crazy lately, haven't they? Sailor Bob: Yeah... Satsuki: I can't believe E-chan's started SMOKING. It's insane. Sailor Bob: *looks up* Satsuki-san, why do you think she did? Satsuki: Well, her past has been crashing in on her... what with that whole mess with Tetsuya, and then Sakura came back, and we had to talk to that JACKASS... Satsuki: *shrugs* I guess she's stressed out. Sailor Bob: That makes sense... Satsuki: It does, but it still seems a little weird. Sailor Bob: *puts his chin in his hands* Kai-chan seems awfully depressed about not having money... Satsuki: *shrugs again* You've got me on that one. I NEVER know what Kai's thinking about. Sailor Bob: You don't? Sailor Bob: I don't think it's that hard... Satsuki: *cheerfully* Nope. Not once. Sailor Bob: Huh... Satsuki: I suck at people. I only know how E-chan feels about stuff because I've been living with her for years. Sailor Bob: Well, I guess I'm good at reading him... Satsuki: I should certainly THINK so. Not that I'm inquiring. Sailor Bob: *blushes* Sailor Bob: Do you think he's really happy to be with me? *says this in such a heart-rending, pitiful way it's almost like he's ready to cry* Satsuki: Oh, definitely. Satsuki: He actually does stuff besides mope around the apartment now. Sailor Bob: *smiles shakily* Thanks, Satsuki-san. Satsuki: ^-^ No problem. Just call me the matchmaker. Sailor Bob: *blushes again* Well, ah, I think Kai will be back by now... Satsuki: Ah - got a surprise in mind for him? Sailor Bob: *blushes bright red* No! Satsuki: Aw, darn. ^______^ Sailor Bob: I... I'd better get going if I want to pick him up! *escapes to the train station* Satsuki: Ja! Sailor Bob: *waves and is gone* *Loud yelling is heard in the hallway.* Satsuki: *rolls her eyes and resumes tapping at Val* Kanoe: *is obviously arguing with Sakura, probably about the cigarettes* Satsuki: *studiously ignores them, researches bounties instead* *Loud stomping is heard, then a key in the lock.* Kanoe: *opens the door, a freshly lighted cigarette in hand* Konban wa. Satsuki: Konban wa. *glares at the cigarette* Kanoe: *ignores the glare, but walks over to the window and hangs out of it while she smokes* Found any bounties worthy of note? Satsuki: Hmmm... there's a couple three thousand ones and one that's seven thousand. Kanoe: Really? Satsuki: Yeah, but the seven thousand one is for a member of the organization who insulted a bunch of top guys in another gang. Satsuki: *shudders* I'd rather not go after one of Tetsuya's people. Kanoe: Well, that's out. Kanoe: *puffs* Satsuki: Yeah, he'd KILL us. Almost as slowly as that cigarette is. Kanoe: *slams her hand down on the window frame, almost knocking the entire thing out* WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT MY LIFESTYLE CHOICES?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Satsuki: *jumps, for once almost scared of Kanoe* Satsuki: Jesus! Don't YELL like that! Val: *beeps, trying to be placatory* Kanoe: *stares out the window* Satsuki: And shut up, Val! You don't have lungs! Satsuki: *taps and mutters ferociously under her breath, reading up on the other bounties* Kanoe: *quietly* So who are the one thousands? Satsuki: *absently* Three thousand ones. Kanoe: Whatever. Satsuki: They're all semi-major criminals the police have had trouble finding, no surprise since our beloved police force can't find its butt with both hands. Kanoe: Oh. Satsuki: Let's see - this one's an arsonist, these two are a pair and they're bank robbers... Satsuki: *grim voice* Oh, now THIS one would be a pleasure to take down. A serial rapist. Kanoe: Ikimashou. Satsuki: *nods, packs up Val and several of her best knives* Kanoe: *already has everything, opens the door to the apartment and indicates for Satsuki to precede her* Satsuki: *goes out* Satsuki: *leads them to the neighborhood where most of the incidents have taken place* Kanoe: *walks in complete silence, puffing on her cigarette* Satsuki: *occasionally gives her dirty glances, but says nothing* Bounty: *is at his day job as an accountant, but will soon be packing up and heading home, from whence he can sally forth in search of new prey* Kanoe: *Drops the cigarette butt and grinds into the asphalt with her toe. Leans back against a wall, letting her bangs fall across her face.* Feel free to wait across the street while I play the part of bait. Satsuki: No problem. Satsuki: I'll be keeping an eye out, you know. Just in case. Kanoe: *stays in that position, her shirt slipping off her shoulder just a little, so she can look even sexier* Okay. Satsuki: *crosses the street quickly before she gets embarrassed* Satsuki: *takes up a position where she can survey everything that's going on* Kanoe: *waits, happy to just sit there for a little while* Bounty: *driving home, makes note of Kanoe as a potential victim and decides to come back to the area later to see if she's still there* Kanoe: *waits* Satsuki: *cleans her fingernails with one knife, a nervous habit she picked up from reading too many fantasy books* Satsuki: *after about an hour of waiting, is getting rather tired of the whole business* Kanoe: *has been staying in the same position for a while* Satsuki: *signing to Kanoe* "Why don't we try some other kind of tactic? This is boring." Kanoe: *signs back* "Another fifteen minutes. Then we'll try something else." Satsuki: ;.; "Okay." Kanoe: *relaxes back into her original position, her shirt sliding a little bit more* Bounty: *five minutes later, meanders down the street, discreetly checking out all the females of ALL ages* Kanoe: *stays put* Satsuki: *window shops at an electronics store, her back to the bounty* Bounty: *sees Kanoe and is definitely interested - but then spots Satsuki leaning over to inspect something in the window and abruptly decides on her for whatever reasons go through a psychopath's mind* Bounty: *casually works his way over to Satsuki and begins looking at the stuff in the window, too* Kanoe: *continues leaning against the wall, waiting for something to happen* Satsuki: *gives him a quick, sideways glance, but doesn't spot anything unusual and continues browsing* Bounty: *sidles up to her and begins an innocuous chat about electronics* Satsuki: *happily babbles away, unguarded* Kanoe: *watches them through her bangs, wonders why the hell it’s taking so long for the guy to come and pounce on her* Bounty: *looks at his watch, trying not to sound too eager* Ah, it's six-thirty... Bounty: I usually get some coffee around now before I have to go home - care to join me? I've been having a lovely time talking to you... Satsuki: Sure! Just a sec... *runs over to tell Kanoe* Satsuki: E-chan, I'm going to go get some tea and coffee with a guy - why don't you go home? We can try again tomorrow. Kanoe: Thanks, but no thanks. I'm staying here until something happens. Kanoe: You go ahead. Satsuki: *shrugs* Okay. Kanoe: *lights a cigarette and lets it hang from her lips sexily* Satsuki: *runs back across* Let's go - um - I didn't happen to catch your name... Bounty: *smiles and lies through his teeth* I'm Hideo Shibuki. Satsuki: Okay, then... Let's go, Shibuki-san! Kanoe: *sighs as she leans against the wall, wondering what's wrong with this guy that he hasn't shown up yet* Bounty: Now there's a lovely little teahouse I know that's almost perfectly hidden... *leads Satsuki into some back alleys, which are clean and well-lit enough that she doesn't get suspicious* Satsuki: *looking around* Jeez... I didn't even know there was anything back here. Bounty: *smiles unpleasantly so Satsuki can’t see* Bounty: It's just a little further... Kanoe: *wonders if maybe she should've taken Satsuki's advice and gone home, but shakes the thought out of her head and sighs* Bounty: *takes Satsuki's arm in a perfectly gentlemanly way, not showing a sign of his - um - excitement* It's right around the corner. Satsuki: ^-^ That's good, I'm starting to get a bit hungry... Bounty: *as they reach the corner, suddenly grips her arm much tighter* Satsuki: ?.? Kanoe: *sighs and decides that no one here is interested in her, begins taking the long way home* Satsuki: Shibuki-san, nani o -? Bounty: *slaps her* Shut up, bitch. Satsuki: !.! WHAT THE -?! Bounty: *slaps her again* I said shut up! Kanoe: *passes by one of the well-lit alleys, gets a distinct feeling something is wrong* Satsuki: *realizes what she's done, and opens her mouth to scream her lungs out* Kanoe: What the... Kanoe: *walks a few steps, than jogs a few, then all-out runs* Bounty: *slams Satsuki against the wall before she can get a sound out and drags her quickly into the dark alley that was around the corner* Satsuki: *knocked semi-unconscious* Bounty: *once he has her there, searches her and takes away all the knives as a precaution* Kanoe: *running as fast as she can* Kanoe: *passes another alley* Bounty: *smiles a truly vicious smile and begins taking her shirt and pants off* Kanoe: *passes the corner and turns it, notices a shine in the moonlight and stops* Satsuki: *weakly tries to smack him, but can barely move her hand* S- stop it... Bounty: *slaps her again* Last warning, bitch. Next time I start playing with your own knives. Kanoe: *Hears a whispery sort of sound as she drops down to examine the object. It's one of Satsuki's small knives that she had dropped.* Kanoe: *picks it up* Satsu-kun...? Kanoe: *straightens up quickly and sharply* Satsu-kun...! Satsuki: *helpless, tears begin to leak out of her eyes* Bounty: *laughs a little at that, very quietly, as he flips her onto her front* Kanoe: *turns into the dark alleyway, notices a shape or a couple of shapes near the back* Satsuki: *whimpers, just a little* Kanoe: *breaks into a sudden run, slams into the nearest figure, having correctly guessed who it was* UNHAND HER, YOU SICK PSYCHO!!!!!! *They both slam into the opposite wall.* Bounty: *slammed into, unable to say anything but "whoooooooof"* Kanoe: *lies there for a minute, dazed, then jump up and draws her knife on him, her eyes glittering fiercely* Kanoe: *without even a word, she stabs him, then she stabs him again, and again, not stopping even after she's sure he's dead* Bounty: *dies from shock and blood loss* Kanoe: *pauses, panting for breath, since she did just run really far* Satsuki: *tries to get up and gather her clothes, which are not in the best of conditions* Kanoe: *throws her knife away and goes to Satsuki, stopping her search by gathering her into her arms and starting to sob* Oh, Satsu-kun... Satsuki: *scrubbing her face* D- d- daijoubu... Kanoe: *continues sobbing* I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Satsuki: He didn't - didn't - I mean, he didn't... Kanoe: He almost... You almost... I'm so sorry...! Kanoe: If... If he had... Oh, Satsu-kun! *breaks down even more, sobbing so hard her entire body shakes* Satsuki: *resigns herself to being coddled for the next month or so* Hontou ni... daijoubu... Satsuki: I mean, I was just st- stupid... going off like that... Kanoe: *manages to calm herself down a little bit, and she stills for a minute, still holding Satsuki close* Oh, gods... Satsuki: *hugs her, rather awkwardly since she's not in the best shape and feels weird being half-clothed* Satsuki: D- daijoubu... Kanoe: *whispering* You... You shouldn't scare me... like that... Satsuki: *manages to laugh at that* H- hai... Satsuki: Gomen ne, E-chan... Kanoe: *lets her go and helps her gather her clothes* Satsuki: *gets dressed, but still doesn't look very presentable* Satsuki: *sighs* It'll do for getting home, I guess... Kanoe: *takes off her coat and covers Satsuki with it* Kanoe: *ignores the fact that now she's wearing much less than before* Satsuki: *pokes her* E-chan, you're going to catch a chill. Kanoe: *waves her away* Nah. Kanoe: Let's go home. Satsuki: Yeah... *smiles palely* Kanoe: *walks with her, keeping very close and protective* Satsuki: *would normally fuss about it, but not tonight* Satsuki: *hugs Val very, very tightly* Kanoe: *knocks on Suzuki's door, since Satsuki is still staying there* Suzuki: *opens door, sees Satsuki* O.O Suzuki: Imouto-chan?! Satsuki: Nii... chan... *suddenly glomps him, almost dropping Val* Suzuki: *glomps her back, hard* Kanoe: *watches them forlornly, turns to go* Satsuki: *begins crying hard* Niichan, I was so scared... Satsuki: Hontou ni... kowakatta yo... Suzuki: *hugs her* Daijoubu... Daijoubu... I'm here... Satsuki: *hugs back, still crying, but in a good way* Kanoe: *watches them some more, then leaves* Kanoe: *walks up the stairs slowly, then takes out her cigarette box and lighter* Kanoe: *opens her apartment door, sets the box in the sink, then sets the whole thing on fire* Kanoe: *Watches it burn to ashes, then washes them down the sink. Turns and falls onto the couch, falling into an exhausted sleep.* *And on the quiet apartment - the scene fades.* Credits: Kanoe: MokonaChiirushia Satsuki: Hokuto Kuzuki Sailor Bob: MokonaChiirushia Bounty: Hokuto Kuzuki Narrator: MokonaChiirushia Val: Hokuto Kuzuki