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[Ogami]

... a door?


[Kanna]

Yeah, there was one over there. After the Wakiji fled through it, though, it got plugged up with rubble.


----
[Ogami]

So by "rubble," do you mean, like, RUBBLE rubble, or are you talking about the limbs that you viciously tore from the Wakiji army and hurled around the room in a bloodthirsty frenzy?


[Kanna]

Eh, a little from column A, a little from column B.

----



[Ogami]

Aah, sure! Now... let's go!!


----
[Sumire]

W... wait! This is a doorway that has been blocked by rubble! We have to lift it all away bit by bit, you cannot simply PUNCH it until it clears--


[Ogami]

That's what YOU think!

----



[Ogami]

How's this!




KER-PUNCH!



----
[Ogami]

See?


[Sumire]

But... but I...


[Kanna]

Hah hah hah, don't sweat your little head about it, Sumire. Violence changes everything!

----



The door's kind of hard to see-- it's on the left side of the room, having formerly been blocked by what looked like a giant cabinet.

[Kanna]

Well, see... the Wakiji that ran away locked the door behind it.


----
[Ogami]

... how? I mean, Wakiji can barely tie their own damn shoelaces, and you're telling me that this one managed to pull off something that requires hand-eye coordination?


[Kanna]

Well, if it helped at all, the key was one of those brightly colored plastic toys that you usually give to teething infants.

----

[Kanna]

We could certainly bust it down, but the ceiling looks like it's about to give... man, if only we had a key.


[Sumire]

If we are talking about keys... would this suffice?


Oh c'mon, it can't POSSIBLY be that easy.

[Kanna]

Whoa! You found something good there, don't you!! Let's see...


I mean, what're the chances that the one key that WE managed to track down would be the solution to all our problems in this mansion? Heck, there's no guarantee that the key will even open anything OTHER than the door to that secret study, it's not going to be a one-size-fits-all--



...

I surrender.

[Sumire]

W... would you please shut up! Come on, we're leaving!


And Sumire flounces off in a tsun huff.

[Kanna]

Hahahahaha... now, Captain. Let's go, shall we?


[Ogami]

Yeah, you're right.




[Sumire]

I wonder why? I do not think that Wakiji are in the habit of praying...


----
[Wakiji]

(Oh god please don't let me get horribly and brutally slaughtered at the hands of those women I just want to go back home and see my wife and kids again I'm totally going to retire after this oh god oh god--)

----

[Kanna]

It doesn't matter, don't it!? We got three on our side... let's smash it up!!


[Sumire]

That is also true. Honestly, this time... you will not make the mistake of letting one escape.


[Kanna]

Heh! What're you saying!? How about you-- don't weigh the rest of us down.


Here, Ogami makes a horribly stupid mistake.

[Ogami]

Hey, both of you... aah!?


[Kanna]

What is it, Captain? Did something happen!?


[Ogami]

Sumire-kun... Kanna... b... behind you...




He essentially says "HAY GUYS LOOK OVER THERE, IT'S YOUR WORST NIGHTMARES! HA HA, WHAT'RE THE CHANCES OF THAT."

[Kanna]

Th, this feeling...


[Sumire]

It... it couldn't be...


[Ogami]

(Dammit... what should I do!?)


The only thing you're good for, you idjit:



Extermination!

[Ogami]

Sumire-kun, Kanna, don't move! I'll knock them away!!


[Kanna]

C... Captain! Hurry up and do something--!!


[Ogami]

Here I go! Urrrooooooaaaaaaaaaagh! ... ah!?


[Ogami]

My legs got tangled--!!


[Sumire]

Ensign--!


CRUNCHCRASHSHATTERTHUD.



----
[Ogami]

... by me tripping all over myself and crushing them with my body weight.


[Kanna]

W-well... hey, whatever works, right?


[Sumire]

It's kind of sad that this was quite possibly the most efficient method of attacking that I have ever seen the Ensign accomplish.


[Ogami]

What!?


[Kanna]

Hey, that's right! I mean, all you usually do is wave those two big swords around at people, and you're not even half as strong as WE are!


[Sumire]

Indeed... just think of how much more efficient we would be if we simply started hurling your Koubu at people, instead of wasting all that time and energy on letting you have a turn!


[Ogami]

A-aren't I the main character here, guys? ... guys!?

----


----


----
[Ogami]

That's harsh, man.


[Sumire]

It is not my fault that you proved unable to keep your balance while dealing with creatures smaller than 1/10th of your size.


[Ogami]

YOU'RE the one who's scared shitless of them, woman.

----

[Kanna]

But y'know... we let the Wakiji get away again.


[Sumire]

As for that... well, it should be fine if we chase it down once more.


This is the government dollar yen at work here, people.


----


[Ogami]

Yeah, that's true. Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!


----
[Ogami]

Ahahahahahahahahahahaha!


[Ogami]

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA--


[Kanna]

Sumire... we didn't leave his pills at home, did we?


[Sumire]

C-come to think of it... I believe we might have. Perhaps if we knocked him out?

----

[Ogami]

Hey... Sumire-kun. Kanna. I am the captain of you, the Flower Division.
I don't think I can replace Kanna's father or Sumire-kun's parents...




[Ogami]

Kanna's father pushed her through harsh training, and raised her strongly...
Sumire-kun's parents worked their hardest to raise her without any restrictions to her freedom...




[Ogami]

But... I think that it wouldn't be good to remain reliant on someone else forever.
... we are all weak. There are many things that we are not good with, and things that we cannot resolve on our own.
But... with two of us-- no, with everyone in the Flower Division-- I think that we'll be able to do anything.
Sumire-kun... Kanna... can't you accept each other for what you are, and lend each other your support?



----


Here's hoping that this truce will not be broken by the deaths of everyone involved.

[Ogami]

It seems that the enemy descended underground through those stairs... in that case...




[Ogami]

Let's return to the theater!



----


[Ogami]

Right! Let's hurry and finish things off!!


You KNOW that the enemy's doing something wrong when the protagonist's attitude has become "mmm'kay, let's just hurry up and foil the enemy's plot to destroy the world, I left a pot of tea brewing on the stove."



[Sumire]

Ow...


[Kanna]

... Sumire, what's wrong? Did you get hurt?


[Sumire]

I... I am alright. I was simply a bit dizzy...
Come to think of it, you yourself appear to be covered in bruises... will you be alright?


[Kanna]

Heheheh... to be honest, my wounds've been throbbing for a while now...


[Ogami]

... just a little further. Both of you, hang in there.




[Sumire]

This is a rather disgusting place. Hm... it appears that we have reached a dead end.




[Sumire]

All three of us should pin it down! Is everyone ready!?


[Ogami]

Right... here we go!!




[Ogami]

Wh... what!?


[Sumire]

The spiritual energy that had enveloped the mansion is... disappearing!




(I love the fact that as Ogami and company are busy with their expository dialogue, the Wakiji's just casually climbing up the ladder, no rush.)

[Ogami]

But... for what purpose?




[Ogami]

It isn't getting away this time!! We're climbing that ladder!




[Sumire]

... in any case, it appears that the ladder goes all the way up to the surface.


THWOK!

[Kanna]

What was that noise just now!? Don't tell me... is it the enemy!?


[Ogami]

Owowowowow... it's a dead end. It looks like the ceiling's a manhole cover..


Lead*er
n.
1. One who leads or guides.
2. The poor bastard that's stuck in the front of the line, tasked with blundering into all the upcoming traps so that the rest of the group doesn't have to.

[Kanna]

... can we exit to the surface?


[Sumire]

Ensign... let us try to open it.


[Ogami]

Right... here we go.




...

Did he she just lift a manhole cover AND a couple hundred pounds of Wakiji with just one hand!?

[Ogami]

Urk... it's really bright.


[Kanna]

Ah...! Captain, l-lookit that!




[Miroku]

So this was the Earth's pulse point after all... hmhmhm...
All right, we are starting the operation! Supress the Earth's pulse point!




[Sumire]

It's the Hive of Darkness!!


[Kanna]

Dammit! Of all things, and at a time like this!


[Ogami]

Earth's pulse point!? ... could this have something to do with the "sorcery" that the Commander had mentioned!?


----
[Sumire]

Well, GEE, Ensign, we just happened to see a Wakiji plastering magical charms all over the mansion's walls, which then proceeded to neutralize the spiritual presence that permeated the entire building. What ELSE could it possibly be?


[Ogami]

Demonic interior decorating?


[Sumire]

... yes, Ensign. Yes, that is exactly it.

----

[Miroku]

...!


[Ogami]

Damn, we've been noticed!?


Well, to be fair, they weren't exactly hiding.

[Miroku]

Show yourselves!! You rats over there!!


[Ogami]

Damn... no matter what we do, we're no match for their numbers... what should we do?


What every hero worth his/her salt does:



Play to the enemy's urge to monologue!



[Miroku]

Hmhmhm... you may not have realized this, but this mansion is exuding a strong spiritual energy.


[Sumire]

Excuse me! I had indeed noticed!


[Ogami]

Shh! Just listen to what she's saying for now.


[Miroku]

This spiritual energy became an obstacle to our 'project'...
So first, the mansion's spiritual energy had to be sealed to remove that obstacle.
Which means... that the real show begins from here on out.


[Ogami]

A project, you said!? What do you intend to do to the Imperial Capital!?


[Miroku]

There is no need for you to know that much... the reason being that all of you... will die here...
I shall be taking my... vengeance for Setsuna and Rasetsu now.
Now you shall know the rage of the Hive of Darkness, and tremble in fear! Prepare yourself, Imperial Assault Force!!


[Ogami]

Dammit... if only we had our Koubu...


----
[Sumire]

We do not even NEED our Koubu, that would be overkill! I mean, we already have Kanna-san, after all.


[Ogami]

But if WE had our Koubu, we wouldn't have to worry about Kanna accidentally rending one of US limb from limb.


[Kanna]

Are you STILL sore about that, Captain? You managed to get your arm reattached in time, man, let it go.

----

[Miroku]

Ah~ hah hah hah! Go, my Wakiji!! Tear them all apart!


[Sumire]

Ensign! At this rate, are we just going to go down quietly like this?


[Kanna]

... damn! If this's how it is, then we'll go down fighting...




KRA-KOOOM!

[Ogami]

Wh, what!?


[Kanna]

Ensign, look up!


[Sumire]

It is the Shogeimaru!




Whuppa-whuppa-whuppa-whuppa--



CHOOM



THE SOUNDS OF A KOUBU BEING SHOT OUT OF A CANNON AT HIGH SPEEDS Whoosh!



[Ogami]

Sakura-kun!!


[Ayame]

Now! All of you sortie, as well!!


----
[Ogami]

Yaaaay! Ayame-san! You fired that shot just in time to save us-- how'd you know we were in trouble!?


[Ayame]

....


[Ayame]

O-oh, yeah, sure, YEAH, right, I totally knew that you guys were in danger! Call it intuition.


[Ogami]

... you just wanted to fire shit, didn't you.


[Ayame]

Maaaaaybe.

----


----


[Ogami]

Right! Both of you, we're getting into our Koubu!
Just you watch... we'll be paying back our debt to you in full!


----
[Miroku]

You are FUCKING SURROUNDED BY WAKIJI, you idiots! Do you POSSIBLY think that we'll allow you puny rats to escape!? We'll kill you all before you can get to your Koubu!


[Ogami]

Oh, really?


[Ogami]

Kanna, sic 'em!


[Miroku]

What can one stupid human hope to--


[Kanna]

ARGHABLARGHA!




[Miroku]

HOLY SHIT!!


[Ogami]

Awesome job, Kanna! Now let's run while they're confu--


[Ogami]

K... Kanna? Kanna?




[Miroku]

WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU UNLEASHED UPON US!? SHE'S NOT HUMAN!!


[Sumire]

E-Ensign, she's not stopping.


[Ogami]

Good god. Run! RUN!!


[Sumire]

But Kanna--


[Ogami]

Can take care of herself! RUN!!


[Kanna]

GRAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRrrraaaaaaaaaaooooooo--!!

----




NEXT TIME: Battle!


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