Sink or Swim: Drawn To The Venom

Chapter 26

Recap: Chisaki's kidnapper Kuino has shown up at Hikaru's residence, causing conflict within him on how to enact further as he lurks in the bushes. Matsumi and Koshiro have formed a temporary alliance with the Saints members Wendy and Jerry as well as the Orca Therianthrope Sayato.

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Chisaki has hidden for atleast an hour in the bushes, as he continues pondering on his inner conflict. Naomi and Dan are already part of a deep dark rabbit hole, and it's evident that neither of them would be spared easily.
Kuino: "So! Shall we take our goods and leave?"
Hikaru: "Easy there! Goods? No way in hell can I allow you to dehumanize them."
Asagi: "HUEHWAHAHAHAHA DAMAGED GOODS HUEHWAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Kuino: "Asagi, maintain some decorum!"
Chisaki: *thinks* "Maybe if I go for the mad girl next to that kidnapping lady, I could have a chance."
Kuino: "May we do our business and leave in peace?"
As soon as Kuino is about to approach the tied-up hostages, Hikaru stops her with a firm grip.
Hikaru: "May I talk to the Guardian Angel herself before we do our business?"
Kuino gets nervous and sweats, making a frowning face.
Hikaru: "I'm asking, may I talk to the Guardian Angel first before we do our business?"
Kuino is shaking and angry, however she calms down in a few moments pretending to stay cool.
Kuino: "You don't know, do you?"
Hikaru: "Know what?"
Kuino: "You're supposed to be an onlooker for this event, yet you're participating on your own accord?"
Hikaru: "I have my reasons!"
Kuino: "So why don't you just give them to us, then go back to business?"
Hikaru: *smirks* "Thinking of killing me and stealing my spot in the Saints, huh bitch? The Guardian Angel never mentioned a replacement for any of the Saints, if she did there most definitely would've been precedent for it."
Kuino gets more jittery, as Hikaru has guessed her game. Her plan has been foiled, and she turns to her damage control mode by mutating into a huge bright bird. The giant Secretary Bird Therianthrope chirps loudly, now resorting to intimidating them.
Aorin: "What a pathetic attempt!"
Shiina: "Say! Wanna take that crazy laughing bitch out first?"
As soon as the enemies are about to engage in some infighting, Chisaki runs into the house not wasting a moment. His hand mutates into a black fin with bristles on it's end and manages to slay the ropes tying them.
Dan: "CHISAKI?"
Chisaki: "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU WANTED, I DID WHAT I WANTED TO!"
Naomi and Dan are free, however they're both strip-naked. Chisaki looks away while they put some kimonos on to cover their strip-naked bodies.
Chisaki: "I did it! I freed you guys."
Dan: "Chisaki! You don't have a chance against any of these people, and I don't know what's going to happen next."
Chisaki: "That's upto me to decide!"
He stands boldly in front of all 5 of them, with Kuino being the most shocked out of them all.
Chisaki: *thinks* "I did it! I conquered my fears and I'm standing right in front of that kidnapper lady. But.....she's a big bad bird so I guess I don't have a chance!"
Kuino: *high pitched screeching voice* "You.....YOU SWINE KID!!!! BECAUSE OF YOU, WE LOST ALMOST EVERYTHING!"
Chisaki: "Huh? I missed the part where that's my problem! Also....your voice is too high."
Asagi: "HAHAHAHAHA THE KID IS RIGHT HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Aorin: *whispers to Shiina* "That's an interesting reference made by this young menace of a kid."
Shiina: *whispers to Aorin* "Still, he's just a kid. I don't know if I want to beat the crap out of a little weakling like that."
Kuino: *high pitched screeching voice* "YOU WON'T MISS THE TASTE OF THESE CLAWS, WEAKLING!!!!"
Kuino proceeds to striking Chisaki with her claws, until an intervention takes place. The one intervening is none other than the Bat Therianthrope Jerry and accompanying him is the Mare Therianthrope Wendy herself.
Wendy: *high pitched raspy voice* "What business does the kidnapping queen even have here?"
Jerry: *high pitched monstrous voice* "I guess she wants to make a spot for herself in the Saints, doesn't she?"
Dan: *thinks* "This....this is some screwed up, terrifying stuff! 3 members of the Saints on the same spot? I, Chisaki and Naomi need to get out of here. But.....but the pen.....and the watch? We need those from them too! Maybe we don't have a choice, we'll have to fight after all."
Naomi makes handsigns for Dan, he is shocked.
Dan: "What? You want me to run away with Chisaki?"
She makes even more handsigns.
Dan: "What do you mean you don't want anyone else to die? We're staying here! We need to destroy our target items as well, don't we?"
Chisaki: "Wow! Bat devil guy is certainly doing a number on the kidnapping lady."
Asagi however stands in front of Chisaki, laughing hysterically.
Chisaki: "HUH? WHAT'S SO FUNNY? Are you....are you underestimating me because I'm just a kid?"
He takes a fighting stance.
Chisaki: "I'LL SHOW YOU!"
He proceeds to advance towards Asagi, she however dodges his swift move.
Chisaki: "What?"
Asagi however falls on her helmet and laughs again.
Chisaki: "That was a bad landing! Serves you right, I guess."
Asagi: "HUEHWAHAHAHAHA THIS KID IS SO FUN! C'MON PLAY WITH ME HUEHWAHAHAHAHA!"
Chisaki keeps on trying to fight off the laughing girl while she keeps annoying him with her high pitched laughter. He tries to strike her, however she is too goofy and unpredictable even by his standards.
Chisaki: "This isn't funny anymore! I really am going to kill you if you laugh at me one more time."
Her laughing however, creates an aura accompanied by a pulse - as if something had awakened within her.
Chisaki: "Another Therianthrope, huh?"
She transforms into a feral creature of the forest, one notable for their menacing laughter - a Hyena.
Asagi: *high pitched raspy voice* "HAHAHAHAHA! COME ON YOU TRANSFORM TOO!"
Chisaki: "Huh? But I....."
Dan: "CHISAKI! YOU CAN'T TRANFORM ON LAND!
Chisaki: "I get it but....."
Dan's eye movements gave away something to Chisaki. The Hyena Therianthrope leaps around chaotically like a wild animal, Chisaki tries to counter her using part of his transformation .i.e the same bristle-like projections on his arms.
Chisaki: *thinks* "Damn she's so goddamn crazy, it's hard to get a lead on her."
The Hyena keeps trying to bite at the kid, however his arms keep defending as he wasn't one to give up so easily. He then runs around, getting some distance.
Asagi: *high pitched raspy voice* "HUEHWAHAHAHAHA STOP RUNNING, IT'S NOT FUN ANYMORE!"
Dan and Naomi stare helplessly at Chisaki, while Kuino fights Jerry and Wendy is busy with Hikaru. However, Dan has a smirk on his face.
Hikaru: "Hmph! That bird-brained bitch really thought we wouldn't see through her, right?"
Aorin: "Our targets might escape during this chaos, you don't want that do you sir?"
Hikaru: "They're welcome to try!"
At the entrance to the mansion as well as all openings, are blue neon rings scattered. It was obvious that these landmines were nearly inescapable and moving unpredictably, and the only ones capable of dodging them were flying therianthropes. Asagi keeps Chisaki busy, while Dan and Naomi cannot think of escaping without securing the unpredictable kid as well as destroying the objects.
Chisaki keeps on running around, finally making his way to what looks like an outdoor spring. The crazy Hyena Therianthrope keeps jumping while laughing loudly.
Chisaki: "Can my stingray therian do anything while in hot water?"
Asagi: *high pitched raspy voice* "COME ON COME ON!!! DON'T RUN AWAY!"
As soon as the hyena leaps again, this time Chisaki uses all his strength to direct it into the spring. The hyena lands inside, giving him the opportunity.
Chisaki: "THAT'S HOW YA DO IT!"
He jumps inside, feeling extremely heated up but transforming with his resolve into his stingray form.
Chisaki: *high pitched raspy voice* "NOW WE'RE TALKING!!!"
The Hyena Therianthrope is stuck underwater, and reverts to her original human form. Asagi's helmet breaks off due to the shock from her transformation revealing something extremely shocking.
Chisaki: *thinks* "No way! What the hell is this?"
Asagi is revealed to have several visible gruesome stitches in her head.
Chisaki: *high pitched raspy voice* "Just how does someone get wounds like that? Did you have an accident or something?"
Just as Asagi tries to get out of the hot spring, struggling to breathe underwater - her eyes turn red and it's evident that despite all the laughing noises she made, she was in fact crying.
Chisaki: *high pitched raspy voice* "No way! What's with you? You don't look evil or scary at all! You....."
Asagi is almost out of breath underwater, and instead of hurting her further like he planned to - he decides to save her and breaks the concrete below her with extreme force of his stinging tail. They both come out of the water, and sit on the edge. However, Chisaki has nearly passed away from heatstroke due to pulling a stunt in hot water during summer. Asagi coughs loudly, laughing weakly.
Chisaki: *thinks* "What is happening? Why? Why did I save her? She's.....she's our enemy isn't she?"
He faints right there, his vision reduced to nothing but a blur.
Asagi: "Thank you.....HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
As Asagi laughs, tears flow out of her reddened eyes. She picks up Chisaki, taking him to Dan and Naomi who are equally shocked upon seeing Asagi's gruesome stitched-up head.
Dan: "No way! W-Who is she? And Chisaki? CHISAKI NO!!!"
Naomi collects Chisaki, taking him inside and fanning him.
Dan: "You're with the kidnapping queen, aren't you? So why? Why did you not kill....."
Asagi: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA SAVE ME HAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Dan: *thinks* "This is creepy! Something definitely is up."
Meanwhile Kuino chirps loudly and keeps using her claws, countering Jerry for every move he made.
Kuino: *high pitched screeching voice* "THIS IS SO ANNOYING! I JUST NEED TO KILL ONE OF YOU, BUT IT'S JUST TEDIOUS!"
Jerry: *high pitched monstrous voice* "Keep dreaming! You're never going to match upto our level."
Wendy however is upto something, as she reveals her earpiece which was nearly the same color as her ear for camouflage.
Wendy: "It's time!"
Hikaru: "Time for what?"
Wendy: "Time for us, to reclaim what we own."
Hikaru: "Ohh you mean your spots in the Saints? Yeah they're at stake, so....why not try?"
Looking up, Hikaru sees some unbelievable imagery - a black-white mecha, a bright blue dragon and riding on both - 3 powerhouses .i.e Matsumi, Koshiro and Sayato.
Hikaru: "No way! What am I seeing?"
The mecha and dragon disappear as soon as the 3 of them land.
Sayato: "So! How does it feel to be seeing me for the first time in 24 years, huh dad?"
Hikaru: "Dad? You......don't tell me!"
Sayato: "You prick! Just answer me this, how was I conceived?"
With that question, Sayato gives Hikaru an extremely rage-filled glare. However Hikaru feels extremely happy and light-hearted.
Hikaru: "Unbelievable! My son! You are......the lovechild? The son that I bore with her?"
He starts displaying even more eccentric behavior by shedding tears of joy, making Sayato angrier.
Hikaru: "My son! It's such a....such a pleasure to see you."
The Orca Therianthrope gets mad.
Sayato: "I won't sleep until I've killed you, you prick."
Matsumi: "Are you just going to casually ignore us?"
As soon as Hikaru looks at Matsumi, the expression on his face changes from eccentric happiness to straight-forward hatred and malice.
Hikaru: "BUT YOU!!!! You look just like him. Just like that man.....the man who stole her from me......"
Matsumi: "What? Is this guy mental or what?"
Sayato: "Wait! It gets worse, just listen to him."
Hikaru: "You scumbag! You're the one who should've never ever existed. I killed that man, and spared my sister in the process. However......I MADE A BIG MISTAKE BY NOT KILLING SETSUKO!!!!"
Matsumi develops rage inside of him as well, as it was clearly a name he absolutely despised. Hikaru sheds tears, displaying extremely chaotic emotions.
Matsumi: "Setsuko huh?"
Hikaru: "Setsuko! That was my adoptive sister's name. And I loved her like the nicest guy ever, yet she......she just had to dump me."
Sayato: "So you know now, huh Matsumi?"
Matsumi: "So that's how it is? You're the one who murdered my dad before I was born. Then you massacred your own family so my mother won't have anywhere to go. Do you......DO YOU KNOW WHAT ALL THAT DID TO ME?"
Hikaru: "Huh?"
Matsumi: "THERE WAS NEVER....NEVER A DAY I CAN RECALL WHEN SHE DIDN'T CURSE MY EXISTENCE. MY MOTHER? IMPOSSIBLE!!!! I NEVER HAD A MOTHER, I SIMPLY HAD AN ABOMINATION WHO WOULD GET DRUNK, STARVE AND BEAT ME AND SIMPLY WATCH ME STRUGGLE TO GET UP ON MY FEET!"
Sayato: "Damn I didn't know that!"
Matsumi's eyes become red, as he is in full bloodlust.
Matsumi: "So Hikaru huh? I guess I should call you UNCLE Hikaru? I will make you bleed and regret your bullshit."
Hikaru: "And I will make you regret ever being born. AORIN! SHIINA! THIS ONE IS NOT WORTH MY TIME, DESTROY HIM!"
To their surprise, before Matsumi could vent out more of his frustration - he gets trapped in Aorin and Shiina's combined floral territorial.
Matsumi: "Hmph how annoying!"
Shiina and Aorin appear, accompanied by growing bamboos and human-sized Japanese spider lillies. He appears absolutely bloodlusted, his eyes that of a vicious predator.
Matsumi: "So you're both mossforms! I wanna wipe you two out so badly."
Aorin: "Are you sure you don't mind 2 against one?"
Matsumi: "Bring it!"
Shiina provides him a bamboo stick.
Aorin: "He doesn't even have regeneration in his human form. I don't think he'll last as long as that regeneration guy, what say Shiina?"
Shiina: "No kidding! I'll just give him a concussion so bad he won't be able to process what happened."
Aorin: "Awwww just concussions and beating? Where's the blood? I want that!"
Shiina: "You always say this, and I always give you the same reply. So don't waste time, we're going further with this."
Shiina advances rapidly towards Matsumi with the bamboo in her hand. Meanwhile outside, Koshiro has now made up his mind to fight Kuino while Jerry and Wendy stand back.
Wendy: "Hikaru! We'll be taking the hostages with us. Keep those 3 busy, the kid had a stroke so no need to worry about him."
Hikaru: "I just hope they'll reach the Guardian Angel and not go somewhere else!"
Jerry: "Yeah yeah don't worry, these two are with us."
Wendy whispers something in Dan's ear, surprising him.
Hikaru: *thinks* "Something's clearly off!"
Sayato: "Say! Wanna settle it right here, old man?"
Hikaru: "I do not wish to fight you, my son! I would be so happy to have you work under me instead."
Sayato: "Oh yeah? And what makes you think I'll progress that way, huh?"
Hikaru: "You're my son, you're a precious gem! A product of mine and Setsuko's true love."
Sayato: "I'd rather die than work under you."
Koshiro transforms into his Snow Leopard form, intimidating Kuino.
Kuino: *high pitched raspy voice* "You're not going to scare me with that, pussycat!"
Koshiro: *monstrous growling voice* "I hope you can handle extreme chills in the heat! By the way, your wings look too tasty not to eat."

TO BE CONTINUED......