Sunday, 14th June 2009
Irmina's eyes jolt open, and she gasps for air. She hated being out of the ice because her nightmares were way worse and annoying to control when she woke from them. Irmina curled into a ball, hand over her mouth, trying to calm herself from the attack and the other hand held tightly to her katanas.
Natasha woke up to her own nightmare and suddenly felt a breeze. Irmina was trying to get out. Irmina turned to look at the two agents, and she couldn't see that Natasha was awake.
Irmina whispered something to herself as she climbed out the window, pulling her hood up. She shut the window and jumped, somehow landing with a soft thud. She looked to the sky and took everything, calming herself down from that stupid nightmare.
Natasha followed the German; she wrote a message, placed it by Maria's nightstand, and jumped out of the window as Irmina did. Natasha followed, climbing, running, and jumping from rooftop to rooftop.
Following a super soldier with stamina that no ordinary person can match, even Olympic marathon runners can't match her, is the worst anyone could do.
Irmina knew someone was following her, she could hear their light footsteps, but she couldn't pinpoint who it was. She decided to continue the chase for a while to lose them without a fight.
Maybe she should pick her speed, but whoever it was felt familiar.
So she threw a knife at their feet.
Natasha paused as the moonlight hit her hair. Irmina raised her eyebrow and smirked, impressed that Natasha didn't even break a sweat chasing after her. Irmina walked towards her and took off her hood.
"How's the exercise, Romanov?" Irmina laughed as she picked up the knife by her feet.
"Not bad, König." The way Natasha says her name does something to Irmina. Natasha gave her a kick to the shin and scolded, "Throwing a knife? And where did you get the knife?" Irmina winched and shrugged as she placed her knife under her sleeve.
"Why are you awake and out?" Irmina said as she scanned her eyes up and down Natasha's body, and Natasha did the same with hers.
"I could ask you the same thing."
"Probably the same reason as yours about being awake but for being out, I needed a breather."
"With your katanas?"
"You know I always have them with me, but if you didn't realise, Romanov, I left one behind," Irmina smirked, showing her katana. The green eyes clashed with the blue eyes under the moonlight as Natasha's lips curled up into her signature smirk and closed the distance between them. "You won't miss me. I'm always coming back to you." Irmina whispered, starting to flirt.
"Well, you better. Chasing after you is such a hassle." Natasha sighed with a smile, but that smile faded when the two assassins heard a scream. Irmina looked at Natasha; they were thinking of the same thing.
"Let's see how you work, König."
"Wow, leaving all the work to the new blood? That is cruel, Romanov." Irmina said as she walked over to the ledge and gestured for her to wear the hood of her jacket, covering her hair and parts of her face so that whoever it was was couldn't see her face. Natasha scoffed and rolled her eyes as Irmina smiled and pulled her hood up; she stood on the ledge and faced Natasha.
Natasha watched as Irmina fell back, gracefully landing softly in front of the woman that screamed for help. Natasha slowly made her way down, watching Irmina get shouted at. She covered the half-naked woman with her coat that was forcefully stripped off her body.
"Who are you?" The tattooed man shouted at the two assassins, standing up as Irmina, hood covering her face, gripped the sheath and pushed her katana out, showing that pain would follow with one more move. Irmina's eyes trailed up his body, and she recognised the tattoo on his neck.
"I realised that no one knows who I am," Irmina remarked as the Japanese were confused since she had no idea what she was saying. Irmina smirked as her hand covered most of her face except her right eye. Irmina doesn't show her face unless she decides to kill them. Natasha watched closely, seeing the man's face change from anger to absolute fear. "There you go."
"König, hold back." Irmina turned to look at Natasha and sighed in disappointment, and in one swift movement, her fist collided with his face.
"How much do you want me to do to him?" Irmina asked the traumatised woman, who appeared to be a nurse who had just gotten off her shift or headed for her shift.
"I don't want any trouble." She whimpered as she fixed her shirt.
"Can I paralyse him?" The woman widened her eyes as Irmina held on to the disgusting man's hair, showing his bruised face with missing teeth and a broken arm. He was completely knocked out. Irmina waited patiently for an answer as she asked Natasha for the same thing. Natasha shook her head, and the woman did the same. Irmina rolled her eyes in annoyance and let him fall to the wet ground. "Come on; we can send you wherever you need."
The entire time Irmina did her work, the man didn't see her face or Natasha's. Not even the woman he assaulted. Irmina knew that he would not remember the woman either. She somehow knew how to cause amnesia in her victims with concussions. Her work was easier when this guy was drunk.
Natasha helped the woman up, and Irmina took her hand. "Thank you." The woman gripped tightly onto Irmina's hand and jacket as they made their way to her home. Natasha watched how gentle Irmina was with the woman, helping her with everything after seeing the man's blow earlier. When she almost passed out from exhaustion, Irmina picked her up and carried her on her back. "Thank you."
Irmina and Natasha smiled as they helped her home, walking in comfortable silence and safe. The woman sobbed into Irmina's shoulder, pulling on her jacket. Irmina let her as she continued to bring her home. Once they reached her house, her brother and sister waited anxiously and ran over to their exhausted sister. Irmina had explained everything to the two of them.
No one should have suffered anything like that. Not a woman. Not a man. No one.
"If you want, come to the Bushida's estate." Irmina voiced, giving them a small emblem with the Bushida's crest. "Tomorrow, I'm sure you will enjoy the Kyudo Tournament too." She pointed to the kyudo equipment she noticed.
The siblings thanked the two assassins profusely. The older sister ran in quickly, wanting to give them something in return, but once she was out, they were long gone. But she knew she could find them at the Bushida's estate tomorrow.
"See, you're not a monster."
"And neither are you," Natasha said, cracking a small smile. "Where to next?"
"Follow me, and maybe you'll find out, Romanov," Irmina said with a grin as she raised her eyebrow.
"Maybe I will, König."
—
Monday, 15th June 2009 [part i]
The four agents left the motel fully rested, except for the blonde and the redhead. They got back right before sunrise. Maria was still asleep when they were back, so Natasha discarded the note and took a shower while Irmina practically passed out on the floor.
Natasha nudged Irmina's shoulder a little bit too hard as she dried her hair. Irmina jolted up and gripped her hand, pinning her body to the floor. Natasha gasped in pain, and the ridiculously fast movement knocked the air out of her lungs. Maria had her gun out, pointing at Irmina.
"Don't shoot!" Natasha wheezed as Irmina had her arm on her throat. Irmina was still in a daze, blue eyes flitting between the green eyes. Irmina widened her eyes and let go of Natasha.
"Oh dear god! Sorry!" Irmina stammered, guilt in her eyes, getting off Natasha's body. Irmina retreated to the corner of the room in shock at what she had just done to the one that had saved her.
"Hey, it's okay. Sorry for waking you up." Natasha whispered, pulling Irmina's face in her hands. "You're a light sleeper, too, aren't you?"
Irmina nodded and sighed, "Just poke." Natasha chuckled as Maria returned her gun to where it was. "Are you okay?" Irmina asked as her hands touched Natasha's neck and chinned up so she could see the severity of the injury. Maria watched with a smirk as Natasha had a little gay panic attack. Irmina immediately pulled her hands back when she realised what she had done. "Sorry."
"It's fine," Natasha said with the utmost confidence, but her voice said no. She cleared and replied, "It's fine, and I'm okay." Maria laughed to herself, catching the two attention.
Never once in the few years, has she worked with Natasha that this happens. Someone is having an effect on Natasha.
This someone turned out to be Irmina, who she met by chance.
"What?" The two quizzed, one with a raised brow and the other with a frown.
"Nothing," Maria chuckled, enjoying the moment. "We should go if you don't want to miss the Championship."
"Good point. I'm going to get ready."
"What were you laughing at?" Natasha asked, jabbing Maria's side.
"I didn't know it would take a German assassin to affect you." Maria teased and received a smack on the back of the head. "And I'm still your superior."
"But you're still my friend, right? So that's what you get."
"Ass."
—
The streets of Osaka were packed, especially near the Bushida Estate. Every few years, the Bushida family will hold the Championship. For all ages, from high school clubs to veteran clubs.
Irmina made her way through with the three agents following closely behind as they watched the smiles on the proud faces of parents, siblings, friends and teachers. The tournament was about to start. Irmina apologised to the spectator she accidentally hit with her katanas. Natasha stepped beside her, experiencing the martial art for the first time.
"Damn, that is a beautiful draw," Irmina remarked as her eyes showed her pride. Natasha watched Makoto draw his bow and let it go. It was a perfect draw as well as it was a perfect shot. Cheers erupted for Makoto; he opened the tournament with the Yawatashi, a ritual before a meet or a tournament. If the tournament was held at the Bushida estate, it was usually done by Aki, Maki and Makoto while Akira got things into order.
Makoto turned to look at the spectators with a smile and noticed a familiar blonde hair. Akira widened his eyes when he saw Irmina clapping for him. Irmina smiled and ran, seeing that Akira couldn't care less about the Championship as he alerted his family. Natasha was immediately alerted and tried to catch Irmina, but she was just out of reach.
The four agents squeezed through the crowd with Irmina apologising with a smile. She could see the confused faces of the participants as she hastily untied her boots and kicked them off before entering the house.
Micheal stayed behind, smiling as he watched Irmina smiling like a mad woman. Maria and Natasha entered the house with their shoes on, got scolded, and kicked out. The staff and elders continued to scold, but they couldn't understand, and Micheal had to translate everything.
Irmina opened her arms as Akira wrapped his arms around her and his sisters did the same, the four toppling over to the ground. As he started the tournament, Akira walked over to see what the fuss was about. Once he saw his siblings on the four on top of a blond, he stood there dumbfounded when he recognised who it was.
Irmina peeked out her head and gestured for Akira to join them; Akira handed his clipboard to the closest person, a very confused high school student. Akito squeezed between his brother and oldest sister, hearing grumbles. Irmina just laughed and held them tighter.
"King-san!" Akio shouted, panting, who heard about the commotion. His wife followed closely behind. This was the longest time he had ever heard from Irmina, yes, she did disappear way longer before, but Irmina always somehow contacted him. Irmina was out of ice every year for a mission, but she always managed to send a letter or a picture.
But for three years, he got nothing. She could have been tortured or dead. The three years of silence scared him more than when the Yakuza gave him a surprise visit.
Akio pushed off his kids and pulled Irmina into a hug, who yelped in surprise as his wife wrapped her arms around them. Their children were complaining before their parents pulled them to join the hug. The usually calm and composed Bushida family are a crying mess. Every soul in the estate was confused and stunned to find out a foreigner made them an utter mess.
"ただいま [tadaima]," Irmina sighed as she smiled at the warmth of six bodies around her. She could hear the three agents trying to argue or negotiate to get into the estate, but she mostly heard elders scolding them and some noise from high schoolers. [I'm home]
"おかえり[okaeri]," The family said simultaneously, holding onto Irmina tighter and never wanting to let her go. [Welcome back]
"Those three are with me."
"You got friends now?"
"I always had two Russians, now a few more Americans, I think."
"Americans, really?" Akira grumbled as he straightened his shirt. The high schooler that Akira abruptly passed his clipboard tapped his shoulder and handed him the clipboard with a bow. "Eh, gomen."
"Be nice," Irmina pleaded as she headed to the three agents. The elders have no room for them to say anything. Irmina tower the high schoolers and elders as she stood behind them and gave an amused smile at the three agents. "Sumimasen. They're with me."
"She's with us," Aki declared as she appeared beside Irmina. The elders pulled on Aki's cheeks and started to nag her as they did the same with the blue-eyed blond veteran beside her. Akio walked over and let the three agents, informing them about the formality. The two agents apologised as Micheal did what they expected.
Natasha walked over and kicked her shin. Irmina let out a pained gasp, and her head hit Natasha's shoulder and her hands gripping tightly to her katanas and Natasha's arm. Natasha let out a satisfied smile before patting Irmina's back to help her soothe the pain. The Bushida family looked at one another, surprised and amused, looking at how comfortable Irmina was. Maki was smiling; she knew they had a relationship but didn't know it was to this extent.
"Don't run away like that," Natasha stated as Irmina nodded against her shoulder, the pain still evident on her shin.
"King-sama! Can we do a group shootout?" Makoto asked while Akira whipped his head at lightning speed as the chattering of the estate got louder. "What? We have enough people, like old times. Good to show how well we do it."
"But! We have a tournament! People are here—"
"Akira-san, we don't mind." A teacher voiced out with her students excitedly nodded. The state of Osaka heard stuff of the infamous 'King-sama'. Some have seen how well she is at Kyudo. They didn't know much, just enough to realise how much the Bushida children idolised. She looked really young, but they didn't think much of it.
Aki looks 21 despite being 31, and she is the eldest. Asian genetics. For Irmina, well...
Hydra's Blade.
Akira looked around to see coaches, teachers, and students nod in agreement and sigh in defeat. It was a rare chance to see all four Bushida children practising the martial art simultaneously.
Even rarer with Irmina.
"I guess we should change," Maki voiced as she gripped Irmina's arm. As her sister glared at her, gripping the other arm while Irmina chuckled at their adorable behaviour. Two adults are fighting for her like children. Irmina somehow managed to hand her katanas to Akio before being dragged by his daughters.
~~~~~~~~