The Letter – Chapter 12

xXx

"Good morning, Neesan!"

. . . . .

"Ah! What's wrong!?"

"I just...have a lot going on right now."

The whole Red Tail, including Yuni and Kaoru surround Aoi as she lies her head on her head, mumbling Martian language with a faint blush on her face.

"That was how Nene looked when we played video games." Himekawa comments from the desk next to Aoi's.

"Me?"

"By that, I meant 'pathetic'." Himekawa replied, turning to Nene.

"Say what?" the redhead pulsed a vein.

"Killing your enemies with a grin." Chiaki added.

"It's true – you were completely clueless on the controls and just threw a grenade on the ground." Shimokawa said as he nods his head.

"Like you were any better!"

Natsume laughed. "At least we made a splendid team kill."

"You guys!"

"I guess I was the most helpful in the end." said Yuka.

"Not true." Kanzaki replied.

"That's just rude."

"Well, the next time we play, I'll show you my triple-heel drop."

"You two just get along fine, don't you?" Yuni joined in.

"Expect there won't be a next time."

"Hime-chan can't have his apartment blown up again."

Funny. Aoi sat up. Since when did everyone become so friendly? What happened when I left to train?

"Neesan!" she snapped out of her thoughts at the sight of her former gang members. "We're having a Red Tail meeting next Sunday. So you don't mind if we do it at your place do you?"

"Well, we did them at my place up until now," Aoi paused. "But now I am retired from Red Tail, so-"

"It has to be close! We can't be bothered! PLEASE!" the Red Tail said the last part in unison, bowing in the proccess. Aoi sweatdropped.

"Fine, I'll just lend you the place."

"THANK YOU!"

"Now has anyone seen Tojo and Kimura today?"

"No one has seen Kimura since Akita-sensei let us off, same goes for Tojo." Yuni replied first. Of course, she would notice whenever Tojo was absent or present.

"Now that you mention it," Nene put a finger on her chin. "Why did she quit Red Tail anyway? She was doing a good job...disciplining the boys back at Ishiyama High."

Snap.

"Don't tell me..." all the girls' attention went to Aoi. "she has a crush on someone!?"

"Eh..."

"Maybe she does. Maybe she doesn't." Yuni shrugs, acting innocent. "Who knows?"

Nene rolls her eyes. "You."

"Is this 'boy talk' we're hearing?"

"Do you ever get lost, Himekawa?" Nene asked, crossing her arms. "Eavesdropping...really?"

"Well, Kimura must have quit the Red Tail for a reason." said Kanzaki. "Maybe it's cause of the annoying people in it."

Nene sent Kanzaki a glare.

"You know, being the slight kuudere she is, it does look like she has a crush on someone – specifically one of us?" Natsume added, attempting to sound humble.

Yuni was secretly relieved. Why?

She remained in Red Tail, no one ever suspected her of romancing with Tojo. Wait does he even know? Also she was a skilled fighter so her general behaviour is hard to understand if she was the kind to have feelings for someone or not. Then again, who knew what Tojo thought of her too? Maybe Shizuka or Kimura would know – they knew how Tojo work. And by work, I didn't mean his various part-time jobs which never last long.

While listening to the conversation, something came to Nene.

"Kanzaki?"

"What?"

"You know, last month, the time when you saw the letter?"

"What about it?"

"What happened to it?"

"Dunno. Last thing I remember was Aoi taking it back. Who knows if she actally gave it to Oga. That lucky bastard."

"Lucky?"

"He barely knows anything about se-"

"Don't!"

"He's a complete idiot when it comes to all that romantic stuff, but he already has a girl pulling on his leg." he smirks.

"Neesan is not pulling on his leg!" Nene denied, a bit offended. "I don't even think he's good enough for her."

"Yeah." Kanzaki replied, sarcasm pouring from his word. "Make sure to tell her that on her wedding day."

Nene only growled in response, turning her heel and left the room. She felt she couldn't trust Kanzaki, but at the same time, what he told her might bring her to think about it. Thing is, what did he say that helped?

xXx

Aoi sighed as she reached the top of the stairs that led to her home, which also has a small shinto shrine in the back. It was always very peaceful at her place. Traditional and rather religious, her life outside school is very different from most teenagers of her age. And at the moment, Aoi had some guests over at her place.

"Long day?" a voice from one of the lion statues ask.

"Not really." Aoi replied with a scowl. "And how many times to tell you not to come out on your own? You were meant to be a secret."

"Scary..." the deep and husky voice replied. "I know that. I did make sure to be quiet at your school."

"Now listen," she began. "I have friends coming over tomorrow. No funny business with you, alright?"

He didn't reply, as Aoi goes in the house, only to have the red-haired guest greet her. "Welcome back, Aoi-chan."

"Ah! Isa-chan! I'm sorry for leaing you here alone after coming all the way." Aoi apologised heartedly, closing the doors behind her. Isafuyu shook her head.

"No, I was worried so..."

"It's okay. It appears he will be of good use to me."

"Really?" Isafuyu looks down. "That's amazing, Aoi-chan. I never would have thought anyone could tame him."

"What are you saying? This is all thanks to you, Isafuyu-chan."

Aoi recalled the time Isafuyu took her to the small shrine, and meeting the Sicarion Demon that was Koma. Small, bipedal, brown, weird and perverted.

"Anyways, putting all that aside," Aoi grabbed Isa's hands. "It's all thanks to you that I turned that stubborn fool into an ally and he listens to what I say!"

"Don't worry – it's the least I could do."

Next day...

Oga and Baby Beel were brainstorming ideas or clues on how they could perfect Super Milk Time. Hila passed by. Baby Beel beamed at the thought of buying another one.

Elsewhere.

Aoi thought there would be around 300 people of Red Tail coming, only to find just 6 members walking towards her.

"Aoi-neesan, I'll always be in your debt!" Nene exclaimed at the head of the group.

"No problem. Ehm...where all the other members?"

"Uh...about that..."

"Don't tell me..." Aoi's face turned serious. Five of the Red Tail members, with the exception of Yuni, feared that she would find out about their strategy of getting Aoi to join again. "...a lot more members have fallen into romance!" Their faces twisted. "Listen! It's traditional that romance is forbidden in the Red Tail! Forbidden, damn it! Forbidden!"

"Aoi-neesan...you're breaking apart..."

"You're emotionally unstable..."

"It's not about romance or anything. Since you retired, our members-" Nene was cut off by Yuni yelping in surprise. The redhead turned her head towards her in annoyance. "What the hell, Yuni!?"

"Something just brushed against my skirt!" Yuni exclaims, panicked, as her green skirt indeed flew higher than wind would do.

Somewhere else in the park.

A figure jumped down from her spot in the branches, readjusting the beanie on her head so only her ends could be seen and her fake geek glasses. She was wearing a short denim jacket with a lacy white dress that reaches her knees and light brown wedge booties. On this Sunday she would usually lie by the lake, with her camera, a box of truffles sent from her penpal in England and a small hand radio playing visual kei music. Right now, with a new change for herself, she felt she couldn't carry on with her usual routine yet, though, she did have her camera with her. In an attempt to go home without being recognised by anyone familiar she ran across the park. Stopping as she came across two very familiar ones, she hid behind a tree.

"...you didn't seem busy."

It was Oga and Furuichi.

Out of the blue a large man she recognised came spinning towards the ground, talking about some challenge and helping Furuichi, jumping off with the silver-haired boy in his grip. Oga watched after them with a satisfied look on his face. Then three girls in matching uniforms and straight backs came up to him.

With the little time she knew she had, Kimura took a very quick picture of the scene for fun. She could see them cooing over the baby until the middle one suggest they go. Furuichi came running back in an oversized diaper and bib, the large man before capturing him. They froze in front of the three girls and Oga. Rather than sreaming and running off, they calmly turned their heel to leave. Alaindelon attempts to get Furuichi to drink the milk in Oga's 'new milk bottle'.

Stepping out from the shadows, Kimura dashed across the fountain towards the exit of the park, leaving behind a trail of dust to which Oga and Furuchi furrowed their eyebrows at.

Back with Aoi.

The Red Tail girls were feeling very funny, feeling something here and there. Chiaki almost went through the process of shooting the culprit. Nene began to feel very ticklish. Assuming there was a ghost or something similar, Aoi narrowed her eyes. Coming up to Yuka she began yelling, "What did I tell you! Don't come out unless I tell you to!"

Yuka looked at her as if Aoi had two heads. "A-aoi-neesan?"

"Nothing..." Aoi smiled nerviously. Shoot! I'm the only one who can see him! He's having a field day.

"Greetings."

The moment was interupted as the same three well-dressed girls walk up to them.

"What a wonderful day it is." said the middle one.

"We have finally found them, Oniisama." said the blue-haired one. Ryoko reveals that they were the Taniyurikai from St. Marian Girls' Academy, who took control of west Kanto. One giggled as the redhaired girl handed the leader a small case. "We've been looking for you for quite some time, Red Tail. Finally we have found you."

"It is rather immature of you to think fully of yourselves after taking over North of Kanto. We shall defeat Red Tail and unify control all over the Kanto region!" They each took out a weapon from the case. "We are the Taniyurikai!"

They went on talking about how they heard of the general meeting and finding only seven of them, they brought a 'considerable' amount of people to come. From the stairs, more St. Marian students came. Nene refused Aoi's help.

"We finally get some screen time and it turns out like this?"

"It'll be a chance for us to shine!"

"Everyone..." Aoi mumbles sadly.

"How saucy of you!" the leader exclaims. "Maria-sama is watching us! We'll have you defeated in 10 seconds!"

"Look this is a Shinto shrine!" Yuka bluntly points out.

"Now then everyone, if you please."

"Yes, Onii-sama!"

"Show them how stubborn the Red Tail are!" Nene shouted, holding out her chain.

"Yes!"

Unawarely with the help of Koma's...pervertedness, the Red Tail won, scaring their opponents away. Aoi congratulated Nene as the 4th leader of Red Tail.

Little did any of the Ishiyama High students, or St Ishiyama students hear that Kimura had dyed her hair an ash blonde, and yes, you can still see her black hair, mainly roots and split ends; reason why she wasn't in school.

xXx

A/N: So very very late Happy New Year, Valentines Day and Chinese New Year, everyone!

Not my best work but at least I updated :3