Confession

In the gentle dip between the lunch break and the dinner rush, the Holiday restaurant and bar was empty. This was enjoyed with pleasure by the owner and bartender, who were using the time to have a relatively private conversation. The other Holiday employees were busy with their individual tasks or simply minding their own business. Yuliya Vetochkina thanked him for this, as it was obvious that his student needed a good conversation.

Momoko was lying face down at the bar, the image of melodramatic despair. "Sensei, what the hell did I do?"

"I think that expletive answered your own question." The Russian woman said nothing.

"Ugh, I'm not helping."

Yuliya had an affectionate gleam in her eyes, even as she rolled them. "Not wanting to be insensitive, Mokochan, but I think you're giving it more importance than it really is. Of course, you had a little fun. Of course, you had sex with a man, even though you're in love with someone else. But you and Yoshio are not in a serious relationship. There is no inherent agreement or trust being broken. Unless, of course, you two already, well ... "The bar owner wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, trying to laugh.

The bartender didn't take the bait, just straightened up in his chair and rested his head in his hands. "No ... actually, he is ... very asexual."

Vetochkina blinked. "Oh? Is this ... going to be a problem?"

The younger woman shrugged, not bothering. "I have a working right hand and a good imagination. I'll be fine." Momoko then seemed to remember herself, a dowry expression returning. "Sure, that's assuming he wants to date me."

Yuliya took a look at Momoko. "Mokochan, is he possibly the best hero of this decade or perhaps the best hero since this Heroism thing became a legal profession and everything, and yet he conveniently always finds time to meet you on a roof? Mostly sometimes you're not even working on a case together! " Yuliya returned to the Japanese. "At the very least, it shows that he cares about you, very deeply."

"Well, yes, I know that." Momoko bit back, some of her spirit coming back. "It's just ... 'energetic and affectionate' is basically that idiot's default state, making it impossible for me to tell if he's possibly interested, or just being nice."

Yuliya considered this. "As cliché as it is, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and tell someone how you feel."

She ran a hand through her hair. "I tried! But every time I try to look at your stupid and serious face, I lose my courage."

"So how about a love letter? I know it's a bit of a high school type, but at least you can just get started soon."

Momoko was silent for a long moment. "... But what if he ... says no."

Yuliya then thought of her own youth. "Well, then at least you won't regret never saying anything."

~ XxX ~

Two weeks later.

The mixtape was really a cheesy idea. But Momoko was in a tacky mood when she did. There was even a song she had found, a great brass band, a soft singer and sweet lyrics that reminded her of him. He would love to. And if he didn't like the letter she included ... well, as Yuliya said, at least they could leave all those feelings open.

She hummed the tune softly as she walked towards the docks. Nothing changed in her life, but it would change as soon as Luphinus returned.

Valkyrie was tracking a shipment that a certain gang of Purple Hawks expected just like children on Christmas week. Her main plan was to get in, take some pictures, maybe get some samples and then leave. After all, transporting drugs was easy and she was not feeling too stressed, as she had recently contracted a stomach infection. The evidence would be in the hands of the Tokyo Police in 24 hours, no problem.

She had been monitoring the Purple Hawks for weeks. In the months after taking down her fortress, she knew there would be a period of chaos and turmoil. The leadership was making noise, trying to make an alliance with some of the more established criminal families in the neighboring neighborhoods. The main problem, as always, was Luphinus. Number One's very existence was a major deterrent to criminal behavior, although eradicating it completely depended on a series of social reforms, and the growing economic and academic opportunities in Hamura were slowly destroying that from the bottom up. The only reason the Orito Family was open to conversation was because a certain Number One was disconnected in China. Well, this and this 'shipment' were apparently valuable enough to bring the old Yakuza family together.

"Direct from Colombia, products of the best quality that I have seen for some time." She overheard by one of the lieutenants who were sent to negotiate. Colombia was one of the three largest opium producers in the world. Burma and Afghanistan were the other two, and Yuuko had impressed his geography teacher by knowing where these countries were on the map. Because who said that vigilantism is harmful to the education of children?

It was the beginning of February and that would guarantee her a little cooler reception of the water mattress, in case she was thrown overboard. That, and the 200-foot drop from the cargo ship's deck, made a quick dive to shore up an unviable escape plan. 250 feet was the limit when things got fatal, but Momoko didn't trust herself enough as a diver to risk it. But there she was, working on the shipping container closest to the ship's edge. She had her eye on the spotlight, but she felt prepared for anything that drug dealers could throw at her.

She timed the patrol routes and knew she had two minutes and twenty-nine seconds until the next guard arrived. Opening the lock, Valkyrie entered, feeling well. Then she opened one of the boxes, and suddenly everything was very, very not right.

Because a whole new awareness of the situation occurred to the vigilante, as she did not find cocaine, crack or opium seeds in those wooden boxes. She saw weapons, and many of them. Automatic rifles, explosives ... strange and shiny things that looked like something out of the magical adventure manga that Yuuko read from time to time. She also recognized the symbol of the True Demon Lords Faction ... Based on what she found in just two of these wooden crates, there was probably enough in that shipment to fully equip an entire small army. And they were all directed directly to some of Japan's most dangerous criminal organizations. Cum.

Valkyrie then realized that she would only have about twenty seconds until the next guard could be heard. Although her Telekinesis has improved a lot in the last few years, she was not skilled enough to break the lock and get out if she locked herself here. With no way to get out of there and escape without warning, the vigilante hid in the space between the door and the container wall as best she could and prepared herself for the fight.

~ XxX ~

Kakinomoto Yoshio had landed in Japan about an hour ago and it felt so good to be back in his homeland.

He yawned and stretched as he unlocked his apartment door. He managed to book a flight that would take him back to Tokyo at dusk, so that the hero's circadian rhythm was not too confused by the international trip. He did it, but now he was more hungry than tired, and decided that after putting something in his stomach, the hero would go straight to bed.

While the instant ramen was heating up in the microwave, Yoshio noticed an envelope attached to his fridge with a magnet.

Read me. It was written, with a chibi version of Valkyrie.

He looked at it for a few moments, debating whether to open it, while asking internally who did the drawing, because it was very good. Then the microwave beeped. Yoshio decided that whatever Valkyrie wanted would have to wait until his brain was less confused.

The letter will remain closed until the next morning.

~ XxX ~

Predictably, everything had gone wrong.

Valkyrie managed to ambush the first guard who came to investigate, slamming the metal door against her face. But the noise quickly alerted one of the other guards nearby, with an arm that looked more like a whip. He managed to keep it surrounded by the area, preventing Valkyrie from escaping and sneaking back to the docks.

In a moment of genius, she managed to pull out her camera and turn on the flashes, aiming straight at the guard's face. That moment of confusion was all she needed, sending him to the floor with a quick kick to the head.

And then-

"It's the Blood Valkyrie!"

Momo felt her heart stop for a moment, to say the least.

"Don't just stand there! Shoot!"

The watchman managed to dive behind the container door she opened. The reinforced steel prevented the bullets from hitting it, not because it was thick enough for the projectiles to sink, but bypassing them. And what about the deflected bullets? They have a tendency to bounce.

Say, outside the open door and inside the container itself? You know, with all the explosives? The explosives, which were being stored in wooden boxes ... and the annoying ticking sound ...

Valkyrie realized this during the five seconds that the guards were loading their weapons. "WAIT!" That was the miracle of miracles, they seemed to take a break. "Please tell me that I'm the only one who hears that ticking sound?"

All attention suddenly shifted to the container. Valkyrie got a five-second lead before the whole thing exploded.

I'm sorry, Yuuko, I'm sorry, that was all she had time to think about before the explosion sent her flying overboard. There was a beat of pain around her neck when she fell into the cold, dark ocean below.

~ XxX ~

The letter started as

Dear Yoshio,

It's a mixtape. I remember you mentioned that you liked American music, even if you didn't hear it often, for a rich guy, you sure are weird about spending money on yourself. So I decided to do this for you. It has about an hour of music in it, and honestly most are just things that I think you would like, with no real rhyme or reason for that. In my defense, this is the first time I've done such a thing!

The reason I left you at your apartment when I know you are leaving is so as not to lose or chicken out. Because I would like to talk to you about something when you get back, and now you know it and you can demand it from me.

In fact, fuck it, here it goes: I'm definitely in love with you. I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable and if you don't give back in any way, I'm not going to use that against you. You are my best friend and the last thing in the world is to bother you or disrespect your feelings. But I love you with every piece of my fucking heart piece and I know that you are a very good person to play with my feelings. There is nothing more cruel than letting a person have false hopes.

So, just ... enjoy the mixtape. We'll talk when you get back from your trip. It will probably be long and awkward, but at least it will stay out of the way.

I can't wait to talk to you,

-Bloody Valkyrie

-XxX-