Back
It was warm. The days lately had been warm and some what boring for the four who lived in the small house under the sewer. The three of them, Akira, Tekk� and Bronze, still on a constant watch, went out to explore the town some more. Explorations of the town had become a daily occurrence to keep them occupied. While out, the three came across an old store.
The store looked like it was part of the new city, but it was from the old, buried partially under layers of building, brick and ash. After a few minutes of investigating on how to get into the building, Tekk� clambered up to the top of the pile. �Hey, Tekk�, be careful.� Bronze crossed his arms as he watched her nod and balance her way across the mounds of ruble on top of the building.
�Hai, koi, watch it up there.� Akira kicked a brick that stumbled into the street, bit by bit breaking off as it bounced and rolled. He turned back to the building to hear a snap and see Tekk� disappear from sight with a yell. �Tek!�
�Tekk�!� both boys ran up the pile and skidded to the edge of the hole to see Tekk� stand up. �Are you okay Tekk�?�
�Yeah,� she laughed. �That was fun.� She dusted herself off and her face dropped. �Whoa, check out this stuff.� she disappeared from the boys� sight. �This is so cool!�
�What?� Akira and Bronze both jumped down as Tekk� took off her glasses.
�What is this place Akira?�
�It looks like some sort of shop. Of Japanese culture. Look at these clothes. I used to train in this.� He picked up a set of clothes off the floor and dusted it off. �Still�it�s not the same anymore. I�ve grown used to this.� He looked down to himself. �Oh well.� He looked up to see Tekk� pull a dress from one of the few standing racks. �That�s nice Tekk�. A wanpiisu of a good style. Very easy to move in.�
�A wan-i-wha?� Bronze looked at Akira as Tekk� nodded, looking through the others dresses on the rack.
�Wanpiisu. It means dress, Seid�. Don�t worry, I�m not saying anything bad about you.� He laughed.
�Hey boys, look,� Tekk� pulled a dress from the rack. It was a plain black in color with high cut slits in the legs and a low cut V-neck. �What do you think of this one?�
�Are you actually going to take one of these?� Bronze asked sarcastically.
�I was going to; why?�
�You�re not my sister.� He rolled his eyes and walked away, searching deeper in the store.
�Try it on, Tek. It should fit.� Akira said calmly. �I think it would look nice and it�ll be a change from the clothes you have now.�
�Yeah, you�re right.� She set the dress down and pulled off her vest. She knelt to take off her boots and stood again to undo the belt at her waist.
�No, you�re not shy or nothing.� Akira turned his back to her.
�Akira,� she shook her head as she let the jeans fall to the floor.
�What?� he crossed his arms. �At least I have some form of respect for you.�
�True.� She nodded. Things were quiet for a minute as she finished dressing and setting the dress to the right places and curves of her body. Finally, she sighed. �There. Akira, you can turn around now.�
�Huh?� he uncrossed his arms and turned. �Whoa,� his face dropped. �Tek, I�I really don�t know what to say.� He nodded. The dress fit, perfectly. Every curve visible, but hiding form at the same time, tight to form, but obviously easy to get out of; Tekk� was just stunning in the dress.
�Guys!� Bronze�s voice cut through the moment. �We got agents out here!�
�How many?�
�Just a few.�
�Let�s go.� Tekk� picked up her guns as she finished lacing her boots back up. �This is going to be fun.� She laughed as she ran after Akira who was following Bronze. She saw Bronze kick open a door that he had discovered and run out into the street. She skidded to a stop next to Akira as the three agents turned. With out hesitation all three of them, Akira, Tekk� and Bronze, leveled pistols and fired simultaneously. The three agents landed with out making a noise and the echo of the shots hadn�t even had time to die off when Benji came running around the corner.
�Guys!� he was out of breath. �Ah, god, you�re okay. I saw some�agents. Never mind.� He shook his head as he noticed the three bodies on the pavement. �Ah, well it looks like it�s all working according to plan.�
�What?� Bronze turned to look at Benji as he leveled a pistol on the three. �What are you doing?� he looked back over his shoulder as Tekk� pulled on his vest. His eyes widened, but he otherwise didn�t flinch. Row upon row of agents lined a circle around the four kids. �Benji!� he snapped back to the kid.
�Sorry guys,� he shrugged.
�This is what this city is about. The name says it all�� Tekk� stepped back into a stance as she twirled her pistol in hand. �The city of Graceful Betrayal. Smooth Benji, real smooth.�
�This is stupid!� Akira yelled as he cocked the hammers back on his pistols. �No way am I going down with out a fight!�
Bronze leveled the pistol on one of the agents and the other on Benji. �Just one thing�how long?�
Benji smiled with a laugh. �That�s a simple question, Seid�. Since the time I came running down the hill with that folder. We�d been expecting you for some time by that point.�
Seid� narrowed his eyes. �Since the beginning.�
�Yeah, pretty much.� Benji nodded. �Just give it up. You can�t win against all of us.�
�Yup, yup, yup,� Tekk� kept mumbling. �The city of Graceful Betrayal�real smooth. Really smooth.� She looked to all the agents around them. �Graceful Betrayal, what a place.�
Seid� cocked his head. �We can try.�