6 - On the Night of the Mountain Hunt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMTHQYzNwfM

1: It's a Toji's Duty! (1)

Mirja: It's time for the operation to begin. According to the elite guard's orders, we are to search the southwest side of the mountain.
Mirja: Satsuki Yomi-san, of the elite guard, will be on lookout duty. If we receive a report from her, we are to go to the scene immediately.
Kofuki: Hehh, Satsuki's Yomi-senpai-sama's on lookout, huh... Kuku... I'm getting all worked up... I can't wait...
Kofuki: (Gimme lots of friends to play with, Yomi-senpai. Kuku... I love you, my aradama-chan...!)
Mirja: What's the matter? You seem unusually excited.
Kofuki: Huhh? This is gonna be better than anything you've ever seen! We get to slash and bash and smash our hearts out! The whole mountain's gonna be an all you can eat buffet!
Mihono: Kofuki-san...? Weren't you paying attention? We're looking for the two escaped toji, remember...?
Kofuki: Dumbass~. You guys don't have a clue yet!

...30 minutes later, in the mountains of Izu.

Chie: Is my spectrum finder broken? Or... This can't be right...
Chie: What's going on? It's showing the entire mountain covered in aradama! ...There's a village just by here; this could be very dangerous...!
Kofuki: Who cares about them? We've got a real treasure hunt to ourselves up here! We get to cut 'em up to our heart's content!
Chie: Shichinosato-san... You... No matter how much you love hunting aradama, there are things you should and shouldn't say!!
Kofuki: .........Tch.
Mirja: ......
Chie: What do you think we should do, Kitora-san?
Mirja: It's important that we find Etou Kanami and Juujou Hiyori, however... Before that, we are toji.
Mirja: We take up our okatana to protect the people. We cannot turn a blind eye to the ones living around here.
Mirja: Any aradama we encounter must be wiped out to the last.

2: It's a Toji's Duty! (2)

--30 minutes later, at the base camp in the mountains of Izu.

Yomi: .........?
Suzuka: Is something wrong, Yomi? Did your network pick up something?
Yomi: ...My aradama have disappeared. The ones in the... Southwest.
Maki: That's where we assigned the investigation team...
Yomi: I can't confirm that for sure... But...
Maki: They're killing Yomi's aradama now...!?

3: Reunited with Kanami

Hiyori: What's happening? I've never heard of aradama swarming like this.
Kanami: I don't know. But, I have this feeling like they're being guided...
Hiyori: Like they're moving with a purpose... Could someone be manipulating them? Either way, individually they don't seem very strong. But with so many of them, this could be a real problem.
Kanami: I can't even count how many are out there.
???: Who's over there!?
Mihono: ...Kanami!
Kanami: Mihono-chan!?
Hiyori: ...It's you, from the other day! So you followed us!
*Hiyori draws her sword*
Chie: Mihono-chan, what's the matter?
Kiyoka: D-Did you find anything...?
Mihono: N-Nothing over here!
Mihono: Hide, you two!
Kanami: Got it...!
Hiyori: O-Okay...

Hiyori: I see. So basically, as punishment for chasing after us, you were assigned to investigate the Akabane swords?
Hiyori: ...That's why I said we shouldn't get involved.
Mihono: ... ........ ..........Hmm~~~~
Hiyori: What is it?
Mihono: Nah, it's just, something about you two seems different since last time we met. Did something happen, Kanami?
Kanami: Yep, a lot of stuff! Keep this a secret, but...
Kanami: Hiyori-chan's super cute, you know? When we were in Harajuku, she went on a whole rant about chocomint ice cream, and...
Hiyori: Stup...!? Stop!
Kanami: Well a bunch of stuff happened. That's why, I'm...
Mirja: Asakura Mihono! The aradama are swarming! Over by where you are!
Mihono: !!!!!

4: Forced Together, Right and Wrong Comes into Question (1)

Mirja: Asakura Mihono, why were you with these two? I hope you have a good explanation for this.
Mihono: I just ran into them here... That's the truth.
Mirja: You understand, don't you? The mission we were given was to capture these two. For you to...
Mihono: I won't do it!
Kanami: ...!?
Mihono: The elite guard, they said they were going to kill them! Or they did, the first time... For us to hand Kanami and Hiyori over after that...
Mihono: I'm not going to do it! That isn't the kind of justice a toji upholds! This is wrong!
Mirja: Still...
Kiyoka: I... Agree with Mihono... Chan.
Chie: I agree with Mihono-chan as well.
Mihono: Musumi-san... Chii-nee... Thank you!
Mirja: I see... Shichinosato Kofuki. What's your opinion on this?
Kofuki: Huh? What do you think? If we hand these two over, they'll stop the fun here too.
Kofuki: As long as I get to keep killing aradama, I don't care what you guys do.
Mihono: Wait... What does that mean?
*aradama arrives*
Kofuki: See, that's what I'm talking about! They just keep coming!

5: Forced Together, Right and Wrong Comes into Question (2)

Hiyori: You, from Renpu. What did you mean before?
Kofuki: Tch... All the aradama round here, Satsuki Yomi's manipulating them. They're her aradama.
Hiyori: The elite guard are using aradama... I knew it... I thought this was strange.
Kanami: Eh? But what does that mean?
Kofuki: Listen! To! Me! All these aradama are hunting for you two; Satsuki Yomi's controlling them!
Kanami: ...!?
Chie: ......!
Mihono: Huh!? The elite guard's? Controlling them? How?
Kiyoka: Eh... What's going on... Here?
Mirja: Hang on a minute. Does that mean that, all this time, we've been...
Kofuki: So now you figure it out. Yep, all this time we've been smashing Satsuki Yomi's eyes and ears. Pretty funny, huh!

6: To Let the Birds Fly Free (1)

Chie: So, Kitora-san. What are you going to do? Aside from you... We've all decided not to hand Etou-san and Juujou-san over.
Mirja: I...
Mirja: Heh...
Mirja: If I had to say what I think, then...
Mirja: We do not belong to those in the elite guard, nor do we have to pass their judgement. Before any of that, we are toji. We are people.
Mirja: And as people, if we are to judge anyone, I see no reason to hesitate here. That is my conclusion.
Mihono: ...Then!
Mirja: We encountered both Etou Kanami and Juujou Hiyori, however, interference from aradama allowed them to escape... I believe that story will work.
Kanami: Thank you so much!
Hiyori: ......
Kanami: Hiyori says thanks too. Right?
Hiyori: Gh...! Don't go putting words in my mouth...
Mirja: No, I don't need your thanks. Rather...
???: Hm...? Are you sure that's a good idea?
???: It's going to be hard to overlook this.
Mirja: Shidou Maki, Konohana Suzuka... The elite guard!?
Maki: Well isn't this funny! What you're up to is treason, you know. So you won't mind if we pick up where I left off earlier, do you?
Maki: I'm sure you're aware you won't be getting out of it this time.
Mirja: No, this is not treason. Our investigation team is an independently operating unit; we have no obligation to follow the orders of the elite guard.
Maki: Haha! That works too! In that case, I'll use everything in my power to get rid of those who got in our way.

7: To Let the Birds Fly Free (2)

Mirja: You two go on ahead.
Hiyori: ...I'm sorry.
Kanmi: Still, thank you again!
Mirja: No, please do not misunderstand. We do not support your actions. However, I would like to see you two judged fairly by the law rather than here like this.
Kanami: Okay.
Hiyori: ......
Mirja: Investigation team! Form up! Setouchi Chie-san, Asakura Mihono, Musumi Kiyoka, you three take Konohana Suzuka! I alone will hold off Shidou Maki as long as I can!
Mirja: Shichinosato Kofuki, eliminate the aradama surrounding the area! Understood? Don't let a single one through!
Chie/Mihono/Kiyoka: Understood!
Kofuki: On it!
Mirja: Now, I will be your opponent. Prepare yourself, Shidou Maki.
Maki: What's that, Kitora Mirja? Looking for a revenge match after last year's tournament?
Maki: Don't be ridiculous...
Maki: How far do you think you can resist me? A weakling like you!?
Suzuka: I'll happily be your opponent as well. No matter how far those two run, they can't escape Yomi's network.

8: Even so, I... (1)

Kiyoka: I'm so... Useless...
Kiyoka: I've always hated to fight.
Kiyoka: My hobby is reading. I like novels. I love romance novels.
Kiyoka: And, even more than that, I love fencing... I loved it.
Kiyoka:　At my uncle's fencing dojo, I practiced harder than anyone my age, and I never lost a single time. You're so good, they'd say. You're so strong, they'd praise me. I was so happy...
Kiyoka: I loved it.
Kiyoka: That's why, when my first okatana... Koryuu Kagemitsu, chose me to be a toji... All I could feel was happy.
Kiyoka: When I was admitted to the Heijou Institute, I was so happy training there too. That's why, in sparring practice, my grades were higher than anyone.
Kiyoka: But... I'm so weak... I'm useless.
Kiyoka: Real fighting scared me. Getting hurt scared me. To turn tooth, nail, and blade against each other... Scared me.
Kiyoka: Even with utsushi on, what hurts hurts. What's scary is scary. I don't want to get hurt over a mission. I don't want to die over a mission.
Kiyoka: ...That's why I couldn't fight... That's why I couldn't hurt anyone, and I couldn't let myself be hurt. That's why...
Kiyoka: I'm so... Useless. I was... Abandoned by Koryuu Kagemitsu. That's why, all of this, is my fault...

Mihono: Kiyoka! Get back!
Kiyoka: Eh...!?
Kiyoka: (Oh no... I got lost in thought...!)
*Suzuka cuts Mihono*
Mihono: Gh... No good! That's too many hits... I can't keep utsushi up anymore...! I'm exhausted... I can't... Focus. Dammit!
Kiyoka: (Asakura-san... Can't keep up utsushi...!? Then... The next hit she takes... Asakura-san will die...)
Kiyoka: (Shichinosato-san ran away to fight aradama... Setouchi-san already lost her utsushi...)
Kiyoka: (All this, just to protect someone useless like me... They'll all die... No..)
Suzuka: In the end, you're only commonplace toji... How pathetic, investigation team. So you won't disrupt us any further, I'll put an end to you here...
Kiyoka: (I won't...)
Kiyoka: ...let you.
Suzuka: What was that? Ahh, you're the one from the Heijou Institute... You're still hanging around? You're so useless I'd forgotten about you, so I thought you'd run away...
Kiyoka: ...I can't, let them all... for someone like me... I won't, let you...
Kiyoka: I WON'T LET YOU!
*Kiyoka attacks Suzuka*

9: Even so, I... (2)

Kiyoka: P-Please... Please, stop... Pant... Pant...
Suzuka: What's with this girl? I overlooked her, but... She's stronger than I thought.
Maki: Even just fighting defensively... To think you can protect not just those two, but Kitora Mirja as well? Against us elite guards? You can't be serious.
Maki: Honestly... I despise you.
Maki: Ahh... I nearly forgot. Musumi Kiyoka, from the famous Kanzaki dojo. While possessing skills that would put your seniors to shame, you proved beyond useless in actual combat.
Maki: Suzuka, leave this one to me. As her senpai, it's my duty to teach her a lesson. However, the price you pay for that lesson will end up as stains on Hoemaru.
Maki: Now, Musumi Kiyoka... Let Hoemaru imprint it in you...!
*mid-swing, Suzuka's phone rings*
Suzuka: Yomi, at a time like this...? What is it? .........A message from headquarters... Yes... I understand.
Suzuka: Maki-san, it seems we'll have to stop here. Along with Renpu's President Takatsu, Ayanokouji's President Souraku has now demanded that we do not take aggressive action against the investigation team.
Maki: What does that mean... Why would Ayanokouji Martial Arts School go out of it's way...? Kitora Mirja... What did you do!?
Mirja: I'm glad our phones get signal up in these mountains. That's what saved us.
Suzuka: ...You're kidding. While we were fighting, you managed to call for help?
Mirja: Heh... A swordfight isn't always won with swords. That's all.
Maki: ...You bitch!
Suzuka: Maki-san, we were ordered to stand down. And also...
Maki: What now?
Suzuka: Yomi says she needs to replenish her supply of tracking aradama. The two of us have been ordered to return to base and recover as well.


10: Each Finds Their Own Peace

--The next morning.

*phone rings*
Mirja: Thank you for your assistance last night. Without your intervention, the elite guard surely would have wiped us out.
Mirja: As for the investigation progress... Since my last report, we have found no new information on the Akabane swords. Nothing has changed involving the other members of the investigation team either... No, there is one thing.
Mirja: I haven't found anything conclusive, but there is one girl I suspect of operating under direct orders from one of the presidents: Shichinosato Kofuki.
Mirja: She seems to be aware of the relation between the elite guard and aradama as well, and...... But...... Yes, I understand. I won't look into it any further.
Mirja: No... I haven't made any progress in regards to Namu Yakushi Kagemitsu either. Yes. As you instructed, I will recover it.
Mirja: And I apologize if I inconvenienced you by calling at an irregular time last night. Until the next designated time, I will refrain from contacting you.
*call hangs up*

*phone rings*
Chie: Job well done, President Maniwa.
Sana: And good work on supporting Ellen and Kaoru. I've received word that Etou Kanami and Juujou Hiyori have passed our test and been taken in safely.
Sana: As we speak, they're being transported to Mokusa's hideout.
Chie: I'm glad everything worked out okay. So then, President, what should our investigation team do next... No, what should I have the investigation team do?
Sana: We have a collaborator in the riot squad commanded by the elite guard. She'll provide you with some interesting information involving the Akabane swords.
Sana: I'd like to put you in touch with her directly now, but we never know who could be listening.
Chie: Understood, President. Then, I'll wait for her to make contact with me.
*call hangs up*

Mihono: Sorry, Musumi-san! For everything!
Kiyoka: Uh... Eh... For what though?
Mihono: I'm really sorry! You saved me in that fight against the elite guard...
Mihono: Honestly... I thought you had no business being a toji! I wondered why you were here if you weren't going to fight... But, Kiyoka, you're so much stronger than me!
Mihono: You were amazing back there! You managed to hold back the elite guard by yourself!
Kiyoka: But... I'm really, still just useless. Even then, I was so scared... I could barely bring myself to fight.
Kiyoka: Ah... But, I'm glad... Asakura-san, you called me Kiyoka just now, didn't you?
Mihono: Eh? Ahhh!? Sorry! I got carried away!
Kiyoka: And when you were fighting back there, for a moment, you called me Kiyoka too...
Mihono: Ahhhhhhh! I'm so sorry! I got too familiar with you, didn't I!
Kiyoka: Fufu... You just keep apologizing. But I really am happy. It feels like, I got a little closer to you.
*Kofuki comes out of the bushes*
Kofuki: ...Oh, hey, you guys aren't dead, huh! Wait, where's the captain and Chichie?
Mihono: Chichie... Uh, the two of them are reporting in, I think. But anyway, Kofuki-san, where'd you run off to? We were worried after you disappeared in the fighting!
Kofuki: Huh? I was out tearing up aradama-chan all across the mountain, duh. Ahh, man! That felt sooo good! I've gotta do it again sometime!