Red Lady Cigarettes

Chapter 10: Would That I?

"I need to know what this is about. Shinjo-san, please, you need to trust me on this."

"Filipino family, war heroes. There was a disagreement on material shipments and the weapons went missing. I don't fucking know where the goddamn guns went, but we sure as hell gave it to them." Tires eerily scratched the pavement once more for a full stop. Shinjo turned her head to look at Shinkiro, hands gripping the steering wheel tight. "You'll know more once we get there."

In a hurry, both ladies were walking straight to the manor, all the lookouts let them in at ease as they found Ashikaga and Kijin in the middle of their explanation. "The shipment only went wrong on your end. The deal was to give them to your family but your people failed to catch it, why the hell would we want to take the blame for your mistake?" Kijin pounced the table in anger, gritting his teeth as Ashikaga only sat to drink the fine vintage.

"Our mistake? The shipment didn't reach our shores. If you had followed the direct path we sent, then maybe we wouldn't be here. As a matter of fact, us collecting those weaponry here, brings a disadvantage on us! We should be there fighting with our allies yet here we hare. Those are important."

Before anyone could notice their lingering presence, Shinjo grabbed Shinkiro by her arm in a tight lock. "Don't." She warned as they kept surveillance within the shadows.

The two Kumoris were surrounded by armed men, expected she thought, Ashikaga and Kijin look like businessmen not exactly gangsters or anything of that nature. The guards that's supposed to be guarding them are all outside. Morons, Shinkiro whispered to herself. As she watched the argument heat up, she reckons she ought to give these two leaders of the family a lesson.

One of the men, presumably the leader of these smaller group spoke up pouring himself the wine offered by the Kumori. "I don't know how Mr. Kirigaya disciplined your family, but I don't see any respect to our leader in this house. Let's set an example shall we?" With a quick click of a loaded gun, a bang shot through Kijin's leg, there was no warnings, he was sent writhing in pain down the floor. Ashikaga didn't budge, but it was clear he was shaken. His sharp and quickening breath just made it obvious. "We serve you the same way Kenji did and you people let him die. I think we know which end lacks the respect."

Alright, Kijin learned his lesson, Shinkiro thought. It was definitely satisfying for her to see Kijin shot. But something just began ringing up Shinkiro's ear when she heard something about Kenji. Shinjo on the other hand had herself crouching down trying not to vomit with her eyes closed shut. Shinkiro rolled her eyes and began to move. "These people are forgetting where they are eh?" She said, in a higher tone, removing her coat and resumed cracking her knuckles adding to her introduction. "We're setting examples aren't we?" Shinjo hurriedly tried to stop her niece, following her in hasty footsteps and teary eyes. "Shinkiro!"

It was as if the wind billowed and blew, and the red smoke began to be visible. From witnessing her quirk work in action without knowledge, it looked like teleportation. But it was only how fast she could move when turned to smoke.

She reappeared with the red mist right in front of the leader. "I deserve something in return regarding my long lost father." She stood holding out a hand, her sword, Shirogane was summoned from the smoke, once her palms and fingers wrapped around the leather hilt; she delivered a straight, downward cut. The force wasn't enough to give a clean finish and it only broke the clavicle, so the blade stopped when it made contact with a bigger bone, the scapula. So Shinkiro withdrew the blade to strike again chopping his arm off right beside where the joints would be.

"Shinkiro!" Ashikaga himself couldn't utter a word until the others held out their guns and rifles pointing at the lady. He was quick and dragged his wounded son behind a column for cover as they began to open fire at Shinkiro. Shrapnel, broken pieces, projectiles, and empty casings clashed through the marble. The manor's pristine state, the decor, and furnishings were all damaged, but the target remains untouched. When the bullet ceased, there was a clear deafening silence, some type of dead calm right before the storm.