The Crimson Thread

Chapter 12 Step Aside, Reload, Time to Go

The cool breeze of the midday air flows through Hawk's hair as he sits on a small lawn chair in front of the Mankanshoku household after adequately introducing himself to Mako's family, which was a wild ride in of itself. He spent most of his day sitting in said chair, deciding to skip school for today.

Sitting in the chair, he could hear the speakers placed all around Honno that Satsuki had issued a whole week of constant battle for supremacy. Those who survived and cleared the Sudden Death Runoff Election would be awarded higher-grade Goku Uniforms.

Hawk, on the other hand, didn't care in the slightest. It was almost as though he had lost all form of drive actually to do anything. As he sat in the lawn chair, he held a croquette Miss Mankanshoku had given him. With a set of sunglasses on his eyes, he seemed to be simply taking it relatively easy.

Shiro: "It seems you're finally awake."

Hawk lowers his sunglasses slightly to see Shiro in regular clothing standing at the edge of the yard. In his hand is a long rectangular case of some kind with the Honnouji Academy logo on it.

Hawk: "Oh? Well, look who it is. President of the Sewing Club. Come to fetch your little experiment?" Pushing back up his sunglasses as he got relaxed in his chair.

Shiro: "I see you are upset about the incident."

Hawk: "Aren't you a smart one."

Shiro: "For your information, I've come here to make sure you're alright. I may be a scientist, but that doesn't mean I'm an unfeeling one."

Hawk: "Yeah, well...*sigh* you can come in. You look like a damn weirdo standing over there." Shiro walks up as Hawk flings out an extra lawn chair.

Shiro: "Where did you get the extra chair?"

Hawk: "Well, if you don't want it, then you could have just said so."

Shiro: "It's fine, I just- *sigh*" Shiro sits in the small lawn chair.

Hawk: "So? What really brings you here? I heard Satsuki's little free-for-all announcement, which allows anyone to take your position. What? Still hoping I'll be your bodyguard?"

Shiro: "I wouldn't be so foolish as to come all the way here on just hopes." He sets the case down in front of Hawk. "I apologize for not doing this sooner, but now that the Free-for-All has begun, Hoka's observation teams have dispersed, giving me this opportunity."

Hawk questioningly opened up the case to find Omen within. His eyes widen at the sight of his mother's old sword. But he was more confused than happy as the handle for the sword had been tampered with and disassembled, leaving only the empty shell of the trigger system that would ignite the Fire Dust.

Hawk: "Shiro? Why is my sword in more pieces than I left it?"

Shiro: "After Lady Satsuki...obtained your blade. She had me and Hoka experiment on it to determine how it could ignite itself. We soon determined that the sheath may be a contributing factor, but with you under the watch of Matoi, we couldn't mount any form of operation to retrieve it."

Hawk: "So why bring it back?"

Shiro: "I wanted to... apologize for my actions. Or, more accurately, lack thereof. I serve Lady Satsuki dutifully, but you were the first person I ever considered an actual...friend."

Hawk: "Dude...that's just sad."

Shiro: "Yes, go ahead and mock me. I wanted to give you your blade back. Where you go from here, you don't know. But you'll most likely go after Lady Satsuki, correct?"

Hawk: "Wish I could, but without any kind of power boost, I'm not going to be getting very far in that regard."

Shiro: "I see. So any other ideas?" Hawk shrugs. "You're telling me that the same person that defeated Lady Satsuki's Junketsu without activating his own Kamui is powerless without it? Seems almost as though you're afraid."

Hawk: "I'm not afraid. I just don't have the power."

Shiro: "No, Hawk, you simply lack the strength of body, but you're still a force to be reckoned with, even without the overwhelming physical strength. In my experience, when I come across a problem when sewing new Goku Uniforms that I can't brute force through, I take a step back and come up with a new solution. That's what you need to do. Evaluate what you have, what you are up against, and make a plan to beat it."

Hawk looked at Shiro quizzically, but as he thought about it more, he looked over at Omen. The trigger system that enabled the blade to utilize the Fire Dust was broken, so regarding it would be impossible without the right tools, which didn't exist in this world. This meant that he would have to either make an entirely new method of igniting the Fire Dust, or find a method to combust the Dust. Spotting something in the front yard, he soon gets an idea. An idea so outstandingly crazy it just might be what he needs. Popping up from the lawn chair from his eureka moment, he turns towards Shiro with a look of excitement and newfound motivation.

Hawk: "Shiro, you genius!"

Shiro: "About time it was finally recognized. I'm guessing you have a plan."

Hawk: "Something like that." He begins to pack up his lawn chair as he closes the case holding Omen, and picks it up as well. "It'd be pretty helpful if I could have some assistance from a friend."

Shiro: "Well...Luckily my week's all open. So why not?"

Hawk: "Nice. Miss Mankanshoku!!" The bright orange-haired woman pokes her head from the open window into the kitchen of the small home.

Sukuyo: "Please, sweetheart, call me Sukuyo. What do you need, sweetheart?" She says with a carefree smile that only a Mankanshoku could have.

Hawk: "You mind if I use your garage for a project?"

Sukuyo: "Oh! Go right on ahead! Do you want me to make you boys some croquettes?"

Hawk: "I'd take the deal. Those croquettes are to die for." He says to Shiro.

Shiro: "I suppose it would be rude of me to decline. I would greatly appreciate it, miss Sukuyo." Miss Sukuyo smiles as she goes to begin making some more croquettes.

Shiro: "So what do you need of me?"

Hawk: "Yes, actually. You think you can get me a motorcycle engine?"