Hydranomaly

Chapter 7: The Girl In The Alleyway

"Oh, right, the mission!" Ryujin nodded, fixing his posture slightly after standing back to his feet and swallowing the chip he had picked up from the floor. He listened attentively, aware that his life depended on the mission's outcome.

Everything felt overwhelming, like he was caught in a raging stream, relentlessly propelling him forward. It felt like-no. It was only yesterday had he settled into this new life. Yet, now here he was, standing in the midst of this whole ordeal all lost and confused.

"Hm? Hey!" Sensing his distress, Usagi raised her hand and smacked Ryujin's back with a loud slap that echoed through the room. "Out with those bad vibes, kiddo!"

"OW- What was that for?" Ryujin yelled defensively as he struggled to recover from the sudden impact.

"Hey, someone's gotta knock that negativity out of ya," Usagi shrugged, her wide, joyful smile unwavering. Her tone lowered as she continued, "Tried to do that with Yamikumo years ago, but it's practically embedded into his whole soul at this point..."

"What the hell does any of that mean?" Ryujin shot back, utterly confused. He couldn't decipher Usagi's intentions-one moment she was helping him retrieve and open his chips, and now she was attacking him? What was going on? What did she want from him?

Yamikumo sighed, already anticipating Usagi's antics from their high school days. "Not like my soul's been knocked out years ago..." he muttered under his breath before raising his voice to ensure his instructions were clear. "Anyway, we've gotten reports of some strange anomalies in the alleyway nearby. Witnesses describe them appearing to be small, spider-like creatures with human-like heads."

Usagi's carefree, energetic demeanor clashed with Yamikumo's serious and exasperated tone. She was the embodiment of chaos, while he was the pillar of order, trying to maintain some semblance of control amidst the madness.

"Extermination duty, huh? Hoped for something more fun..." Usagi uttered, her disappointment quickly giving way to a grin as she placed her hands on her hips. "Well, should be a piece of cake at least... nothing a lil' bug spray can't rid of!"

"I advise against underestimating them. They are large in numbers and can climb walls and ceilings, only to jump down and attack when you least expect it, so never let your guard down," Yamikumo warned, simplifying his words for Ryujin. "According to survivors, they are bullet-proof to regular guns, not like it matters to us, though. There also seems to be a concerning amount of them too..."

"Mmmmm... 'right so..." Ryujin mumbled through mouthfuls of chips, struggling to grasp the instructions despite their simplicity, provoking a sigh and an eye-roll from Yamikumo. "What you're saying is we rush in there and tear apart everything we see? I can do that!"

"Everything but humans, Ryujin," Yamikumo clarified, raising his voice slightly. "Our goal as ACU is to kill anomalies to protect humanity and minimize deaths. No point in even fighting if we aren't going to bother, like how you did against that Octopus Anomaly."

"What? Why would I care about some strangers when I have my own home and life to protect?" Ryujin protested selfishly, his eyebrows raised. "They have done nothing for me, so why should I bother saving them?"

Usagi's eyes widened slightly at Ryujin's audacity, while Yamikumo shook his head. "Well, not like you have a choice anymore," he said matter-of-factly. "It's your job as an ACU Agent, and you're going to have to do it if you want to keep living this new life of yours."

"Well... if I have to..." Ryujin sighed, pouting childishly as his eyes wandered. "Fine, I'll do my best, I guess..."

"Hey, it's not going to be that much of an inconvenience. Not many humans in Astrapi's alleyways to watch out for anyway," Usagi chimed in, attempting to lighten the dulling tone of the exchange. "Besides, you'll have a hot blondie like me watching your ass. You like the sound of that, don't ya?"