Up in Flames (Fire Force fanfic)

Chapter Twenty Nine: Lion's Den

My mind lingers on the mysterious and dangerous Joker. Even hours afterward and I'm sitting with the others for dinner, that mysterious asshole keeps invading my thoughts. I should have stopped him. He was there in front of me and I should have at least try to see what his sketchy ass was up to. Tamaki didn't get hurt thankfully...but this could've played out much worse.

"Clarisse." I am snapped to the present by Beni's concerned look. "Mind telling us what's got you distracted?"

"Do any of you know of a weird guy called Joker?"

"Batman?" Konro threw out there.

"No not the DC comics, some weird guy who's been lurking around Tokyo calling himself Joker. He's got an eyepatch and sort of dresses like he came out of a western."

"Did you get into Wakana's special stash? Some of that is way too strong for someone's first smoke." Konro sips his tea.

"I wasn't high. The guy I met at the casino that hinted at knowing what happened to my family ten years ago."

Benimaru has concern written all over, "The guy could've been lying to mess with you. Your mom is famous around the gambling underground."

"But why tell me unless he knew that we were related? Why even bring up the incident ten years ago, unless he knew of foul play?"

Konro gives me a steady look, "Clarisse, you shouldn't go charging in blindly if that's what you're planning. Don't pull a Benimaru when you can pull it off with finesse."

Beni looking annoyed, asks, "And tell me, what exactly is pulling a Benimaru supposed to mean?"

Konro gives him an equally annoyed look, "Oh I don't know how about you tell me King of Destruction?"

"The buildings were in the way." Beni pouts.

Konro sighs and looks back at me, "Whatever you do, you should at least have a plan."

"I have a plan." Benimaru raises his hand.

"If it has to do with beating up the guy until he tells me, no." I tell him.

"You're no fun." He pours himself more sake.

Konro places a hand on my shoulder, "The three of us will figure something out where you don't get hurt. Don't move in on this guy without at least running it by us."

"Fine." I concede, still feeling restless about what had happened.

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"So are you going to tell me what happened at the rookie games?" Beni asks while holding my nude form.

"Yeah...I just couldn't back there because Konro would probably have been pissed."

"Yeah I figured. Something happened with that Joker guy, didn't it?"

"Well before I got to where the games were being held, I saw him walking near the place. I didn't think much of it since I was running late and at that point he's only been rude and weird, not a danger. But...during the games the building they were using for the obstacle course randomly exploded. Thankfully everyone was ok. But Tamaki told me that the person who exploded the building called himself Joker."

"What are you going to do?" His grip tensed a bit.

"I'm going to find him and demand answers...besides we haven't finished our game."

"Let me come with you."

"No. Because if he and whoever else goes to one of these card dens sees you they might not talk to me. You symbolize the disordered order of things."

He cups my cheek and makes me look into his eyes, "At least take Konro with you. I want you to come back safely."

"I will. You're so protective." I lean up and kiss his forehead.

"You're my woman...of course I want to protect you." He wraps himself around me. "Go to sleep. We'll talk to Konro tomorrow. Alright?"

"Ok." I reply groggily as I slip away into a deep sleep.

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In the morning Konro, Benimaru and I met up at the kitchen table for our game plan on how I am safely going to meet with Joker.

Benimaru looks between me and Konro, "Konro you will be going with Clarisse. The minute you two feel something is up, fight your way out. I'm not allowed to go due to a vote that I am way too trigger happy."

"I'm so sorry we're not allowing you to wreak havoc during a covert mission." I say sarcastically.

"It's fine, I'll just wreak havoc on you later." Benimaru says with a straight face.

My face turns red as a tomato as Konro elbows me in the side with a shit eating smirk. I pinch Konro's arm, "Not a word."

"Yes m'am." He replies meekly.

"Ok well you've got your orders. Get to it." Benimaru walks back to his office leaving the rest to us.

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Konro and I are sitting out a card den discussing all of the card dens in the area. "If we split up and hit every street, we at least might be able to find him or find someone who knows where he hangs out at. You call me if there's an issue or burn the place down."

"I'm not burning any buildings down but I'll call you." I reply.

"At least you have restraint...can't say the same for Benimaru. Anyways we need to cover this street fast."

"Meet up near three o'clock?"

"Yeah, sounds good."

We go our separate ways and begin to search through the underground gambling dens. As I search through each gambling den I am met with negative results. As three o'clock is approaching, I decide to check one more gambling den before I head back.

"Excuse me, is there a guy here calling himself Joker? He's a tall guy with an eye patch." I ask the host.

"You're in luck, he's in the back. I believe he's finishing up a game of poker. You can watch and wait till he is done."

"Thank you."

My palms begin to sweat as I walk towards the back room. The card table is crowded and suddenly a guy stands up and lights up his ignition ability. I use my second generation ability to control his flames and shape them into dandelion fluff. I stand across the table from Joker as I shove the sore loser aside.

Joker smirks, "So you want to finish our game, Clarisse?" 

"I want you to tell me everything you know about the church and...my mother." I say firmly as I sit across from my advisory.