Sukeban

The moment Tomomi felt Mami’s hands slip themselves into between the girls’ bodies, she could feel her heart begin to pound with fear. Her fear only increased when she felt the hard shove. Her body flew backwards, breaking her grip with Mami before she landed backwards on the hard floor. A soft groan left her lips as she pushed herself up into a half laying and half sitting position. She turned her head slowly, her eyes looking at Mami as they shined with the hurt she felt.

“Mami…” Tomomi murmured weakly. The burst of courage she had just gotten had all but disappeared from her body. The shove had made any traces of courage or bravery disappear into thin air as if they’d never been there in the first place.

“Don’t touch me like that,” Mami growled out lowly to Tomomi. The brunette’s eyes widened and she could feel her heart beginning to beat harder. No… She didn’t want Mami to reject her. This was the first time Tomomi had found the courage to tell someone that she liked them; she didn’t want the attempt to end with rejection. She couldn’t handle it if it did.

“Why?” It was the only word Tomomi’s mind could think of to say. She wanted to say something – anything a bit more intelligent than that – but she couldn’t find any other words in her mind. Nothing coherent was forming for her.

“Because you have no idea what you’re doing.” Mami turned her head away from Tomomi, her hands curling themselves into fists. Why had she liked that? She shouldn’t have allowed herself to like that. It was wrong. Tomomi was an innocent person; Mami couldn’t do this to her.

“What do you mean? I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“No you don’t,” Mami snapped before Tomomi could say another word. The brunette squeaked softly, her eyes diverting down to the floor. She shifted her body, lifting it back into sitting in a cross-legged position.

“Mami, I know how naïve I am,” Tomomi began in a shaky voice that cracked and wavered. Her hands laid flat on her knees and she resisting the urge to dig her fingernails into her legs. “I don’t know everything about you and I don’t know everything about this life. But even so… I know what I’m doing.”

“You really don’t. You have no idea the trouble and danger you’d be getting yourself into.” Tomomi raised her eyes again, her breathing coming out slightly labored.

Mami wasn’t even giving her a chance. No one ever gave her a chance; no one ever believed Tomomi was capable of anything. The only thing anyone thought she was capable of was passing school and other such activities. But the more dangerous things? There was never any confidence for her. Was this really dangerous though? Tomomi didn’t see how much more dangerous being a girlfriend to Mami could be than how dangerous it already was being her friend.

“You’re better off with someone else who will keep you safer,” Mami continued. “And you deserve better too.” The last sentence had been whispered in a barely audible tone and Tomomi had barely been able to catch it. She had managed to hear it though and suddenly, the blonde shoving her away made sense.

“You say I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, but is that the real reason you pushed me away?” Tomomi’s eyes connected with Mami’s for a split second before the blonde scoffed and turned her head away from Tomomi. The brunette gulped hard, her fingernails finally digging themselves into her legs.

“I don’t want you getting hurt,” Mami told her truthfully. She looked back at Tomomi. “You and I are from two completely different worlds. It wouldn’t be right for me to drag you into mine.”

“Aren’t I already a part of your world?” Tomomi’s words had caught Mami off guard; she hadn’t been expecting something like that from the brunette. The teenager in front of Mami gave her a small smile. She took a deep breath, calling in her courage again as she inched towards Mami.

“Tomomi…”

“No, Mami. Am I or am I not? Look at where I am… Look at where we are. I’ve done things I had never done before. I do feel like I’ve entered an entirely new world. If it’s not your world I’ve entered then what is it?” Tomomi ended her sentence abruptly, not wanting to say anything more in case she had already stepped over a line with Mami.

The blonde didn’t react straight away like Tomomi thought she might. Instead, she sat still and silent, simply staring at Tomomi until a small smile began to work itself across her face. She gave a soft chuckle, shaking her head back and forth. Tomomi thought the soft reaction of Mami’s would calm her beating heart but it seemed to only make it worse. Why did Mami laugh? She thought she’d be scared of an angry Mami but she was just as scared of a calm one at the moment.

“You’re a smart girl,” Mami answered finally. Tomomi gulped, her hands flying up to hold themselves against her chest.

“Mami… Do you like me? Or do you….” Tomomi didn’t finish her sentence. She couldn’t finish her sentence, she didn’t want to admit the possibility that Mami might really not feel for her like she did for Mami.

Mami wanted to answer but she found herself unable to. Of course she liked Tomomi, but could she tell Tomomi that? If she told Tomomi that, it would be dragging the brunette even further into this life and this world. A world Tomomi didn’t belong to and didn’t belong in. Mami couldn’t deny that she wanted her in this life though; she couldn’t deny that she wanted Tomomi by her wide.

“Tomomi, I li--” Mami’s sentence was abruptly cut short when she heard the telltale signs of someone coming down the hallway. She knew it had to be Rina and there was no way she was allowing Rina to hear her say this. At least not yet; not until she had things figured out.

The blonde turned around just in time to see Rina stumble back into the living room, a cellphone clutched tightly in her hand and held to her ear. Mami instantly pushed herself off the floor when she noticed the tear stains streaking down Rina’s cheeks. She was crying and she was on the phone; this certainly wasn’t good. It didn’t take Mami long to figure that out.

“Rina, what’s wrong? Who is on the phone?” Mami began her first set of question. Rina sniffled softly and for the first time, Mami could see the way her hand holding the phone shook. The younger brunette in question though didn’t address Mami; she simply turned to face Tomomi instead.

“Tomomi… W-what’s your a-address?” Rina barely managed to get out through her stuttering. Tomomi furrowed her eyebrows together as she slowly pushed herself off the floor. She took a few steps closer to Rina but found herself stopped when Mami stepped in between the two of them, giving Tomomi a look that told the brunette clearly to stay quiet.

“Answer my questions,” Mami asserted to the crying brunette. Rina sniffled softly, taking a step back. She could hear Omar from the other end of the receiver, a concerned tone to his voice as he asked if she was okay and who was speaking in the background.

“She needs to tell me her address so Omar can come get me.”

“Who the hell is Omar?” Mami asked, her tone getting rougher. She didn’t mean to speak so harshly to Rina but she was getting frustrated. It was obvious that something was wrong and Rina was being stubborn about telling Mami what it was.

“Mami, p-please, I don’t have time for this. W-we have to help Haruna…” As soon as the words left Rina’s mouth, Mami’s eyes widened. Her mind was slowly putting together the pieces. After what she had seen at Haruna’s house, Mami expected Rina to be a blubbering mess about it but… That didn’t explain who she was on the phone with.

“Rina…” Mami said cautiously as she took a few careful steps towards Rina. “Who is on the other end of that phone? Who is Omar? You need to tell me so we can figure this out.”

“No!” Rina said assertively as she shook her head hard. “Tomomi needs to tell me her address.”

“Rina, why--” Tomomi began but quickly cut off her own words when Mami sent her a harsh glare. She whimpered pitifully, slinking back a few steps and clutching her arms against her chest, rolling her fingers over each other.

“Tomomi isn’t going to tell you anything until you answer my questions,” Mami told the youngest girl in an even harsher tone. “Either hang up the phone so we can talk or tell me right now who the hell is on the other end of that receiver and why you called them. Why are you crying? You need to answer me now.”

“Omar has-has connections to the police. He can h-help Haruna. I know he can,” Rina managed to get out. She sniffled again, looking over at Mami. She was surprised when she saw how big Mami’s eyes had widened, the fear clear on her face.

“Rina… You… You called the police on Haruna?” Mami mumbled. Tomomi furrowed her eyebrows from where she stood behind Mami. The blonde had spoken too lowly; Tomomi hadn’t been able to hear her very clearly at all.

“Mami, I--”

“Do you have any idea what you’ve just done?!” Mami boomed in a much louder tone. She had switched to speaking so loudly so quickly that both Tomomi and Rina jumped from the sudden volume. Mami didn’t care nor did she notice their fear. She was feeling too many mixed emotions to notice anything going on around her.

She knew Rina meant well but she also knew Rina had no clue of the danger she had just put Haruna in. If the police went to Haruna’s house about the abuse, that would definitely alert Madoka that Haruna had certainly told someone. It would tell Madoka that Haruna had told someone big, even though she technically hadn’t. Mami might still not know everything about Haruna’s life but she knew enough to know that the police showing up would put Haruna into a world of hurt. One she might very well not come out of this time.

“Hang up the phone,” the blonde ordered in a harsh and rough tone. Rina didn’t react; she was frozen from the fear Mami’s sudden mood change had caused her. Mami growled lowly at the lack of response from Rina. “Hang up the goddamn phone!”

“No…” Rina murmured out weakly. Mami growled again. Her emotions controlled her as she marched forward, harshly ripping the phone out of Rina’s hand in a way that the brunette jumped from the sheer force Mami had used. She couldn’t remember Mami ever being this angry with her before, and she had made Mami angry plenty of times. This though… This was unheard of to Rina. She’d seen it with other people but never herself.

“Mami, why are you acting like this?” Tomomi jumped into the conversation.

“Just shut up, Tomomi!” Mami barked at her. “This doesn’t concern you.”

The blonde realized the phone was still connected and hurriedly pressed the end call button before locking the phone. She tossed it carelessly onto a desk in the living room, stepping in front of it when Rina made a movement to grab it. The brunette stopped when she saw Mami’s quick movements, her still tear-filled eyes peering into Mami’s own. She couldn’t tell if Mami’s eyes were angry or scared; they seemed to be a mixture of the two emotions.

“We need to have a talk,” Mami told the brunette. She glanced over at Tomomi, noticing that the naïve brunette was now practically cowering into a corner, if she had been near a corner. Her hands were held against her chest and her eyes were wide while her body shook from fear. Mami sighed softly, hanging her head. She hadn’t meant to scare Rina or Tomomi but the fear of what Madoka would do to Haruna for this had controlled her every action.

“Mami, you need to calm down,” Tomomi tried again. The blonde shot her another look but Tomomi could tell that this look wasn’t one of anger. It was something different; Tomomi almost thought it looked like a look of fear.

The blonde was about to respond but failed to before the three girls head the distinct sound of a car pulling up outside the house. Tomomi’s body whipped around. She didn’t think her heart could possibly beat any faster but at that moment, she learned that it very well could. She learned just how high her fear levels could go. She turned back to the duo, her hands getting clammy and her body beginning to shake slightly.

“That’s my parents,” she managed to choke out through the fear. If her parents walked in and saw the two of them standing there, they would be so angry at her. She was still grounded; she definitely wasn’t allowed to have friends over.

“Shit,” Mami cursed lowly at the words Tomomi had spoken. She ran a hand through her long locks, fluttering her eyes shut. Perfect; this is just what they needed right now. Could nothing ever go right? “Do you have a backdoor or something?” Mami asked when she regained her composure.

“Y-yeah. You remember the one in the kitchen,” Tomomi said. Mami nodded her head. Before she grabbed Rina to leave though, she took a few steps towards Tomomi. Once she was near the brunette, she laid her hands onto Tomomi’s shoulders, looking her dead in the eye.

“Before Rina and I leave, I need you to promise me one thing. Swear to me that you will not get involved with this. No matter what happens, you will stay away from this. It is too dangerous for you; I won’t have you getting involved and getting hurt.” Tomomi was speechless for a second. Was Mami really saying what she thought she was? She could feel her formerly panicking heart begin to relax, fluttering from the kind words Mami had spoken with such sincere concern.

“Will you at least tell me what’s going on if I promise not to get involved?” Tomomi asked her. Her eyes darted towards the hallway to the front door, she needed to get an answer out of Mami so they could leave and she had to do it now. Mami sighed and hung her head.

“The only thing I’ll tell you is that there is a reason for why Haruna acts the way that she does. After that, I can’t tell you anything else.” This time, it was Tomomi’s turn to sigh. She would have to take that as an answer since she knew that was the best answer she would probably get out of Mami.

“Okay, you have my word that I won’t get involved,” Tomomi agreed. Mami smiled, thanking her softly for the agreement. She dropped her hands from Tomomi’s shoulders, walking back over to a still crying Rina. She grabbed the phone off the desk, grabbing onto Rina’s wrist with the other hand.

“I-I-I thought I was helping…” Rina choked out, pressing herself close to Mami. The blonde gave her a sympathetic look, wrapping her arms around Rina in a quick hug.

“I know, and you did. We’ll get through this, I promise,” Mami cooed to her softly. Tomomi was a bit surprised; she hadn’t seen Mami act like that with anyone else. In the end though, she knew it shouldn’t surprise her. Everyone was always so gentle with Rina.

“Tomomi! We’re home, darling!”

“Damn it!” Mami cursed a bit too loudly when she heard the shout of what she assumed was Tomomi’s mother. The brunette gave the two teenagers a panicked look. Mami knew that was their cue to leave, and quickly too.

She wrapped her hand tighter around the sobbing Rina’s wrist, beginning to drag her towards the hallway. Rina pushed a hand against her mouth, knowing she had to do her best to keep her cries quiet. The blonde ducked the two of them behind a piece of furniture just as Tomomi’s parents entered the room. When her parents were past them, she darted to her feet again, pulling Rina into the hallway and out of sight as they snuck towards the backdoor.

“Hello, mama, papa,” Tomomi greeted her parents with a smile. She wanted to breathe a sigh of relief when Mami and Rina had successfully managed to get out of the house unseen but she knew better; she knew not to give herself away. She had to keep her composure, just like any of the other girls would do if they were in her shoes right now.

“Hello, darling,” her mother said. She stepped forward, wrapping Tomomi a hug. As Tomomi wrapped her arms around her mother’s body, she glanced out the window in time to see Mami and Rina sneaking off across the street.

Her mother pulled away from her, patting her lightly on the head as Tomomi giggled. It was always a habit of her mother’s ever since Tomomi was a little girl and Tomomi never minded it. In fact, she enjoyed it when her mother kept up habits from her childhood.

The brunette followed her parents over to the couch, pushing aside the textbooks and thinking up a quick studying lie to tell her parents when they questioned her about it. As Tomomi sat down to talk with her parents, her mind thought back to Mami.

She hadn’t managed to get a straight answer out of Mami on how she felt for Tomomi but somehow, through the emotions Mami’s face and eyes had showed her, Tomomi had a feeling that she was going to get through to Mami soon.

She knew Mami would return her feelings.

***

Omar sighed heavily as he sat on the couch in his living room, his head cradled in his hands. It had been an hour since he heard the yelling in the background and the abrupt ending to his call with Rina. When he had tried to call her back, he received no answer. As time went on, his calls began getting automatically sent to voicemail, a clear sign that Rina’s phone had been turned off. That worried him, perhaps more than it should have. But after the mysterious yelling, Omar felt he had every right to worry about Rina’s safety.

He did the only thing he could do; he called a friend who he knew had experience as a private investigator. He knew the best place to go with this was the police but he couldn’t very well go to them right now. He had no idea where to find Rina or Haruna; he knew nothing about the two teenagers other than their names. In reality, Omar didn’t even know if those were their real names, he had just hoped neither girl had lied to him about that.

Before he could alert the police of a possible child abuse case, he had to at least know where to find the supposed victim in question. That’s where his friend came in; he knew this man would have no trouble tracking down Rina and Haruna. All he had to do was give him a decent sum of money and he’d probably have their whereabouts by the end of the day.

The doorbell rang not soon after that. Omar instantly pushed himself to his feet, making his way out to the front door. Pulling open the door, he was slightly relieved to see his friend standing there.

“It’s been quite some time since I last saw you, Omar,” he said as he bowed to the older male. “We don’t see each other as often these days, my friend.”

“That we don’t, Katashi,” Omar agreed with his friend, nodding his head. He sighed softly, running his hand through his short locks as he stepped aside, letting Katashi into the house. Katashi promptly took off his shoes before following Omar further into the house where the two men sat together on the couch.

“Now tell me, Omar, what has you bothered this time?” Kastashi began nearly immediately.

“That obvious, huh?”

“As always, my friend. You’ve never been good at hiding your emotions; that always was your fatal flaw as an officer. You showed emotion far too easily. It’s clear that something is bothering you, quite a lot too. Which I can guess is why I am here today. You require my services again, don’t you?”

“I do. I know it’s been years, I’ve been off the force for some time now but I need to ask you a favor again. I’ll pay you a nice sum of money for your work, you won’t have to worry.” Katashi nodded to Omar’s words. He had met the male many moons ago when he was in the U.S for a special assignment. He had helped Omar track down his daughter’s killer, striking a friendship and a partnership with the older male.

“What is it for this time?” Katashi asked him.

“There are two teenage girls and I have reason to believe they are both in grave danger.”

“That’s odd,” Katashi noted. “You did this all the time on the force but you swore not to get involved any more when you retired. What makes these two teenagers a special case?” Omar sighed softly, hanging his head.

“One of them reminds me of Nadia,” he answered truthfully. Katashi nodded in understanding. When he heard Omar utter his deceased daughter’s name, he understood instantly what made these two a special case for Omar. “I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Very well. I’ll help you. I trust you when you say you have the money ready. What all do you know about these two girls?”

“I don’t know much, Katashi. The only thing I know for sure about them are their names.” Katashi sighed heavily, squeezing the bridge of his nose.

“You insist on making everything difficult for me,” Katashi mumbled. Omar chuckled softly, shaking his head. “What are their names?”

“Rina Suzuki and Haruna Ono,” Omar answered. Katashi nodded, fishing out a small notepad and pen from his oversized coat pocket. “They’re both minors as well if that helps any.”

“This Suzuki girl might be a bit difficult; Suzuki is a very common last name, you know. The Ono girl might be a bit easier; Ono is a considerably more uncommon name when put next to Suzuki.”

“Please do your best to help these girls,” Omar pleaded with him. “I knew something was off about Rina when I first met her; meeting Haruna had only confirmed that. I never did anything though and I know I should have. They’re both in danger and someone needs to help them.”

“Your heart is too kind, Omar,” Katashi said with a small laugh. His eyes looked down at the ground, an emotion tearing at his heart. He did feel sorry for Omar. Even after these years, he was clinging to the child that was taken far too soon from him. If Nadia had never met that fate, he knew Omar would probably not be helping these two. In a way, after all this time and even without a connection, Nadia might just help them in an odd way. “Do you have a deadline for when you want this?”

“As soon as you can get their whereabouts. Their location is all I am concerned about; I and the police will handle it from there.”

“Omar, I implore you not to do anything rash. I know how many times your superior yelled at you for acting rashly and without thinking. You must remember your training.”

“Katashi, I was a highly decorated officer of the highest degree. I know what I am doing and… I know the law. I know what hoops we must go through,” Omar said, muttering his final sentence bitterly. He wasn’t fond of the way this worked in either the U.S or Japan but he knew he had no choice. He would not very well break the law and he had to follow their rules, much as he didn’t like them.

“Very well, I will get your information for you. I will do my best to have it to you by the end of tonight or tomorrow.”