Kanako Shiina's Story

"And now, gentlemen, it's the girl you all have been waiting for. Let's have a big round of applause for Ichi Soumna~"
Ichi could practically feel the deafening roar of the crowd of horny males. Staring at them from center stage, the girl held in a sigh. She was dressed in a black bra, black short shorts, a magenta long jacket that was completely unzipped to expose her chest and bra and magenta boots that went to her knees. Her dark pink eyes conveyed a sense of defeat as long black hair moved and swayed with her movements. Another day of being considered a piece of meat... It ended soon enough. Ichi stared at the mirror as she changed back into her school uniform. She sighed.
"One more shitty day... How many more must I go through?"
When the question left her lips, she felt bitter all over again.
"Oh, right... When I'm dead and have payed for my crimes, that's when all of this ends. At least half of the deal was made..."
She faintly grazed the scar on her chest from where she was shot. She started to walk out and turned to Yukina.
"Yukina, I'm on break. I'll be back in an hour."
She walked outside, entering a restaurant and sighed in defeat.
"Waiter. I need a hot chocolate over here. Now."

"Move your asses, men! One, two! One, two!"
Terao watched as the men and women underneath him continued to work on their training regimen. It had been four months since his father disappeared and he was growing more and more irksome with each passing day.
"Dammit... How am I to know if he died out there or not?"
He quickly shook the thought aside. No, his father was too strong to just die like that... He was just busy is all. He soon heard a knock on the door.
"Yasukawa, sir! I've brought Shiranui, Falcor and Vantrice as requested!"
"Send them in."
Terao turned to face the two Hunters.
"Shiranui. Vantrice. Falcor. I am Terao Yasukawa but you are to address me as Yasukawa. I'm calling you two over to give an important mission. You are to survey Otogibanashi Town with me to search and eliminate any and all Nightmares."

Sachi was still hiding her head in her arms as she fell asleep during class for the fifth time today. It wasn't like she could help it though... It's not her fault that the classroom was so boring...
"... Kunisada... Kunisada...! Wake up, Kunisada!!"
Sachi blinked awake and yawned.
"Huh...? Oh, sorry sensei... I just had the greatest dream is all..."
The teacher sighed heavily.
"Kunisada, need I remind you that you cannot be allowed to sleep during class? Especially since your grades are so terrible?"
"You insist on making lectures boring..."
"Boring- Kunisada! You are hardly in the position to criticize me over my lectures!!"
Unfortunately for the teacher, Sachi fell asleep again. What was the point of learning the lessons during the day when there were so many interesting things happening in the night? Nightmare, Hunters, so many other night owls. Yes... The daytime just wasn't the time for her. Her parents wouldn't care either way so she should try to be happy at least once. Sachi awoke to hear footsteps and found her classroom empty.
"Nn...? How long was I asleep...?"

Life within the confines of the clubhouse was a bell curve of sorts, at least according to Akazawa Yukina. It would all start out very slow in the late mornings up until the afternoon before reaching their peak in the evenings until late midnight before dying down again.
"And now, gentlemen, it's the girl you all have been waiting for. Let's have a big round of applause for Ichi Soumna~"
"It's beginning..." Akazawa paused for a bit as she glanced at the young girl performing on stage. Before long, their patrons started flocking to her. With the attention gone, she concentrated more on polishing the glasses their customers left, stacking them neatly in a small tower, the colorful lights reflecting off the clear glass.
"Yukina, I'm on break. I'll be back in an hour."
Yukina merely nodded as she went back to tending to the thirsty males, shooting a glance at the glasses as it would be quite a while until she sees them all stacked neatly again.

Amidst the crowd clamoring for a glass of beer or two, Akazawa could make out some of her regulars. Well, not really the same people but rather, the category in which she classified them into.
There were the college students; University people who some perceive as all play and no actual studying done. Akazawa wasn't too quick to think so though. They usually order from the more cheaper of the selection. "Maybe they're just kicking off after passing their exams?"
Then there were the people who belonged in the upper echelons of society. The first to flaunt their stuff, they all seemed like thugs dressed in suits and ties to Akazawa. Can't say that she complains though as these people are the ones who tend to be the loneliest. "Trying to drink away their loneliness?"
Sometimes, she would spot the old veteran who forgets what he orders a few seconds after he did. Times like these, Akazawa would just serve him some coffee lest he gets any more drunk and senile. "Were the horrors of war too great in that he forgets everything else?"

Occasionally, someone would come in that wasn't like the rest, at least as first impressions go. Akazawa wasn't sure what makes them seem so different. Maybe it's the way they walk, or the look in their eyes. They tend to have the best stories to tell, at least the ones who take time to chat with the woman who serves them their beverages, instead of just focusing on the dancing girls on stage all the time. Tonight was one of those nights.


In contrast to the lively activity at the clubhouse, the mood within the school grounds were as dreary as ever. A slight drizzle dampened the already fading enthusiasm of the students attending their classes which would sometimes extend until the wee hours of the night, depending on their chosen electives. It was in this classroom that Kanako Shiina yawned as she struggled to stay awake despite the boring lecture. Even her forced attention was fading though as she slowly drowsed off, her attention fading as talks of statistics, means and medians were being drowned by silence.

"Kunisada, need I remind you that you cannot be allowed to sleep during class? Especially since your grades are so terrible?"
"You insist on making lectures boring..."
"Boring- Kunisada! You are hardly in the position to criticize me over my lectures!!"
Snap! Kanako immediately woke up as their teacher scolded the usual, sleepy Sachi Kunisada for drowsing off. This habit had always struck her as odd as there were more than ten of them, her included, who were always falling asleep in this particular class. Yet, it seems that only Kunisada took actual fire from it.
"Well, sucks to be her. I wouldn't be noticed by anyone--even if I'm to fall asleep right here..." Kanako sighed and opted to just scribble on her notebook to amuse herself.

When dismissal came along, most have started packing up to head home. Unfortunately for Kanako, she still had her Arts elective to attend to, which extends up until the later hours of the evening. Realizing that they had a quiz on various materials for today, she fumbled for her pen inside her bag only to realize that it was gone. She got down to look all over the room, beneath the chairs, in the corners by the door etc, to no avail.
"Aww...It always seem to vanish into another dimension, never to be seen again when this happens." Out of luck, she decided to just borrow one from a schoolmate. There was only one inside the room as of now.

"Nn...? How long was I asleep...?"
"Just the entire duration of the lecture." Kanako answers her question. Extending a hand, she got straight to the point. "Can I borrow a pen? I'll return it tomorrow morning."

Sachi blinked at Kanako. She soon dug around a satchel and handed the girl a pen. It was light green with pink and orange flower designs and a pink rose charm at the end.
"The teacher makes the lectures such a bore so why should I try to pay attention? The ink is black, don't worry. You can keep it if you want. I'll find an interesting one tonight anyway."
She handed the pen to Kanako and stretched as she stood.
"Have fun in art, Shiina. I'm going home. The fun hour is about to start soon and I've gotten enough rest."
As Sachi walked out of Gingeki high, her sleepy expression soon grew into a mysterious smile as she pulled the cat like hood over her head. She soon jumped up on a building and surveyed the late night area, smile growing across her face.
"Well, Otogibanashi, what stories do you have for me today~?"

Momo sat in the front row of her math class. Diligently taking down notes as fast as she could. As their teacher droned on and on in his monotone voice. It was her last period of the day today and his voice just made her so sleepy. She stifled a yawn with the back of her hand. It was really easy to understand why half the class was always asleep this period. Momo stole a glance at Sachi. Another student who sat a few rows behind her. She watched with disinterest as their teacher reprimanded her for sleeping again.

The girl always fell asleep. No matter where, from what Momo has observed. Senpai needed to just let it go. Accept the fact that he would not get through to her as she was incorrigible. Though, she did have a point Momo will admit. 'He is boring.' She thought to herself as their teacher turned red in the face and continued to yell.

A small, imperceptible sigh escaped Momo's lips when the bell dismissing them had finally rung. As the other students rushed to exit the classroom and get home, or wherever they were going, Momo bent over and packed up her belongings. Not at all in a rush. Shinichi would not be waiting for her at the school gates to take her home. Pulling her bag up over her shoulder, she headed out into the school hallways to her locker.

Spinning the combination skillfully, she opened the small metal door and slid in her textbooks. She finished her homework during her lunch period. But, that is not a surprise. Closing the small door with a, Clink! She widened her eyes slightly seeing a face suddenly. "Aye Mo." The boy greeted her with a ferocious grin. Oh. She took a breath. It was Shinai. Member of the Kendo team. They had been going out for almost a full twenty-one days now. "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes." Momo confirmed quietly. Her eyes blankly roaming over his face before looking away. "This is not working out for me. . . I am sorry. I am breaking up with you." She told him simply. Easily. It was routine by now. She allowed her eyes to rise and watch his face as it contorted angrily and she bent over to pick up her bag from the ground. He grabbed her forearm slamming it against the metal wall of locker. She met his glare with an affronted look.

"You'll regret this." He drawled threateningly. Momo narrowed her eyes. The large pools of misty blue, turned icy and cold. "I doubt it." She replied coolly. He released her and stalked off. Towards Kendo club she presumed. Clenching her jaw in a silent show of anger, she bent over and picked up her satchel once more. Having dropped it when Shinai grabbed her. She dusted off the worn satchel and held it close as she left the school. It was a hand-me-down from Shinichi.

Walking home, in the drizzle that was slowly becoming more, she touched her arm. Ouch. He grabbed her pretty hard. It would probably bruise. She felt her eyes tear up at the stinging sensation and turned her face upwards. Slowing her pace, she let the rain pour onto her thick hair and become matted to her small form. As a tear or two escaped her eyes, she thought she saw something zoom past in the sky. Wiping fiercely at her eyes, she squinted. There was nothing.

"And...I'm all done." Akazawa muttered as she kept the last of the glasses back in their arrangement. She passed by Sudou, the man who will take over her now that her shift has ended.
"Ah, Akazawa. You're done for the day?"
"Yeah. I'll be heading out for a while, as usual." Akazawa waved as she got out through the door in the back, avoiding any further interrogation from all other people. Her first stop wasn't too far as she simply had to climb up the steel stairway leading to the upper floors of the building. A small installation later and she was already inside the small room that she rented.

Inside, it was fairly small and desolate, with only a laptop providing some sort of entertainment. She went up to it and logged on to the same site she met the person. The person who failed her. Browsing through some names, she highlighted the name whose offer she took.
"I take it that "Shadow" got my message? He hasn't been online since then." Akazawa smirked to herself as she left the laptop and walked over to a small dresser. Opening it, she took out her weapons: Two large nails affixed to long chains. She inspected them first before putting them back in lest someone notices. Sighing, she lied down on the mattress on the floor, opting to finish the book she started weeks ago.
"Tomorrow is my day off. I can devote all my time to looking for this "Shadow" bastard."


"Have fun in art, Shiina. I'm going home. The fun hour is about to start soon and I've gotten enough rest." Kanako hadn't even mustered enough energy to say anything when Sachi took off, leaving her inside the room.
"Thanks?"
Art class was rather mundane when it comes to their theoretical aspects. Their quiz's coverage composed of material properties and types. Kanako kind of just poked at the quiz as she couldn't care less about them. Steel, aluminum, resin, wood etc, they were all the same mediums to her as long as you use the right tools and methods. Having submitted earlier than the others, she was given free time to do what she wants. She glanced at her phone. It was still a bit too early. She surfed the internet for a bit, looking up all the pages she's bookmarked when her attention fell on one particular site. It was the online forum where she got her death sentence.
"Hey, Shadow? You around?"
"Feeling a bit guilty about your request? Don't worry. We are all monsters here."
"Yo! Got any high paying job requests?"
"You failed me. You betrayed me. I'll find you. And I'll make sure you die a slow and painful death."
Kanako immediately logged out when she got to the message sent her assailant. She checked it up on the history and read that the person used a feminine username: Carmilla. She shook off the thoughts and took comfort that the classroom is a public place where only the most twisted of individuals would attack in broad daylight.
"Judging by how the officials interpreted the incident, he was probably discreet and good enough to make the whole murder seem like a squabble between maid and master gone bad. He probably won't attack in the open."
Finally, her entire school shift was over. Kanako quietly packed up and exited the school, not bothering to open her umbrella as the drizzle had subsided into small occasional drops. The streets she passed were rather quiet now, with most people having already gone home.
Whistle...
A particular breeze prompted her to stop and readjust her skirt which was ruffled by the wind. Shooting a glance upward, she saw a fast moving silhouette move across the city skies. She turned around an alley so it wouldn't disappear from her sight. She swears she could've seen a humanoid shaped object fly past but, with it's speed, she wasn't able to get a good, clean look.
"What if it's my hunter? No, no...someone as discreet as him wouldn't probably go flying around the city. That would give them away too much." She continued walking, the thoughts of everything that transpired, running through her head.

Kanako managed to find her way home eventually, after much wandering about. Passing by the living room, she paused for a while to pick up the remote and turn on the TV. The news varied in-between stations so she flipped through them all, to try and find something interesting. So far, it was a disappointment. Kanako just shrugged it off and turned off the device as she headed upstairs, into the small confines of her room.

"Too slow. Everything seems to be much faster on the internet." She changed into a more, casual clothing before heading off to browse on her desktop. At first glance, nothing was on it as well. But, this place does yield more to the eye--if one only knows where to look. Kanako heads on to one of her bookmarked sites and logs on. It was a small forum where most of the current happenings in the city are being talked about.

"Hey, did you hear?"
"The local yakuza got their asses handed down to them!"
Kanako monitored the chat proceedings. She thought of joining in, if just to add more fuel to the discussion.
"Heh, I guess nobody's safe in this town. Not even armed yakuza."
"So true."
"But the one who took them out was that vigilante again. So cool!"
"Vigilante?"
"E-eh? You don't know?"
"No. Guess I need to hang out on these forums more."
"You can read up on him on some past discussion we had. I'll send you a link later."
"But, even crazier is that some guys I know supposedly spotted some people fighting while the raid was going on."
"Aren't there always fighting among looters when raids happen?"
"No, no. You don't get it Seraph-san. The fights I'm talking about were full-blown! I mean, with weapons and cursing andall!"
"Plus, some of the guys looked nice. By the way, you forgot a space between "and" and "all".
"Damn Grammar Nazi! But, don't you think these people are the so-called "Hunters"?"
"I thought they were only rumors..."
"No, no! They're very real! I saw one just two day ago!"
"You probably mistook it for something else! A stray cat perhaps?~"
"You pulling my leg? Plus, your analogies don't make sense!"
"Heehee...XD"
"Damn it! I don't think anyone here believes me."
"Seraph-san?"
.
.
.
"These "Hunters" and this, "Vigilante" you're talking about...Their services wouldn't possibly be for hire now, would it?"