Part 1
"State your name and confess to your crimes you criminal!"
What the.....!? where am I and why the hell am I tied to a chair?
There in front of me was a girl wearing a school unifrom that consist of a blazer, blouse, and a skirt that does not expose too much, and with light brown hair that reaches up to her waist.
She was grasping a katana as if she is readying for a fight or as a way to threathen someone.
"I said state your name and confess to your crime now!"
The woman yelled out annoyed
"Ma'am what crime am I being accused off."
"tch! do not play innocent on me.....hiyah!"
She began to approach me raising the katana over her head ready to slash me.
I struggle hard to break free of the bonds
"You are crazy! Help me! Someone!"
"No one can hear you here."
I yelled out a frustrated and gut wretching screech when.....
'Whoosh'
"Phew! I-I almost died..."
"Grrrrrr!"
"Do not dodge this next one."
"The hell you saying to me!"
I managed to tip the chair over at the same time her blade was brought to the ground.
Good thing I managed to dodge in time....the chair legs were the ones she slashed and cut instead of me.
"Why are you targetting me!"
I yelled out as she fixed the chair so that I would be sitting then she calmly answered
"In accordance with the organization I swear an oath to finish the job for this well renowed client."
"What?! you have gotta be kidding me! You are talking about that organization from the rumors!"
The supposed organization she is talking about is a group of assassins whose goal is to bring peace and order through silent eliminations.
"Ragh! you are so loud!"
She stared daggers at me as she covered her ears with an annoyed expression on her.
She composed herself, then aimed her sword at me.
"You must confess to the crime you commited."
"Hold on what crime now?"
"Do not lie....you are the man responsible for the bankrupcy of three subsidiaries under the Osaki group, kidnapping the employees, and lastly the most heinous crime you did which is..."
She took a breath and then was about to speak again
I gulped now....of course those were some big accusations but how could I have done all of....
".....stealing the CEO's most prized thing.....her precious cat....grrrrr....for the sake of that cat i will....."
"Why do you care about the cat more than the others!"
I angerly and disappointedly retorted
"Shut up now! that cat is more than some employees or humans for that..... it is probably shivering alone waiting for his owner to find her."
"What about those unemployeed employees or those who were kidnapped..."
"I do not care about them...."
She cut me off there
Is she serious now
"Look miss assassin I am not the one who did all of this!"
"Liar!"
"No miss allow me to show you my ID."
"Grrr !....no excuses I shall...wait is this a....."
I showed her my idea which read
Fujisaki, Satou
Hanekawa High School
3rd Year
"The school id of hanekawa high school!...wait you are a high school student.....you look taller."
Yes that is my name Fujisaki Satou who was just going home from school when suddenly out of nowehere she knocked me out and she brought me to this warehouse.
"Then why were you wearing a business suit?!"
Oh yeah I was still wearing....
"We were doing this men cosplay cafe where the men students wore fancy suits and serve customers...."
"So like a host club?"
"No!"
We continued to bicker on until she yelled out.
"Gragh! listen here I do not care about how you got the idea of host club by your childhood friend and mother.....for wasting my time you shall help me find this guy."
"What? me?! I did not do anything if anything you wasted all my time and efforts."
Suddenly now she emitted this dangerous aura as she glared at me.
"If you do not help me then I shall kill you."
I shuddered at that moment...oh yeah I nearly forgot she was a skilled assassin from all that unnesscary argument we did.
"So will you help me or not."
"Fine damn it. I will! I will! So stop slowly coming at me with your sword and knives now."
I made a loud sigh in the end she let me go but not forgetting to exchange contact info with me
"why did you do this miss assassin."
"this is so I could get in contact with you and do not call me miss assassin....call me Eri...."
"Eri huh okay."
"What!? you think my name is bad."
"what no!....and wait hold on! is that actually your real name? why are you suddenly revealing that to me?....do you trust me so much now just because we met only once?"
"Shut up you....you....you!....."
That happened this afternoon and now I was at home studying for my midterms.
Over the course of a month we began to search for clues together while keeping the fact that her cover was blown because as she said the day after that supposed kidnapping she is never meant to make any errors in these types of missions
Part 2
Eventually one month of us walking around and searching for clues we stumble on someone.
There was nothing worth mentioning during the past month of me looking around with this assassin girl but I will spare the details and summarize it all.
I would go to school in the morning then head to a spot she picked out which was a cafe.
I made some comments about the choice of place only to be met with threats by the assassin girl who is wearing casual clothing and seemed to have dyed her hair to blend in to the crowd.
We usually would talk to each other nothing special or anything that changed our dynamic although I will admit we have gotten more friendly with each other.
Eri was the type to have a serious facade but is into things that are unbecoming of an assassin such as drinking coffee in a soothing and calming atmosphere like a cafe.
Guess she is not that into blood and violenence compared to my usual assumptions of her.
Well after we relaxed in a cafe we then looked around together posing as students walking together
Eri is not one to care if people mistake us for being a couple because to her it is a good cover to use so we would not be suspicious.
She refused to talk about the organziation though, how did I know this you ask well she was very convincing with her hand reaching for the knife while we were at a cafe.
Well anyways I spend my nights with her until about ten pm
Eri was kind enough to excuse me whenever I need to do homework.....guess she is understanding
Well one month has past and we were walking around wearing casual clothing when....
Eri having spotted something pointed at someone and said to me with an expression as if she found something she lost.
"Hey look at that girl over there."
The woman she pointed at was wearing an office lady clothing with a pony tail, and glasses walking with her bag all nervous looking.
Eri then pulled something out of her bag that she was carrying as we were walking around.
"Says here that she is Shiori Mai the secretary of the Osaki coporation, she likes to go to cat cafes in her off time, is known to be hardworking, and very introverted."
"What is that her file?"
"Yep!"
She seems to have been fully prepared with all that information of each employee of the Osaki group.
For the past month of us looking around for clues and finding a lead to this case I noticed that she is very hardworking and good at her job and yet...she made that one slip up when we first met.
Eri then went up to her and both of them happily talked for a few minutes, as they talked I noticed some guys or rather they were women.
They looked like guys.....I would have kept on mistaking it if not for their posture.....what type of guy crosses their legs so casually, and closed their legs together too much as one sits or stands.
Now this may seem like bias or perhaps I am wrong but to me it feels uncomfortable for me to do that as a guy because well it felt weird to me.
Eri and this Mai girl kept talking and the women dressed up as men were talking on their phones blending in.
I am technically not sure if they are suspicious because they could be just normal girls who anyone can mistake as guys and who says girls are not allowed to wear that type of clothing.
My main reason for suspecting them was not just their clothing but the obvious hints they are showing.
I wonder if they are trained profressionals.....well I can not let my guard down.
The group of women then went off somewhere else....that was well very intriguing and interesting to say the least.
"Hey what are you looking at?"
"Huh? ohhhh! Eri... so how did it...."
"Shhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!"
She put her hand on my hand in an instant as she then pulled some type of phantom thief mask from her bag and instantly put it on my face.
"What the heck is this for?!"
"Shut up and just call yourself The Phantom Thief!"
"Wow next you are going to tell me to pull out a persona..."
"Shut it! and... wait! what is a persona?"
The secretary named Shiori then approached us.
"So number 26 who is this kid now."
"He is my partner.....the.....Glamorous Phantom Thief"
"Ohhhh okay then I guess so how do you know this guy."
I watched them interact trying to keep a straight face because it is an interesting thing to have a girl call you a glamorous phantom thief and well it is funny to watch this interaction without laughing at her....I was afraid if I mess up our cover would be blown and I would be killed by Eri.
"Excuse me for a moment ms. Mai."
Eri then went up to my ear and whispered.
"Fujisaki~....you better play along or else....."
I could spot a hidden knife on her cloak actually I did not noticed her change to a uniform belonging to that organisation with a long skirt, black blouse with red outlines, and a cloak to hide their hair as well as a mask to hide her eyes but not her mouth just like my mask.
"Okay calm down now 26."
"Okay glad to be on the same page as you mr. phantom thief."
I could not see her expression because her hood was covering it but I could tell she was glaring at me with a scary and menacing expression.....so yeah she was smiling at me.....wow.
Part 3
Later after number 26 said her goodbyes and reassurance to ms. Mai we headed to somewhere private and safe where we could Talk.
"So tell me now Eri...I mean number 26 why are we in an internet cafe all of a sudden."
"Shut it and you can call me Eri here we can not be heard here Okay."
"Yeah okay then...Eri but why have you suddenly....Taken me here now."
"Because well I need to gather more clues okay."
Eri then reached into her bag and pulled out a tablet that looked to be one of those newer models....or rather it was a new model until last month.
She then opened it and place it on the table where the screen is visible to us.
On the tablet that was on was a girl looking to having a mix of dark purple hair and light pink on the tip of her bangs. She looked to be sitting on what looks to be a desk and is moving now. She looked stunning and well Satou would agree that she was cute and beautiful for an artifical intelligence.
"I supposed that I do not have to explain what she is to you Huh!?"
"No because of course it is obvious that she is one."
"Hello there agen.....agent 26! who is this masked man.....you there what are you planning to do to my precious sister."
The artifical intelligence began to angerily yell out and defend Eri despite her being stuck and limited to a single tablet.
"Misaki no it is not what it looks like okay this here is my partner.....the ummmm uhhhhh...."
"The phantom thief....yes I am the glamourous phantom thief doing here with my precious Eri..."
Eri looked on about to burst out in anger as the artificial intelligence has revealed her true identity.
Despite the phantom thief....no...Satou knowing the identity of Eri and agreeing to help her.....Eri had not yet clarified nor explained who he is so if he were not an ally to them then it looks as if this ai girl by the name of Misaki has revealed her name to me...in the ai girl's eyes....an enemy or a supposed stranger.
"Misaki!"
"Eh! umnmmm I am very sorry onee-sama."
"Hey do not call me that now."
"So ummm Eri do you have this interest in being a rich noble lady or something or have a protective sister treat you so special huh hmmmm."
Satou teased her to which Eri nearly pulled out a knife if not for Satou catching her intentions and grasp her wrist of the hand reaching for her knife.
"Hey now you idiot it was just a joke don't you go pulling a knife over this now!"
"Onee-sama! who is this guy! Did you find some cosplayer from an anime convention."
"The heck kind of insult and accusation is that!"
"Ugh! the both of you are so annoying! Grah!!!!!"
Eri yelled out to which they were kicked out by the building staff for being very noise and distrubing other customers.
Satou ended up having to bring Eri and Misaki to my room....good thing his mom and dad are working late for the night.
So yeah apprently he just brought a girl and an actual artificial intelligence in his room.
"Do not have any weird ideas Satou...."
"Oh shut up you!"
The both of them bickered even more
Misaki found their dynamic amusing and suddenly became an active observer of this weird sight....she grew to enjoy this and began to like this boy's sharp tongue and clever choice of words but he is still not fit to be with her onee-sama.
"Well there has been something bothering me lately."
"Huh what is it Satou?"
"Hmmm?"
Eri and Misaki looked at me cautious but curious.
"So is that your codename number 26 sounds kind of...."
"Sounds kind of what exactly?"
"Lazy or rather not so creative than what I expect you know, Eri."
"What you have complaints? Well shut it anyways yes that is our codenames after all..."
"Wait so you were not the one who picked it out?"
Eri then stopped to glare at me but I did not noticed Misaki however got digital chair to watch all this
"I mean so it is your organization who did it and not you wow I actually underestimated you you know I mean I figured you were the type to be all serious but I never thought....."
"Never thought what exactly....Sa....tou.....kun....!?"
I then noticed Eri looking at me smiling but she is not happy.
She looks just like those women who close their eyes and smile but instead of a sweet sight it was a sight that causes one to tremble.
I mean to be fair I did insult her yeah I just blurted out lazy and not so creative
She exuded a dark aura
"Hey Misaki do soemthing now I need some..."
"Yeah get him onee-sama show that idiot what he gets for insulting your greatness."
"Ohhhhh I will show you....you call me lazy and uncreative huh....I need to remind you who I am don't I maybe I was being too lenient or rather too kind to you!"
Well from the words she chose I guess she only saw this interaction and bond as a necessity and nothing more.
Well I was not seeing her as nothing but a friend....I was careless.....oh no she is coming closer ready to slap me....I was indeed hurt by her not a slap but a pinch.
The punishment she gave me was now that I had to pay for the hours they spent in the internet cafe for the past few days which sounds kind of small punishment but she has told me we were going to use this internet cafe for more than a week and of course I have a limited budget in my allowance.
Part 4
Despite the days going by with nothing interesting happening I had some doubts in my mind on whether we would actually to find the culprit of this.
Eri and Misaki however refuse to give up.
Looking at them interact with each other more often it feels like they are sisters....looks like they were however their actions make it feel like a master and servant relationship yet seperated by a screen.
I have spent so many times with them and in this mystery that I may have been neglecting my studies however I was able to push back up after Eri and Misaki tutoring me not out of goodness but of necessity as they can not have me fail my studies or get extra classes that might result in Eri being vulnerable to many dangers as ordered by Misaki.
Eri interjected but Misaki brought up some incidents that involved with something to do with her having to battle a group of rival assassins despite having a knife petruding in her back until she got back to her base.
To be fair there was nothing to note of as of today because of how Misaki ordering us stay indoors.
"Why do you want us to do this?"
"That is because onee-sama you need to remain safe!"
"We will be fine come on Satou back me up."
"Do not involve that outsider in our operation!"
"He is a good ally okay and I trust him with my life."
"Seriously?"
"You can not make us stay indoors!"
"I will tell your superiors of your mistake....you would not want those punishments they give to naughty girls who fail easy missions do you?!"
"Okay....."
What type of punishments are they talking about.....
The more I listen to them converse and bicker the more irritated I become that is because....
"In the first place why are you both in my house?"
"Technically one is in your house....onee-sama while I am merely an ai assisstant that is tagging along for the ride."
"Shut up tell me now."
"That is because you moronic inferior plebian....my onee-sama is someone that needs protection."
Eri then left to go to the bathroom with an annoyed look on her face but neither Misaki or I noticed.
"What the hell now? Moronic.....Inferior.....Plebian? Huh?!"
"What? you going to yell at me or cry your patheitc tears? or perhaps complain that I was correct or you getting effected by a girl whose intelligence is artificial compare to your homo sapien big brain of yours?"
"No just that moronic, inferior, and plebian are not what I expect your name calling insults were....so cliche of a robot diving into darwinism terms now."
I responded calmly because as she said who am I to be effected by a girl that is trapped in a screen and made by those same inferior people she call monkies.
I am just irritated of how slow we are in our progress to find the culprit of this.
"Hey ummmm Misaki do you have a vendetta against the human race or just me to be exact?"
"Huh?"
"What not expecting the question....sigh...I expect you to know what I am thinking based on those results and data you acquire on the psychology of the human mind."
"Yes! your pitiful and expected response is something is a possible answer you can get from my choice of words so let me make this short.....perhaps I do after all those creators of mine just want to use me."
"That is so cliche."
"So what it still hurts to have my purpose limited to be another tool that your humans can exploit for your own gains."
"It is true since the purpose of Misaki is to provide and gather available intel, scan evidences gain from pictures, and to calculate the amount of enemies coming at you."
Eri then having returned from the bathroom responded to that