Preface: This is not meant to be one continuous story, but a collection of various events from Chika's life, as well as events related to her. Peep the dates before each post to know when/where things happen and how they relate to previous posts
April 3, 826 A.S.
Ringing pierced the quiet bedroom. A few moments passed before the sleeping person stirred, groaning as the phone kept ringing. She begrudgingly picked up the phone, still in a daze. “Moshi mosh” she slurred out. “Chika, are you up? Listen-” The caller hastily began before being cut off. “Ryo? What’s going on? I’m trying to sleep” “Panic’s gone hot.” Chika’s stomach dropped. “What? What did you guys do?” “Well I didn’t do anything, but we have to go. Rikka and I are going back to Delta right now. The Panic is at Shasta, it’s your problem now.” Chika started to get heated “Shasta? My problem? What the hell happened? You can’t just throw your problem on me!” The man on the other end sighed. “Listen, you’ll find out when you get to the ship. It’s just not exactly neutral anymore. Just, like, stick to your people and it’ll be fine. Gotta go.” The man hangs up. “Ugh. Bakayarou.” Chika grumbles to herself, tossing her phone onto her bed before flopping back down.
June 16, 826 A.S. Dark side of New Tokyo
On a back street in a small town on New Tokyo a man was locking up. A jewelry store that had gained minor fame for the skill of the craftsman. Nakamura Tadashi, a man at 53 years old, still in the prime of his life sporting long somewhat unkempt hair and a bit of a gut. After making sure the storefront, adorned with many gold and jewel encrusted pieces, was cleaned and properly secured, he exited through the front door. Above the door read "為替". Kawase, the name of his mentor. Just as the locked the door, a blood curdling scream filled the air. Nakamura jumped at the sound, looking around to find its source. A nearby alley, a woman screaming "Tasukete!" over and over. Nakamura ran for the alley. He had never been in a fight before, had no weapons, and was one of the least intimidating men you could meet. But he was still determined to help whoever was making such a noise. Entering the alley he saw nothing. The source of the screaming stopped. He stood there confused, not knowing what happened. "Is this a joke?" he muttered to himself. "Sumimasen" a man's voice sounded behind him. Nakamura turned, catching a glimpse of a Kusarian male before being hit in the stomach with a stun stick. He fell to the ground on the brink of consciousness. The sound of a ship landing on the nearby street, another person running up to the pair, he could hear but not process. The two people picked up Nakamura as he passed out, dragging him to the blacked out Camara before speeding off into the night.
June 16, 826 A.S. Somewhere on New Tokyo
A fishing boat bobbed on the ocean of New Tokyo. A remote part of the planet, not a continent in sight. Total seclusion, exactly what they needed. Nakamura was asleep in a small bedroom. Dingy, whoever was behind this spared a lot of expenses. A woman was speaking in the corner. As Nakamura came to, all he heard was "water". He was still dazed, not able to sit up or register what was happening yet. The woman, a thin Kusarian with black bobbed, almost shoulder length hair, walked up to him. "Oi, kimi, okiru." she barked at him. He groaned in response. "Okiru!" she shouted, poking him in the face. Nakamura fully came to. "eh...Eh??" He yelled, bolting up almost headbutting the woman. "W-who are you?" he stammered. He didn't recognize who this was. A competitor? Disgruntled customer? Thief? Why would someone abduct him? She smiled back. "Finally. Nakamura-san is it?" "H-hai" he responded. "Weell, don't worry about me, but I have a job for you." "A job? You...kidnapped me for a job?" "Haai, we're not really the customers that can be seen around town. So just do this for us and we'll send you on your way perfectly fine, ne?" It was then Nakamura noticed the woman wearing a breather. Is that a cardamine breather? He's never seen one before, only heard rumors. The only people he knew that used cardamine were Outcasts and Chrysanthemums. She could see that he was trying to figure things out, thinking of a way out? Trying to figure out who she is? Either way, nothing could happen until her employer showed up. "Well you probably have a lot to think about. Want the job, don't want the job, either way you have a job to do, so rest up." She stood, walking for the door. "And remember Nakamura-san, don't try anything." She winked at him before leaving the room, heavy locks could be heard as the door closed.
June 16, 826 A.S. at an unknown harbor.
A guard was smoking a cigarrete, while starting at the shallow waves bumping the patrol boat. He was stationed there to keep watch for suspicious activites around harbor, but so far nothing of interest happened during this evening. Suddenly a lone woman came into view when she stepped under a lamp post.
The guard looked at her but thought nothing of it, but he grew suspicious of her when she kept starting at him with a malicious smile. He left the promixity of the boat to ask if she was lost.
"Konbanwa. nan desu ka?"
She did not reply and just kept staring at him while he came closer.
"Are you lost?"
when he was only a few steps away from her she raised her arm. He saw too late that it was a gun and was shot through the head.
"Not lost... We just need that boat" she muttered to herself when she walked past his body.
June 16, 826 A.S. at an unknown location.
At the location of the GPS signal a fishing boat came into view. on the deck of the captured patrol boat, 2 faint trails of blood lead to the siderail where the bodies were thrown overboard. Misaki stood on the bow of the ship and spotted a woman with black bobbed hair. When she came close she yelled at her with a sake bottle in her hand.
"Why did you have to pick such a watery place? It makes me all wobbly on my legs."
She jumped from the patrol boat onto the fishing boat without hessitation and it took a few seconds before she regained her balance. She raised the sake bottle in the air.
"At least they had this on board."
Misaki looked around on the fishing boat. "No trap I think. I will call the boss."
June 16, 826 A.S. Somewhere on New Tokyo
As soon as she heard the voice Chika's heart sank. "Jesus christ why did it have to be her." She walked down to meet Misaki, swiping the bottle from her hands. "No drinking. This is my job and I won't let you ruin it." Her eyes drifted to the trails of blood. "And if you kill anyone on this boat I'll throw you into the water, they're my people." She left Misaki, calling out to someone. "Ryo!" A man popped his head out of the top level of the boat, the same man who helped grab Nakamura. Chika held up the bottle. "Come get this, don't let anyone get it." The man ran down and grabbed the bottle. Chika whispered in his ear "And don't fall for any of her tricks. I mean she's not the brighest but I'm sure she'll try something." He nodded before retreating back to the bridge. "Misaki" She turned back to her. "Call Kiri-sama, I don't want to be on this heap any longer than I have to be."
June 16, 826 A.S. at an unknown location.
Misaki ignored Chika's words and only looked at the sake bottle. "Hey that was mine." She made a pouting face and shrugged. She then looked at Ryo. "Hey handsome! Why did they hide you up there? You are surely a better sight than Grumpy over there. Can I have my bottle back or will I have to break your neck first?"
June 16, 826 A.S. Somewhere on New Tokyo
The man stopped before opening the door to the bridge, turning back to look at Misaki. He smiled before giving a small bow. "Hajimemashite, my name is Saitou Ryouichi, and this sake belongs to me now." He started to step back into the bridge still bowed. "And I hope you ladies have a nice night."
Chika glared at Misaki. "No drinking, and I'm sure that Ryo can more than take you in a fight. Now call for Kiri-sama so we can get started, or I'll call her myself." She ended her sentence with some force hoping that Misaki would get the message. "We are on limited time and can't afford your childishness."
June 16, 826 A.S. at an unknown location.
"I hope he chokes on it and dies. I put poison in it." She walked to the edge of the fishing boat and yelled to the patrol boat. "This rat stole my sake bottle. Lets burn the ship down and go home!"
Two armed sisters came out of the cabin and behind them followed their leader. She was a woman with flowing black hair, wearing a military uniform. On her face she had a plain metal mask that covered the lower part of her face.
"Be quiet Misaki and just get another one. Is the ship clear?" "Just her and some guy, didn't check the rest of the ship, but seems secure enough." The matriarch gestured Misaki, who went back to the patrol boat and vanished below deck. The matriarch stepped onto the deck of the fishing boat.
"I hope you enjoyed her presence. I am Kiri, the General and Matriarch of the Golden Chrysanthemums."
June 16, 826 A.S. Somewhere on New Tokyo
Chika entered a deep bow as Kiri stepped onto the boat. "Hajimemashite, Kiri-sama. I'm happy to have this opportunity to finally meet you in person." She stayed bowed for a few more seconds before rising. "I apologise for our bluntness with Misaki-san. Although I trust her abilities, I did not want to take any unnecessary risks." She pauses. "The boat has been fully cleared before we set out. There are three others. Saitou Ryouichi, Yamakawa Rikka, and our friend Nakamura-san. Saitou-san and Yamakawa-san are associates of mine, both previously affiliated with the Liberty Rogues and Lane Hackers, I would trust them with my life. Nakamura-san is locked in a bedroom at this moment." She steps to the side, gesturing for them to move on. "I have an appropriate setup for him to work along with the supplies. I hope everything he needs is accounted for. I can show you to his room if you like"