074 - Old Friendships

[JasonPaul]

What did I do to deserve this?

Didn't Blue think that to herself once before, not too long ago?

Currently she was in the stockroom of the Big Boy restaurant tied to a chair after picking a fight with none other than Miwan Kusanagi. Her sister was to her right, in exactly the same predicament, except that she was still unconscious from the combination of the Mesian priestess' mace to the back of her head and Khali Ventrue's gravity altering spell. Blue thought about waking her up (or trying to), but considering that she had helped put her in this situation in the first place, she thought better of it.

It didn't take long for Miwan to return from wherever it was that she went, with Khali in tow. The Mesian priestess came in a few seconds later and handed a glass of water to Miwan.

"Thanks Yue," Miwan said to the priestess who only smiled in response. She threw the contents of the glass at Red, who very quickly woke up with a startled shout.

"What happened?" Red asked as she attempted to shake the cobwebs out of her head.

"You wanted to see what was going on," Blue said to her sister bitterly. "Here's another nice mess you've got us into."

Red ignored her sister's words as she noticed she had difficulty seeing. "Where are my glasses?" she asked when she noticed they weren't on her face. She was answered by the sound of Khali snapping them in two in her hand. "Oh, that didn't sound good," Red said to herself.

"Now, let's talk," Miwan said with a smile as she folded her arms. "For starters, who are you?" When the two responded with "Blue" and "Red", Miwan asked, "your real names."

"Those are our real names," Blue said in much the same tone of voice she used when she chastised her sister only a few seconds ago.

"Those aren't Kendou names," Miwan replied in a somewhat mocking tone. "You are Kendou, aren't you?"

"Yes!" Red shouted.

"Really?" Miwan asked.

Blue bit her lip as her eyes trailed away from Miwan as she quietly replied, "No..."

"Of which tribe are you?" the Mesian priestess asked.

The older sister hesitated before speaking again. "We're...we're not of any tribe."

"We were born in what used to be Canada," Red added. Quickly, she said, "but our mother was a Kendou. That's why we wear the crests and all."

MIwan nodded. It all made sense now. "Then that would make her an exile," she said. Until the recent incident involving Dr. Righteous and the internment of a number of felinefolk tribes, Kendou and Mesia among them, Kendou were not allowed to leave the island. Of course, this made Miwan an outcast as well, as she'd left the island long ago, but since her birth brought disgrace to her mother, she was an outcast from day one anyway. "What I said before was true, you know. If a true Kendou saw the two of you they'd tear you apart."

"Well, how many Kendou have you met outside of Kendou Island?" Blue retorted.

Miwan's ears tilted back a bit as she nodded her head. "Good point. But enough about that. Why are you here?"

"What do you mean?" Red asked.

"You two were carrying enough weapons to outfit a small army," the Kendou champion replied. "Where were you going with all of that?"

"We don't have to discuss our mission to you," Red replied.

"Your mission?" the priestess asked. "Are you mercenaries or something?"

Red nodded. "It's what we do. We're Red and Blue."

"I thought we agreed 'Blue and Red'," Blue interjected.

"But 'Blue and Red' doesn't rhyme," Red countered. "And besides, it doesn't roll off the tongue like 'Red and Blue' does."

"Enough!" Khali, who had been quiet all this time, quickly broke up the twins' bickering. She glared at them and spoke in an icy tone. "I think it's fairly obvious where they were going. One Nation sent them to kill Reynolds."

Red's eyes widened at this. "That's not true!"

Miwan thought about it for a second. "There were reports of a couple of crazed catwomen on motorcycles heading eastbound down I-71. If you keep going that way you'll reach Columbus." She leaned in to look Blue eye to eye and asked, "Now what business could the two of you have at the nation's capital?"

Blue said nothing. She only returned Miwan's smug gaze with a cold one of her own. Red looked at Blue with worry, then glanced up at Khali, who seemed ready to explode on the two sisters at any given moment.

The silence was suddenly broken up by Phil Collins' voice singing "Coming In The Air Tonight". The song was coming from Blue's phone, which was still hanging from her belt.

"Are you going to get that?" Miwan asked. "Or should I? You seem to be tied up at the moment." Khali winced at the horrible pun as Miwan grabbed the phone and noted the caller ID before answering.

"Where the hell are you two?" Michael Wight demanded over the phone. "You were supposed to be here five hours ago. We've already left Columbus for the Ohio border!"

"I'm sorry," Miwan replied. "Your kitties were held up. Damn that Cincinnati traffic."

Wight paused once he realized it wasn't Blue or Red that he was talking to. "Who are you?" he asked in a much more reserved tone.

"Better question," Miwan answered. "Who are you?"

"What have you done to Blue and Red?" Wight asked.

"Oh they're fine, but I can't say they'll be fine for too long. My friend here has a short fuse and hasn't blown anyone up for weeks."

Wight was silent for a few seconds as he tried to think of the best way to handle the situation. "What do you want?" Wight asked.

"I want to know why you sent these two to Columbus," Miwan replied. "Because it sure looks like you sent them on an assassination mission."

"No!" Wight shouted. "We're trying to end this war! Who are you anyway? Are you working for Ohio?"

"No," Miwan replied, "but I'm no friend of One Nation, I'll say that much. And you still haven't given me your name."

"Michael Wight. UPCA Secretary of State."

"Miwan Kusanagi." After a few seconds passed Miwan noticed that Wight wasn't saying anything. "I'm sorry, are you there? I didn't lose you, did I?"

The truth is, Wight was speechless. "Miwan?" he finally asked. "Is...is Akira there with you?"

"I wish," Miwan replied. "Why do you want to know anyway?"

"I'm an old friend of your husband," Wight answered. "I've been trying to locate him for the past six months. Listen, can you get to the Ohio border at Harrison? As quickly as you can?"

This time it was Miwan who was speechless, although it was out of skepticism rather than shock. The name Wight did sound a bit familiar to her, although she couldn't be bothered to remember every single one of Akira's old war buddies. Worse, it was entirely possible that he could have been lying. "Why?" she cautiously asked.

"You're looking for Akira, aren't you?" Wight asked. "I have information that might help you find him."

Miwan certainly didn't trust Wight, nor did she actually believe that he had any such information. It was entirely possible that it could have been a trap. However, Miwan had found no leads ever since she found Akira's crucifix necklace in Alaska, and Khali had been unable to locate him through magic. Perhaps this man held the key.

Assuming he wasn't lying of course. And if he was, Miwan would see to it that he paid dearly.

"We'll be right there."