Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

In her many years of service to the city of New Eridu, and as a member of Hollow Special Operations, Chief Hoshimi Miyabi had slain many evils.

Countless Ethereals had met their end at the edge of her blade. Multiple Hollow Raider gangs had been crushed through the efforts of her and her companions. Hundreds of rebels and mercenaries had been broken by her, with none able to withstand the heat of her foxfire. Tailless had been the last sight of many of the villains of New Eridu, brought low in a single swing.

And yet, for all of her skills and experience, there remained one foe that could not be eliminated. No matter how hard she trained, or how many enemies she killed, this threat would not go away. Miyabi had even tried running, despite the shame it brought, but it was no use. It would always catch up in the end.

"-excellent results over the past month. Once again, I would like to thank Section 6 for their incredible efforts in the field, as well as their willingness to support other units-"

She could never escape the meetings.

If she were to be fair, such meetings were an important part of the regular operations of Section 6. They allowed the group to determine the effectiveness of past operations, coordinate more effectively with their sister units in HAND, and identify potential changes to doctrine and tactics that could be utilized in upcoming missions.

They were also incredibly tedious. And very long.

Normally, Miyabi would have preferred to practice with her blade during these periods. The hours spent sitting in a meeting room and staring at a powerpoint could have been better utilized by sparring with other blademasters in Hollow Special Operations, or ensuring that Tailless remained in usable condition.

Unfortunately, Miyabi was not able to duck out of today's meeting ahead of time. Deputy Chief Yanagi was especially vigilant today, blocking off all possible escape routes from the office. Even Harumasa's excuses hadn't been enough to sway her this time, and although they put up a valiant effort, they were ultimately defeated. They would need to train harder in order to avoid the next meeting.

"-scouts have also noted slightly increased numbers of Ethereals in the Samos Hollow, although their behavior thus far has remained consistent with prior encounters-"

Idly, Miyabi glanced around the meeting room table. Yanagi was paying strict attention to the guest speaker, briskly taking notes of everything that was mentioned. Soukaku sat right next to her, alternating between looking at Yanagi's notes and eating from a pile of snacks she'd brought in. Harumasa sat on the other side of Yanagi, leaning back in his chair and looking at the ceiling.

Miyabi looked closer. No, it appeared that he had simply fallen asleep with his eyes open. Such an advanced technique. Perhaps he would be willing to teach her how to do that after the event.

The other figures present at the meeting weren't familiar to her. Miyabi only vaguely remembered the current speaker as being the Deputy Chief of Section 2, although his name eluded her. As for the rest, she couldn't recall anything about them. Hopefully Yanagi had written down who had attended. It would be awkward if they tried to talk to her later and she couldn't remember their names.

"-further resources have been allocated for increased study and reconnaissance of the Pursenas Hollow. Operations are planned for two months from now-"

Miyabi's eyes darted to a clock on one of the walls. Only ten minutes had passed so far. It was supposed to be a two hour meeting.

Perhaps this was meant to be some new form of training. A way for HSO members to build up an endurance against psychological torture, possibly. If so, whoever had organized the meeting had done an excellent job.

With lightning speed and precision, Yanagi poked Harumasa in the side. The young archer sat back up with a startled cry, only to fall silent when several other people turned towards him. With a rueful chuckle, Harumasa waved them off, doing everything in his power to avoid looking at the nearby screen.

His eyes briefly met Miyabi's. A wordless exchange passed between them, of mutual suffering, anguish, and boredom. Harumasa's smile faded away as he continued to stare. Miyabi acknowledged him with a small nod. No words needed to be spoken.

It was good to have someone who could understand your suffering in times like this.

"-recruitment is slightly below our projections for the quota, although not significantly. Public Relations has plans for further visits and advertisements to boost our hiring rates, so please contact them with any suggestions or ideas you have-"

Someone knocked at the door. Immediately, everyone within the room turned to look at the intruder. A young intern walked through the entrance, sweating nervously and trying to avoid everyone's looks. "Uh, sorry for intruding. I've got an urgent message for Chief Miyabi? Her eyes only, apparently."

Miyabi immediately stood up, ignoring the betrayed glare from Harumasa and the exasperated look from Yanagi. They couldn't blame her for escaping this time. "Very well. I can take that message now."

"Ah, uh, sure. Let's just, uh," the intern muttered. She quickly turned and walked back out from the room, fleeing from all the stares. Miyabi calmly followed her, closing the door behind her as she left.

As soon as they were alone, the intern wordlessly passed Miyabi a sealed letter before darting away. She briefly glanced over the envelope, but besides having her name and rank listed on the front, there was nothing to hint at the contents. After one last check of her surroundings, she opened the envelope.

To the esteemed swordmaster of the Hoshimi Family,

It has been too long since we last clashed. I shall be waiting for you at the gates of Hollow Zero, at the spot of our last confrontation. We shall see if your mastery of the blade is still sufficient.

J. A.

…

Well. This was unexpected, but not unwelcome. It had been some time since the last visit, she supposed.

Without a word, Miyabi gathered up her equipment and made her way towards the exit. It wouldn't do to keep them waiting.

The perimeter around Hollow Zero was one of, if not the, most heavily fortified positions in the world.

Tens of thousands of military personnel stood guard nearby, supported by divisions of mechs, aircraft, and armored fighting vehicles. Dozens of outposts and forward operating bases filled the landscape, each one bristling with weapons and cameras. Patrols were constantly moving between camps, on the hunt for Hollow Raiders and others who would dare try to enter the ruins of the old capital.

And yet, for all of the resources and attention the military gave towards Hollow Zero, there remained gaps in the defenses. Blind spots existed, and while many of these were eventually found, others would always open up. There were never quite enough men to keep the region secure, despite the military's best efforts.

In one of these desolate spots, surrounded by miles of empty desert, stood a lone figure. The man looked out of place in the bright, dusty environment, wearing a black car coat, dress clothes, and dark sunglasses. Despite this, the man seemed completely at ease, staring at the nearby Hollow with idle curiosity.

As Miyabi approached, the man's attention shifted towards her. The air around the two of them seemed to chill as they observed each other. For a moment, all was calm.

"Hoshimi Miyabi. It's been some time since we last met."

Miyabi nodded. "Yes." It had been a few months since their last challenge. Longer than usual. No doubt they had prepared well during that time.

"...still as talkative as ever, I see. Then again, we won't be doing much of that today," the man replied. "You've defeated my clan again and again, humiliating us for all the world to see. It has been some time since we have faced such a persistent rival."

As he spoke, the man turned around. His arms moved from his sides: one held a sleek, beautiful katana, engraved with symbols from a rival clan, while the other held a futuristic pistol. Miyabi knew that he would have other weapons, both on his person and hidden nearby. In every fight, he always pulled out some new trick.

It was never enough, in the end. Still, it always provided an excellent challenge. Much more exciting than another weekly planning meeting.

"But this game ends today. Our clan has spent months preparing for this match. No expense too great, and no training too difficult. This time, you will not walk away from this fight," he growled. "Even the dragon fell, in the end, and you will be no different."

Miyabi didn't respond. Her hand drifted to the hilt of Tailless. Already, she could feel the excitement and anticipation radiating from the sword, all but begging her to launch into the fight early. She was tempted to agree, but it would be rude to interrupt the speech.

"Once and for all, the Amon Clan will prove itself to have the mightiest warriors in all of New Eridu! Greater than the dragon, greater than the Void Hunters, and greater than you!"

With that declaration, the man settled into a fighting stance, readying his weapons. Miyabi responded in kind, freeing Tailless from its sheath. Her blade burned with foxfire, lighting the arena in an ethereal blue glow.

"Prepare yourself, Hoshimi Miyabi! This ends now!" The man screamed. His weapons shifted to face her, and he sprang forwards, murderous intent clear in his eyes.

Chapter Text

Despite what its somewhat run-down appearance would imply, Port Elpis was a fairly busy coastal landmark in New Eridu.

At all times of day, dozens of people could be seen in the area, visiting the lighthouse, enjoying the local cuisine, fishing off of the docks, and sailing around the coastline. While it would never match the popularity of tourist traps like Reverb Arena or Lumina Square, the area was well-regarded as a place where one could enjoy the fresh ocean breeze and ignore the drudgery of city life. It was no wonder that fishermen, sailors, and visitors from the city loved visiting the isolated peninsula.

Unfortunately, the isolation of Port Elpis, as well as its close proximity to a nearby Hollow, also made it a popular spot for many local gangs. Smuggling rings frequently used the area as a pit stop for ships moving between the city's river and the more distant coastal communities. While it never reached the point where the city considered shutting it down, PubSec was aware enough of the situation to keep the port under relatively heavy observation.

As such, when the call came out of yet another major incident happening over by Port Elpis, Zhu Yuan and Qingyi were ready to respond. Between all the chaos of the recent fishing competition, the false orphanage that had been operating in the area, and the complaints regarding fishing in restricted areas, they were both well acquainted with the area.

Of course, when dispatch had mentioned that the call involved a literal antique sailing ship docking in the port, Zhu Yuan had thought that they were mistaken. It happened on occasion. Sometimes civilians weren't calm enough to provide clear information over the phone. Nothing that couldn't be handled once officers arrived on the scene.

It wasn't until their car had nearly reached Port Elpis, and Zhu Yuan had spotted the massive sails at the end of the peninsula, that she realized this would probably be a more difficult call than she had been anticipating.

"...you wouldn't happen to have records of who this ship belongs to, would you, Qingyi?" Zhu Yuan asked, glancing at her partner. Maybe this was just some eccentric TOPS manager on their personal ship. A bit troublesome, but probably nothing they couldn't handle.

After a moment of thought, the android shook her head, frowning slightly. "The port authority does have records of a few ships with a similar design authorized for open waters, but none with such...distinct sails."

Admittedly, Zhu Yuan wasn't necessarily the best choice when it came to fashion or style. She was in uniform more often than not, so it was rarely a concern for her. And yet, even then, the snakeskin pattern on the sails was just…why?

Her confusion only grew as the ship grew closer, revealing more strange details. The top deck appeared to be bristling with cannons; not modern models from the military, thankfully, but antiquated ones straight out of the history books. The machine guns on the bow were more concerning, but even then, they were models so old that even Hollow Raiders would think twice before using them.

As for the paint job of the ship…well, the plain white paint over most of the ship was reasonable, but…why pink highlights with red hearts? Why?

By the time their squad car had reached the lighthouse, Zhu Yuan wasn't sure what to expect. Thankfully, the civilians nearby didn't look worried at the situation, and there wasn't any sign of violence. Indeed, most of the people nearby looked excited at the ship, snapping selfies with the ship in the background.

Despite that, as soon as she left the squad car, it was easy to pick up the sounds of shouting from the docks. Sharing a confused look with Qingyi, the two made their way to the pier, taking care not to rush too quickly. The last thing they needed to do was cause a panic.

"I'm telling you, you can't dock here! You're blocking off half the port with this big tub!"

"It'll only be for a little while! C'mon, pal, we just need a spot to patch up the hull! It'll be a few hours, tops!"

"And where the hell is everyone else supposed to dock while you're here? They're the ones paying me docking fees, not you!"

It was easy enough to follow the shouting to its source, right at the edge of the docks. Zhu Yuan was also quick to recognize one of the parties involved in the argument, thanks to their distinctive Port Elpis work overalls, clearly one of the local workers. The other figure, on the other hand…

Well, they were as bizarre as the ship they stood in front of. The dark leather pants and jacket, the tricorn hat with purple accents, the pair of swords strapped to their belt, and the eyepatch with some sort of silver decoration on top were all bad enough. The very distinct yakuza tattoos poking out from underneath the jacket were much, much more problematic. Just the sight of those alone were enough for her hand to drift to the grip of her pistol.

Was this some sort of Omi Alliance operation? No, it couldn't be. Zhu Yuan was all too aware of how the various yakuza groups in the city tried to control their public image, offering assistance during and after Hollow disasters while keeping the less socially acceptable parts of their operations in the shadows. Sailing a gaudy ship like this into the middle of a popular tourist destination didn't match their style of public relations.

Zhu Yuan was tempted, oh so tempted, to read the yakuza his rights right there. The various yakuza families had been a plague on society even back in the old capital, and nobody truly knew the extent of the damage they had caused. Unfortunately, the strange yakuza didn't appear to be belligerent, and she needed clear evidence of a crime before she could act. As nice as it would be to treat this situation as such, she would need to figure out exactly what the problem was first.

Stepping forward, Zhu Yuan addressed the two men, raising her voice. "Excuse me? We're with Public Security. Someone called regarding a disturbance here?"

The dock worker spun around, face shifting in clear relief. "Finally, someone who can deal with this mess! Look, these guys just sailed in and took up this dock space without letting anyone know in advance? They're blocking the berths of a third of the ships here, but they refuse to leave!"

In response, the strange yakuza scowled, gesturing towards the ship. "We would if we could, but like I said, we've got to patch up the hull! If we go out to sea again without pluggin' her up, we're gonna sink!"

Now that Zhu Yuan was closer, she did notice the ship was in worse shape than she'd originally thought. Massive holes had been blasted into some portions of the ship's structure, and a few areas looked like they'd caught on fire and been partially burned. It was hard to say how serious the damage actually was, but it did appear to be serious enough to warrant docking.

"Besides, I told ya we'll pay! It's not like we're takin' over this spot for good," the strange yakuza continued, planting his hands on his hips. For anyone else, that would've just been a common sign of frustration. Zhu Yuan couldn't help but notice that such a stance also coincidentally put the yakuza's swords in easy reach.

It was only thanks to years of familiarity that Zhu Yuan noticed Qingyi's change in posture. The android shifted slightly, just enough to grant her easier access to her staff. Despite that, Qingyi's expression didn't shift in the slightest, staring at the yakuza with detached interest.

As cathartic as a fight would be, that level of escalation would put too many civilians at risk, especially with how much firepower was present on the ship. With a sigh, Zhu Yuan removed her hand from her gun, crossing her arms. "Perhaps we should all just calm down. If you could provide us with an explanation of what this ship is and how it got in this state, we might be able to work something out. Is that acceptable, mister…"

The strange yakuza grinned. "Majima Goro, Captain of the Goromaru, at yer service!"

Zhu Yuan thought for a moment. That name sounded familiar to her, and for the wrong reasons. But where had she heard of it before? She would have recognized it if the case had been recent-

…oh. Oh, no.

Zhu Yuan glanced towards her partner. The android's stance hadn't relaxed at all, but the slight nod Qingyi offered in return made it clear she was just as aware of how bad the situation was as her.

With a deep, weary sigh, Zhu Yuan removed her notepad from her pocket. Hopefully the precinct would be able to send more cars to assist; if this was anything like the other case files involving this man's name, they were going to need all the help they could get to resolve it.