Settled in?

[Deleted]

The way Eve had called her name it was as if her dad was in danger so before Hunter could get a chance to respond, Mitsuko had already started running up the stairs and straight into Jean’s office, in where she saw now a sick chief. He had pushed himself so much lately that it was only a matter of time before it caught up with him. Worried the angel went over to his side, and started to use her ability to at least stabilize him.

You know how you usually tell me not to over do it? Now I am telling you the same thing. You need a vacation dad. We can figure out who can run the place while you take a few days off. Your health is more important then anything right now, and because of the support system you managed to create here, we can all work together to handle tasks.”

“What do you think? Do you trust me to get everyone together then?”

[Deleted]

Jean put a hand on his forehead but when Mitsuko had started to use her ability to stablize him he could feel his stress and sick feeling settle down. He smiled at Mitsuko’s idea since people would work together to make sure each task gets done. He trusted her to put together a team of people that could do the tasks together—

Such as filing, taking calls, posting bulletins, and even interrogation. At the thought of someone handling the responsibility at handling interrogations Jean automatically thought of Zero.

Zero was good at getting the truth out of people as long as the proof matched the criminal’s story. If not then he would be able to find the holes in that story, besides the way he handled Duo’s case when Mitsuko and Zero were going head to head was interesting to watch. Jean chuckled a little bit at the thought.

“Miki do your dad a favor. Let Zero handle interrogations Haha he is good at it as you know. I’m sure he’ll be grinning ear to ear when he gets the offer as soon as he gets home hahaha! But keep an eye on him so he doesn’t lose his temper okay?”

[NPC: Female]

At Jean’s last sentence Eve put the chief to bed and she pulled Mitsuko aside to check on her and to talk with her. She felt very uneasy at how Mitsuko was taking on everyone else’s problem, and making it her own, as she tries to fix it just so they can be well.

Eve understood that since Mitsuko was an angel her values were never abandoning anyone in need, but the bounty hunter was worried that this would take a toll on the angel’s health since she would constantly worry about everyone else before herself. Mitsuko was the most selfless person you could ever meet but at the back of Eve’s mind she was just worried about the angel’s wellbeing.

“Miki… Look something is making me feel uneasy. LISTEN to me. Stop taking on everyone’s problems and trying to fix everything, I love your heart Miki but in life there are things that you can’t fix.

Sometimes the people that have the problem has to fix it themselves. I have seen how you get when you can’t help someone and you just breakdown completely.”

“This is why Zero gets upset with you sometimes Miki, I mean he hasn’t said it to your face but he does worry about you, if something happens to you then he won’t be able to go on with his life. You are the most precious person he has, and he worries that you take on too much at once. YOU don’t have to do everything alone. You can’t fix everyone Miki you know that. “

“You look so worried right now. You do realize you have your own stuff going on, and while it does touch me that you put others before yourself please start taking your health into consideration. Think about this? Would you take someone else’s problem and making it your own while you are pregnant? Sometimes you just have to say fuck it and move on.”

“You take on way too much Miki and I need you to start putting yourself first. When was the last time you took a time out and let someone else go to bat for you? When was the last time someone took your needs into consideration besides Zero and us? I don’t want people to start using you Miki. People can start using you once they can see that you will fix their problems for them. You are worth more then that.”

“No one is saying that you can’t help someone, of course you can but remember that to prioritize yourself and your wellbeing. I am also concerned that you may find yourself in a situation that you won’t be able to get yourself out of. Although we know that if you do fall Zero will soften it. Just please here what I am telling you.”

[Deleted]

”Eve while I understand where you are coming from, and your concerns, I know what I have to. Not just as an angel but as a person. People struggle everyday and I don’t ever want a person to feel like they are standing alone, I didn’t abandon Zero and anyone else that I have helped, and I don’t plan on abandoning people. I do know that there are things I can’t touch.”

“For example I do know that I am not allowed to meddle in someone else’s heart. If that person’s heart is leading them in a certain direction, then it’s not right for me to stand in their way. For Kyori I will not abandon her even when she learns to stand on her own two feet as a bounty hunter and walks her own path to her friend. I’ll stand by her and be a friend to her, despite our rough start earlier on when we first met.”

“People have different keys that help them lead in a certain direction that they want to go in their lives. It just so happens for Kyori her becoming a bounty hunter is the key she needs for her to find her friend. My personal key for my life is being with Zero always since we never leave each other. We are holding each other’s hand so tightly, as we go down our path together Eve. I understand that there are boundaries I cannot cross, but I will be there to stand by someone.”


“We angels know our boundaries, but at the same time we know not to leave a person abandoned. It’s not in our nature to do such a thing. .. Well for me anyway. It is not in my nature to leave someone alone, I can’t really speak for any other angel out there. Even if people are rude to me I still help them. I will be there for this new member of bounty hunting, and I can only hope she learns something about herself as she goes through this experience.”

“But just know she has made the decision all on her own, and I have to respect that, now excuse me Eve.”

With that the angel went back downstairs to make a few sandwiches for their new guest. While the angel was worried about what this new chapter will bring, she knows that everyone will support each other regardless. Jean had worked hard to create a solid support system, and on countless occasions it has helped keep the peace in even the toughest of situations. Everyone was family here and they will be treated as such.

[Hunter]

It's kind of nice to have a very goal-driven Zero nowadays. The kid is trying so hard to be independent, he's even taking Hunter's share of work. Zero assures him though that this is for Hunter taking Zero's work when he went off to celebrate Miki's birthday.

"Relaxing is GOOD~" Hunter flipped another page of the magazine he's reading, slacking on the couch downstairs. He's so tall that his legs are sticking out since he's laying down on the couch like that.

Miki appearing in his range of vision shocked him and Hunter immediately tried to stuff his magazine in the cracks of the couch to avoid Miki from seeing it, because it was by all means unholy for an angel to see.

Before he could even respond to her, Eve's voice could be heard calling out to the angel loudly and alarmingly. In a flash, Miki was gone climbing up the stairs, leaving Hunter confused and dumbfounded.

"Uh..." Hunter pulled himself up after a moment and went to the base of the stairs, "Is everything cool up there??" He called out to the people upstairs. Eve's shriek somehow sounded different than when she sees mice running around, it's more like something bad happened.

[Deleted]

When Hunter came upstairs after Mitsuko did, the angel felt that it would be better if she explain what just happened. If Eve explained it to the cowboy then Eve would be in her freak out mode, causing her words to be jittery and hard to follow. The angel gave Hunter the short version when she stepped in front of him.

“Well dad has just collapsed from stress and exhaustion and so I would like everyone here at HQ to work together systematically while he takes a few days off. Everyone has a role right; Eve’s role is to be on phone duty, I’ll be responsible for managing dad’s office and filing;”

“Zero has been requested by dad to handle any interrogation situations. We all saw how Zero handled Duo’s case so thoroughly so what better person to handle interviewing suspects then Zero? With his no nonsense approach he can handle this without difficulty. And you my dear Hunter… Is to introduce yourself to a girl named Kyori, she is a new member in training.”

”Dad and I had a run in with her earlier today, however we found out she is on a personal mission to find her friend and to do so she needs to become a bounty hunter. But in order for her to do that is for her to get trained during these next few weeks. Would you like to help out with that?”

"Also, dad and I would train her personally but because of what just happened to dad he needs rest.. and with me I’ll be in and out HQ because of my nursing job, and the wedding, and also moving a few boxes in the new living arrangement."

"I already started but as you can Zero’s section of his room is not even half empty yet. So this is another reason why I need to pull everyone together to do stuff in between as well. I’m going to go make an announcement and Kyori is in my room. Remember to smile~”

Realizing that this may be too much for Hunter to take in all at once she gave Hunter a comforting hug, but at the same time everyone has to be ready at a moment’s notice and now their chief needed a few days off because he was overworked to the bone. This will be a true test of how everyone supports each other, when they are one man short.

Mitsuko went downstairs and gathered the remaining bounty hunters in a circle and made her announcement.

“Excuse me everyone? Can I have a moment of your time?” ‘there are sounds of talking from some bounty hunters in the background’

“Shh! Please this is very important and don’t talk over each other. Thank you. Dad needs to take a few days rest because he is overworked, and it caught up with him that he collapsed. His body hasn’t been getting the sufficient rest it needs to function, because there have been so much going on here all at once… so I need you all to work together. “

“ I understand that with my wedding, and dad’s health everything will be hectic but please continue on to exhibit your support and kindness okay? Dad only needs a few days, but knowing him he’ll be checking on everyone anyway, he just won’t be allowed to work until he has recovered properly, and regains his energy.”

[NPC: Male]

“Miki, we will do anything for you, how can we say no? We’ll give it our all and just because you are no longer a bounty hunter yourself, doesn’t mean you aren’t one of us. I mean c’mon! You are marrying Zero in a few weeks, and that means you are marrying into our family too in a way haha! There is no escaping us.”

“So I take it you will need us to do the missions that come in while, the rest of you handle things inside HQ itself? So I guess we’ll have to rotate our shifts then as well and be as flexible as possible. It might be hard, but don’t you worry we have got your back. But Jean will be watching over us, heck even when he gets a cold he still checks up on us.”

The bounty hunter, in his early twenties patted Miki on the shoulder and smiled.

“Don’t worry we will pull our weight, just don’t push yourself you hear? Or else Zero will hunt us down with a baseball bat in our dreams… though I have to say that he has changed… He is much more independent, and doesn’t grumble as much, and he is even much more responsible. Now don’t worry about anything. We have got this. You handle the filing stuff while we handle the missions.”

“I think you should create a list of who is responsible for what. So then that way we don’t forget. And by the way is the new girl cute? Since you rejected my dates I feel like I should get to know her.

He sighed, knowing fully well Miki was now taken.[/color]

[Kyori]

Kyori had a lopsided smile as Mitsuko explained who Zero was. As she went on, Kyori started looking down as a thought of her own missing friend flit across her mind. Her half smile fell at thoughts of him. She looked back up as Mitsuko talked about Hunter being funny and she smiled slightly again as Mitsuko laughed. "Sounds like you have a good friendship with them..." Kyori said a bit quietly, not seeming completely present in the moment as memories flit through her mind as well that she wasn't prepared to share.

After she began to feel anxious and nauseous over the list of bounty hunting equipment and the realization again of what she signed up for, Mitsuko seemed to offer a comforting hand on her shoulder. Kyori wasn't really used to people she barely knew trying to comfort her, but she was feeling too nauseous to brush her aside.

Mitsuko instructed Kyori to try to relax before leaving the room. After a moment of trying to calm herself with deep breaths, Kyori glanced up at the bedroom door. "Seriously?" She uttered quietly, no one near enough to the room anymore to hear her. "You should be the one trying to relax." Kyori thought of how much pain Mitsuko seemed to be in when they first arrived only for her to suddenly start moving around a lot after barely laying down for more than a minute, it seemed.

Kyori had never met anyone so completely unconcerned for their own well-being compared to that of others. The people she grew up with tended to be mostly selfish, as most people seemed to be. The idea that Mitsuko would risk further injury just to do basic things for her that she could easily just do herself concerned her. She didn't want to feel responsible for someone injuring themselves because of her.

As Kyori's nausea slowly dissipated a bit and her breathing steadied, she slowly laid down on her new bed. It was surprisingly comfortable, though most things would be compared to the sad excuses for beds Kyori's known most of her life. She lifted the new cellphone above her to look at it and stuck the sticky note with Mitsuko's number on the back, not really sure yet what to do with it and feeling too overwhelmed at the moment to bother figuring out how it worked yet.

Kyori lowered her arm again and just laid there on her bed, thinking. Even after hearing someone scream and a small commotion, Kyori figured it was someone else's problem and tried to just ignore it. She wasn't really official yet anyway and barely even knew the people who brought her here.

She questioned her decision to come back as a bounty hunter, scared of where such a path might lead. She was terrified her previously family might encounter her in this role and judge her harshly for joining their self-proclaimed enemies. She thought of Remi. She wondered how she might be able to find him in this vast and dangerous city. She didn't fall asleep. She was too anxious to fall asleep. She simply waited, laying there while troubling thoughts swirled in her mind.