Slayers: Deadly Reunion -- Part Three!

And now, Part Three of "Deadly Reunion"! In this part I proudly introduce to you two characters I imagined who hold damned important roles. A long time ago I brought you my 'interview' with the impish bounty hunter extraordinaire Haigo Footsie, and she talked a lot about her life and how she came to be the girl she is today. You'll no doubt remember she also made special mention of her parents...

...and you're going to meet her Pops and Mama in this part! While you won't see much of Haigo's dad -- think of him in the same way you would Tim the Toolman's sagely neighbor from the classic TV show "Home Improvement" -- the imp's mom had to be a different story. The art above previewing this part will SHOW you the amazing lady you'll know as Mama Footsie, and she began as a unique meshmod from the one and only , and then she was built upon even further by the madman who originated Slayers himself, !

In other words, Mama is here all because of the two of them!

---

Mamoru Tsukino was on the move, driving down a busy street in Kanagawa, when he got the call. He took a moment to pull his rental car over and park it next to a curb; it was against the law to talk on one's mobile device while driving. (Yeah, they had to pass that kind of law because there were so many idiots out there.) Laws or no, Mamoru would have done so anyway.

The bladesmith saw who was calling and smiled...damn, that girl Misa Asagi could bring sunshine to a thunderstorm, he thought! He answered: "Konichiwa, Misa-san. It's been too long...!" Misa interrupted him, and what she had to tell the father of Rika Tsukino made him stiffen in his seat as he felt like someone punched a hole in his heart. He asked urgently, "Where did this happen?? What can I do?!"

Misa answered softly, "It happened at Rika's apartment building and I...I-I don't know if there's anything you can do right now, Mamoru-san. I really needed to call you to let you know, and..." A very awkward pause. "I-I know you'd want to tell Rika's mom...!"

Mamoru managed, "I was on my way to see Taya, as a matter of fact. Oh, gods. I have no idea how she's going to take this, but she needs to know."

Misa urged, "Go to her, sir. Taya-san will need you. I swear on my honor me and Kyoko are going to do everything we can to help Rika. The moment we know more, we will call you!"

Mamoru said thickly, "Thank you, Misa-san. I...I know I can trust in you and your sister. Please call me the second you know anything else. I...I-I've got to go...!" The man shut down his phone, and for a moment he felt dizzy -- no, screw that. He felt like he was spinning in the eye of a fucking cyclone.

Dear gods, he thought, my baby girl. Rika had been the most important person in his life since the day she was born. For a brief and horrible time, however, he'd let himself turn into a total asshole because he fell in love with the wrong woman and would have done almost anything she wanted. And when Rei Hatsu asked him to marry her and move to Germany with her, he said yes. Even though it meant disowning and abandoning Rika when the girl was only 17. Ever since Mamoru came back to the Tokyo Kingdom, he swore he'd give anything and everything to his daughter to atone for what he had done...there was such a promise that one day, their family would be whole again when Taya finished out her sentence for manslaughter...the mother and father would be everything Rika could possibly need them to be...

...and now Rika was gone. Taken.

Mamoru Tsukino burst into tears as he sat behind the wheel of his rental...it took a few minutes for the father to compose himself before he could go the rest of the way to a Kanagawa psychiatric facility...

--2--

In Chiyoda, the office of Hitomi Nishijima, representative of the National Diet.

Nanase Saionji, aide to Representative Nishijima, got a phone call at about the same time. The striking Nephilim with blue hair answered as customary: "Konichiwa, Representative Nishijima's office?"

Nana then heard a distinctive sound, like a choir of angels, uttering a single note. That was a signal customary when she got a call from her other workplace, that this call was maximum-encrypted and for her ears ONLY. And of course, it was the voice of her other boss who spoke next -- Sister Marie St. Augustine said, "Nana dear, I need you to come in. We have a situation."

Nanase stiffened in her seat. Marie's voice was pure business. The girl was always ready to respond if the High Choir called upon her for something urgent. This definitely sounded urgent and Nana asked, "Where?"

"Central. Like usual." A code word since it was best not to go into specifics, even during a conversation as secure as this. But then Marie said, "I'm afraid this is personal business for you too, young lady."

"What do you mean?"

"Rika Tsukino has been kidnapped. I'll tell you more when you reach me."

Nanase's slender hand gripped her phone tight as she was jolted with shock -- Rika was a friend to her and hearing that she was fucking kidnapped...! Still, she found the inner strength to recover quickly. For Rika, she had to. The girl managed, "O-okay. I'll be right there!"

"Thank you. Oh, please don't make mention to Hitomi why you need to go like usual."

Nana opened her mouth to tell Marie that she didn't have to remind her, but then her other boss hung up. The girl's mouth closed -- her lips turned into a thin line and she thought, Rika! The aide got up from behind her desk and moved to the glass enclosed inner office of Hitomi herself...Nana said with a taut tone, "Hitomi, I'm sorry, I've got to go!"

Hitomi Nishijima looked up at her beautiful aide and frowned. She knew that look on the girl's face...because she knew how serious Nana's other job was (but that was all she knew!), and more than once an occasion like this sprung up. Hitomi asked with care, "Let me guess, this is something I shouldn't know about?"

Nanase was very serious. "Good guess."

Immediately worried, Hitomi asked, "Would it help if I asked you to please be careful?"

In spite of her worries for Rika, Nana gave a true smile. "More than you know."

But that was really okay as Hitomi nodded and said, "Then go and take care!"

Nana nodded. "Thank you, and I will!" She wished to the gods she could have told Hitomi more, but the High Choir operative had no time to waste. Nanase Saionji thought only of her friend Rika as she dashed out of the office.

--3--

In one part of the Middle Ground District of Demon City 7, you'll find a massive scrapyard and auto garage named Footsie's Service and Salvage.

On what would become a most tense mid-February morning, Lieutenant Suzune Shizumi arrived with her girlfriend, the lovably bratty bounty hunter Haigo Footsie. They both arrived in Suzune's Mitsubishi and pulled up to a space close to the front of the garage. It was pretty busy here as customers waited for any of a number of services, not just to get their vehicles mantained in any of a huge number of ways. Because it was so busy, some would need to wait for a while -- if you've ever needed help from places like this, you know exactly what that means. The only thing more annoying was showing up for a doctor's appointment and being forced to wait your turn then!

The young lovers got out of the car, and Haigo was fairly bubbly and bouncing with excitement. Suzune...er, not so much. The leader of the Middle Ground Police Department's Special Tactics and Countermeasures Unit looked REALLY uncomfortable, and not even Haigo's high energy could improve the blonde's mood, even as the imp moved close and took her hand in the most loving of ways. Hesitant and ultra-dubious, Suzune said, "Haigo, I know I'm going to sound like a broken record, but...you are sure about this??"

Haigo said with a happy tone, "I'm as sure about this as I'm absolutely sure I'm head-over-heels for ya, Suzy! Pops and Mama are gonna love you, too. I know they will! Besides, I told 'em all about you and I keep 'em up to date about our relationship status! They haven't had any reservations yet!"

"Yeah, and you've told me plenty about your parents. I never thought I'd actually meet them before today!"

Haigo's eyebrows perked up. "How come???"

Suzune shrugged. "Well, I always got the impression that your life and theirs are, um...well, separate deals. I mean way separate!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean we're not tight-knit! They've always given me the freedom to do my own thing while they do theirs. It's nothin' more or less than that!"

"Yeah, but...!" But Suzune was clearly unsure about the entire prospect of meeting Haigo's parents, now more than ever before as she was on the cusp of doing just that!

Haigo frowned a bit and gently drew close. "Suzy, you're not worried they won't approve of you, are you?"

"Actually, I...yes, I am. More than a little. You're not?"

The imp shrugged. "No, and even if they don't...I mean, what the heck? I don't ever wait to know how someone else is gonna feel before I do something, Suzy. You don't have to do that, either."

"I know, it's just..." The blonde was the leader of a special weapons task force dedicated to protecting innocent citizens from Demonic threats. But you wouldn't have known it if you saw her for the first time this moment and took in the insecurity written all over her face. "I'm really hoping they do approve of me, Haigo."

Haigo smiled softly and told the girl she loved, "They will...I'm as sure of that as I'm sure that I love you, Suzy."

"Oh, Haigo..." A wonderful smile spread across Suzune's face as she relaxed a little. "I love you, too."

Suddenly Haigo admonished the blonde: "So don't be so pensive, darn it! You ready for this?"

Thanks to the truly unique imp, Suzune nodded and she said with much more strength, "Yes!"

Haigo grinned. "Banzai, baby!" And she led Suzune into the main garage as they held hands...

...and they moved into the cavernous main garage, where every bay was filled and active with vehicles of almost every kind with four wheels and mechanics ministering to them. Haigo led Suzune through the bustling activity until they nearly reached the back of the area, far from the garage's entrance...the imp called out loudly, "HEY, POPS!"

She got a response just as loud from a bay at the very back on the right side: a strong male voice announced, "Over here, Little Flower!" With an extra spring in her step, Haigo led Suzune further to the last bay on the right, where a big sled of a Cadillac sat. Under it, one could see a big man in greasy coveralls lying on the floor, working on some part of its underbelly...Suzune couldn't see anymore of the man than his legs and lower torso poking from under the car.

The guy's response made Suzune ask with more than a little surprise, "'Little Flower'??"

Haigo shrugged and said, "Yeah, I know, what are ya gonna do?" They reached the big boots and Haigo said cheerfully, "How's your day, Pops?!"

Her father's voice was still strong and clear, not muffled by being under a huge ride at the moment! He answered: "My day's just started, my girl. Who's your friend?"

Suzune barely had time to wonder how the heck the man knew that if he was so focused on the Cadillac; then Haigo told him, "Oh, she's not JUST a friend! Pops, this is Suzy Shizumi!"

Suzune groaned, "Ergh -- !" The blonde was still having trouble getting used to Haigo's pet name for her, ESPECIALLY when the imp called her that in front of everyone else. In spite of not being able to see his face at the moment, the blonde bowed with respect and clarified: "Actually it's Suzune Shizumi, sir. It's an honor to meet you!"

The big dude known as Pops Footsie, Haigo's father, responded, "The honor's mine, Lieutenant. Haigo told me everything about you! Nice to know you're both 'official', too!"

Suzune blinked awkwardly. "W-what do you mean, sir?"

Pops confided without hesitation, "Well, my girl told me you two just started sexual relations a couple of weeks ago, so I'd call that official!"

ABSOLUTELY mortified, Suzune wheeled on her girlfriend and screamed, "HAIGO!"

Haigo's response was virtual innocence as she asked right back, "What?! I did say I kept my folks up to date about us!"

"I KNOW! But did you REALLY have to tell them we're having sex?!"

Haigo pouted and fired back, "Hey, I don't keep any secrets from my parents! Just because you don't want to tell your mom or anybody we're 'doin' the deed' doesn't mean I can't!"

Suzune facepalmed and moaned, "Oh, gods!"

A strong voice from under the Cadillac reassured, "Take it easy, Lieutenant!" Suzune looked at the legs of Haigo's dad as he spoke. (Er, because she couldn't see his face!) "One thing you ought to know about me and Mama is we're not prudes. We've been around, if you know what I'm saying. For us, honesty has always been the best policy, and you can see we've raised our daughter right in that respect!"

With a dubious expression, Suzune nodded and managed, "Um...well, when you put it that way...! I-I'm no prude either, but uh, I was taught what happens in the bedroom shouldn't be mentioned outside of the bedroom!"

"You have every right to feel that way, Lieutenant. My Little Flower wouldn't have told us so much about what you two are doing if she didn't trust you. We raised our daughter to have a good head on her shoulders...she has a few quirks, though, as you might have noticed!"

Suzune felt more at ease with this down to earth father and she commented, "More than a few, actually!"

Haigo had her arms crossed under her bosom as she stared at Suzune and declared, "Ahem, I'm standing right here, guys!"

Then Pops said with pure confidence, "Lieutenant, if our daughter trusts you, then you're okay with me and Mama. You understand?"

Suzune smiled as the awkwardness eased...she said, "I-I'm really honored to know that, sir. And please, call me Suzune." She spared a glance at Haigo as she added, "And you don't have to call me Suzy!"

Haigo huffed, "Hmf!"

Pops declared, "And you can stop calling me 'sir', Suzune-san. Everyone calls me Pops!"

Suzune bowed again and told him, "Domo arigato...er, Pops-san!" Then she frowned. "Um, are you coming out from under there??" At least just to see his face!

"Oh, excuse me. I wanted to get this repair done today and there's still plenty of work to do. I can't spare any time for small talk!"

Haigo sidled up to Suzune and told the sentinel: "Pops is usually pretty busy! When he's not fixing cars, customizing 'em, modding old cars to run on bio-fuel and doing lotsa other stuff in the garage, he also supervises hauling in junked vehicles to scavenge the parts and sell the rest for scrap. His business makes lots of money!"

Pops then asked, "I understand you don't have a premium on free time as a police officer, Suzune-san?"

Suzune answered flatly, "That goes without saying, Pops-san!"

"I empathize. Officially, I was once a soldier in our Kingdom Defense Force."

Suzune smiled again. "Haigo told me, and I'm truly grateful for your service!" She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, though. "But what do you mean 'officially'?"

"Just in the same sense that you and Little Flower are officially a couple. That's all!"

The blonde blinked again. "I'm...still not sure what that even means -- !"

Next to her, Haigo giggled and said, "Ha-ha, it's nothin', Suzy! Pops, where's Mama!?"

Pops told his girl, "Your mother's out back doing an inventory on some junkers we just hauled in. She shouldn't be too busy at the moment!"

"Okay, we'll go say hi! C'mon, Suzy!"

Suzune began, "Wait -- ulp!" But her imp of a girlfriend interrupted as she pulled the blonde by her hand away from the Caddy and her dad!

Haigo cried with love, "Love ya, Pops!"

Pops called back, "See you!"

As the bounty hunter pulled her lovergirl toward the back, Suzune stopped and said strongly, "Haigo!"

Haigo had little choice to stop too, looked at Suzune with perked eyebrows, and asked, "Wut?"

"What in the world did Pops-san mean by saying he was once a soldier 'officially'???"

"Just between you and me, Pops still does stuff unofficially for the Defense Force every now and then. I did say he's pretty busy!"

"Yes, but I thought it was just with cars! Wh-what does he do unofficially?"

The imp shrugged and said truthfully, "I have no idea and I've never asked. You can always ask him, y'know!"

Suzune stammered, "W-wait, I'm not that curious!"

With pure brightness, Haigo said, "So don't worry about it and c'mon!"

Suzune yelped "Ahh!" as her imp pulled her through the big back doors...

...and into the gigantic salvage yards, where heaps of every kind of vehcile you can think of -- some in rows and maybe restorable, while others that were a total loss were literally stacked on top of one another -- were everywhere. It was like Haigo was leading Suzune through a big metal labyrinth as she called out, "MAMA! OH, MAMA!"

Suzune cringed and said out of the corner of her mouth, "Haigo, you don't have to be so loud."

"Tch!"

Then a voice called behind them: "There's my little jem!" The couple wheeled around and saw...

...a lady in her mid-to-late forties, and she was a stunner clad in daring red leather! In spite of her age, there was a pure youth to this beauty, and not simply because of her raven black hair. The lady set the electronic tablet she was carrying on the hood of a nearby wreck as Haigo cried happily, "Mama!" The imp left Suzune, zoomed close and she and her mother Mama Footsie hugged with unbridled affection. Haigo relaxed into her mom as she cooed, "Oh, you know I wuv it when we hug...!"

The mother purred, "I'll never get to hug you enough, baby girl." The lady looked at Suzune as she approached and declared, "You must be Lieutenant Shizumi!"

Amused in the best of ways by the loving sight of Haigo being hugged by her mom, Suzune bowed and greeted, "Please call me Suzune...um, Mama-san?"

As she and Haigo reluctantly relaxed their hug and stood there close to Suzune, the lady informed her, "Just plain Mama will do, Suzune. I know you're into the honorific thing, but I couldn't care less about that, okay?"

"Okay, ah, Mama!"

Mama nodded. "Haigo told me you're a pretty serious girl." She gave her daughter a look and added dryly, "You weren't kidding!"

Haigo beamed at her mom as she said, "Well, Suzy did help Kyoko at the Battle of Okinawa. That kinda shit can make anyone serious!"

Suzune wanted to facepalm again and sighed heavily, "Of course you told your parents about that!"

Haigo told her lover defensively, "I know you don't like to talk about that stuff, but that doesn't mean I can't!"

Mama's expressioned softened so as she told Suzune, "And I'm really, really honored to know what you did. You and Kyoko Asagi made a great difference on such a shitty day. If it wasn't for you two, that island could have turned into a total hellhole. After Haigo told me, it just made me even prouder than I already was to know you two are a couple. Thank you, Suzune."

Totally humbled, Suzune said softly back, "I-it's truly nothing, Mama. Domo arigato."

"Ahem!" That was from Haigo, who suddenly told her mom and her girlfriend, "I'm sorry, but I've gotta run and take a pee real quick. Be right back!" Then just like that, the imp rushed off and left the two of them!

Suzune shook her head as she issued an awkward sigh...Mama, for her part, didn't mind at all and she told the sentinel, "My daughter's never been one to sugarcoat things!"

Suzune almost laughed and said, "I have no doubt!" The blonde looked at Mama fully and said with feeling, "I am really honored to meet you and Pops-san, too. I hope not to cross any boundaries asking, but is Mama your real name?"

Mama's smile shifted to become a bit more...inscrutable as she answered, "It is now. I hope that answers your question?"

"Um...I suppose it does...!"

"Good. Would you prefer if I called you Suzy?"

Suzune wanted to wince, but managed not to. "Actually, only one person calls me that, and that's plenty! Please just call me Suzune."

"Okay." Totally at ease, Mama took a step closer and really gauged the blonde. "I understand you're a cop. I mean, one of the good ones. The gods know there are enough dirty ones who give the police a bad name."

Suzune sighed again. "Yes...people are really trying to change that for the better."

Mama laughed lightly. "Ha-ha! No matter how many barrels of apples you look into, you'll always find at least a few in each one that are rotten. The same goes with people, and that's not something you or anyone else can change. All we can do is toss the rotten ones out on their ass when you find them to spare the righteous ones. Right?"

Suzune really began to relax with this remarkable lady. "Yeah. Why do you make mention of that, though?"

"My jem of a daughter may have her own life, but I worry for her all the same. I am her mother. Besides my man Pops, there is no one more important to me. No one. I trust in my daughter's judgment. Me and her father raised her the best we could so she can survive and advance in this crazy world."

Suzune commented gently, "You raised her to be absolutely unique, too."

Mama crinkled her nose just a little as she informed Suzune, "Not as unique as you think. She takes a lot from me, and that's just truth. Honestly, I needed my jem to look at the world in the same way I did just to be safe."

Suzune's expression became a curious one. "Then it's kind of weird she took up bounty hunting for a living. That's not a 'safe' profession."

Mama shrugged. "I could say the same thing to police officers like you."

Suzune really gazed into Mama's brown eyes and asked, "How do you look at the world, Mama?" She was really curious to know more about this unique lady...and fortunately, unlike Pops, the blonde could see her face!

Mama Footsie enlightened Suzune then. "Basically? Life can turn into a shit sandwich and if you don't take care, you're gonna take a bite from it. It's a world where you're as likely to be run over by some dumb-fuck driving and texting at the same time as you are to be attacked by a beast from one of the Hells." The blonde was a little surprised to know how crude the lady could be, but then, she kept in mind this WAS Haigo's mom! "My girl might be one impulsive imp, but me and Pops taught our girl to be careful and be ahead of the game of life. So really, if there come times it seems otherwise, it's because she doesn't have much choice but to go full throttle. Haigo has done great so far and I pray every damn day it'll always be that way."

Suzune nodded. "I'll always be there to support her, both as a cop and as someone who loves her. You have my word of honor on that, Mama."

Mama really gazed at Suzune -- no. The sentinel got the feeling the mother was almost looking into her in that way only a mother could. The lady said in a much quieter tone, "I've seen a lot in my life, Suzune. And I've heard too many people swear one thing, but then they show they're totally full of shit." Mama took a couple of steps to one side as her hands spread to her sides. "I do the accounting for this garage. My man has been teaching me enough about cars to be a fair mechanic myself. But my life wasn't always this wonderful. Would you mind a question about the work you do?"

Without hesitation, Suzune told the lady, "Please, go ahead."

Her hands on her hips again, Mama asked, "As a cop you'd know about the Five Families, right?"

Suzune Shizumi felt an unwelcome chill in her blood then. Surprised for only a few heartbeats by the question, the girl answered, "Yes, and I know enough to make me worry. They lead the Chinese triads that managed to get away from the Han Empire decades ago. The Yakuza has been in a slow decline for the longest, but the Five Families are trying their damndest to fill the void." Triads were the name for criminal organizations in the Chinese sphere, and were comparable to the Japanese Yakuza and the legendary Sicilian Mafia.

Mama told the girl, "Oh, they're not just trying. The Five Families are digging into our kingdom, and in a lot more ways than you think. The last I knew, they have a strong foothold in Shinjuku. You might have heard of the red light districts there."

With total curiosity, Suzune asked, "How would you even know that?"

Mama gave Suzune a most inscrutable smile full of mystery again. She only answered, "I can't go into details. It's too damn painful to talk about. Still, I want you to know beyond any doubt that I've been fed a shit sandwich...

"...and that's why I want to make very, very clear that I will not see my daughter hurt. By anyone." Mama took a couple of measured steps closer to Suzune, and the two of them were face to face. The lady's expression took a much firmer set. "I know there's some things that can't be helped, like the odd asshole behind the wheel or a random monster as I said before. Me and Pops prepared Haigo for shit like that...but nothing can prepare anyone to suffer a broken heart. I know all about that, too.

"So I want to ask one thing from you, Suzune, and one thing only. Don't break my daughter's heart. I am asking you that with the utmost respect and love...please."

Feeling the mother's elemental concern for her daughter, Suzune said with earnest truth, "I would never hurt Haigo, ma'am. Never."

Mama nodded slowly. "You'd better not be full of shit when you say that, Suzune. Because if you are? If you ever do break my daughter's heart..." The lady's eyes hardned and Suzune got a glimpse of the tigress within her when she finished with emotion, "...I will be obligated to skin you alive with my teeth. Are we clear?"

Suzune gulped and said with pure feeling of her own, "Absolutely, ma'am."

The mother relaxed, gave the most loving of smiles, and spread her arms wide. "Then let me give you a hug, girl!" And the lady didn't wait for the blonde's permision either as she took Suzune into an embrace.

And oh, that embrace was so loving, Suzune couldn't help but relax into the mother...one side of her face gently rested on Mama's shoulder. Suzune felt so much peace in those arms, so much in the same way as she did when her own mother held her. The blonde said softly, "It's no wonder Haigo loves this...!"

The mother issued a tender, "Shhh!" And for a few moments, the two of them held each other and let themselves be in the middle of this great salvage yard. There was a true peace and serenity in this brief time for them both...

...but of course, it couldn't last: Haigo Footsie appeared from around a monolithic stack of vehicles with a priceless grin on her face and she yelled at them both, "CAUGHT YA!"

Suzune damn near deflated in Mama's arms and issued an "Ugh!"

With a knowing tone, Mama commented, "I taught my jem to have great timing, too." They broke their embrace as Haigo approached and she asked her girl, "Everything all right?"

Haigo said, "Aw, yeah!" The imp reached them and gushed, "You two looked so danged sweet -- !"

Suzune moaned, "Haigo, c'mon!"

Mama instructed, "You c'mon and loosen up a little, girl!"

"SIGH!"

Suddenly, a Joan Jett ringtone issued from Haigo's cell! The imp burst out, "Oooh, wonder who's callin'?" She took one look at the screen as she held it and cried, "Misaaaa!" With pure happiness, she hit the green button and brought the phone up to her ear. "Konichiwa, sweetie, how's life treatin' ya?!"

Then. As Suzune and Mama watched, the imp's mood changed. DRAMATICALLY. The happiness in Haigo's face drained instantly as her eyes widened. Her body and soul tensed to the maximum as she began to blurt with total fear: "Whu...wh-WHAT?!? What the holy FUCK!?!"

The shift was so powerful, both Suzune and Mama drew close, honestly fearing for the imp. Suzune blurted, "H-Haigo!"

Mama immediately asked, "What's wrong?! Talk, Haigo!"

With pure horror, Haigo told them: "Ruh-Ruh-Rika's been kidnapped!"

Mama Footsie was totally shocked then...she asked, "Rika Tsukino?! Y-you told me all about her...!"

Suzune was just as horrified, but pure fury was building within her too as she asked Haigo urgently, "Where?! WHEN?!?"

Haigo said at first, "Hold on!" With both hands holding her phone, she switched it to 'speaker'. She yelled, "Misa-chin, Suzy and my Mama are listening, too! Tell them what you just told me!"

Misa Asagi's voice spoke from the imp's phone, and she sounded like she was in a panic: "Suzune, this just happened a few minutes ago! Rika was kidnapped right outside of Narukami Apartments! Me and my angel and the Slayers Organization are on our way now!"

Suzune's green eyes were hard as she told her dear friend, "I'm going to make sure to mobilize everyone in the department to support you, Misa!" Rika Tsukino was also a close friend to the blonde sentinel and her impish girlfriend, and her blood was boiling now.

"Thank you, Suzune! I-I think Kaori-chan already called the authorities too, but we need as much help as possible!"

"I'll make DAMN sure you'll get it, sweetie!" The blonde turned away from Haigo and her mother as she quickly got out her own mobile device!

Misa's voice then said, "Haigo, Kyosuke-kun and Takeru-kun were hurt, too!"

Haigo moaned, "The Ryu Ranger dudes???" As Mama held her daughter's shoulders from behind with pure concern, the imp asked hotly, "Do we know who did this?!?"

Misa answered, "Negative, but we need to find out! We need to get Rika back!"

Haigo Footsie was MORE than ready to go full throttle in this terrible moment as she yelled, "We will, sweetie, because I'm ALL in! WHOEVER the motherfuckers are, they're not getting away with this!"

Only a few steps away, Suzune Shizumi was speaking into her phone with one of her subordinates in the STCU, and she was angry as hell: "Yes, I need the ENTIRE Unit deployed to Narukami Apartments instantly! We're going to be working directly with the Slayers Organization in this investigation! This kidnapping just happened, and until Tsukino is found and safe again, nothing else matters!"

---

Next time, things are not gonna get any better as the terrible news spreads...one of those you'll see react in the next part is Rika's lover and the deadliest woman in DC7: Reiko Scarlet Sakura!

Many others will be affected, too. A lot of them will be brought into this crisis in unexpected ways. One of them is a truly unique warrior I've been given blessing to write for the first time -- he was created by !

Giving credit where it's due!

XNALara created by Dusan Pavlicek; XPS by Dusan and XNAaraL

Models:

Mamoru Tsukino by !

Ko's Nanase Saionji by !

Suzune Shizumi and Haigo Footsie by !

And INTRODUCING Mama Footsie by and !

Mamoru's car by !

Cell phone and Suzy's Lancer by !

Sceneries by AND by way of !