So this is an alternate universe thing I've wanted to put together for a while. As much as I like Sango as she is, I wanted to try and do something more interesting with her character. It also helps that my penchant for girls in sharp suits is almost equal to my penchant for girls in wetsuits.
Almost. :V
So yeah, have an OC-laden story with a little bit of actual Touhou for taste. Enjoy!-----
?A combat mission?? Sango folded her arms. ?I think you?ve made a mistake, ma?am. I?m a lover, not a fighter.?
Ran Yakumo was a woman of little patience. Sango counted the veins running across her forehead as she clenched her fist, adjusting the collar of her pure-white suit. It was a shame the fox was always so angry, Sango thought - she?d actually be sort of cute if she ever figured out how to smile.
?Yes, agent Tororetsu. I?m aware you think of yourself as a ?lover?.? Ran reached into her desk and pulled out a hefty looking file. ?Is that why your job in Hakugyokurou ended with you seducing the gardener??
?Hey, that wasn?t my fault.? Sango pouted. ?She wanted someone to complain about her boss to. The rest of it was just inertia.?
Ran rolled her eyes. ?I?m going to save myself some trouble and pretend you didn?t say that.? She opened the file, skimming through the pages in search of something. ?I?m not sure why you?re so distressed. Your report said you showed particular promise in hand-to-hand combat.?
?Yeah, but it leaves these awful scuffs on my knuckles.? Sango flicked her wrist, fiddling with the brim of her suit jacket. ?Besides, all the blood and sweat takes ages to clean up.?
The fox?s lip curved upwards slightly. ?Then I?m pleased to inform you that you?ll be wearing something rather different.? She stopped on the page she?d been hunting for and placed the file on the desk. ?As a dolphin, how up-to-date are you on undersea politics??
Sango looked down at the file. ?Enough to recognise the missing princess Wakasagi, at least.?
?Good. You?re not totally clueless.? Ran pulled the photograph out of the file - a picture of a young mermaid with flowing blue hair. ?Wakasagi was captured by separatist forces a few weeks ago. Last night the royal family received a ransom note saying that if they didn?t step down from power, their little girl would be turned into fried sashimi.?
?Harsh.? Sango sucked in a breath. ?So where do we come in??
?Based on the chemical concentration of the ink from the note, N managed to track them to an undersea cavern. Recon says they?re armed and dangerous, but there?s a dozen of them at most.? Ran turned the page, showing a picture of the hideout itself. ?Your job will be to infiltrate their base, rescue Wakasagi, and ensure she doesn?t fall under harm. Any questions??
?Several, actually.? Sango tilted her head. ?Why do we need to get involved? Surely the merfolk can handle this problem themselves.?
Ran sighed. ?The situation is tense, agent. If they go in with a full assault they?ll just give the separatists more ammo to claim they?re being oppressed. The royals came to us looking for more of a subtle solution.? She narrowed her eyes. ?Though you?re pretty far down the list when it comes to subtle, the pair of you are more suited for an underwater operation than any of our other agents.?
Sango felt something fall away in her stomach. ?Um...the pair of us??
?Oh, did I forget to mention that?? The sly grin Ran wore was enough to chill Sango?s blood. ?You?ll be working with agent Manou for this mission.?
Sango gulped. ?You don?t mean Jozu Manou, do you? The one who uses a human bone for a toothpick??
?That?s just a rumour,? Ran said. ?I?m pretty sure it?s a rabbit bone.?
?That?s not the point!? Sango jumped to her feet. ?I get that she?s a shark and all, but why would you put her on a covert operation? She?s a maniac!?
?That?s why you?re going with her.? The fox cradled her fingers. ?You can handle a bit of babysitting, can?t you? Use those feminine wiles of yours.? She closed the file and slid it under her arm. ?Go get your equipment from N. You?ll be heading for the hideout as soon as you?re ready.?
?Wait, ma?am!? Sango reached out to grab at the fox?s sleeve. ?Surely there?s another way we can-?
Her hand closed around empty air. One moment Ran had been there; the next she was gone. It was an unpleasant habit of hers, ending the conversation without giving her partner any chance to retort.
?Why has she got it out for me?? The dolphin grumbled. ?Not my fault I?m attractive. I?ll bet she?s just jealous.?
Still, there wasn?t much space for her to complain. She had exactly two options; do as she was told, or wave her job goodbye. And as much as she disliked getting into brawls, her salary had a few too many zeroes at the end for her give it up. She made one last shrug in defeat before heading out of the office, starting the long trip down to N?s laboratory.
The Agency was an impressive building on the outside, but the interior was too spacious for its own good. There were only a few dozen operatives, but the manor they called their headquarters could have easily housed five times that number. Sango wondered who was responsible for the choice of location. Not Ran, surely, the woman who spent her mornings trimming her tails to all have the same number of hairs. There were rumours of another woman in the shadows who served as Ran?s superior. Maybe it was her questionable tastes that had brought the Agency here, Sango thought.
She was so caught up in her theorising that she walked straight into someone going the other direction. ?Oh, sorry,? she started, brushing off her suit as she stepped backwards. ?Got a bit distracted with-?
The sentence faded away in her throat. Standing before her was a girl her own age, a ragged trenchcoat concealing her slender form. Her skin was dark, and her eyes were such a deep blue that they verged on outright black. A coil ran along her neck, sending a constant flow of fresh water along her gills, and a jagged fin poked out of her back.
?You?re Agent Tororetsu, I assume.? Jozu Manou glared straight into the dolphin?s eyes. ?The mouth-breather they?re making me drag along as backup.?
Sango took a deep breath before responding. ?I guess my reputation precedes me.? She held out a hand. ?And you?ll be agent Manou. Let?s do a good job together, okay-?
The punch came before Sango could finish the sentence. She pulled back her hand, grabbing Jozu by the wrist, stopping the fist a few inches in front of her face. She?d moved purely on instinct, her brain only catching up with the fact a few seconds later.
?Hmph.? Jozu sighed. ?Not bad. But you?d never have blocked that if we were underwater.?
Sango frowned as she let go of Jozu?s hand. ?You?ve got a funny way of greeting your teammates.?
?Teammates?? The shark stifled a laugh. ?Don?t flatter yourself. I didn?t want to drag along an air-breather, but the boss didn?t give me a say in the matter. All you?re going to be is dead weight.?
She slipped past Sango, placing a condescending hand on her shoulder. ?Stay out of my way, understand? If you get in trouble, don?t think I?ll waste any time bailing you out.?
She placed her hands back in her pockets and walked away with a confident strut in her step. For a moment she looked back and flashed Sango a smile, giving the dolphin a view of her cruelly sharp teeth. When she disappeared around the corner, Sango made no attempt to follow.
?What a friendly girl,? Sango said to herself once the shark was out of earshot. ?Must be great at parties.? She scratched her head as she continued her journey to N?s laboratory. ?Though I guess she was kinda cute...?
-----
There were many words Sango could use to describe the Agency?s head scientist. Among them were hefty praises - ingenious, resourceful, devoted. Organised, on the other hand, was definitely not one of them. As the dolphin stepped into the laboratory, she stepped with care to avoid the nuts and bolts that littered the floor. Gadgets and gizmos were strewn about at random, ranging from the mundane to the incredible. Sango had no idea how Nitori found anything in this mess. The price of genius, she supposed.
?Who?s there?? A voice called out from behind a computer, barely audible over the hammering of computer keys. ?Gimme a few minutes. I?m working on my PhD.?
Sango sighed as she strolled around the desk. ?I thought you already had a PhD, Nitori.?
?I have seven, actually.? The kappa slumped backwards in her swivel chair, stretching her arms and working the cricks out of her fingers. ?Figured I?d work on number eight in my spare time. Might improve my employment prospects.?
Sango raised an eyebrow. Why would Nitori have to worry about losing her job? She was the sort of mind that showed up once a century at most. Maybe that insecurity was what made her so good at what she did.
?Anyway. I?m guessing you?re here for your equipment.? Nitori turned off her computer and shook her head. ?Heard you got teamed up with Manou. You have life insurance? I know a guy who can get you a really great deal.?
?Thanks for the vote of confidence.? Sango put her hands on her hips. ?Besides, I don?t have much of a family to leave anything to.?
?Really?? Nitori pursed her lips. ?I figured you?d have a few illegitimate kids to look after.?
The dolphin frowned. That was an assumption lots of people seemed to make about her for some reason. She wondered why. ?Let?s change the subject. What?ve you got for me today??
?Nothing that impressive, honestly.? Nitori reached under her desk, pulling up a suitcase and laying it in front of Sango. She undid the clips and opened it, running through the contents one at a time.
?First of all, we?ve got your daily dose of oxy-gum.? She held a piece of chewing gum between her fingers. ?Chew on this, and you?ll have enough air to last you at least an hour. It?s an old-fashioned kappa secret.?
?Really? I thought you kappa could hold your breath for days on end.?
?That?s what we like people to think.? Nitori winked. ?Take my word for it, though - you really don?t want to swallow this.?
Sango nodded. She?d once heard Nitori warn her not to use a fountain pen with the same level of severity. Given that the pen in question turned out to be a handheld explosive, she?d learned to trust in the kappa?s warnings.
?Then you?ve got your dive gear.? Nitori pulled out a baby-blue wetsuit and a matching pair of flippers. ?Sleek, lightweight, aerodynamic. You should easily be able to match a mermaid?s speed in the water wearing these. And the suit?s reinforced, so if things get hairy you can take a good bit of punishment.?
Sango eyed the wetsuit in particular. By her judgement, it was a perfect fit for her measurements. She took a moment to imagine how it would look on her before her thoughts drifted elsewhere. ?Say, Nitori. Will Jozu be wearing one of these too??
?Hmm?? Nitori?s eyes widened. ?Yeah, I gave her one a little while back. Why do you ask??
?Uh...no reason.?
Sango looked away as the image ingrained itself in her head. Such a good-looking girl in a tight little number like that...she?d have to work hard not to get distracted. Besides, Jozu would probably beat her senseless if she found out-
?Hello? Agent Tororetsu, do you copy?? Nitori waved a hand in front of Sango?s face. ?What?re you staring off into space for??
?Ah!? Sango gasped and shook the thought off. ?Sorry. Just doing a little philosophising.?
?...Sure, let?s call it that.? Nitori placed the gear back in the case before pulling out the next item. ?Here?s your firearm for this operation. Six tranquiliser rounds, strong enough to knock out an elephant.?
?Tranq rounds?? Sango picked up the handgun, taking a moment to get used to its weight. ?I guess we really are doing this by the book, then.?
?I?m glad you get that.? Nitori sighed. ?The shark wouldn?t take hers. Something about how guns were ?cheating? or whatever.? Placing the gun back into the case, Nitori withdrew the final item. ?Last of all, you?ll want to wear these.?
?Earplugs?? Sango furrowed her brow. ?I?m a dolphin, Nitori. I don?t mind getting water in my ears.?
?They?re not just any earplugs, Sango.? Nitori frowned, as if the comment had been a personal insult. ?They?re specially crafted to cancel out a siren song.?
?Ah.? Sango nodded. Merfolk had a reputation for hypnotising adversaries with their voices. She?d never heard of anyone finding a way to nullify that power, though. Another miracle of kappa science, it seemed. ?Thanks. That?ll be really helpful.?
?No problem.? Nitori puffed up her cheeks. ?At least you?re polite enough to say thank you. When I showed this stuff to Jozu she just laughed at me for thinking I?d need her help. I swear, if she?s as rude to you as she was to me, you?re gonna have a lovely time on this mission.?
?Don?t worry about me.? Sango picked up the suitcase and hauled it over her shoulder. ?I?m going to make the most of this little escapade.?
?Really?? Nitori leaned forward over the desk. ?And how will you do that??
Sango looked back into space with a smile. ?I figure I can sneak in a little sightseeing...?
-----
The Warhead was Nitori's custom vehicle, and the go-to source of transport for any member of the Agency. In spite of its name it was almost a luxury vehicle, with leather seats and wooden dashboards that would make any collector blush. The name, of course, came from the arsenal hidden inside; things like machine guns popping out of the side-doors, a rocket launcher in the bonnet, and the grenades that fired out of the exhaust pipe.
Sadly, Sango had never had the chance to try them out for herself. Gensokyo's streets were quiet at the busiest of times. Cars were still a relatively new innovation, and many of the old youkai still preferred flying as a method of transport. The only people to invest in a set of wheels were the ones who couldn't fly in the first place - dolphins, for example.
Sango clenched her teeth as she looked up at the sky. Someday she'd get to fry a criminal with the laser under the front hood. For now she'd have to settle for the most stylish drive in Gensokyo - even if she had to share it with a less than eager passenger.
"How much longer?" Jozu folded her arms in the back seat, hands locked into fists. "I'm starting to get impatient."
Sango sighed. "Well, I said it'd be fifteen minutes when you asked five minutes ago, so by my math we're about ten minutes out."
The shark turned away. "I told you we should have swam there. Would've been a million times faster."
"Even if that was true - and it's not - we'd both be too tired from the trip to do any fighting."
"Maybe you," Jozu replied without hesitation. "But not me."
Sango opened her mouth to retort, then decided it was best to save her breath. In their short time together Jozu had proven herself to be brash, egotistical and self-absorbed. Luckily she was also pretty attractive, so by Sango?s standards she just about broke even. And that was with her still hiding those sleek curves under that jacket...
?Anyway!? Sango blurted, before her thoughts went too far in the wrong direction. ?We got off on the wrong foot with that whole face-punching incident, so let?s start again. Mind if I get to know you a bit??
Jozu sank deeper into her seat. ?Not interested.?
?Aw, come on.? Sango pouted. ?We?re partners, right? Gimme one question, at least.?
The shark pondered the offer for a few seconds before forcing a nod. ?Fine. If it?ll get you to shut up.?
?Sure thing.? Sango turned the car into a long straight and looked over her shoulder. ?All I want to know is what brought you to the surface. I figure having to wear that coil thing all the time is a real hassle.?
?I?ve learned to live with it,? Jozu replied. ?My living quarters are submerged, so it?s as close as I?ll get to home. As for how I ended up here...? Jozu shook her head. ?I lost a bet.?
?A bet??
?Ran Yakumo scouted me out.? The shark closed her eyes and folded her legs. ?I had a reputation as a pugilist, you see. She figured I?d make a good addition to the Agency. I told her where she could stuff it, but then she offered a deal - if I beat her in a fair fight, she?d never bother me again. If I lost, I?d agree to work under her.?
?And she beat you?? Sango?s mouth fell open. ?Grandma Ran is really that strong??
?I was as surprised as you were.? When Jozu opened her eyes again, she wore a small smile. ?Fighting her was the most humbling experience of my life, and I?m grateful for it. I was hoping all of you air-breathers would be as sturdy as she was. Then maybe I?d have some sort of challenge.? She let out a long, dramatic sigh. ?Sadly, that hasn?t been the case so far.?
?Hey, don?t write a whole species off like that.? Sango put a hand to her chest. ?I mean, I?m pretty handy in a scrap. I just have better things to do most of the time.?
?Really, now?? Jozu let out a low, almost devious chuckle. ?We?ll see about that.?
The journey came to an end soon afterwards, as Sango parked the vehicle at the foot of a large lake. Dense foliage ran along its edges, and scrawled KEEP OUT signs had been erected to scare off potential intruders. Sango ignored both of those, picking up her briefcase as she stepped out of the car.
?I?ll need a while to get ready,? she said. ?Anything you need to-?
The moment Jozu stepped out of the vehicle, she pulled the jacket off. Sango was struck dumb by the figure underneath, a perfectly crafted body concealed under a silver wetsuit. She was muscular, but not excessively so, and alongside her conditioning she had a wonderful set of...assets.
?Three minutes,? the shark said before walking towards the water. ?Any longer and I?m leaving you behind.?
Jozu stomped away just in time for Sango to conceal her blushing. She?d had high expectations, yes, but Jozu had exceeded each and every one of them - on a scale of one to ten, she was a twelve at the very least. It was going to take all of Sango?s professionalism to stay focused with a fine piece of work like that as her partner.
She took her time undressing, folding her suit up neatly and placing it in the trunk of the Warhead. Then the wetsuit, a tight but clammy fit that felt more like a second skin than anything. She clipped her gun to her waist, then eased the flippers onto her feet. Finally, she pushed the special earplugs into place and slipped a piece of oxy-gum under her tongue. The gadget had a faint minty taste to it, and she took the time to chew it as she waddled out to meet the shark.
?Took you long enough,? Jozu said, doing some quick stretches before the dive. She looked down at Sango?s fins with visible disdain. ?You?re really gonna wear those? You look like a freaking duck.?
?That?s uncalled for.? Sango pouted. ?Ducks are cute.?
?Whatever.? Jozu took her first steps into the lake. ?Try and keep up, alright?? The shark leaped forward, entering the water with grace, leaving barely a splash as she vanished under the surface.
Sango rolled up her sleeves. ?Challenge accepted.? She took a long, deep breath, then hurled herself into the lake in pursuit of her companion.
Don?t think about the whole duck thing, Sango, she thought to herself as the water consumed her.
Even if she?s totally right...-----
Sango couldn't remember the last time she'd been in her natural element. For a moment she worried her time on land would have left her rusty, but after a few anxious strokes her animal instincts took over. She cut cleanly through the water, pressing her ankles together in a textbook dolphin kick, and her flippers gave her the extra boost she needed to keep up with Jozu's demanding pace.
The oxy-gum took a bit more getting used to. A constant flow of bubbles drifted out her nose, and though she exhaled as normal she never felt the need to breathe in. She tried speaking beneath her breath and found that her voice was remarkably clear, even underwater. Nitori really had thought of everything.
All of these were invaluable distractions, of course. She needed something, anything to keep her mind off of Jozu. The shark was even better to watch in the water, her breathing coil wrapped around her wrist as her jet-black hair danced under the waves. Sango got a great view of all of her curves - so good, in fact, that she wondered if Jozu was flaunting them on purpose. Surely sharks didn?t need to kick that hard, did they?
The trip to the lakebed was the longest two minutes of Sango's life. Luckily she soon found herself with more pressing things to worry about, such as the two armed guards standing watch at the entrance to the cavern. One look at their razor-sharp tridents was enough to convince Sango that her ogling could wait.
Jozu curved around to a large rock on the lakebed, pressing herself against it as cover. She glanced around the corner whenever the guards looked away, eyes indifferent as she examined the situation. Sango caught up with her a few seconds later, getting as close to the shark as her personal space would allow.
"What's our way in?" Jozu asked. "Any ideas?"
Sango put a hand on her chin. "Hmm?best idea's probably a pincer attack. Give me a few minutes to get around them, and we'll catch them off guard."
"Too slow. Forget I asked." Jozu put a hand on the top of the rock, ready to vault over it. "We go on my mark."
"What? You can't just-"
"Now."
Jozu didn't hang around for the rest of the warning. She pulled herself over the rock, using the other side as a springboard to kick herself forward. By the time Sango knew what was going on, Jozu had already attracted the guards' attention.
"Hey, what're you doing here?" The closer guard pointed his trident at the shark. "This area's off limits. Get out before things get-"
Before he could finish, Jozu grabbed at the middle prong of his trident. She jerked it downward, sending the handle flying upwards into his chin. Even from twenty feet away Sango heard his jaw shattering under the impact. He was out cold before he had time to blink.
"Sorry," Jozu said with a grin. "You're a lot more bearable with your mouth shut."
The second guard went pale for a moment before gripping his trident. He stabbed at Jozu, more ready than his counterpart was. Jozu bobbed and weaved around his thrusts, never moving any further than she needed to. Sango could only watch from a distance as she started to close the gap.
It took some time, but eventually the guard overextended. His thrust went a few inches too far, and as Jozu swerved to the side she grabbed the trident and pulled it out of his hands. She brought both her palms into his unguarded chest, hitting with enough force to knock him several feet backwards. If the punch didn?t knock him out, the collision with the stone wall certainly did.
?Hmph.? Jozu snorted, kicking one of the bodies as she shook her head. ?Typical mermen. Weapons that big are always compensating for something.?
Sango caught up just in time to miss out on the fighting, one hand gripping her temple. ?What the hell was that??
?That was me doing my job.? Jozu said. ?Unlike
someone who spent all her time hiding behind a rock.?
?That?s because you didn?t give me a chance to react!? Sango waved her arms about, vaguely aware she sounded more like Ran with every passing second. ?You can?t just charge into a fight whenever you feel like it!?
?Why not?? The shark shrugged. ?It?s worked pretty well for me so far.?
?But...? Sango growled and muttered under her breath. ?You?re
so lucky that you?re cute.?
?What did you say??
?Nothing.? Sango blew a stream of bubbles out of her nose. ?Let?s just hope nobody heard that.? She drew her gun, holding it close to her chest as she drifted into the cavern. ?At least warn me next time you?re going to hurl yourself into danger, okay??
Jozu smirked. ?Can?t make any promises...?
-----
The cavern was just wide enough to swim through two-at-a-time. Sango made a point of not brushing against the walls, keeping the moss and kelp from scraping against her wetsuit. This meant she was instead rubbing up against Jozu, a situation she had absolutely zero complaints over. Jozu was entirely unfazed, not even reacting to her partner?s closeness, glaring down the tunnel with her fists clenched.
The first leg was much easier than they?d anticipated. The kidnappers must have assumed the frontal defenses would do most of the work, and the straight path meant there was nowhere for them to hide. Occasionally Sango would catch sight of a guard in the distance, then fire off a quick shot. By the time he?d opened his mouth to cry out, the tranquiliser would kick in and leave him sleeping like a baby.
It took about four repetitions of this cycle for Jozu?s patience to wear thin.
?You?re a coward,? she said, kicking at an unconscious body while she swam past. ?Just wanted to mention that.?
?What, because I don?t want to raise the alarm?? Sango frowned. ?As fun as a no-holds battle royale would be, getting their attention means they might end up killing the hostage.?
?Not that.? Jozu snatched the gun out of Sango?s hands, peering down the barrel in disdain. ?You air-breathers are so dependent on your firearms. There?s no skill or honour involved in using one of these.?
Oh, boy. Sango rolled her eyes. Nitori had mentioned this to her earlier. She took another glance at the shark?s curves to negate the frustration welling up in her. Damn, that girl looked
fine.
?We can have a meaningful conversation about battlefield ethics later.? She offered a hand to Jozu. ?Now can you please give me that back before anyone-?
Before she could finish the sentence, a cacophonic screech echoed through the tunnel. ?Agh!? Sango clung at her ears, the note sending ugly tingles all over her skin. She could feel the sound engulfing her, trying to force its way inside her skull. Something hummed inside her ears, the only line of defense that kept the noise out.
After a few seconds the sound died down again, giving Sango a chance to catch her breath. Her ears were still ringing, but her other symptoms vanished as quickly as they came. She let out a deep sigh, fiddling with one of her earplugs.
?So THAT?S what a siren song sounds like,? she said. ?I always figured it?d be a little sweeter than that. What about you, Jozu??
Jozu gave no response. She hung in place in the water, staring down the cavern at nothing in particular.
?Jozu?? Sango put a hand on her partner?s shoulder. ?Look, I know you?re mad about the whole gun thing, but you don?t have to ignore me.?
As she circled around in front of Jozu, Sango went rigid. The shark?s eyes were clouded over, almost lifeless. She was murmuring beneath her breath, speaking in a tongue neither girl was fluent in.
?You?re kidding me.? Sango pulled around to Jozu?s side, taking a good look down her partner?s ear. No sign of the earplugs. ?Oh, you stubborn little-?
The shark lashed at Sango?s cheek, catching her off guard. Sango reeled from the slap, almost twirling in the water from the impact. By the time she?d recovered Jozu was drifting down the corridor, like a moth drawn against its will to a flame.
?What are you doing?? Sango pushed herself forward again. ?Get back here!?
Again Jozu offered no response, lazily making her way through the tunnel. Even with such little effort, she moved at a pace Sango struggled to match. The flippers gave Sango a boost, but even with that she couldn?t quite catch up.
As the pair slipped further into the tunnel the rocks abruptly changed colour, from a murky green to a wretched brown. Jozu passed the boundary, and a click came from the wall beside her. Sango gulped, making one last push to grab Jozu by the ankle. Her hand grabbed at nothing, and she could only watch as a steel barrier slid out to block her path.
?COME ON!? Sango banged a fist against the metal to no avail. ?That?s not even fair!?
Several seconds of pounding later, Sango admitted her defeat. This slab had to be at least a few inches thick. Building an obstacle this elaborate into the cavern itself - maybe she?d given the kidnappers less credit than they deserved.
?But I can?t just leave her there.? The dolphin clenched her empty fist. ?I mean, she took my gun. Nitori would kill me if I lost her newest gadget. But how am I supposed to get around this...??
Sango put a hand against a relatively clean part of rock. The criminals wouldn?t block off their only way out of the cavern. There had to be a second passageway. But she hadn?t seen any branches in the tunnel up to this point. Maybe it was concealed somehow?
Sango sighed. ?Guess I?ll have to resort to
that, then.? She pulled away from the barrier slightly in case anyone was listening on the other side. She took a deep breath, cupped her hands around her mouth, and whistled. ?Phweeee~!?
The sonar waves bounced across the rocky walls of the cavern before returning to their sender. Sango?s ears wiggled, and as she closed her eyes she could see the structure of the walls forming inside her head. It was a handy trick, to be sure, but Sango tried not to use it when she could avoid it. The whole thing made her look a little too...cute.
A few seconds later, she had a good grasp of her surroundings. Most of the walls were solid rock, unsurprisingly, but there was a hollow spot a few meters behind her. She pulled back, turning towards the wall in question, and pushed against it with one hand. Sure enough, what looked like stone was in fact a hidden doorway, neatly concealed between the real walls.
?Thought so.? Sango smirked as she entered into the passageway beyond. ?Now, let?s see what?s behind door number two...?
-----
The hidden route was a long, dreary chamber with rusting metal walls. Electric lights flickered overhead, making Sango feel oddly claustrophobic. This wasn?t a new installation, she thought to herself. Some sort of military base, maybe? The briefing hadn?t mentioned anything of the sort. She?d have to let Ran know that the reconnaissance team hadn?t done their homework.
Unlike the cavern passageway, this tunnel was a mess of unmarked twists and turns. Sango had to let out the occasional phwee to keep from treading the same paths, and even then the structure was so complex that it was hard to tell where she would end up. After a few minutes, all she could tell was that she wasn?t going backwards.
Luckily, she soon found a much more obvious cue to work with.
?Release me, you wretched fiend!?
Sango?s eyes widened. Another benefit to being a dolphin was a very sensitive sense of hearing. She caught a voice some way to her left, one that would have been almost dulcet if it wasn?t hoarse from yelling.
That?ll be our captive princess, I assume. Sango began to move towards the source of the protest. Jozu would have to wait for a little while; saving the hostage was still their primary objective. The shark could look after herself. Probably.
The voice eventually led Sango to what seemed to be a prison wing. She floated past empty cells, peering in each of them to search for the missing princess. The cells had been given much more attention than the rest of the complex, the doors and locks showing signs of regular repair - if anything, they?d been made sturdier than before.
As she found her target, she realised this had been a necessary precaution.
?I said let me out! When my father hunts you down, you?ll be turned into sardine food! You understand?!?
Even with all its extra locks and hatches, the door to the cell still visibly heaved under the assault. A single guard stood watch beside it, looking back anxiously every time the princess threw herself into the barricade. If anything, he seemed more frightened than the prisoner he was meant to be watching over.
?Well, damn.? Sango nodded to herself in approval. ?If she wasn?t a princess, I?d talk to Ran about recruiting her.?
The door held tightly under the assault, and after a few seconds of hammering Wakasagi seemed to accept defeat. The merman watching her let out a heavy sigh before drifting a few paces away, clutching his trident with a too-tight grip. His focus was locked on the cell itself, not the tunnels around it.
This made it all too easy for Sango to get behind him.
?Eh?? He managed to turn around at the last minute. ?Hey, what?re you-?
Sango?s hand chopped right into the guard?s neck, striking him in a key pressure point. Her style wasn?t as brutal as Jozu?s, but it was just as efficient. The merman went limp, passing out almost instantly.
?Like taking candy from a baby.? Sango left him to float as she brushed off her hands. ?...Is that something I should be proud of, actually? Whoever came up with that saying was a really bad person.?
Once she was sure the guard was unconscious, Sango started brushing him down for the key to the cell. It soon became apparently the door had not one lock but almost a dozen, and all the keys were kept together on a single ring. No wonder Wakasagi hadn?t been able to make it out. She snatched the ring and swam to the door, trying out the keys at random until she found the right one for each lock.
?Who?s there?? The mermaid spoke up from the other side of the door. ?If you?re bringing food, it had best be caviar. I won?t stand for this miserable service much longer, understood??
?Relax, princess. I?m not with the bad guys.? Sango undid the last lock, pulling the door open with a flourish. ?Agent 35. I?m here to bail you out.?
Princess Wakasagi was a strange sight to behold. At once she looked exactly as the photo had suggested and entirely different - the clothes and makeup were right, but the her eyes were a good deal more predatory than she had expected. There was a danger about her that the picture hadn?t properly conveyed. Maybe that was deliberate; it wouldn?t do the royals much good if people knew their princess was such a ruffian.
?About time you arrived.? Wakasagi let out a mighty harrumph, brushing aside one of her pigtails. ?I was starting to think my father had finally mustered up the guts to disown me.?
Sango?s throat felt oddly dry. She wasn?t sure what she?d been expecting to find behind the door, but it certainly wasn?t this. Still, even if her personality was lacking, the princess had one hell of a figure - maybe the lack of legs was a bit of a problem, but you couldn?t have everything.
?You?re feistier than I expected.? Sango smirked. ?But the picture didn?t do your body justice. Say, you?re not betrothed or anything, are you-?
?Drop dead.? Wakasagi leered right past Sango?s eyes and into her soul. ?I?d rather kiss a pufferfish than go out with you.?
Ouch. Sango winced. Maybe she?d been optimistic about her chances of getting together with royalty. She?d have to save the better pickup lines for someone else.
And on that note...?Actually, I might need your help with something,? she said. ?I need to hunt down a missing comrade. Any clue where the head of this operation would be holed up??
Wakasagi pondered the question for a moment. ?From what I can tell, their leader?s a powerful sorceress. Her quarters aren?t too far from here, actually - just take every left turn and you?ll get there eventually.?
Sango nodded. That had to be the woman responsible for that siren song earlier. If Sango found her, Jozu couldn?t be very far away.
?Alright. Thanks for the directions.? Sango backed away out of the cell. ?Keep quiet for now, understand? I?ll come back for you when the coast is clear.?
?Wait, what?? Wakasagi growled. ?You can?t just abandon me here! I thought you were here to rescue me!?
?I am,? Sango said as she closed the door over, leaving it unlocked for now. ?But there?s another girl I?m worried about as well.?
-----
The directions Wakasagi provided were more than enough. Sango ran a hand along the left wall, following it around every turn. As she delved deeper and deeper, the dreary surroundings of the facility grew fresher and more welcoming. Pale purple paint, the colour of royalty, ran across the floors and ceilings. It was a hasty job, but someone had made an effort to turn this hideaway into a home away from home.
?Ugh. Modern art.? Sango swallowed as she passed by a painting on the wall. It displayed a square engulfed by a larger square, which itself was being eaten by a circle. No doubt there was some
deep, meaningful metaphor the artist had in mind, but Sango wasted none of her brainpower figuring out what it was. She had already decided she didn?t like whoever was in charge of this operation.
Finding the criminal?s lair did nothing to change her opinion.
?Oh, you look de-
light-ful! What a wonderful new addition to my entourage...?
Sango caught the voice at the end of the last corridor, behind a barely-open door that had been painted a gaudy shade of yellow. She crept up towards the entrance, peeking through the crack before she made a move.
Sheer horror pulsed through her veins.
What the hell?At the back of the room sat a middle-aged mermaid, her red tail brushing at the floor in contemplation as she held Sango?s gun in her hand. Jozu floated in the center of the room, eyes still cold and distant, but she had been given a drastic makeover since the last time Sango had seen her. Her face was almost hidden behind layers of makeup, and a long, flowing dress covered her entire body. She looked less like a living creature and more like a doll, dressed up solely for her owner?s amusement.
?That?s better, isn?t it?? The mermaid rose from the couch, circling around Jozu and appraising her from all angles. ?I bet you feel nice and pretty now, don?t you??
Jozu nodded mechanically. Her mouth hung half-open, still mesmerised by the siren?s spell. If Sango didn?t know better, she?d have sworn this wasn?t the same woman she?d been working with all evening. A dark, wretched anger broke out inside her gut.
When she kicked the door open, the satisfaction was unbelievable.
?Stop right there!?
The head kidnapper jerked around to face Sango, her face scrunching up into a wrinkled mess. ?And who the devil are
you supposed to be??
?I?m not in the mood for introductions,? Sango hissed. ?You?re going to get the hell away from my partner right now.?
?Partner?? The mermaid put a hand to her mouth and chortled. ?Ah, so you?re another one of the palace?s lapdogs. I?m surprised my song had no effect on you. To escape the call of Miriam De Vries, sorceress extraordinaire-?
?I don?t think you heard me the first time.? Sango clenched her fists. ?What did you do to her??
The sorceress smirked. ?Oh, I thought that was obvious. You see, your colleague is under my control now. Nothing you say to her will-?
?That?s not what I meant.? Sango grabbed at the brim of Jozu?s dress. ?I?m talking about this lousy excuse for an outfit!?
Miriam blinked. ?...What??
?Look, do you have any idea what you?re doing?? Sango cupped her hands over her chest. ?You can?t see any of Jozu?s curves in that getup! What?s the point in dressing her up if you hide all of her best features?! She looks like a goddamn jellyfish!?
The mermaid?s mouth hung open in stunned silence. ?I...what...? When she found her voice it was in a burst of rage, her face turning a bright crimson. ?You have the nerve to mock my artistic vision?!?
?Damn right!? Sango hesitated. ?Oh yeah, and kidnapping the princess was sort of a dick move too.? She lowered herself into a fighting stance. ?But right now, I?ve got to punish you for your crimes against style!?
That accusation drew more ire from Miriam than anything else Sango could have said. ?You...you cur!? She flung an arm forward, pointing a damning finger into the dolphin?s chest. ?Go, my servant! Rip this trespasser to shreds!?
The moment the order left her lips, Jozu pounced. The dress did nothing to slow her movement, and she brought a hand into swipe at Sango?s face. Sango swerved to the side, the shark?s nails grazing against her cheek. Before she could recover Jozu was on her again, swinging wildly with a flurry of blows.
?Kyaah!?
Sango clumsily blocked the oncoming strikes, deflecting punches that could have easily shattered her skull. The raw force behind Jozu?s attacks left Sango reeling; by the time she?d recovered from one, another was already hurtling down towards her. Staying alive was hard enough. Any sort of counterattack was almost impossible.
?Yes, just like that, my dear.? Miriam chuckled, cradling her fingers as she watched the fight from a safe distance. ?Show her what happens to those who question my genius!?
Sango winced as the continued assault started to wear her down. As much as she hated to admit it, Jozu?s bragging hadn?t been all talk. The shark?s strength in the water was too much for Sango to match. Nothing in her arsenal would be enough to win this fight.
In other words, it was time to start playing dirty.
Time to show her what I REALLY think of this dress!As another blow came in, Sango leaned backwards, spinning a full circle in the water. On the way around her fin caught the hem of Jozu?s dress, and with a kick she brought it flying into Jozu?s face.
?Mmmrphh?!?
Jozu let out a muffled yelp as she was blinded by her own outfit. Sango made the most of the momentum, grabbing Jozu by the waist and hit her with a suplex, slamming her head against the wall.
?Ngghaaah!?
The shark howled, and for an instant her eyes came back into focus. She shuddered, looking around in bewilderment, reaching out to Sango - then it was gone, and her doll-like expression returned. Sango?s heart soared; if she kept this up, maybe she could knock the spell right out of Jozu?s head!
?Eat this!?
Sango grabbed at the dress again, this time tearing off a shred of the fabric and shoving it in Jozu?s face. The hypnosis had turned the shark into a killing machine, but it had left her incapable of thinking outside the box. On being blinded again she flailed about at random, hoping one of her blows would make contact. This time Sango ducked and weaved about, landing the odd blow to the side of Jozu?s head.
?No! What are you doing?!? Miriam bit at her fingernails, trembling as the fight went sour. ?Do you have any idea how much that dress cost to make?!?
Sango wasn?t listening. Even with the upper hand this fight still needed her utmost focus. She pulled new scraps off the dress each time Jozu pulled one away, keeping her blind and desperate as long as she could. But there was only so much dress to tear, and soon Sango was running out of fabric to use.
?Wake up, Jozu!? Sango yelled, trying to reach the shark while she was dazed and vulnerable. ?It?s me, remember? Sango! The rotten air-breather whose face you wanna turn to mush!?
Jozu grumbled, one hand gripping her head like she was trying to keep her brain from seeping out. Her eyes shifted in and out of focus, on the verge of coming to her senses, but it still wasn?t enough to take her over the edge. She threw away the last shred of the dress, and the close-cutting wetsuit gave Sango nothing else to work with.
?Rrrgraaah!?
In a feral panic, Jozu grabbed Sango by the neck and held her against the wall. Her other hand clenched into a fist, ready to shove itself through the dolphin?s stomach. Sango grabbed at the arm holding her down, but the shark?s strength was unmatchable. She only had one last chance to bring Jozu back before things became very, very bloody.
In the heat of the moment, Sango found the one answer she needed.
?Snap out of it!? she said. ?What would Ran think if she saw you like this??
Jozu tensed. The mention of Ran?s name struck her harder than any blow. Her eyes popped open, panicked, furious, and she pulled her fist back for one final strike. With a primal roar, she thrust her fist forward - but not at Sango. Instead her hand buried itself in the wall, all her rage seeping out of her from the impact.
?Aaaah, haa...? The shark blinked rapidly, growing more aware with every flutter of her eyelids. ?Aah...I...where...what...? At last her eyes came into focus, and she looked up at the girl she was holding prisoner. ?Sango??
Sango let out a long, heavy breath. ?Yeah. That?s my name. Now please stop throttling me.?
?Oh. Sorry.? Jozu pulled her arm back, rubbing anxiously at the back of her head. ?Siren songs, you know? They really do a number on you.?
?I?m aware of that.? Sango pointed at one of her earplugs before looking away. ?Anyway, we?ve got other things to take care of right now.? She turned to Miriam, who?d pressed herself against the back wall. ?A lot of good your magic turned out to be, huh??
Miriam looked set to fold in on herself, hands trembling as she held onto the tranquiliser. ?Y-You?ve done nothing, understand? All I have to do is raise my voice, and she?ll be back under my control!? In spite of her words, Miriam looked like she would struggle to make more than a squeak. ?And, and - the princess! Yes, of course! You wouldn?t dare do anything that would hurt the dear little princess! So you?d best be leaving now, or else-?
?THERE YOU ARE, YOU FIEND!? Before she could even finish her threat, a green blur crashed through the door and slammed into her. ?Feel the wrath of Princess Wakasagi!?
The whole thing played out faster than Sango could react. Wakasagi pinned Miriam to the floor, whipping her in the face repeatedly with her tail. The first few smacks forced yelps out of the kidnapper. The next few knocked out teeth.
?That?s the princess?? Jozu put a hand on her chin. ?She packs quite the punch.?
?You?re telling me.? Sango rubbed at her neck. ?Better than her being a damsel in distress, right??
?True enough.?
The pair watched the beatdown occur in awkward silence. Miriam was knocked out within minutes, but even then Wakasagi continued her attack. It soon stopped being entertaining to watch and started to become almost painful.
?...Maybe we should stop her.? Sango bit her lip. ?We should probably take in the culprit alive.?
?Go ahead,? Jozu said. ?I?m not getting in the way of
that.?
?No, seriously, I insist.? Sango waved her hands towards the pair. You?re the water-breather, right? This is your home turf.?
Jozu furrowed her brow. ?Hmmm...? She drifted closer, searching for some way to break up the brawl. ?A-ha!? Looking down, she saw the gun lying on the ground. It must have fallen out of Miriam?s hand during the scramble.
?You thought you?d get away with drugging me and holding me prisoner, did you?? Wakasagi smacked Miriam?s head into the couch. ?You?ll be begging for mercy when I?m done with you! I?ll have you hung! Drawn! Quartered! Then I?ll have your quarters quartered, and then I?ll-?
The tranquiliser dart hit her in the back of the neck. ?Aah...? Wakasagi lurched forward, holding onto Miriam for support, before falling into an all-too-peaceful slumber.
?Huh.? Jozu looked over the gun again. ?Maybe I was wrong about these things.?
Sango frowned. ?You sure Ran?s gonna be okay with us doing that??
Jozu shrugged. ?Eh. What?s the worst that could happen??
-----
?I swear to God, I am
this close to shipping the pair of you off to Antarctica.?
Ran Yakumo was not the sort to explode in a burst of rage. She was more of a seething kettle, a quiet anger that never quite boiled over into indignation. If anything, Sango found that scarier than any amount of yelling and screaming.
?You charged in without any degree of subtlety. You refused to make use of the equipment N supplied for you. And to top it all off, you bring back the princess up to her eyeballs in tranquliser!?
?Well, the tranq gun was something that Nitori supplied us with,? Sango said, raising her hand. ?So those last two statements contradict each other.?
Ran?s eyes shot daggers into Sango?s forehead. The effect was dampened somewhat by the fact Sango had been on the receiving end of these lectures more times than she could recall. The same could not be said of her partner.
?Yes, ma?am. Understood, ma?am. Sorry, ma?am.?
Jozu sat with her back straight, nodding and taking in every little criticism. If she?d been able, she would have been scribbling notes on the back of her palm. At first Sango thought it was an act on Jozu?s part, but there was an anxiety behind her eyes that revealed her true nature.
?Jozu...? Ran gripped her temples. ?I thought we went over this before. The Agency is a team, and that means we all rely on each other. So when you try to act like a one-man army, you?re not just putting yourself in danger. You?re risking the lives of everyone around you.?
?But I-? Jozu opened her mouth to retort, only to stop as a bright red blush covered her face. ?I?m sorry, ma?am. It won?t happen again.?
?I hope not.? Ran sighed. ?You?re a promising agent, and I think you can go far. You just need to get that ego of yours in check.?
Jozu almost glowed under the compliment, fingers fidgeting as she looked away and smiled. ?I, um...I?ll work on that.?
?Hey, no fair!? Sango pouted. ?How come you don?t give me any compliments??
?I could be here all night answering that question,? Ran growled. ?But I have better things to do, like explaining to the royals why their daughter is coming home on a stretcher. You two can do whatever you want for the rest of the evening.? She made to walk away, then stopped after a few paces and turned around. ?And, well...you didn?t completely screw everything up. So good work on that.?
Sango watched the fox as she walked away, fiddling with a suit collar that refused to stay put. She muttered beneath her breath, but there was no anger in her gait, no stomping feet or clenched fists. The dolphin wondered how much of Ran?s frustration was genuine and how much was just a motivational tool.
?I think that?s the nicest thing she?s ever said to me.? Sango pulled herself up to her feet. ?What?s your secret? How do you get her to like you so much??
?Mainly by not being an asshole,? Jozu said.
?Hmm. I?ll have to consider that.? Sango looked over at Ran again, waiting until the fox was definitely out of earshot before popping the question. ?You?re crushing on her pretty hard, aren?t you??
?Wha-? If Jozu was blushing before, she was outright burning up now. ?What kind of question is that? She?s my boss, remember?!?
?Don?t play dumb with me.? Sango smirked as she waved a finger about. ?I saw the puppy-dog look you gave her when she wasn?t looking. That?s the look of a girl who?s head over heels for someone.? She puffed out her chest. ?I know because a lot of people have given me that look. Like, a LOT of them.?
Jozu pursed her lips at the last disclaimer, but ultimately slumped her shoulders in defeat. ?Then you understand, right? She?s so professional and efficient, but beneath all of that she?s the strongest woman I?ve ever met. I guess...I guess I idolise her a little.?
?Huh...well, I guess everyone?s got their own tastes.? Sango nodded. ?I assume you haven?t told her??
?Of course not. Why would I?? The shark looked away again. ?It?s like...I?m not good enough for her, you know? I don?t want to have a relationship where it feels like I?m the one bringing up the rear.? She looked up at the evening sky. ?Maybe when I?m strong enough to take her on in a real fight. Whenever that is.?
Sango listened in quietly. She?d learned when to speak up and when to keep quiet and listen - at least when it came to matters of love. Everything else was outside her area of expertise.
?But let?s leave the soul-searching for later.? Jozu sucked down another breathful of water from the coils around her neck. ?What about you? It sounds like you?ve got a lot of lovely ladies waiting for you back home.?
?Eh, not at the moment.? Sango waved a hand about. ?I?m not the sort to get pinned down in one relationship. I like to live as free as the morning breeze, or something like that.?
?Is that so?? A small, catlike smirk rose to Jozu?s lips. ?You know, I could still hear things when I was hypnotised. You said some interesting stuff about my body, if I recall.?
?Uhhhh.? Sango felt a cold sweat run down her forehead. ?Did I, now? I can?t say I remember anything like that...?
Jozu leaned closer, eyeing up Sango like a predator over her lunch. Sango braced herself, ready for some sort of retribution to strike her down. What she didn?t expect was for Jozu to sneak a peck onto her cheek.
?I?m very proud of my body,? the shark said. ?So that compliment meant a lot to me. Assuming you meant it, that is??
?O-Of course I did!? Sango stuttered. ?You?re a fine piece of work, Jozu. I just figured saying that to your face was a good way to get my head ripped off.?
?Well, I?ll admit your personality leaves a lot to be desired. And that whole air breathing thing is a bit of a liability.? Jozu pinched playfully at Sango?s cheek. ?But you?re not bad looking yourself, and I do sort of owe you my life. I think you?ll last me until I?m good enough for Ran, at least.?
For one of the first times in her life, Sango was speechless. She was used to finishing the job with a girl in hand, but normally it was her doing the wooing.
Oh well, she thought.
A date?s a date.?So what are you up to tonight?? Jozu winked. ?I wouldn?t mind some company at my place. You won?t even have to change out of that wetsuit of yours.?
?Yeah, about that. I?ve got good news and bad news.? Sango held her mouth open for a moment to show it was empty. ?The bad news is that I used up all the air in that piece of oxygum.?
?Oh.? The shark pouted. ?That?s a shame.?
?It is. Luckily, there?s the good news.? Sango reached under her collar and pulled out a second piece of gum. ?Nitori happens to be a damn good wingman...?
-----
Other rejected titles for this story include:
Caphweeno Royale
The Dolphin Who Loved Me
Seafall
On Her Majesty's Sea-cret Service
Goldfin...ger
