Aren't You Forgetting Something? (Part 2)

"Perfect! Go get 'em, Kaguya!"

"Yes! Thank you again, Ms. Aoi!"

With all of her gear properly equipped, Kaguya was prepared to journey forth and cleanse the city of evil! She dashed off from the Overseer station into the city, with no particular destination in mind. The Bureaucratic quarter was peaceful as always, but it mustn't stop there! Some day the whole city between should know this kind of peace.

As she got further and further away, the quality and state of the buildings slowly declined, and the immaculate public order of the Bureaucratic quarter started to seem like an illusion. Homeless people curled up in alleyways, civilians on the street tightly clinging together for a sense of security, holes in the sides of buildings betraying the regular acts of violence the city sees. She really had to wonder what possessed people to cause trouble for others? Were they stupid? At the very least she felt they were stupdier than her!

A scream rung out in the distance. A crime, perhaps? Turning a corner as her dash evolved into a full sprint, her eyes locked onto her target; a male Shifter with wolf-like features running into a nearby alleyway. 'Petty theft. A purse snatcher.' Kaguya barely even felt her seal loosen. The tendrils around her meridians were as tightly bound as always.

"Halt, evil-doer! The Overseers are here to protect the innocent! Cease at once or face justice!"

"Fuck no. This is mine now. Mind your own business, brat!"

As expected, the thief wouldn't give up without a fight. With a brief flash of strength, she leapt over the man's head and cut off his escape!

"My name is Kaguya. Prepare yourself, evil-doer!"

Yet the man ignores her, intending to run her over! It's only when a swift kick to his kidney sends him reeling that he finally looks at her. His physique betrayed the signs of a Core practitioner, but clearly he wasn't an accomplished one. Even without the ability to read someone's aura, there was plenty of signs to pick up on. He was Grade 2 at best, but probably Grade 1. She gave him one last chance to surrender.

"Come along quietly, evil-doer. Someone at your level isn't worthy of my blade."

Yet once again the man ignored her, convinced that the kick from earlier was a fluke. He dashed forward, intent on driving his fist through Kaguya's face and then rushing down the alleyway. With the slightest movement, she stepped back and narrowly avoided his fist. In return she cloaked her own fists in the power of time and prepared to end the encounter!

"Kaguya-punch! Orarararara!"

In a flurry of motion, dozens and dozens of small fists flew out, all aimed at the man's vitals. Pain wracked his body as he was pummeled from every direction. His face rapidly transformed into a lumpy purple mess. His kidney's screamed for mercy. The worst of it was his groin. No less than half of her attacks landed there, leaving him writhing on the ground in agony.

He'd barely even registered when she threw a pair of handcuffs on his arms.

Dragging him back to street he fled from, Kaguya turned on her radio to contact the Overseer station.

"Ms. Aoi! Got a purse snatcher! He's ready to be taken away!"

"Kaguya. You're supposed to radio in before engaging. Not after."

"...Ah. Sorry, Ms. Aoi. He was already running away, so I forgot."

"That's fine, but remember to do it right next time."

"Roger."

...

When the radio call concluded and the snatched purse returned, all that was left was to hand the miscreant over to one of the low ranking officers in charge of that kind of thing. If there was anything to nitpick... It was the reaction from the woman who lost her purse... Kaguya had to wonder... did she really look THAT young? Was it too late to hope that she'd develop a bit more and look like Aoi or Mika?

Her self-reflection was broken by the pained moans of the purse snatcher: 'Hmm... If I just leave him here he might get away... Oh! A familiar face.'

Still dragging the pummeled purse snatcher behind her, Kaguya called out to someone across street- an (in)famous bodyguard named Maihime. Said bodyguard was, surprisingly, standing outside a nicer looking building looking alert. Perhaps she finally got a proper job?

With a cheerful smile, she waved her free arm and walked over: "Heeeeey! Maihime! Looking good. Manage to find some work?"

Maihime on the other hand seemed... Sheepish. As if she was in trouble: "Uh, yeah, actually. Kinda. Uh... How about you? Got another 'evil-doer' there?"

Kaguya holds the man up by the back of his neck: "Yep, yep! Just caught him snatching a purse. Minding keeping an eye on him while someone comes to pick him up?"

However Maihime recoils a bit, eyes nervously bouncing up to the window above her head. "Err... I mean, I'm kinda busy. Wouldn't want to make a bad impression on a new boss..."

"If you do, we can head out and drink a little after work hours end. My treat!"

"...Leave it to me! This foul villain won't move an inch on my watch!" At the word 'drink' all other thoughts exited her head as Maihime boldly patted her chest and promised her cooperation.

"Thanks for the help, Maihime. Oh, but if it'll get you in trouble with your boss, you don't have to go out of your way."

Maihime however felt like her free drinks were slipping away. Overseers always got paid well, especially the higher rank ones. Being able to drink on their dime was too good to pass up on: "Whaaat? No, nah, It's fine. It's toootally fine. I'm sure the boss is chill. boss Kyomi wouldn't-" she paused a moment. "-fuck."

Maihime's slip-up didn't escape Kaguya: "Kyomi? As in the smuggler and Karmic Outlaw?"

Maihime glances down to the empty wine gourd on her hip: "Ahaha, what no? It's... uh... Kyomi the wine brewer! Completely different person!"

Regretfully, Kaguya wouldn't be swayed. She declared to the building and it's occupant: "The Overseers are here to inspect this building. We suspect the presence of a wanted criminal! Please cooperate!"

To which another voice yelled back from within the building: "Noisy! I'm busy showing these specks of dust how to do insider trading! Oi. Scrub. Do your job."

In spite of not being called by name, Maihime knew who 'scrub' referred to. She stepped between Kaguya and the building, still wondering in the back of her head if she could get those free drinks: "Well, you heard the boss. She wants you to leave."

"Obstructing an Overseer is a serious crime. In the name of justice, I'll have you move out of the way!"

"Sorry Kaguya, but a bodyguard has their own pride...! In the name of my booze, I cannot let you pass!"

With a valiant roar, Maihime manifested a large axe of soulbound steel that quickly grew to excessive size as she swung it: "Guillotine Thundercloud!"

Kaguya was immediately forced to back off- Maihime's brute force wasn't something she could meet head on. However: "...Timeslipping Saber..." In the brief moment before retreating, her sword flashed like a dim streak of light.

With a click of her tongue, Maihime kept a defensive stance. Chasing after a master of phase like Kaguya was a waste of time. Best case she'd open herself up to counter attacks. Worst case her opponent would rush past and storm the building. She had to stand her ground and patiently ward Kaguya off while taking advantage of her wider reach. Ideally without letting her get back into striking range- Kaguya had barely had the blink of an eye to strike, but there was already a few dozen cuts on her body. All of the cuts were shallow, thankfully. The worst of the damage was to her clothing. Still, it's not like Maihime was immortal. If she let Kaguya sit in striking range those shallow cuts would tear her ribbons eventually.

As for Kaguya herself, the thought of rushing past Maihime didn't occur to her. Ignoring people is quite rude after all. However, breaking through Maihime's defenses was proving difficult. Kaguya would rush in to strike, only to be forced to retreat. She'd circle around and try again, only to be warded off again. It was a stalemate. Kaguya knew a few glancing blows wouldn't get her anywhere- going all in to score some flesh wounds wasn't worth it. Meanwhile her opponent only need one hit to end the fight. Maihime wasn't willing to go all out either- maybe she could do something if she used every bit of strength and simply flattened the whole city block... But that would absolutely get her fired, even if this was just a temporary location.

All the while the tendrils binding Kaguya's meridians slowly loosened their hold.

Before things could escalate further, Kaguya's radio buzzed, indicating a call: "Ah. Sorry Maihime. I need to take this. Just a second."

"...Uh..." Maihime was understandably confused, but it wasn't like she could chase after the little overseer.

After a few moments of animated chatter, Kaguya returned: "Hmph. Sadly you get off free this time. One of the Warsmiths is causing trouble down by the entertainment district, and I'm being called over to help. I'll definitely be back to catch Kyomi though, so don't go anywhere!"

With that declaration, she rocketed off towards the entertainment district... Maihime heaved her axe over her shoulder and pondered to herself: "Well... Uh... All's well that ends well? I did my job. I think..."

Her gaze wandered down to her feet, at the wolf man still bound and writhing on the floor. "I forgot all about this guy. He's lucky he didn't get swept into any of my attacks... So I'm definitely not getting those free drinks, right? But then again it's Kaguya... Wouldn't surprise me either way..."

Maihime stood there and mumbled to herself, debating what she was supposed to now.