Chapter 48

“This one,” added Milo helpfully. “Take that damn thing off already!!” Tired of watching the boys’ farce play out, Raskeni lunged with her spear, but Pawoo brushed it away with a single sweep of her staff. “Grrh! How can a woman be so strong…?!” Raskeni muttered. “Careful,” replied Pawoo. “If I heard that in the office, I’d deem it gender discrimination.” Pawoo’s staff was far weightier than Raskeni’s spear, roaring whenever it tore through the air and battering its opponent’s tip to pieces in just a few brief exchanges. “You still want to continue?” said Pawoo. “Surrender and I’ll let you live. Just hand over the girl.” “D-dammit…I was almost there. Who the hell are you…?!” “I told you, I’m the Governor of Imihama. Or what, are you trying to tell me I don’t deserve that title?” “I don’t think she cares, gorilla lady!” “Shh, Bisco! She’ll hear you!” But Pawoo whipped around with an expression of pure wrath. “I can hear you!! I’ll speak to you later!!” Spotting Milo, she smiled, but then she noticed the emerald color of his hair. “Mi…Milo!! What…what happened to you?!” “I-it’s okay, Pawoo, now’s not the time…” “No, now is the time! Was it Akaboshi? Did he make you do it? I won’t allow it! It makes you look like a punk!” As Pawoo was distracted, Raskeni suddenly scooped up Amli in her arms and leaped out of the bedroom along the power lines with the five Scriptures in tow. In moments, she had disappeared into the darkness of the city. “Aaah! You…you let her get away!” “Relax, Akaboshi. I know what I’m doing. We must let her go, for now.” Pawoo flicked her staff and replaced it on her back. Then she squinted at the golden stomach in Bisco’s hands. “She may not have put up much of a fight, but I suspect she could have killed me had she relied on the power of those things she called Scriptures. Perhaps she was conserving their power… Regardless, right now, we need Milo to…and I can’t believe I’m saying this, put your stomach back inside you. I will fend off that woman’s assassins while he does so.” “No need. First priority’s gettin’ Amli back…” “Only you are strong enough to do that, Akaboshi. And only with your full strength. Calm down and let us return to base for now.” “Base?” asked Milo. “Do you have something in mind, Pawoo?” Pawoo frowned a little at Milo’s green hair but continued. “Not me, but Tirol does. That woman is a very smart young lady. She knew you two would get tangled up in trickery, so she got in contact with me. Actagawa is there at our base as well. It was tough finding somewhere large enough to keep him, let me tell you. In any case, let us go… Come, Akaboshi, grab on to me.” “Who’d accept help from you—? Grh! Dammit…!” Bisco winced and grunted in pain. Pawoo leaned close enough that their noses were almost touching. “If you’re going to be an ass about it…,” she whispered, and a devilish smile danced across her beautiful face. “…Come on, I’ll let you tell me what to do again. You’ve grown, Akaboshi. Gained a few scars… You’re looking more and more grown up by the day.” “W-waaah…” Bisco’s face burned bright red, and he turned away, shutting his eyes tight. Pawoo laughed, hoisted Bisco up onto her shoulder, and nodded to her brother, before leaping off into the dark city below. “…He’s like a tiger most of the time, but when Pawoo is around, he looks more like a hamster.” Milo chuckled at their relationship before following his sister’s gloriously fluttering hair into the night.