The Ultimate Hunt {DRV3 AU}

A Stinging Pain

Shuichi was left stunned at the door. The friend rushed out, yanking Shuichi by the shoulder and pushing him under the bed. She crawled under there too, her orange hair going everywhere and her finger on her mouth.

Shuichi was scared. The floor light up with flashlights and he could see hints of blue and red. It eventually died down, the room going dark once more.

The girl crawled out; Shuichi followed her. "Hey, what was what that?" he asked.

"They've been searching for the ultimates and they got a tip off that they we were here." The girl staring at the ground, her blue eyes glazed over.

"We?" Shuichi tilted his head.

"Oh, I'm still disguised, aren't I!" The girl looked up, embassed.

Fast as a bullet, clothes flew on and off. The girl in front of Shuichi was no longer orange haired and freckled. It was Tsumugi.

"Oh, right. Cosplaying.... Right?" The detective stared.

"Yup. I'm not called the ultimate cosplayer for no reason!" her high voice was back, severely different from who she was before.

"Right..."

She sat on the bed, her dress plomping down. "Do you know who tipped them off?" Shuichi asked.

"If I knew, I would have killed them already... Well, not kill. But I definitely would have confronted them about it!" Tsumugi pouted.

Tsumugi' hand had reached for a letter sitting in his floor. Shuichi recognised it. Rantaro's letter.

"What's this?" Tsumugi asked. She had already unfolded it and was reading through it, her lips were mumbling every word.

"Rantaro? Like, Rantaro Amami?" Tsumugi spoke again.

"Ah.... Yeah." Shuichi looked to the ground. "He saved me. Basically. Promised to find me a safe place to stay. That's why I'm here."

"Do you miss him?" Tsumugi looked like she already knew the answer

"Everyday."

Tsumugi paused. "Maybe he told them where we were.."

"He wouldn't do that." Shuichi wore a stubborn expression

"How long have you known him?"

"... A month."

"You can't expect to know everything about a person in a month."

"He promised though..."

"What did he promise? What could he possibly promise in this grief stricken world?" Tsumugi glared at the note.

"To... Protect me...." Shuichi had an empty stare.

Tsumugi took a last, disgusted look at the note before she ripped it in half. "I'll find a way for you to protect yourself..... Your friend isn't coming back."

Look. I know I'm being a bit mean, but it's for his own good. People like Amami make promises they can't keep. And Shuichi.... He's so... Helpless.

He needs someone to protect him.

But, what can you do Tsumugi? You're just a weeb. And it's not like you can teach him to disguise as other people.

But... I want him to be strong.

So you don't have to deal with him?

So he doesn't have to rely on me... On anyone.

So.. You're gonna protect him...?

Or leave him like his other friend did?

I'll find someone to take my place.

After all.

I'm not here just to relax and hide from the world.

I'm gonna find her.

Maybe an ultimate detective can be helpful. He seems pretty broken already. And you've manipulated masses.

That's true. I guess he could be useful. And I can just leave him at the end

Maki Harukawa stomped through the apartment block. Her and Rantaro had spent the last three weeks searching for Kaede's location. Rantaro suspected the girl knew more about Kaede then she let on. But he wasn't going to confront her. Maybe later. Maybe when she wasn't threatening to kill him all the time.

Each apartment was lit with a singlar latern, contrasting from the dark night sky above it.

"337. This is it." Maki said. Her voice was monotone. Rantaro ran to catch up with her. His hand trembled as he stopped. 37. He would see Kaede again. "Go on. Knock."

Knock

They waited. "Maybe she isn't home?" Rantaro suggested.

Knock knock

Maki knocked. Firm and steady. Unlike Rantaro.

"Coming....." a soft female voice called out.

They waited. It felt like hours. The stone cold night was completely silent. Unlike Rantaro's pounding heart.