The Permanent Members Of Shibuya Division

I don’t know how long I was out. The last thing I remembered was fighting the dragon on the roof of the Horikita Sky Museum and passing out from blood loss when it struck me with its tail. Everything else was a blur after that.

Consciousness returned to me in steps.

First was sound. I gradually became aware of the steady beep, beep, beep of a heart monitor beside me. What the…? Was I in a hospital?

Next was sensation. My entire body ached. Head, shoulders, knees, toes. I could move, but I almost didn’t want to. The pain was everywhere, in places I didn’t even know I had.

Finally, I could smell. I sniffed twice, suddenly picking up a familiar scent. A heavenly aroma of spices, onions, carrots, and garlic. Was that my mother’s cooking?

"I'm just saying, Madam, if we added a little paprika to the broth, the restorative properties could really help."

"Oh, you think so, Ivy? Then I trust you. Why don't you go ahead and add that in? The doctor said he'll be waking up any moment now. He must be starving."

Was that my mother’s voice?

I slowly opened my eyes. The room was blindingly bright, thanks to the fluorescent lights hanging overhead.

Huh. I was in a hospital. Lying on a hospital bed. I blinked a few times, trying to collect my thoughts, and soon, someone walked into my field of vision.

"You shouldn't worry too much, Sashi," my mother said. "You heard the doctor. Your brother Daisuke'll be just fine. You should get going to school so you don't miss first period. Ivy and I are here. We'll look after him for you, promise."

Wait… Sashi was worried about me? My sister Sashi? The same antagonistic brat who does nothing but cause me trouble?

Come to think of it, the silhouette that had entered my field of vision did look a lot like her. She was sniffling, tear droplets falling onto my face.

I couldn't believe it. My little sister, crying?

"Please. Wake up, big bro," she said, sniffling some more. "Don't leave me like this. Don't leave me and mom all alone. I'm sorry, okay? I promise I'll be a good little sister and I won't cause trouble for you anymore. Just come back, alright? Please wake up, Daisuke. Please."

She didn't say anything after that. The room fell quiet, and she just stood by my bedside, staring down at me. My vision had finally cleared, and I could see her face now. It was drawing nearer. Slowly. What was she doing?

There was a brief, awkward pause between us. I was looking up at her, and she was looking down at me. Our faces were dangerously close. Apparently, she'd been leaning in for a get-well-soon kiss intended for my forehead. She thought I was still asleep.

She immediately pulled back, standing up straight, her cheeks turning red from embarrassment.

"Oh, l-look at that, Mom. He's awake. Just like you said. Okay, I'm going to school now, see you later!"

"Sashi… Wait!"

I shot up to a sitting position, trying to reach for her. She was already long gone, bolting out of the room in her middle school uniform.

I probably shouldn't have sat up so quickly. The IV drip was still hooked to my hand, and the rush of movement made me feel nauseous.

"Daisuke, you're awake!"

Before I could tell my mother that trapping me in a bear hug was a bad idea, she'd launched across the room and was already squeezing me to death. Every bone in my body screamed in protest.

"Hey, Mom," I croaked, gently patting her back.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, okay?" she said, wrapping her arms around me even tighter. "I know it's part of your job to put yourself in danger and all, but that doesn't mean your little sister and I aren't worried about you."

"I get it, Mom, but could you ease up on the death grip a little?"

"Oh dear, I'm so sorry."

She quickly let go, giving me a chance to finally breathe.

"Your sister was here all night looking after you," she said. "She refused to go back home even when I told her to."

"Sashi did all that?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yep. She was worried about her big brother after all," my mother replied, flashing a small smile. "And I was worried about my only son. So, how're you feeling? Any lingering pain or discomfort?"

I let the thought of my little sister drift to the back of my mind for a moment.

"Well, other than the fact you almost squeezed me to death just now, I feel fine."

"That's very good, then," she said, gently caressing my cheek with her palm. "Here, you must be hungry. Oh, Ivy dear?"

"Yes, Madam?"

"Could you bring the broth over, please?"

"Of course, Madam."

Ivy the cyclops, one of my mother’s employees from the restaurant, had been standing in the corner dressed in her maid uniform. She suddenly stepped forward with a bowl of freshly made, steamy broth.

"W-welcome back, young master," she said, bowing her head a little. "A-and this is for you." Her hands shook as she held up the bowl, her head still bowed. She was trembling so much that the chopsticks in the soup were jostling around. Was she nervous or something?

"Hey, Ivy, are you alright?" my mother asked. "Is something wrong? Are you coming down with a chill? I told you to pack a jacket, didn't I? The artificial winter this year is something else."

"N-no, M-madam," Ivy responded. "I'm not c-cold. I'm not sick at all, I p-promise."

This was obviously a lie. The girl was trembling like a leaf. I could even hear her teeth chattering from my spot on the bed. Her maid uniform wasn't thick enough to ward off the cold.

As I reached for the bowl, my mother leaned in to whisper in my ear.

"This one was also very worried about you. Even when Sashi and I fell asleep, she remained standing by the door all night in case of any emergencies."

When she pulled back, my mother smiled and placed a shushing finger on her lips. My cheeks flushed. Ivy was also worried about me?

"Thank you," I said to the cyclopian girl, finally accepting the food from her. As usual, it was delicious. I could already feel myself getting better. I just wish I could say the same for someone else.

While returning to stand in the corner, Ivy’s knees buckled. She fell on the floor a second later and passed out.

My breath caught in my throat and I briefly stopped eating. Seeing what had happened, my mother quickly rushed her to the emergency room while shouting for the doctors. When she got back a few minutes later, she told me what had transpired.

Ivy had come down with a fever, but fortunately, she was going to make a full recovery. The girl had simply overworked herself against my mother's wishes. All she needed was a few days off and some much-deserved sleep. So, it was nothing a little rest couldn't fix.

***

I didn't get discharged until later in the afternoon. My first destination was the station. I wanted to check on how the girls were doing.

According to my mother, they'd called constantly to check in on me every ten minutes last night, only stopping once they heard my condition had stabilized. I reached out to push open the station doors, but that was when it hit me.

Literally.

Again.

A crumpled-up piece of paper came flying and struck me on the side of my head, just like last night in my mother's restaurant. It could only mean one thing.

"Hello, captain."

I spun around. Special Agent Horimi Sakurazawa. Hands shoved in the pockets of her trench coat, long dark hair swept back by the winter wind. Her gaze was fixed on me, and it was all business. After last night, her being here could only mean one thing.

"Miss?" I replied in greeting.

We decided to talk outside, standing near a lamppost. Luckily, it wasn't snowing as much as yesterday. Those weather magicians had probably gotten a lot of complaints about how cold it was this year.

"So how're you feeling, captain?" the handler asked.

We were both gazing at a store from across the street. The owner was a Hebi-Hime, a serpentine woman, selling ornaments for the festive season.

"That depends," I responded.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you're here to do what I think you are."

The half-snake woman was welcoming a mother and her son into her store. The boy was excitedly pointing at something inside. I was starting to get annoyed. Not at the scene playing out in front of me, but at the fact that this woman hadn't even given me a chance to meet my squad before appearing, ready to dismantle us.

The handler exhaled, a soft cloud forming in the cold air.

"Well, captain, we had a deal. Minimum collateral damage, and in exchange, I'd permit your team to keep existing. Weren't those the terms of our agreement?"

"They were," I said coldly, bracing myself for what she was inevitably about to do.

"Then, let's recap last night's performance, shall we?" she said, just as a truck drove by in front of us.

"The ransacking of the museum lobby by animated stone creatures. A wanted criminal mastermind still at large. And the destruction of one of the Horikita Sky Museum's most treasured statues, the Celestial Azure Drake." She paused, turning to face me. "Tell me honestly, captain. How d'you think your team performed?"

I sighed.

"Look, miss, you don't have to spell it out. We caused a lot of damage. I know HQ wants to crucify us. That's fair. But I believe what we did last night was a success. We saved people. We saved lives. We were faced with impossible odds, but we somehow came out on top, and we did so unharmed."

A sharp, involuntary twinge from my ribs made me pause and press a hand to my side. I covered the wince by clearing my throat. "Well, mostly, anyway. So, if you'll excuse me, I need to see my team while I still can."

I didn't wait for her reply. I just turned and started walking, the snow crunching under my boots. I'd made my peace with our situation. Now I just wanted to see the girls.

"I'm not here to disband your team, captain."

I instantly came to a stop, my eyes widening in surprise. Did I just hear that right?

"What d'you mean?" I asked her, my back still turned. I was trying to keep my cool. Maybe I'd misheard.

"Like you said, captain. You and your team saved a lot of lives. The only direct collateral was the destruction of the Drake by Aki Sakai-Schmidt in her demon form. A feat, I heard, that was done in self-defense while protecting the hostages."

I couldn't believe it. Was she actually considering not firing us?

"Even in the lobby where Miko Tsukishima activated her cryo bomb, there was minimal damage done to the surrounding artifacts. So, technically, your team held up their side of the bargain. Little collateral was done to the museum itself. And per our agreement, the three of you can carry on as M-SERT officers. At least for now."

A surge of excitement rushed through me that very moment. I couldn't stop myself.

I turned back, grabbed the handler by her shoulders, and pulled her into a hug.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you so much, ma'am," I shouted, squeezing her tightly. "You don't know how much this means to us. I thought I'd never see them again."

I had her pressed up against my chest as I thanked her. Her dark hair smelled of perfume, and her thin stature almost made her feel fragile in my arms.

I didn't realize my blunder until it was too late.

"Hmmm, what did I say about touching me?!"

Uh oh.

"Let go of me, pervert! Wind blast!"

Not again.

"Huh…? No, please wait, I'm sor…"

***

Just like last time, the handler used her wind magic on me. Her attack left me sprawled in a pile of snow, my already aching body now screaming with unimaginable pain. She walked over and reached out a hand.

"Here. I realize you're still recovering and you're just from the hospital, so let me help you," she said.

"Thanks," I croaked, locking arms and letting her pull me back up.

"But you should know it was all your fault," the handler huffed, crossing her arms. "If you hadn't hugged me out of the blue like that, I wouldn't have attacked you. So don't expect an apology."

"I know, sorry about that," I said, stretching a little to ease some of the pain. "I promise next time I'll ask for permission first," I added jokingly, fully relaxed now that I knew we weren't getting the axe.

"Next time?!" She visibly jumped, her cheeks turning a bright pink. "Wait… wha… wait, what d'you mean 'next time'?"

I laughed. "I'm only joking, miss," I said, surprised she was flustered.

"Shut up," she spat. "Touch me again, and you're dead."

Across the street, the mother and her son finally stepped out of the store, the serpentine woman following to see them off. The little boy was grinning, clutching what looked like a water gun, while his mother carried a bag of other things. The family thanked the shop owner, and she waved goodbye, a cheerful wave she happily sent my way when her eyes met ours.

Smiling, I waved back.

"Have a nice rest of your afternoon, captain. But remember, I'm always watching. Goodbye."

After straightening her trench coat, the handler turned and walked away. She briefly stopped, touched her face, then glanced back at me once. Her look was hard to read. I couldn't tell what she was thinking. She blinked at me, turned around, and continued ahead.

That was weird. But at least we weren't getting fired anymore.

Just then, while I watched the silhouette of the handler leaving, the station doors burst open behind me. I jumped, scrambling to turn around and inspect the noise.

Both girls burst out of the building and spilled onto the sidewalk, Aki and Miko, looking as if they were in a frantic hurry.

"Captain!"

"Boss!"

"Hey guys," I called. "Where're you running off to?"

"E-eeeeee!"

"Huh?"

"Oof."

Both girls squealed in surprise as they rushed towards me and tackled me to the ground in a hug. They had a hundred-million questions ready to go, about my health, how I was feeling, and how they'd been listening in on our whole conversation.

"Wait. Why were you guys hiding and spying on us?" I asked, getting up and dusting snow from my jacket.

"Well, we kind of figured you guys were discussing something important, and we didn't want to accidentally mess things up," Miko said.

"Ja!" Aki confirmed, smiling. "And vi also heard ze good news."

I dusted the remaining snow from my hair and gazed at them with a smirk. "Yup," I said. "Despite everything that happened yesterday, we get to continue being Shibuya Division."

"Hell yeah!" Miko exclaimed, jumping and punching the air.

"Aha, and zis calls for celebration. Zon't you zink so, captain?"

"Hey, can I talk to you guys for a minute?"

At my request, the girls, who were already making their way into the station, stopped and turned with curious expressions on their faces.

"What is it, boss?"

"Ja, captain, vhat?"

I cleared my throat and stood at ease, mentally preparing myself for what I was about to say.

"I never really apologized for trying to get you guys transferred," I said. "Maybe you've both forgiven me already, but I need you guys to hear me say it."

Taking in the chilly winter air, I exhaled before I continued.

"I'm really sorry I tried getting rid of you guys. It wasn't cool, I didn't consider your feelings, and worst of all, I almost didn't give you guys a chance to prove yourselves as officers."

The girls were silent, each processing my words in their own way. Miko had taken off her cap and was scratching the side of her head, her eyes darting to the pavement and up, never quite meeting my gaze. Aki, however, was laser-focused on me. Lips quivering, eyes watering, nearly spilling over with tears.

"So, if you'll hear me out and do me this one favor, I'd like to cancel our six-month agreement."

Both girls momentarily shot me confused looks.

"I want to cancel the agreement because I don't need the extra time," I said, looking at each of them in turn. "I already appreciate you. Deeply. And with your consent, I'd love for both of you to remain with me, as permanent members of Shibuya Division. You've saved my life one too many times; it'd be stupid on my part to let you guys go. So what d'you say?"

The girls were silent. Aki wiped away her tears, and Miko finally put her cap back on. It felt like a small eternity as I waited for their answers.

"You have my sword, captain," Aki said, stepping forward. "And I vill always fight for you."

She reached out and hugged me, a light squeeze that short-circuited my brain and caused my heartbeat to quicken. She was so soft. So very impossibly soft.

When she finally pulled back, Miko stepped forward.

"What she said, boss. We aren't going anywhere."

Following her brief words, the shorter girl raised an arm up for a fist bump. I smiled, then did the same, and we met halfway in the middle.

An overwhelming sense of pride filled my heart in that moment. We were finally a complete unit. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Thank you."

***

As the three of us headed back into the station, the girls took turns filling in the blanks for me.

"After you passed out, boss," Miko started, "Aki took down the dragon, but then she was still… you know… all demony and whatnot. So I had to stun her since I was all out of ice."

Aki nodded, cheeks flushing slightly from embarrassment. "And zen, ven backup arrived, zey collected everyone, including you, and took us to ze hospital."

"Good work, you two," I said, my voice firm with pride. "Excellent job. Now, I'm aware Voluntina and her gremlin army are still on the loose?"

"Hm."

Both girls nodded simultaneously.

"Alright then," I said, reaching for my sunglasses in my pocket and sliding them onto my face.

"Let's get to work."

End of Volume.