Chapter 8: Ninjas VS. Agents

“You sure love books, don’t you?”

He asked me. I heard that but I was not listening.

“Eh? You’re talking?” 

Sorry, bastard. 

“I caught you looking at me that time.”

He said.

“That was—! That was because I thought you’d leave since you’re already surrounded.”

I explained.

“Thank you for buying these for me.”

I added.

“It’s okay. It’s my peace offering.”

He bought me all of these but I didn’t how much are all of these.

“Can I see the receipt?”

I asked him and he gave it to me.

The total price shocked me!

“₱19,075.25?”

Were the books that expensive? 

I was knocked down. 

“Yeah, books like those are so expensive, you know.”

He said.

“I’ll... pay you back!”

I said while kneeling out of shock. 

“It was a peace offering.”

He insisted. 

“I’ll pay you back. I didn’t know it costs this much.”

But I insisted too. 

“It’s okay. My allowance just keeps piling up. I rarely spend money so it keeps piling up. You’re over reacting. It’s just a small amount.”

He reasoned out.

“DAMN RICH KIDS!”

I said.

“Don’t worry, I’ll pay you back. My conscience will not let me sleep if I didn’t.”

I added. 

“You want to pay me back?”

He asked.

“Yes.”

I replied. 

“Well then, call me by my name.”

He said. Wha—! He tricked me!

“That’s—! I won’t do it!”

I said.

“Haha.”

He laughed. The bastard knew how to laugh, huh?

“Could you please laugh and smile again?”

I asked him.

“Why?”

He asked me. 

“I want to capture it in a camera, and then sell it. I’ll get a big profit out of it.” 

In that way, I think I can pay you back sooner. 

“NO WAY!”

He reacted.

Haha, idiot!

“I was kidding, Jairo.”

I looked at him and smiled.

That moment I turned back already, but he covered his mouth with his hand that time. I decided to call him using his name already since he’s willing to replace the book.

“Let’s go back. They’re probably searching for us now.”

I said.

It was then...

“Watch out, Jen!”

A shuriken was suddenly flung on me and Jairo just saved me. Suddenly, a smoke bomb was thrown on us.

The smoke made my eyes tear and I was coughing. 

“What’s that?”

I asked. 

“You’re Jenivive Genesis, right? We have come for you.”

Their outfits are like.. . Wha—! Ninjas?

“The association that was after me? Just like what Hashimaru said.”

I thought it was a joke. 

“We don’t wish to hurt you. Just come peacefully and no one will get hurt.”

They explained. 

"Heh. You don't wish to hurt me but you just flung that shuriken on me? Oh, you're such a gentleman."

I sarcastically said. 

“Sorry, but we’re busy right now. Would you mind if you leave?”

Jairo said.

We’re totally outnumbered. It was then I noticed that Jairo’s shoulder was bleeding. It was when he saved me. The shuriken might have grazed him. 

“Jairo, your shoulder is—!”

I was worried. I touched his arm. 

“Boy, you were grazed by the shuriken. Let me tell you one thing about that, it’s poisoned.”

One of the ninjas said.

It was then that Jairo fell down.

He was poisoned because of me. What should I do now?

“Are you okay, Jairo? Why are you doing this?”

Jairo fell unconscious.

“Someone’s been dying to meet you.”

They said.

“Dying to meet me?”

I asked. 

“Yes.”

They answered. 

“Okay. I’ll come with you but give me the antidote of the poison first.”

I bargained. 

“We don’t have the antido—!”

“Stop messing around! Give me the antidote! I know you have it!”

One of them tossed it towards me and I caught it.

“Are you sure that this is the antidote?”

I asked them.

“Yes.”

They answered. 

I opened the bottle and had to drink a gulp of it to ensure that it’s safe.

“Wha—!”

As soon as I consumed it, I fell down. You deceiving little rats.

“It’s a poison. How dare you throw something like this?”

They planned to kill Jairo in the first place.

“This girl is insane. Give her the real antidote. Our mission’s to bring her back alive!”

They gave me the real antidote and I took another gulp of it.

“I’ll be coming with you on one condition. Don’t lay a finger on my friends.”

I held the antidote's bottle so tight. 

“Okay. We promise not to touch them.”

They said but I was still not convinced. 

“You better not lie, you deceiving rascals.”

I looked at them ferociously.

"If he dies, I'll make sure to die too. Your mission's to capture me alive right? I'll make you regret so stop playing around."

It felt that they shivered at my gaze and my words. It was already safe so after that I looked at Jairo, who were already unconscious that time.

“It’ll be fine. They won’t kill me. I’ll be back.”

I made him drink the antidote. Don’t die, Jairo. 

I was about to go to them but I felt his right hand holding my arm. He can barely open his eyes. 

"Don't go."

He said. 

"I'll be fine, Jairo."

I smiled at him. 

After that, he fell unconscious again. 

***

They dragged me in place like a dojo and had me put to sleep.

When I woke up, I was already sleeping in a futon.

“Where am I?”

I asked myself. 

“So you’re already awake?”

Someone came to the room.

I stood instantly. 

“Who are you?”

In a glance, the room was already loaded with ninjas.

“What do you want with me?”

I asked again. 

“My name’s Lerio. We want your power.”

He said.

“What power are you talking about? I don’t have any power. I think you misunderstood, I’m just a simple girl.”

I explained.

“Let me out of here.”

I said. 

“We can’t. We need you as a sacrifice.”

They then grabbed my hands and arms and had put me hanging in the wall. This was not the first time that I was treated like a painting.

I preferred when I was sleeping, at least I was in a bed.

After an hour, another ninja came to the room.

“Lerio was really harsh. I thought I said not to be rude to you.”

He showed up in front of me.

I have no interest to ask who it was. In the end, I’ll be a sacrificial pawn.

“You sure are growing up, Jen.”

He said. He knew me? It was then, I asked who it was.

“Who are you? How come that you know me?”

I asked.

“You really are harsh too. You used to play with me when we’re children.”

Huh?

“It’s Shiru.”

I remembered it. I have a childhood friend before. I used to play with him, together with my brother.

Eh? I can’t totally remember. Why was it like that?

I felt dizzy. 

“You’re Shiru?”

I asked. 

“Yes.”

He answered. 

“If you’re Shiru, what are you going to do with me?”

I asked him again but he didn't answer me. 

“Sorry, Jen.”

It was then he left me in the room. Jerk! He didn’t even answer my question! That was supposed to be my childhood friend? Joking, right?

“I need to get out of here. I can’t stay here.”

Good thing that I was wearing the Laser Ring so I easily destroyed the chains. After that, I put my hair down.

I also had the Doraemon Pouch. Don’t ask me who named it. It was obvious. It’s our stupid boss, Hashimaru. 

Doraemon Pouch, is one of Hashimaru’s gadgets, it has the ability to store the other bigger gadgets inside a small pouch. In other words, it’s like a huge storage room of gadgets represented by a small bag. He named it Doraemon Pouch because its function was like Doraemon’s ability.

I had it inside my uniform.

I put on the FB Hand Protector and the Impaboots. After that, I tried to contact the others but unluckily, I couldn’t.

I used the Mirclone bubbles to deceive them. Well, I couldn’t really estimate its five minutes effectivity but better to have something than to have nothing.

“The girl removed her chains! After her!”

I had somehow deceived them. Thank goodness. I wore the PiLens since I was dealing with super-fast inhumane ninjas. I can’t fight toe-to-toe with them but I can at least put up a fight.

I managed to get out but that time they had already found me.

“Where are you going, little girl?”

One of them asked.

“Sorry, I have this habit of mine. I can’t just stay in anyone else’s home; I easily get flustered.”

I punch the ground using the FB hand protector and the ground snapped. I was lucky that I have this gadget. This was the only thing I could use to counterattack enemies.

Hashimaru, you must be proud. 

“Wha—! That girl!”

He pulled out his kunai and threw it on me. I managed to dodge.

“How dare you throw something like that on a lady!”

I put on the Miniplugs. 

Mini Earplugs, gadget of Hashimaru, its function is just for covering the ears.

And then, I brought out the Snoowhistle. Snooze Whistle, gadget of Hashimaru, it looks like an ordinary whistle but its sound could knock the ones who hear it into sleep. It’s a kind of gadget that doesn’t require violence. 

P.S. This gadget could not affect animals, only human beings.

I produced the sound by blowing it. I made use of the Miniplugs, so I wouldn’t be affected by the sound.

I managed to knock all of them because they didn’t expect me to do that. Good job, myself!

“Now, I really need to get out of here.”

As I was about to look for the way out...

“Water style: Dragon ride!”

I was hit by moving water. It’s like a dragon. Ninjas are capable of doing this huh? Now’s not the time to be impressed. I was soaked and knocked down by a force of water.

“You really fooled us out there, little girl!”

I was coughing because of the water. 

That Lerio! He wasn’t affected by the whistle? Guess, he’s an animal! He grabbed my hair forcefully like he’s about to snap it.

“Do you really think you could get away from us?”

He said.

“Uhg!”

“I was about to treat you gently but you just did that to us! DO YOU REALLY THINK I’LL FORGIVE THAT?”

This guy’s insane. I could feel his bloodlust.

“THERE’S NO NEED FOR INVOCATIONS! WE’LL EXECUTE HER RIGHT NOW!”

He said angrily.