Duel in the desert Part 2: Reunion

Yuni and Serika stared in terror at the diamondback rattlesnake slowly slithering towards them.

"Shit, this is the worst. Though maybe it won't attack if we remain still," Yuni thought.

Serika had the same thought and refrained from moving her head around. The snake slithered towards Serika, stuck out its tongue, then slithered away. It was a close call, but the girls now had one less thing to worry about. Though they were still trapped.

                                                                              ...

Three women traveled through the desert in a white van.

"Fubuki, that was way too reckless to attempt in your state," a woman with a blonde asymetrical bob chided as she drove.

"But it was necessary to try and find dirt on Thrasher. This revelation will truly bring Illumous more into the light," a woman with magenta hair said as she interpreted the thoughts of her scarred twin sister sitting next to her.

"And what about you Hi?"

"I've been doing this for a year now, sure I'm scared, but I love my sister enough to do it," Hitomi, the magenta-haired woman stated.

Her twin sister smiled warmly at her. The scarred woman was none other than Fubuki Dakota, Yuni's mother. After having her tongue cut out by her nefarious niece, Kasumi, she had been captured and tortured by Illumous resulting in her having the entire left side of her body burned. She was rescued by her aide Maria and her older twin sister Hitomi. Hitomi and Fubuki had always been close growing up, so much so that they could sense each other's thoughts. This allowed Fubuki to retain her voice. Hitomi had initially been against her sister's career choice, but after receiving a distress call for help from her, she decided to join her sister in exposing corruption. Hitomi loved her sister more than her husband and children and would happily lend her a hand.

As the three drove, Fubuki suddenly tapped her hand on the back of Maria's seat.

"STOP!" Hitomi shouted.

Maria stopped the car and turned to face the back.

"What is it?" she asked.

Fubuki pointed towards some smoke in the distance.

"It's sketchy, but I know you want to check it out. Hitomi, get things set up."

"I'm on it."

                                                                              ...

Two girls walked through the desert.

"Ugh, why'd we end up all the way out here," one grumbled as she adjusted her white cloche hat.

"You're the one that got swept up in my 1 on 1," the other girl said as she looked at her phone.

"I don't like this. We ended up way out here and can't even contact Jouzu."

"The last time that happened was Paris. Oh, guess maybe we're trapped in a barrier."

"Great and what are we supposed to do?"

"Find our way back?"

"And where is that?"

"No clue. Don't even have service."

"Ugh."

"Hey, look over there! There's something weird shining in the moonlight."

"Miku! Ugh, don't run off when we can barely see a thing!"

                                                                           ...

Madoka's and Emeri's eyes widened as they watched the television screens before them.

"Shit, they have these places under surveillance!? Then that means all that bluster before-"

"Was a good ole farce," Thrasher laughed.

"_!?"

"What, I can easily tell what you're thinking. Why the gag then you're probably wonderin. To keep you from alertin mortals and to make you feel more helpless."

"Shit, this man is more dangerous than I thought," Emeri thought.

"Oi Thrasher! We gotta hurry up! Muramasa Jouzu's pissed and coming this way!" Jester growled.

"So? Weren't you bragging about how you'd take care of him? Besides, leader Averice has partnered up with the other leaders to erect a barrier. We just need to catch the others, then we take the escape route to Antarctica," Thrasher glared.

"Remember, there is another purpose to this farce, the main plan in fact," Kasumi said telepathically as she appeared.

"HER!? She's here too!?" Emeri thought.

"Thrasher, I take it you have your depository key on you?"

"Always carry it on me. I'm the safest place after all," Thrasher laughed.

"I have my key on me too!" Jester scowled.

"I DIDN'T want to hear that. You'd better win your fight against Muramasa Jouzu," Kasumi glared as she warped away.

                                                                           ...

Yuni's eyes widened as she stared at the figures before her.

"Ugh, why her?" one of the figures groaned as the other walked up to Yuni.

"Long time no see cous," she smiled as she removed Yuni's gag.

Tears began to well up in Yuni's eyes as she recognized the two girls before her.

"NIKA, MIKU!"

The two girls were indeed Yuni's cousins Nika and Miku. Miku, better known as Kumi had long multicolored hair and dressed casually, while her sister Nika was dressed more formally and had a pink bob. Before Yuni knew it, Kumi had yanked her out of the hole.

"H- how did you do that so fast!?" Yuni stuttered.

"Just watch and film me for your friend," Kumi grinned as she tossed her phone to Yuni.

Yuni filmed Kumi freeing Serika, but was unable to make out what happened.

"That was WAY too fast! Who the hell are you!?" Serika glared.

"69 mil Kumi duh, and it was supposed to be fast. I can turn into lightning after all," Kumi smirked as yellow lightning crackled in her palm.

"THE HELL!?"

"Wait, were you also modified like Kasumi?" Yuni nervously asked.

"Nah, I got my powers after joining Jouzu and becoming his girlfriend," Kumi smiled as she took back her phone.

Serika and Yuni shot confused and worried glances as Nika sighed and stepped forward.

"Some guy saved me in Venice, had me and Miku join his party, gave us super powers, then dragged us along on a dangerous adventure," Nika growled.

"Nika? Is it really you and Miku?" Yuni asked.

"YES you idiot! Though I really don't want to see you. I'm in a bad mood as is."

Suddenly, a white van pulled up to the four girls.

"Four girls are outside, there appears to be some kind of timer counting down near them as well," Maria said.

"Describe the girls," Hitomi translated for Fubuki.

"One has forest green hair and is wearing a chartreuse dress, hat, and sneakers. Another one has long multicolored hair wearing a neon multicolored jacket, bikini top, shorts and sneakers. The third is wearing a teal dress, white dress shoes and a white cloche hat and has magenta hair. The last one has magenta twintails and is wearing a cardigan, skirt, thigh-high socks and pink hi-top sneakers."

Fubuki and Hitomi leaned forward and gazed out the window.

"It's definitely Yuni. I can also recognize Nika. Miku looks different, but she apparently changed up her image when she started posting those videos. I don't recognize the other girl though," Hitomi said.

Fubuki smiled and placed her hand on Hitomi's shoulder.

"HUH!? She's the girl Reika saved that's the daughter of Ruchi Ookuma!? And you know- the dress? Wait, the hat? I guess this means they're either real or- Wait, how can you tell they're real from here? *Sigh* Fine! Maria, be on guard," Hitomi ordered as she loaded her gun.

The van then drove around so Fubuki's window was facing the girls. Fubuki rolled down her window and gazed at the girls. Serika gasped, while Kumi's eyes went wide with shock. Nika glared while Yuni teared up and began running towards the van.

"OKA-SAN!" she tearfully shouted.

Fubuki smiled and opened the door as Hitomi sheathed her her gun. Yuni embraced her mother in a tearful hug.

"YOU LOOK HORRIBLE! I WAS SO WORRIED I'D NEVER SEE YOU AGAIN!"

"Yuni, you've grown up so much since I last saw you. I'm sorry I screwed up on your birthday all those years ago," Hitomi said for Fubuki.

"AUNT HITOMI! I knew it was you giving my mother her voice," Yuni tearfully smiled.

"Did she just say mother's name!?" Nika asked as she began running towards the van.

Nika began to tear up as she saw her mother's face.

"MOTHER! WHY DID YOU JUST LEAVE US LIKE THAT!? I WAS SO DISTRAUGHT! I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND YOU FOR YEARS!" Nika cried.

Fubuki turned and smiled towards Hitomi as she comforted Yuni. Hitomi sighed and got out of the van to greet Nika. Nika hugged her and cried into her breasts.

"I'm sorry Nika. I've been a terrible mother," Hitomi tearfully sighed.

"Oh, um. I'm... here too," Kumi awkwardly said.

"Miku, it's fine. I wont chastise you for your... work."

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just not good with stuff like this," Kumi said as she turned to avoid anyone seeing her cry.

Serika relaxed a little as she watched the emotional reunion before her.