Hina's resolve

The girls tensed up as the 5 cultists began to strut towards them. Rika anxiously reached into her jacket to grab her knives, as one cultist charged towards Helga. Helga screamed as Rika wend to counter the cultists' kick with her knife.

"Sheesh, how the hell are these bitches so strong!? Must be all the drugs. But damn, I can't even cut through their clothes, the hell are they made with!?" Rika thought as the cultist she countered sent her flying back.

Two of the cultists then easily restrained Helga and Matcha with zipties.

"GET OFF- MMPH!" Helga attempted to scream before a piece of tape was slapped over her mouth.

Once Matcha had also been gagged, one of the cultists ran to join the others in attacking Rika, while the remaining one stood guard.

"Shit, now they have hostages. Best case now it's a 4 v 1. Shit, these hive mind bitches are such a pain," Rika thought as four cultists began circling her.

Suddenly, the one that had been standing guard over Helga and Matcha, was decapitated. The four cultists stopped and immediately turned.

"I'll never forgive the whore that founded this vile cult," Hina tearfully glared as she stood with a bloody katana in hand.

"Well, guess you're here to help. Can you take out at least one more, I can handle 3," Rika called out.

"Sure," Hina said as she freed Helga and Matcha.

"WHAT THE HELL'S GOING ON!?" Helga screamed.

"Just sit tight for a bit, we'll probably learn everything soon," Matcha said.

Rika and Hina charged for the 4 cultists and swung their bladed weapons. After clashing for a few minutes, the two suddenly stopped. The 4 cultists leapt towards them only for their heads to all fly off.

"Not bad, didn't know you could cut heads as well as hair," Rika grinned.

"Sada, if you or anyone else was here, I'm sorry, but now you're free," Hina said as tears trickled down her cheeks.

"So care to explain, WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED!?" a frantic Helga shouted.

"My apologies for startling you. I have an averse hatred for that cult. So many good friends, including my girlfriend were assimilated into them," Hina somberly stated.

"Huh!? You have a girlfriend!?"

"Yeah, I'm into girls, but I'll probably never date anyone so long as that damn cult exists. 9 years ago, our salon was where the cult got it's origins."

"Wait what!?" Rika shouted.

"I've heard the story, I can tell them if you can't," Matcha offered.

"No, I'm the one who experienced it firsthand. I'll tell everyone. 9 years ago, two women came to our salon. One was a lovable chuuni and daughter of the then governor of Tokyo. The other was a woman clad in a green sports bra, light blue yoga pants, and white athletic sneakers," Hina stated.

"Wait isn't that-"

"The cult's uniform? Yes. The chuuni, believe it or not is the cult's public leader, Ruka."

"Wait! So you're saying the cult was founded in your salon!?" Rika gasped.

"Not exactly founded, though it's where they got their signature look. Everything seemed fine at first. We shaved them completely devoid of hair like they requested and the two happily went on their way. They then came back close to closing to request a full body tattoo. We gave them what they requested and they went on their way. Again, nothing seemed amiss. However, three nights later when I was working with my girlfriend, Sada and two other girls, the two returned along with three other women that looked identical to the women in the yoga outfit. That was when something was off. The chuuni, Ruka acted like a different person, ordering the four to assimilate us into the cult. The four moved in perfect unison and restrained the three of us there. I then watched as they shaved and tattooed my friends to look just like them. They even tattooed over any existing tattoos they had much to their discomfort. They then garbed them in the cult's uniform before putting strange drugs in their mouths. Immediately, their screaming stopped and they began acting like the other cultists. I had been forced to watch while the three had been transformed. Though as they all turned to me ready to cultify me, Sada managed to resist the drug enough to free me. As I tearfully ran away, I saw her tearfully smile as our assimilated friends shoved  more of the drugs in her mouth. The next thing I know, all the cultists were chasing me. I only managed to escape thanks to some friends driving through and giving me a ride. The next day, police swarmed the salon and business took a massive hit. To make matters worse, the governor of Tokyo herself was then assimilated into the cult via a live telecast. It was then that I swore that I would train to become strong enough to save Sada. But as time went on, and more and more knowledge came out about the cult and the drugs, I realized it would be impossible to save Sada. Its also possible she's one of the various cult members that have been killed these past 9 years. Thus, I made it my goal to become strong enough to at the least defend myself and my friends should they turn their vile claws towards us."

"You were pretty good, were you self taught?"

"There was an old swordmaster that used to work for my family. Though YOUR moves were insane girl! I thought you were a chef."

"Yeah, the hell were those moves!" Helga trembled.

"*Sigh* Rika, you have to tell them. No need to worry about Hina, but if Helga blabs I'll shave her head," Matcha stated.

"The hell!? What are you-Mmph!?"

"I'll keep the peanut gallery quiet, now tell them," Matcha stated as she covered Helga's mouth with her hand.

"Alright, now listen closely and please don't freak out until I'm done explaining. So I was born into a family of assassins..."

                                                                                ...

"And that's the gist of it," Rika stated.

"Wow, I feel for you girl. I know what it's like to have lousy overbearing parents," Hina said.

"Yeah, worst part is my father's so powerful I can't just move away or take him head on."

"If you think your sobstory will make me hate you any less your wrong. Hell, I hate you even MORE now! Thanks to you, I've now got freaks trying to kill me!" Helga glared as she removed Matcha's hand from her mouth.

"Wasn't asking you to hate me less. Just don't go telling everyone about me. Especially everyone else at the restaurant. I'll tell Masaru when I'm ready."

"*Tch* Can't even tell the guy you love your dark past? Well he'd probably reject you and ditch you if you told him."

"That's my fear. But if we become close, like really close, maybe there's a chance he'd still accept me."

"Does Mimi know?"

"Yeah, heck it's thanks to her that I even became a chef. I owe a lot to her, which is why I want her to live a happy carefree life."

"Guess if she knows it's fine," Helga grumbled as she went to lock the door, but was stopped by Rika.

"It's probably booby trapped."

"BOOBY TRAPPED!? The hell didn't you say sooner!?"

"Well, we got ambushed, then I told you my backstory. Don't worry, my distant cousin'll swing by and scan it for you. Actually, now that I think about it, maybe you should spend the night elsewhere."

"Oh come on! First I can't go in my restaurant, now I can't go home!? My penthouse has some tough-"

"If the cult's after you, Illumous might be too."

"Illumous?" Hina asked.

"Yeah, they're that shadow organization I mentioned that my family was apart of. Even though the cult technically aren't members, their secret leader is at the very least a close affiliate with them."

"Just great, but I'm not staying at your place," Helga grumbled.

"Guess we could do a hotel. Once Matcha gets back and gets her stuff we'll book a hotel room for the night."

"Wait, I'm included as well!?" Matcha asked.

"Yeah, it'll be a party. I'll even see if Mimi's down."

"It probably is best for you to stick with Rika, I myself am probably gonna spend the night with Mochi," Hina stated as she began to leave.

"Oh yeah, how'd you know we were here?" Rika asked.

"Mochi's the one that determined it, and also the reason I even went out after you."

"Huh?"

"Mochi actually realized something pretty disturbing about that gorilla cop that was with Purin. Apparently, her breath reeked of narcotics, and now that I've gotten a whiff from those cultists, I can confirm Mochi's theory that that cop was indeed smoking drugs from the cult."

Everyone stared in shock.

"No way. That stuff's said to be so potent, any woman will succumb to it in seconds, and any guy that takes it becomes akin to an opioid addict.  Plus she wasn't acting anything like a cultist," Rika argued.

"That's what threw me off too. But the leader probably modified the drugs, it would explain why she's able to blend in with the cult's rank and file. Plus there have been some women who were able to resist the drug's full effect for a bit, but never for as long as that woman has. Mochi caught a full whiff of that smoke she puffed out, and said it smelt like she had been smoking loads of it. She even noticed some other physical signs that the gorilla's been smoking a ton for a while. I know she was acting dumb, but if she's the leader, I'll kill her."

"Thanks for letting me know, I'll watch out for her. Keep Mochi safe," Rika waved.

As Hina left, Rika pulled out her phone and made a call.

"Hello?" Reika's voice said.

"Oh hey detective, I found out who's smuggling the drugs," Rika stated.

"Really!? Who?"

"Some roided up girl with short black hair and no eyebrows. Think her name's Inohara."

"I've got it. Thank you so much. Anything else?"

"Nope," Rika said as she hung up.

                                                                            ...

"Ara? Where'd my phone go?" Reika asked as she reached into her pocket.

"Huh!? Your phone's gone!?" Mutsumi gasped.

"Guess I must have dropped it," Reika nervously laughed.

"Hey Yuzume! Found THIS laying on the ground," Yoriko glared as she threw a cracked phone onto Reika's desk.

It was Reika's phone.

"Where did you find it?" Reika glared.

"On the ground, and don't you dare glare at me like that, girl!" Yoriko glared as she stormed away.

"She used to be much nicer, but I guess that was around 9 years ago," Reika sighed to herself as she examined the phone.

"What do you think happened? You're not one to let your phone drop so easily," Mutsumi said.

"No, my phone was in my pocket ever since I showed it to Fujiko. Hmm, if that's what happened then it could have only been one of those two, and of the two..."

"Figure something out?"

"If I did it's a disturbing truth. Seems like I'll have to get a new phone. Well unfortunately for Miss Yamaguchi, I have everything backed up on multiple devices," Reika stated as she rolled up her sleeve to look at her smartwatch.

                                                                         ...

In the underground holding cell, Fujiko scowled as she twiddled Reika's SIM card in her fingers.

"Yoriko returned the phone," Makoto stated as she returned to the holding cell.

"You screwed up. You're quite lucky I pick-pocketed Reika's phone for my own use."

"I'm sorry."

"I also had to DELAY the prisoner's punishment because of that phone call."

"Delay? But she looks-"

"I'm not satisfied! She isn't broken yet! I won't chuck her out until she's broken!" Fujiko glared.

"But the exchange is at a hotel at 1. We'll have to finish up quickly with her in order to get everything else-"

"I'm pissed. That call ruined everything. I was about to break her, but the sound of that bitch's voice must have given her some life.  And I spent SO much time turning her into a pervy freakshow!" Fujiko fumed as she glared at the unrecognizable woman restrained before her.

"Rika...please...save me," Itsuki thought.