Announcent
rry Christmas everyone, and happy holidays! Just reminder that there are two chaps today.
In his pri, Ryuji Mitsuhide was a powerful force in Japanese politics. His rise to national fa started with a co-from-behind win against the incumbent Governor of Tokyo. His personable attitude and tendency to act in a down-to-earth manner had earned him a great deal of admiration from the average person, and many considered him a breath of fresh air in Japanese politics. His unexpected victory ant that the Mitsuhide family went from a complete unknown to a political powerhouse overnight. During his ten years as governor; he branded himself as an every-man and a reformist. He worked hard to address many of the structural and cultural problems that plagued Japanese society, and his acknowledgnt of the plight of many hikikomori served as a rallying cri for reforms.
Seizing on his skyrocketing approval, he decided to take his ssage to the nation, and ran for a seat in the Diet with the intention of becoming Pri Minister. His campaign and subsequent election were the most energetic Japan had ever seen, and he ended up taking his party to a landslide victory not seen since the 2017 election. He spent ten years as Pri Minister, the longest in Japanese history, and was generally well-liked and respected; both at ho and abroad. His party focused on reforming many of the structural and cultural ills that had been eating the country from within and, while not perfect, he is generally regarded as the greatest politician in modern Japanese history.
Today, at 87 years old, Ryuji is a bedridden and sickly old man in the twilight of his life. Until a few years ago, he was actively involved in politics until his health left him unable to continue; the sudden death of his wife didn't help matters either. His son, Nagumo, had been the effective family head for the last ten years. He used the political capital his father built to increase the family's political power to the nai untouchable position it was in today. However, all this success had been built on tearing down others, rather than building up the family as his father did. Ryuji warned his son that his cutthroat thods would co back to haunt him, and he had been right.
This was the man that Akagi had found when she entered his room. An elderly man, unable to walk on his own and who had almost no control over his daily life. A man whose fire had gone out and who was simply waiting for his ti to die.
As Akagi entered the room, he looked over at her and smiled.
"Hello, young lady. What reason could you have for visiting an old man like at this ti of night." Despite how late it was, the old man was still awake, his face showing he was in quite significant pain.
"Mr. Pri Minister." she gave a bow. "My na is Akagi, and I regret to inform you that I've been tasked with the termination of the Mitsuhide family," she said with a serious expression. "As of this mont, you are the only mber left."
"I see," he said closing his eyes. "It was because of my son's foolishness, wasn't it?" his voice was laced with anger and sadness.
Akagi simply nodded.
"I warned that foolish boy of mine." He shook his head. "I warned him that his thods of gaining power would only co back to destroy him one day." he started to cry. "Why Nagumo? Why didn't you listen to ."
"Your son believed that no one could ever challenge him and that no one had sufficient power to threaten him or your family." Akagi continued. "He would have been right; if not for ."
"Yes, I suppose you're right. No one could have predicted that a ga could give people such fantastical powers." he looked at Akagi. "It seems my son, for all his foresight, didn't understand the reality of the situation." his eyes looked sad. “I'm sorry for what he did to your sister.” he bowed his head.
"Over the years since my son took over control of the family. His actions have caused so much pain and suffering." he continued. "I prided myself on helping the people of Japan, of showing them that politics wasn't as dirty and cutthroat as people believed it was." he stopped. "Perhaps, I was the foolish one for believing that change was possible."
"No." Akagi shook her head. "You weren't foolish." Akagi walked closer to his bed. "I can't say I have much of an interest in or knowledge of politics. But I can tell you that this world could use more n like you." she sat down. "It wasn't you who was wrong for trying to be an honest and decent man; it was your son for forgetting the reason why his father beca so influential."
Akagi looked around the room and saw a photo of Ryujii standing next to Naomi's father many years ago. She stood up and walked over to it, picking it up. "You were the reason this man dared to take his chances in the ga of politics and revive his dying family's na." she pointed to Naomi's father.
"And what good did that do?" he asked "Because of my persistence, Taichi and his family were killed by my son." he didn't seem convinced. “If he just continued his career quietly they wouldn't have died.”
Akagi shrugged. "Just because the result ended poorly; doesn't an you were wrong." Akagi put the picture in her storage space. "If everyone allowed the fear of failure to stop them from acting, this world would be much worse off."
"And it wasn't as if his entire family was wiped out." Akagi corrected.
"Yes, your right. If I'm not mistaken, his daughter was spared." he had t Naomi a few tis when she was younger. "My son chose to leave her alone because it would be too difficult to cover up any further cris against her family." his face contorted in pain.
He looked up at Akagi. "My son truly was foolish; how could he do sothing as horrific to that girl and then not expect her to co for revenge." he had figured out who sent Akagi. "There was a reason why the Tokugawa clan was ignored for so long. Many believed that they had connections to this country's Yokai; and that in tis of great need, they would appear to protect them." he sighed. "I wonder if that legend was true?"
"Who knows? I don't believe in such superstitions." Akagi shrugged. She was technically a Yokai, but she didn't feel the need to add that.
"May I make one final request before you take my life? It's a simple one." the old man asked.
"What is it?" Akagi replied.
"I would like to write a letter; could you please give it to that Tokugawa girl? It isn't much, but I would like her to hear what I have to say." Ryuji asked.
"Sure, but I can't guarantee she will read it." (Akagi)
"If she discards it, that's fine it's little more than the ramblings of an old man." he gave a smile. “But, if possible, I would like her to hear what I have to say.”
Akagi provided Ryuji with so paper and a pen. It took the aged man a few minutes to write the letter with his shaky hands, but he eventually finished. Once he was done, he placed it in an official envelope of his and stamped it with his official seal.
"Thank you for honoring my last wish," he said as he gave the letter over.
"You are an honorable man, it is the least I can do." Akagi said, placing the note in her storage.
Akagi looked over a Yumi and nodded. The shine maiden began chanting a spell. Ryuji started to fall asleep, and his eyes beca heavy. As he lay in his bed for the final ti, he called the na Ryouko. In his final monts, he was greeted by his beloved wife. A few monts later, he took his last breath, and the 87-year-old forr pri minister was dead, and with him went the last mber of the Mitsuhide family.
Akagi looked over the now-dead man's body. She had actually t him once before when he ca to her middle school for a talk. At the ti, she wasn't very interested in politics and found it more useful as a way to get out of class than anything else. She never spoke to him at length, but after his talk, he spoke with so of the students. When he saw Akagi, the only thing he said was "You look far too tired for soone your age" it was as if he could see just what she had been through. Looking back, she could tell this man was sincere in his desire to help people. It was too bad that the apples seed to have fallen very far from the tree.
Akagi turned away, nodded to Yumi and the two teleported back to Akagi's estate. Tonight marked the completion of Akagi's first contract in Japan. The first of many.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The next morning.
Kana and the girls woke up around 9 am, and the kitchen staff got to work cooking breakfast. Akagi and the girls sat together eating while watching the national news. As expected, to say things were on fire was to put it lightly. The dia reported that Defense Secretary Nagumo and Diet Speaker Miyori were killed overnight in a bloody assassination. Many had been quick to conclude that the sa person who attacked Camp Katsura had been behind the assassinations due to the likely involvent of the Speaker and Secretary in the incident at Camp Katsura. The fact that the sa style of bloody hand print had been discovered at Nagumo's house only served to increase the suspicions of a connection. Akagi's moniker of “the Red Hand” was already known on the net and there were more than a few comntators that were pointing fingers at her.
Naturally, the girls quickly put two and two together and began to question Akagi about her actions last night. They wanted clarification and demanded answers from Akagi. Naomi was, of course, well aware of what happened but feigned ignorance, though Akagi found it funny how nervous the girl was.
"Yes, we killed them," Akagi answered while munching on so toast. "I an, the handprint is kinda my calling card isn't it? My moniker is the Red Hand after all." she rolled her eyes. "That and there aren't many people who could simultaneously take out 16 people at once two of which are high-ranking mbers of the Japanese governnt" Akagi was beaming with pride.
"But why?" Kana asked. "I an, what do they or their families have to do with our kidnapping?" Kana didn't see the connection.
"Well, Miyori and Nagumo were in on that whole operation to kidnap you," Akagi explained. “Besides the Pri Minster those two were essentially the brains of the operation. I let the PM live because its more convenient that way, but do you really think I would allow people who plotted to harm you go scott free?” Akagi continued "However, that's not the reason we took them out." she took a sip of her coffee.
"It wasn't?" Mika asked. "Then why?" the blue-haired girl was concerned.
"Because it's my job?" Akagi responded with an exasperated look. "I'm an assassin. And what do assassins' do, Mika?"
“Uhhh.” Mika didn't want to answer that question.
"So it was a job?" Kana said interjecting. "You took out the entire family because soone asked you to? Not because you wanted revenge, right?" Kana thought her sister had wiped out the family because so of its mbers were involved in their kidnapping. She could understand going after those that kidnapped them, but she wasn't comfortable harming people for what mbers of their family did.
"Kana. Do you really think I would go so far as to kill people just because soone they're related to hard or my family?" Akagi was annoyed that Kana had thought her so petty. "I only kill for a reason, Kana. I'm not so psychopathic murderer who kills people for fun, nor do I turn my wrath on those who are undeserving of it." Akagi's previously calm voice had turned slightly angry. "I don't appreciate being put in the sa camp as such people, even by you." Akagi was genuinely upset with Kana. "I have standards and rules and I try to stick to them."
Kana was stunned; her sister had rarely gotten upset with her. While she couldn't completely understand Akagi's mindset, it was clear that her comnts had cut deep and Akagi felt insulted.
{Oof, it looks like Kana made a similar mistake to . It would seem we both rushed to judgnt and insulted her in the process.} Naomi had already been on the receiving end of Akagi's displeasure before. {It's quite funny though. Not much seems to make Akagi mad, but insulting her professionalism really sets her off.} Naomi was glad Akagi's ire wasn't pointed at her this ti.
Kana quickly realized her mistake and apologized. "I'm sorry Onee-chan. I didn't an to make you so mad. I guess I don't fully understand everything about you and what you do." Kana continued. "When you said you killed them, I assud it was for personal reasons, and the thought that you would do sothing like that made uncomfortable." Kana had co to accept her sister's nature as an assassin and the fact that she killed people. It was just that there was a fine line between killing as a job and killing for pleasure and she was scared that her sister might one day cross it. This was a reasonable fear due to Akagi's ntal illness and the changes she had undergone since rging with the Shadow Lord.
Akagi sighed. "Yeah, it's alright. I shouldn't have gotten upset with you." she shook her head. "What I do is quite far removed from what you're used to. It's only natural that you misunderstand and my intentions, and it doesn't help that I'm quite high-strung about maintaining my image." As she said this, Yumi approached through the doorway.
"Indeed." Yumi chid in. "My Lord especially hates when targets offer to pay her to save themselves." she gave a giggle.
"Oi!" Akagi yelled. "The idiots that give into such temptation make a mockery of the industry. It gives the impression that we're money-hungry fools that have no honor or pride." Akagi grumbled.
{She really takes this whole assassin thing seriously doesn't she?} (Kana, Mika and Naomi)
Spoiler
Ryuji Mitsuhide.
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