The Midnight Job

When Anna touched his shoulder, Haruhi's face grew even redder. What is happening to me? What is this feeling? Am I sick, was I poisoned, was I hurt somewhere? Haruhi was confused, he never experienced feeling like this for a long time, he didn't know what this feeling was. "Y-y-yes, you are." Each job Haruhi did, a piece of him broke away, but when he did this job, all of the the pieces rushed back to Haruhi. Eventually Haruhi finished the Washoku and prepared it on the table. His face could not stop the beet red look, he tried ways to break the color, but no matter what he did it didn't work.

Anna sat at the table and looked at Haruhi with her kind looking eyes, she gave him a friendly smile. She decided to not comment the blush, Haruhi had on his cheeks, it was obvious for her that he was red on his face thanks to her friendly attitude towards him. Of course, she couldn't know about the overwhelming feeling that suddenly returned to Haruhi. "Hm..so...I guess, you're a meister, right? Have you found a weapon, already? " She asked him suddenly. Anna was very curious if Haruhi was luckier than her when it comes to finding a partner, because... She couldn't find anyone with the right wavelength, so she was "weaponless" from the academy's point of view.

"Yes I have, but we aren't very compatible. My hand was burnt and I held onto him for awhile." Haruhi showed his hand which was red. "I technically do have a weapon, but I cant use him." Haruhi tried multiple times with other weapons, but most of the time they hurt each other. More the weapon than Haruhi, "Hey, I have a question..." Haruhi could finally ask what is wrong with him, maybe Anna knew what is wrong. "Why does my chest hurt and I never felt these emotions in a long time... Anna what is wrong with my body?" Haruhi could not remember any feeling like the one he was having, a close second was the feeling towards his mother and father before he went into madness.

Anna closed her eyes and rubbed her chin with her hand. His question surprised her, but she wanted to give him the best answer she can come up with. The ninja girl needed a while to gather her thoughts.
"Hm...Let's start from the beginning. From what you've just told me, I can guess, you have worked as an assassin for too long. Also, you haven't experienced human kindness in a long time. This has probably caused one thing: You've forgotten most of your feelings. I think, that now because you've found a friend, that cares about you, all your feelings start to return to your heart. So, Haruhi, there's absolutely nothing wrong with your body." Anna answered with a smile. Of course she didn't know all the details about Haruhi's feelings, she could only guess and assume. "Tell me.. When was the last time you felt like this?" The girl asked

"I guess when I was around my mom..." Haruhi had no idea what Anna was thinking, but he hoped she had an answer. Haruhi's got closer to Anna so he could try and see what she was thinking about, or try to guess it. Either way he wanted to know, one way or another Haruhi was going to find out what this feeling was.

Anna nodded. However, her thoughts were too complicated, even for her. She blushed slightly as she tried to analyze what feeling people have around their parents, well, she was a person who always thought that her parents don't love her, so it was more difficult. The girl had to assume that Haruhi's mother was a good person. "Well..." Anna started. "Children have a lot of different feelings around their mothers. Safety, warmth and love, for example. However, remember that there are many types of love. In your mom's case it's parental love. If you have siblings, you love your siblings with..uh..Sibling love? Sorry, sorry, I'm getting too deep into the topic. " She paused for a bit. Anna closed her eyes, trying to finally understand Haruhi's feelings. "If you want me to guess...I'll say that you feel safety around me. That you can rely on me. Things like this..However, Haruhi, I think you must try to realize your feelings by yourself. I can help you, and I will help you, but you need to try. Because, you should know better whether what you're feeling is pleasant, or not" Anna spoke. She hoped that her words helped Haruhi understand his feelings. The girl really wanted to help him

Haruhi was trying to figure out what this meant while he was eating the food he prepared. Soon a loud knock came from Haruhi's door. "We are here to see Haruhi Ken Maho and Anna Kozak!" The voice was loud and sounded like it was in a rush. "Fine fine, I'm getting the door..." Haruhi's tone was annoyed and he didn't like how these people interrupted his meal. "It's most likely my employer..." Haruhi gave a sigh and opened the door to show two figures standing at the doorway. "Yep definitely my employer, but who are you? Anna do you know this guy?" Haruhi pointed at the other figure besides his employer.

Anna's face immediately changed when she heard her name and also when Haruhi asked her a question about the other figure. She became serious, very serious, in just a few seconds. She carefully pulled out a kunai from her shoe. "I don't..." The girl almost muttered as she looked at the stranger. Anna's muscles tensed. She was ready to attack. The ninja slowly approached Haruhi. She stared at the two strangers like a tiger ready to strike. "One false move and I'll cut you down. Who are you?" She spoke to them. Soon she realized that she may be overreacting. Haruhi's presence calmed her down, she couldn't understand why and how.

"Oh, we are sorry that we haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Kaska, and my companion here is Gerome. I am Haruhi's employer and I have come to discuss some important matters with you." Haruhi bowed to them both and asked them if they can sit at the other table by the TV. Gerome and Kaska accepted the seeting arrangement and walked to the place they were told to sit. Soon Haruhi sat down and listened to what they had to say. 

"Thank you Haruhi and Anna for letting us in. Now let us get down to business, Gerome here has all the details on you assignment." Haruhi's attention was now on Gerome who looked a bit nervous, the reason for this is because of the information Kaska gave him about Haruhi. "We have heard witnesses report lots of Kishin activity in America. The location of this activity is in Louisiana, Boothville people have been going missing and destruction across this place. There was a reporting of a witch but they have been moved already. The missing and destruction of this city was finally figured that it was due to kishin activity. There is an estimate of 6 kishins, however some kishins might have not been found due of our limited knowledge. We chose you two because of your stealth abilities and of your history." Gerome was finished giving the details of the assignment, Haruhi was still annoyed that he was close to figuring out what was wrong with him but he was interrupted. 

"So when do we get paid for our last assignment? Plus how much is it for this assignment?" Haruhi wanted his money and he wanted Anna to have some of it too. "You will be paid after this new assignment is done." Haruhi was annoyed from this. "Well I really was banking on this payment because I need to get more weapons." Kaska had a friendly smile displayed on his face, "We will give you the amount of weapons necessary to get rid of these kishins. Plus it is the home of Gerome's family here, so I am being kind for today." Haruhi took a look at Gerome to see him slouched over looking like this might be the end of the world for him. Haruhi felt something else inside him, he knew this feeling somewhat, it was pity but it was also something else. "Alright I will take the mission, I don't want anyone else go through the pain of losing someone dear to them. Even though I have-" Kaska chimed in, "Lost someone dear to you? Yes you have, Justin Michale Maho. He was an excellent scientist, but after bragging about his success, other scientists started to go after him. So he used you to get rid of them before they got rid of him, but in the end he died. Wasn't that a pity?" Haruhi clenched his hands tight and got up from the table rushing out to the middle of the night. 

"Anna stay here, he is just blowing off steam, anyway I want to tell you more about Haruhi." Kaska had a reassuring tone, he wanted Haruhi out of the room so he could talk to Anna alone and private with Gerome. "Uh, Kaska wasn't that a bit rude to Haruhi?" Kaska nodded, "Yes it was a bit mean, but it was meant for him to leave the room so I can explain more about Haruhi to Anna." Kaska was no longer having his smile on his face, now he had a serious and low down face. "Now, what do you truly want to know about Haruhi?"

Anna watched them in silence, she would never bow to them. She watched them very carefully. Each second of their presence in Haruhi's room was slowly making her more and more angry. When the ninja girl heard that hey know their history and their abilities she growled like a dog. "Who. Are. You? No, you know what? No. You are not my boss." She said with hostility in her voice.

Anna listened even more. When they told them that Haruhi will get his money after completing the new assignment, she grabbed the handle of her sword. "You're seriously getting on my nerves, dude." The ninja growled as she activated her soul perception to look at their souls. She tried to check if she would be able to kill them both. Gerome's soul was weak but Kaska..Kaska's soul was strong.

Anna tried to calm down, she really tried. However, when Haruhi rushed out of the room, she jumped towards Gerome and grabbed him by his clothes. The ninja quickly pulled her sword out and placed the blade on Gerome's throat. "One false move and he's dead" Anna informed Kaska. She had a chance to win this. However, she needed to use Gerome as her trump card. "Instead of talking about Haruhi, I'd like to talk about you, Mr.Kaska" She said as she turned Gerome into a living shield. The ninja still had her blade on his throat, ready to kill him.

Gerome was scared, he didn't know what was going on. "Sure thing Anna, but do you really want to kill an innocent man? He does have a wife and kids, just like me." Kaska smiled again, he was getting more and more serious by the minute. "Listen Anna, if you are going to kill Gerome here, you would make some people sad and angry. Do you really want a child to be asking his mom when dad will come back? You lost your father, do you really want to have another child to lose theirs? But I am going to ask you one thing, do you really want to kill that man? Because if you do, I will be forced to use violence and I hate doing that." Kaska's tone went deeper and deeper the more he talked to Anna. "I have known Haruhi for quite some time, I was his employer sometimes when his father was around, so I have known him for a long time. I know him better than you, he wont return for another hour. So how about we chat for awhile?"

Gerome was worried that Kaska might turn on him and make Anna kill him. He grew more and more worried and waited for Anna's decision.

Anna looked at Kaska, right in the eyes. "I don't trust you. I'm not releasing him until you satisfy my curiosity. Let's chat, but with Gerome as my hostage." Anna replied with a cold, calm tone. She wasn't afraid of him, also she was not afraid to kill Gerome, she didn't care about him.
"Oh yeah, by the way, you f**kin' genius, my both parents are alive. So don't give me that bullshit." Anna was only pretending to be calm. In reality, she was very angry. Kaska knew way too much. "Stop talking about Haruhi, you dumbass. If you were his father's friend, then, you may as well be my enemy." The ninja spoke with cold voice, trying to give them a sign that she doesn't care about their lives. "How do you know me?" She asked

"Well I cannot answer that, but there are some things you are supposed to know about Haruhi. You have changed him back to he was before, Haruhi was untrusting and cold to people. But you have made him open up some, I have no idea what you did but he has opened up." Kaska got up from the table and walked to the kitchen fishing for something in his drawers. "Relax, I am not going to steal anything, I am not someone who you should fear. You may not trust me but you need to listen to me. Harhi is rash, he doesn't always think about things thoroughly, plus before his father died from him. He left a message for me, he told me something about Haruhi's left eye and something is hidden in there. I want you to unlock it, you are the key to his heart Anna and I want you to open it." Kaska found what he was looking for, it was a blood stained dagger that looks as if the blood was year old. "He does still have this, I guess he can't let go of his past." Kaska left the dagger on the kitchen counter so that Anna could see it. "This was the dagger Haruhi used to kill his father with, I assume he still has it because he can't live without it. So I want you to make sure nothing happens to this dagger. I care about Haruhi, he is like my second son but instead he is stubborn."

Kaska walked out of the kitchen and bowed to Anna, "If there are questions about Haruhi, please ask them now. He does makes his burnouts a bit fast, and I think he has taken a liking to you. Plus I overheard your conversation, I was outside the door listening to you guys. The answer to Haruhi's question is that he is in love." Kaska asked if he could have Gerome back and continue their days. Gerome was terrified about this whole situation and didn't want to die, not while he had a family to feed."

Anna felt hatred towards Kaska. She was furious, not only he didn't answer to her question, but also, probably tries to manipulate her. He had balls to search through Haruhi's room in such situation. The girl clenched her teeth. Gerome could feel that she put more pressure on his throat with her sword. She didn't believe Kaska's words about Haruhi's feelings towards her. Well, thinking logically: no one can fall in love in just two hours. However, if Kaska's words were the truth.. No, no! Anna had to focus on her current situation. Anna discovered her new weakness: Her own feelings towards Haruhi. She was afraid that Kaska might use this new weakness to hurt them both.
"You asshole.." She muttered. "You f**kin' asshole.." She repeated. "You want to use me to get what you want from Haruhi! What's so special about his eye?!" Anna raised her voice. Her anger was even greater than before. She had so many questions and so much time to force Kaska to answer her.
The girl had the urge to kill Gerome in front of Kaska and then attack him.

"I don't want to use you, please believe me at that part. But you two are struggling with many things, and anyway I have no idea what his eye does. No one does besides the mad man who put it in him... I honestly feel bad for the boy, he went for awhile not being able to trust people anymore." Kaska had sadness and pity in his eyes. "I hope I never succumb to the madness like he did, I don't want to do that to my own son." Kaska pulled out a picture and threw it to Anna. "This is who he is, his name is Yin-Yan Geros. He has been Haruhi's rival for three years now..." Kaska gave Anna a look that pleaded to let Gerome go, Gerome had the same look.

Anna didn't look at the picture, she still was looking at Kaska. "Don't play with my feelings..." Anna muttered. Something changed in her voice, not only in her voice, but also in the way she stared at him. It was not anger anymore, it was hatred, however, not expressed with her face nor her voice. Anna calmed herself down. She wanted Kaska to finally answer her questions, without trying to change the subject. "Answer me...Who are you and how do you know me?" Anna asked him. She looked calm, yet her heart was filled with hatred. She was quiet, yet her soul wavelength was loud. There was bloodlust in her eyes. Anna didn't want to be manipulated by Kaska, so she didn't want to listen to his attempts to calm her down. She really wanted to kill him and Gerome

"Fine, fine... You are a persistent one. I am Kaska Geros, Haruhi's employer and the owner of several high dojos. I am part of the Justice Posse, I have been keeping a low profile so I wont draw attention to myself. Eventually I saw your skills as a ninja, so I gathered some information about you. I also was able to become Haruhi's employer around the same time, so I decided to put you two together in the job you two did. Some of my information may be off but it is pretty accurate." Kaska had a calm tone, he grew more and more relaxed by the second.

Gerome was scared, he was on the verge to crying, he wasn't going to see his wife or child, he wasn't going to be able to see them at all most likely. Gerome had tears going down his cheeks, "Please Anna, I don't want to die, I need to get back to my family!" Gerome was losing hope on seeing his children again, but he had a strong hold on going to see them at least once.

When Kaska revealed his true identity, Anna's eyes widened. She was truly shocked, why someone like him was a part of The Justice Posse? She couldn't believe her own ears. The girl didn't even notice when tears started running down her cheeks, she felt betrayed by everyone. She didn't have the strength to hold her weapon and soon she dropped it on the floor, releasing Gerome. Anna dropped to her knees, staring at the floor. So her meeting with Haruhi wasn't a coincidence at all. Does it mean that Haruhi was with TJP too? No, no, no, impossible. "Leave me alone..." Anna muttered, not looking at them.

"If you are thinking if Haruhi was on in this, you are wrong. He doesn't know anything about it, even if he did, he wouldn't approach you any different. This was actually planned by myself, and don't think anything different of Haruhi. He would have told you if he was in on this, or he would have avoided contact with you even further." Kaska pulled out his phone and started to press onto the screen. "Listen Anna, Haruhi doesn't even know that the Justice Posse exists, and based on your knowledge on him, do you think he would ever stay there even is he did join?"

"Leave me alone..." She repeated herself. Anna had her eyes closed. She decided to leave the justice posse. The thought of having someone like Kaska as her superior was too much for her. "At least Haruhi is not in this shit..." The ninja said quietly. She didn't want to look at Kaska anymore. The only thing Anna was thinking about at that moment was Haruhi. She wanted him to finally return. However she still had one or two questions for Kaska "I wonder..How long are you in the Justice Posse?" She asked him. Anna seemed empty inside, tired.

"For years, but listen to me, if I said Haruhi likes stealthy people, what would you say?" Kaska soon turned at the door and walked towards it. "Isn't that right Haruhi!?" The door flung open with a slam with Haruhi jumping out of it with a dagger towards Kaska. "You never learn..." Kaska quickly went to Haruhi's side while he was in mid-air and slammed him down onto the floor. Knocking the wind out of him. "Y-y-you b-b-bastard..." Haruhi was gasping for air, he was soundly beaten, he couldn't move very well. "You tried this on me many times, and each time you failed." Kaska started to walk towards Anna with a killing presence, he was going to kill Anna. Soon a dagger was thrown at high speed towards Kaska's head. "You... don't... touch... her..." Haruhi was still gasping for air and was still able to throw the dagger at Kaska, he was impressed. Haruhi never did this for anyone, not that Kaska has seen.

Gerome saw the dagger stuck in the wall and was scared, now Haruhi was here and he was mad. Gerome wasnted to leave but he couldn't fear has surrendered him useless.

Anna wanted to use the ruckus to attack Kaska. When Haruhi landed on the floor, Anna activated a small emergency transmitter, that The Justice Posse's Head Mission Operator, Raccoon, gave her. If someone could stop the chaos, it was only the HQ. Then she waited for a good opportunity to attack.
That moment was exactly when Haruhi threw his dagger at Kaska. Anna quickly grabbed her sword and jumped towards Kaska. She was aiming to slash his legs and immobilize him. The ninja knew that her chances are low, however, she could easily dodge any attack from Kaska, she was ready for it.

Kaska raised his leg and slammed it down on Anna's sword causing it to break in two. He then grabbed the back of Anna's outfit and throw her on top of Haruhi. Kaska had no weapons, all he had were his fists and legs, he was out of Haruhi and Anna's league and Haruhi knew that. "Listen Anna, I want to be on good terms with you, but you are making this difficult, even if you added Yin, I doubt you guys can beat me." Haruhi's eyes widened when he heard the name Yin, "Yin? How is he with his training?" Haruhi was finally able to catch his breath but was still a bit winded. "He is doing fine, in fact I think you two are matched up. But besides that, how are your feelings towards Anna here?" Haruhi hesitated and gave the question some thought. "We are... friends..." Haruhi had a bit of a blush to him again, Kaska noticed this and started to laugh. "I have a feeling you like her more than a friend Haruhi!" Haruhi grew embarrassed and sat down on the floor.

Anna stood up quickly. She interrupted "Good term?! You asshole! I saw your soul back then! You wanted to kill me!" Anna exclaimed as she grabbed two kunai from her pocket. "Raccoon is on his way here...Surrender.." The ninja said as she stood in front of Haruhi, like she wanted to shield him from Kaska. Well she was a very stubborn person after all.

Indeed, Raccoon was on his way there...Well...He lived in the same dorms, apparently.. This will be interesting.

"Raccoon huh, I believe I can beat him." Kaska didn't sound like he was fooling around, he was dead serious. "Also I was showing you a bit of my true personality, I don't like being held up. But since Raccoon is coming, I might as well stay for the party." Haruhi sighed, he threw done the rest of the weapons he had and sat on the couch. "Anna, please give up, we cant win. Anyway I haven't met many people that battled him. They all avoided him for a good reason, and I guess I just witnessed it..." Haruhi shuddered a bit but then calmed down and tossed Kaska a piece of chocolate. "Here, something to snack on until whoever Anna called over gets here..." Kaska did as what Haruhi said, he started to eat the piece of chocolate and waited for Raccoon. Haruhi started to nibble on a sucker and offered Anna some more candy.