Chapter 4: Broken

A/N: We're back! Agent Nishikata is now an agent for the Specialized Forensic Division!

Enjoy the chapter! And King Frost's theme song as well! ;) ^^^^^

Nishikata, now an agent for the Criminal Elimination Agency, walked through the crowded airport in a slow yet observant manner. His black suit and brown briefcase blended in well with all the other businessmen hurrying about the airport, and his black hat just barely hid his soulless eyes.

He made every effort not to look at the various Christmas decorations that plagued his every step in the airport. The infernal fake pine trees. The Christmas carols. The outrageously large Santa dolls.

It was the most wonderful time of the year alright...the time he'd killed her...

He shook that thought from his mind. He had a mission. He had his orders. And he would follow them.

The last few months had flown by like a speeding train for the embittered, determined agent. Upon checking in to the CEA, he'd undergone eight more weeks of training in things such as Subconscious Militarization, Close Quarters Combat, and more. Not only that, but he'd reunited with his old middle school friend Kimura, and requested him to be his Operations Planner and Analyst. Kimura had never shown any interest in crime-fighting back in those days, let alone high-level research and data analysis.

What strange times these were indeed.

Now, the lone wolf strode through the busy airport, on his way to what was his sixth mission for the Criminal Elimination Agency. 

As Nishikata continued walking through the airport, he found the correct terminal for his flight and took an empty seat. He had arrived well in advance of departure; now all he had to do was wait.

"You're blushing aren't you?"

Nishikata clenched his fists and whirled around in his seat, searching for the source of that blasted sound.

The implicit taunt, the rising inflection, the infuriating tone...

No, it couldn't be.

Nishikata soon laid eyes on the one who'd said that familiar phrase: not Takagi, but a short, black-haired American girl in a blue dress who looked to be no older than seven. Next to her was a boy of the same age, with brown hair, green eyes, and a simple outfit of a superhero shirt and blue shorts.

"No I'm not!" the boy argued. "I told you, it's not like that!"

"Oh? Are you sure?"

"Stop it!"

The two children jumped in fright as they turned around to Nishikata looming over them. Both children were fearful and confused as to how they had incurred this stranger's wrath.

But only one of them suffered the undeserved consequences.

"Stop teasing him already!" Nishikata shouted down at the little girl. "He already told you it's not like that, right? So why don't you shut your mouth and listen to him for once!"

The girl's eyes became misty with tears, but Nishikata hardly noticed as he continued with his merciless tirade.

"Don't you have something better to do? Why don't you just go away and leave him alone? Why don't—why don't—!"
Nishikata stopped short as he sensed a hostile presence just a few feet to his right. Had he been just slightly more observant moments before, he would've been able to catch a glimpse of more noteworthy characters...

The parents of these children.

"Why I never!" the mother, a woman who looked to be in her mid-thirties, exclaimed. "How dare you speak to my children that way!"

"Is a sister teasing her brother really that bad to you?" the father, who wasn't much older than his wife, growled in a gruff tone. "How stupid do you have to be to yell at someone else's children over playful teasing?"

By now, Nishikata could see that the other passengers in the terminal were looking at the scene with both shocked and disappointed gazes. Not wanting to lose his composure even more, Nishikata straightened his tie and quickly bowed his head.

"You're right, sir. I am extremely sorry for my inappropriate outburst. It was wrong of me and I will not do it again. Good day to both of you."

On the outside, Nishikata betrayed no emotion. But on the inside, he cursed himself and fought the urge to kick a chair across the room as he plopped back down into his seat.

He'd lost his bearing. Disgraced the uniform of the CEA and FBI.

But more importantly...

He'd lost.

To Takagi.

Again.

Even now, after all these years, even after his foolish, naïve wish that had erased Takagi from this world...

Nishikata was still under her power.

Still easily irritated, still riled up at the mere thought of being teased by her, and haunted with anguish and despair at anything that reminded him of her. Like a dog to its master, Nishikata was not free from Takagi's taunting even when she wasn't around. Strong enough to take down an entire army, yet too weak to withstand the influence of his emotions.

All because of one person, and one person only...

Himself.

..........................................

Despite having lived in the North Pole all his life, Santa couldn't help but feel chilly as he walked into King Frost's Throne Room. The towering ice pillars glistened with a shiny, silver sheen and the navy blue, gold-trimmed carpet provided a soft padding under his large boots as he sauntered up to the throne.

Before the throne stood the other Guardians, of both Day and Night. On the left side were Sandman, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Beowulf. On his right were Boogeyman, Krampus, Dracula, and Dark-Wolf.

On the throne sat King Jack Frost, his icy cold stare inspecting the souls of his trusted Guardians. His short gray hair was hidden by a diamond-ice crown, and a large black scepter topped by a golden jewel stood up firmly in his hand.

"Good day to all of you," Santa greeted in a jolly tone that masked his pensiveness. "Bunny, I heard about that incident in Madrid! I do hope your clumsiness doesn't ever get the better of you!"

"If being clumsy was a currency, I'd be a bloody billionaire," Bunny winked back at his comrade.

"Silence," King Frost snapped.

The nine Guardians bowed their heads.

"Report?"

"Another good year, your Grace," Santa smiled behind his fluffy beard. "The number of children on my Nice List was up exponentially from last year."

King Frost nodded sternly at this news, pointing at Dark-Wolf so as to indicate who he wanted to speak next.

"The Gargoyle Forest remains unpenetrated, my King," Dark-Wolf nodded his head. "The legend of my contest with Red Riding Hood has kept all children and hunters at bay."

"Your Dark Crystallium Portal is safe as well, my Lord," Dracula reported. "None dare approach my dwelling, and the few who do try do not live to tell the tale."

King Frost went around the circle, garnering the reports from all of his Guardians and musing over the information with his stoic, nightmarish gaze like he always did. For someone who was in control of all things cold, he had an awfully hot fire burning under him at all times.

"The naughty children still refuse to learn their lesson after all these centuries," Krampus chuckled in amusement at one point.

"Perhaps if you'd spare them a second chance, they'd be more inclined," Santa retorted with not-so-subtle passive aggression.

"Oh calm yourself, dear brother," Krampus rolled his beady eyes. "They'll be fine."

After all the Guardians had finished up their reports, King Frost dismissed them with a wave of his hand. Santa, as usual, walked beside Easter Bunny, and the two of them made small talk as they exited the giant Throne Room.

"I must say, Easter was quite the success this year," Bunny chuckled. "Some kids even got into Easter Egg fights!"

"Don't tell Krampus that," Santa quipped. "He might bring a skeleton army to their house."

"What was that Old Saint Nick?"

Santa and Bunny stopped in their tracks.

This was not about to be a fun conversation.

"Turn around, oh great Giver of Gifts. Say what you said."

Santa rolled his eyes as he and Bunny turned to face King Frost. "What is it, your Grace?"

King Frost's icy gaze refused to falter as he peered down at Santa with a harsh, furious gleam in his eyes.

"Don't think that your continued whining about your brother's deeds goes unnoticed," King Frost began. "I'm starting to question your loyalty to the Sacred Balance."

"Of course not, my King. I would never do such a thing."

"How can he betray this Sacred Balance of yours when there's no fair balance to begin with?" Bunny laughed.

King Frost's glare became even more unforgiving, if that was possible.

"Measure your next words very carefully, Bunny."

"Why? Because they might hurt your feelings?"

"Bunny! Enough!" Santa interjected, stepping between King Frost and his fellow Guardian.

"I give you my word I will not break my vow to maintain the Sacred Balance," Santa reiterated. "I've been loyal to your decrees for thousands of years. Why does one little remark to my brother make you think I would change that?"

King Frost was still not convinced. But, much to Santa's fortune, the King decided to relent and simply leave him with one last warning.

"I'm never afraid to cut a Guardian if I need to, Santa. Remember that."

"Well, that was one fun chat wasn't it?" Bunny shrugged once he and Santa were outside the palace.

"I supposed," Santa sighed. "There's always next year.

............................................

The muzzles of Nishikata's silenced pistols were still warm as he inserted a fresh magazine into each of them. Tracking down mafia boss Dennis Grant to his hideout in Iowa had been easy enough.

So had exterminating all twenty-five of his guard detail.

Now, there was only one thing left to do.

"Agent Nishikata to Command," Nishikata said, pressing down on his earpiece. "All additional enemy targets have been eliminated. I am about to enter the main target's dwelling and make use of the PASIV device."

"Roger, Agent Nishikata," Kimura's voice replied. "The satellite is showing no additional enemy forces for a radius of one hundred miles. You've got a good window of time for now, but still, make it fast!"

The PASIV device housed in Nishikata's briefcase—Portable Automated Somnacin IntraVenous—was crucial to the success or failure of Nishikata's every mission. If Nishikata used it as the manual instructed, he would successfully infiltrate the subconscious of his criminal targets and neutralize their fighting spirit from the inside.

If he didn't...

Nishikata shook that fear from his mind as he nonchalantly stepped around the dead bodies and to the back door of the rural Iowa residence. He'd gone over the manual a thousand times and received perfect marks on the training course. Failure was not an option.

By now, the knockout gas from the smoke grenade Nishikata had thrown into the house prior to the short firefight had dissipated. Dennis Grant, the mafia boss in question, however, was still unconscious in the living room. Unlocking the briefcase, Nishikata hooked himself and the infamous mafia boss up to the device and began the next phase of his mission.

As always, the process of "going under" into the land of the subject's dream was very disorienting. Nishikata recovered without a hitch though, and surveyed his new, virtual-yet-still-real surroundings. A dark parking lot outside a warehouse with minimal guards. Perfect. This would be over in no time.

"Hey Nishikata,"

Nishikata spun around and brought his weapon to bear.

"Come now, that's no way to treat a lady is it?"

Nishikata remained frozen in disbelief.

"Takagi? But...how?"