The first time she had been to a Zoo, was when her mother and father took both her and Eren to the one back home. In an instant she fell in love with the place. From the tall giraffes, to the tiny otters, to even the funny monkeys. Each animal had a place in her heart.
So, when Emi heard about the Mega Vegas Zoo, she had to visit. Although she hid her reaction to the place from her brother and Souta, she didn't want either of them seeing past her façade of indifference. It was embarrassing for her to be seen getting excited, at least she believed it was so.
She walked through the massive doors into the zoo. A miniature jungle. The sounds of birds chirping in the treetops. The roaring of beasts could be heard. The atmosphere was magical. Temperature controlled to match the sticky air of a real tropical environment; she was already in love with the place.
Monkeys, gorillas, elephants, lions, tigers, bears; all the animals that could be imagined, given such a wide space for a relatively small area, it seemed that they could roam for eternity, but it were nothing more than a well crafted illusion.
Emi walked along the winding path through the zoo, she looked at the animals with an almost childlike wonder. However, closely behind followed two men in suits. Not affiliated with the complex, these men were clearly hired help, and were tailing the young girl. They kept a distance, as to avoid her detection, however, Emi was more than aware of them.
'Are they Souta's people?' Emi thought to herself, as she passed another exhibit, this time of elephants. She leant over, giving pause to the tailing agents. She watched them without looking at them, trying to figure out whether they were Souta's people.
'Probably not... They look too shady. If I had to guess, the boys from the claw machine must have sent them.' Emi internally sighed. She was hoping to make it a peaceful night of sightseeing, but now it seemed she hit trouble without even being aware of it.
"Can you please stop following me. You're making it really hard to enjoy the zoo." The girl spoke loudly, not even bothering to turn around to face the two men. A bored, uncaring look on her face.
The men froze for a moment, they didn't know that the girl was on to them.
"Excuse miss, could you please come with us. There are some people who wish to speak to you." Both approached; one on either side of the young woman. They flanked her. Hoping to box in the petite girl.
"No thank you. I would prefer to enjoy the zoo on my own, if you don't mind." She spoke bluntly, turning to walk away. However, she was blocked by the two men.
"We are going to need to ask you to come with us miss. You assaulted our employers' children." One said, a serious tone to the voice. Both were clearly a little frustrated.
"Please they just want you to apologise- Ooph." A hard kick to the groin area. When a confronted with men double your size; always aim for the balls. Simple advice, and it worked.
With one man on the floor, Emi turned on her heel, sprinting away from the scene. Her feet pounded the floor. The other guard followed, leaving behind his friend, groans of pain disappearing into the background noise of the zoo.
"STOP... RUNNING..." The remaining pursuer yelled out, already becoming short of breath, and lagging.
Eventually catching up to the girl; who was trapped in a dead end. Or at least that's how it appeared to the guard. He smirked. Thinking about how the little girl would be easy to deal with.
Emi didn't even flinch. She stared at the man. A look of exasperation, boredom, and resignation on her face. She didn't speak. Waiting for the guard to finish panting.
"Finally. Now, could you please come quietly with me. I would really hate to make a scene of this." He tried to plead, hoping that the young woman would see reason.
"No."
*Click*
Emi had unlatched the gate to one of the enclosures; letting loose a very unhappy elephant upon the pursuer. It stomped towards them; a loud bellow of a trumpeting trunk filled the area. The zoo keepers and other visitors began to run and scream.
The chaos the girl created allowed the girl to skip away, without so much as an acknowledgement of the guard. Emi left the zoo behind, and the sound of people screaming faded from her ears.
---
"Mr. Hanabishi, all is under control. However, we have two guards claiming they were assaulted by a girl of short stature."
A zoo keeper spoke to Souta, who was watching the elephants from afar. A look of frustration on his face at the mention of the young girl.
"What did she do?" He asked, although knowing Emi it was probably nothing to serious.
The two guards both held ice packs to their bodies; one to the groin, the other to the back of the head.
"Kenji and Kyou's personal escorts? Now why would two big brutes like yourselves want to attack such a small, defenceless girl like Emi?" The voice of Souta mocked them. A condescending tone as he looked down upon them.
"The little bitch kicked me in the balls." One of them exclaimed. Holding the ice pack closer to his nether region.
"YOU ASSHOLES!" *GAK*
Souta placed a pistol in one of the guards' mouths; holding firmly with the barrel pressing into the roof of the man's mouth.
"I warned your bratty clients, and I will be sure to remind you of the same thing. If I even see you so much as think about that girl again, I'll blow your brains out." The last sentence was a growl, like a wolf looking down upon a deer.
*Euph* *Euph*
Souta removed the pistol from the man's mouth. Both guards cowered in fear.
"Go and get your masters, then leave. And never return here." His voice returned to a cold calm. No longer filled with the seething anger from the seconds prior.
"Yes Sir. Sorry for disturbing your day." The two grovelling men stood, rushing off to find the boys.
'Emi... What are you doing?'