Present at this meeting: Asami, Akihito, Mikhail, Sakazaki, Sudou, Kuroda, Kirishima, Suoh, Fei Long, Yoh, and ...? (Recap from Chapter 53)

A Snappy Viewfinder Meeting

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Kirishima walks in the room with a stack of papers. "Here we are... the latest chapter for your enjoyment..." He begins to hand them out, whistling happily as he does this task.

"You seem to be in a rather good mood..." Kuroda says as he watches him. "What's up with that?"

"Do I?" Kirishima replies smiling. "No reason. It's a nice day... don't you think the clouds look particularly fluffy today?"

"DAMN IT! That means he got a decent part this time around!" Suoh growls as he grabs his script. "What about me? Did I...?"

"You should just relax and enjoy your time off," Kirishima says, giving him a smug look. "Maybe read a book..."

Kirishima continues to pass out scripts. He pauses when he gets to Mikhail, giving him a long, hard look.

"REALLY...? Mikhail smiles as looks up hopefully at Kirishima. Kirishima sighs and hands him his script. Mikhail thumbs through it quickly and then yells triumphantly. "HA! I TOLD all of you I was going to be in this one!" He kisses his script loudly.

"You also said Yuri was going to be in it..." Yoh reminds him.

"Yes, yes... that's beside the point now..." Mikhail says as he begins to read his script enthusiastically.

Sakazaki is also reading through his script. "Not bad! Our parts are getting larger, Sudou."

"You mean YOUR part," Sudou snaps at him. "I already have a significant role, you... greasy gorilla!"

Sakazaki smiles at Sudou condescendingly. "Now, now... is THAT anyway to talk to your gallant rescuer? Your 'knight in shining armor'...?"

Sudou looks him up and down incredulously. "You're calling that thick body hair of yours... armor?"

Sakazaki pulls his shirt open a little wider and grins. "Sexy, isn't it?"

"Ugh!" Sudou looks away in disgust. "You only rescued me because you're hoping I'll suddenly become all sentimental about it and have sex with you."

"Is that the ONLY reason your conceited small mind can come up with?! I generally prefer someone who looks a little less like a peacock... but sure! If you're THAT willing..." Sakazaki leers lecherously at Sudou.

"AARGH!" Suoh growls as he reads his script. "There's even a major gunfight! I should be there! This is SO not fair..."

"At least you're not stuck in the hospital. Who knows when I'll get out?" Kuroda turns to Asami. "Somebody should come visit me... maybe bring me some flowers..."

"Kirishima, Akihito, and I are a little busy at the moment..." Asami says as he reads through his script. "However, Suoh's not doing anything right now, so maybe he can go visit you..."

Suoh groans in frustration.

Yoh finishes reading and puts his script down, looking puzzled. "So all this time, it was Mikhail and the Russian Mafia who were behind all of this... and it also seems Sakazaki and Mikhail are working together. The one thing I don't understand is why Sakazaki would go to the trouble of risking his life to save Sudou from one of their assassins, who was obviously ordered to take him out... only to deliver him alive directly to Mikhail..."

"Because OBVIOUSLY, Mikhail is not the mastermind behind all of this..." comes an unfamiliar voice from across the room. They all look up and see someone with a long scar on his face, leaning up against the door. "We are not the Russian Mafia, but rather—"

"Don't tell me..." Fei Long says, "The Mafia of Russia!"

"Splitters..." Mikhail grumbles under his breath.

"I don't want to say WHO we are... just yet..." the unknown man says, smiling evilly. "I'm Aaron, by the way. I'll be hanging around for the rest of this story arc..."

Everyone grumbles a "hello".

"It doesn't really matter to me who you are," Asami replies angrily. "Moving against me and mine WILL result in your total annihilation..."

"Really..." Aaron sneers at Asami. "You seem pretty handy with a gun... so then tell me WHY as I am threatening you and..." Aaron glances distastefully at Akihito, "...your property... a crack shot such as yourself, merely shoots the gun out of my hand instead of shooting me dead on the spot? Hmm...?"

"Because it was in the script," Asami growls in a low voice. "There's a good reason... trust me on that, otherwise I guarantee you'd be dead right now."

"You also only shot the gun out of his hand the OTHER time he tried to kill Akihito..." Fei Long adds.

Asami glares at Fei Long.

"I'm only stating the facts. Do you perhaps have some bizarre attraction to this new, wild-looking young assassin here?" Fei Long smirks. "Poor Akihito... he's welcome to come stay with me anytime..."

Asami turns to look at Akihito. "Akihito, don't listen to him—" but then he realizes Akihito is not listening at all, but glaring icily across the table at Kirishima.

Kirishima is glaring back at Akihito. "You should follow my orders and just get in the damn helicopter!"

"I refuse!" Akihito replies hotly.

Asami frowns at the two of them. "You BOTH should follow MY orders and get in the damn helicopter!"

"You know I'm perfectly capable of protecting Asami myself!" Akihito growls at Kirishima.

"And just EXACTLY how much experience do you have with firearms?" Kirishima growls back. "You stole my gun back in Hong Kong and shot it ONCE... and even still you barely grazed your opponent. Did you fire again to make sure you eliminated the threat or did you drop the gun and run away, leaving yourself open without any protection whatsoever?"

"But I DID hit him!"

Asami's eyes narrow as they flicker back and forth between Kirishima and Akihito. "Neither one of you is listening to me, are you?"

"First Sudou betrays you... then Kuroda mouths off to you, and now these two..." Mikhail goads Asami gleefully. "You've really been losing control of your subordinates lately, haven't you?"

Asami brings his hand up to his forehead and rubs it as if he's getting a headache.

"So, you've only fired a gun... ONCE," Kirishima continues. "That small squirt gun you're holding right now is only good at close range. Not only that, but you're woefully inexperienced! Your shots, using that 'pea shooter', from THAT distance could go wild. That's why I'm using a rifle with a scope... idiot!"

"Oh..." Akihito turns to Asami. "Why didn't you give me a better gun?"

Asami raises his eyebrows at Akihito. "Because I thought you would look cute and sexy running around in your underwear with a little .22 caliber pistol."

Asami turns his head away smiling, "... and I was right..."

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Acknowledgements: the ornamental lemon-colored Monarch of the Far Corner of the Fish Tank... and as always, the Pythons.

Previous chapter parodies not under this title: 1) "A Rare Viewfinder Meeting" [Pray in the Abyss- chapter 45, March 2014] and 2) "Another Rare Viewfinder Meeting" [Pray in the Abyss- chapter 46, May 2014] and 3) "A Hasty Viewfinder Meeting, Parts 1 & 2" [Pray in the Abyss- Chapter 47, July 2014]

Also related: "A Questionable Viewfinder Meeting" [Questions from readers- May 2014 & July 2015].

The Viewfinder Series are the property of Yamane Ayano and Digital Manga Publishing. I claim exemption under the US Copyright "Fair Use" rule (Use in Parody) [17 U.S.C. § 107]