Jayden hadn't recovered from Hayate's punch before being tackled through the front door of the shop.

"If any other girl did anything like that, they better be planning to pop me the question." coughing, Jayden touches the area that the punch had landed, making sure nothing was broken, "And next time, bloody tell me your going after a Flame skull or that you plan to piss the skull off before hand."

HAYATE

"AAAUUUUUUUUGH--" Hayate threw his hands up to shield his face and mask from the flying shrapnel, dropping his makeshift flamethrowers as he leapt out of the way. The wooden shelves around him had gone up in flames, everything was burning...

Hayate, hair also ablaze, clawed off his vests and wrapped them clumsily around his arms, letting the cloth catch fire as more and more paint canisters caught fire and exploded from the heat, then ran full throttle at the Hunter.

*Click* The magazine was empty. Makoto unloaded the MP7 and reached for a new clip. Before she had the chance to reload the gun, Hayate leaped out of the burning crafts store, arms set ablaze. He charged at her, and shoved her to a wall. Her weapon and ammo clip dropped onto the ground.

Hayate's flaming arms made it hard for Makoto to fight back. Her vest began to smoke, and breathing started to become a problem. "Oh, you want to kill me? You have to do better than that." She rammed her left forearm into his throat, trying to push him off of her while clawing at his face in attempt to temporarily blind him and tear off his face mask.

Jayden had barely made it to his feet when Hayate came bursting out of the now blazing building, his arms and hair both blazing. In less than a minute, the kid had Makoto shoved up againt the wall, his hands around her throat. Bloody hell.. what did the flame skulls freaking eat in the morning.. sure wasn't wheaties..

Jayden knew calling for back up wasn't a plan, plus the only officer who could offer back up was on suspended duty.. And probably wouldn't of been best call to action, Roland and Makoto had bad blood between them already..

Picking up his revolver from where it had fallen, Jayden takes a moment to size the situation up, Makoto was going to need help.. this kid was serious..

Pulling off his jacket, he didn't want third degree burns.. he probably already had a broken nose which was enough, he uses the jacket to grab ahold of one of Hayate's flaming arms and attempts to pry his hands from Makoto's throat..

HAYATE

With a snap, the mask came free from Hayate's face, and Hayate, breathing hard, inhaled a lungful of the smoke that was billowing from the burning cloth. His incessant coughing, and the policeman's grip on his arms, forced him to let go of the Hunter.

But...I need to KILL HER.

He fell backwards onto the unfortunate policeman, trying to breathe in between coughs and see properly through stinging eyes.

The Skull released his grip on her throat. Makoto stumbled onto her knees, trying to breathe in fresh air. The coughing didn't make her feel any better after having her throat and part of her chest burned by Hayate.

She looked up, and saw Jayden under the Skull. I...I need to get that fire out. I can't have Jayden dead, and I can't do anything else with those blazing arms. She lightly gripped her throat. Her face and chest were better off than her neck.

Makoto used the wall to support herself, still gasping for air. She burst into the store, ignoring the horrified expressions the shopkeeper and several customers had as they watched a badly burnt Hunter rip a fire extinguisher off the wall.

She stepped out of the store and pulled the pin on the extinguisher. She aimed the nozzle at Hayate and Jayden, and squeezed the trigger, covering the two of them in foam.

The combination of the smoke from the burning cloth stinging Jayden's eyes and making him cough as well as Hayate's weight when the skull fell back on him after releasing Makoto, sent both of them crashing to the ground. With his eyes closed, Jayden tries to catch his breath, not caring at the moment about the still burning cloth just inches away from him.

Suddenly, something cold and wet is sprayed over him and Hayate and opening his eyes, he sees both of them covered in.. foam.. Oh great, I look like Frosty the Snowman now.

With a groan, he pulls the hand cuffs off his now foamy belt and yanks both of Hayate's hands behind his back, handcuffing them before Hayate could get a second wind and try to attack Makoto again. Shoving Hayate off of him and standing up, Jayden notices Makoto standing there, the nozzle of the fire extinguisher still pointed at them and dripping white foam but also noticed the state of her neck.

Grimacing, Jayden pulls the sunglasses, now white with foam off his face, "I guess a thanks is in order, through you could of easily left us both to burn you know." his expression turns serious, "How's your neck? Might want to get to the hospital to get that checked out."

Makoto tossed the extinguisher aside and coughed a few more times. "I won't leave someone who helps me. I should be thanking you for saving me. She brushed the burns on her throat with her fingertips. The adrenaline was fading away, and she grit her teeth as she retracted her hand from her neck. Her face and chest were only slightly burned, but they still hurt nonetheless.

Makoto looked at the Flame Skull, who was squirming around, trying to get up. She slowly approached him, grabbed him from whatever amount of hair that was left on his head, and pulled him close to her. She spoke loud enough so Hayate was the only one who could hear her voice."It looks like you've trashed his store." She looked up and smiled in the direction of the burning shop, laughing sadistically at the remains of the store. She returned her gaze to Hayate, still smiling. "You're a fool for thinking you could kill me while you set yourself on fire. You might've burned me, but look, I'm still breathing." She released him from her grip, stood up, and walked away from Hayate.

Makoto approached Jayden, and put her hand on his shoulder. I'll be fine. I have some first aid in my car. I can do something about that face of yours. You can come with me if you want." She dropped her hand from his shoulder, and walked away from the burning crafts store.

HAYATE

"Dammit. Fuck you...FUCK YOU. FUUUUUCK. YOOOOUUUU. I HATE YOU. I--" Hayate choked and his throat smarted even more. By the time he was done coughing, his voice was gone and his screaming has been reduced to the empty mouthing of vulgarity. Giving up on trying to provoke the Hunter into paying more attention to him, he curled as best as he could into a tight ball, panting and trying to rub his disheveled and singed hair out of his eyes. The cold concrete outside the still-burning shop was rough on his wounds but felt both like hell and salvation at the same time, and he tried to budge his arms as little as possible: The metal was scraping against his newly-acquired burns.

He laughed to and at himself. What would the mad cat think if she ever saw him like this? Surely it was pathetic.

A slight hint of amusement showed on Jadyen's face, "Look like you needed the help and no need to thank me, let's call it even and leave it there cause I probably should be arresting you on murder charges.."

Jayden glances at the burning crafts store and sighs, this meant more paper work and probably by now, one extremely pissed off Police Chief.. And too late to call in requesting for any assistance to put the flames out, the building was past being saved by now...

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, he looks at Makoto, "If you say you'll be fine than I can believe that. And sure, if you want."

He pauses, looking at Hayate who had been screaming some very inappropriate words before curling up into a little ball.

Jayden hurries to catch up with Makoto, the skull wasn't going anywhere at the moment..

Still poking at the burns on her neck, Makoto reached into her pocket, and turned off the alarm on the SUV. She popped the trunk open, and placed the unused bow and quiver inside it. Her MP7 got knocked into the burning building, and was probably beyond recovery.

She did her best to gently remove her tactical vest and jacket. The vest came off with ease, but the jacket rubbed all over her neck. She yelled in pain as she threw her jacket into the trunk, exposing the full damage Hayate did to her neck.

"Fuck, this hurts... Jayden. Come here. I got an ice pack for your face." She opened the first aid kit, and took out an ice pack and a bottle of medical gel, and tossed the bottle to Jayden. "Did you get burned? Rub that stuff on the burns. It should reduce the pain. Save some for me though..."

Jayden catches the medical gel that Makoto tosses to him, his expression more grim seeing the full damage Hayate had done, "I don't think any of my burns are as serious as yours, might be best you use the gel first." he offers the bottle back to her and leans against the car. "Nice car. Didn't realize the hunters had that much spare cash to splurge out on these kind of things."

Makoto took the bottle back from Jayden and poured some of the gel onto her fingers. The burns started to feel cool as she gently massaged the gel on her neck, even though she grit her teeth while parts of her neck stung as she applied the medicine. She wasn't even trying to hide the fact she was in pain anymore.

"The car's not mine. I would've bought something nicer, but the government's paying us to do our job. Might as well use the money for equipment. She watched the smoke rise above the buildings. "Heh...ow. Looks like you've got more paperwork to do, Jayden. Also, just a response to that comment of yours earlier: I'm not going to 'pop the question' to you. I just needed to save your ass from that kid."

"Please don't remind me. I just got done that other paperwork and now more. I better start just using my desk at the Station as a bed." Jayden chuckles before frowning, "Ah, wasn't really wanting that question popped anyway. I already living with one chick who's always PMSing.. I don't need another one."

"That's why I'm not a cop." Makoto shuffles around the bed of the trunk, checking her supplies. "...It's probably gone, but I left my gun back in front of the shop. I might as well look. Plus, we left our friend over there."

She took out her pistol from the holster on the tactical vest, and cocked it. "Don't worry. I'm not going to shoot him unless he tries to attack us again." She shuts the trunk, smiles at Jayden, and walks down the street again. "I'll try not to shoot any civilians this time."

Jayden laughs, "And I couldn't do your job even for the benefits. I guess I better get Fiery up and haul his ass down to the Station." he shakes his head, "I doubt he will be attacking, he looks like he's regretting what he's done." Jayden pushes off the car, "Please don't shoot any civilians or the Chief will be using my guts for garters."

He walks over to Hayate and kneels down, grabbing under his armpit and tempting to haul Hayate to his feet, not in a rough way but gentle, figuring the poor kid has already suffered enough.

HAYATE

If his throat hadn't been parched, Hayate would have spat at the policeman's face. He groaned as the pull caused the metal to dig further into his burned hands, then shook his head violently in an attempt to get the long matted strands out of his face.

Snarling at Makoto, he dug his heels in: He'd show the Hunter he wasn't as soft as she thought.

Jayden sighs, hearing the groan and seeing Hayate refusing to stand up, "Look dude, this isn't going to help you one bit in the long run. We have to get those burns attended to and I am sure you must be thirsty and hungry."

HAYATE

"I never said I wa--"

A loud rumbling growl interrupted him.

"...-s hungry. Erm." Distracted, he managed to be dragged a few paces forward before he tried to dig his heels in again.

"I think your stomach answered that one," Jayden says in an amused tone, "And if you cooperate, you can pick what you want to eat. I can't have the Chief saying I abused you, kid, now can I?"

Makoto watched Jayden struggle to pick Hayate off the ground."So you're going to treat him to dinner just after he tried to burn us into the ground. That's cute." She flipped the safety on, and holstered her handgun. She walked towards the shop and looked around for her MP7, but found nothing except shrapnel.

She approached the Skull and the policeman. Hayate was giving her an attitude, which wasn't much of a surprise. She smiled back at him."It's not like you could do anything with those cuffs around your burned wrists." She sighed. ""I don't know if you want me around, Jayden. Your friends back at the station might not want to see me."

"Oh, it's not a treat.. I rather make sure he was something to eat and drink cause he might not get anything for a few hours and that's if he lucky and not handed over to the hunters from the Station." Jayden replies, "And your making it sound like I'm in to guys or something by that comment, you know." He frowns at Hayate and lets him drop, "Fine, sulk kid." He turns to Makoto, "It's fine, I can't say I have friends at the Station but most of the officers there are quite hostile to Hunters."

HAYATE

Startled by the unexpected lack of pressure on his arm, Hayate tried to stop leaning back a split second too late and landed on his rear, hitting his tailbone hard on the concrete.

He moaned. Aaaand back to the fetal position.

Makoto shrugged. "Maybe you're into men and violent women. I wouldn't know."

She watched Hayate land on his rear end, and stared at him for a moment. I still wonder how an uncoordinated person can do so much damage. Whatever.

"I guess I can tag along for awhile. No one will really recognize me if I'm not wearing the jacket, anyways. If you don't have a car, I can give you, and our friend here, a ride."

Jayden glares at her, "Excuse me.. I don't happen to roll that way, thank you very much and if I did, the guy better be rich, that's for sure. And no, I don't have a car. Those are for higher members of the police force. And I think the way he's sulking, it's going to take me half the day to get him back." Jayden scowls at Hayate, seeing he's back in a fetal position.

"Ha. Looks like I'm giving you two a ride to dinner and to the station. You need me to help you with the baggage?" She points her thumb at the sulking Hayate.

Makoto leans forward and grabs Hayate by the forearm and pulls him up, knowing he'd move if she grabbed his wounds. "By the way, where do you want to eat at, Jayden? I prefer something fancy, if you know of any place."

That was a lie. She didn't care where she ate.

"Anywhere is fine with me." Jayden shrugs, watching Makoto haul the still sulking skull to his feet, "And hey, kid. You had the chance to come peacefully, you know."

HAYATE

The blood drained out of his face again as Hayate clenched his teeth in an attempt to stifle the scream that was rising in his throat. He would have liked to joke (Yes, fancy restaurants are very nice, especially if you waltz into them looking as if you'd just passed through a crematorium), but he was afraid the meager contents of his stomach would make it out before words could. He danced around clumsily, trying to lessen the tension in his arm.

Makoto opened the back door and pushed Hayate into the seat. "You should sit next to him, just in case. I'll just drive us to some place I went to before."

She went into the driver's seat and started up the engine.

"Sounds like a plan," Jayden slides in next to Hayate and shuts the door, resting against the seat, "As long as the food is decent, I could chow down a whole buffet right now."

HAYATE

Hayate grinned mockingly at the rearview mirror. "It isn't Halloween yet. What do you plan on doing in this getup? Scaring the little kids?" His stomach gave another huge rumble.

"...That was an earth-" He winced as the Hunter took a sharp turn, sending him but not the handcuffs sliding sideways. "-quake. I am in no way whatsoever hungry."

After several minutes of driving, Makoto parked the car in front of a buffet.

"It would be funny if I cuffed you to that garbage truck over there." She pointed at the railing on the back of a passing garbage truck. They all looked pretty messed up, especially Hayate and herself.

Makoto exited the car and waited for the other two to get out. "Well? Let's get going."

Jayden exits the car and glances at the passing garbage truck, "As much as I would enjoy to see that, let's just have something to eat and drink without fighting. After that," he glares at Hayate, "you two can have your little lover's quarrel."

HAYATE

Hayate glared, sullen. "How do you expect me to eat? Also...if that restaurant happens to be no shirt, no service, I might as well stay in here and spare myself of the staring. Unless one of you would be kind enough to lend me a jacket so I don't scare off every customer in this unfortunate place."

Makoto laughed at Jayden as she opened the door to the buffet, letting the officer and Skull enter first. "I'm not interested in men. Even if I was, this kid would be one of the types of guys I have the least interest in."

Hayate's comment floated around in her head. "You want to wear my shirt?" She pulls at her black half-tank, caring little of how much healthy and burned skin she exposed.

Eyebrow raised, Jayden looks at Makoto, "So that means you would date girls than? Never had you down for that. Maybe that's why you were so interested in Chloe that day, eh?" he grins, "Or do you go for the younger girls?"

HAYATE

He could only continue to glare at the two of them from next to the car. Exhausted, he leaned against the door and immediately stood up straight again, grimacing. "I'm not a kid, " he muttered under his breath.

Makoto glared at Jayden. "Not my type. And are you going to do anything about your prisoner there? I thought you wanted to feed him."

She left the two outside, and walked into the restaurant and grabbed a seat.

Jayden looks at Hayate and sighs, "Til you can start acting like your not in diapers than that nickname is going to stick, unless you want to tell me your name." he walks over to Hayate and begins to pull him toward the door of the restaurant.

HAYATE

"OW. ...Ow. OwowowOWW LEGGO OF ME you idiot." He plodded reluctantly towards the restaurant doors. "Even kids don't use diapers," he added, making slow progress towards the Hunter's table.