[April 21st]
Matoi had set out down one sidewalk that day, and as he had for the last hour, the man behind her wouldn't stop.
"Please. I just wanna play one game of rock paper scissors."
"I refuse."
"Just one? I'll let you win."
Her tablet vibrated. She took it out of sight, and as she clipped it back on, she turned and smiled.
"Fine. One round."
The man nodded, setting his hand out. "Rock - paper - scissors -"
" - beam."
- and the laser burnt his torso in half.
"What a fun game."
[April 22nd]
The fashionista had been called to a local swamp that day, cursing the bog's stench as she stepped through the mud, trees around that she felt her foe rushing through. Gloves readied, she kept down the swamp for a few minutes more, and as she passed over one casual branch -
- she felt the water bubble below; a dart with writing that said 'WHOOSH' rose to the surface, and in the next instant -
- she was blast with the strength of a hundred away, wind catching her hair as she flew -
- and in to one tree she smashed backfirst, grunting and groaning as she felt another dart in the tree that said CRACKLE, and before she could respond -
- her dress burst in to flames -
- and she laughed as it was snuffed out, her former protégé on her mind as Boudoir's dress hardened, starting her rush forward through the swamp ahead.
A minute later, she came out between two trees to a single clearing -
- and there was her foe a hundred feet ahead, blowpipe drawn and readying to fire; and as the dart flew towards her -
- a strand erupted from her palm and yanked her to the right tree; she untethered it as she was launched, flying straight up and away -
- and a second strand hit the tree behind the man, forming a tightrope as she landed direct on it
His aim rose again, and as the dart shot towards her -
" - Boudoir." she laughed, softening her dress -
- and the projectile ricocheted back to the man -
- carving him in to a dozen chunks.
[April 23rd]
Mia walked in to a convenience store that day, lot and sidewalk behind, having responded to a distress signal -
- and only found corpses on an empty register, shadows cast under broken lights.
'Time to find the host.' she thought, walking under one casual light, and in the next instant -
- a shadowy figure grew from her shadow, ripping her arms back; she shrieked surprised for a moment, and her scarabs flew behind -
- and formed a pillar of blue flame; she turned -
" - Worldwide!"
- she felt the keen end of an axe pierce her back, ripping her skin down -
- but a pillar of blue flame claimed her entire body, ensuring no shadow cast, Mia sighing as she realized the familiar Revenant.
'Of all people to fight this? Really?'
With a sigh, and knowing her best option, she rushed out of the store and to the sidewalk, feeling her own shadow threaten her back behind as she ran.
"For fuck's sakes." grunted Mia, ripping her phone out as she ran, the shadowy figure hot at her heels. The dialtone rang.
"Hello." responded a female voice on the other end. "You've reached Ocean Pris-"
" - connect me to Stefan Schultz! Now! Urasaria student - Swarm, Mia Schultz!"
"Our visiting hours are -"
" - fucking automated systems -" she groaned, relevantly, sheets of ice forming at her feet as she ran and slid, desperate to keep pace ahead of her own shadow -
" - hello?" said a male voice on the other end.
"Are you automated?"
"No, this is -"
" - fucking connect me to Stefan Schultz! Urasaria! Swarm! Emergency!"
" - you got it." he said. "One minute."
Behind and below, she felt her shadow emerge, readying to cleave her back open as she passed one apartment -
- but with the speed of Swarm, she threw her legs to the wall beside, sheets of ice sticking her step as she ran up, casting her shadow upsidedown -
- and she laughed as she heard the man she knew was within drop his axe below. She veered right along the wall, craning and rushing down below, pillar of blue flame melting the weapon as she hit the sidewalk again.
A familiar voice came through her phone as she ran. "What's going -"
" - I'm fighting Styx - what's the weakness?"
"You're what?"
"I'm fighting Styx! What is Styx's weakness?!"
"…he can hear you." said Stefan. "Remember that. Anything I tell you, he can hear."
"Fuck." muttered Mia, running ahead to the corner now.
"So if I were you - I would split. I would -split- up. Got it?"
Mia paused at the sidewalk, her shadow on the corner-wall.
"Got it."
And as the shadow's arms stretched forward again -
- the next scene was instant. A swarm of fire scarabs went down the center, lighting a blue torch; a second shadow formed on the right corner, her former now on the left -
- and a shriek of agony filled the air as a fattened figure burst out from her shadow, split vertically.
"Guess that means you got it." laughed Stefan.
"How did you know that and he didn't?" laughed Mia.
"Well, I didn't realize it for a while. Remember that time when you got home from school, and you had to call the hospital because I said I cut my pinky off?"
"… I did think it was odd. You almost never cook." Mia laughed. "Thank you."
"Don't hang up yet. How long do you think you can stay on the line before they realize you don't have an emergency anymore?"
"We'll find out." chimed Mia, and started down the street after she scanned.
[April 24th]
That day, the white wedding was asked to guard a seafood festival in another state, rows of stalls left&right as she patrolled down one, smelling nostalgia right&ahead.
She stepped up to the takoyaki stall, fat man already on his portion beside her.
"Six." she muttered, and the clerk nodded, readying another batch.
"It's an odd food to have in America." said the fat man. "Isn't it?"
She stepped further aside. "It is."
"You're Japanese, aren't you?"
"I am." she muttered, fingers reaching for her back's sword. The clerk handed her her tray of six, and she kept eyes careful on the fat man as she backed away fifty feet. As he kept to his own portion, she sighed and turned away -
- and a tentacle shot to her torso from behind, coiling around her and gripping tight; she ripped her blade off her back -
- and a whirl of steel went through the hideous trunk; witj the speed of light she turned -
' - of course.' she sighed, seeing the fat man with tentacles for arms and legs now, fifty feet away still - " - Wedding."
- the explosive barrage burst out of her shoulders -
- and the man swept over the stall and ran as fast as his tentacles could carry, sweeping over to the next aisles and disappearing behind; with a grunt and seeing civilians already scattered, Matoi turned to the stall at her right -
- and a whirl of lasers cleared a path for her as she rushed in pursuit, seeing the man burst out of the festival and to the field beyond; with no time to waste, she rushed in pursuit and kept close behind, fifty feet still separating the two as they ran.
Ahead, his right tentacle swept back, and in the next instant -
- a volley of ink painted her face black&sticky; she staggered back, grabbing a sharp missile out of her shoulder, Wedding's lasers turning it redhot -
- and as a woman might flip an egg, she scraped the ink off of her face, discarding it as she kept her rush forward, seeing the man spray a carpet of ink ahead of her as he fled -
- but the next scene was instant. A dozen missiles burst out of her shoulders and flew close ahead; she leaped up and upon them, running until the sun came up, her life on the line as she rushed above the black ink below, coming within range now -
- and a volley of missiles cut fast ahead, reaching the man quick -
- but a turtle shell formed suddenly on his back; and in to the sudden armor wilted the missiles, Matoi still running on her own behind over the foul goop -
- and cursing herself as she missed one casual step, starting to fall -
- but the next scene was instant. Her lasers burnt and vaporized a hole below&ahead, immense heat scorching and liquifeying further the ink, forming a funnel in to the dirt -
- and in to the hole flooded the ink, keeping the path clear for her as she fell to the ground. She shot to her feet again, seeing the man stop ahead, thirty feet away as the two started to circle.
'Gains power from food - he has a pouch - and a tail - fuck -'
- and before she could react, the keen end of a spiked tail burst underneath her feet -
- and slashed her chest up in a shower of crimson; the pain staggered her back, and as she tried to grip direct on -
- another set of spikes burst out and pinned her hands to the beast; with a grunt -
- she ripped her hands clear out, horrendous wounds on her palms as she swept away and back, knowing her plan as she saw something whizz by the man's lips, sudden takoyaki in hands as he ate with mouth open.
The man's tail swept towards her; her barrage flew forward -
- and exploded mid-flight, shockwave-only blasts shoving the fly in to his mouth -
- and she cackled as she saw all his other animalistic features disappear, suddenly transforming to a human fly as he accidentally swallowed, wings and compound eyes replacing his head; wirh no time to waste, the human fly turned, beating his wings desperately away -
" - no, no -" laughed Matoi, starting her rush in true confidence now, and as she came within range -
- a volley of lasers burnt the bugman to ash.
She was still laughing when she scanned him.
[April 25th]
Over the year, the fashionista had accrued a straight stalker, unbeknownst to her until that day in the avenue. She set out down the sidewalk, and in the next instant -
- someone tapped her shoulder; with the speed of light she turned -
- and saw a man with a blue beanie and a smile.
"Uh, hi." said Marisa, stepping out of breathing range. "Do you need something?"
"You." chimed the man. "I need a beautiful girlfriend - like you."
Marisa stifled a frown, knowing men's persistence well. "…uh."
"Will you go out with me?"
"Um, no." winced Marisa. "Sorry, but -"
- the man's face turned angered; he shoved Marisa back -
" - you'll be mine, one way or - a-another -" he panted -
- and Marisa groaned as she felt herself start to shrink, the relative giant man starting to back away.
"Didn't I already fight you?" groaned Marisa. "Two of the same -"
"- it's different! One was against Aerosmith, and the other against Stone Free! Those are two different Stands!"
She stared up at him stupidly. "What?"
"Nevermind-"
"Boudoir!" she shouted, flashing her palms forward; a volley of bullets erupted outward -
- and the man caught them, shrinking them microscopic in an instant, starting to run away. With the fervor of a fashionista, Marisa rushed down the sidewalk in pursuit, as small as a spider now, leaping desperately over cracks in the sidewalk as she ran, and as she came within range of the man's shoes -
- a strand erupted from her palm and yanked her to the ground, strength of an ant in her as she pulled back the man-loving-woman. With no time to waste, she rushed up to the man's ankle, forming a sword as she climbed up, slashing and hacking ferociously at it -
- the man's grip shot to her and yanked her back, trapping her between his fingers, only her head peeking out as she struggled and writhed. The man stood again, speaking direct to her.
"Can we date now?"
"Uh…" Marisa winced, pulling slowly her right arm free. "If you - unshrink me, maybe…"
"But I like you like this!" preened the man, and in the next instant -
- a volley of bullets shot through his right eyeball; he shrieked as his grip tightened -
- but the next scene was instant. Boudoir's dress turned slippery and loose; and out of his hand Marisa slipped, Boudoir's tanktop on her as she fell on to the man's chest. With no time to waste, she rushed between the two plains, seeking the valley of neck up ahead -
" - bad! Bad girl!" shouted the man; beside, Marisa felt him pull something out of his pocket -
- and the keen end of an open jar slammed shut on her, trapping her within; the man yanked it horizontal, causing Marisa to slide in to the glass prison, a quick lid trapped her further as the man sat up -
" - behind you!" laughed the man; Marisa turned -
- and saw an enormous tarantula at the other end.
"It's such a poisonous species." chimed the man, setting the jar horizontal and beside her. "One bite could kill you. I hope it doesn't, though. If you want to be freed - tap the lid three times."
The man nodded, closing her eyes.
"Marisa, Marisa. We could make so many wonderful outfits together. You could sit on my face hard enough that I drown in your ass." He smiled and nodded. "Every man would be jealous of me. Your heroic girlfriend can't be this cute, they would say -"
- and his eyes opened as he heard the jar shatter; and in the next instant -
- the keen end of a spider's fangs pierced his wrist; he shrieked as he threw his hand up -
- and there was the true rider, Marisa with Boudoir's reigns having tamed the majestic beast; a rip of her reins, and the creature leaped down to the man's ankle, Marisa sweeping down with sword drawn -
- and cleaved clear off his foot in a shower of blood; the man screamed, feeling the poison claim his veins -
- and falling unconscious from shock in the next, Marisa growing to her normal size a second later.
"…man. What a weirdo." murmured Marisa, stepping up to scan -
- and frowning as she heard something crunch underneath her boot again.
"Fuck!"
[April 26th]
Mia had been called in to an airport that day, planes already grounded and evacuating, scattering the ground ahead; and her foe at the other end of the runway, five hundred feet separating him and her.
With no time to waste, her shield of ice formed as she rushed forward -
" - Aerosmith!" shouted the man; a machine gun formed in his hands, and the full auto shots rose in the air -
- and a wall of blue flame erupted ahead -
- and she grunted aghast as her shield of ice took every hit head-on, her new heat unable to dissipitate the bullets as she ran ahead, hoping they weren't sentient as she veered right, three hundred feet separating the two still. The barrage of bullets rose again, and as they passed by her back -
- the volley curved, burst through her back and our her chest; the pain staggered her forward, 747 at her right. With the fervor of a scarab princess, a ramp of ice formed up to the cabin; up she climbed, swift sweep of her sword carving an entrance in to the plane - and in she swept, feeling the barrage still erupting outside -
' - let's see how well it tracks me.' she thought, standing at the middle; she crouched down, prison of ice forming around her -
- and starting to shatter as every last shot curved towards her, still able to track her even out of sight; with a sigh, she thought careful, prison starting to break open, and in the next instant -
- she felt the plane burst in to flames outside, sudden bullet having hit the gas tank, blaze suddenly claiming the entire outer shell -
- and she laughed as she melted her icy prison, immune to the heat as she rushed down the aisle, readying for a sudden exit up ahead -
- and pausing as she felt another barrage burst through the walls -
- and missing her completely.
'Something about fire makes it unable to track me.'
With a nod, she rushed ahead and to the back of the plane; a swift sweep of her sword carved a second exit, and down she leaped to the runway, man only a hundred feet and diagonally right ahead -
- and the next scene was instant. A cloud of fire scarabs shrouded her, setting her alight with blue, a wall of fire hiding her within as she rushed forward; she stifled her laugh as his aim swung wildly around, unable to track her within the immense heat, and as the moving wall of fire came fifty within range -
" - Aerosmith!" he shouted; her eyes turned up -
- and saw a bomb dropping direct above her wall of flame -
- but a swift set of ice scarabs froze the projectile, her laughter in true confidence as she came within range; the man stepped back -
- only in time for a blue flame to disintegrate him, only his beating heart left and not a single ash.
She smiled, starting to feel proud of herself.
[April 27th]
Another seemingly suicidal man had prevented a rocket from taking flight that day, and he was still taking up the launchpad when Marisa arrived, a hundred feet separating the two.
"I need to reach heaven." he said, pointing up to the sky. "Rhinoceros beetle. Rhinoceros beetle. Rhinoceros beetle."
"Oh boy." murmured Marisa, setting her gloves for non-lethal as she stepped ahead, and as she came within range -
- a volley of rubber bullets erupted and shot towards the man -
- and he swept with the speed of a priest right&away, bullets catching only air as they flew behind -
" - Boudoir!" she shouted, strand erupting and shooting for the man out her globe -
- he swept away and dodged, and as he tapped it -
- her dress turned inside-out, Boudoir's tag suddenly at her neck; she swept with speed of light back.
'He - fuck, turns things inside-out, can't let him hit me, or -' - she winced, ripping fresh fabric out of her dress, shield and spear forming as she rushed forward; ahead, the man rushed back, and she hurled the spear -
- and underneath the projectile he ducked again; his eyes turned back, suddenly veering and turning -
- and starting to rush towards her; before she could react, he was in range, fists readied to turn her insideout -
- his fist smashed her stomach -
- but the next scene was instant. Boudoir rapidly reformed, forming a Möbius strip within, impossible to turn inside-out -
- and the keen end of three bullets entered his skull and out the back, Marisa laughing as he fell dead in an instant.
"Nice try."
Later that day, she called the coroner's office.
"So like, it turns anything it touches inside-out, right? That's pretty dangerous."
"No. We've already examined it. It simply turns clothes inside-out."
[April 28th]
That day, Matoi had fought hard up to a skyscraper's roof -
- and there, at the other end was her foe, fifty feet separating them. She stepped careful ahead, knowing she couldn't crouch down, holes in her legs where the mold had struck still. An explosive barrage erupted out of her shoulders and flew forward -
- and the explosions tore her foe's body to a dozen chunks of gore; but he was fired to unholy durability. Strands of mold burst out of the chunks, tethering and ripping him back together, reforming and greater in size -
- and she sighed as another volley flew forward, knowing she'd lose the kill if it didn't work -
- and the shockwave-only missiles blasted him off the roof for a fall a hundred floors down.
She stepped over careful, tapping her foot, waiting a minute before cautiously dipping it down -
- and laughing as no mold came.
[April 29th]
That day, Kirihara had been called out to a local pond, seeing a man two hundred feet away in a fishing boat, rod drawn.
"You need a license to fish here, dick!" shouted Kirihara, and sighed as he didn't respond. Carve formed on the water ahead, and she rode out to a hundred feet away. "Hey! Talking to you! Urasaria!"
The man turned, giving a vague wave, head like a pineapple.
"Fine." grunted Kirihara, riding fifty within range -
- ahead, the man ripped his fishing line out and in a sweep seeking Kirihara's neck -
- that caught only her right leg as she swept up and away, hook suddenly digging deep within; he yanked her back -
- and down she fell in to the water, suddenly sinking deeper and deeper, depths throwing her down as Carve disappeared ahead -
- it reappeared next to the line, and as the saw readied to sever the connection -
- she stifled a scream of agony as the damage reflected to her, sudden scars forming on her skin, stars blinding her vision as she started to drown -
- but the next scene was instant. Carve's sawblade flew and sliced through the water above, reaching the back end of the boat and slicing through the back end; above, it started to capsize, man losing his balance and forced to yank part of the hook out as he fell in to the water -
- and Carve reappeared as a knife beside her -
- and sliced a chunk out of her right leg, hook still trapped within her decapitated flesh as she grunted, kicking her way up again -
- to at last come to the surface again, seeing her foe still caught in the depths below, fishing line readying to yank at her again. He threw it forward and up -
- and Kirihara threw a stone of Carve at it, laughing as the hook caught it; and the true show began then. Carve's saw spun ahead of the man, eeking the edge of its range and forming a whirlpool; with a stifled shriek, the man was yanked direct in -
- and the keen end of Carve's stone smashed his skull in as it was yanked back to him.