Hours before the attack began in the central plaza, a girl wearing a red cape leaned against a wall waiting. Her new lover and long time comrade had just gone to relieve himself. She still felt pangs of nervous energy about their relationship jump but just chalked it up to her brain being mean to her like always. No matter what she did, a tiny voice always told her, 'You cannot.' That's the main reason why her competitive spirit drives her so much. If she relents, then that means the voice wins.
"All done. Think it's about time to meet him?" Jong walked out of the restrooms and strolled up beside her.
"It's about four, I think. If he's not ready now, then he'll never be. Now, if I was a drunk old man with no social life, where would I be?" Her fingers stroked her chin as if doing so might help her brain work faster. "Ooooo, I have it! He's gotta be there."
Jong smirked at seeing her jump up and down excitingly. Even if he knew she was just playing around, he still thought it was cute all the same. "Lead the way then, Miss Rose." With a curtsy, he intended to get behind and follow through the crowded streets.
"Then hold on!" Her hand grabbed hold of his and strung him along as they ran towards her point of inquiry.
After what seemed like only a few minutes, they made it to a lounge. "If he's not at the fanciest bar in town drinking while the suns still out, then I have no clue at all where he could be. What about you?"
"The Commander definitely would hang out in a place like this I'll give you that."
"Right? So let's head in!" She charged through the front door without waiting for the front desk. Jong apologized heavily as she dragged him into the stage area. Some big men whose job she could only assume were to catch her started following. She surveyed the tables while evading the men when she saw him. "There he is!" With a voice teemed with excitement, she shifted into the next gear and instantly appeared next to him.
"Can you PLEASE keep it down?" The man at the table was impossibly tall despite being seated. The white-gloved hands cradled his head. "Can't you be a little nicer to a man trying to get through his hangover?"
"I'm sorry Commander, but it's been a year since I've seen you! Can I have a hug?" Her puppy dog eyes and cute swaying seemed to break down something in the old man.
"Fine, come here." He accepted her with open arms. She flew into him at high speed, almost knocking him down. "Whoa there, Rosey! You're liable to hurt this decrepit old man."
"Decrepit you're only fifty! Come back to me when you're around Yuri's age."
"If I ever live that long you have full permission to take me out back and put me down." At the talk of his own death, he felt her grip on him tighten. The smile on his face faded. He patted her back lightly to let her know he was still alive and well.
The guards sat back and watched this display. When they saw the face of Rosey, their tempers flared. With her tongue sticking out and one eye closed, she mocked them from her embrace. A diplomatic Jong soothed their anger, and after understanding the situation, they walked away. "How long are you two going to stay like that?"
The Commander turned around to face him. "I'd like to know the same thing myself. I let go of her about five minutes ago, but here she is still holding on to me for dear life. She acts as I'll just up and disappear on her."
"That's because you might! It's just a hug; we can all still hold a discussion like this. I mean we're doing it right now, aren't we?" With much the same attitude one was likely to find in a preschooler, Rosey spouted her thoughts.
"Riiiiiiight. Well then, Commander Lets get on to the heart of the matter. What are we going to do about the two we picked up from the Academy?" Jong's playful tone all but died and was replaced by one far more grave.
The man dressed in a white outfit stared at him as if thinking about what to say. "Well... first of all, why don't you two ever just call me Rory? Everyone else does. Well, except knights, but you guys aren't knights!" Jong's face remained still. Rory scratched his head and patted Rosey's. "About these two extras, I told you what I wanted you to do about them before you left. You were to tell them to split ways. The fact that you haven't leads me to believe you have a reason. So, tell me the reason. After you do that, I will give you my final decision."
Jong's mouth moved but was interrupted by the one clinging still to Rory. "We don't have a reason." Jong's eyes widened.
Rory's face changed from serious to intrigued. "Oh?"
She continued her off-script speech. "We have no real reason to keep them. If I'm being honest their really just a liability to us. Nike is strong in her own way but gets too wrapped up in protecting Arc to ever use it efficiently. Arc, on the other hand, has just about nothing going for him besides being an effective nightlight. His intelligence is above average, but if any fight breaks out with him there, he'll just end up dead or worse." Her thoughts that she had accumulated on her teammates over the past year burst forth in a brutal beratement.
Rory couldn't see the face she was making, so he decided to ask for clarity. "So you're saying we need to let them go?"
She continued as if she hadn't even heard the man right next to her ear. "Logically speaking, there is no reason to keep them with us. Logically. But you know, Arc is always really nice to me. He says super embarrassing things even though we haven't known each other for that long. Whenever I feel down, he's there to at least try and make me feel better. Even though he's weak, he tries his hardest to help out. He's pretty self-aware, so he doesn't try to do anything he doesn't think he can handle." They could hear the smile in her voice as she went about her friends. A relieved Jong let go of the tension in his face and slumped back in his chair. Meanwhile, Rory paid close attention to what she was saying, just like a parent does when their child has a story to tell. "Then there's Nike. I don't really get her most of the time, even though she'll answer any question you have. Her relationship with Arc is really sweet, and kind of made me a little jealous until just a bit ago. She won't hesitate to do whatever you ask, no matter how insane. She's also one of the best listeners I have ever known. She just sits there and absorbs the information like a sponge. In a way, she's like my best girlfriend."
Rory waited for more, but it seemed as if she had finished talking. Rosey finally pulled away from him and sat down in a seat like a normal person. Rory swirled his drink and spoke to Jong. "Anything you want to say?"
Jong's smile was as clear as day. "No, I think she pretty much covered all of it." The grin seemed to be contagious as now both Rosey and Rory wore one.
"Well, that information sharing was enlightening and all, but it didn't really give me any sort of reason."
She put both feet up on the table while leaning back. She placed her arms behind her head and peered at Rory with a self-satisfied look. "We know you better than anyone, old man. I bet you wanna meet the people that made ol Rosey here into such a jabber mouth, huh. Don't they seem like an interesting pair to you? You've never needed more reason than that before."
"She's got you pegged there, Commander. You're a real sucker for three things. Liquor, mysteries, and woman with black hair. We can promise you all three!"
The commander of the royal guard seemed stunned for a second before downing his glass in one go. His fist slammed against the table. A guffaw erupted from the huge old man as he held his sides. "Alright, alright! You got me intrigued I'll give you that. Although I have to tell you that Rose's black hair doesn't count. She is practically my daughter, and I am not that far gone yet. Unless of course, this Nike girl does."
Rosey lost her smug look and replaced it with a blushing one. Jong probably knew it was something to do with being called his daughter. Jong being the great friend that he is, did not comment on it. "Well, who knows? Maybe she does, maybe she doesn't you won't know unless you agree to let them on with us."
"Tsk. Fine, you win." Rory's hand shot up, signaling for a refill. "New members, huh? This calls for a celebration!"
Jong shot his idol a look of disgust. "Well, your attitude took a sudden turn. Also, didn't you just say you were trying to get over your headache from drinking?"
"Yes, yes, I did. Do you know how you get over that headache? You drink more!" Rory slapped his leg like he had just said the funniest thing. "Why was I trying to get sober? Now that I think about it, I really can't remember... well, it can't be that important!" His glass was refilled with whatever high-grade alcohol he had chosen as the tool of intoxication for this evening.
"So, not that that's settled, we'll be on our way." Rosey shot out of her chair and hoisted Jong up by his arm.
"Uh, we are?"
"Oh, did you want to stay here while the old man drinks himself into a stupor? I thought we would spare ourselves of the tragedy waiting to happen and go do something fun while we're in the city of dreams!" To accentuate her point, Rosey pulled him to into a tango-like dance.
"Yeah, you have a point. Seeing him drink like this is just plain depressing. Plus there's no way we're leaving today since he started hitting the bottle this early."
"You know I can hear you little shits. If you're going to go, then go. I'll see you at the villa later tonight."
With a giggle, Rosey pulled him along as she guided him onto the streets. "So now that we have that settled-" With both fists pumped up to the sky, she shouted to the heavens. "-let's have some FUN!"
The night sky filled their vision as they looked up. Stars that numbered beyond counting reflected in their eyes. The glow of oil lamps, both on the street and in the windows of different shops gave a different vibe to the city. Jong shifted his hands around as he struggled to carry the bags he had been assigned. "You know Rosey when you said fun, I really didn't imagine walking around as your personal pack mule. Although I guess it is my fault for believing you in the first place."
Her face shined with a radiance that could blind a man. The smile was so bright that Jong cringed and looked away. With an angelic voice, she spoke. "Oh Jong, my darling, I believe wholeheartedly that everything we do together is fun. Even things like buying me new clothes and various parts for my scythe." A look of disappointment slowly spread over her. With a downcast look, she continued. "Or are you saying that you don't feel the same way? Am I the only one that feels our love so strongly?"
"That's a load of shit, and you know it! Did you really think that such tasteless tactics would work on me?"
"Tsk." With a click of her tongue, the mask she wore dropped, and she stomped forward through the street. "Just get over it then, you big baby! It's not like all we're going to do is shop." Rosey swiveled on her heel and immediately got into Jong's personal space. Her tone shifted entirely. She now sounded like she was closing some kind of business deal. "The night is still young, and we have a house all to ourselves. So I say we go back and have a little fun before the drunkard gets back." Her fingers playfully walked up to his chest. The heartbeat he had been keeping in check pounded out his ears. "What do you say?" The smile she owned suggested that she already knew his answer and was more or less asking for fun.
"Ye-" An earth-shattering noise racked their ears. People's screams followed soon after. Jong's hands touched his ears only to find trace amounts of red stained onto them. He looked forward to his partner, who looked as if she had been unplugged. Her emotions were gone, and her body unmoving. With morbid curiosity, he turned to look.
A tower of fire extended up into the sky. Lightning careened around it at different intervals. Buildings caught aflame and brick shattered from the stray bolts. Occasionally some of the people running away would be unfortunate enough to be hit by one. He looked down at his shaking hands as the world around him fell apart.
A firm hand slapped hit him at the same clip as a fastball. He turned to look at the assailant to see Rosey standing tall and firm. Her serious face, along with her slap, was enough to snap him out of it. "I'm good now. Let's go." With great effort, he rose and tried to ignore the split lip he just incurred.
"Okay. Be ready for anything." She placed her hands down on the ground and assumed a sprinter's pose. "2nd Gear." At close to one hundred miles per hour, she shot forth with Jong following closely behind using portals strung along to match her speed.
Within a few moments, they made it to the city square. Their eyes adjusted to the situation. The flame tower had dispersed, but the death it had caused remained. Charcoaled bodies lined the streets. Some big, some small, each one unrecognizable. The cobblestone ground was caked in blood. The cracks in the ground seemed filled to the brim with it. And in the center of it all was one lone figure. A man wearing a black suit and hat. His verdant hair covered the eyes that witnessed the slaughter.
The sight and the smell made Rosey nauseous. Her stomach flipped, and her rage overflowed. Without stopping, she decided to ramp up the speed. "3rd Gear!" Her scythe extended while she barreled towards the man with zero hesitation.
The man looked up as if he just noticed the murderous woman coming at him. "Oh?" He raised his hand at the last possible second to intercept the scythe. The singed fingers gripped the blade of the scythe. His punishment for doing so was losing the top half of that hand. Although thrown off course, she still managed to leave a deep gash in his neck.
A portal opened next to his face. "Impact!" A fist passed through the portal knocking him in the jaw. The suited man's body went slack as he fell. Another fist flew, this one aimed at his gut. Then another fist, then a kick. Blow after blow rained down upon the man who wasn't allowed enough time to fight back.
"Interesting. Yes, that is indeed interesting!" Jong's fist stopped, caught by the green man. A terrifying voice that sounded too high pitch and excited. "I'll be sure to remember that and you!" With a hard tug, he flew through the portal his fist had gone into. Before Jong had a chance to respond, a devasting kick flew towards his skull.
"Forgotten about me?!" After waiting for her opportunity to butt in, Rosey skirted along the blood-soaked ground. Her scythe appeared below his waist. The next second it and Rosey were in the air while the man fell towards the ground. His body now split in two.
"What a marvelous blessing you have!" Nervous energy filled the air between them. Despite receiving, a wound that would kill just about any mortal being he seemed fine. In fact, he acted as though he were thrilled. "Sacred High Heal." An unseen surge of mana connected his two halves making him whole once more. "You as well, young man! These portals, it is an inherited skill, correct? Oh, how lucky for you! How amazing that you were gifted such a nice thing! It just tickles me so that you were given something so, so, SO GREAT!!" The genuine praise turned into something uglier. His green eyes revealed to Jong the unfathomable amount of anger he held within. "WELL, YOU KNOW WHAT! I DON'T NEED FANCY THINGS LIKE YOU TWO. I WORKED FOR WHAT I HAVE, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHY-" A scythe skirted by his neck from above. But before it could ever reach, the man who was just standing there seemingly vanished.
"-you will never beat me." A revolting sound came from where Jong was standing. A hand dark and red extruded from her lover's chest. His face twisted in pain. Tears rolled down his eyes as the glint of life slowly faded from them. "HA! Take that, you naturally talented piece of garbage! Hard work and dedication, that's all I am!" He removed his hand, unplugging the geyser of life Jong hid within.
"Please." A fresh new coat of red met the bricks below. "Dream..." The enemy stood in front of her, but she could only pay attention to the man slowly withering. His legs wobbled, and the lips she once touched whispered his final message. 'Run.' Time stopped. As he fell, she memorized every little detail. The way his hair fluttered. The smell in the air. Her own jackhammering heartbeat. The cold sweat dripping out of every pore on her body. Her unblinking eyes. Up until the thud his corpse made when he struck the ground.
"Isn't it just so sad?" A venomous voice that aroused anger never before felt, sickeningly violated her ears. "No matter how special he was, he fell towards the earth in the same way anyone would. If only he was a little less conceited. A little less smug, ya know?" Her rage boiled over without so much as making a single sound, she flashed forward. "But you know, you're kind of making the same mistake he did. Aren't you taking me too lightly?" The voice came from above. A portal that she had seen so many times before. Her head spun. She felt something akin to an impact on her head.
The view changed a sky she once looked at fondly know only felt like a burden to her. The smoke distorted the stars as if the evil here had strangled out the beauty held above. Her head felt strangely warm. Besides that, however, she felt nothing at all. Her hands wouldn't budge, neither would her legs. All she could do was look longingly at the sky and wish she was somewhere else.
"Still alive? What a durable body you have there. You know now that I take a good look at you, you're pretty. Beautiful even. What a shame it had to end up like this. Although I doubt a pretty woman like yourself would ever find something in me. They never do. In fact, no one ever does. No one finds anything in me. Why is that?" The face she wished she could forget strolled into her view and leaned over her face. She could see his bloodshot eyes that held a certain emotion. She was sure it was what you would call insanity. "Can you tell me why? What is so wrong with being lesser? What is so wrong with being below average!? WHAT IS SO WRONG WITH BEING DIFFERENT!!?" Spittle flew into her eye as the lunatic raved on. His voice calmed, but the look in his eye only got wilder. "Can you tell me?"
She found the strength to utter one phrase to the man she wanted to scream at until her throat ran red with blood. "Fuck...you." A dissonant smile crept onto his face, and the next moment his foot ran straight through her head. Darkness took her. The soul she housed within started its journey back to The Hall of Memories, where she would be reborn as something else. The existence known as Rosey disappeared. She would not wake up before the travesty took place, for that is a right reserved only for one man. For everyone else in this cruel, unforgiving world, their deaths are the markers signaling the end.