Sumiko watched as Haruka rolled out of the changing room. She shook her head and got up.
Sumiko: "Ok..."
???: "Now come on out quickly darling. I don't have all day."
The footsteps got closer and stopped. The mysterious person was right outside the curtain.
???: "There you are." An arm reaches in and grabs Sumiko, pulling her out of the changing room.
Sumiko: "Fuck-" He kicks her in the stomach, sending her back far. She grabbed her stomach. The pain was immeasurable.
???: "The names Ren!" He jumped forwards and started swinging and jabbing his staff at Sumiko.
Sumiko: "Yeah-" She blocked the staff with her knifes then wrapped her leg around it. After some quick maneuvering she then pressed her palm against the ground and launched the staff behind her out of reach. "Sumiko."
Ren: "Incredible performance! Looks like I have to step up my game."
Sumiko: "What's the deal with you? Telepathy?" She put her knives away.
He ran at her. Rens voice echoed in her mind so loud it gave an instant migraine.
"That obvious?"
Sumiko: "Ah- ok-" She stumbled. She barely blocked a punch aimed at her face. "That's... really annoying..." She grabs the staff.
Ren stops running towards her, trying to figure out what to do.
Sumiko: She glared at Ren then started spinning the staff with her right arm. "Shall we end this... darling." Her tone was more serious and more mature than before.
Ren: "I like the way you think! Let's give each other a good show..." He crouched down and grabbed a knife, putting it in his mouth as he started running low at her.
She spun the staff faster. She hit a button. Nothing happened.
Sumiko: "Well that's odd..."
Ren suddenly slammed into an invisible wall. He got up, dazed. The knife got lodged into the wall.
Sumiko: "Ah... alright." She jumped over the wall and onto Ren. She wrapped herself around him and started choking him with the staff.
He rolled back and spit in the air, then rolled forward. The spin landed in Sumiko's eye.
Sumiko: "Ah you fucking-" He punched her in the face over and over.
Ren: "Sorry to hurt your pretty face but I don't wanna disobey Amari."
Sumiko: "That's- fine-" She kicked her feet up and kicked the back of Ren's head.
Ren: He turned. "What are you doing?"
She rolled left to right until he fell off of her. She then took one of her knives and stabbed Ren in his right eye. Ren started screaming in pain.
Sumiko: "Uh... yeah I'm just gonna..." She ran to the main part of the clothing store.
~ Meanwhile ~
The gunshots echoed through the building.
Haruka: I wrap bandages around my leg. "She's gotta stop landing these." I form a smoke grenade and toss it. I run through the smoke and slide behind a display platform.
I hear a blank.
Haruka: "Gotcha." I fire and it hits Amari's arm. It explodes one of the scales.
Amari seethes in pain. I run low after her, forming a sword. I run past her, slicing her leg in the process.
Amari: "Alright..." She stood up, holding the pillar for balance. "You are pretty good. I'll give you that." She rips out one of her scales and throws it in between us, using the knockback to run towards the exit.
Haruka: "Oh hell no!" I form a long chain and catch Amari's leg with it.
Amari: She turns. "Oh Haruka, I can keep fighting if you want." She kicks her leg back, pulling me close. She throws more scales.
I let go of the chain but get hit by one of the scales. It explodes and I slam into the ground, rolling into another display platform. The impact knocks me unconscious.
Amari: "There we go." She picks me up and puts me on her shoulder. She then gets out her phone and calls Ren. "Oi, Ren. We are-" Ren is screaming in pain so she moves the phone away from her ear fast. "Seriously... REN! WE ARE LEAVING!" She hangs up.
Amari starts walking to the exit.
"I'm afraid that won't be happening."
Smoke started filling the store.
Amari: "Oh, another one. Are you the reason why he was screaming in pain?" She turns around to look toward the voice. It was Sumiko. Her purple eyes giving a piercing stare among the smoke.
Sumiko: "I took care of Ren, yes. Now... hand Haruka over to me."
Amari places me down behind her.
Amari: "Sorry, but I'd rather take this easy money." She darts forward, aiming to kick the side of Sumiko's leg.
Sumiko: She hops. "Almost!" She then drops and stomps on Amari's injured leg.
Amari: "Agh-"
Sumiko grabs her by the leg and starts spinning her. Amari is then thrown into the wall. Amari, however, bounces off of the wall, and knees her in the gut. Sumiko then grabs Amari's leg and dashes forward, slamming her down on her back. She flips backward.
Sumiko: "What year are you?"
Amari: "Third year."
Sumiko: "That explains it." They both run forward and trade punches, both of them seemingly at an equal skill level.
After several minutes both were hurt pretty bad, with Amari being hurt a bit more. I started to wake up.
Haruka: I groan as I start to sit up. I rub my head and look at the fight. "Sumiko?"
She turns but gets punched in the face in the process.
Amari: "You shouldn't let your guard down. It isn't good for your health."
Sumiko: "You bitch-" She gets out her other knife and stabs Amari's arm. She drags the knife up her arm, making a large gash in her arm.
Amari: She sharply inhaled. "That really fucking hurts. You don't hold back much, do you?"
Sumiko: "I have to survive somehow." She kicks Amari's side with all her might. Amari falls to the ground, sliding into a pillar. Sumiko falls to her knees.
Amari: "That was a really good kick..." She starts to get up but Sumiko throws the knife and it slices her neck a tiny bit. Blood drips from her neck. "You... sure are ruthless... Sumiko was it...? Nice name..." She puts pressure on her neck and calls the islands medical service.
I get up.
Haruka: "Hey Sumiko, are you ok?"
Sumiko: "I'm fine Haru... it'll just be some bruises." She laughs a little. "Are you hungry? I could go for dinner. Thought I suppose we can't go to the restaurant now..."
Haruka: "You- You are just gonna act like that entire thing didn't happen?"
Sumiko: "Let's have dinner at your place. I'll treat you to Italian eventually."
Haruka: "I- You... nevermind... sure I guess that's fine. Wait my place?" I look down, thinking to myself.
Sumiko was already leaving the market district. Bags of clothes and supplies were in her hands. I looked up and saw her leaving out of the corner of my eye.
Haruka: "Hey!" I run after her.
A little later
I open my door. Sumiko quickly goes inside.
Sumiko: "This place is massive! I wish my dorm was this big. Do you have this all to yourself?"
Haruka: "Yeah I do. Just don't make a mess." I start making a coffee. "What do you wanna eat?"
She put her bags down and took off her purple bowtie. She threw it at her bags then laid on the couch.
Sumiko: "I don't know..." She crawls over the edge of the couch. She was already relaxed and making herself at home. "What do you have."
Haruka: I stare at her for a few seconds, a little annoyed. I sigh. "I got a bunch of ingredients. How about some pasta." I start opening cabinets, looking for my pasta.
Sumiko: "With meatballs."
Haruka: I turn around again. "... Alright then."
I start prepping the meatballs.
After a while Sumiko rolls over.
Sumiko: "Haru... when is it gonna be done..."
Haruka: Are you a child? My grip tightens and I almost ruin a meatball. I recollect myself. "It'll be done soon. Just be patient."
Sumiko: She also sighed. "So how did you get here?"
I look at her, dividing my focus now.
Haruka: "What do you mean?"
Sumiko: "What's your story? Everyone has one. I just want to know yours."
Haruka: "Why should I tell you that when this is the first day we've hung out."
She paused for a bit, thinking.
Sumiko: "Well obviously it has to do with that scar." She rolls off the couch and walks towards me. "It doesn't have to be the full thing..."
Haruka: I tense up then take a long breath. "This scar..." I roll up my sleeve. My arm was completely scarred. "It happened when I awakened my power. It scarred this side of my body. After that day I rarely used it..."
Sumiko: "You didn't wanna hurt yours-"
Haruka: "Others. I didn't want to hurt others." My eyes looked tired, annoyed and a little sad. "That's all you need to know."
Sumiko: She stood there for a moment before rubbing her hand along my scarred arm. "It almost feels like a burn scar. Can I ask another question?"
I move my arm away from her. I lean against the refrigerator and nod.
Sumiko: "How much weight are you carrying." She looks up at me.
Haruka: The room was silent after she said that. I broke the silence. "Well... I guess more than many could deal with." My cold, dead stare at the granite countertop lasted for minutes.
Sumiko: She looked down for a little bit. "Guess we all have our struggles." The boiling of the water in the pot broke the seemingly never-ending silence.
Later
I sat on the couch.
Sumiko: She goes behind me. "Want me to stay here for the night?"
Haruka: "Excuse me?" I turn around and look at her.
Sumiko: "I'm joking! I'm joking..." She laughs. "I'm gonna head back to my room."
Haruka: "What room number?"
Sumiko: "306." She got to the door. "Come over anytime!" She leaves.
I sat there for a moment. I covered my face.
Haruka: "What the hell is wrong with her... I can't even tell if she's serious or not." I get up and look at my mirror.
I stare at myself for a bit, doing a few faces and poses.
Haruka: "What's attractive about me?" I roll up my shirt. The scar covering my side. "Whatever... no use getting worked up over it. I see a slight light outside on a roof and turn to look at it.
The light came from what looked like a person. It was like their eyes were shining as they were looking this way. There were two others also there but it was harder to see them. They must've noticed I was watching them, because the trio quickly fled.
Haruka: They already found me huh... not like they can attack me right now anyway.
I brushed my teeth and got in bed.
Sumiko's question echoed in my mind.
I had some trouble sleeping.
I fell asleep.
I then dreamt about my past.
END OF CHAPTER