Late Night 2 of the Moonlight Festival
I watched as the paper-mache animals shifted, merging and twisting until they formed a single entity. From their cluttered mass stepped a girl with beautiful brown skin; her fluffy, blue dress floating as though it moved with a life of its own. A heart-shaped medallion hung from her neck, marked with an ominous 'X'... The unmistakable symbol of death in Cirque. Her hat, nearly identical to Korra's, was tanned with a delicate blue bow. But the real giveaway? A shimmering halo floating above her head... marking her as an angel.
Without that halo though, I wouldn't have known what to make of her. Her face... It reminded me of my mother...
"What the hell is that thing…?" I muttered.
Liberty, annoyingly unbothered, replied, "It's you, Shiori. Or rather, what you could be."
The paper-mache girl locked eyes with me, her glare sharp and unrelenting. Then, without warning, she bolted toward me, her scream piercing the air.
"What the?!" I managed to dodge her punch, twisting left just in time, but her other fist followed, slamming straight into my stomach.
The impact sent me to my knees, gasping for air. Pain surged through my body like fire. "What the hell is with that strength? Sure, I know a bit of basic strengthening magic, but this... This could kill someone!"
The girl towered over me, her gaze dripping with disdain.
"Wow," I wheezed, clutching my side. "You really captured my essence... Too bad your punch is as weak as your fashion sense."
She smirked, clearly amused. "Is that why you're on the ground, nearly crying?"
"Wow, I didn't expect a knockoff to talk back."
Her smirk deepened, her glowing eyes brimming with mischief. "Knockoff? Sweetheart, I'm the deluxe edition. Limited exclusive halo and all. You're just the beta test."
I forced myself to stand. "Okay, okay. You've got some sass. I'm actually a little impressed. But let's get one thing straight... No matter how shiny your upgrade is, I'm the original. I've got the real power."
She chuckled darkly, grabbing her halo and twisting it. In a flash, it morphed into a radiant blue book marked with the same death symbol. "Oh, you want to see real power? I'll show you real power."
Before I could respond, the pages of her book burst open, spinning wildly. From within, objects shot out at me... random, chaotic, and furiously fast.
"What the hell?! Is that a superpower?!" I dodged an old clock, barely managing to avoid a chair flying at my face.
"Yep!" she said, her voice dripping with pride. "Every angel gets one. I call this one~ [Paper Prison]."
I ducked as another wave of debris hurtled toward me."That is so cool!" I shouted. "Like, I'm not even being sarcastic!"
She paused, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks. "W-well, flattery won't get you anywhere! After this, I'm taking over your body."
I froze, my mind racing. "My body?" I glanced at Liberty, who looked just as surprised as I was.
The girl smiled, flipping her book open again. This time, she pulled out a ten-foot berserker sword; its edge glowing menacingly. "Oh, yes. Once I'm done with you and Liberty, I'll upgrade from angel to god. Then I'll track down 'Heaven City'."
I couldn't help but grin. A wild, unhinged smirk spread across my face. "Really? Wait, for real? You would go look for it?"
"Well, duh! I'm you after all; the better you."
"C-Can... Can I help you?!"
Liberty's voice cut through the tension. "Hey! This trial is supposed to measure if you can overcome yourself!"
I waved him off, unfazed. "Listen. Me and you, together? We can take down Liberty. He's just a glorified owl with a bad attitude. You've got actual power. With you... You could actually get that damn page."
The girl's eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the sword. For a moment, uncertainty flickered across her face. She smirked. "Nah, I work alone."