New Earth: Collateral Damage (pt. 1)
For those of you who've been waiting for another installment for me I thank you for your patience. I've had quite a bit of writer's block since I started school, but I think this is going to free things up nicely for a semi-regular updating of the story. I don't want to give away too much at a time, and I know how hard it can be reading anything that doesn't exactly pay off instantly, but I'm going for a bit more context this time. Taking my time with character development and not putting 2 1/2 pages of description into everybody's attire let alone what they look like. I'm going to let everyone's imagination do a bit of the work, so just bear with me and believe that where I lead you will be a wonderful place so full of opportunity that you can't help but ask more questions and get more drawn in. Promise.
-Shouren
New Earth: Collateral Damage
"So, what's the big deal? Yet another hunter, yet another petty attempt to act like this place matters enough to defend. Come on, surely you of all people in this burg know it's a better playground than an opportunity."
"It doesn't matter what I know, you made a mistake."
"Like hell. But when it comes right down to it, that doesn't really matter does it? Don't make me have to get nasty."
"If you break the rules, you have to submit yourself to punishment. You know that. Now come along peacefully and this won't have to wind up in front of your disgusting little cult. Image is everything, is it not?"
Two figures stood face to face, outlined by an eerie orange glow from the streetlamps above. The waterfront wasn't the ideal location for such a high class meeting of the superpowers, but there they were. At first glance, the two were so opposite one might think they had just bumped into each other on the subway. One was just over five feet tall with hair nearly as long as he was tall, worn in a dampened mess spilling over his back. The teen couldn't be more than seventeen if he was a day, and glaring daggers up at the taller man. The second was a far different story from the punk he stood opposite. Towering over most at seven feet tall, the elven features of the obvious professional were remarkable. Yet far from his usual nature loving kin, he was all about business. His suit was made of what looked like sheets of aluminum, bending and flexing in odd ways as it sat against his skin, even the sports blazer he wore was of a special sort. The reflection of the Kathos demon in front of him glimmered in the lenses of his ruby red sunglasses and the hint of a confident smirk threatened to crack his otherwise solid demeanor.
"Leave my people out of this. You're the one who's bound by rules, not me! I did my time following rules and obeying orders, and I have a right to defend myself from this miraculously abundant series of blatant treatise violations, a.k.a. the hit you put out on me!" the smaller man raged, unable to keep his focus on anything but trying to preserve what calm he had left.
"It's not my fault you've made a name for yourself, Mr. Morales.." the businessman concluded with not so much of a hint of remorse or genuine guilt. They both knew, but he was better at the game than even the ancient creature in front of him. "Once it's out there, it's there to stay. But I will do what I can to get the traffic averted in another direction. Is there anything else, or would you like to cry some more? Never have been one for responsibility."
At this, the neko seemed taken aback, yet he did little more than compose himself. Assaulting the head of The Organization was seen as a violation of a rule he had no intention of breaking. Being hunted for what he was seemed one thing, but welcoming a literal army to take shots at him through whatever means necessary was just stupid. He had to be more careful. "I've handled your dirty work, and this is the retirement plan I'm given. Fine.. We'll do this the hard way."
To our wary observer, there was little more movement than a shift of balance in the two from side to side, but before the eye could open to catch it the fight was over. The businessman stood where the raver had been, and the other man was knelt over on a knee apparently trying to hold his own stomach together for a wide gap that had opened up suddenly across his mid-section. The normally confident demeanor of the creature was shattered and not so much as a hair had moved on the other man, nor did it now to give any sort of aid. Instead he simply turned and placed a gloved hand on the shoulder of the demon. With but a whispered word, his glove turned a softly pulsing aquamarine and emerald color, alternating between heartbeat steady rhythm. The demon ushered out a panicked sound before he, too, began to glow.
"Return to the pit from whence you came, Rik Hushai. This city may be small, but it is mine, and as such it falls under the protection of my laws. Maybe in a hundred years or so, I'll let you try again."
"You're going...." The rest of the response was silenced by a loud pop, and a sizzle like a freshly cooked steak. The appearance of the demo shattered, leaving only a spray of color that twinkled out of existence like a burst firework. Having completed his duty, which he so seldomly was allowed to do himself, Juno turned and began to walk down the darkened street ending at the pier. Hands stuffed into the pockets of his slacks and whistling a victory tune to the darkness that seemed to cry out for blood, twisting and snapping away from him as a scolded dog might have.
Of all the potential candidates for the assignment, Jaymez was the last anyone expected to fail. When things were said and done everyone thought it would just be another assignment, another attempt to make a name for himself in a world that already revered his mere presence. When contact had been severed to the lone hunter, nobody knew quite as well as Nalasin-Unica-Carincu exactly what that meant. No response. The radio was transmitting from both ends, but there was nothing but the sounds of the storm ringing in her ears. The storm, and a distant nagging sound of absolute, hysterical agony beginning to tug at her calm exterior. Don't panic... He's probably just... Dead? There was no comfort, no lie she could tell herself that would make the final result okay. It was incomprehensible, inconceivable how what just happened could have come about at all. Like trying to imagine what a billion credits looked like stacked on a table in front of her, it wasn't even a potential worry until the scenario became all too real. Others were on stand-by as well, and he would have had to but say a word and half of Southern Horizon's special forces would have gotten a teleport permit to jump to his aid in a matter of seconds. But a couple of seconds seemed to stretch on for an eternity before she heard a voice come over the radio.
"Don't worry about me.." it had said, calm and collected like always. Strong despite any sort of situation, but there was that lingering tone of regret she had only heard from him when he was lying for her benefit. A feeling conveyed with those words that the mere words alone couldn't describe. Then hurried sounds of footsteps and a call for help rang out in the background. A code red retrieval was called in to get him assistance as quickly as possible, yet that uncertain emotion that was so close to rage was growing more predominant. Frei was standing behind Nala to one side, a large hand resting on her shoulder though she wasn't quite sure when it had been put there. All she could do was stare towards the security cameras on the displays in front of her. Flashes of movement, then chaos, then nothing was shown save for the entrance to the back part of Darken Alley. Not a whimper, not a scream, not a plea for aid of any sort... just silence and stillness. The stillness was so consuming, the low growl of the snow leopard's tone was like thunder in her ears when he finally spoke, and it was all she could do to keep from jumping with the interruption of her own chaotic thoughts.
"This is a joke, right..?" though she asked, she already knew the answer. The center of her entire universe had just been snuffed out by some skag baron on the west side. Frei shook his head, eyes closing despite the knowledge she couldn't look up at him. Not now, when his brother had been eliminated and her heart had just been put through the wood chipper.
"Whatever this is... it's not right." He answered in as level a tone as possible. "I'll get with D and we'll see to this personally."
"...Don't." Nala replied, wrapped once more back in her safety blanket of cool emotionlessness. Her defense for a breakdown that was going to happen at any moment, but she'd at least try to put it off until she got back home. The mere thought of not being able to return to their studio loft and relax with the other half of her soul safe and sound was nearly enough to detonate an explosive reaction, but it was once more swallowed by practiced control.
"I didn't ask you, lady. I'm just letting you know. If you need me, call."
"I needed you to..." she cut herself short. That had started off entirely too sharp of a retort and he didn't deserve to be snapped at now. Sure, he could've gone along to watch his brother's back, to bring him home safe. But that wouldn't have worked out any different and she would now be looking at the shadowy outline of two bodies instead of one. "I need you to get me some things. A soul stone being the key indgredient."
"Not happening. We don't have the resources, the clearance, or the connections we need to take this thing on without having to wade through red tape up to our eyeballs-"
"I'm not asking you, Frei. I'm telling you! This thing just destroyed the one thing I care about in this world and so help me god, if you don't spend the next few days getting me what I need as fast as you can get it through those seedy little connections of yours I'll rip your damned heart out and beat you with it." When she had stood up she wasn't certain. Nor what she had just demanded of her closest friend. Whatever it had been what color was left in the human hybrid's features went pale and the foot and a half he was taller than her didn't seem so far. Whatever nerve her outburst had struck in him he shied away as if she'd skinned someone in front of him. Yet, at the moment, it didn't matter what he thought. Just that he obeyed.
"I'll see what I can do..." he finished, feeling as though she had just beat him with something. The situation had gone from calm to extremely volatile, then escalated to chaos before anyone saw it coming. He wasn't about to test whatever it was that was keeping her calm by telling her no.