Highway 13

[Kotomine_Rin]

The sniper

Hidden from all sight, the attacker readied its shot.

Hostile body approaching at Tier 4 speed. Initiate response protocol.

Information traveled at the speed of light between a network of circuits.  His scope analyzed the difference by analyzing sight, olfactory and auditory changes, all in the blink of an eye. He had already locked on the bullet.

"Fire."

There was no sound of gunfire or a shot. In fact, the moment he pulled the trigger, nothing came out of the muzzle. If it wasn't for a shell dropping on the ground, one would think nothing happened at all. However... while no one could see why, the bullet never reached him. The only sound was the metallic clang of the bullet falling, never to reach him, before rolling out of the way. Suddenly, his face shifted into panic as more bullets approached him from his blind spot, a kiss away from biting into his arm and kidney.

He leaped in a swift motion, and a whirlwind wrapped under him before he vanished. The sniper was gone.


The sudden light from the flames caused the kid to squint. "Ahh...what's going on!?" She tried to move but she couldn't. "Aahh...haaaaaaaa! Get me out of here get me out!"

The ominous feeling spiked as she tipped the truck. No, it went even beyond. Meanwhile, A-702's skull kept bleeding out on the ground. Despite that, he still held onto the syringe.

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Suerte's eyes began to water as she stared down at the girl.  Trauma is a strange thing.  She could see herself reflected in those eyes and all at once, she remembered everything.


Suerte's hometown was a small two-story wooden home, complete with a cute little creeky porch.  Every day she would sit outside with her parents, shooting cans off of trees in the distance, watching the sun set.  That warm crimson sky, the dry oppressive air, the feeling of cool metal in her palm: it all felt so vivid.  It was such a good day, a day like any other.


Suerte reached for her gun, only for her mind to be assaulted with another image.  Taking in a deep breath, she walked the truck to the side so it couldn't just fall back on top of her.  "Hold on sweetie!  I'm coming for you I promise!"


"We will be ok, we promise!"

The family was under cover in the house.  They were hidden in a makeshift bunker behind layers upon layers of special reinforced tables.  Today she had found out that their house was built for a gunfight.

"Pa!  No!  You can't!" she protested.  "You can't leave me alone!  I'm scared...."

She could still remember that somber smile.  At the time it was reassuring powerful even.  No, it still was now.  He looked happy, maybe defiant, as if he was fighting the impossible odds with a smile alone.  "Trust me, your Daddy is the best Cowboy in town."

"I thought you said that was mom!"

The man stared at the ground.  "Well shes gone now, so thats me!" he chuckled.  Suerte started crying.  It was a bad joke to tell to a frightened child, but she always appreciated it.  "Look.  Even if something happens to me you'll be fine.  Just remember what I taught you ok?"


Suerte rushed over to the debris, throwing aside every piece of rubble.  The second the girl was clear, she embraced her.  "See?  I told you!  You'll be ok!  I promised!  Just... stay with me alright?  I'll keep you safe."

[YOLF]

Justice

He choked a gram of resentment for his lost target in the burning premonition of danger, and clambered to his feet from the back of the truck. The skeleton of a rifle dissolved from his gun in glassy shards as he yelled for Suerte. "Get out, now!"

Justice whistled, jumping to the street for the spider's body. His mount was always close when he needed it, and they both needed it.

As expected, with a half-rumble half-screeching neigh, Punishment rushed past. The abyssal steed drew its head close to its body, and like a blunt missile, slammed its mass into the obstacles the crash had made for Suerte. Debris and twisted metal flew and lifted off the ground with the blow, leaving a clear escape. The horse's saddle hung for a milisecond in arm's reach of the cowgirl.

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Hearing Justice's shout, she smiled at the girl.  "Now that i'm here, fate is on your side," she said, holding out an outstretched hand for Justice.  Debris and rocks exploded behind her, every single piece going around the two.  Those dainty fingers wrapped around the edge of the saddle, allowing Suerte to yank herself up to the top of it with just a pull.  "Now that punishment is here your safe!"

[Kotomine_Rin]

The poor kid

"No! Don't leave daddy!" The girl shouted horrified, with a red face and tears streaming from her eyes. She hit Suerte's back with her weak desperate fists and kicked, but no matter how much she cried or struggled she couldn't budge a hair off her.

If one sensed anything from beneath there wreckage... even for Suerte, who could peer into the fate and luck of others, there was nothing but silence. No fortune, no misfortune.

No future at all.

"Ahhh...uahhhhhh! Let go, let go of me! Bring him back, bring back my dad!


A-702

Bleeding all over, the spider suddenly chuckled at the pale rider. "Heh... you're not half bad. But... we're so fucked."

Shockingly, he was still conscious... and no less irascibly detached as ever.

"I didn't think.... we'd have to deal with him so soon... looks like word of our situation has leaked to the outside...heheheh..." His voice was weak, barely a mumble, but it almost seemed to sway with the horse's gait.

"Cool horse btw."

[YOLF]

Justice

He sprinted as Punishment swerved petulantly, giving him just enough time to grab a hold of Suerte's hand. The hooves cracked the ground then, and Justice found himself lifted off by the renewed burst of speed, hanging off his partner while their unfortunate collaborator's unresponsive body flopped in his grasp.

Until he spoke that is. Nonplussed, Justice pulled forward until he could climb on the steed's back as well.

"I was starting to wonder about your stiffness," he said.

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Suerte looked back at the rubble from atop the horse, her eyes just as wide as the day she watched her own father die.  She wrapped the arm not handling Punishment's noose around the child, their bodies sharing heat.  "He's gone," she said.  "Its best that you understand that now.  Just know that I will take care of his killer."

Even if they didn't pay her, she would do it.  At this point it was personal.

Feeling Justice hop onto the horse, she turned behind him and smiled, "Nice to see you alive handsome.  Did you get him?"

[MissingMandible]

Mothra, 8:17 P.M.

The unisex bathroom was a mess. The floor was encrusted with a layer of dirt, grime, and questionable stains. Graffiti scrolled across the four walls, and the sole toilet was missing its seat. A sorry state, for sure, but expected - after all, the gas station was right at the border of the slums.

Mothra was hovering over the running sink, constantly splashing her hands and wiping her face. She had already switched out of her monster form, removing the blood from her clothes. But that didn't remove the blood that splashed across her face and hair. The process was more difficult than expected: the young girl only came to her senses just a short time ago, and by then the blood of the undead had long since dried. Mothra's hands latched onto both sides of the sink, a frustrated grunt escaped her lips as she peered into the broken mirror to inspect her progress.

Clara wasn't the first person Mothra killed; She was actually the third. It still harrowed the Mahou Kaiju, though. It was self defense, yes, but all Mothra could think was the sickening crunch her talon made when it entered the undead woman's brain case. Another wave of emotions ran through her, and she returned to splashing her face with twice the vigor of before.


It was fifteen minutes later when Mothra finally exited the filthy restroom. Outwardly clean, yet the teenager still felt dirty inside...

[Kotomine_Rin]

The kid

"No! You're lying! Liar, you stupid liar!" The girl began to sob. Why did this happen? Why?"

She sobbed until she couldn't do that anymore. She was just quiet from then on, aside the occasional sniffle.


A-702

"Unfortunately no... oh wait you're talking to him." The spider grumbled. He could be handsome too. "Kah... bullet's won't do much to someone with regeneration but... it's hard to heal off the brain or heart... shit..." It was hard to tell if he was sweating or bleeding out faster. Maybe, just maybe he was talking to keep his consciousness afloat.

Suddenly, he heard the brat and... was that SUerte? Hard to tell. He tugged at the rider with what little strength he could spare.

"If it's not much, could you drop me?"

[SINIB]

Mothra, 8:17 P.M.

The unisex bathroom was a mess. The floor was encrusted with a layer of dirt, grime, and questionable stains. Graffiti scrolled across the four walls, and the sole toilet was missing its seat. A sorry state, for sure, but expected - after all, the gas station was right at the border of the slums.

Mothra was hovering over the running sink, constantly splashing her hands and wiping her face. She had already switched out of her monster form, removing the blood from her clothes. But that didn't remove the blood that splashed across her face and hair. The process was more difficult than expected: the young girl only came to her senses just a short time ago, and by then the blood of the undead had long since dried. Mothra's hands latched onto both sides of the sink, a frustrated grunt escaped her lips as she peered into the broken mirror to inspect her progress.

Clara wasn't the first person Mothra killed; She was actually the third. It still harrowed the Mahou Kaiju, though. It was self defense, yes, but all Mothra could think was the sickening crunch her talon made when it entered the undead woman's brain case. Another wave of emotions ran through her, and she returned to splashing her face with twice the vigor of before.


It was fifteen minutes later when Mothra finally exited the filthy restroom. Outwardly clean, yet the teenager still felt dirty inside...

Thorra

The divine hammer had been flying around the city, looking over it with eyes filled with wonder. It was incredible-she'd never seen anything so bizzare or unique ever before, neither in the human realm or any divine one. It was like a mishmash of everything any anything, with distinct microcosms guided by a specific style.

She shook her head, flying towards a random rest stop to refuel her body at. It had been a while since she'd eaten, and she was hungry.

[YOLF]

Justice

The rider finished pulling himself up behind Suerte, and his quick gaze trailed with unease over the pitiful child. He focused on the other person with them, supporting the spidery man's wounded body against his shoulder.

"What for? Don't go croaking on me yet." He said, staring back at the road ahead, ears peeled.

[MissingMandible]

Mothra (Acting as Lora):

Pit Pat Pit Pat

Water dripped from Lora's hair onto the carved-up bench. The broad windows to her right sported a view of the highway, allowing one to see the fast-moving head- and tail-lights. Yet her eyes were drawn down to the artifact in her hand. The teenager can sense the souls trapped within, but they were just vague shapes - much like someone you only know in a distant memory. There's no telling if Joshua was in there, or if he was a twisted puppet like Clara.

The only way to know for sure is if she finds Eru.

A name, a face - one would expect that to be enough to find someone. But the city was vast and multi-layered, each district a miniature mock-up of a nation with its own rules, laws, and distinctive character. It wasn't so much as trying to find a needle in a haystack as trying to find a needle in a needlestack...

Lora rubbed her eyes. The day has taken its toll on her, and she was feeling it. She just left the body there in the alley. Another bout of revulsion shook her body. She killed someone, and had nothing to show for it.

[SINIB]

Mothra (Acting as Lora):

Pit Pat Pit Pat

Water dripped from Lora's hair onto the carved-up bench. The broad windows to her right sported a view of the highway, allowing one to see the fast-moving head- and tail-lights. Yet her eyes were drawn down to the artifact in her hand. The teenager can sense the souls trapped within, but they were just vague shapes - much like someone you only know in a distant memory. There's no telling if Joshua was in there, or if he was a twisted puppet like Clara.

The only way to know for sure is if she finds Eru.

A name, a face - one would expect that to be enough to find someone. But the city was vast and multi-layered, each district a miniature mock-up of a nation with its own rules, laws, and distinctive character. It wasn't so much as trying to find a needle in a haystack as trying to find a needle in a needlestack...

Lora rubbed her eyes. The day has taken its toll on her, and she was feeling it. She just left the body there in the alley. Another bout of revulsion shook her body. She killed someone, and had nothing to show for it.

Thorra

Thorra wasn't picky. She walked up to a vending machine and gave it a solid whack, sending a surge of electricity through it and causing it to release a torrent of delicious snacks, and only slightly cracking the glass and leaving a small dent on the side.

"Hmmnnnn..." She muttered, crouching down and pulling out bag after bag of chips and pretzels. She turned her head, staring at the tiny distraught girl sitting upon a bench near her.

She looks like she's seen some stuff. She thought idly, walking over to the bench and plopping herself down. She hang herself from her finger, swinging herself back and forth, and then offered the girl a bag of chips.

"So, what's your deal? Why are you hanging around such a dilapidated, terrible part of this city, little girl?"

[yinsukin]

Suerte

Suerte pressed the girl against her breasts.  It always made her feel better when she was upset about something.  "Just cry it out.  The pain will never really go away, but if you let it out, you can start learning to live with it."

With Justice on board the cute horse, Suerte steered punishment around, intent on pursueing the sniper.  Now that she had a very vague idea of what she was looking for, she was sure she would "get lucky" and find him fairly easily.  It was all about letting fate guide them.

[MissingMandible]

Thorra

Thorra wasn't picky. She walked up to a vending machine and gave it a solid whack, sending a surge of electricity through it and causing it to release a torrent of delicious snacks, and only slightly cracking the glass and leaving a small dent on the side.

"Hmmnnnn..." She muttered, crouching down and pulling out bag after bag of chips and pretzels. She turned her head, staring at the tiny distraught girl sitting upon a bench near her.

She looks like she's seen some stuff. She thought idly, walking over to the bench and plopping herself down. She hang herself from her finger, swinging herself back and forth, and then offered the girl a bag of chips.

"So, what's your deal? Why are you hanging around such a dilapidated, terrible part of this city, little girl?"

Mothra:

Mothra was so caught up in her little world that she didn't noticed she had company until a bag of chips plopped right down in front of her. "Gyah!" she squeaked, nearly dropping the artifact she was boring her eyes into just moments before onto the floor. The moment she laid eyes on her new companion, the teenager's face turned a deep shade of red, right up to her ears. This blonde woman was wearing a cape and practically nothing else. Was she a...lady of the night?

"So, what's your deal? Why are you hanging around such a dilapidated, terrible part of this city, little girl?" the stranger asked.

"I am...uh..." The blonde sure was pretty, Mothra had to look away to refocus, "I am looking for someone."