Third Person

~

Kira dashed down the stairs almost immediately as Arius and his bug monster took off, leaving behind her the fading shouts of Commissioner Kobayashi who tried to round up her men despite her injuries.

The brunette burst through the doors and onto the streets, searching for the best place to switch into her Demona outfit. She didn't notice Jade at her side until the taller girl spoke up.

"We have to Save Moriko," Jade screamed.

"I know, I'm getting in touch with Troy and Kuro now!" Kira snapped back trying to keep a cool head amidst the chaos and shrill screams of civilians as they tried to dodge the strange locust monsters. She couldn't even begin to count how many of those things were flying about, hurting countless people and causing destruction in their wake.

Kuro's voice echoed in her mind telling her that they weren't too far due to them being in the area already.

She ducked into an alley, about to change when She realized that Jade was still with her.

"Jade, you need to find somewhere safe to stay after I leave," she said firmly, the furious expression on the other's face told the brunette all she needed to know, but Jade couldn't fight with them. She had no real battle experience and no full control over her powers.

"I have to come, you can't expect me to sit back and do nothing-"

"You've done nothing over the past couple of months while we fought, a day shouldn't make a difference!" She didn't mean to make it sound demeaning or accusing but there was no other way to put it.

"None of that has anything to do with me," Jade hissed.

"What we're doing has everything to do with anyone, you might save Momo now but if we don't take that guy and the freak that sent him down, no one will be able to live the way they want," Kira pointed in the direction that Arius' had flown off to. "I know it's hard to see something bad happen to someone you love, it's the most terrible feeling in the world."

She met Jade's gold eyes, holding her gaze so that her point who get across clear as day, "But if it won't benefit anyone to fight when you're not ready, not when you're still like this Jade, you'll only be a hindrance."

She expected another argument, maybe some curses and name-calling. She should have known better, Jade wasn't like that. Jade was almost like her and not at the same time.

Forced to hold power that they were both slaves to, but unlike Kira Jade had a choice. Jade didn't have to cut through the bodies of monsters and people, it wasn't her job to do so. Jade had seen the horror of magic and felt the coldness its distance could bring, but that paled in comparison to the blood, gore, and pain that awaited anyone in the duty of Tokyo's Defender.

Kira didn't want to bring anyone into that world. Jade wasn't ready, and throwing her in now would result in her, Troy, and Kuro having to look out for someone else when the stakes were already looking higher than the three of them could handle.

But they knew how to push forward and she was sure that would be enough for them to work with.

"Then bring her back," Jade said, voice sad. Helplessness was a look Kira never thought she'd see on the dark-skinned girl.

Kira nodded, taking a few steps back as a purple mist shrouded her form, vanishing once her costume had replaced her clothes. Two shadows appeared at the exit to the alley behind her. She took her place between the boys, turning back, she addressed Jade, "It's a promise."

***

"They're everywhere," Kira huffed as she gazed down at the sprawl of the city beneath them. The cops were spread out, almost an army of them patrolling the area around the building where Arius waited, holding Momo captive.

"He's seen us," Kuro informed eyes focused on the villain in question, "He's probably waiting for us to make the first move."

"If what Vermillion explained is true, the police won't let us get to him with ease," Troy voiced, "If they do, he'll probably order the bugs waiting about to attack them."

Kira nodded, righting her posture and stepping away from the edge, it seemed there was no easy way for them. They would have to engage in combat here while bringing no harm to the civilians and the cops. Palpable apprehension gnawed at her mind, making her shiver like she'd been bathed in ice-cold water.

She slapped at her cheek lightly with one hand, 'Calm down, Kira, think,' she told herself, looking to the boys who seemed to be in deep thought as well.

"I'm not sure how we're going to do it, but first things first, we have to save, Moriko," she announced, "The cops have split up into two groups, those protecting the civilians and those in look out for us. If we save Moriko and hand her over, we'll be seen as less of a threat for now."

"Then you can tell Momo to inform her mum to evacuate everyone in a three-hundred-meter radius," Kuro added.

"Three hundred meters?" Kira asked.

Four feathers glided from seemingly out of nowhere and attached themselves back to the younger boy's wings, "I sent them out as scouts, it seems the Eight Plague is possibly a range type, he can't cover more than a certain distance. It's wide but if people get out of range, the bugs won't be able to reach them."

"Brilliant, all that's left is an actual plan to get hostage without getting shot," Troy pressed.

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A couple more feathers flew into Kuro's hand, all coated in a green slimy liquid which they all cringed at. Kira was once again reminded that despite his power, she would never wish for Kuro's abilities.

He licked at the substance, doing his best to look unaffected as he spoke, "Leave the bullets to me, Troy stay here, and cover Kira," he pulled Kira to the ledge, positioning her just so, "Super jump from here, use a little boost of wind and keep the path."

"She'll miss the building by several feet," Troy stated.

"Trust me, unless something goes wrong, we'll get Momo back."

"What could go wrong?" Kira questioned nervously.

"Try not to think about it, if you do, you'll lose focus," Kuro answered, he still sounded confident and that eased her to some extent, she just hoped his judgment didn't fail them this time, "Just be alert and keep your eyes on Momo."

"Then let's get this party started," She put on her bravest smirk, taking a stance, muscles tensing as she readied herself for the jump. The wind currents around her picked up, swirling as it whipped her cape about. She enhanced her vision, locking on Momo's terrified expression, "Now!"

She sprung into the air, catapulting herself forward at an intense speed. In a sweeping blur, she saw other flies attacking the ones that came after, her and feathers blocking colliding with the bullets fired from the handguns the officers carried.

Kira grinned, forming her scythe to cut through one bug that was right in front of her, as always, she could always count on Kuro to have things planned out, "I'm coming for you bastard!" She screamed at Arius.

***

"Your saviors have come," Arius said to the blond female behind him, it amused him how she still thought she could escape, her little brown eyes searching for any means to leave his presence while glaring daggers at him.

His attention was more focused on one of the faraway buildings, almost interested in what those children might be planning. His Master had instructed him not to underestimate the protectors of Tokyo city. He wasn't going to, but anyone who wasn't Master Nightmare was inherently weak and unworthy of the least bit of his attention.

True power lay with those who changed lives, the more lives changed, the better. His Master had changed so many lives, his included. There was an unstoppable pull towards the light Master Nightmare presented, a world ruled only by the deserving, putting the unfaithful and simple-minded in their places. Mere humans didn't deserve to walk the earth, not with all the deceit and corruption that lay in their hearts.

He turned to the girl, Moriko, if he remembered her mother's gurgled words correctly.

"I managed to catch a bit of your conversation with your mother before I entered the building, you truly believe the people coming to rescue you are heroes?"

The blonde flinched, seemingly surprised at being addressed, and she took a few steps further away, "I don't have to say anything to you," she spat.

"Your audacity is commendable, but angering me begets the same punishment as boring me."

"I...I don't care, you're a bully, using your creepy power to hurt people tells me all I need to know," she said, proud she kept the stutter in her voice at bay, she had to stay strong and buy as much time as she could, "Demona's never hurt anyone, and that's what heroes do."

Arius' let out a single breath of laughter, "You were the type to laid to sleep with fairy tales, the type to spend endless hours scrounging the hellscape of the internet to find proof to sate your foolish fantasies, to search for some form of excitement in your miserable life.

"Unknown to you, those who your perfect world rejected were rising from the shadows, and now we've been pulled from the rejects to bring forth a world rid of the pretentious facade of peace. Let the world experience misery," he cackled.

Moriko stared, clutching her phone closer to her chest, too afraid to use it for fear it anger the man before her. She turned to the direction he'd been watching, praying silently to be saved already.

She spotted it almost immediately, Arius' laughter halting also as his eyes landed on the form speeding toward them.

"So they've finally made a move, not to mention, the blood magic user has taken control of part of my hoard," Arius made a disappointed hiss through his teeth, eyes narrowed, "She's off-course, how pathetic."

He waved his arm, and several bugs sped by from their positions behind him, "Rip them all to shreds!" He ordered. Several bright flashes surged from the opposite direction, hitting the large insects with dead accuracy and burning them to crisps that fell, useless, to the ground.

He spotted the archer, weapon in hand trained on him, how irritating.

***

Kira gritted her teeth as she slashed through another giant insect, she was getting closer and closer to the building and Moriko was still in harm's way.

Kuro was standing on one the back of one of the flies he was able to manipulate. An army of them dove down to where Arius stood, more of the strange insects guarding him ready to attack.

Did he plan on taking Arius head-on? Kuro made rash plans but even this was beyond him. She was about to change course with her wind powers, call out and tell him that they couldn't engage yet when she saw an explosion of feathers.

The feel of energy from that night there battled Akio as the feathers seemed to multiply in number, spinning furiously in a cyclone of dark, sharp entities eager for blood clouding the rooftop.

No one would be able to see in that. Kira got the message just as a shrill cry cut through the air, one of the bugs Kuro had control of grabbed Moriko in the confusion, roughly throwing the terrified blonde over the edge.

Right in front of her.

On second thought, she should probably be warier of Kuro's plans in the future.

She sprung into action a chain springing forth before her and embedding the sharp edge of itself into the side of the building so Kira could swing forth, aiding her momentum with the winds.

She let go, grabbing Momo in her arms before leaping off the side of the building to the ground with frightening force, despite her efforts to soften the landing.

They were both fine though.

She sighed, relief bubbling up in her chest as she cradled one of her close friends, trembling, but safe, 'Stage one, complete,' she reached out to the boys.

Before she could get a reply, there was a surprising warmth of skin on her cheek that vanished almost as quickly. She turned to Momo who was grinning happily.

It took all of Kira's willpower not to throw her off and turn away to hide how red her face was.

'Your Mask is up brat, act mature!' Lucifer scolded.

'S-she- just...she-ki'

'Kira!' Kuro's voice broke through her panic, she looked up to see him descending down to meet her using his garrote as a sort of line, his face was grim. Further up, she could see the cyclone of feathers still surrounding the building, the attack must be cutting into anything within, no one could stand that, right?

So why did Kuro look like something was wrong? She held Momo closer, just in case.

"We saved her, but things won't be so simple now," Kuro said coming to her side, they gazed up just as the cyclone vanished, a burst of dark energy dispersing the tenacious feathery entities.

Kira's eyes widened at what she saw. Arius' wounds didn't gush out blood, all there was were tiny bug-like creatures, squirming around beneath the rapidly healing openings.

"Those aren't wounds," Kuro growled, frustration evident on his features, "He can turn his body into the insects anytime something's about to cut him. It's like trying to cut at sand."

Kira clenched her teeth, the worry returning back in full force.

Shit.