Minutes before Ryuji's harrowing victory, two girls walked toward a particular park.

"Are you gonna catch up or what short stuff?" Rosey looked back at the slow girl impatiently.

"You call me short stuff again, and you'll learn what a barrel up your ass feels like!" She sighed heavily. "Can't we just get along?"

Explosions sounded in the distance. Jessy couldn't help but stop. The light breeze carried the smell of fire and threatened to take off her cowboy hat if she wasn't careful. Rosey stopped with her and, this time, she didn't egg her on to keep moving. Nearby they both felt the chills of a battle they wanted no part in.

"I hope Rhea's okay..." Jessy spoke quietly while looking in the direction of the square. She had only just met her, but Jessy could tell how precious Rhea was, and she was sure that Ryuji would be devasted if she died.

"She's the Sword Saint! If she loses, then we have no chance, so there's no point in worrying about it!" Her voice carried nervous energy. Jessy understood perfectly why. Rosey had seen what these people are capable of, and she had almost died because of it.

"I get you're trying to make me feel better, but why do you sound so angry?"

"Oh, okay." She turned around before turning back. The crease in her forehead was gone as well as all anger. Her face was a picture of kindness. "How about this? Is this good~?"

"Gah, stop that this instant." Jessy made fake gagging motions. "Give me the cranky girl back, please!"

Rosey's face slackened, and the high school delinquent demeanor came right back. "Weren't you supposed to be the happy go lucky one? You're giving me quite a large amount of lip."

"I'm only happy and kind around people I like. You, on the other hand, have been nothing but ornery with me! Is it because I'm with Ryuji? ON the subject of that, what's the beef you have with him anyway?"

"Tsk." Rosey clicked her tongue and looked up at the moon, ticked off. "He pisses me off. First time I meet him, he makes me look bad, and then guess what? Turns out he's a giant loser. He failed his exam. Then in the tournament, he only won against Arc. Anyone with two good arms could beat Arc in a fight! Not to mention the way he's surrounded by girls all the time rubs me the wrong way! Is his cock that good or somethin!? Tell me, what's so special about that failure!?"

Jessy stood with her hands shaking in rage. Then slowly, they went slack to her sides while a small smile formed. "You honestly think that we do that kind of stuff with Ryuji? That's hilarious."

Rosey didn't seem to appreciate being talked to like a child. "So not a single one of you has done anything with him? Really?"

Jessy laughed like Rosey had told a great joke. "I'm pretty sure Ryuji hasn't even kissed a girl before." Jessy's laughter calmed down, and she looked thoughtful before speaking. "I don't know why the other girls stick with him, but I imagine they're a lot like me. Ryuji is... well, he's stupid, ignorant, annoying, self-deprecating, awkward, has zero confidence, and overall a waste of space. But sometimes, he shines through and makes you think, 'That's a guy I can get behind.' You know? Plus, his dream is just as stupid as mine! Oh, and he's super easy to get along with."

Rosey scoffed before answering. "Well, I'll agree with you on him being annoying, but I don't know about the other stuff."

Jessy's tolerance had run empty, and she started laying into her. "Well, what about you then, missy!? What's so special about Arc? He's a bigger loser than Ryuji."

"I... I just like having him around... is all." Her voice dipped in volume, and her cheeks were red. "Why do I have to explain myself to you!?"

Jessy's hand rested on her temple, massaging it. This conversation was giving her a literal headache. "Exactly what I'm saying! Just get off my back and settle down so we can focus on what needs to be done, damn!" Jessy stood looking up at the building where she would set up. As she started scaling its side, she whispered to herself. "Worse than Marie, I swear."

Rosey leaped up the building with ease and watched the struggling gunslinger. "What did you say?"

Jessy made her way up the side and hoisted herself over the guardrail. "Nothing." She walked over to the edge to get a good look at the park. "You see her?" Jessy unstrapped the long rifle from her back and set it up.

"She's sleeping on that bench over there just like he said she would."

"You ready?"

Rosey took the box of her back, and with a press of a button, her signature scythe extended. "Yep. So you just gonna shoot her?"

"Twas the plan, really hard, I might add." A mass of mana filtered out of the air and into the barrel of her rifle. "You should probably stand behind me and be waiting. We know she can teleport, so if she does, I'm counting on you to keep her busy while I set up the next shot."

"You got it, boss lady."

A chuckle slipped out of Jessy's stalwart face. "That's gunslinger boss lady to you!" Rosey could feel a literal tingle in the air as Jessy's finger squeezed the trigger. "Boom!"

The ensuing beam of light tore off a good chunk of the building they were standing on. Trees in the park toppled over from the force, and the air crackled with energy. All of this was aimed at a small girl who looked no older than fifteen. Yet without even opening her eyes, the beam of destruction dissolved into nothing just before it reached her. Faintly visible hands that looked like they could chuck a building flashed in front of her.

"Huh?" Jessy sat dumbfounded that her spell failed.

"You should have used something stronger, dammit!" Meanwhile, Rosey was a little upset about it.

"Stronger!? That's an apprentice level spell! Anything higher than that, and I would have to use my reserves instead of aether. I may be an Archwizard, but even I can run out of mana if I'm not careful." Jessy realized what she was doing and quickly stopped herself. "We should be on guard. She knows we're here."

"Yes, she doeeees~." Her slow mannerisms sent tingles down their spines. "I felt some strong people coming my way. I was hoping that you were coming to give me my rest, and it looks like I won't be dissapointed~."

From behind, the girl stood on the rail. Her raggedy dress fluttered in the wind while her matted hair remained firmly put. The smile she was giving put the both of them on edge. It was much closer to a predator's grin than anything else.

"Although, the fact that two of you are here makes this a little bittersweet. I guess I'll just have to try my hardest to make one of you go away~."

She shifted her position on the railing. Both of her hands were moving in a strange pattern. As if she was using her hands to channel something, they pulled an invisible something along.

"Second Gear!"

Rosey took Jessy underneath one arm before bolting at her top speed. Within the next moment, they were in the middle of the park. Overhead, lightning currents arced in every direction, the source of them being the rooftop they were just inhabiting.

"Where are you going?" Sloth appeared once more before them. Her hands made the same fluid motion, and lightning surged.

"Boom!" With great effort, Jessy lifted her rifle and fired the same spell once more. The electricity dissipated in wake of the destruction while Sloth remained in the same spot unharmed. Great hands seemed to be pampering her like a loving parent might coddle their child.

Rosey set Jessy down. The gunslinger quickly strapped her rifle back on while drawing her revolver and automatic. The red speedster looked back before readying her scythe. "You good to go?"

"Always."

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"Then back me up!"

Sloth raised her eyebrows curiously. "Oh? What have we here?"

With the speed of a formula car, Rosey rushed her down. Cranking her scythe behind her head before releasing it, she laid into Sloth. The impact made her sink into the ground. "Too bad~." Transparent hands wrapped around the scythe.

"Jessy!"

"Rapido!"

A hail of bullets severed the arms, causing them to disappear. Rosey retreated while Sloth scrutinized her. "Done already~? I guess I'll come to you then." With a dead tired look, she nonchalantly plodded forward.

"Trickshot." Jessy put Sloth in between her iron sight and pulled the trigger. A single bullet fired. It only carried as much power as a regular shot, which made Aergia eye it suspiciously. Without much effort, she teleported a few feet out of the way and continued to walk forward. "Got ya!" The bullet changed its trajectory on a dime. "Rosey now!"

In a flash, Rosey was upon her. The bullet penetrated her abdomen, but Sloth was undeterred. A host of transparent hands leaked off of her back with Rosey as their target. "Not gonna happen! Crescent Impact." Her scythe once again stuck Sloths side, and once again, the hands stopped it.

"...?" Blood spilled out of her sides.

A crazed smile spread on Rosey's face. "Got ya."

A laceration appeared, and the impact sent her flying. Even still, the look of enjoyment Sloth held was unmistakable. "Let me return the favor!" A hand, the size of an elephant, burst off her back and grabbed hold of the midair Rosey.

"Bang!" The bullet ripped through the arm, but the damage was already done. "Damn! Hold on!" She aimed with her automatic. "This might sting a bit." Jessy fired shots close enough to her skin to burn her. After firing about ten, she stopped. "You good?"

"FUCK...YOU!" Rosey had a look of pure and unadulterated rage as she looked at her singed skin.

"Aw cmon, would you rather be burnt or lose your arms?" She looked over to the patient sinner. "You sure are being hospitable, letting me do all that."

"You misunderstand. I was simply buying myself time." The bleeding of both wounds had stopped completely. "Now then, shall we continue our dance?"

"DANCE!? IT'S GONNA BE A BLOODBATH NOW!" Fueled by her fury, Rosey darted forward without any sort of caution. Sloth paid her no mind as hordes of hands went out of their way to grab her.

"This again~?. You just don't learn, do you?" Despite her words, Aergia seemed entranced by Rosey's movements as she flitted around, gracefully dodging the hands.

"Trickshot Rapido!" Jessy fired innumerable shots from her revolver. Each bullet traveled forward before shifting directions in seemingly random ways. "Rosey, stay put!" Without warning, the straying projectiles all converged to the same location. The hands chasing Rosey were shredded, but the body of Sloth wasn't even scratched by the onslaught.

"This trick doesn't work once you've seen it before~. How about I show how a trick works?" Her hands repeated their signature motion yet again. Jessy raised her pistols to defend herself, but the lightning never came. From the ground, a pillar of stone drove into her face, cracking her jaw.

Jessy rose into the air gritting her teeth, which only served to remind her of the broken jaw. "You bitch." Her left eye took on a change. "Heavens Gate. Bang!" She aimed into the sky and squeezed the trigger, but the gun did not fire.

"Strange..." From the corner of her eye, a curious purple light came into being. "!" Before she could act, the bullet pierced the right side of her face, exploding. Visceral bits flew through the air, and Jessy held her breath, hoping that would be the end of it.

"HA! hahahahahaahahahaha!" A gargled laugh broke that hope to pieces. Blood seeped into her mouth, but that didn't lessen her smile. Shreds of flesh clung to her, making her look like a prime Two-Face cosplayer.

"Moon Impact!" Rosey took her chance to strike. This time there were no hands to stop her. As if she was pulling her along, she ran past her, letting the scythe hook into her stomach.

Jessy snapped out of it thanks to Roseys attack and started firing shots with intent to kill. She couldn't use strong spells out of fear for Roseys wellbeing, but she could definitely widdle Sloth down.

"SkyClimber!" Her scythe hooked into the deep cut she already made but this time puller her into the air. Dangling innards peeked through, causing Rosey to gag a little.

As Sloth floated through the air, bullets pierced her arms and legs.

'Is this what dying feels like? ...Lovely~!' Her innards screamed out in pain. Every part of her body was ready to cave in, but her fun was just getting started. Her blood flow stopped as she used exuberant amounts of mana to plug up her holes. This was not a permanent fix by any means, but she didn't care about the future; she just wanted to play around more.

"Let's have more fun!"

Two hands sprouted off her back and grew in size. Within seconds they rivaled a house, and in another, they were bigger than churches.

"Third Gear!"

Jessy looked up to the massive hands in awe and fear. Then she felt like she was being jerked around before she skitted along the ground, scraping her knee.

"Damn! Did you have to be so forceful?" She looked around the intersection she was brought to. "Rosey?" In the distance, she could hear crashes and towering over the roofs, she saw fingers.

"Over here." Jessy heard the voice through a broken window.

"What happened?"

"I explained earlier, didn't I? Were you not listening!?" She got up from the floor and wiped the broken glass off her arms and legs. "I fucked up my mana circuits. Third gear is the best I got at the moment, and even that won't last long." She stepped over the window and walked into the street next to Jessy.

"So it's only your mana that's messed up, not your body? Like you're not going to fall apart, right?"

An idiotic grin that looked painful to hold was planted on Jessy's bruised face as she asked her questions.

"Yeah?" Jessy's look told Rosey that she had an idea no matter how stupid it might be. But the thing is, Rosey lived for stupid plans. Soon enough, the same dumb smile was on hers as well. "Tell me all about it."

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

"Where are youuuu? Weren't you going to kill me? If you don't come out, I'll just heal myself." Aergia walked through the streets in the direction she saw them flee. Her talk of healing was a complete lie. If they deserted her without finishing the job, she would surely bleed out and die within the next hour. She had to avoid that at all costs. That was not how she wished to die.

"We're right here!"

Rosey walked around a corner next to an intersection of paths. Behind her was Jessy with her pistols out and ready to use.

"So you didn't run, lovely."

Bullets rained upon her, but she didn't mind. Every single one was caught and extinguished by a different hand. No matter how many shots were fired, her hands would always protect her if she knew they were coming. She looked forward with an expression of love, although it was hard to tell thanks to her face.

In her eyes, Rosey slowly approached, a scythe in hand. "You ready to die, psycho bitch?"

"I've been ready for years!" Sloth opened her arms as if she was going to pull Rosey into an embrace. "Living is so boring, so tiresome, but this, this is so much fun!" Tears rolled down her cheeks, picking up fresh blood. Her voice lowered and trembled. "It makes me sad knowing that it'll soon end."

"You hear that, guntard? She's having fun."

"Y'know you pissing me off just makes this next part so much easier for me to do."

Sloth tilted her head. "And what would that be?"

Three shots rang out and then silence.

"I see... very trick-y!?" Jessy's three shots had barreled through Rosey's abdomen before reaching Sloth. After entering her, they split in random directions, bouncing off different sections of her insides like a pinball machine.

"You're still breathing? Then how about this!" Rosey's scythe entered her midsection and flung her into the air. Without stopping, she followed her, attacking again and again, raising her farther into the air. The hands prevented her from cutting Sloth in half, but even then, it was clear how much damage she was taking.

Before she could split in her two, Aergia popped out of existence before reappearing behind Rosey. "Die." A hand extended. It threatened to topple the buildings next to them as it expanded.

"Too bad!" Rosey seemingly teleported as well to the side of Sloth, her scythe following her movements. "Momentous Rush!" A charge of force penetrated Sloth. Red and pink fell to the earth as new gore clung to her scythe. Hands had protected her vital spots, but they didn't do so for her stomach.

The look in Sloth's dead eyes was that of rage. "Begone." The hand had reached its maximum size and heaved its whole weight into the speedster. She blocked with her scythe, then she was nowhere to be seen. A line of ruined houses was the only indication of where she went.

Aergia lowered herself to the ground. She barely clung to life, but she was determined to exit it in her own way. "We're finally alone."

"Why won't you just die?!" Jessy screamed out in frustration at the monster in front of her.

"I could say the same to you~. Just let me end this, okay?"

"Our little duel is going to end all right." Jessy holstered her pistols and unstrapped her rifle. With a satisfying noise, she pulled back the bolt. "Right here, right now, we'll settle this the good old-fashioned way."

Sloth had been seized by childlike wonder. "...Yes..." Her smile gave her nothing but pain, yet it was involuntary. "Yes." Tears of joy leaped down her face in droves. "Yes!" A hand descended onto Jessy. It threatened to block out the stars as it grew into incomparable size. "We can rest together! We can go together! Just like we used to..."

The gunslinger's grin grew when she saw the hand that could squish her with just its pinky. She took careful aim with her rifle, its barrel pointing skyward. "I have no clue what you're talking about, crazy lady, but I can definitely give you your rest!" The vectors in her eyes flipped upside down. The energy she was sticking into her barrel sent chills down Sloth's spine. "Heavenly Trigger!"

A click was the last thing Sloth heard. The next moment following that was one of pure pain and agony. Her entire body was engulfed by powerful flames that melted away her very existence. Every fiber of her being turned to ash, and through it all, she was hoping she had taken the gunslinger with her. She did not wish to be alone. She did not yearn to play alone. Because that was boring.

Jessy looked up with one good eye at the hand that was threatening her life. With the arm it was attached to disintegrated, it too disappeared. She felt woozy, but despite that, she chuckled out loud, literally patting herself on the back. It wasn't every day someone defeated a centuries-old monster.

After her showboating, she looked over to the black spot that used to be a person. "That Ryuji definitely likes asking the impossible, huh?" Her signature smile grew when she thought of her friend. "Maybe with this, we'll be even..."

She stood still deep in thought when she thought she heard a voice cry out. "Hmm?" She looked around but saw no one, then it hit her that she still had some unfinished business to take care of. She looked in the direction of broken buildings and sighed before walking down the path.