Malthus saw them out the next day. He kept down the avenue, checking the best photo the Grand Order had of her, three hundred feet separating he and them.
Epidemic's balls of mold formed in his hands. He aimed careful, and threw them forward -
- and with the speed of light Serena turned; instincts too quick for her mind, her tentacle took the hit head-on -
- and the mold started to devour her skin; with a shriek, streams of black fog repaired her flesh anew, Yuruko&Naomi holding hands as they turned -
" - there's a bitch!" shouted Yuruko, and Serena nodded; with no time to waste, they started their rushing up the avenue, lines of business right and man two hundred ahead -
" - gotta - gotta be careful -" winced Serena; a globe of mold hit her right leg -
- and tore a clear hole through; she winced as she stumbled, another volley screaming for her as she staggered -
" - Medicinal!"
- but a sweep of Yuruko's gloves formed a swift mid-air barrier; and in to the shield flew the mold, splattering and deforming as they hit it -
- and started to devour it away, corroding clear through, swift streams of fog filling Serena's legs anew. With a nod, the trio peeled left around, seeing their foe rush in to a barbershop right. They came up to the doors quick, Yuruko&Serena careful to sweep in first -
- and there, at the other end was their foe, a hundred feet separating them&he. His right hand swept back again, new volley forming; Yuruko threw her hands forward, new shield forming, and as the mold hit the barrier -
- it burst clear through and shot to her face, starting to corrode her skin away; her hands went to her face, swift Medicinal clearing her eyes as they started their rush again -
- and all around them burst open the floor, tendrils of mold shooting out of the tiles and blocking their advance, surrounding them quick. A dozen sweeps sought Serena's neck -
- and underneath them she dodged, words swift - " - Yuruko! Need a glove!"
- Yuruko nodded, handing Serena a sudden glove; streams of fog filled as it as she threw it to the side -
- and it hadn't hit the ground before three tendrils had caught it, mold population in steady decline a they ate through the glove filled with flesh. Serena nodded, the trio starting their rush in true confidence as she threw another three macabre gloves; no option left, the man rushed to the back wall, catching up a chair on his way and hurling it back -
- but a cup of liquid nitrogen hit the chair and froze it solid, stumbling and sliding at their feet; and a dozen streams of fog flew in to it -
" - wait!" shouted Yuruko - " - remember, Naomi!"
- Serena nodded, knowing to be careful with acid as the trio hurtled right and around, seeing the man's hands sweeping down the back wall and corroding a hole out to the sidewalk -
- to a man holding a shotgun -
- and blasting his head off like a crimson water balloon. They stood stupidly watching as he turned and fled right, trio bursting in to sudden pursuit; and as Yuruko came outside, she threw something at him, released Naomi's hand as the couple ran in pursuit of him -
" - that's - eel neck!" shouted Serena, seeing him disappear right down a street corner. They took a wide berth as they turned -
- and saw him still running, hurtling out to the road and veering to another sidewalk. The two came halfway down sidewalk, stepping out to the road -
" - wait, shit!" panted Serena, turning with the speed of a punk back, fearing what was back around the corner -
- and sighing relief to find Naomi wheezing at the barbershop's new exit. Serena rushed up to her quick, endurance of a host in her.
"W-Who -" - panted Naomi - " - why do you have fog around your arm?"
"Check - check your phone." laughed Serena. Naomi nodded as Yuruko came up.
"Sorry." winced Yuruko. "Just, uh… got caught up."
Naomi blinked. "Caught up with what?"
"Um, nothing." chimed Serena. "But, um. We saw a guy who… we need to find, but…"
Yuruko grinned, pulling her phone out. "I got something."
The two raised their brows as they peeked over.
"Why is that dot blinking?" blinked Naomi.
"Is that a tracker?" said Serena, and Yuruko nodded.
"Yep. Bet he doesn't even know it's on him, too."
The three sat down. Serena pulled her phone out as they waited for him to stop.
"Why does that woman have such big eyes?" said Naomi, peeking at Serena's lockscreen.
"…um." Serena shrugged. "I dunno."
"Uh, so otakus will buy merchandise." chimed Yuruko.
"What is an otaku?" said Naomi.
Yuruko paused.
"I - hey!" panted Serena, seeing her eyes pointing at her -
" - he's starting to slow down." grinned Yuruko, standing up.
The chemist, amnesiac, and otaku set off.
◆◆◆
They came up to a house in a neighborhood that had been suburban ten years back, sidewalk and houses where expected, hearing shuffling inside.
"…alright." winced Serena. "Uh. I don't wanna be the one to go in first, but…"
"…yeah." murmured Yuruko. "Shotgun. Probably a Revenant, too - normal bullets don't do shit against hosts. We could…" She gestured to the windows. "Go around and board all of these up, maybe - I dunno, strangle him out?"
Serena gazed ruefully at her cup and at Naomi, wishing she could commit a war crime. Yuruko showed her her phone.
"Near the back - right, right?" she whispered, and Serena nodded. The three stepped carefully off to the side, ducking under every window, and came eventually up to the back door. Yuruko formed Medicinal-brand helmets that Serena filled with graphene.
"Alright. You first." prodded Yuruko, and Serena winced as she took front, tentacle readied like a shield.
"Blackb- wait -" she groaned. "Uh. I can't acid this."
Yuruko stifled a laugh, setting her arms around Serena and tapping the door -
- and turning it to water. The three crept inside, kitchen with a glass case of vases right, fridge&cabinets left, door to a hall up ahead. They heard rustling from one of the doors down the hall, and started stepping down -
" - who are you?" said Naomi -
- and two groans filled the room as they heard the rustling stop, and in the next instant -
- the glass case burst open in a shower of glass, and out of the shattered aperture flew a dozen antiques towards Naomi -
" - Blackburn!"
- and streams of fog filled each with rubber, smashing Naomi's helmet and staggering her back, no injury but for her armor as she stumbled -
" - we're safe for - you!" winced Yuruko, gloves readied as the next volley shot for Naomi -
- and a swift sweep of Yuruko's gloves turned the projectiles to true rubber, bouncing off Naomi's helmet and ricocheting away. The far-right hall door burst open ahead -
- and out came the man they knew as their foe, shotgun readied as he stepped to the kitchen entrance -
- but a swift kick of Yuruko's legs formed sandbags for the three, and down they swept in to the cover, fifty feet separating them as they heard the shotgun blast -
- and the fleeing of footsteps a second later. With no time to waste, Serena swept over, Yuruko yanking the amnesiac along as they rushed across the room, hearing the fridge rumbling as they passed by, and in the next instant -
- it was yanked off its hinges, pulled and smashed in to Naomi's back -
- and streams of fog filled it with wind, blasting it away&back; and as it flew back for the return -
- Yuruko kicked it in half, disintegrating it as the three started their rush up the hall, running in to the same room the man had -
- and finding it to be a bedroom, open window leading out to the side. Serena took the lead again as she hurtled out the window and to the grass, seeing their foe on the sidewalk thirty feet ahead, and as Naomi&Yuruko swept out -
- the dirt underneath began to buckle; then suddenly burst up, enormous clouds seeking to bury Naomi alive and shoving her down -
" - Medicinal!" panted Yuruko, sweeping the dirt to liquid; the house's windows shattered behind, glass shards shooting towards Naomi; another shogun blast arose from the man ahead and entered Serena's helm, unseen force yanking it clear off -
" - god, fuck this -" groaned Yuruko; a hailstone of dry ice formed in her hands; she threw it forward, and as it hit the ground, a cloud of smoke burst outward and swallowed the man -
- and a shotgun blast rose again, cloud suddenly flying back over to Yuruko -
" - fucking -" - Serena groaned, dipping her tentacle in the cloud as she rushed ahead; another dozen clouds of smoke erupted outward, shrouding the scene ahead as Yuruko and Naomi rushed back, still hearing the chaotic shotgun blasts behind -
- and out of the smoke came one blast direct for Naomi -
- and yanked her helm off; before she could react, a second shot went for her -
- but a stone helm formed over her head, keeping her safe as she stood; but they had no time to rest -
" - Serena!" shouted Yuruko, sweeping a shield forward -
" - got the bitch!" laughed Serena's voice ahead, and as the smoke cleared -
- they saw the ground pockmarked ahead, impromptu tunnel burrowed underground, another hole behind the man -
- and Serena at his back, tentacle thrust through his back and out his chest, gasping. "I can heal you! Tell us why you're after her."
"W-Who?" he gasped.
"Her." said Yuruko, gesturing to Naomi. "Why did you kill that dude?"
"T-To keep -"
- and the three groaned as his eyes turned sunken, his next question coming instant -
" - w-who are you?!" he screamed, thrashing on Serena's appendage - " - Buckshot -"
- and streams of fog filled his skull with boiling water, fluid draining out of his ears as he fell dead&back.
"Fuck." sighed Serena, discarding him.
"That was our - fuck." muttered Naomi -
- and Yuruko turned, bizarre emotion in her voice -
" - wait -" said Yuruko, flashing her hand out - " - your - your voice is - you've got emotions?"
"I - wait, f-fuck -" said Naomi, pointing to the man's neck tattoo - "I recognize that tattoo - the eel."
"You recognize it too?" nodded Serena.
"Yes - my - my father and brother had a tattoo like that - my address!" She nodded quick, coming over to his corpse and taking her phone out, and as she readied to type -
- a horrific screech passed her, skin suddenly falling off her bones as every last shattered open -
- but a hasty sweep of Blackburn's tentacle repaired her bones; she staggered and fell, groaning as her skull hit the ground.
"…o-ow…"
Serena and Yuruko rushed over, crouching down.
"Hey -" panted Serena - " - what's, what's going on?"
Naomi gave a vague wave, clutching her brow. "…o-oh - f-fuck - s-shut up, please - just - just be quiet -" - she winced, rolling over and groaning - " - fuck! Fuck! Fuck!"
" - um, us be quiet?" winced Serena -
" - yes! You! God - fucking - damnit - shit!" she panted, legs beating the ground - " - head feels like it's gonna smash open like a fucking pumpkin - and -"
- she gasped and drew shallow breath, panicked as she rolled to her back. She kept like that for a few minutes more, and finally spoke first.
"… o-oh god." She winced and sat up. "…g-go ahead. You, you can talk…now."
"Are you alright?" said Yuruko.
"I - I feel awful, f-fuck."
"What's your name?"
"N-Naomi. No, I - I remember. You're Yuruko. For Medicinal Use Only. Serena. Yuruko's girlfriend. Blackburn, tentacle. F-Fog."
"Wait. Do you have your memory back?" said Serena, and Naomi's head shook.
"… w-well. Some of it, but, g-god… Just - hurts. Head." She clenched her eyes. "… c-can we go back to U-Urasaria? P-Please?"
The two nodded, and brought her back to the infirmary for another checkup. Pulse touched her heart, and the woman stifled a renewed groan.
"…much - much better." she panted. "T-Thank you."
"Seems like your colony's starting to reproduce." said Hirogane, drawing the tendril out. "Might be why your memory's getting better."
"Yeah. Uh, did you hear the name yet?" said Yuruko, and Naomi's head shook.
"…n-nah. Not yet."
Serena nodded. "Um - once you're feeling better - we can go check out that address, right?"
"…oh no." winced Naomi. "What address?"
The rest winced.
"…um. You said your dad and brother had eel tattoos, and - you were about to write down an address."
"…fuck. I. I… Y-Yeah. The tattoos, and…" She took her phone out, typing the address out and showing it to Serena.
"…okay." Serena nodded. "Okay, um. We'll go there once you're feeling better. Right?"
"I… I t-think that's it."
"Yeah." said Yuruko. "There's probably, uh… Maybe there'll be stuff there." She took her phone out, checking online. "…just says it's for sale."
"Pretty nice place." said Serena, peeking over.
"… I just want this to be over." murmured Naomi. "I - when I didn't have my memory - I couldn't feel anything. It felt like I had a, like I was - in a tight water balloon, or something. Just trying to feel something, b-but I couldn't."
"…yeah." said Serena. "Um. Do you want to go there right now, then?"
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"Should check property records first." said Hirogane. "See who lived there before."
"… I-I don't know." murmured Naomi. "What if I - what if I get there, and - s-someone wipes my memory again - o-or something happens?"
The three paused.
"Or I get hit like that?" she said, rubbing her head.
"I'll keep you safe -" said Serena, and Yuruko held her shoulder.
"We shouldn't go until she's ready."
"Colony's starting to reproduce. Might get her Revenant within a week or two." said Hirogane. "Guessing you're planning on keeping it."
"… Yeah. I-I guess." said Naomi, sitting up.
"Can give you the registration forms - and update them when you find your identity."
"T-Thanks." She nodded. "How does - what happens if I register?"
Serena smiled. "You get assigned a mentor, and get a monthly salary."
"$1,000 a month, campus housing, travel expenses paid. Thanks, President Matoi." chimed Yuruko, relevantly.
"…o-okay. That, that sounds good, I think. I-I need to… think, more."
Serena nodded, knowing she couldn't offer much.
◆◆◆
Within the week, Naomi's bizarre registration to Urasaria had been submitted, with no Revenant or hero name yet chosen. Serena had been assigned as her mentor, and the two had only found a "Ruth Eskel" in property records. Her memory returned gradually, but had no knowledge of any leading information. Serena kept by her new protégé for every form of writing a new identity out.
"They'll just hold on to these until I tell them, right?" said Naomi, sat at a desk with Serena.
"Yeah." Serena smiled. "Don't worry. We're gonna find out who you are, um."
"I guess." nodded Naomi. "…ugh, I dunno. I still don't… Like. You know how riding a bike is?"
"I never learned." shrugged Serena.
"Oh." laughed Naomi. "Well - uh. It just feels like - I know how to do… math, English, and things like that. So I must've gone to school, but - they can't find anything about me, and…" She frowned. "… sorry. I know there's a lot on your plate, so…"
"It's okay." nodded Serena. "I want to make sure you're okay, too."
Naomi finished up her last form. "…yeah. Um. Guess I'll kinda be - fighting crime, right?"
"Yeah." laughed Serena. "I just - I'll get calls to head out - we'll go out together, fight some dude, and usually just - kill him, since it's safer. Just like how Yuruko and I did it."
"That, that makes sense, yeah." murmured Naomi. "I still… M-My Revenant still isn't active, s-so..."
"Yeah. It's - um, starting to get there, right? Can you still do the arm thing like you did yesterday?"
"Yeah." Naomi nodded, and her left arm grew to enormous stone. "Just that, um. I-I don't really know how Revenants work, though."
"It'll, um… It'll make sense once we start… training and fighting. That's the best way." nodded Serena. "Sorry, um. Just want to make sure I'm not babying you."
"You aren't." mumbled Naomi. "J-Just nervous, I guess. Now."
"At least your emotions are back." chimed Serena, and Naomi laughed.
"Y-Yeah. I'm gonna go turn these forms in."
"Okay." said Serena, taking her phone out.
(Serena) "hey, um - if you're not busy, could you help me and Naomi out? I'm trying to figure out how to train her, but…"
(Mia) "I'm sorry - Matoi is practically overworking us."
(Mia) "And herself, honestly, but - I know you can be a good mentor. I'm sorry - I just don't have the time right now to help you."
(Serena) "oh! no worries."
◆◆◆
[Monday, August 24th]
The punk had been exempted from swap week next week, and she took on accelerated training for Naomi to follow Mia's lead.
"Alright." chimed Serena, Naomi's stone arm at the ready, standing inside at the front window of Yuruko's house. "Again."
Naomi nodded, and her left fist shattered the window in a rain of glass -
- and streams of fog refilled it -
" - CAN YOU TWO FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO DO THAT?!" shouted a man from across the street - " - FIVE IN THE FUCKING AFTERNOON -"
" - I'M TRAINING MY PROTÉGÉ, ASSHOLE! I NEED TO CHECK IF SHE CAN -"
" - FIND SOMEWHERE ELSE TO DO IT! I'M TRYING TO GET TO IMMORTAL RANK HERE!"
" - EAT SHIT, DICKHEAD! THAT'S YOUR RANK -" she paused. "Wait! Is the new patch out?!"
"Yeah! They changed Terrorblade again - he's overpowered as shit right now!"
Serena paused. "What's your username!"
The voice paused. "I'll send you a link! What's your hero name!"
"Miasma!"
"Okay!"
Serena's tablet vibrated. Naomi blinked at her.
"…um." Serena shrugged. "Let's just find somewhere else to do this."
"Okay."
◆◆◆
[Wednesday, August 26th]
"Alright." chimed Serena, the two in a prepared sideroom. "I wanna check how strong your arm is."
She pulled a cloth off the wooden table, revealing a solid brick of graphene. Naomi nodded, stepping up, and as she chopped it -
- the table shattered in half, no damage done to the graphene.
◆◆◆
[Friday, August 28th]
The two stepped in to Serena's prepared sideroom, a pullup bar hanging from the ceiling.
"Okay." said Serena. "Try pulling up with one hand."
Naomi nodded, jumped and hung with one stone arm. She pulled -
- and the entire ceiling started to collapse; she shrieked as she fell back -
" - Blackburn!" panted Serena, swift streams of fog repairing the ceiling. "O-Okay. Pretty - pretty strong."
◆◆◆
The next Monday, Serena and Naomi sat prepared in the trio's home, tablet readied.
"So, um." muttered Naomi. "It'll come up, and we go out?"
"Yeah. Don't worry - you'll do good."
Naomi nodded, wishing her emotions were still gone and not alive in her stomach. "… O-Okay. Yeah. Okay."
"Um - I can tell you're nervous." chimed Serena. "But - I had a really hard first semester. You're gonna do good, um. Just stay calm and tell me if you need anything. Right?"
"R-Right." said Naomi, wishing she could ask for more training to postpone it. "I, I will."
Serena nodded, hoping she wasn't overprotective. Her tablet vibrated -
" - okay, there we go." she chimed and stood. "Convenience store getting robbed. Let's go."
"O-Okay."
◆◆◆
The two came in to the store midrobbery, cashier already held up on the register, man they knew as their foe; his pistol's aim raised to Serena -
- and she laughed as six shots entered her chest, tentacle waving Naomi's fear down.
"Gun's not a Revenant." chimed Serena, streams of fog pushing the lead out with new flesh. The man rushed right and down the aisles, and as the two readied to chase, his hand swept in to one shelf -
- and an unseen force yanked him direct in, disappearing in to the shelf of chips, Serena and Naomi rushing down -
- and a familiar fist burst out of the shelf and smashed Serena's nose; she staggered back, Naomi huddling at her back, another arm seeking Serena's cheek -
- but Naomi's stone grip shot to the man's wrist, throwing it off of her -
- and in to the shelf disappeared the man again, Serena nodding as she recovered. "Naomi - are you feeling - durability good?"
"Y-Yeah." nodded Naomi, utterly clueless as streams of fog flew in to the shelf -
- and filled it with acid; the man's top half burst instantly outward, acid traveling down and corroding the entire shelf as he threw himself out -
- and not in time for the corrosive agent to burn his right leg clear off as he leaped to the back wall, leaving a laughing Serena, ready to shittalk for her protégé's benefit -
" - possession bitch!" laughed Serena, seeing the man's right arm disappear -
- and reappear on his right leg's stump, rapidly reforming to another and leaving him one-armless as he backed against the back wall -
- and in to the wall he disappeared.
"Only need to do that three more times." chimed Serena, and up she and Naomi stepped; the man's arm burst out of the wall again -
- Naomi's stone grip shot to his wrist, yanking ferociously at it -
- and pulling the man himself out; she threw him to the front wall -
- and he smashed through to the sidewalk beyond, Serena nodding as she led Naomi along her first chase, seeing the man running left&down the sidewalk. They came out to meet him there, starting their chase up, abandoned lots left & ahead, fifty feet separating them and he still - but starting to catch wind.
"That's good, okay?" nodded Serena, trying to remember Mia as they ran - " - trust your instincts, okay?"
"Y-Yeah." nodded Naomi; they saw a squirrel scurry by the man, and in the next instant -
- he was yanked&shrunk direct in, animal suddenly possessed as it rushed across the road, five-floor buildings ahead -
- and up it leaped and leaped; with no time to waste, Serena and Naomi rushed in pursuit and came to the wall. A sweep of Serena's tentacle brought her to the wall, suction cups keeping her tethered - beside, Naomi nodded, strength of a boulder in her left arm as she climbed alongside, seeing the possessed squirrel disappear up to the roof.
"Just, um - careful you don't pull too hard, right?" chimed Serena, and Naomi tried to laugh out her adrenaline.
"Y-Yeah."
They swept up on to the roof, seeing the prodigal squirrel still rushing ahead, crows perched on the ledges -
- and out of the squirrel burst the man, body shrinking as he sought one casual crow, starting to fly out of range -
- and a stone appeared suddenly in Naomi's left hand; confused but pleased, she threw it -
- and the keen end tore through the crow and out its body; and down fell the possessed animal past the ledge and out of sight, street below like the previous.
"That's - new." she panted, Serena and her rushing over to the ledge. Down they slid, suction cups and stone arm's friction keeping their descent careful as they reached the street below -
" - there!" shouted Serena, rushing suddenly left -
- and there was the newly armless man running out on the road, weaving between parked cars, having used his flesh to repair his broken bones. Serena laughed, halting Naomi as they passed by one car -
" - can you pick this up?"
Naomi nodded, stone arm scooping it clear up. Streams of fog filled it as she hurled it ahead -
- and the keen end of the hood bashed the man's skull in; his body shrunk in to the vehicle as it flew -
- and Serena laughed as it exploded in a storm of shrapnel and gore; and underneath twelve shards she dodged -
- that cleaved Naomi's chest in a shower of crimson; she shrieked as she staggered back, collapsing and screaming -
- and streams of fog filled her with new flesh, Serena crouching down -
" - hey, it's - it's alright! You're okay - you're okay - you're okay." nodded Serena, saying it for her benefit as much as Naomi's, streams of fog filling her with new flesh. "Got you. Got you."
"Y-Yeah." gasped Naomi. "I-I - o-oh g-god."
"I'm - I'm sorry, I - I should have let you know." nodded Serena. "But - I've got you, and you're safe. Right?"
"…y-yeah." Naomi clenched her eyes. "O-O-Okay. I-I'm fine. I'm fine. A-All good."
She felt Serena sit down beside her. "…hey, um. You - you don't have to act tough for me. I - I know you're probably feeling pretty scared. I - I could tell you were nervous while we were fighting, too."
"…s-sorta." panted Naomi. "My - my heart's, b-beating so f-fast." She lifted her legs up, and as she set them back down -
- a stone burst out of the ground; she shrieked -
- and Serena's tentacle caught it mid-air, yanking it back and examining it. "It's - okay, it's okay - uh." She paused. "…wait. Can I see your arm?"
Naomi's eyes opened as she gave Serena her left arm. Serena held the stone to it.
"These are the same color. Right?"
"…y-yeah." nodded Naomi. "Does that mean - could it be some new ability?"
"Maybe." smiled Serena. "You're getting stronger. Right?"
"R-Right."
Serena stood and offered her tentacle out, and Naomi took it up. "I know how you're probably feeling. Do you want me to talk while we head home?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Alright. Um - I gotta go scan his Revenant - that way we both get credit. Right?"
Naomi nodded as they went over. Serena crouched down to scan, and nodded once they started back. "But, um, yeah. I nearly died my first week too - someone shoved a sword through my stomach."
Naomi winced, and Serena laughed.
"Yeah. Um - I-I know it's different, but… My mentor Mia had to call one of her friends, since she was pretty scared I died, but… But - look at me now, right? I got - I used to get pretty nervous fighting, too, but… You know what I mean?"
"Y-Yeah." nodded Naomi, and smiled. "That - that helps, y-yeah."
"Yeah." chimed Serena. "You're gonna get used to it - and you're gonna be able to stay calm easier, um. It's gonna be okay. Plus - what's good is that if you get hurt, I can be right there to heal you, right?"
Naomi nodded.
"Plus, you did good with the bird. And smashing the wall - throwing that dude. Picking up the car. Right?"
Naomi laughed. "O-Okay, I get it."
"Just wanna make sure." laughed Serena. "But um - do you wanna try doing that… stomp-thing again?"
Naomi laughed and did that stomp-thing again, and a volley of stones burst out of the ground.
"Coolio." grinned Serena. "Do you wanna spend some time training that when we get back?"
"Yeah."
◆◆◆
The two trained together over the next week, and Mia had managed to come once to guide Naomi along. Her confidence grew, but she still felt fear over her next battle. She had asked Serena for an early patrol, and knowing she needed experience, Serena agreed.
By that afternoon, Serena had made them Blackburn-brand ice cream cones.
"…Man." laughed Naomi, taking a lick. "This tastes like - I dunno. It feels weird. Like I'm eating a part of you or something."
"I guess you technically are." laughed Serena. "Got the, um - bacteria colonies all in there."
"Gross." winked Naomi - and suddenly dropped her cone; she dropped to the ground, clutching her head again - " - f-fuck!"
Serena crouched down beside, fog and tentacle readied - " - what's, what's going on -"
" - f-fucking - r-really hurts -"
- a white worm burst out of her skull; with the speed of light, Serena yanked it -
- and the worm disappeared, streams of fog filling Naomi's wound, still thrashing below -
" - fuck fuck fuck why does this F-FUCKING hurt so m-much -"
- Serena waved down the civilians staring on the sidewalk. "I've - I've got this, go!"
- and Naomi let out a final gasp, wheezing. "…o-oh g-god - f-fuck." Her eyes shut. "…g-god - f-fuck."
She started to stand, still swaying as Serena helped her up.
"Feeling - okay?" winced Serena.
"N-Not… o-kay, but - it stopped. F-Fuck. What - what was that thing?"
"It - it had to be a Revenant, right -"
- Serena's tablet vibrated, and she took it quick - " - I, shit, there's a shooting nearby -"
" - I - I can fight." winced Naomi, nodding slow. "I-I - can we go?"
"Yeah." nodded Serena, trusting her protégé as the two ran up the sidewalk, seeking the hopsice facility a dozen blocks away.
A few minutes later, and they came up to the parking lot, ran across and up to the front doors, in to the lobby -
" - room fifty-six -" - said the woman at the counter - " - two lefts and - and a right -"
" - thanks." nodded Serena, and with no time to waste, the two rushed down the halls, taking two lefts and a right, and as they came through the open door of room 56 -
- a bloodied scene met their stare, one elderly man and one young dead in the bed, hearts already gone; Serena rushed over, checking their necks quick -
- and finding an eel on each.
"…shit." she muttered; and heard Naomi running out behind her. She shot up and turned, rushing after Naomi back through the halls, back in to the lobby; Naomi halted, turning to the woman at the counter -
" - whose - whose room was that?" panted Naomi -
" - it - I can't divulge patient -"
" - FUCKING TELL ME!" shouted Naomi, enormous stone arm growing -
" - Ruth - Ruth Eskel!"
- and Naomi turned with true fervor to the front doors, Serena catching up to her beside as they rushed out to the parking lot -
- and there, two hundred feet separating them and he, was their foe; with no time to waste, the two rushed in pursuit, passing by parked cars as they ran. Naomi's arm caught one up and hurled it -
- and with the speed of light the man turned, handgun dumping six shots in the vehicle -
- and in to a hundred pieces it shattered outward, storm of shards flying towards them -
- and ahead of Serena rushed Naomi, stone arm taking every hit on. The man stopped and turned at the entrance of the lot, sidewalk at his back as he stepped. His aim rose to the cars at their right -
- and Serena's blood grew cold as she knew his true target then. Before she could react, the gunshot rose -
- and in to a hundred shards shattered one vehicle - and another - and another - and another, million of shards flying towards them -
- and there shot across Naomi's mind as vividly as if spoken in the external ear, the name of the Revenant that was rightfully her's.
"Avalanche!"
- and the next scene was instant. She stomped the ground; the pavement burst up in a circle of asphalt, protecting the two as the volley flew -
" - I got it." grinned Naomi, Serena nodding rapid, barrage shards wilting outside.
"Let's kill that fucking bitch." nodded Serena, sagely; Naomi laughed, and a second stomp brought the gates of stone down -
- and a dozen bullets entered Serena's chest, infused with acid and corroding her skin away -
- but streams of fog filled her wounds, sudden baking soda and flesh neutralizing the foul vapors as she staggered back, man still a hundred feet away. Taking the front, Naomi started up ahead, the two running with new positions as she raised her arm of stone high -
- and laughing as a dozen bullets entered it, miniscule wounds as they rushed and ran, streams of fog repairing it with new stone, fifty feet separating them and he; with a cursed grunt, the man's aim lowered to her feet. Three shots entered the ground ahead, and in the next instant -
- the acid within exploded outward and horizontally, corroding a titanic fissure through the parking lot, blocking their path as they stumbled and halted near the edge -
" - trust my instincts, right?" chimed Naomi; Serena nodded, and before she could react -
- Naomi scooped her up and hurled her across; the mentor shrieked as she flew -
- but landed quick on the other end, Blackburn's tentacle keeping her steady as she flipped thirty feet from the man. Naomi stomped the ground behind, and a bridge of stone burst out across the fissure; and down she ran, coming up behind Serena, scooping a car on her way there; a dozen gunshots entered it -
- but she threw it with the speed of light forward, streams of fog filling it as it came halfway through its journey -
- and exploding before it reached the man, timed explosives having been a second too early. The man grunted and turned, veering left down the sidewalk; and with full pursuit, the women gave chase and ran, road up ahead -
- and over the street he leaped to another sidewalk, rushing aim behind as the two came within pursuit, line of stores&tall buildings left, as was often the case, fire hydrant right. The two kept in pursuit, and as they passed by one casual hydrant -
- another bullet entered it -
- and the shockwave blast it in to Naomi's skull, pain staggering her back and to the side -
" - god - fucking - Avalanche!" she grunted, digging her left arm under one casual sidewalk tile -
- and as a woman might take a spatula, ripped the entire sidewalk up in one swoop, launching the man up in to the air -
- and she sighed as he caught the awning of one building beside, new perch and readying to climb as she dropped the sidewalk. Another dozen gunshots rose in the air -
- but as she had before, she stomped, wall of pavement bursting from the ground; and in to the sudden barrier entered the bullets -
- and started instantly to melt, immense heat turning the concrete liquid and setting it alight; another volley rose -
" - Blackburn!" shouted Serena -
- and streams of fog flew in to the wall, reinforcing it with asbestos, unfortunately flame-resistant material protecting them from the next volley -
" - uh - aren't those fumes dangerous?" panted Naomi -
" - uh - Pulse keeps us from getting cancer!" chimed Serena, relevantly, as they rushed up and underneath the building, seeing the man scurry up to the roof - " - wait, I know -"
- Serena rushed inside; Naomi heard her yelling within, and suddenly grinning as she ran back out. She opened her mouth to speak -
- and an explosion erupted at their right, blasting them with the strength of a thousand back the way they had came -
- but the next scene was instant. Naomi's leg hit the pavement as they flew -
- and in to a sudden barrier of asphalt they smashed, halting their flight as they groaned and stood, still only twenty feet away from the prodigal building. Quick whisper to Naomi, Serena rushed away and out across the road. Naomi grinned as she leaped up on to the building, one arm climbing swiftly up and halfway, seeing her foe with pistol still on the roof and aiming down -
- and the keen end of a thrown pebble burst through his hands and out his arms, Naomi laughing as her left arm started smashing below, tearing and punching through the walls; support suddenly lost, they started to crumble and buckle inward -
- and down collapsed the entire building, rain and carpet of rubble swallowing both of the combatants as it collapsed, streams of fog clearing the smoke as it sought the other end of the street. Serena kept her eyes clear as she stared at the ruins, seeing vague shuffling underneath opposite ends.
A dozen gunshots rose, and out leaped the man from one end of the rubble, and a smash of Avalanche's arm brought Naomi out of the other end. The two combatants started to circle, and Naomi saw a tattoo of a diamond on the man's hands, crusted crimson, hole blown clear through each.
Sluggishly, his aim rose again, shooting once more -
- but the next scene was instant. Naomi stomped again, shockwaves traveling through the ground and launching the rubble upward; and in to one smashed the bullet, and before he could react -
- the keen end of one concrete chunk landed direct on him, crushing his bones and breaking his body underneath, Naomi nodding angrily as he fell dead ahead.
"We - we got him." panted Serena, coming up beside. "Good - good job."
"Yeah. Yeah." Naomi nodded, heart still galloping. "We… I got him, and…" She frowned. "… I don't feel anything."
"What - what do you mean?"
"I mean, I just… I don't - I still don't remember anything. I don't even - what am I supposed to feel about killing this dude? He killed two people I didn't know, so it's like - ugh, I just - "
- she stomped, Avalanche's rocks bursting out of the ground -
" - I don't know what I even wanna do now! This whole fucking time, we're looking for -"
" - hey -" panted Serena, hand on Naomi's shoulder - " - just - wait, okay? - um -"
" - I -" - she groaned, nodding as she stood still. "I - fuck, just fucking. Ugh. Ugh, ugh. Ugh. Ugh."
"Ugh." chimed Serena, and Naomi laughed.
"… I just. Every time I try to think about my... dad, or my family... It doesn't feel like before, either - like, at least that, I knew there was something deeper down. This just feels like I just stuck my spoon in a bowl of pie and hit the bottom one inch in -"
- the two laughed, Serena shaking her head.
"We haven't checked the, um… That house, right?"
Naomi paused and nodded. "…yeah. Uh. Is that alright - is it okay if we go there now?"
"Sure." nodded Serena, and the two set out.
◆◆◆
They found a scene even more disappointing there; construction crews, the house having been demolished three days ago.
"…shit." winced Serena, seeing the scaffolding of a new as they watched from across the street.
Naomi stared, watching her curiosity being torn down brick by brick.
"… I don't want to know more." she muttered.
"Huh?" said Serena. "Um - we could go ask about… records, or -"
- Naomi shook her head and waved her down.
"No, I…" She frowned. "… sorry. I just - I just wanna move on from this. I was thinking on the way over, and… I don't. I don't want to know more about this. I want to just - I wanna just move on from this."
"… do you think that guy was your dad? Um - Ruth?"
"…maybe. Maybe he ... maybe he had someone drop me off at Urasaria. He was there for some ... terminal illness, must've been. If if I'm his daughter, it must've been risky to keep me around, if he had that… eel tattoo."
"And that's why he dropped you off at Urasaria?"
"Someone must have. Maybe that other guy. Right? That's why - to help my Revenant trigger."
"Yeah." Serena nodded. "That makes sense, yeah."
"…and, that worm was probably why I was getting fucked up, or, whatever." Naomi nodded the thoughts from her head. Serena knew she wanted a distraction. "…yeah. I dunno. I've got - Avalanche, now. And, um. A job." She smiled sheepish. "Are you cool being my mentor?"
"Definitely." grinned Serena.
"Yeah. I wanna just focus on this, then. Whatever. I wanna just - I got a Revenant. I don't wanna get it removed. I wanna attend Urasaria, and get strong. Fuck all this other stuff - right?" she said, waving her hand.
"Yeah."
They walked up the street, but away from the home.
[END OF ARC: SWIM LIKE AN EEL]