[ARC 8: LOCK EYES WITH A GORGON]

[November 10th]

Serena had been anxious for weeks, and was still trying to distract herself. She hadn't told Mia more on the matter, but the mentor kept her busy.

"Matoi told me there was a gameshow like this in Japan." laughed Mia, setting her blindfold on, standing over the counter. Two glasses were in front of her; one filled with chocolate milk, one empty. "Go ahead."

Serena swapped them like a shell game, Blackburn's fog filling the second with chocolate milk. "Okay. Try it." She handed Mia one, and the mentor took a sip.

"…hm. The other?" said Mia, and Serena handed her the second. She took another sip - " - ah, this is Blackburn."

"Shit." laughed Serena, and Mia took the blindfold off. "How do you always get it?"

"It's always a bit lighter." laughed Mia, pouring both in to the sink. "My turn."

Serena nodded, taking her blindfold on. To her side, Mia filled one glass with tap water, one with scarab water, and as she handed them to Serena -

- a knock came at the door. Mia gave it a glance. "Are you expecting someone?"

Serena shook her head, taking her blindfold off. "Uh, no one that I can think of?" She went to the door, and opened it - and smiled at someone she should've expected.

"So about us dating." Yuruko grinned. "Wanna go out for ice cream?"

"Definitely." Serena looked back at perplexed Mia. "Um. I'll explain later."

◆◆◆

Five hundred miles away and two weeks back, three heroes had been sent to the city of Combanee, waterfront high-rises over neon signs. The streets were usually packed with more noise than people, though the recent fear had emptied them, at least for the men.

In the present, Grant & Henry had tried a local nightclub that night, sitting at a table across the front door fifty feet away, flashing lights overhead. A section of the wall peeled back to another room, and inside, arches to the bathrooms right.

"Do you think they'll s-show up?" said Henry. He was tall and frail, half-handsome bowlcut.

"Just gotta wait and see." muttered Grant. He glanced to the front door, watching every woman that came in, but not for too long. The Gorgons had recently put up posters claiming him to be a pervert, and though he knew they really just hated him for being male, that & Henry's actual perversion had put him on better behavior - particularly with Matoi around.

"… you're, you're good with women, aren't you?" winced Henry, and Grant shrugged.

"Guess that's my reputation. What's up?"

"...how do you… How do you get past a girl not liking you?"

"…dunno, man. You gotta just - I dunno. You talking about an ex, or someone you just tried to ask out?"

"Yeah. An ex. Haven't talked to her in years."

"Years? Shit, man, I dunno. That's just something you - gotta just get over. Get your mind off of it. You got any hobbies?"

"Well, y-yeah, of course - but... I don't know. Recently, lately, I… I just get reminded of her."

Grant sighed. "… dunno. I'm not good on that stuff. I don't play that sphere. Just naturally good with it."

"You work out, don't you?"

"Yeah, 'cuz someone sliced my arms off in my first-year." His steel fingers tapped the table. "Steel withstands much more than uh, flesh. So if I didn't work out - Ferrous would probably shatter my shoulders every time I used it."

"…do - do you think that'd help me?"

"I, uh… If you want, I... guess." shrugged Grant, seeing a red-haired woman enter the club, and in the next instant -

- the crack of three gunshots rose in the air; the club was plunged in to darkness -

- and the two shot blindly to their feet, hearing but not seeing the screams of male civilians around, women's footsteps rushing blind to the exits.

"You know the drill!" shouted a feminine voice from the other end of the room. "Here for the men - and the Urasaria dipshits!"

Another dozen gunshots rose in the air, and the men crouched low, Grant putting his hand to the ground.

"Not feeling any metal." he muttered. "If she's - lights are off. If she shot the bulbs, should be metal around here, but -"

- and he winced as he felt a bullet whiz by him. With no time to waste, the two men ran blindly to the back, feeling their way left as they rushed along the wall -

" - here." said Henry, and the two men swept in to the backroom, bathrooms open at the right, only light still visible in the club -

- and the main room's lights flashed on again; they glanced back and saw their foe with her handgun at the other end, tables & chairs separating them & she. Her aim rose again, and as the gunshot screamed direct for them -

" - Crosslink!" shouted Henry, throwing his right hand out - his arm extended like rubber, reaching a nearby table and yanking at it; the table extended like rubber and formed a shield for the two, and in to the elastic barrier smashed the bullet.

But the men sighed as the lights flashed off, main room dark again as they stepped in to the bathroom, line of stalls left, lights still on overhead. They rushed across the room against the right wall, and as they heard their foe's footsteps behind -

" - Crosslink. "

- a swift sweep of Henry's hands against the right wall, and the barrier turned brittle; a smash of his shoulder against it shattered it, and in to the hole swept the men, back in to the main room again. They rushed around the corner, readying to flank their foe at the bathroom door -

- but with the speed of light she turned and fired; three bullets entered Grant's arms, and as the metal man leaped towards her -

- that caught only air as she swept aside&away -

- and the club was plunged in to darkness again, the men spinning wildly as they heard her footsteps, stepping back careful against the back wall again.

"Christ." muttered Grant, and in the next instant -

- he gasped as he felt something burrowing in his arms; a colony of maggots, digging and biting ferociously at the steel -

" - Ferrous!"

- but out of his arms burst steel knives, piercing and stabbing through the maggots; but they were fired to disgusting durability. The maggots leaped off of his arms, seeking his shoulders -

" - Crosslink."

- but a tap of Grant's shoulders turned them rubbery, and off the suddenly elastic-boulders bounced the maggots, falling rigid to the ground as the men rushed to the center of the main room, wide and circular, tables around as their eyes started to adjust.

"She's got - limited uses, close range." muttered Henry, eyes glancing around the dark. "She wouldn't bother still being here if she wasn't."

"She's relying on - go up! Now!" shouted Grant, the sudden whip in his voice; with no time to waste, the men leaped up on to a table, snuffed lightbulb above. "Rubber - this."

Comprehending none of it, Henry nodded, and the table turned elastic. The steel man leaped above, and as he fell -

- he was launched up if by a trampoline to the ceiling - and the next scene was instant.

His metal thumb flew off of his hand, forming to a sharp point and stabbing in to the ceiling; the sharp steel sliced the wires within in half, copper wires drooping with electricity out of the ceiling -

- and the metal man fell again; hitting the table back-first, he was launched again -

- and his metal thumb formed to a solid wire, connecting the wire to the still-snuffed bulb -

- and filling the club with light as he fell again, the table solidifying as he landed, and as the two leaped to the ground -

- there, at the other end, their foe, fifty feet separating she and them -

- but Henry's blood froze as a colony of maggots fell out of the hole, landing on his neck, and starting to burrow ferociously within -

" - a wonderful try!" laughed the woman. "It does sap electricity - limited uses - close-range - but -"

- but the next scene was instant. The men yanked the table to its side; a sweep of Henry's hands turned the table elastic again, and as if it were a rubberband, Grant ran directly in to it -

- and was launched with the speed of a catapult across the room; the woman threw her hand out -

- just in time for his right fist to burst through her chest and out her back, still-beating heart in metal grip as he fell atop her -

- and as a true hero might, he crushed the organ between his fingers. The maggots disappeared, and Grant sighed as he stood, prosthetic arms scarred, wounds on Henry's shoulders.

"We all good?" he said, turning to Henry, and the bowl-cut man nodded.

"Let's - head back, before any more show up."

◆◆◆

Down another Combanee street walked Matoi, her eyes lighting with overhead neon. The three had been cautious on being trailed since they'd arrived; particularly the men. Eighty had already been found dead, smashed skulls, body parts severed and never found. The Gorgons didn't have their hotel yet, though.

Her tablet vibrated, and she took it quick.

(Grant) "Fought another one - maggots that steal electricity. You found anything yet?"

She sighed, readying to type a message out -

- and a scream broke around the corner ahead. With no time to waste, she shoved her tablet away and rushed up the street, line of restaurants right, and as she hurtled around the corner -

- a bizarre scene met her stare, a woman with a man's corpse at her feet -

- and standing in front of her, a humanoid figure facing Matoi, tall and wide, formed of scrap metal and neon signs; but she had no time to rest.

It was like a neon and armored nightmare as it ran down the sidewalk, enormous legs hurtling robotic body along at terrifying gait, and as it passed under one neon sign -

" - Wedding!"

- a volley of missiles erupted from Weddings shoulders, blasting the sign off its hinges, and as the lights fell upon the robotic creature -

- the sign disappeared in to its outer layer of armor, widening and growing it further. Its mistress laughed behind as it stepped forward again, plates of armor forming a solid shell.

'Short-range.'

And as Matoi rushed forward, sword outstretched, an imminent heat grew from Wedding's eyes, and as her sword sought its neck -

- it caught against its outer shell, and her weapon was sucked as if by a vacuum deeper within, the pressure ripping her grip off -

- and she swept with the speed of light away as her sword formed new armor for the creature, steel material absorbed in to its own, restaurant's door at her right.

The creature stomped forward again, gauntlets outstretched as it started its rush -

- and Matoi sighed as her lasers wilted uselessly against it, missiles following the same fate behind.

"It's invincible from the outside, Matoi Kujo." preened the woman, constant lockstep behind, just within her Revenant's range. "But you can always join with us if you -"

" - fuck off." groaned Matoi, and as the creature came a dozen within range -

- she swept right and in to the restaurant adjacent, rushing and shoving chairs aside as she rushed to the back wall, no civilians within as she rushed and ran. A flash of Wedding's lasers burnt an exit through the back wall, and in to the hole she swept in to the back alley, missiles firing behind as she pressed against the wall and turned.

Ahead, the woman and Revenant burst through the front doors, and as they hurtled halfway past -

" - Wedding." yawned Matoi -

- and an explosive barrage erupted from her shoulders, missiles striking every corner the restaurant, explosions shattering the walls, and in the next instant -

- the entire building collapsed in on itself, storm of rubble bursting outward from the ruins and seeking Matoi's neck -

- but she grunted, thrashed, and still stood by the end, Wedding's lasers burning the chunks of rubble that sought to bury her, Wedding's armored dress taking every other hit torso-on.

But she sighed as the robot&mistress rose out of the ruins ahead. Its fingers swept down, absorbing the rubble in to its armor and growing in size, her demolition having only strengthened the behemoth -

"Just like I said." chimed the woman. "It -"

" - can only be killed from the inside." yawned Matoi, and in the next instant -

- a dozen missiles exploded within the creature, cracking its shell from the inside-out; the shockwaves tore it in half, and before the woman could react -

- a landmine at her feet blew her skyward; she screamed as she hit her peak and started to fall -

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

- and the true show began then.

A volley of laughter passed Matoi as a volley of her missiles flew above, explosive shockwaves juggling her foe again and yet again, blowing her further skyward -

- and Matoi sighed as the woman flew out of her range. She tapped her foot as if expecting something, and as her foe fell within range again -

- a final missile tore her body in to a crimson rain, and out of the ghastly fireworks fell her still-beating heart, robot disappearing below -

" - no, no, I don't feel like chasing." droned Matoi, seeing the heart falling in to another street -

- and a truly final missile blast the heart back to her boots.

"Pathetic." muttered Matoi as crouching down with her tablet to scan, still bleeding from a score of wounds.

◆◆◆

The three heroes met up in one hotel room. Matoi's wounds had stopped bleeding. Henry had gone to the bathroom once Matoi showed, and her&Grant were mid-conversation.

"Yeah - shit." muttered Grant, tapping his own scarred arms of steel. "I've got some backup prosthetics, at least, but… ugh. Thought this was gonna take a week at most."

"Eighty dead men, at last count." said Matoi. "Five Revenants dead - and no leads."

"Besides those - uh, pamphlets. They already arrested the woman printing them out - but she hasn't said shit." said Grant. He glanced to the bathroom, and as if on cue, out stepped Henry. The blood vessels in his eyes were shot as he sat down.

Matoi stifled her disgust, knowing it might encourage him. (Men had odd tastes.) "Regardless. We'll require a medic, sooner or later."

"You got someone in mind, I'm guessing?" said Grant.

"I do. If they accept, I'll meet with them tomorrow."

"Sounds good." yawned Grant. "Who knows. Might get lucky - could've been the last ones, tonight."

Matoi stood, already turning. "We'll speak again tomorrow."

"Night." said Grant, and she was gone. His eyes went to Henry's. "You gotta stop doing that, dude. Jesus. Even I can tell."

"W-what?"

"You didn't even flush. Looked right at her when you came out of the bathroom."

"Well - yeah! - she was speaking, so. Besides. She's not my type, anyway."

Grant's morbid curiosity drove him more than sense. "… What's your - type?"

"I… I like… girls you wanna… I mean. Maybe you get it. Not like me, but. Since I'm rank #6."

"…girls you wanna…?"

"Like… protect." Henry laughed. "I dunno. Since I'm strong. Not to be arrogant, but."

"… uh. I guess. I've been with chicks shorter than me. You talking about that?"

"Yeah, exactly. You just kinda - wanna make sure they don't go through - that nothing bad happens to them." His eyes went down. "… M-Man. That's - that's what was - nice about her. She was - always kinda fragile. Just - one of those things you wish you could change. Tell your younger self not to screw up. I - had to retake my third-year, when she broke up with m-me."

"Let's…" Grant sighed. "... whatever. Just sleep."

◆◆◆

Serena had come home late from her date, and still had a smile when she walked in. Mia's curiosity had kept her up on the couch.

"Sorry." laughed Serena, catching the question in her eyes. "Um. It went really well."

"I'm - happy for you, but…"

"Um… So yeah." nodded Serena, sitting down beside. "She… ugh. This is kinda hard to talk about, cause - I know that it sounds sketchy, but…"

"I assume she's... did her girlfriend broke up with her?"

"Um. Other way around." Serena winced. "…yeah. So… We kinda talked about it, and… I mean, she… her and her girlfriend - weren't that good, anyway. Like, she said that after she broke up with her, that she just felt relieved. She - like, when they went over - when Yuruko visited. They'd just kinda sit and watch television, but they… didn't really talk."

"…oh." murmured Mia, stifling her protection. "If it was in decline, then…"

"…yeah. Um. don't worry. This isn't - y'know."

Mia drew a breath and nodded. "I trust your - and her judgement."

"Thanks." Serena smiled. "Uh, so, do you wanna hear how it went?"

"…of course." Mia grinned, the clueless lesbian still gossiper. "Did you kiss?"

"Yeah." grinned Serena. "I think I was way more nervous than her, though. It was - kinda quiet at first. But we just started talking about - y'know, what we normally talk about, or whatever. We didn't even - I dunno. We didn't even schedule a second date, since - she wants to go on another one, too, but - since we just live in the same place anyway. I might just show up at her front door, and ask her if she wants to go out that night or something." She closed her eyes for a second, slowly nodding. "… um. But - yeah." Her eyes opened over a smile. "It - it was really nice."

"Good."

"… I'm kinda confused, though. Uh. Do you and Aimee get each other gifts?"

"Sometimes, yes. Are you asking for advice?"

"Yeah. Uh. How do I buy gifts for someone who can create anything? …I mean, she can't create complex stuff, I guess, but. I wanted to get her a stuffed animal, but she could probably just create -"

- Mia's phone rung, saving her from the riddle as she took it. "Yes?"

"Swarm." said Matoi on the other end. "Apologies - are you and your protégé busy?"

'With an impossible question.' thought Mia.

"No, we're not. Is everything alright?"

"I'd like for you two to join me - alongside another pair - in Combanee, two hours west."

"Er, of course, but why?"

Matoi laughed. "Put me on speaker. I'll relay it to both of you."

Mia nodded, gesturing to Serena as she set it down on speaker. "It's on."

"A few weeks ago, myself, Grant, and -" - she sighed - " - Henry, rank #6 - were called in to investigate a local gang known as the Gorgons."

"Is their leader named Medusa?" said Serena.

"I presume so. Regardless, they appear to be virulently anti-men. They've murdered over eighty men - in ways you would expect - write pamphlets on the virtues of female separatism, and every member we've fought so far has been female."

"Are they... radical feminists, then?" said Mia, and Serena winced.

"That's a much deeper question than you think." laughed Matoi. "Regardless - it doesn't matter. They're scum, to be hunted as such. Can you and your protégé join us?"

"Um - Serena." chimed the protégé. "I'm up for it."

"As am I." said Mia. "When should we set out?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'll relay more to you on your way over."

With time to waste, the two nodded.

◆◆◆

The next afternoon, Grant and Henry had lunch outside, line of stores across the road ahead.

"…c'mon, man." muttered Grant. "Eat some."

"…yeah." mumbled Henry, setting slow on his portion. "Guess all that talking last night really did a number on me."

"Uh - yeah. Let's, uh, talk about something else." said Grant, his hope for the man swirling the drain. "I dunno. Something besides your... ex."

"…yeah - well, I'm fine talking about her."

Grant clenched back a sigh. "You were - uh, seemed pretty shaken up about her last night, man -"

" - well - so would you be! If you - fucked something like that up. Something that good. I think I'm handling it pretty well, all things considered - getting - reminded of it all the time, recently. But that makes sense, I mean."

"It - uh, makes sense?"

"...yeah. Cause I'm - rank six. Only five people are above me, but my Revenant isn't that good, and I've managed to get to rank six. S-So. I can handle a breakup."

"… I mean, alright."

"… you don't believe me."

"I... dunno, man. Let's just eat."

"…yeah." mumbled Henry. "Well. We've got two more, coming. Two women."

"Yeah."

Grant thought about mentioning knowing Mia, but decided against it, as to not lengthen their talk.

"Heard one of them is one of the few medics that can work on me, at least." muttered Grant, seeing a man pass by on the sidewalk.

"What do you mean -"

- and from the other end of the street came a scorching beam -

- that disintegrated the civilian in an instant; the two men shot to their feet, eyes sharp on the opposite two-story building, sun obscuring their vision.

"Gotta be some -"

- and from the roof of the building came another yellow beam -

- that cleared a hole through Grant's right palm, immense heat turning it glowing red; with a wince and a grunt, his right arm detached, floating just beside as the two stepped back -

" - really - fucking hot -" winced Grant -

" - got it." said Henry, flipping their table on its side. The men swept behind, and as Crosslink turned the barrier rubber -

- another scorching beam hit it direct, pierced clear through; and the rubber began to melt, immense heat forcing the two back&away -

- and out of the corner of Grant's eyes, he saw the pavement melted where the beams had struck. The men turned their eyes ahead, and as a cloud passed by the sun on the horizon -

- they saw a feminine figure on the building opposite's roof. With no time to waste, the two men rushed out to the road, Grant's right arm pressing through the parked cars as they ran, metal repairing his scarred prosthetic as they rushed.

"Turn - this rubber, yeah?" he said, flashing his left arm out to Henry; a sweep of his hands turned it rubber as they came across the road, one car parked outside the jewelry store, knowing their foe still hidden on the roof above.

A nod to Grant, and Henry turned the car to rubber, leaping up upon it, and as the trampoline launched him upward -

- his blood froze as he saw the sun's light return, and the next scene was instant.

He hit his peak, seeing their female foe on the rooftop, wearing sunglasses and a hat covered in mirrors; a sweep of her head, and as the scorching beam sought his legs -

" - Crosslink!"

- his arms and legs shrunk to a dwarfen size, launched up in to him as if by a rubberband -

- and the projectile caught only air as he landed back down on the sidewalk, legs still bouncing as if uncoiled springs as his body returned to normal.

"Can't - gotta get inside -" he winced, and with no time to waste, the men rushed inside the store, stairs on the other end, glass cases of jewelry left&right.

"Gotta - wait, shit -" said Grant, yanking Henry back by his collar -

- and a scorching beam hit the spot where he had just been a second later, erupting from above and leaving a clear hole through.

"We can't -" - another beam, and the two scattered - " - can't go up there, but -"

"She'll -" - another beam - " - I can turn the ceiling brittle, but -"

"And -" - another beam - " - " - risk -" - beam - " - this collapsing in?"

"God - fucking shit!" shouted her voice above - " - I used to love doing this shit to ants! Pest control, dickheads!"

- and the true assault began then, beams rapidly firing from the ceiling above, dozens of scorching rays pockmarking the floor ahead. Another volley missed narrowly Grant's arms, leaving a wide hole in the ceiling above -

- and the next scene was instant. A grip of his left arm by his right, a throw of the steel prosthetic above in to the hole, and as it reached its peak outside -

- Grant laughed as he heard the gasoline within burst in to flames, the woman's agonized screams following a second later.

"Come on. Get - try Crosslinking her, now."

The two turned, and as they readied to rush out the front doors again -

- her charred corpse fell from the roof to the sidewalk ahead, and they knew that she was dead.

"What - what'd you do?" panted Henry.

"Took some gasoline when we were passing by those tanks earlier. Someone's gonna be missing about - dunno. Three, four gallons."

The two laughed, and as Grant reattached his right arm -

" - nope!" he panted, detaching it quick - " - still, still fucking hot."

◆◆◆

The prodigal duo had taken a bus in to town. Matoi was waiting for them outside the station, and as they came up -

" - man." winced Serena, seeing Matoi's scars.

"Precisely why I called you."

"Um, do you want me to heal you now?"

"Preferably." laughed Matoi. "Swarm. I gave you the address, correct? Both of you will stay in my room."

"Of course." nodded Mia.

"Remember what I told you. If they find our hotel, it'll be far more dangerous for us."

"I dunno how much more dangerous it could get than that trip." said Serena, and Mia nodded.

"We'll be cautious, then."

"Fortunate. Serena - heal me as we walk."

"I - um - okay." nodded Serena, slightly flustered with fog readied.

"Good luck." chimed Mia, knowing the white wedding's harshness well. She went back down the sidewalk, and she was gone.

Matoi and Serena turned the corner, starting down another sidewalk, passing by a restaurant right. Serena started filling Matoi's wounds as she spoke. "Um - so, have to worry about getting tracked?"

"Correct." Matoi glanced behind as they passed by a restaurant right. "They'll likely target the men, instead - though they've started attacking me, after their recruitment offer failed."

"They tried to recruit you?" said Serena, passing by a restaurant right.

"They thought I might be sympathetic to them." said Matoi. 

Their complaints against men were legitimate, & she'd known most of the stats they brought up, as her mother had used to run a women's group in Japan, but she had no sympathy for their tactics. That they killed innocent men told Matoi they had little understanding out of what misogyny sprung - not in individual men like Henry or even Grant, but institutions - and they were likely vengeful women who would've stumbled on to some other social ill if they ever had their way. They were scum to be handled as such.

"Oh. Um - done." nodded Serena, passing by a restaurant right. Admittedly, she worried the Gorgons would find out who she was & target her worse than men. "Did you have any other wounds?

"No." said Matoi. "Does Swarm have a nickname for you?"

"A, uh - a nickname for me?"

"I had called my former protégé 'pig'." laughed Matoi. "I didn't know if she had decided to nickname you something until you hit two-star."

"Um… Nope." muttered Serena, passing by a restaurant right. "Just Serena."

Matoi shrugged, pulling a knife from her pocket and slitting her palm. "Heal this."

"Okay." nodded Serena, and as her fog flew to Matoi's wound -

- it appeared thirty feet ahead -

" - I - uh -"

- the two turned their eyes forward -

- and there sat a black woman on the curb, fifty feet separating them and she; and the prodigal restaurant to the women's rights.

"Oh - damnit." sighed Serena, fog refilling Matoi's wound.

"Revenant." muttered Matoi.

"Is - could be her, right?"

"Fortunately, there's a proven method for finding out who's a host." said Matoi, and in the next instant -

- a volley of missiles erupted from her shoulders, wedding veil flashing to life as the explosive barrage cut the air ahead; the woman shot to her feet and turned with a shriek, and as the missiles came danger-close -

- a burlap sack appeared in her hands -

- and in to the bag of holding went the missiles, Matoi laughing to find her bait had worked; but they had no time to rest. The women started their charge down the sidewalk, fog and sword drawn as they rushed forward -

- and were suddenly back at the restaurant's doors, no progress made at all.

"Would you like to try again?" preened the woman, fifty feet separating them and she.

The two started their headlong charge again, and as they came twenty within range -

- they sighed as they were swapped back to fifty feet away.

"Really -" - laughed the woman - "I could do this all day - it was so adorable seeing how long you two dipshits walked -"

" - you cowardly dickhead!" shouted Serena - " - you know that in a real fight, you'd get torn a new asshole, so you've gotta do stupid shit like this -"

- and Matoi laughed involuntarily as she saw the woman's face turning angered.

"Do - do you do that every fight?" cackled Matoi, unable to stifle it.

"Um - sort of." chimed Serena.

"Allow me. Is that the best you have, argument-for-post-birth-abortion?! Your Revenant can't even work alone! Does it only swap position?"

"You're gonna swallow a full load of missiles, like your mom should have!"

"Is this the best you have, Swap-Miscarriage?!"

"Go crawl back in the colon you got shat out of!"

"Tell her to swap with someone's shit, Serena." muttered Matoi.

"Tell her yourself."

"Go swap with someone's shit, asshole! Fall off your -"

" - Reconfigure!" grunted the woman, sweeping a flask out of her pouch -

- and the two taunting devils shrieked as the pavement below them turned acidic -

" - Blackburn!"

- but streams of fog filled the pavement with concrete anew, baking soda neutralizing the top layer.

"Nice try - uh, literal dickless!" shouted Serena, wishing she had the chemist in tow -

" - better than -" - the woman shouted back - " - whatever the fuck -YOU- are! You - look like - you know the magazine Bitch?! That's what you should be on the cover of! What the fuck is wrong with your -"

" - oh yeah - well - uh -" panted Serena, mind a flurry of insults, desperate not to lose -

" - why would she be on the cover of Bitch?!" shouted Matoi - " - you're their best-seller!"

" - your eyebrows look like a fucking - cavewoman's -" said their foe -

" - why don't you tell your friend from last night that?!' shouted Matoi - " - you can't, because I blew her body in to a thousand chunks all over the fucking sidewalk -"

" - you're the one who can't get over here!"

" - the seventieth member of the Red Mist Club - and that stupid fucking robot -"

" - you wanna try seventy-one?!"

"You should hope I don't -"

" - or what, with your wedding dress - "

" - they'll have to scrap all the shit out of your throat with a fucking snow plow -"

" - they'll be able to  - " - shouted Serena - " - flip you with a spatula like a fucking red fried egg! When you were born, the nurse sent your mother an apology letter -"

" - where did you fucking -" shouted the woman - " - learn to dress like that - stupid fucking mishmash of - cowboy and punk -"

" - better than looking like a 'Before' photo for facial reconstruction - "

" - better than the 'After' photo of a medical malpractice - case -"

" - could project a movie on your fucking forehead -"

" - oh, you really wanna go for appearance? What about that giant fucking -"

" - hair looks like a crab died on your -"

" - on your -"

" - you look like if Martin Luther King had a nightmare!" shouted Matoi -

- and the two taunting devils cackled as their foe stood stunned -

" - looking like -" - laughed Serena - " - face like your mom tried to shove you back in -"

" - as if her nose could make the clearance!" shouted Matoi - " - it would snap in half like a fucking -"

" - better than wearing -" shouted the woman - " - that fucking cumrag of a Revenant on your face - "

" - your Revenant looks like your cavernous -" shouted Serena -

" - can't you see we're fighting a Revenant here?!" shouted Matoi to the sidewalk opposite -

- where a small crowd had gathered.

"Uh - yeah! Can't you - see - that?" shouted Serena, and the civilians scattered.

And the two sighed as their verbal spar came to an end, no progress made. They rushed out on to the road, between the parked cars adjacent, and as they ran up the center lane -

" - Reconfigure!"

- and a dozen feet ahead appeared a tank, making with the speed of the military towards them -

" - Wedding!" shouted Matoi, yanking Serena behind her back, imminent heat growing from Wedding's eyes -

- and a wild and hasty flash of Wedding's lasers tore the metal to bits, scattering scrap ashes all across, missiles erupting and blasting the foul husk towards the woman -

- but a swift flash of her pouch again, and the tank shrunk in to the bag.

"Um - give me a missile." said Serena. Matoi handed her one quick, trust in Mia's mentorship.

"Bl-"

" - Reconfigure."

- and at their right, the restaurant's door disappeared, swapped with the dozen mid-flight missiles she had caught earlier; as they screamed towards the women -

" - Blackburn!"

- tendrils of black fog filled the missiles, and as Serena threw her own behind, the explosives burst outward -

- and the pressurized air within blew the women with the speed of a dozen diagonally-right, on to the sidewalk and thirty feet away from the woman now, a parked car left as they landed.

"Just need to do that -"

" - now it gets fun." grunted the woman, and in the next instant -

- they were swapped on the corner; then back to their original position; then on to the corner again, scenery changing with the speed of light around them -

" - g-going to be sick -" winced Serena, clenching one eye shut, starting to feel dizzy -

" - try -" shouted her voice behind - " - aiming -" - ahead - " - your fucking missiles -" - behind - " - now!"

Matoi clenched her head; and out of the corner of her eyes, saw the parked car left disappear - then reappear - then disappear again. A volley of missiles flew down below, burrowing in to the concrete -

- and she sighed as they swapped again, still feeling the missiles underground below.

"Trust my reaction time, then." muttered Matoi - the car reappeared -

- and the next scene was instant. An explosive barrage burst from her shoulders and veered left, shattering the car's windows -

- the car disappeared, and they saw it ahead beside the woman -

- and an explosion that threatened to blast to atoms the entire vehicle erupted outward, throwing metal shards away, a second volley of missiles flying to the woman -

- that tore their foe's body in half, leaving a flaming husk of an automobile crusted crimson beside. The women groaned as they crouched down, in their original position, stomachs curdling.

"… Serena."

"Y-Yes?"

"Hold my hair - back."

◆◆◆

While the others fought, one woman trailed Mia. She'd already told Medusa of the new arrival, though didn't yet know of Serena.

She gave a glance around the corner, waiting for Mia to pass around the one ahead. Careful step readied, she pressed her way out -

- and heard a crunch underneath -

- and a dozen pillars of white fire burnt her body to ash, Mia's laughter the last she heard.