Problems in Paradise

The woman was quite adamant. She gestured wildly. Katsumi's Perception was too low. The wild gesturing kept her from hearing whatever was being said. Something about a neighbor. Someone was missing? Who knew? Those gestures were too amusing to ignore. It wasn't until the woman snapped in her face that Katsumi started listening. "-are you even listening?! Her name is Koharu Kobayashi! She's been missing for days! Why aren't you doing anything?! Are you Rune Knights useless?!"

Lightning struck Katsumi. K.K? The genius magic programmer that had worked with her uncle? She had been over here? Why hadn't she been told? That woman had taught Katsumi everything she knew. She was the reason Katsumi could even be a mage. The Rune Knight whipped around. She ran for the house next door. The woman followed, yelling loudly.  "You stupid military mages! Not knowing how to help people! Standing around demanding money! Not protecting the innocent! You should be ashamed! ASHAMED! What is your superior officer's name? I want to know their name!" The urge to draw her weapon on this woman was strong. It took everything she could to not attack this idiot. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. By the magic council. Who are out to ruin me. Serilda will set Mythal on me. Mythal can turn me inside out and back again without me getting ten meters. Hell isn't just a nice place to warm my toes. The Field Marshals can make hell a place on Fiore for me. These were the mantras and thoughts running through her head as she slowly turned around.

"Ma'am. You are currently preventing me from conducting this investigation. I can tell you my superior's name. I'm sure she would be glad you took up her time with your complaint. However, I will be forced to explain the circumstances of this complaint thereby revealing that you stopped me from investigating until you had this information." Katsumi paused to take a breath. The woman's face was rapidly paling. Maybe her Speech skill was higher than she'd first thought. "Now, would you kindly step-"

Wham!

Katsumi flew through the air. The side of a building halted her impromptu flight. Her body crumbled against the hard stone. She barely managed to avoid breaking anything. Head lolling on her neck, Katsumi tried to see what elephant just hit her. A massive man with a stone fist stood before the woman. Thick black hair tumbled down his back. His face was baby smooth, the jaw oddly shaped. Muscles bulged from nearly every inch of the man. The woman appeared to be frozen in fear. The man smiled. Rocks appeared to be growing out of his gums. That explained the odd jaw shape.

The raven-haired woman did her best to push herself up. The woman was in danger. That man was going to kill her. This was what all her training had been for. Her fingers fumbled over her Henkan. She couldn't find a grip. Katsumi could only watch in horror as the man slowly raised his fist. "No, no, no, no, no." Each subsequent 'no' got louder and louder. She scrambled at her belt. Her dead friends flashed before her eyes. Their sad smiles. The goodbye in their eyes. The shattering of glass as the last of their HP ran out. She had felt helpless then. She felt helpless now. The fist came down. "NOOOOOOO!"

Screams ripped themselves from Katsumi's throat. Her eyes were wide, beholding the bloodied lower half of the woman. The top half was simply gone. The corpse toppled over when the man raised his fist. His head cocked as he looked at the Rune Knight. "Not...dead? Must...fix...no...searching...people...Blue cross...go away..." He rumbled slowly. His feet dragged against the cobblestone. The screeching noise helped clear Katsumi's head. She snapped out of her shock with an immense rage. Magic crackled in the air around her. Katsumi reached for one of the most powerful spells at her disposal.

"System Call. Generate Elements: Metallic, Aerial. Form element, spear shape. Unlock Secret Art. Noble Phantasm: Gae Bolg." A jagged red spear formed in her hand. The swordswoman used it to push herself into a standing position. The stone man thing cocked his head at her. "What... doing? Must... die... Stay... down." Katsumi's face twisted with her rage. "You killed her! She was only concerned about her neighbor and you killed her! You monster! I will end you!" The red spear was hoisted into the air. Katsumi teetered, nearly collapsing. She grit her teeth, setting her foot securely against the earth. Not yet. Not yet. The spear came back. She couldn't miss at this range. "Your heart is mine! GAE BOLG!"

Red light flashed through the air. Katsumi watched the spear blow through the man's chest. Her chest heaved, her body bent over attempting to balance. Smoke and dust obscured her target. He had to be finished. That was the best she could do right now. Her Henkan II flashed and sparked. It had been overloaded from the pull of a spell stronger than she was ready for. A dark shadow soon appeared in the smoke. The Rune Knight's eyes widened in horror. No. It couldn't be. "Ow...That... hurt... what... a pain." He was still standing. Despite her best efforts, he was still standing! Katsumi slumped onto the cobblestone. That was it. She'd thrown the best she had.

The man continued moving toward her. As the smoke cleared, Katsumi could see the damage she'd wrought. A large hole had been blown through his chest. Rocks crumbled through the opening. She could see clear through him. How was he even moving? There was a glint of something in his chest cavity. A lacrima? Katsumi scowled as her head slowly put things together. That was his core. He was one of those mobs. One that followed any order until it was completed or the core was destroyed. Who had the money to put one of these together in real life? Katsumi carefully wrapped her fingers around Henkan I. She would take it down. And after she was done with that, she would find K.K. Only after the old programmer was safe would Katsumi gather a squad of Rune Knights to hunt down the bastard behind the creation of this thing. Justice would be done.

WC: 1057

A yellow aura enveloped Katsumi's fist. She held the spell as the creature got closer. Her legs were shaking violently. There would only be one shot. If this didn't take it down, she was done for. All her talk about justice and this was the most she could do. Pathetic. Katsumi had made a promise when she left LAO. A promise to become stronger, to protect those around her. Apparently she'd been too relaxed about her strength. People had paid for that mistake. Her fist shook almost unleashing the spell too soon. Katsumi grit her teeth. Her resolve hardened. She would shoot for the top.

The creature was well within range. Katsumi blurred. Her body shot forward, her hand streaking for the lacrima. She felt triumphant, the lacrima shattering around her fist. "Yeeeesssss!" The golem shuddered to a halt. A flash of fear touched Katsumi's heart. Had that not been enough? Low screeching filled the air as the golem crumbled apart. The Rune Knight collapsed to her knees in relief. There. That poor woman had been avenged. Now to try and find K.K. Once she had regained her strength that is.

A slow clapping filled the air. "Well done! Well done! I never expected someone to take out one of my golems!" A figure landed nearby. Katsumi couldn't make out much. They'd covered their entire body in a voluminous cloak. A hood covered the figure's hair and goggles with a mask covered the face. It was impossible to identify the person. "And to think, it was the ultimate defeater of LAO! Oh, I never thought I'd be able to meet a celebrity! Do you think you could show me a little more? Or is that the limit of your strength?"

There were several thuds all around Katsumi. The swordswoman glanced around. Her breath caught in her throat. Eight more golems had appeared. She'd barely managed to handle one. Was this where her journey would end? The cloaked figure clapped her hands together. "Oh, pity. I can see from your face that this is too much for you to handle. I'm not quite ready to kill you yet... You're too much fun to play with. The despair on your face... delicious! I can't wait to play with you again." A motion from the figure had the golems turn and leave. Katsumi struggled to her feet.

"Ah, ah!" The figure appeared next to the swordswoman. Casually, they backhanded the Rune Knight. She stumbled, falling to the ground. Coppery blood filled her mouth. "Can't have you following us! Or rescuing that programmer either. She's my prey! You will be too once she's dead!" The figure clapped again. "Oh this will be so much fun! Toodaloo!" Katsumi looked up in time to see a foot descending on her face.

Hours later, Katsumi awoke. She was covered in dust and blood. Her uniform was in tatters. The Henkan II needed a reprogramming. K.K. was still out there being hunted by a psychotic murderer. The swordswoman groaned as she rolled over. She couldn't help anyone like this. Her body screamed for relief. For the time being, she had to take care of herself. Once she was up to speed, she'd go after that murderer and K.K. Wiping away the crusted blood on her lip, Katsumi gingerly got to her feet. It was going to be a long walk to the train station.

WC: 566
TWC: 1623