Huntress

Prologue: Midnight Run

It was an uncharacteristically dark evening on a marine base island a few miles west of marine headquarters. You sat motionlessly on the ledge of a window, staring into the darkness with determination. You had been waiting for something- well, someone- for quite some time now, and while you weren't one to give into stress, you were beginning to loose patience. The universe must have taken note of your declining restraint because the man of the hour came staggering into the room.

He was stark raving drunk.

Coupled with the blinding darkness, it was nearly impossible for him to see anything. Which was pretty inconvenient for him-but perfect for you. You watched in disgust as he stumbled through his office slurring a drinking song and chuckling every now and then. You didn't touch alcohol, and you'd rather not have to talk to a drunken man.

But that's quite alright. You had a way to sober him right up.

Bracing yourself, you leapt from the ledge of the building opposite his room and into the man's office, successfully landing a powerful round-house kick to the drunk's face. He let out a muffled cry as he toppled over his desk and landed with his back against a wall in a loud thud. The noise caught the attention of one of the lookout men outside his door.

"Officer Delci, is everything alright?"

Before he could signal distress, you skillfully lunged at him with a blade drawn, and pressed it against his throat.

"Everything's fine. You fell." You hissed. Drawing enough blood from his neck to stress that you weren't screwing around.

He still couldn't see you, but he felt the blade and the blood-that's all he needed.

"E-everything's fine. I-I just fell."

The lookout grunted before moving on. When you were sure he was gone, you grabbed your hostage by his hair and pulled him to his feet while sheathing the small blade back to your hip. Your shining eyes illuminated the otherwise pitch black space, and your captive shivered under your grip like a child.

"W-what do you want with me? Amnesty? I-I can get that for you-"

"I don't want-"

"You're an escaped convict r-right? If you let me go I-UGH"

The last of the bribe from the heavy set man flew from his mouth in a whirlwind of incomprehensible slurs as you slammed his body against the wall in a successful effort to shut him up. You grit your teeth menacingly.

"I'm not here for that. I'm here for you Stokes Delcie" Your eyes glinted with hate as you stared intently at the man who quivered at the sound of his own name. You almost couldn't stand to look at this coward, you hated cowards. However, you had business to attend to.

"I suppose you don't remember me..." His shadowed face only proved your inference. Your hateful expression did not change as you continued.

"But tell me, do you remember a man by the name of Mifune?"

Your ears picked up the small gasp that left the officer's mouth. He recognized the name-which meant he recognized you.

"I-it's you! Huntress!" Your orbs gleamed at the sound of your epithet as you drew one of the two swords that sat comfortably strapped over your right shoulder.

"Stokes Delcie, you have been found guilty of wrongful death-"

"W-wait! We can work something out!" He floundered, pushing uselessly against your strong grip.

"As well as the lifelong emotional distress of a child and an entire island of people-"

"I have friends! N-nobles!"

You glared at the mention of a filthy noble. Your own words and that of your defendant mixed together in a cocktail of bargains and ultimatums.

"They can give you whatever you want ffff-!" Again, the wind was knocked out of him. This time by a powerful punch to the abdomen that caused him to double over and spit up the alcohol he had consumed that night.

You turned your head to avoid the smell, disgust riddling your darkened features.

Nonetheless, you continued.

"You will pay for these crimes against the innocent, with your life."

Your ultimatum left him in a panic as he once again attempted to bargain-only to be cut off by your action of yanking his thinning hair in a violent downwards motion and sliding your katana blade across his now exposed throat, spilling all of the blood in his body. You listened as his fish-out-of-water like gasps went silent and the only sound was the occasional drip of internal fluid flowing from his neck and onto the tile floor.

Feeling in the dark, you set your katana aside and grasped at the fabric of the man's uniform and tore open a hole revealing his bloody chest. Brandishing your dagger once again, you went to work. When you were sure the job was complete, you wiped any remaining blood on the ripped fabric of his uniform and sheathed the dagger. You were sure the work was sloppy on the account of the dark, but it would get the message across. Standing, you pulled a small towel from your navy blazer pocket. Moving over to the desk, you leaned against it, cleaning your blade in the dark. Sheathing your sword when finished, you stepped over the toppled furniture and back to the window from which you had entered. Noticing the full moon, you pulled a small black notebook from the back pocket of your black shorts and thumbed through the pages before stopping. You grasped around the dead man's office desk for a pen and proceeded to your final step of crossing out the name.

The page read:

Terhass Rodman
Tshiek Jather
Russo Curtis
Pettis Aster
Johnson Buford
Willismae Dean
Broadson Aaron
Aldo Jamison

And finally,

Stokes Delcie

The world was now free of these men thanks to you. Turning yet another page in the slightly worn book, you stopped on a list that held a description.

It read:

Dark brown hair
Grey eyes
At least 6'0ft tall.
Supposed squad leader.
Scar over bridge of nose.
Missing one canine tooth.

Your hands squeezed the book in a vice grip as memories flooded your mind for a brief and painful moment before you shook your head to rid yourself of such tormenting thoughts.
Dropping the pen and tucking the black book back into place, you moved to dangle your legs off of the ledge of the window. You closed your eyes and leaned your head back, exhaling softly. Once again feeling at peace while basking in the light glow of the moon, despite sharing the space with a now lifeless being. Lost in thought, you did not hear the commotion below as multiple marines began to mobilize. It was not until a dangerously close shot directed towards your shadowed figure was fired, that you realized the situation.

They must have seen me leave the window. You thought.

Your expression failed to show any signs of panic as emergency sirens flared and a floodlight scanned up the building. You dodged the bright beam by jumping vertically and scaling the rest of the brick structure by its ledges, staying one step ahead of the light to avoid being identified. Once on the roof that contained stable ground, you took off at lightning speed, jumping effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop, ignoring the constant barrage of bullets and shouts of "Show yourself!" and "Murderer!"

Reaching the last of the buildings, you retrieved a remote with a single button. After pressing said button, you allowed your body to free fall off of the roof. The darkness of night swallowed your form as you listened for the familiar hum of your transportation. Stretching your arms upwards, you eventually felt the cool surface of the metal snowboard-like mechanism as it whisked you away. Your strength allowed you to pull yourself onto the device that strapped your feet into stabilizers. One last bullet whipped past you, just missing your ear and embedded itself in the vastness of the ocean that you now sailed over. Exhaling once more since the commotion, you let yourself relax again and stared almost longingly at the moon that hung like a glorious pearl in the endless ocean that was the sky.

You were safe now, and it was time to go back home.

How was it? What can be better? Should I continue? Feedback and comments are greatly appreciated!