Prologue 1: Lailah and Cressida, the Shuffle Meisters?
For those roaming around the streets of Sydney, no one was safe from The Drop-bear. He appeared out of nowhere, sickle-clawed hands, messy grey hair and blood red eyes, dropping from tall buildings, collecting the souls of any human he fancied. Kings Street, a popular road in the middle of the city, was particularly sparse tonight. That was good for him, but then again, the Drop-bear loved big meals, this was not a meal . In the shadows of a back alley, the large, grey-furred man-beast jumped, latching onto the roof of a low-lying building and struggling to pull himself up and afterwards, took a glance at all the glorious human morsels.
He picked out a young woman, sundress and tanned skin, tasty-looking soul.
"Do ya see 'im matey?"
Behind a car, crouched a young woman with dark brown hair and black fedora with bright red lipstick. She wore a black jacket, white undershirt and folded cuffs with matching dress pants and a miniskirt, black and red in colour. Her figure was athletic, and slightly busty. She carried a black pistol in her white-gloved hands, the metal was riddled golden embossing and a red crystal on the top of the barrel. In the sheen of the round gun, was a young woman with snow white hair and bare buxom figure, grinning.
The formal young woman sighed.
"Your Australian accent is offensive. Of course I can see him." She replied, a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead.
"So are we going, or not!?" The Pistol called
"Patience is a virtue, Cressida." The Meister replied.
"I know, Lailah, but it's soooooooo boring! Let's get eat it's dang soul already!"
The black haired girl sighed.
(The two before you are none other than the interchangeable Weapon and Meister Pair Lailah Nacht and Cressida Matthews.)
"Very well. It looks like he is about to spring, regardless. " Lailah replied to the pistol, nodding.
"Remember, if we get into close range fighting, we should swap! Spears are better for close range." Cressida called, nonchalant.
"Correct." The pale-skinned girl replied, taking a glance at her target, who was ready to pounce.
The Drop-bear was sooooo ready for this, saliva cascading down his mouth hungrily, his prey closer and closer now. Soon. Soon he would feast upon morsel magnificent. Human souls. God the though of it made him want to spring down there now and devour them quickly and mercilessly, pulling his evil gaze from the woman, he noticed another young woman, crouched behind a car. Two souls. She had two souls…? AWESOME MORE TO EAT. His thoughts distracted him, the woman e yearned to eat was now behind him and so he pounced downwards, straight onto her, claws ripping at her dress, and in a small second, she shattered into nothingness, a ripe blue soul hanging in the air. It's presence lulled the Drop-bear, whose elongated tongue attacked it, curling about it, before taking a one-way trip to his stomach. He looked towards the smaller soul beside hers.
Lailah let out a curse. She had acted too late.
"She was pregnant…"
"No time to get moody, c'mon let's kill that thing!" Cressida called.
"I-"
"JUST DO IT!"
Lailah stood, sighing. Jumping onto the hood of the car and pointing weapon!Cressida at the monster. Who turned, distracted from his meal. Two souls stood before him, one was human and from what he could read of it, stoic and calmed. The other? An extravagant soul riddled with runes, bubbly, yet, it seemed to hide something deeply.
"Drop-bear, you are accused of eating the souls of humans, this action has rendered your soul tainted and for that. We will not allow you to become a Kishin, we will be your executioners. Your Soul is mine!"
It would be a pleasure eating their souls.
It was then that Lailah vanished from sight, the Drop-bear looked upward to view a white shoe kicked straight into his lower-jaw. He flailed to attack the girl, but did not cry out- Kishin like him didn't feel pain.
"Aim at his chest." Lailah called to her partner, the crystal shone a reddish aura and… BANG! An ephemeral bullet passed through the pistol, hitting the Drop-bear straight in the Shoulder. Dazed and confused, he lashed out blindly, staggering towards the Meister, who let a smile penetrate her rigid face.
"Is it swapsy time?" Cressida called.
"Yes"
The two, Weapon and Meister shone, Cressida a white light and Lailah a reddish-black. Lailah jumped into the air, her body disappearing while Cressida began forming.
The petite young woman with the comically humungous bust stepped onto the street, little black slippers fitted to her feet. She wore a small dress, up to her knees. It was white in colour with a bonnet. The Dress itself was shoulderless, and taking a look at her bazongas, she didn't need anything to hold it up- perve. The girl's face was petite, eyes closed, a thin line of pink lipstick, whitened eyebrows and lashes, her hair was long and a bush of white curls behind her, twin ringlets as her sideburns. She wore a single hanging ruby in her right ear. It was then that Lailah had appeared in Cressida's hands, as a spear, she held black metal, white tipped bottom. The spearhead was gunmetal grey, a small vector as a point.
Cressida spun the heavy spear with elegant ease, eyes still closed, pointing it directly at the moving Drop-bear.
"Far too slow for my liking." Cressida said simply as she spun the spear, she brought it across towards the Drop-bear, attacking him from the side with the pole. She continued her sweep, taking the Drop-bear with her and spinning him like a record as she took delicate steps and promptly sent him flying into a building on the opposite side of the street. She opened her light blue eyes.
"Wheeee! That was fun~!" Cressida giggled, twirling a finger in one of her ringlet.
"Jesus… You need to calm down when it comes to entrances…" Lailah scolded, reflection of her face appearing on the spearhead "Kill it, don't throw it against a building."
"Sheesh, sorry! Look, we can finish it off now! It's coming straight for me!"
The Drop-bear struggled to stand. This girl… what was she? Standing and roaring in anger, he rushed towards her, lashing claws and angry koala face.
Shink, The spear she held slunk straight into the Drop-bear's chest as he jumped and landed in the air, spear in his chest.
Ow?
"Well that was easy" Cressida smiled as the Drop-bear was no more, Black matter exploded from the defeated monster and a red soul was gifted. The Spear in Cressida's hand shone black and red and Lailah appeared. The two fistbumped.
"I think you deserve this one, Cressida." Lailah replied, looking down at the small princess-like figure.
"Chow Time!"
Some time after...
"Now we're even: 1 each!" Cressida called, the two walked through the streets,
"196 to go… and two Witch Souls." Lailah added, coldly. "I should contact Lord Death."
From her pocket, Lailah produced a reflective surface, a mirror in this case, sleek and rectangular.
"42-42-564 whenever you want to knock on Death's door" The two sung, Cressida giggled.
"Hello, hello! What's the deal-eo?"
"Lord Death, Shuffle Meisters Lailah Nacht and Cressida Matthews reporting. The Drop-bear has been dealt with." Lailah replied to the cloaked, skull-masked man with the goofy voice.
"Very good! I just got the report in!" Lord Death called, a human hand jutted out towards Lord Death, a stack of paper grasped within, Lord Death, gently plucking the papers from the hand wih his massive white-foam finger-like hands, he began to scan the pages, remaining silent. "A Three-storey building destroyed...?"
W-we didn't destroy it!" Cressida objected- CRACK. A condominium behind them crumbled into the dirt.
"Whoops" Lailah shrugged, indifferent.
"Hmm, well, I suppose a punishment is in order for your destruction... Oh! How about a remedial lesson with the new teacher, yes, that shall suffice! Is that all you have to report?"
The two shook their heads, Cressida smiled nervously.
"Byeeeee~!"
The Surface went blank, now a reflection of Lailah's most irritated-looking faces boring straight into Cressida's very existence.
"Aw crap!"