Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
Time*
Noise*
(Location)
Chapter 1: The Newcomers
Day 1: The New Beginning
(Unknown)
In the middle of the night, there are two shadowy figures falling from the sky at an incredible speed. Not a minute too soon, both of those shadow figures fall into the water.
One of the shadowy figures quickly rises up to the surface. Showing the appearance of a young man around his 20s. Sadly, the other shadow hasn't swim back up to the surface like the man, after a few seconds. The young man still hasn't seen the other person coming back up.
"SHIT!" The young man cried out, then drive back into the water to rescue the other person before they drown.
Both the young man and the other person came back to the surface just a few seconds after the young man swims back down. As the second shadow figure happens to be a young woman and look like a few years younger than the man.
The surprising thing about these two, is their appearance, with both of them having white hairs and pink eyes. Furthermore, both of them are wearing clothes that fit the status of a high-class family.
"Why didn't you learn how to swim?! All you know is how to float, but after going underwater. You're most likely to stay underwater!" The young man angrily shouts at the young woman, who was busy coughing up water to answer at the moment.
The young man continues to shout a few times before letting out a tired sigh, then begin swimming towards land, with the young woman tightly held onto the young man's back.
"Kuro~! I'm hurt, make the pain go away...also I'm hungry." The young woman said to the young man named: Kuro, who didn't know if he should laugh or cry from listening to the young woman's complaint.
"Azura. We're literally in the middle of nowhere and dropped who know how high from the sky. I'm just happy we survive and land not too far from where we are. But, why do you continue to have thoughts about food?!" Kuro said to the young woman, who name is Azura. And it seems like these two know each other rather well.
"Just wait until we find out where we are, then I'll get us something to eat. So for the time being. Think about the reason why we end up here and where are we." Kuro said to Azura, as he continues swimming and just a few minutes from land.
After a few minutes of swimming, both Kuro and Azura finally reached land. However, much to their confusion. They end up in an unknown abandon shipyard.
"Any idea where we are, Azura? Because I'm pretty sure I would know a place like this." Kuro didn't know if he should be happy to finally be on land or annoyed there no one in sight to speak with.
"How would I know, when you don't? Hmm...I can't seem to remember what we were doing before we fell." Azura frown at this and wonder if there anything she could remember. But, draws a blank.
She can't even recall her own last name! Furthermore, she doesn't even know if her actual name is Azura or it's a nickname. All she knows it's a name she responded to. From what she could tell, it's mostly used by Kuro and that's it.
"Something wrong, Azura?" Kuro looks at Azura with a bit of concern at the way she looks like she about to cry.
"Well, I'm hungry, hurt, and can't remember anything besides the fact that we're cousins. We need food and healing. By the way, do you remember anything?" Azura tries not to cry while ignoring the shocked attached to Kuro's face.
Kuro narrows his eyes and tries to remember anything, just anything. Then, frown as he realizes there are some stuff he remembers, but feel a bit foreign compared to the other memories.
Letting out another tired sigh, Kuro rubs the back of his neck and look around him. Thinking about what they should do right now. After all, one: They're wet, which is a given after swimming back to land. Two: He has a bad headache, maybe that's the causes of losing some memories. Even if he does feel like it's a weak excuse though.
While Kuro was thinking about what to do next. Azura was busy trying to not to cry due to the pain in her back.
"This hurts. I wish I can heal." Azura mumble to herself, then like a switch turned on. Azura feels her back slowly getting better and in just around a minute. Her pain is gone, much to her surprise.
"Did you say something, Azura?" Kuro glance at Azura while continues to rub his forehead, trying to ease a headache, but it's barely helping at all.
Azura seeing this had an idea, "Hey, Kuro come here for a sec. I want to try something." Azura quickly places her hands on Kuro's head once he lowers his head to Azura's height.
"What are you-?!" Kuro was about to ask his cousin about what's she doing, then discovered his headache started to disappear much to his surprise. And before Kuro could ask Azura how she cured of his headache. He notices Azura is breathing heavily and look a bit pale.
"Azura!" Kuro grabs hold of Azura before she falls to the ground, then quickly check if she alright and see if anything happens to her without his notices. However, all he could tell was she just cold, which was a given when her clothes are still wet.
"Just...fine." Azura breathes deeply a few times before she good enough to not fall over. "I don't know how, but I got superpower!" Azura cried out in excitement and if she wasn't so tired right now. She would be jumping in joy right now, but just settles with a big smile on her face.
"By superpower...you mean the ability to heal others?" Kuro tilts his head to the side, not denying Azura's response as the memories he could still remember, included the knowledge about the world having people with superpowers and are known as parahumans.
Which was weird for Kuro, since he can't seem to remember where he learned about this. He just knows it like it's a common thing, which was kind of is from what he could recall.
"Yup! Also, can we get food now? Because I think the healing made me more hungry than before." Azura would have pulled on Kuro, to prove her point, but she settles with a pout instead.
"Well, seeing how my headache and your back are fine now. I guess we could, but I'm pretty sure we don't have any money to pay for those foods. Unless you have some cash on you right now?" Kuro raises an eyebrow at Azura, who begin to search on her person to see if she actually does have some cash hidden in her clothes.
After a few minutes of searching. Neither Kuro or Azura found a single penny on themselves. Must to the disappointment of Azura, even her stomach agreed with her as it causes a loud growling sound.
"Welp. I guess we won't be getting any food any time soon." Kuro said to Azura, who currently rubbing her stomach with a pout.
Looking around one more time before Kuro started leading Azura out of this shipyard and find out where they are. Maybe look for a job that includes a place to stay and food.
"So...do you have a superpower, Kuro?" Azura was curious if her own cousin also have superpower as well, which would make things great! Now, if she could only figure out if healing is just her only superpower, then she may find herself a little sad.
"I don't know. Not like I could just wish for one." Kuro shrugged at Azura, who has a thoughtful look repeatedly rephrases the word: Wish a few times.
"Well, can you? That's what I did. I wished for healing." Azura said to Kuro, then blink to herself when she just had sudden new memories of knowledge about how to make medicine out of random objects lying around nearby.
"Sure, like that would work." Kuro joke with Azura, who stopped in her steps and continue to blankly stare off into space. It took a few seconds for Kuro to realize Azura stop following him for a while now.
Turning around, Kuro noticed that Azura was mumbling about something before she rushes towards a broken down boat that's beyond recognition to some people. Where Azura started tearing down a few things she could do with her bare hands, which wasn't much, and begin to put a few things together.
Afterward, Azura rushed back to the confused Kuro and present a weird looking syringe with a meter attached on top of it. Furthermore, there was some kind of liquid inside the syringe. This only took Azura 5 minutes or so to make, with random tools she finds lying around in the broken boat.
"Look Kuro! I made a stimpak from the Fallout game!" Azura became even more excited than she was already is. "And I found out I could make other kinds of healing items from different games. It's just too bad I can't find out what kinds of stuff I need to make them."
"I thought your superpower was healing or does your superpower includes making games' healing items out of random objects?" Kuro glance down at the stimpak, that looks exactly like the one from the game and wonder if she could make health potion somehow.
"It is." Azura smirk at Kuro, "But, I think I know my REAL superpower is. Come on guess. I'm sure you could easily guess what it is." Azura looks very excited about finding out what her real superpower and it isn't just healing if she could guess it correctly.
Kuro looks down at the stimpak and back at Azura's face for a few more times, then stop at Azura. "You can wish for any superpowers?" Kuro wasn't stupid to not remember how Azura gained her powers in the first place and the second one if he's guessing correctly.
"Yup!" Azura shouted, then sneeze and remember she still in wet clothes, causing her eyes to lit up as she knew what the next superpower she wants.
"I wish for bio-clothes! OWIE!" Azura crouches down as she held her head in pain while closing her eyes tight.
"Azura!" Kuro quickly checks of any sign of injury on Azura's head, but found nothing while Azura to continue to shake her head in pain. "Are you okay?!"
Azura continues to shake her head until she remembers about her healing power, which she quickly use on herself to get rid of this bad headache before she does something she would regret.
It took Azura a few minutes to cure her headache, with the downside of becoming even more hungry than ever. She has the feeling if she tries to heal one more time, then she may end up with something worse than just being famished.
"I'm okay, but I'm very famished right now. I guess my Healing Touch." Azura notices Kuro looking at her with an eyebrow raise, "Yes, I named my first power as Healing Touch. Don't judge, it does as the name say and I definitely know for sure Healing Touch would make me very hungry."
"Well, I guess there a limit to what you could wish for as a superpower." Kuro said to Azura, who looks annoyed that she limited to how she gain new powers. "Anyway, I guess I could see if I could gain a power by wishing it like you did."
This caught Azura's attention and quickly force onto her cousin as she wonders what kind of superpower Kuro would wish for.
"I wish for the power of absolute control." Kuro spoke out his wish and wait for any sign of gaining something related to his wish and hope he doesn't get something lame or weak.
The whole area went silence and nothing happen, Kuro waited for a few more seconds and still got nothing. Even Azura finds this a little weird that Kuro didn't show any sign of suddenly gain superpower like she did.
"Anything, Kuro?" Azura still can't see any sign of Kuro gaining his wished power. Kuro isn't even showing any expressions to show he looked surprised or annoyed about how his wished for superpower end up being lame.
"Nothing." Kuro looks at his hands with disappointed eyes. But, didn't let it bother him and just continue to lead Azura to find a place to eat before she passes out. "Oh well, I lived a life without a superpower. So it won't make much difference not having one now." Kuro gives Azura a smile while hiding the small relief for some reasons.
Of course, Kuro would be happy to gain a superpower, but he just can't remember why he would feel like this, not wanting a superpower, even if it's lame. It still counts as a superpower that's not any common people could have.
"Don't worry, Kuro! I will protect you from the bad people." Azura raises her right first to the night sky, giving Kuro a big bright smile, then it fades a bit after she realizes she doesn't know her limit in getting new powers just yet. "Well, at least I will be able to later in the future after I find out what I can and can't do."
Kuro smirk at Azura, even with most of his memories are gone. He still remembers that Azura doesn't have any experience in fighting at all. One of the reasons he could still remember is because it looks like he went through countless numbers of fights to protect Azura all the times.
Walking through countless of abandon and broken down ships. Kuro frowns a little, as he tries to remember what's the reason for him wanting to protect Azura in the first place, but came up with a blank.
"So, got any new wishes you want to try out?" Kuro grin at Azura, who puff her cheeks and glare at Kuro, knowing he was messing with her as when she just tried it again and end up with a small headache this time. But, still a headache she has no desire to experience in the first place.
A few minutes later*
(Brockton Bay: Boat Graveyard)
"Huh, so this is the shipyard's name." Kuro thought out loud upon reading the old rusty sign attached to the left side of the wall, where the entryway is. "Brockton Bay...where have I heard that name from?"
Azura continues to rub her stomach with one hand while with the other hand she held onto the stimpak. Trying to figure out where she should hide this. As she can't just hold it forever or else someone will take it from her. Plus, she may need this stimpak later in the future and she's not planning to throw it away without using it first.
"Hey, Kuro. Can we get something to eat now? Before my stomach decided to eat itself." Azura's stomach growls louder than the previous one and she looks a bit paler than usual.
"Alright. Come on, I could see some people up ahead." Kuro started walking again as he leads Azura to a nearby place that sells foods and hopes he could just do the dishes pay for the food.
35 minutes later*
(Brockton Bay: The Market: Fugly Bob)
After entering The Market, which is what the area is called by what the sign we passed by. There are countless numbers of stalls, and many people walking around doing window shopping. While some are busy trying to find what they wanted to buy.
Just around 20 minutes of walking, both Kuro and Azura found a few places to eat, but was refused service due to lack of money, even when Kuro offered to do the dishes to pay.
Luckily for them, they found a small ad attached to one of the fast food restaurants' front door and it happens to be located on the edge of The Market. Where the specialty burger is the Fugly Bob Challenger: If someone can finish it, they don't have to pay for it.
Seeing this, Kuro brings Azura inside the restaurant to order the Fugly Bob challenger and maybe Azura hungry enough to finish the whole thing within the time limit. This would fill Azura's stomach up and not have to pay for it.
'Now, I just hope Azura can finish all that.' Kuro stare at the thing calls a food. Four one-pound slabs of some kind of meat nestled between two pounds of a bun, cheese, and any other things in the burger. Including a large order of fries to go with it.
Kuro felt sick just looking at the Challenger and wonder if he should worry about Azura's stomach from blowing up after eating the whole thing.
Azura, on the hand, was happy to get something to eat. All she has to do was eat the whole thing before 45 minutes are over, then it's free. Now, she just hopes her stomach could handle it without exploding on her.
"I don't know if I should call that bravely or stupidly for a little girl trying to eat the Challenger." One of the customers' whispers to another customer.
Azura begins eating the giant burger in front of her. A few minutes in, she started to get sick of all the beef. "I wish I can finish this without getting fat." Azura quietly uses her power to see if it would help her finish the Challenger.
Waiting for an incoming headache while continue eating the giant burger. Azura discovered that her almost full stomach became empty right away and felt her stamina recovering rapidly. Therefore, Azura speeds up her pace as the time is still ticking, and she rather not do the dishes, even if Kuro promise to do it. But, she got the feeling she would still have to do it anyway.
Everyone, including Kuro, was dumbfounded at the sight before their very eyes. Watching a little girl devour a giant burger like it's her last meal and only 20 minutes went by so far. Much to the horror and awe among everyone in the restaurant as the giant burger is almost finished.
Kuro blinks, tilting his head to the side, at the edge of his sight, where some stranger is taking pictures of Azura and him, and made a call after taking who know how many pictures of them.
As for the reason why Kuro pays attention to the stranger, because the way they stared at him, but mostly at Azura. Like they found a target for something. Kuro let out another sigh, which he did a lot tonight, feeling like an idiot for walking in plain sight with the clothes he and Azura are still wearing, even when it still a bit wet.
They look like some high-class family that came here for sightseeing and picked this restaurant because of the Challenger. So with the whole status belong to a rich family. This is literally placing a big target sign on them, just waiting for any gang members to rob them. Sadly, these are the only clothes they have and wasn't going to throw them away like trash.
Kuro doesn't know if Azura feels the same way, but he got the feeling these clothes mean a lot to them. Too bad, the reason why was lost to him. As he can't remember about this either.
The stranger left the restaurant after they finish their call and the way they look at Azura wasn't anything good. This surprisingly caused Kuro release a small hint of killing intent.
Kuro blinks at this and lets out a sigh of relief when he realized that he actually has almost all his fighting experience, along with the fighting style he trained as a young child.
"And we have a winner!" The Manager of the Fugly Bob called in a happy tone, causing everyone to clap and whistles at Azura, for finishing the Challenger with 5 minutes to spare.
"So, what's your name little miss?" The Manager asked in a polite tone, as they signal one of the workers to bring a camera. "And do you mind staying seated? I would like to take a picture of you, to put on the wall for those that beat the Fugly Bob Challenger."
Azura quickly wipes her mouth with a napkin before speaking, "I'm Azura! Does this mean I don't have to pay for it like it says in the ad?" Azura really didn't want to clean the dishes and not just because of the sight of how dirty those dishes are. Okay, maybe that just one of the reasons she doesn't want to.
"Yup, so you don't have to worry about the bill." The Manager give Azura a smile, then look at Kuro, "And this must be your Father? You must be happy for your daughter to be able to eat such a large burger within 45 minutes."
Kuro blinks, and look at the Manager like he crazy and realized they weren't joking at all! This caused Azura to snicker and almost laughed out loud at the dumbfounded Kuro.
"I'm her cousin, not her Father." Kuro said calmly, with a twitchy eye and the urge to lash at the Manager, along with the nearby workers and customers laughing at him.
"Well, you should be proud to have a cousin that can finish the Challenger." The Manager gives a few pats on Kuro's back before walking back into the kitchen.
"Come on, Azura. Time for us to leave." Kuro said to Azura as he heads outside, prompting Azura to get off her seat and follow Kuro.
"Wait for me, Kuro!" Azura runs after Kuro while ignoring some of the customers staring at her.
(Brockton Bay: The Market)
So far, Kuro sees no hint of the stranger back at the Fugly Bob anywhere. Kuro let a sigh of relief once he discovered that he still has his habits of scanning the area for anything hostile and more memories about other things related to protecting Azura. But, some are still fragments of what looks like some kind of war.
Kuro could tell that he's maybe a child soldier or something similar with the facts available for him so far. All he knows is that he must protect Azura and care for her. Even if his life is on the line.
"Where are we going, Kuro?" Azura looks at her cousin, who had a blank expression and look like he about to attack anything that shows a hint of hostile intent.
"Anywhere that's safe." Kuro said to Azura. Yes, safe, as in a place that won't cause him to worry about Azura's safety if he can leave her alone there for an hour at a minimum. But, if Kuro has to say anything about it. He got the feeling, that he already has done this countless times and it became natural to him.
In fact, Kuro already did a quick scan of the area more than once one, he could easily tell if the place and the surrounding would be safe. Even to the point of checking for a route to escape if needed.
10 minutes in their walks, neither Kuro or Azura found any place that offers a place to stay while working there at the same time. Even if they did, the place wasn't that in good condition for anyone to live in unless you want to get robbed at night, where any gangs could enter the place.
"Kuro, my feet hurt." Azura looks up at Kuro as she stares at him with puppy eyes, not bother to request for him to carry her when she knows or at least remembers she does this all the time when her feet hurt from walking for too long.
"Fine." Kuro rolls his eyes at Azura before getting on his knees for Azura to climb on his back, then started walking again while ignoring the people staring and pointing at us. Some look amusing, happy, confused, and one with greed.
Kuro finally found the stranger from before with a group of people, that look very shady and almost everyone else is staying away from them. Like they some big shot in the area or just didn't want anything remotely to a relationship them.
Seeing this, Kuro continues walking without a care, but actually forming a plan in his head on how to take care of these people and maybe even loot their bodies of anything valuable. Yup, Kuro has no problem stealing from others. After all, they are in dying need of cash and taking it from some people with bad intent towards Azura and him is a good enough reason for him to do so.
15 minutes later*
Kuro decided to walk into an alley that's near the edge of the exit of The Market and back to the Boat Graveyard. This caused Azura to question Kuro on why they taking a longer path if they're heading back to the Boat Graveyard to find a decent boat that could let them stay inside for the night.
Not wanting for the people following them, Kuro whispers to Azura to quiet down as there are people following them and not for the good reason.
Not a few minutes later when they entered the alley, there are multiple footsteps coming from behind, causing Kuro to turn around and see a group of 6 people grinning at them.
"Hey, don't you know this is The Merchants' territory?" One of the people, who could be the leader, playfully said to both Kuro and Azura as the others next to him snicker.
The word: territory caused a reaction to Kuro, but quickly hide it, Azura tightens her grip around Kuro's neck and tries to make her look smaller, causing the people in front of them to laugh at this.
"You two have to pay a fee if you want to walk through these areas. Oh, and don't worry about not having money. You can just give us the girl to work for it. Hehehe. As for you, just follow my friend to do some work and you're free to go." The same person spoke out from last time again, as they started walking closer to their targets. One of them even licked their lips as they lay their eyes on Azura's face.
Kuro blankly stares at the thugs in front of him, then gently put Azura on the ground, causing the thugs to laugh even louder than before as if they thought he was cowardly before them.
Before one of the members of The Merchants could say anything else. One of them had their right arm literally cut off their body, making a bloody spray everywhere like a hose. Covering some of the thugs in their comrade's blood and their brains couldn't comprehend what's going on.
Not a second later, another thug loses a limb and this time it was a right leg. Both the first and second victims finally reacted and shriek in pain as they try to stop the blood from flowing out of them. Which is a futile effort and prompted the others to shout out the word: Cape.
Kuro appears next to another thug and hit the pressure points in their arms, then legs, before the thug fall to the ground. Quickly, Kuro did the same to the rest. This leads to countless scream of pain in the alley.
If this wasn't the territory of The Merchants, then people would have rushed over to check what's going on in the alley, but since this is area belong to a dangerous gang. They stay as far away as possible while praying for the poor victims to have a safe journey in the afterlife and at the same time wishing they won't become the next victim to a gang.
"How come you didn't remove a limb from each of them like you did with the first two?" Azura keeps her distance away from the thugs in front of her, because of a memory of a time, where she was naive enough to get near a captive enemy and got caught the moment she was in their reach, holding her as a hostage against Kuro.
So yeah, Azura wasn't going to take any chances of that accident happening again. Last time, she got Kuro hurt real bad to get her back and she not going get Kuro hurt because of her curiosity got the better of her.
"Honestly, I wanted to see if I could still do it like in my memories, as for the rest; well, they could provide us a place to stay." Kuro explains his reasons for the actions he took.
Both Kuro and Azura ignored the cried for help from the thugs, mostly the first two as they're going to die from blood loss soon, and some of them tried to crawl away or pulling out their phones to call for reinforcement.
Kuro walks over to the one, closest to him and kicks the guy in his stomach, sending him flying against the wall with a sickening crack coming from the impact. The thug that Kuro just kicked shouted in pain and cried about how their back is broken and wanted their Mom to make their pain go away.
Azura stares at the one Kuro kicked and was a little disturbed to see a grown man was crying for their Mom like they scrap their knee when they were a kid or something similar.
"Alright. Anyone here that live alone and own a place to stay. Will get to live while the rest are killed off." Kuro said to the thugs around him, causing those that wanted to live and started shouting as they lived alone and own a place. They even begin to offer a higher class of a place like a two-story building in the nicer part of the city.
"How about not just any place." Azura quickly adds in the demands, to be more specific about what types of place they wanted to take, or else she and Kuro end up in a hopeless situation due to the environment they choose to stay in.
"Anyone knows an abandoned warehouse, that no one knows, but yourself knows? If so, I will promise my cousin here to let you live and even help you get rid of anyone you desires to be killed." Azura played with their hearts for survival and even included personal hatred.
20 minutes later*
It took some time, but Kuro and Azura managed to get an information of an abandoned warehouse near the Boat Graveyard, which wasn't that far and lucky for them. They're the only one that knows about it, after killing off the thugs from The Merchants.
Furthermore, they gained the hidden location inside the warehouse, filled with all kinds of different drugs and tons of cash as well, for safe keeping under their Boss: Skidmark's orders.
Out of the seven, including the previous thug back in the Fugly Bob, only three of them know the abandoned warehouse's location and even provide the information on where they hide the goods inside the warehouse.
Sadly, for the three thugs and the previous one that shouted about how they lived by themselves for months and owns a great place. Well, Kuro killed them all while looting the keys, because who knows if they need another place to stay.
Plus, even if these thugs lied about the location of the abandoned warehouse, including the drugs and the cash. It's no big deal to Kuro and Azura. After all, they could just steal money from gangs like they just did with the now dead thugs. Which they are $230 richer than before. It's just too bad these thugs only have $230 added up together on them.
"Soooo..." Azura glance around her, then back at Kuro. "Are you going to give me a piggyback ride again or do I have to give you the eyes?" Azura raises an eyebrow at Kuro, who just lightly shook his head before picking Azura off her feet, causing her to cry out in surprise and annoyance once she realizes, that Kuro is literally carrying her like a sack of potato.
"KURO!" Azura started hitting her cousin's back, she begins hitting harder when she started hearing Kuro laughing. "Come on! You know how I hate this!"
"Sorry, but I don't remember about that." Kuro lied through his teeth, of course, he still has that memory about him doing this to Azura before. Just not the place and time he did it, though.
"Kuro! Don't make me angry! I have superpowers and I'm not afraid to use them!" Azura threatens her cousin, but mainly a buff right now as she can't tell where her limits are right now.
Kuro easily saw through Azura's threat and snort at her, but did as she requested and put her back on the ground after he walked to the end of the alley before he got back on his knees for Azura to climb on his back.
"That's better. You should have done as I said right away. So, be grateful that I won't use my deadly powers to hurt you. Since I still need you to take care of me." Azura huff at her cousin teasing her, then gracefully get back on Kuro's back.
Kuro just rolls his eyes in silence and started walking towards the direction where the abandoned warehouse should be. Leaving behind the alley filled with corpses. Most of them are scattered limbs and all their heads are smashed in. Preventing early identifies by the cops and maybe even the Protectorate would get involved.
After all, there wasn't anything nearby that show how the thugs got their heads destroyed. What Kuro did was literally stomping their heads with brute forces. Proving to both Kuro and Azura he still possesses superhuman strength and speed.
Neither Kuro or Azura would say he was a parahuman, because he still has the memories of how he gained them in the first place. Part of the fighting style he trained had the side effects of gaining enhanced strength, extreme speed, enhanced durability, and immense reflexes.
From what both Kuro and Azura could recall from their memories. Kuro could be considered having the Alexandria package. Just without the whole flying ability, but Kuro had the feeling that won't be a problem for him.
On the way to the Boat Graveyard first, they scout out any good boats to use just in case the abandoned warehouse was a bust. Azura didn't notice someone was looking at her way, but Kuro did and was thinking if it was another thug, to avenge their fallen comrades.
"Hey, Kuro. Do you think we'll ever find out why we arrive in Brockton Bay, with our memories gone?" Azura asked Kuro while looking at the stalls around them still selling all kinds of stuff, even when it's night time already.
"Who knows, but we'll just continue moving forward like we always do." Kuro replied without a hint of hesitance.
Kuro figures out that these new memories implanted into his and Azura's brain, yes, he thinks these are new memories since it feels like he read a book about it. Also, Kuro had this feeling all these capes in the world are bound to lead this world to its destruction rather they want to or not.
In fact, there these villains are a good example, where power corrupts and it just takes time before something bad happen.
Which is why he never had a single reason to go to the PRT, because he knows that within those heroes, there are some hidden people that abuse their status. All it takes is one bad apple to spoil the bunch.
Kuro frown at these thoughts and wonder if he experiences something similar to them. But, toss it to the back of his mind and focus on the stalker following him and Azura to the Boat Graveyard.
5 minutes later*
(Brockton Bay: Boat Graveyard)
Slowly, as times go by; Kuro started to get irritated by the stalker still following them, even after they have already entered Boat Graveyard. If it wasn't for Azura being defenseless when he leaves her to confront the stalker. He would have done it by now, but seeing how Azura getting sleepy and the chance of her getting capture if he left her somewhere.
Yeah, no chance of him going to do that. Kuro may be many things; well, things he could remember, but he's not stupid to think a temporary place to stay would count as a safe base without any worries.
So just as Kuro lead the stalker into the middle of the shipyard. The stalker actually came out in person before he could find a method to bring them out.
The stalker, which is funny enough in Kuro's opinion, happens to have their name with the word: Stalker in it. So it wasn't hard to tell the person that follows them is Shadow Stalker.
Kuro can see Shadow Stalker's heavy black cloak and barely the skintight black bodysuit, but for the rest, he can't see anything else due to the lack of light to shine on her. But, Kuro instinctively knew this person is Shadow Stalker. After all, who else would be carrying two crossbows as their weapons. This is what gave away Shadow Stalker's identity to Kuro.
"So, Kuro was it?" Shadow Stalker asked in calm, but a hint of awe in her voice, "Is there a reason why I shouldn't arrest you on the charges of murders?" This is where Kuro could tell Shadow Stalker showed the sign of fear, just a bit of it. As Shadow Stalker tries her best to hide it.
Kuro tries to recall all the knowledge about Shadow Stalker, but only just a few things and not much to go for. Her power, just knowing about she could shift herself into a "shadow state" which allowed her to pass through walls and made her lightweight.
And using crossbows of all things as weapons. Besides those, Kuro got nothing else on Shadow Stalker. Hell, he doesn't even know if she actually a hero or a rogue. But, he's leaning towards hero after hearing how Shadow Stalker wanted to arrest him.
"I have no clue what you're talking about." Kuro decided to play it safe and mentally blame himself that his trained detection skills didn't include how to detect beings that could literally become a shadow. What's next, someone made out of a fire?
Kuro started to think maybe his fighting style won't be enough for him to protect Azura against foes like Shadow Stalker. Now, he is really wishing for some kind of superpower to affect being made out of the element if things keep going like this.
"Trying to be funny, huh?" Shadow Stalker didn't look like she annoyed being lied to. In fact, she feels something interesting about the guy in front of her. Like he's something she would pick as a role model if she was a beginner.
"I think the weaklings' corpses back in the alley would say otherwise. So, you could come with me back to PRT or..." Shadow Stalker try to look intimidating by aiming her crossbows at Kuro, which was a bad choice at her end.
Before Shadow Stalker could comprehend what just happen. Her vision started going dark as she felt unbelievable pressure placed on her body and it took all her willpower to shift into her shadow statue.
Making the unknown pressure, which is Kuro's killing intent, to be lifted, she quickly back away the first chance she got.
Shadow Stalker didn't like what she experiences just now, and fired both her crossbows' bolts at Kuro and rushed back to the shadow, where she at her strongest.
If it weren't night time, Kuro would easily discover Shadow Stalker without any trouble. However, since it is, making things worse for Kuro and having Azura on his back wasn't making it easier on him.
Lucky for Kuro, he could follow the trajectory of the bolts' path and move just a bit to his right before taking another step forward. Dodging two bolts without causing Azura to wake up.
"You messed with the wrong person, pal!" Shadow Stalker shouted at Kuro from the shadow, giving away her location for Kuro to lock on to her position, much to her shock of being discovered right away.
The shouts coming from Shadow Stalker was enough to wake Azura up, much to her annoyance as she was having a nice dream. Then, she realized Kuro was in a middle of a fight from the look of it and protecting her at the same time too.
"Kuro, what's going on?" Azura asks Kuro while trying to see who they're fighting with, but she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
Before Kuro could respond; another two set of bolts flying straight towards Azura, causing Kuro to scowl at this.
Doing the same thing as before, Kuro dodges them and had to be a bit faster when he sees more bolts coming from his left. Showing that Shadow Stalker started taking things seriously by now.
"Azura, try wishing for something related to detection." Kuro requested Azura to see if she could gain a new power based on detection, because he keeps on losing 'sight' of Shadow Stalker every time she moved after firing her crossbows.
'Damn, I would have been able to capture Shadow Stalker by now if I wasn't carrying Azura.' Kuro frown at the situation they're in. And he wouldn't dare to leave Azura unattended as that's an unwise decision. Where Shadow Stalker could take this advantage by shooting at Azura, forcing him to abandon the idea of attacking her.
'Not again!' Azura cried inwardly, wincing at the headache she just got from trying to wish for a detection power. 'Why does this keep happening to me?!' Azura was close to breaking down and continue to try a different way to word her wishes for detection abilities.
So far, none of Shadow Stalker's bolts managed to even touch the hair on both Kuro and Azura, much to her annoyance and frustration.
"To hell with this!" Shadow Stalker snarl, then rushed out from the shadow and fired one of her crossbows as she gets in real close to Kuro. Then, raise her other crossbow at Azura, provoking Kuro to pick: Save himself or the girl on his back.
Kuro narrows his eyes at this, because he can't just retreat back when there a broken down part of a ship behind him and Azura. Giving Shadow Stalker the ability to follow up with more attacks.
So Kuro follows his instinct and move forward, much to Shadow Stalker's shock as the sight of Kuro literally catching one of her bolts with his own teeth and at the same throwing a roundhouse kick to the head.
Forcing Shadow Stalker to back off unless she wanted to get her head smashed. She has seen how strong her opponent is back in the alley and she has no desires to be at the end of those kicks.
Both sides have one advantage over another and a disadvantage as well. Where Kuro have Azura on his back and Shadow Stalker not being able to take a hit in close range. One specializes in close range, the other in long-range attacks.
Shadow Stalker has experience in taking down foes with hand to hand combats, but those were against non-brute types capes and civilians, which is mostly thugs from the Empire, otherwise the Empire Eighty-Eight, a gang of white supremacists.
Kuro could only recall what's available to him, which is his fighting style that mainly used in close ranged fights. Kuro couldn't remember if he was trained in anything for long distance range besides firearms. And he has no guns for him to use at the moment. Making those marksmanship skills quite useless.
Around 10 minutes or so had passed; neither Kuro or Shadow Stalker could land a hit on each other. Kuro had a few close calls due to Azura's heavy breathing, showing how bad her headache is getting from the rebound of her power failing.
"Come on! Stop running away and face me like a man you are or you a wuss?!" Shadow Stalker taunt at Kuro, to see if she could get him to lose control and start winning this fight, because at the rate she going. She won't last much longer from having to dodge so many kicks from her opponent, as just one enough to cripple if not outright kill her if she didn't go into her shadow status quick enough.
So far, every time Shadow Stalker go into her shadow statue; she would tend to aim for a fatal point or try to attack Azura, forcing Kura to take the hit sometime due to not being able to get away in time.
"Kuro...I can't keep going." Azura whispers in pain, as her headache was becoming unbearable for her to take and forced to stop from wishing for a detection power. All it took was one more fail and she could end up hurting herself to the point of no return. Even the Healing Touch wasn't helping her much anymore.
"Just hold on a bit longer, Azura. You don't need to use your power anymore. I'll find a way for us to escape." Kuro finally gives up on trying to capture Shadow Stalker to question her on many subjects. Like why she didn't help back in the alley.
Yes, Kuro no longer cared about the answers from Shadow Stalker and was more worry about Azura's health. Furthermore, Azura was even paler than she should be.
Kuro glare at Shadow Stalker while continues dodging what could be the fiftieth bolts so far. If he's counting right.
Without wasting any more time. Kuro kicks off the ground, launching him and Azura a few meters above ground and jumping over a few large boats.
Seeing her prey trying to escape, Shadow Stalker quickly chase after them, but discovered how fast they were going and could only stop after a few steps before she watches them disappear before her sight.
"Just you wait, Kuro. I will find you again and we'll see who the true apex predator." Shadow Stalker whisper to herself before rushing off to somewhere.
10 minutes later*
Kuro continues jumping around the shipyard, with Azura still on his back. While looking for a boat intact enough to hide in for the rest of the night. Then plan out how things go and maybe find a way to get Azura checked. Now, that Azura fell unconscious a few minutes ago pain and fainted.
"Damn it. If I see her again. I'll tear her apart with my bare hands." Kuro vow to get rid of Shadow Stalker later, even if she's a hero. Then, he won't mind becoming a villain to kill her. Because of Shadow Stalker, Azura overused her power to gain a new power based on detecting enemy like Shadow Stalker.
Kuro letting another tired sigh before shaking his head, 'Can't place the blame solely onto Shadow Stalker. I'm as much blame as her. After all, I was the one that asked Azura to use her power in the first place.'
Kuro has already checked at least three boats, that at least above sea level and doesn't have much water inside. Checking to see if there are any bed inside for them to sleep on.
Upon the next boat, Kuro found a houseboat or what left of it. But, was still above sea level. So Kuro prays that his luck was good and hope this houseboat has a bed that someone could sleep on or he is going to lose it.
5 minutes later*
'Well, at least I found us a place to stay for the time being until tomorrow, where we look for the abandoned warehouse.' Kuro didn't place much hope in the warehouse the thugs gave him. Who knows if they were telling the truth or not about those three only ones knowing about the location of it.
Looking around, Kuro was a little surprised to see more than one good beds in this houseboat. Which he gladly take from different area of the houseboat and bring them where Azura is at, with her already lying in the best clean bed he could find.
As for the others he found, Kuro let out another sigh and relief the first bed he found was close to brand new. Because the other beds are either underwater for too long or ripped apart somehow and others have some unknown stain on them.
Picking a decent one closest to the one Azura sleeping on and place it near Azura's before he lay on it. He started thinking about how they arrived in this city.
'Brockton Bay, a place I don't know if I ever heard of until today or just another thing I forgot and just learned about the place's name again.' Kuro close his eyes and relax his body a bit, but not letting his guard down completely.
Slowly, Kuro begins recalling anything he could remember before falling from the sky, but came up blank. Nothing came to mind besides a few things related to needs to know about Brockton Bay if one ever wanted to visit.
Sadly, this doesn't include the location or the names of places in Brockton Bay like The Market or the Fugly Bob. Hell, he didn't even know the city's name until he asked around.
'So the kinds of stuff, I need to do as long-term goals. One: Find out why Azura and I came to Brockton Bay. Two: How come some of our memories are gone. Three: How did Azura gain her power and how do others gained theirs. Four: Find out who we are and where did we come from. Five: Accomplishing Four and see if it's possible to go back.' Kuro hum and think if there are any other long-term goals he could think up, but was too tired to think about more.
As the moonlight shine on Kuro and Azura, where both fall asleep. Neither of them knew that their existence has already changed the future of this world without their notices. It could lead to a brighter future or a much darker one, depending on what they experience on the road of life.
Author Notes:
Now, you guys are thinking: "Why are you doing another fic when you have one out already and we're still waiting for the Book 1 of the Gamer series to update!"
Well, I've been reading worm fics lately and wanted to try it out. Don't worry, I'm still doing a weekly update for my book 1 of the System series. For this worm fic, I'm not doing a weekly update, but as an irregular update instead. I will post any new update whenever I finish a new chapter. So don't expect me to update it within a week or month.
Now, for those that wait for the update on the Book 1 of the Gamer series. I decided to post up a poll if you guys really want me to do a rewrite of it. Even I feel like it I should do a rewrite of it too. However, don't get your hopes up just yet. I'm still going to follow with the pair of Ragna x Esdese and two girls from RWBY. As for the rest, who knows. Furthermore, I will try to follow from the original version by the same order of worlds. And that pretty much it.
I will end the poll after the next chapter of this worm fic.