x x x Symbol 1.2
Rune knew that she had fucked up almost as soon as she realized that something wasn't right about this whole set-up.
It was supposed to be a simple job, show up do a distraction on the Merchants so that Victor could do his thing and get a bit of info on why the hell they were being so shifty the last few weeks and maybe damage them a bit more and remind them of the fact they were scum. More than that, this was supposed to be her responsibility, a solo job, in so much as solo meant singular cape in her case, as a way to provide her a chance to prove that she could handle going it without having back-up right with her. Rune had only gotten a few of those so far, so of course, she wouldn't pass up an opportunity like this. She made sure to play things up when asking, and it was easy with Othala and Victor backing her up, even Hookwolf did as well, and whilst that was fucking worrying she was thankful.
However, it was shortly into the job itself that things went sour.
She had a group of more senior gang members as her sort of foot-soldiers, loaded up with some guns and of course bats and just basic fucking shit to beat people with. Of course, she told them to try not to kill, but anything else was find. Rune couldn't look weak to them, they already thought of her as a kid, and while she was, she was still higher than them in the E88, and that was what was really important. While she wasn't fine with death, she could only do so much, and she ignored the part of her that told her that she could just tell the gang to fuck-off. She had already did shit, nothing horribly illegal yet, but enough so that she would definitely be in-trouble if she did without having the proper tides at her back.
So she's wrecking up one of the Merchant's building, just flushing them out by launching bricks at the windows with the occasional heavier object thrown too when she knew there was no imminent chance of her killing someone with it. Accidents could happen, but she couldn't hamstring herself too much otherwise it'd be too easy for some fucker to either shoot or just generally get to her, even if she was in the air. However, the Merchant trash that she was dealing with hadn't been afraid, and in-hindsight, they had seemed to be actively defending a part of the building. She had ignored it at the time as them being too dumb to flee, her big fuck-up honestly.
Everything seemed fine at first, and then there was the loud revving of something that must've belonged to that bitch Squealer and shit just went to hell from there.
What must've been some sort of Frankenstein combination of a trunk and a tank had busted through the side of the building, sending rubble everywhere, but most importantly was the fact that it had dual-mounted turrets on top of it. The first rain of bullets had both sides scrambling, whoever the idiot inside of it was had opened fire in the general direction of where her group had been, seemingly not realizing that his group was there too, so both sides tried to dodge the best they could. The lucky ones, through some miracle, managed to avoid the worst of the bullets and get nicks, everyone else was not nearly as fortunate.
The stench of blood had quickly filled the air, along with sounds of those unfortunate enough to not die immediately.
Rune had been lucky, being in the air had helped along side the fact that she had reacted quick enough to move out of the way for the most part, of course that didn't fucking mean much when the fucking thing had focused on her. Having focused on quickly taking the fucking thing out, she did something hella reckless, she dive-bombed directly towards after pulling a few more of the objects she had touched as ammo in close to serve as armor instead. It had worked, and she had managed to get in a decent enough location where the fuckers couldn't shake her off the thing nearly quick enough.
Telling her remaining grunts to get the rest of the stragglers that could shoot at her, gave her just enough time to snag the machine and then from there she had just dumped them out. Then hit them both with some trash can lids as hard as she could, in the heat of the moment she wasn't feeling very fucking lenient since they had decided to freaking not only shoot at her but also there own people as well. It was only luck that this one had been apparently stored here and being watched over by fucking idiots.
Of course it was at this moment, that a pain unlike any she had felt before shot through her side.
And thus how Rune came to realize that her admittedly dumb idea, hadn't let her come off unscathed.
"S-shit..." She pressed her hands against the small, but gaping wound in her thigh, the other nicks being largely ignored in the face of the major fucking damage that had been done to her fucking leg. Blood was just pouring out, and though she could hear amongst the sounds of those on her side fighting against the few remaining Merchants, the sound of someone calling for help, she felt herself going numb rapidly. The bullet that hit her must've hit an artery, wasn't that just fucking great?
"II don't...wanna...d-die." She spoke more to herself than anything as she used her power to hover the large earthen platform she had used for most of the fight over to herself, but even as she did she could see the black spots in her vision grow. That only made her try harder, keeping one hand on her leg as tight as she could, and damn did she wish she had taken that basic first-aid class she couldn't help but think, as she tried to will the platform to move just a bit faster. Rune growled as she exerted herself more and more, to stop was to give up, to accept death and she was a fighter damn it! If she could just get herself on top of it, she could just fly herself to help! So... she couldn't give up! N-not now! She didn't want die! She couldn't die! Right?! Right?
In a single instant everything seemed to stop. There was no sound, no pain, no color, everything became gray, static, motionless.
The click-clack of heels on concrete resounded in the silence, and somehow Rune could see the very familiar crimson eyes looking down on her, a neutral look in them.
She knew that fucking girl was off, the bitch was some sort of fucking cape. And now she had stumbled upon Rune in this fucked up situation, where she was bleeding out from a fucking stupid mistake, and had somehow either stopped time or some other bullshit. Whatever the case, Rune couldn't help but note that the girl was dressed in some strange robe[1], probably some sort of Asian thing. It was white, with long sleeves, trimmed with black, gold, and hints of red here and there. Her long black hair seemed to somehow billow outwards, the long silky strands forming a curtain behind Sayaka, making Rune note that hair that long had to be impractical as shit. More importantly, she didn't have a fucking mask.
Rune tried to speak, whether to tell the girl to go the fuck away, help her, or ask what the fuck was wrong with, she didn't know, but her voice wouldn't come out.
"You wish to live, correct?"
Yes! Yes she fucking wanted to live! What sort of question was that?
"You'd be surprised. Humans, no more like sentient beings, are capable of many things, some strange to others and quite familiar to most. Though, I'm sure that's not on your mind right now. You're in quite the mess you know, Carly? In other worlds you'd definitely recover, the bullet not hitting anything vital, and in those it did, your back-up was conveniently closer to you to get you the proper help. However, here, things were not so. My mother says that there is no such thing as coincidence, there is nothing but fate. That all events that have happened, have happened for a reason intrinsically and have a certain meaning to them. Unfortunately for you, it would be your fate to die." Sayaka finishes after a few seconds.
What? That can't fucking possibly be true? Rune knew the girl was crazy, but telling her that she was fated to die was utter bullshit, unbelievable fucking garbage. And yet, a part of her couldn't shake the feeling that her words were true.
"Yes, well, I was never a fan of my mother's words. I think that nothing is entirely fate, that everything is indeed coincidence!" Thrusting her hand outward, Sayaka snapped her fingers to her declaration. Rune felt a twitch in her leg as the blood that had pooled around her leg gained color, and then she bit her lip to stop herself from letting out a cry as the flow inverted. "Things happen as they do, not because they were set in stone long ago! It is the thought of a pessimist otherwise!" A paper fan appeared in Sayaka's outstretched hand as the wound in Rune's leg seem to close up near-instantly. "Because everything is coincidence, I make my own decisions! Ohohoho!"
Rune didn't know what the hell was happening anymore, who the hell was this crazy girl?
"Me?" Holding her fan to her face, Sayaka spoke, "I am Sayaka Ichihara, Witch of Brockton Bay, and currently the one that has healed your leg," The look in her eyes intensified as her jovial mood quickly faded, "However, I will let you know, that this wasn't for free. Unfortunately, I am unable to do such things, Carly Jones. We are connected until the contract between us is complete, in granting your wish to live many trials will assail you to fix this balance, you'd do well to prepare yourself. Tata~."
And then just as quickly as she had arrived, the self-proclaimed Witch was gone, just as everything unfroze and the chaos started once more.
Rune could only sit there confused, thankful, but very, very confused, with one thought running through her head.
What the hell had just happened?
1. A kimono dress, different than a typical kimono in that it is more revealing, and can be in variations that make it smaller, going down to merely mid-thigh.
