Dear Diary,
The storm is finally over...but, now everything feels somehow too quiet, too still. I spent the entire night waiting for Miyaki-chan or Koji-kun to show, but I never heard or saw them. A few times throughout the night, I tried to go to them. Was it fair to always make them come to me? Shouldn't a leader check on her troops? But, everytime I got to the door, I froze. I could barely breathe, I couldn't think...I just froze until I returned to the couch. Did something happen to them? What if they were avoiding me? What if they didn't want to see me? I know I shouldn't care...maybe I am becoming too close them. But does being evil, does being a supervillain, really need to be so lonely?
- Berserk
Akumu! Powerpunk Girls Z
Episode 10 – Okyto City Nights!
By Aku Blossom
Even if the storm had passed, the wind in Okyto City had remained furious, howling high atop the Tower of Heaven. Berserk shivered and folded her arms tighter across her chest; it was like the wind was trying to blow her away. Standing at the edge of the tower, looking down at the city, she wondered just what would happen if it were to succeed? Could she even die if she fell from this height?
"Stupid," Berserk chastised herself. It really was a stupid thought. Her cheek twitched and a scowl quickly found its way across her face. She held herself tighter, glaring at the city below. She still hadn't seen, nor heard, from her partners. Whatever they were doing, it was much too important to bother with the Deadly Berserk. And why not? They'd found happiness in each other; they didn't have to be alone. Berserk growled, closing her eyes and fighting to hold back the snarl on her lips. She grew even more tense when the air around her fell silent, when the wind vanished and darkness fell over her.
"Such a beautiful sight, wouldn't you agree, Tomi-chan?" Kare's soft, song-like voice somehow drifted through her, "A landscape of destruction and mayhem, laid low by your very own hand!" He gave her shoulders a squeeze and leaned close until his lips were next to her ear, "But what's this? Can you feel that? Can you sense it? What is it Tomi-chan? What do I feel drifting through Okyto City, through the city of Death, herself?"
Berserk's face twitched again, her snarl in full force. She could feel it. She was sure of it. Her voice low, ashamed, she whispered, "Hope...they have...hope,"
Kare growled, in an impossibly low voice, "Hope. Hope in the valley, Hope in a city of eternal night. Hope, looming just beyond your doorstep!" His voice built into a roar that shook the tower. Berserk finally opened her eyes, peering up at him warily. Kare's form was engulfed in a turbulent red aura, one that was connected to her own black aura. Some days...it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.
"I don't know what I'm doing wrong..." she muttered, finally tearing her eyes away from him. Instead, she cast her glare on the city, eyes narrowed and fingers digging into her arms. Her aura started to flare around her. Unbeknownst to her, Kare appeared behind her, a grin across his face, his eyes glowing red. The red within her aura began to grow, eating away at her black light.
"I attack them every day! I hunt them down like animals and kill them in the streets! I destroy their homes, I take their food, I murder their children! What is there to hope for?! What is it I'm missing!?" Berserk snarled, reaching out at the city, as if to choke it with her bare hands. Her arms shaking, she brought her hands to her head and dug her fingers into her hair. What was she missing? Somewhere along the line, she knew she'd lost something, something vital. Something that made her the Deadly Berserk, something that made her strong. She could feel tears starting to well in her eyes and her aura's rage intensified..
Giddy, grinning from ear to ear, Kare grew larger behind her. Rising up like a shadow, he lowered his voice, speaking through her again, "You're getting weaker, Tomi-chan. You're getting complacent. You're becoming...soft," he practically giggled when she whipped around to face him.
"I am not weak!" she screamed, her voice cracking.
"Is that so?" Kare teased, giggling. His giggle grew into wild, frenzied laughter and his form faded away, returning to the darkness. Berserk, panting, seething, turned back to the city and clenched her fists. She was trembling; her aura was blazing like a black star, hanging over the Tower of Heaven.
"Weak...they think I'm weak. He thinks I'm weak. I'll show them, I'll show them all," she hissed, forcing her hands down and standing up straight. Berserk took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Okyto City was learning to not fear death. Why? Berserk raised her eyebrows, wearing a grim smile. She opened her eyes and laughed softly. Her aura burned brighter, fiercer than ever before; so great, the black light began to drown out the red.
Perhaps, there was a way to remind them to be afraid.
"Okyto City...my city..." Berserk began, drumming her fingers on the arm of her seat. The chair at the heart of the Tower of Heaven command center—her throne. "This is Berserk-sama," she looked up at the monitor.
She'd managed to, after much trial and error, figure out the controls of the tower well enough to discover a message transmission system. Originally, she'd intended to use the television signals, or radio signals, to deliver her speech. That proved difficult, but she figured it wouldn't make much difference. Instead, she was projecting her voice directly from the Tower of Heaven itself.
It had taken hours to come up with the right words to say. She took a small breath, to calm her nerves. Berserk's face twitched. She'd prepared a speech, but, now she realized it wasn't worth it. They didn't need to know, they didn't deserve to know what they'd done to deserve this. All they needed to know was that she was coming.
"The Reaping begins at sundown," she spat, cutting the transmission and sitting stiff in her throne. She was sweating, cold. Berserk licked her dry lips and climbed to her feet, marching toward the door. The sun would be going down soon, but she wasn't in any hurry.
The Reaping, that was the name she'd come up with for her plan. Attacking the city in a hail of fire and brimstone was horrifying, but predictable. They would see it as an attack they could...maybe, possibly fight back against. This, her Reaping, that would teach them to fear her again. After sundown, she would kill anyone she found in the city. Until the sun came up, no one was safe.
That night was cold, almost unbearably so, and near silent. As the sun went down, so too did the wind die out. Only the sound of her boots crunching broke the near pristine silence. There were no stars visible in the night sky, heavy clouds blocked out even the light of the moon. No, to anyone caught wandering the city, the only light was in her gleaming red eyes, narrowed, but hungry.
She knew that some, maybe even most, of the citizens would heed her warning. But Berserk also knew there were some who wouldn't or couldn't. They would be easy enough to find if she flew, but there was no rush. No, shooting through the city at a hundred miles an hour wouldn't do. Not for what she needed; not for the Reaping. It had to be controlled, precise, and above all else, it had to be personal.
After an hour of walking in cold darkness, Berserk was greeted by the sight of someone stumbling across the street. Her eyes narrowed and a small smile tugged at her lips. The stumbling figure looked up, suddenly, when she started toward them. She heard a cry and the figure turned, tripping and falling to their knees. Their panicked cry grew louder. The red-eyed punk's smile became a grin. Her whip dropped to her side.
"Someone!" The figure, an older man with a ragged, patchy beard, yelled, clawing at the ground to get away from her. As he started to rise to his feet, her whip shot out, tearing a cut in his already worn jacket and knocking him back to the ground, screaming. He turned to face her. Berserk was just feet from him...standing still. In the darkness, he could almost see her eyes. He could almost make out the grin on her face.
"Berserk-sama, please, I didn't know!" He screamed again and fell to the ground, his head knocked back by a slash from her whip. The drunk man wiped his cheek and fumbled for his voice. He began to cry. He looked up, just to be slammed back into the ground, her foot on his chest.
"Please, no, I," he stuttered, "Please don't. I just-" he screamed again, his head thrown back by a vicious blow to his cheek. Her fingernails tore long cuts in his face; her strike left behind a throbbing bruise. Berserk removed her foot from his chest and grabbed him by his face, holding him so he couldn't look away from her.
"What's your name?" She finally asked. He just shook his head, so she tightened her hold and smashed his head against the ground once more. Blood was starting to seep from her fingertips, her nails tearing at his flesh.
"U-Ueda...Ueda Kenshiro, Berserk-sama," He gurgled. Berserk cocked her head, her grin growing. Was he choking? She tightened her hold until his breath stopped and he began to claw at her hand. She giggled and threw him down.
"Ueda-san?" she called, wearing a look of mock concern. He was curled up on the ground, holding his jaw and sobbing. "Ueda-san?" she asked again. Finally, the drunk man looked up at her. The grin returned to her face. "Run,"
He stared at her, eyes wide, tears streaming down his bloody cheeks. Then, with a scream, he scrambled to his feet and took off running. Berserk's eyes widened and her look became predatory.
"Death Slash!" she hissed, swatting his leg and dropping him face first to the ground again. Blood sprayed from the new wound and Ueda Kenshiro began to howl again, grasping at the torn limb. Berserk slid to her feet and began to stalk toward him, tapping her whip against her side.
"Ueda-san?" she called. He looked back at her, shaking, "You didn't make it far," With another laugh, Berserk whipped him with another Death Slash. The unlucky drunk tried to protect his face, but in return the attack tore three of the fingers from his hand.
She was nearly on top of him again, "I have an easier request, Ueda-san," Berserk tilted his chin toward her. His lips quivered; he was struggling to swallow the lump in his throat, "Scream as loud as you can," The old man was quick to comply. With every crack of her whip, his scream managed to get louder and louder. Blood sprayed across the sidewalk. At some point, a loud snap rang out and Ueda Kenshiro's scream cracked, becoming more like a panicked animal. And then, suddenly, it was gone.
She knew she shouldn't break character. No, she needed to stay the silent stalker in the night, the final plague creeping across the countryside. But, as she tasted the blood on her fingers and recalled how the woman she was walking away from had started to bribe her, moments before Berserk could tear out her throat, she felt her heart flutter. She was singing, a wordless, pointless song. One that she'd heard recently, though she wasn't sure where. One that she couldn't resist. This had to be it. This was what was missing.
Four on just her first night, Berserk mused. It was just after three in the morning. Admittedly, she was starting to get sleepy, but the rush from that last execution had given her a new surge of energy. She could feel them watching. She knew they were afraid. And this was only the beginning! How long until they didn't dare sleep, knowing she was on the prowl? How long until they came crawling to the tower, begging for respite?
She could picture it now. A sea of faces, all groveling at her feet, begging for mercy, begging that the night terrors end. They weren't safe, not even in their homes. The last victim had found that all too soon, it wasn't enough to simply stay inside. She'd lit a lamp; Berserk had followed it to find her. Yes, the crowd would gather and beg for her forgiveness, beg for her mercy, beg for sweet dreams once again.
"Never," she responded out loud. Berserk giggled wildly at the thought. Her laughter stopped abruptly, a blush flying to her face, which was quickly drowned in rage. She whipped around, glaring at the darkness. She heard it again, footsteps on the sidewalk. Someone tracking her. No, not Kare...he wasn't so subtle, he would come screaming from the night. No, this was someone weaker, someone with no power over her. Someone who feared her.
"Come out," She called, her soft voice carrying across the cold night air. She heard a gasp, and then tentative footsteps. A taller girl appeared from the shadows, torn between staring away in fear, and casting anxious glances back at Berserk, "You were following me?" Berserk asked, incredulous. What kind of person would go out at night to follow the most powerful girl in the world around? She narrowed her eyes and began to growl. How long had she been following her? How had she missed this girl?
"I was, Berserk-sama," she replied with a nervous bow.
Berserk crossed her arms, still furious that some human could stay hidden from her. Or stranger, why one would dare follow her during her Reaping. She was definitely older, but not too old. Sixteen, maybe seventeen years old, with long blonde hair and green eyes, hidden behind a pair of round rimmed glasses.
"Why?" was all Berserk could spit out. To her surprise, the girl blushed. Before she could control herself, Berserk heard an unimpressive, "Huh?" leave her. She mentally slapped herself. Shaking her head and taking control of her emotions back, Berserk dug her fingers into her crossed arms.
The girl giggled, "Berserk-sama...you're so cute," Now, Berserk could feel herself blushing. Her grip on her arms weakened, but her eyes got wider.
"Huh?" once again, that idiotic word slipped through her defenses. The girl giggled again.
"I'm sorry, please don't be angry, Berserk-sama. That was so disrespectful of me," she rubbed her arm, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. On one hand, Berserk was ready to whip her adorable blonde head from her shoulders. On the other, she was overly aware of her heart pounding whenever those green eyes looked into hers.
"Who ah..." Berserk cleared her throat, stood up straight, and fixed the newcomer with her fiercest glare, "Who are you?" she asked in her most authoritative voice. It seemed to work, the girl flinched.
"Sakuraya, Berserk-sama. My name is Sakuraya," she replied.
Berserk cocked her head, "Just Sakuraya?"
"Heh..." Sakuraya smiled and glanced up at Berserk, smiling sheepishly, "Yes, Berserk-sama. I don't have a family, not anymore," Sakuraya took a deep breath, then answered Berserk's unasked question, "I had a family. But, I left them. There are just too many things we disagree on...they want to hide in fear; I want to see you for myself," Sakuraya gasped, hands flying to her mouth. She must have said too much.
"You wanted to see me?" Berserk asked, thinking back. Her lips twitched, "You watched me kill those people?" Sakuyara nodded. Berserk hugged herself tighter, "And you aren't afraid?"
"No, I'm terrified, Berserk-sama. But, if you killed them, they must have deserved it," Sakuraya explained.
"Why shouldn't I kill you? It's..." Berserk blinked, her breath catching in her throat when Sakuraya's eyes lit up.
"The Reaping! I know...I know...but, that's how I knew I would find you. If I die, it was worth it to just be able to speak to you, Berserk-sama," Sakuraya blushed and resumed staring at her shoes. Thankfully, the darkness covered up the bright, hot red on Berserk's cheeks. She took an involuntary step back and shivered. What was this girl saying? What did she mean?
"I..." she began, finally discovering her voice once more. Berserk swallowed hard and narrowed her eyes. She cracked her whip, getting Sakuraya's attention, and thrust her finger at her, "Don't play games with me, and don't let me catch you out here again," She turned on her heel and started back for the tower. The red-eyed punk froze, shivering again when she faintly heard the strange girl reply.
"I'll try...sweet dreams, Berserk-sama,"
Berserk looked back over her shoulder, watching Sakuraya disappear into the darkness. Her mouth hung open, her eyes were wide. And her heart was pounding in her chest. Taking a nervous breath, Berserk licked her dry lips and decided to return to the tower.
There was always tomorrow night.
Her lips moved soundlessly, her eyes bulging, her tiny hands clenching at the leather whip around her neck. She couldn't be older than eight years old, with long, messy black hair that was probably pretty once and fading, distant brown eyes. Her brother had put up quite a fight, going far enough to strike their assailant. She had rewarded him by tearing his arm off. What was left of him laid not to far away.
The poor girl's pretty blue eyes couldn't look away from the eager, amused red eyes staring down at her. Berserk pressed her hard into the dirt, brushing her hair away from her face. She moved her lips in time with the little girl's, repeating her soundless prayers and pleas. The deadly punk shushed her, wiping away the tears from her cheeks.
"Does it hurt?" She asked, in a voice that almost seemed concerned. The little girl forced herself to nod. Berserk smiled softly, "That's good," she cooed. Berserk gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks, cocking her head. It was one thing to hear someone die screaming, but another to watch them just...slip away. To watch the life drain from their eyes. It was intoxicating.
"Do you know who's fault this is?" Berserk asked, tightening the whip. The little girl tried to fight back, briefly, but the punk could see she didn't have the strength. A few fresh tears trickled down her cheeks. The little girl shook her head. Berserk leaned close and whispered in her ear, "It's your fault...every last one of you," She tightened her grip and held, watching the last bit of light leave her eyes. She held on a little longer, running her hand through her messy hair, staring into her glassy eyes.
Berserk licked her lips, "You just stood and watched me kill a little girl," she called over her shoulder. Maybe she thought she could hide, but after a few quiet minutes of hiding, she crept out of the shadows. Sakuraya couldn't tear her eyes away from the child's face.
"It was her fault...for being out here," Sakuraya explained, her throat dry, her voice weak. She jumped when Berserk giggled and rose to her feet, finally dropping the girl to the ground. She turned to Sakuraya. When their eyes met, the older girl laughed nervously and turned away, smiling. It made Berserk smile, too.
"Why would you follow me, even after I told you to stop? You've watched me kill eleven people now...and just stood there," Berserk asked, finally closing in on her mysterious follower. She was impressed when Sakuraya tensed, but didn't step away once Berserk was close. The Powerpunk leader tilted her head, trying to see Sakuraya's expression.
"It...it's hard to explain," she began. Sakuraya shook her head and laughed, finally looking up. This close, Berserk could see her blush, "Berserk-sama, there's something...so incredible about you. Watching you, I just, find you so..."
Berserk's heart jumped into her throat and she felt her mouth go dry.
"You're so pretty, especially when you smile. And I've never seen you smile as big as you do when you..." Sakuraya trailed off, tearing her eyes away from Berserk.
"When I kill people?" Berserk finished stupidly. Again, she mentally slapped herself. Her heart skipped another beat when Sakuraya nodded.
"It's like watching a goddess work..." Sakuraya confessed, laughing. Her laugh was pretty, almost magical. Berserk felt her insides warm up and her heart do backflips. Her hands clenched and relaxed, suddenly unwieldy and anxious. What was happening?
Berserk cleared her throat, but when she spoke, her voice cracked, "You think I'm pretty?"
"I think you're beautiful," Without hesitation. Berserk's hands began to shake. She bit her lip and kept her gaze on the ground. She could feel Sakuraya's glittering green eyes on her. Her heart was beating fast, too fast. She felt cold and nervous. She felt...Berserk's eyes widened; she swallowed the lump in her throat. She felt dizzy.
"I need to rest...you can...come with me if you'd like," she mumbled hurrying down the street. Sure enough, she heard Sakuraya fall into step behind her. They walked in silence for nearly an hour, the moon overhead finally peeking out from behind the clouds. It took all of Berserk's willpower to simply sit, rather than collapse, when they reached the bench near the park fountain.
Sakuraya stood nearby, shifting uneasily, "Berserk-sama, if I've offended you, I am so, so sorry! Please, tell me if I can do anything to make it up to you," she offered.
Berserk swallowed again, her blood running cold. A hundred thoughts raced by; she crossed her arms tight around her and stared down at her boots, "Um...no just, ah...sit, if you want to," Berserk's fist flew to her mouth. She bit down hard on her knuckles to keep from squealing when Sakuraya sat down beside her. Sitting so close that she could almost touch her.
"Is this alright, Berserk-sama?" Sakuraya smiled, giggling at Berserk's quick nod. They sat, Sakuraya gazing longingly at the younger girl, while Berserk continued to study her boots; continued to convince herself that she was reading too much into everything. Nothing could be like this. This had to be a dream, or a nightmare, or a vision, it was too much to be real. But, when the cold wind began to blow once again, and Berserk began to shiver, she gasped when a pair of warm arms wrapped around her shoulders and a soft cheek pressed against her head.
"Are you cold, Berserk-sama?" Sakuraya whispered.
"It...it did get cold,"
Sakuraya smiled, "You don't like the cold?"
Berserk swallowed and tried to ignore how the wind made her shiver. Tried to forget about her room, where it seemed to always be just above freezing. She clenched her eyes shut and shook her head.
"No..." She breathed. Sakuraya slid closer and deepend their embrace. Berserk rested her head against the older girl's chest, blushing, but smiling. She, unconsciously, moaned when Sakuraya chose to caress her hair, and her other hand slid across Berserk's leg.
Even with the wind billowing, cold as the night was already, Berserk felt warm wrapped in Sakuraya's arms. Her eyes were growing heavy, her rapidfire heartbeat was starting to settle. She was nervous, but she felt somehow content. She felt safe, she felt happy. Berserk closed her eyes and nuzzled her companion's chest like a warm pillow. For the first time in forever she didn't feel alone.
"If you want to rest, I'll wake you before morning, Berserk-sama," Sakuraya offered.
Berserk groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Had she been snoring? Stifling a yawn, she shook her head and stood up, stretching.
"That's okay...I think I'll just go back to the tower," she muttered, ashamed with herself. She'd more than doubled her body count from the night before, but she knew there was still time left in the night. She heard Sakuraya slide to her feet.
"That makes sense, you've been working so hard, Berserk-sama. Can I..." Sakuraya laughed sheepishly and took a smal breath, "can I at least walk you home?"
Catching her breath, Berserk slowly nodded. It was like electricity when Sakuraya slipped her hand in Berserk's and gave it a small squeeze. When she started to walk away, Berserk nearly tripped over her own feet.
"Sorry! I'm tired!" she sputtered, trying to pull her hand away. Instead, Sakuraya tightened her grip and smiled. Her smile was incredible, even in the dark. Especially in the dark. Berserk smiled in return. The rest of the trip was in awkward, but comfortable silence. When the tower came into view, Berserk started to pull away.
"Berserk-sama?" Sakuraya called, still holding onto her hand. Berserk glanced back, "Sweet dreams," she whispered, smiling and slipping away, back into the night. Her cheeks hot, her heart racing, Berserk smiled and looked down at her hand. With one last glance back, she retreated into the tower.
The third night, Berserk found herself walking hand in hand with Sakuraya, thinking back to moments before.
Maybe it had been too much, she thought. Perhaps she'd gotten carried away, burning the skin from his face with her energy attack, whipping him until his back was raw, tearing his mouth open and his eyes out, then impaling him on a broken telephone pole. His screams had been delicious, but perhaps it had taken too long. Three hours to kill one man was a waste of precious midnight hours.
But then, she turned and saw Sakuraya and felt herself blush. She'd been trying to impress her. This strange girl who'd come from the darkness and made Berserk feel how she'd never felt before. She said she was beautiful when she was killing, so Berserk had gone out of her way to kill. The last man had been the thirteenth victim that night alone. The haunted, but proud look on Sakuraya's face was the only motivation she needed anymore.
When she'd asked her to "Show me what wrath Hell has, Berserk-sama," she'd taken it as a challenge. Wracking her imagination, Berserk had put that last pathetic soul through the worst she could muster. She'd been taught that Hell was fire, but fire burnt too quickly, killed to fast. Oh, she'd burned him, for sure, but never for too long. Never enough to give him any respite.
They hadn't spoken since he finally stopped screaming. But, Berserk barely controlled her squealing when Sakuraya asked her to follow her. To find somewhere quiet, somewhere private. Of course she'd accepted! The Reaping could wait...it was just treating the symptom of her problems. No, Sakuraya...she was the cure to the disease.
She was what was missing.
"Berserk-sama, are you alright?" Sakuraya asked softly. Berserk bit her lip and nodded. Sakuraya turned to her and caressed her cheek, fingers brushing across Berserk's lips. The thirteen-year-old gasped, looking up. Sakuraya was smiling. Berserk smiled, even as more tears rolled down her cheeks. "You're crying..."
"I just..." Berserk accepted her new companion's embrace. She buried her face in her chest and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her as tight as she dared to, "I've never felt this way before. You make me feel...I think I..." Berserk took a shaking breath and laughed. She tilted her head back, peering into Sakuraya's bright green eyes. "I think I love you," she finally confessed, her voice just above a whisper.
The beautiful, strange girl smiled, cupping Berserk's cheek, "You do?" she asked. Berserk nodded, threatening to explode from nerves. She trembled, but found her courage and leaned in closer. She closed her eyes and rose up on her tip toes, pressing her lips against Sakuraya's cheek. She'd turned at the last second, Berserk realized with a moan. She pulled away, blushing and embrassed. Sakuraya laughed and pulled her into a tight embrace. Berserk closed her eyes again, a big smile across her lips.
Sakuraya leaned closer, softly kissing Berserk's ear. The young girl shivered, "Berserk-sama..." she whispered, "No one will ever love a monster like you," Berserk's eyes shot open and a sharp, horrible pain shot up her back. She screamed, a choked, strangled cry and dropped to her hands and knees. Pain was flooding across her back. She noticed drops of blood streaming from her back. The pain wasn't going away, the blood wasn't stopping.
"Sa-Sa..." she tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn't obey her. Her lips moved soundlessly. Slowly, she raised her eyes and whimpered, a small sob escaping her lips, "Wh...Why?" Sakuraya sneered and pressed the blade deeper into her back, wresting another strangled cry from the sobbing punk.
"You're surprised? Berserk...no, Motomi-chan," Berserk's eyes widened and she suddenly became horribly aware of the cold, "Did you ever stop to ask why, to really ask yourself why, when you killed the twenty-four people you have in the last three nights? What about the thousands you killed when you used the tower?" Sakuraya clenched her fists and her eyes began to glow. Berserk trembled, seeing a white aura appear around the older girl, "Did you ever ask why?! Did you ever care!? Why do you think! You deserve this! You deserve to die for what you've done!"
"I...I was engaged...and you took him away from me. When the lights came down we ran, but he was caught! I lost everything because of you!" Sakuraya's body began to glow, her hair changed from blonde to bright white, her skin grew paler, her muscles grew and her outfit changed. The new figure kicked Berserk hard in the face, knocking her to the ground.
"I should have died...but, somehow, I managed to survive long enough to meet a group of peopl who wanted what I wanted. To take the world back from you!" She reached down and wrenched the blade, a large knife with a silvery-blue blade, stained with blood, that gleamed in the moonlight. "At least, that's what they want. I just want revenge. I want you to suffer, and I want you to know how much I hate you before I kill you!" The woman kicked her again, stomping her face against the ground.
"They gave me this power, they called me Flirticia," She explained. Her hair had become harder, stiffer, almost like snakes. When Berserk tried to sit up, a thick lock of hair shot out and slammed into the bloody wound on her back, driving her back into the dirt.
"Wh-Why..." Berserk sobbed, still struggling to find her voice, to find any real thought at all. Flirticia rolled her eyes and resumed playing with her hair. Another strand lashed out and whipped Berserk across her back. She bit down on her lip, refusing to scream again.
Flirticia smirked, "Why? You took away the love of my life, Berserk-SAMA!" she whipped her again. When Berserk refused to scream, Flirtcia's glare hardened. Like a viper, her hair shot out, shoving the knife into her side. This time, Berserk did cry out, knocked back by the force the blow, "So...I thought, why not give poor, lonely Atsumi Motomi everything she's ever wanted? I'd give you all my love, so I can watch your face when I took it all away,"
Berserk couldn't control the tears, the painful sobs wracking her body. She grabbed the knife with both hands and pulled it out, throwing it across the street. Grinding her teeth, clenching her eyes, she struggled to her feet. Her legs felt like jelly; the pain in her back was indescribable. She cried out when Flirticia's hair shot out, grabbing her shoulders and slamming her back against a building.
"You're wondering just how I hurt you? Duranium and that chemical inside of you don't get along, Berserk-sama. It drains your powers, and, even if it's temporary, it's long enough for me to kill you," Flirticia's hair was like steel, or like her own whip. When it launched out and slashed her face, Berserk felt blood spray across her vision. The next blow made her dizzy. The third put her through the wall enitrely. She groaned, dragged out of the rubble, dangling by her ankles in the air.
Whatever warmth had been in Sakuraya's eyes was nowhere to be found in Flirticia's, "I asked you what Hell's wrath would be like," she whispered. Berserk's breaths came faster, "You didn't even come close to what I'm going to do to you!" Flirticia slammed Berserk against the ground, once, twice, three times before hurling her across the street. She came skidding to a halt, gasping for air, struggling to get back up. Her powers felt miles away. She couldn't see her own aura.
Faintly, she heard the sound of the air being sliced and threw her hand out. Flirticia's hair slashed across her hand, tearing off her glove and slapping her hand down. Berserk screamed and cradled it close. Her fingers wouldn't close all the way. There was a long cut across her palm, running down toward her arm, and the blood was spreading fast. She heard another attack and, without thinking, threw her other hand out. This blow snapped at her fingers, again tearing her glove apart. Berserk struggled up on her elbows, but now both hands were horribly bruised and cut.
"Berserk-sama," Berserk's head shot up. It was Sakuraya's voice. The whip hit her between the eyes, throwing her head back. Blood sprayed from her nose and her eyes became unfocused. Faintly, she was aware that someone was approaching, but it was like being disconnected from her body. She watched as the ultra-strong hair wrapped around her wrists and lifted her off the ground. Another wrapped around her ankles. Berserk's eyes finally focused, but she realized it was too late. She was hanging in the air, helpless.
Without a word, Flirticia struck, the blow colliding with the side she'd stabbed before. In spite of the pain, Berserk fought back screaming, though she couldn't stop herself from sobbing. The next blow struck the other side, then another, and another. Flirticia's hair whipped back and forth, striking with deadly abandon, slicing her face, tearing apart her jacket, slicing open her shirt, tearing at her skin. She finally stopped when Berserk screamed.
"Does it hurt?" Flirticia asked in a mocking tone. Berserk looked up. There was no mirth, no smile on her lips, Just pure hatred, "That's good!" A lock wrapped around Berserk's throat, tightening quickly. Two more resumed their assault on her body, slamming, slicing, tearing her apart. But now, she couldn't scream. The lock tightening around her neck quickly stifled any cries. Her vision was getting blurry. Her chest was starting to hurt as scream after pained scream struggled to get free. Berserk could feel her heart pounding in her head; her lungs were on fire. Every inch of her was on fire. Flirticia didn't care where she struck, soon everything would be in bloody ribbons.
"Berserk-sama?" Sakuraya called. Berserk forced her eyes open. Flirticia pulled her closer, until their lips were nearly touching. Then, she smiled, "Sweet dreams,"
Her red eyes snapped open. Something deep inside of her swelled and sensation flooded back into her tired body. Berserk narrowed her now focused eyes and clenched her teeth. Her body began to shake. And soon, the street began to shake with it. Flirticia gasped, her hold weakening. It was just enough that Berserk managed to tear away, dropping to the ground in a pained heap. Flirticia stumbled backward, gaping in awe at the sight before her.
Berserk was engulfed in dark light, growing with every second. The black light whipped around like a storm, stretching into the sky, while red light flooded from within Berserk, racing through the black light like lightning.
Flirticia looked down, hearing a soft growl, and saw Berserk's eyes, glowing in the dark. With a vicious snarl, Berserk threw herself at the older girl. Flirtica managed to catch her fist, then caught the rest of her in her hair, struggling to hold her back. Her white light grew brighter and stronger, trying to push back the dark light. Still, Berserk's fist inched closer and closer to her face. With another growl, Berserk tore free and clawed Flirticia, throwing her across the street.
"Wh-What? How is this possible? You should be almost dead..." she muttered, climbing to her feet. She screamed, thrown back to the ground when a Death Slash caught her in the side. Berserk took a shaky step toward her. The red light had taken over more than half the black light.
"I loved you," she hissed, struggling with each word. Flirticia crawled carefully around the turbulent villainess, reaching for something shining in the shadows. The wind was picking up; the night was getting colder.
"You don't deserve love," Flirticia spat back. Berserk screamed, a pained, broken sound, and threw herself at Flirticia once again. The white-haired girl swung the duranium knife, this time aiming for the villainess's face.
Berserk caught it with her bare hand, blood oozing across the blade from her fingers, and ripped it from her grasp. With another pained scream, she brought the knife down, straight into Flirticia's cheek. Over and over, she brought the knife down. Each thrust came with enough force to split the concrete below. With each scream, her voice grew weaker, less understandable. With one last sob, she dropped the knife and collapsed, hugging Flirticia close, crying uncontrollably.