Chapter 27 Dead Rising

Hey, I'm dreaming. So many faces, so many things and places I have never seen. This world, it's so incredibly vast, I feel so small, like a piece of driftwood in an endless ocean. But it's not even that, these people and places and things, they are beyond the world I know, they are beyond even that. I'm dreaming, dreaming, why am I dreaming?

Empty World

Deafening silence, silence is louder even than the noise that came before. The man's corpse falls to the ground, his body severed cleanly in two. The noise restarts as he falls, a bloody mess of entrails haphazardly connecting the two halves of his body. Shock had set in as he started down at the bloody mess, face obscured by a ski mask.

I watch with unchanging eyes, watch as the life simply drains out of him, seeping into the floor and staining. His eyes turn to me, a desperate pleading in them; those that are alike are drawn to each other, and at the same time repulsed. Our eyes met for a moment, in them a thousand emotions passed, he watched me for a moment and then those eyes closed. A violent death, yet his face looked so peaceful. Everything rushed back to me; people were running away, pushing against each other and diving under furniture, anything to get away. A little girl tripped and was trampled, her dying shrieks unheard by the people who walked over her delicate body. The bank teller behind me had disappeared, without thought I vaulted over the desk, ignoring the cry of protest a man made as he shuffled beneath his desk, his was pressing a red switch with his finger, so much so that it was almost held down.

Fear, panic, chaos; It passed through me like nothing, like air, I took a deep breath and felt it awash right through me. Sinking into my blood; fusing with my body; like fire, burning me up from the inside, this emotion: rage. My arm blazed azure with light, words are unneeded, and I ripped the steel door apart with a single blow. It called to me, that thing, like whispers of a child in my ears. It lighted the way, drawing me to it, without thinking I tore the box out, ripping open the cover. Inside, immaculate and sparkling; a kaleidoscope of colors; its glowing radiance cascaded across the walls, ceiling, and floor. As I gripped it in my hand it glowed white, whispering, telling me things I couldn't possibly know. One word grew louder above all others, and then another, until a single sentence pounded in my ears, like someone was screaming. "By the power of Dimension, I call upon thee" there was a blinding flash of light, "KALEIDOSTICK" the transcendent light focused in my hands, a slender object fitting perfectly into my palm, like it was made for me.

"Stand-by, ready" a soft voice emanated from the thing in my palm, it looked to be a cross between a children's toy and a walking staff, but half length and...It talked. "Initiating transformation sequence" the voice was speaking without regard for others, I stare at it for a moment.

"Transformation sequence...Wait!?" crimson light spewed out and touched my skin, leaving a tingling warmth in its wake, fabric disappeared and reappeared differently, Bache pants and black shirt fading into nothingness. A frilly white skirt fit neatly on my hips, a red jacket buttoning itself from the middle up, crimson gauntlets slipping into my fingers and rolling themselves up my arm, a crimson jewel in the cuff of each gauntlet at the wrist. A pink wave of fabric fell down my back in twin curtains on each side, attached to a golden pin and hidden under the collar of the red jacket. There, bellow the golden pin rested that brilliant white gem, smaller now than before, were once it was the size of my fist, now it was closer to the size of a fingernail. Ruby earrings appeared next and fluffy ears on my head like a cat, and a tail. There was no time to fret over how idiotic I looked, the whispers in my ears were right, I was here and I could do something about this.

"Zamber-form" the Kaleidostick reacted before I even spoke, thinning and elongating until its shape resembled a rapier like blade, pure crimson with a black hitless pommel. With blazing eyes I walked out of the vault awash in light, ignoring the wide eyes of the man who upon discovering me had ceased his insistent pushing of the silent alarm. I felt the pull of the blade, a sentient thing that called to me, and I answered it.

The man with the silver hand and the blade of light turned, a small smile fell on his face, for now he had found an opponent. "By the power of dimension, I, Kaleido Ruby will do justice upon you" I spoke without thought, the blade of light cut through the air, meeting crimson. My hands shook terribly from the shock of the blow, I stared up at the man as he laughed, toying with me. It made me pissed off. And I think it made the Kaleidostick pissed off at the same time, I had a moment of light-headedness as I thought over the physical ramifications of such a stunt but that was all brushed aside as smashed his fist into my face and sent me flying into a wall.

"Commence annihilation" the Kaleidostick mirrored my sentiments, besides that really hurt. It's not enough that I can't remember and it's not enough that I am in some strange place; it's not enough that this asshole had to show up at this damn place. This moment, every moment, I can't deal with all this shit; I shouldn't have to deal with all this. A screaming sound, a child stares with wide eyes as I pull myself out of the ruined wall.

"Schweinstein" the word tingled as it left my lips.

"Go to hell asshole" The Kaleidostick responded as it morphed into a shape words don't describe. Wings of light and crimson red; an azure like crystal steadily revolving in the center, and surrounded by crimson claw-like things, light seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. I pointed it at that man with one hand, cocking my head.

I pulled the bowstring back, an arrow of light winking into existence as I let go. "Bang"

There was a gentle breeze, I stared up at the sky, and it was a beautiful blue. Water was trickling onto my cheek. My entire body felt like a boxer had tenderized me like a piece of meat. My right arm was in particular sore, I tentatively glanced at it, and a dark purple bruise ran up and down from wrist to my shoulder. It was at that point that I realized that I wasn't wearing any clothing, not that this was the first time that had happened.

The Kaleidostick was still held firmly in my hand, it was charred black and was for the moment silent. I appeared to be in a fountain, or what used to be one as I had effectively broken it. I stared at the path of wreckage in front of me, at least three city blocks and I had been knocked back by the force of the blow. And out of that smoking hole that man walked, silver hand and blade alight. Black blood stained his upper torso and shoulders, I could see his exposed lungs constrict and relax with each breath, blood and viscous fluid dripping down in an obscene fashion.

I groaned, trying to force my body into moving, with much difficulty and protest I managed to shakily stand up. Strips of fabric fell off my skin, bruised, battered, bloody and now naked I faced the man with a brave face. A hand clamped down on my shoulder and I nearly fell over again. I turned to look into the eyes of a familiar face. "You're going to have to pay me back for those clothes you know" Aozaki Tohko frowned as she gazed past me and towards that man. "Well...that shouldn't be there" she spoke dumbly, staring at it in disbelief. Without words she took off her purple trench coat and placed it on my shoulders. Her glasses disappeared in an instant, a cold face falling in place easily. She stopped a few feet away, staring down at a red motorcycle. She grabbed her hair with one hand and balled the other into a fist. "Damn police officer, I was only gone ten minutes and I got a ticket for illegal parking, what the hell is wrong with this world!?"

I stared in disbelief, had she simply ignored that man or had she really just not noticed? I shook my head but it hurt my neck so I stopped. A sickening crunch echoed as Tohko's head hit the pavement. The man with the silver hand stood over her body, already his wounds were sealing, the smooth purple-black of scarred flesh knitting itself before my eyes. He walked towards me, his face a mask of death, judge and executioner. He stopped; I stared down at the headless body of the woman who had taken me in. She reached out with hands and picked up her severed head, there was a squelching sound like a dirty plunger as her head reattached. Slightly dirty hair was brushed aside, a frown deeply set in as she glared at the man. "Right, off with her head now, questions later, you have no tact, at least crush my head if you want to be done with me." The blade of light cut through the air, Tohko rolled and dodged it, standing up next to her red motorcycle again. She gripped it by the seat, light flaring briefly as the engine roared to life. Like a screaming beast it tore across the pavement and slammed into the man, knocking him backwards into a tree. Tohko had a crazed look on her face, but I wasn't looking at her. Defying gravity and remaining upright without a rider, the red motorcycle had turned silver-chrome, blue-white flames jutting out at odd angles and a crimson phoenix engraved where there windshield would have been.

"Claiomh Solias!" a wave of light dwarfs the sun for a moment as rock and earth are torn asunder and the sickening screech of twisting metal reaches my ears. Tohko cursed, rolling up her sleeves.

"Aule net Gabranth" out of the blinding light a scream of pure delight, fires raged, golden red wings sprouting out of nothing. Without thought it tore through the man with its golden flames, wings of light and sound rebounding through the burning air. As quickly as it had come it vanished, leaving nothing but scorched ground and a bloody carcass still holding on a golden blade. Barely three feet away from her face, and even I could smell the burnt flesh from here, from where she stood it must have been unbearable. "Who sent you?" Tohko asked the bloody mass of flesh.

"He who wishes to reach the end" the man responded, as green light spewed forth out of his chest and spiralled into the sky, taking him with it.

"You've got some explaining to do exhibitionist-girl" Tohko didn't look at me, instead staring at the fading green light as it slowly fell into the sky. I fell to my knees, unable to remain standing. My body ached, my heart ached, and adding insult to injury, there was a camera man rushing towards us. I stared down at the charred black stick.

"Can't you do something about that?"

"No dice sister" I mutter a curse at its response, even as the world grows hazy and I tip over for good. Somehow the pavement felt soft, with a mixture of shock and surprise I realize it's my blood that's making it this way.