Thanks for the reviews, R.C.D.!
First review:
"So someone Mirii's never met was able to se her as a nice person immediately? Sounds like that perfection dream is finally fading away!."
Uhm... you meant to say that Mirii is stopping her perfection ambitions?
Second review:
"What a refreshing fight scene! Though the "SWISH" and "BUMF" s really breaks the flow in an intense moment. And was that hand monster a Zelda Floormaster reference, perchance?"
No, it's not a reference... but you could see it in such way, if you want. The written sound effects do let me "hear" the moves the characters are pulling off, so it's really more an opinion rather than an absolute negative... opinion which I respect, since I know my story is not perfect for every reader. Even Mirii would think that not all people would appreciate her artistic works, if she had one!
Alright, send in a review or leave in a favorite/follow if you are liking the story so far!
"E-enough standing around!" Mirii frowned, as she began sprinting, passing the woman. "We have to reach the first floor and find out the cause of this brief earthquake!" She stopped in front of the door, as she turned behind and stared back at Lisa.
"I… …" Lisa swallowed silently. "O-ok! I-I will come!" Her eyebrows went up, as she rushed towards the door. "Bu-but let's not rush this too much, ok?" Her eyes closed.
The ground shook: Mirii's hands went on the door handle, as Lisa stumbled while releasing a small scream.
"Request overruled." Mirii's hands pushed the hands down, pulling the door. "We have no time to spend for carefulness!"
The girl rushed past the door, as she gasped while opening her mouth: part of the walls and windows were floating away inside a space-like realm. The floor was slowly waving left and right, as the air was below it. Mirii's head rose: an image of an Inkling woman, wearing a white coat, was appearing above the floor with her mouth smiling.
"… did I… I-I…" Her irises shrunk.
"What's happening to this curse?!" Lisa's head turned left and right, as her downturned mouth was a bit open and her hands were both grasping her fan. "We have just defeat a mere core…!"
Mirii rushed forward, as her eyebrows lowered.
"I'm not sure about this, but… if my logic is correct, then I know the reason why we are experiencing such distortions!"
Lisa was running on the floor, too. Her head kept turning to her right, with her irises stopping on her eyes' right corner.
Slowly, the woman's image faded away… as another one appeared, where the woman and the kid were hugging together. MIrii's head was already pointed at it.
"… I knew it! I should had trusted my suspicions!" Her eyebrows went up, as her mouth downturned. "… there is no turning back, now…"
More images appeared above the floor. One was depicting the woman stretching her right arm towards the kid, as tears were coming from her eyes: two hands were holding the kid. Another image was showing the woman with a frown on her face, pointing her right hand towards a group of Inklings.
"… is she trying to communicate with me?" Mirii's mouth opened a bit.
A loud roar came from below. Mirii's mouth flattened, as her head returned to the middle and her eyes tracked a right-turn. The girl snorted, as she bended forward and increased her pace. Suddenly, a hand rose from the floor…
"NO!" Mirii jumped high in the air, as her teeth gritted.
The arm stretched, as the hand grabbed Mirii's right leg. The girl fell on the ground, as her right hand grasped her fan.
"Oh no!" Lisa's right arm went behind, as her face was frowning and her feet were running at high speed. "I got this! I will let you out"
RAAAAH!
Time began moving slowly: Lisa's eyes were expanding, as her irises were seeing a head emerging from the floor. Flash! An image of a little girl holding a large fan with her hands, came in her mind: her eyebrows were up, tears were almost falling…
Flash! Now a tall, lizard-like creature expressing the same face as the one emerging from the floor, had the arms opened and bended, with the mouth showing pointy teeth on the upper-corners. The woman's feet were already standing on the floor…
Flash! The little girl was tilting forward, with her left leg stretching, tears coming out from her eyes, her hands grasping her closed fan…
… the woman's face was completely white. Her mouth sealed, her hands grasping her closed fan as tightly as possible.
SWISH!
ROOOAAAHH!
The monster rose the head, with the eyes closed: immediately, the head went through the floor. Mirii was standing up, while snorting and gritting her teeth. She turned behind… seeing Lisa keeping her previous expression.
"I'm fine! Let's move!" Mirii's left arm went backwards, while the girl frowned. "Come on!"
Lisa was stumbling a bit, as her sight was staring the floor…
"LISA!" Mirii bended forward, while growling.
"Uh…?" The woman's head shook, as her head pointed at the girl.
"Are you even paying attention to me?!" Mirii's head shook, as her wrists went each on one of her sides. "This is not the moment I can deal with one of your antics!"
"… oh… I-I'm fine too!" Lisa's posture lifted, as sweat jumped out of her head, with her fan covering her mouth. "Let's go, let's go!"
Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit, while staring at the woman zooming past her. The girl returned forward and resumed her run.
"… no, I have witnessed too many antics, to believe I have seen one… she didn't even took a step, once that monster was emerging." The girl took the right-turn, proceeding on the wavy hallway. "I do have to ask questions, if I want to learn the truth… questions regarding her experience with the monster."
The girls kept running for some minutes, before Lisa started to pant.
"Uuufffff… I-I can't take… m-more… uuufffff…" The woman slowed down, until her back bended forward and her hands went each on one of her knees.
"No, don't let fatigue… get the best of you…" Mirii panted, as she slowed down, with her left wrist drenching on her sweat-covered forehead. "We are reaching the stairs…"
"Uh…?" Lisa's head rose, watching the stair rail coming from below and stopping right before the hallway.
The girl walked rapidly, passing the woman.
"Groan… uff…" Jerkily, Lisa stands up as her teeth gritted and shy yelps came out from her mouth. "My head… ooooh…" Stumbling, she walked forward.
Mirii stopped in front of the stairs, turning in their direction… only to witness the steps crumbling silently.
"Curses!" Mirii's right foot stomped. "We can't return back and check the elevator, after all that running…" Her arms folded, as her head shook.
Mirii's head pointed at the stair rail.
"… I have an idea." Mirii smiled a bit.
With a jump, the girl landed on the stair rail with her bottom: she began sliding downwards, as her left hand holding on the rail and her right arm was stretching to her right.
"Wait… waaaaiiitt!" Lisa's voice was coming from behind.
"DO AS I DID, LISA!" Mirii's sight was right on the rail.
The girl kept on sliding, as her eyebrows went down. Echoing cries were slowly rising from the bottom: Mirii's ears rose.
"… are those… coming from her?" Her head rose too. "Nngh… how could I let my rage get the best of me, yet again…? I'm not even sure if I can resonate with her, after what I caused… … will I even have a chance, with such equipment? I don't even have my bag…"
The girl was passing several, floating floors as each were slowly waving: some doors either flew upwards or were gliding downwards…
"If this curse is controlled by an individual… that would mean I'm dealing with someone who holds the control of this entire world." She swallowed silently. "I'm about to reach the first floor… if I don't have a plan in mind…"
Mirii's head tilted to her right, seeing a bottomless space-like realm.
"NO!" Her eyes expanded. "THE HALL IS NOT PRESENT!"
Her head returned in the middle, seeing a wavy floor. She frowned a lot, as her eyes squeezed a bit… she jumped, right before the right-turn while the rail was closer to the floor. She rolled forward, stopping on her right feet and her left knee on a greenish carpet.
"Phew… I made it…" She stands up, as her left hand shook her shirt and dress.
The girl turned behind, watching the stair rail floating in midair. Her head rose, watching more of it.
"Heeeeyyyy!"
Mirii's irises shrunk, as her head twisted right and left, while still keeping it upwards. A weird noise was coming from above… as a shadow covered the girl.
"What the?!" Mirii jumped on her right, as her eyes expanded.
Lisa's right hand was swinging her opened fan, as she glided slowly towards the floor. Mirii's jaw dropped. The woman's feet touched the ground, as her mouth was smiling: her hands grasped her now closed fan, as she sighed loudly.
"It's been a while, since I used my fan for slow landings…" Her eyes closed, as she chuckled with her mouth sealed. "It was sure a nice"
"And why you haven't told me about this, earlier?!" Mirii's right forefinger went in front of Lisa's face, as puffs of smoke came out from her head and her face was frowning a lot. "I would had easily reached the first floor, instead of using the stair rail!"
"Ah ah ah…" A sweat drop appears on Lisa's head, as her facial expression was the same. "I-I remembered when I saw you sliding down…"
Mirii snorted, as her right arm retreated on her right side. She turned behind, as her head shook.
"Reveal the core room, so I can finally exit this nightmarish place!" Her head turned to her left. "I'm sure the room in question must be in this way, though…" She walked in the same direction.
"Can't we reach the room a bit later?" Lisa's mouth downturned, as her teeth gritted slightly. "My legs are burning… and my head isn't"
"I will never wish to sink inside this cursed world!" Mirii returned behind, while frowning a lot. "I have seen doors floating away… what if the floor crumbles and"
"Mirii, curses are almost illusions…" Lisa's eyes flattened. "Not that we should be careless, but I don't think that falling down will be that problematic… perhaps, we might just re-appear on the floor"
"We might? I want certainty, NOT probability!" Mirii's arms opened wide for a moment, before returning on her sides. "… but in such case, I don't need your skills." She turned behind, resuming her walk. "I will use my memory abilities to easily reach the room in question…"
"Miriiiiii…" Lisa bended forward, as her knees bended, her hands fell on one each and sighed loudly. "Groan… … how I wish to take a nice bath…"
Mirii snorted, as her fists clenched. From the floor, several oval-creatures as tall as her, emerged. Mirii's right hand opened her fan.
"… excellent. I was hoping for another chance…" Mirii's right arm moved in front of her chest, as her fan covered in magenta ink.
She dashed forward, as her teeth gritted.
SWISH!
4 monsters exploded, as a large puff of smoke rose in the air…
SWISH!
With a hit from above to below, 2 more exploded in the same way. The remaining beasts melted down into the floor: the girl stepped on her magenta ink, as her right hand closed her fan.
"… they are not worthy opponents, anymore." Mirii's head rose. "I need a real challenge…"
Her eyes pointed at a door, standing in front of a large box made in bricks. She began walking towards it.
"… although…" Her eyebrows went up. "… using violence isn't my trademark tactic… … if only I knew how to make her stop attacking us and stop keeping this curse…"
The girl stopped, turning towards the door. Her left hand went on the door handle…
Clic.
Her left hand pushed the door: the room had dark-purple substances held inside the floor and the walls, as they change in brightness.
"You didn't even… wait for me?!" Lisa panted, as she stopped behind the girl, while frowning.
Her forehead was full of sweat, as she kept panting.
"Uff… wh-what's wrong with you?!"
"I have several tasks to do… staying in this curse is not one of them." Mirii took two steps forward, before stopping. "I'm about to stop the real perpetrator of this whole madness…"
The girl's right forefinger pointed at a Inkling woman-like shadowy creature, standing almost near the wall.
"… the mother of that kid." Lisa's mouth opened a bit, as her eyes were looking at the figure. "She was strong enough to create a curse, together with her child… at least, from what I can tell with those images."
"Hmpf!" Mirii's knees bended, as her right hand swung her fan, opening it. "I would resonate with her, if it wasn't for my mistake of defeating her child… … but in such situation, I have no other choice…"
The shadow figure's white eyes were looking at Mirii.
"… I have to fight her." Mirii's eyes squeezed a bit. "Have at you!"
She jumped forward, as her fan filled with magenta ink. The shadow creature screamed, while bending forward and opening the hands: dark-blue ink was dripping from the fingers' tips. Lisa walked near Mirii's right side, as her opened fan went in front of her mouth.
Moans, cries and screams were coming shyly from the walls. The shadow's arms rose, as two ink round-shaped projectiles formed each on one of the opened hands.
FUM!
The projectiles were flying towards the two Inklings: Mirii rolled on her left, stopping with a slide. Lisa's right hand swung her fan, as it hit the projectile in front of her: the round-shaped object flew back, hitting the shadow fully. Dark-blue landed on the monster's feet and nearby. The other projectile hit the floor, exploding into dark-blue ink.
"Distract her!" Mirii's right hand swung her ink-filled fan, as ink flew out of it. "I will cover the floor!"
"Gah…!" Lisa's teeth gritted, as a sweat drop appeared on her head's right side.
The shadow figure jumped towards Lisa, while screeching. The woman swung her fan, pushing the creature back on the floor.
"I can't-AH!" Lisa fell, with her head hitting the floor. "AAAH!" Her eyes squeezed, as her right hand opened.
Her fan flew towards the wall on the right. The creature hissed, as the right arm rose…
SWISH!
Magenta ink fell on the shadowy left tentacle, as the monster jumped away from the woman: the head turned towards the girl.
UIN!
A flash made the creature disappear: Mirii's eyes expanded, as her head turned around…
PAF!
"NNNNGGHH!" The girl flew forward, falling on the floor with her stomach. "OW!"
Her right hand opened, as her fan flew near the wall.
"Ugh… uff…" Mirii's eyes were squeezed, as her teeth were gritting.
Her hands were pushing her arms…
PAF!
"YAAAHHAA!" She rolled, slamming against the wall with her back.
The shadow figure's arms rose, as dark-blue projec-
"AAAH!" Lisa grabbed the monster with her limbs, while frowning a lot.
Both were moving violently, as kicks were flying in midair. Jerkily, Mirii lifted her posture near the wall: slight bruises were found on her face and right tentacle. Her eyelids were lowered to the middle, as she kept panting in silence.
The shadow dived on the floor, pulling the woman along: both began rolling and exchanging punches and kicks. Slowly, the girl's head turned to her left.
"... I must…" She began crawling, as her arms trembled slightly. "… I need that fan… I"
"NOOO!"
Mirii's head twisted back to the right: her eyes expanded, watching the shadow figure standing on the feet while Lisa was lying on the floor, with her back down. The shadow arms were stretching upwards, as dark-blue ink projectiles formed… Lisa's right arm went in front of her eyes.
The girl stands up, while stumbling a bit, as she dashes towards the monster.
SCHA-CHING!
Mirii's mouth opened, as her irises shrunk. Her feet were standing still, her hands were open. Lisa's right arm slowly lowered… as her eyes caught the shadow figure keeping the mouth open. The lizard-like monster was standing in front of the girl, while bending forward, as the right hand was almost touching the floor.
The creature began yelping loudly, as each part began puffing rapidly…
BOOOM!
Dark-blue ink flew everywhere, disappearing as soon as it touched any surface.
"… you sure know… how to disappoint me…" A deep voice came from the creature's mouth. "… I thought you would weakened… such puny meat…"
Lisa's face went paler: she rose her posture, turning towards the lizard-like creature.
"How sad… making me do all the work… …" He rose his posture, as he turned behind. "… but the wait is finally over…"
Lisa's irises shrunk.
"… wait for me… I will come to get you…" The creature took two steps forward. "I'm the only one… who will get you down… for good…"
Mirii was slowly walking backwards, as sweat covered her face.
"I-I can do this…" She swallowed silently. "I-I can take him down, before"
Her left hand touched a slimy substance: Mirii gasped, as she turned behind. The walls were forming a slime material… gradually melting into a pile of dark-blue ink. Ink drops were coming from the ceiling and her feet were slowly sinking through the floor.
Mirii lowered her head, as she yelled loudly.
SPRUMF!
The girl fell through the floor, watching the space-like realm below her.