Author's Note: Less than a week and I managed to get this out. Talk about the power of the laptop.
Black Rock Shooter and co. belongs to Huke.
"Lose your own" - Pay money To my Pain
Geshumaru could feel the sunlight that was touching her face, the light beaming through whatever remained of the windows as dawn started forming around the horizon, but after a night that caused her to exhaust more energy than necessary, all she wants is some sleep. Sadly, once she heard the sound of birds chirping, that was the end, so the blue-eyed Anomaly picked herself up from the swept ground and started stretching, feeling minor aches from the beating that she got around early morning, while the moon kept its place in the checkerboard styled sky. Rubbing the back of her head, Geshumaru looked around, trying to find Kanna through her bleary eyes, but she was unable to spot the signature dyed bang that belongs to the older woman, so Geshumaru exited the room. After all that adrenaline pumping moments throughout the night, Kanna went off to some area within the building, trying to find a place where she and Dragon Slayer could work and map out everything. Walking along the hallway, Geshumaru was lost within her tired mind for a while until she reached the machinery, which didn't do much to shake her awake, but spotting a light source up above did.
"Well, I guess it's a nice view..." Geshumaru thought as she tried to look into the office from where she was, but the blinds that tried to cover the windows prevented her from getting a better view.
Geshumaru didn't think twice about where she was heading as she walked around the platform, trying to reach the stairway that lead to the office up above, and considering how no one knows about where they are, she doesn't have a reason to worry yet. Reaching the stairs, the blue-eyed Anomaly made her way up, taking one step before the next as she could hear someone moving around on the inside, and she could think of two people who could cause that noise and not worry about it, considering they tend to keep the noise down. Reaching the door, Geshumaru turned the knob and pushed the door into the office, her eyes centering on the amber-eyed Anomaly that was staring at a pinned up map of the city, the map flat against the wall as Dragon Slayer started marking things down on it. Geshumaru could see Kanna's laptop resting on a desk that looked like it hasn't seen brighter days since World War II, if Geshumaru really believed what the amber-eyed Anomaly said about the building being quite old. Either way, Geshumaru got her answers and she was about to leave when she felt her body getting pulled into the office, the door closing after she was well away from it, her body hitting the floor lightly as the younger Anomaly glared at Dragon Slayer, who merely smirked at her reaction.
"Nice of you to drop by and check out our work," Dragon Slayer told her, the smirk not even leaving her face, "So, care to tell me why you're here when you still need to rest up..?"
Geshumaru grunted as she got up, her eyes focused on Dragon Slayer, "Frankly, I couldn't sleep anymore, besides, what do you mean by 'our work'?"
"I'm talking about what Kanna and I have managed to figure out these past couple of hours," Dragon Slayer clarified, "It was her idea to wake up around six and start working, though, she needs more rest than I do"
"Kanna's body needs more rest than anything, think of how lethargic it's probably feeling now after being active for a while," Geshumaru tried to shout, but was unable to as she was still shaking off the last bits of sleep that continued to cling to her.
"Well, considering how I slept throughout most of the morning and afternoon when we examined the school," Dragon Slayer countered, "Plus the few hours of sleep Kanna got after that intense fight, she more than well rested, if not a bit tired..."
"Ugh, there's no way to beat you..." Geshumaru groaned, raking through her hair in slight frustration.
"Always expect to lose to me, whether in a fight, or with words," Dragon Slayer said as she walked around the desk, "By the way, where is Mato..?"
Geshumaru blinked, trying to remember if she even noticed Mato, "I'm... not sure..."
"Hn, that's quite unsettling, considering if she hasn't returned, then anything could have happened and there's nothing we can do to correct it," Dragon Slayer said, sighing, "How annoying..."
Geshumaru nodded slowly as she tried to let Dragon Slayer's words sink into her brain, which was starting to work as it normally does when she's wide awake, with the last visages of sleep now eradicated, she felt a lot more alert than before. That when she remember that she didn't spot Mato and how Dragon Slayer's words has a twisted sense of subconscious acknowledgement, and she could see Dragon Slayer starting to come to the same conclusion as her, their minds coming up with various scenarios that Mato's probably in, with the worse care scenario being Icicle has managed to capture her as well. Figuring her body was well enough that she could move about like she normally would, Geshumaru switched to her Otherworld clothes and left the office with Dragon Slayer, rushing out of the dilapidated building as they looked around, trying to figure out where Mato was before she wound up disappearing. There was a bit of self-loathing that both Geshumaru and Dragon Slayer was feeling due to not paying more attention about their situation at the time, and because of that, something happened to Mato that neither one of them even knows about. The wind blew, causing some leaves to fall down to the ground, but it did little to guide both Anomalies to their missing teammate, who attitude last night was off-putting and unnatural for someone like her.
"Now what?" Geshumaru asked Dragon Slayer, who kept looking around.
"Let's explore the forest quickly," Dragon Slayer told her, grimacing due to their current problem, "If we can't find her with a half-hour, we rush to the city and start tearing it down, okay..?"
"That's something I can get down with," Geshumaru said nodding in confirmation, "See you in a half-hour"
Dragon Slayer didn't say anything as both she and Geshumaru went off in different directions, ready to explore the forest as they can quickly manage, the slight hope that they can find Mato lingering in their minds.
B RS could feel her head spinning as she tried to open her eyes, but she found them covered by something, which brought out the urge to tear whatever was obscuring her eyes away from her, something that she wished she could do if her hands weren't bound to something already. In fact, aside from her wrist being bound together and restrained, she could also feel the same for her ankles, the cold metal actually touching her skin, which caused the blue-eyed Anomaly to think about what happened that lead to this, her mind going back to the moment that Mato left the building while caught up in her own anger. From there, her real self started walking through the forest, trying to calm down as she vented out her anger, but that lead her to not pay any attention to her surroundings and they wound up back in the city, at the same spot where Kanna went berserk for a while, trying to kill her and Geshumaru. While Kanna doesn't remember what she said, B RS could remember it clearly and how those words affected Mato, but the one thing that B RS could figure out that her real self couldn't is that those are thoughts that Dragon Slayer specifically has towards Mato. There's a level of uncertainty that B RS has towards Mato that's showed through in their contrasting thoughts and goals, which made the blue-eyed Anomaly understand Dragon Slayer more than she could understand her own real self now, but the reasoning behind that was eluding her for some reason.
"Why can't Mato see it from Dragon Slayer's perspective, is she..?" B RS thought until she heard some shuffling.
"Hm, these really are comfortable," B RS heard, and she could recognize the voice just from the tonality.
B RS gritted her teeth, trying her best to glare through the blindfold, "Dead Master..!"
For a moment, B RS couldn't head anything until someone started walking towards her, causing her to wonder what's about to happen when she felt a finger dig between her head and the blindfold, the fabric getting ripped away as her eyes got assaulted by the bright light. She could feel her eyes water as they slowly readjusted themselves, her vision becoming less blurred as she could start to make out Dead Master's form, but the clothing that she was wearing almost caught B RS by surprise as she didn't expect it to happen. Dead Master stepped back, fully clothed in B RS's clothes, leaving the blue-eyed Anomaly bare as she noticed her form bounded in the air, her wrist and ankles bound by chains that kept her ground, preventing her from doing anything before she willed her power to course through her. Dead Master noticed what B RS was trying to pull off and she immediately put an end to that, slashing at B RS with the tips of her claws, cutting off B RS's concentration as pain took over and forced the blue-eyed Anomaly to focus her attention on the green-eyed other self. B RS couldn't help but think the situation was nothing more that a mockery, but considering how everything was turning out, all she could think is that someone really hated her guts and wants her dead.
"There, with that taken care of," Dead Master said as she stepped back and twirled, the flaps of B RS's jacket waved around, "What do you think, I was think of making one for myself, considering some of this is barely fitting me..?"
B RS growled, "I think your insane..!"
"Now that's not a nice thing to say, considering that I'm told not to break you just yet," Dead Master told her, walking over to a chair and sitting down, "At least, until Icicle has her way with you"
"The hell, have you forgotten what Icicle did to you and Chariot..?!" B RS roared, her blue eyes glowing.
Dead Master arched an eyebrow, "Well, she certainly open both of our eyes to the faults of this world, and we're helping her, provided we all get compensated greatly for our work"
"Seems to me that she's doing most of the work, all things considered," B RS dryly remarked.
"Well, since Dragon Slayer is playing in the field, it makes things for us complicated," Dead Master said as she got up from the chair and walked towards B RS.
B RS frowned, narrowing her eyes at Dead Master, "Hn, and I'm suppose to feel sorry for you..?"
"You should, considering what you did to me and Yomi," Dead master said as she rested a hand on B RS's left cheek.
"You got things backwards, and it's obvious that Icicle's behind that, so I'm sorry if I say that neither of you deserve this, but I haven't done anything," B RS told her, staying calm as she locked eyes with Dead Master, "But let me tell you this, the other self that you're relying on won't help you, she doesn't even care about any of you, she only desires the real world and the Otherworld's destruction, and will abuse anyone to complete her goal..."
"Best if you keep your mouth shut," Dead Master warned, frowning.
"You're nothing more than a pawn in her game, and once she gains everything she needs, she'll toss you all to your death," B RS continued, "There's nothing left at the road you're traveling on, but you can break away from it, just let me.. Gah!"
Dead Master dug her claws deeper into B RS's lungs, clearly angered from what B RS told her, "Liar.. I won't care if Icicle does anything to me, I'll end this now..!"
"Do so, and I'll destroy your existence from where you stand," Dead Master heard, prompting the green-eyed other self to look back at the aforementioned malevolent other self.
Dead Master's eyes widened at the sight of Icicle, who was walking towards her, "I-Icicle, this isn't..."
"I don't care what it looks like, you had your fun, don't make me regret my decision," Icicle said as she clamp a hand down on Dead Master's left shoulder, her eyes glowing, "Now, leave the room, and make sure to leave her clothes behind..."
"I... I.. of course..." Dead Master responded, the response coming out monotone.
B RS could only stare at Dead Master, who was walking away while stripping herself of B RS's clothes, but the blue-eyed Anomaly didn't stay focused on the green-eyed other self for long as she redirected her attention back to Icicle, who merely stood while staring at her. That didn't last for long as B RS watched Icicle exit out of her insane self's body, catching her off guard as the empty husk dropped to the floor, empty eyes that was once filled with pure violence and hatred staring back at B RS with nothing to convey any hidden message. Icicle stretch her body before walking towards the chair that Dead Master once occupied when she was still in the room, red-orange eyes focusing on B RS as the malevolent other self appeared calm and reserved, like she was waiting for something to happen within the next instant. B RS could only glare that the other self that started all the problems that's going on, but from the corner of her right eye, she could see something that caught her interest and might become important later on. Despite exiting the hollow shell of B RS's insane self, Icicle's shadow remained connected to the shadow of the hollowed out body, and B RS quickly shelved the thought to the back of her head as she refocused on Icicle, not willing to toss away anything that she picks up on.
"I'm sorry for that, but let's move on and focus on the now," Icicle told B RS, her eyes never blinking as that remain locked on the blue-eyed Anomaly, "Before I take action, how about we have a little talk"
"Let me guess, it's about how it's all inevitable and that we'll lose in the end, right?" B RS shot back, but Icicle didn't flinch from the response's intensity.
"No," Icicle said coolly and she leaned forward from her seat, "Let's talk about.. you"
Dragon Slayer looked around from where she stood on a tree branch, surveying the area with her eyes before shaking her head and launching towards the next point, her mind trying to comprehend how everything played out as she tried extending her senses to find Mato through whatever power that belongs to B RS that's leaking out. The sun was slowly turning in the sky, beaming down upon her as she reached the next tree branch and started looking around, her senses trying to pick up anything that could give her a clue, something that she can work with. Picking up on nothing, Dragon Slayer grunted before dropping down to the forest floor, her eyes showing her frustration at not finding anything, before her thoughts trailed off and started focusing on the real self that started the commotion. There were lines that real selves can't cross with their other selves, much less Anomalies, considering how connected they are to each other, and the repercussions that will follow if one reacts differently than what's allowed. Plus, Dragon Slayer knew that whatever Mato heard from Kanna while she wasn't herself, it was her own thoughts coming to light, but at a different magnification than what she already let out, which doesn't do much to change her thoughts about the real self.
"If I ever manage to find that girl..." Dragon Slayer thought as she walked through the forest, trying to make her way back to the clearing.
Dragon Slayer navigated through the forest, looking around ever so slightly so she cam make sure no wild animal was stalking her, as the last thing she wanted done today was to kill an animal, which is at the lowest of all the priorities that's just waiting for her to get to. Before she could take another step, she felt a familiar surge of energy coming from the north-east from where she was standing, causing her to snap her head towards the source of that power. Focusing on the source, Dragon Slayer launched herself to the treetops and started dashing through the trees, navigating around them and avoiding the tree branches that threatened to send her back down to the ground. It didn't take long for her to reach the source, but whatever she expected got dashed away slightly by Geshumaru waving at her, beckoning her to come down for some reason or another, her eyes glowing before they faded away as the amber-eyed Anomaly reached the forest floor again. Frankly, Dragon Slayer meant what she said about the both of them heading towards the city if they couldn't find Mato in the forest, so to get alerted and dash all the way from where she was, it certainly left the amber-eyed Anomaly in a bit of a bitter mood.
"There better be a reason behind you alerting me..." Dragon Slayer warned Geshumaru, keeping her voice even as she stared at the blue-eyed Anomaly.
"There is, and you might not like it," Geshumaru told her, causing the amber-eyed Anomaly to arch an eyebrow.
Dragon Slayer wasn't sure by what Geshumaru meant that she isn't going to like what she learns, and she couldn't help but agree when she saw Geshumaru reach out with her left hand, touching an invisible object as electricity sparked from nowhere, catching the amber-eyed Anomaly's attention. The answer was right before them and she didn't like it one bit, considering the electrical sparks and a transparent object was giving Dragon Slayer the impression that's familiar to a sealed off rift, and there are only a few who can make use of an ability like that. Gritting her teeth, Dragon Slayer reached out herself with both hands and grabbed at the air, feeling her hands clutch something as she spread them out at different directions, a rift forming before her and Geshumaru. They didn't hesitate as they rushed through the rift, seconds passing by as they exited out of the rift and wound up back at the street from earlier on, but with people moving about, they could see all the people who were on both sides of the street focusing on them. The entire moment caused both Anomalies to realize that it wasn't just a rift that Mato got pulled into, but it was also bait for them for when they wake up and start looking for her, and they took it without even thinking of the possible consequences.
"Geshumaru, we got to move," Dragon Slayer stated, her expression grim as she looked around.
"I know, they're practically alerting Icicle that we're here," Geshumaru said, her eyes wandering as well, "Talk about worse-case scenario..!"
Dragon Slayer didn't entertain Geshumaru's comment as they launched up to the air, dashing along the rooftops as the people down below kept their eyes focused on them until they were out of their line of sight, but any chance that the two Anomalies had of getting inside the city and hunting down Mato without drawing too much attention was gone the moment they took the bait. Rushing through the air, they thought that they could find Mato through B RS, but they ran into a complication; B RS's power was virtually nonexistent in the city, which meant that Mato was being kept somewhere far so they couldn't lock-on to her. As they started reaching the main section of the city, they felt something surging towards them, prompting both Anomalies to avoid whatever got launched at them and drop down to a nearby roof, their eyes darting everywhere so they can find their assailant. It didn't take long for them to find who attacked them, and Dragon Slayer just had the feeling that Icicle was trying to tempt fate as Gold Saw walked towards them, her King Saw hoisted on her shoulder as the red-eyed other self focused on them. Dragon Slayer was ready to take on Gold Saw, but feeling the sleeve of her jacket get pulled back by Geshumaru stopped her from proceeding, and when the amber-eyed Anomaly turned to scold her companion, she noticed the uncertainty residing within the young Anomaly's blue eyes.
"What's the problem..?" Dragon Slayer asked, calming down a bit.
"There's something off about Gold Saw," Geshumaru told Dragon Slayer, causing the latter to arch an eyebrow, "I mean, I know she's helping Icicle, but this feeling I get when I look at her.. it's like I'm staring at nothing..."
Dragon Slayer looked back at Gold Saw, "Oh.. don't tell me..."
"You got an idea on what happened?" Geshumaru asked, noticing Gold Saw stopped walking towards them.
"Icicle made her become an emotionless killing machine, and I'm guessing this is having an effect on Saya as well," Dragon Slayer said before raking through her hair with her left hand, "This makes things complicated.. you'll have to fight her"
Geshumaru's eyes widened at what the amber-eyed Anomaly just said, "Eh, but that's like committing suicide..!"
"And me fighting her is more than likely to draw out some skeletons from my closet," Dragon Slayer rebuked, "If I fight against her, I won't hold back, and the result isn't something you should see"
Geshumaru frowned, well aware that Dragon Slayer wasn't giving the entire story, but didn't say anything against it, "If I had the rest of my arsenal, it would make the fight a bit easier on me..."
"Sorry, but you already know how it all leads up to this," Dragon Slayer said as she bent down slightly, bringing out her broadsword, "So, you know what comes next, right?"
"Just try to find Mato, I'll hold off Gold saw for as long as I can manage," Geshumaru told her, her katana appearing before her as she gripped it in her left hand.
Gold Saw looked at them, her eyes moving back and forth as she tried to figure out who was going to fight her, and she thought she got her answer when Dragon Slayer smirked at her, but that all changed in the next second as the amber-eyed Anomaly passed by her, catching the horned other self off guard for a moment. Geshumaru saw her chance and launched herself at Gold Saw, who was ready to hunt down Dragon Slayer until she noticed the blue-eyed Anomaly nearing her, prompting her to block the attack before pushing Geshumaru away from her. Dragon Slayer could feel the two attacking each other and silently hoped that Geshumaru can hold out for a while, just until she can find Mato and pull her away from Icicle's grasp. If anything, Dragon Slayer could feel her urge to berate the teenager for doing something reckless growing and wondered how everything will play out when she gets her. Pushing all unnecessary thoughts away from her mind, the amber-eyed Anomaly focused on the task that's before her, jumping from one point to the next as she tries to find any source that can clue her in on Mato's location, her mind state becoming similar to that of a bloodhound.
"Talk about me, that's insane," B RS said, her eyes narrowing at the malevolent other self.
"It may seem that way, but thanks to this... blessing, I've been able to learn just about everything that exist on you," Icicle told B RS, her eyes unwavering, "In fact, one can mistaken me for you if I make use of what I learned just by residing within that hollow cask"
B RS could feel her anger boiling before it dissipate by looking at her own madness' personification, the eyes holding no light of their own, destroyed by the other self that merely sat while staring up at her, the red-orange eyes holding a sense of muffled superiority as they just gazed at her. Whatever Icicle did to her was beyond what she has done to everyone else, just destroying one's existence like a bug, regardless of whether they're saviors or hell-bent killers, doesn't deserve mercy when they reach the end of their life. B RS moved her eyes away from her insane counterpart and looked back at Icicle, who didn't move one inch in her seat, which caused the Anomaly to wonder what exactly Icicle is, as she isn't like any other self she has met, nor does she act like one. Dragon Slayer called her the true personification of all the darkness that marred the world throughout time, but that didn't make any sense to her, since as far she could understand, negative emotions don't just stay after a real self manages to get through whatever problem is hampering them. Her thought process didn't last for long as Icicle narrowed her eyes as she snapped her fingers, drawing B RS's attention as black tendrils extended from the malevolent other self's shadow, gripping the blue-eyed Anomaly's head and keeping her eyes trained on the being sitting down.
"Now that I've regained your attention," Icicle said as she got up from the chair, "I know more about you than you let on; an Anomaly that still tries to keep her core identity that she was 'born' with until her impromptu death, which fragmented your existence until they got put together again"
"So what, just about everyone knows that," B RS shot back.
"Yes, but I know that you hide your insecurities about being an Anomaly through a mask of indifference.. Rock," Icicle said, causing B RS to suck in her breath in surprise, "I'm well aware of how you can't comprehend the human element behind an Anomaly, but you certainly don't hide your anger for Mato since she just can't understand how we all work, how we're just beings beyond real selves comprehension..."
B RS gritted her teeth, "We're no gods..!"
"Compared to real selves, we other selves are more powerful than they can ever comprehend," Icicle told her as she walked around B RS, examining her with her eyes, "At least I'm not restricted by a real self, since being in tuned with the world did bring about my existence"
"You think you can understand who I am, just by using a body they you ripped out of me..?" B RS inquired, glaring at Icicle, who stopped to face her.
"I know that you couldn't stand keeping your former home as it only reminded you of what happened when you went insane, and tried to kill your real self, or make her suffer for you," Icicle said, which made B RS's eyes widened, "It seems that any sense of understand that you and Mato have for each other disappeared the moment you became an Anomaly, which allowed you just to live without tethering you down to a mere existence"
"Stop it," B RS growled out.
"Plus, you seem to understand Dragon Slayer a lot more than Mato, perhaps because Dragon Slayer herself is like you in the sense that you both seem to have no morals holding you down, morals that prevent you from killing," Icicle stated, bringing out her own conclusion, "Which is why you went along with Dragon Slayer's idea, since it's the only way you can resolve your problems and come down with a conclusion behind your existence"
"You don't know what it's like as me, everything that I had to go through to find my answers," B RS roared, her eyes glowing, "Every piece of my memory that I gained back, it only made me wonder what's the point between me and Mato, only for that conclusion to end up to nothing, because we're..!"
"Complete opposites of each other," Icicle finished, causing B RS's anger to burn out like a lit flame sealed off from oxygen.
B RS couldn't say anything as Icicle continued, "I'm well aware of that, but don't worry, I'll resolve that problem for you, and then you can continue your life.. no burdens attached..."
Before B RS could comprehend what Icicle just said, she could feel something digging into her body before her body got hit with both a bone-chilling sensation and pain that threatened to rip her apart, her eyes darting to the ceiling as she started screaming in pain. Icicle watched B RS's face contort in pain as she dug her left hand further inside B RS's body, taking in no pleasure of watching the blue-eyed Anomaly vocalize her pain as black markings started crawling up B RS's pale skin, her body thrashing around. The malevolent other self felt a surge of power coming for B RS, a self-defense mechanism as raw energy leaked around and started wrecking the room, destroying the while walls and ceiling as the blue-eyed Anomaly tried to fight against the pain that's overwhelming her. Behind the screams, Icicle could hear the faint movement and chatter going on beyond the room, the only evidence of any activity going on as usual, like whatever is happening before was in a different world to the people moving about outside of the room. Despite that, Icicle could feel her skin crawl as she picked up on something heading towards the building she was in, but that didn't worry her, as anything that the remaining two Anomalies could try disappears when civilians gets involved, and that's the deciding factor for her.
Dragon Slayer jumped from a nearby rooftop and landed in front of a building, "Hun, a callback to the days not so long ago..?"
Dragon Slayer could only consider this a morbid recall since the last time she showed up in the hospital, it wound up with her possessing a nurse on duty during the night and helping out Mato, but that was many weeks ago, and the circumstances between both events are different. Either way, that surge of power was enough to catch her attention, just enough so she could make her way over, but considering where she is now, the amber-eyed Anomaly noted how she would have to search through every room possible, just to find one girl. Frowning, Dragon Slayer started walking towards the building until she got hit with a sense of nausea, her senses overloading as she could pick up a familiar sensation to her, which caused her to head over to some bushes and throw up the contents that remained in Kanna's stomach. If she recalled, that was the only the second time that she ever wanted to throw up, but only the first for it to actually happen, so she couldn't help but note how it felt unusual, but relieving to a certain degree. Before she could recover completely, she felt something stirring at the back of her mind and decided to calm down completely as Kanna woke up from her sleep, deserving her rest after trying to explain to Dragon Slayer on how to use a laptop, before she gave up completely at the technologically impaired Anomaly.
[Ugh, I feel like I got flushed down in an overgrown toilet...]
"Please, I don't need to know that..!" Dragon Slayer groaned.
[Right, and it's morning.. wait, why are we in front of a hospital..?]
"Because a certain someone decided to get caught up in her own anger, just enough to wound up in Icicle's clutches," Dragon Slayer summarized, figuring Kanna will fill in the blanks herself, "Frankly, I need to save her ass, and once I do, I'm going to berate her for her stupidity..."
[So, Mato is inside the building and your thinking to trying to track her down.. you do know there's a slight complication with that, right..?]
"Yes, which is why what happens next might cause you to feel a bit of vertigo..." Dragon Slayer told her, walking towards the hospital doors.
Kanna braced herself as she watched what Dragon Slayer is doing, the Anomaly nearing the doors as she tightened her grip on the broadsword, showing no emotion as with one swing, she broke the doors and blew them into the hospital, causing everyone to react in surprise as she rushed inside the building. Kanna noted how Dragon Slayer wasn't lying as the amber-eyed Anomaly made use of an opened door and rushed through it, entering a hallway as she stared passing by door, taking a bit of time to bust them open and check the room quickly before moving to the next one, repeating the same process as before. Kanna could feel a couple of seconds pass at each attempt, her mind struggling to comprehend what her partner was doing until Dragon Slayer reached the waiting room, where there were a bunch of people who looked up at the amber-eyed Anomaly. Dragon Slayer gritted as she watched them get up from their seats and start making their way towards her, but taking advantage of the slight delay they were running into, the Anomaly jumped over them, making sure to use some of their heads or shoulders as a platform to catapult to the other side. Noticing an elevator starting to close, Dragon Slayer quickly dashed inside before it could close completely, surprising the person who was already inside, but before he could recover and react promptly, she swiftly knocked him out with a strong punch to the gut.
Dragon Slayer rested the unconscious person up against the wall before rolling over, "So, that was fun..."
[No, that was intense..!]
"I wasn't talking to you, I was merely talking to the man who I knocked out," Dragon Slayer told Kanna, causing her to hear a groan full of irritation, "Oh please, try to take a joke..."
[Sorry, but let's focus on the present, instead of trivial things..!]
"Hn, that sounded like me, maybe I'm rubbing off on you..?" Dragon Slayer laughed.
[No, I just want to live...]
"That's fair," Dragon Slayer said as the elevator stopped, the doors opening to the new floor.
Dragon Slayer would be lying if she said she didn't expect anyone else to come at her, so when the people who were around the same area looked towards her, she knew that things was going to occur just like a moment ago, with people rushing at her like mad men. Gritting her teeth, Dragon Slayer dashed through the tight space the people who were rushing towards her made, exiting it with her broadsword drawn before turning a corner and breaking off into a run, repeating the same process of checking a room for a couple of seconds before moving to the next one. For Kanna, watching everything move around her at an alarming rate due to Dragon Slayer just rushing around without stopping for more than two seconds, it was really starting to give her an intense sense that everything was spinning around her, and with her unable to control it. Dragon Slayer kept moving around as she watched the patients and nurses try to stop her, which was a pointless effort considering who she is and her capabilities being beyond what's considered normal. Figuring that she's about to reach a dead-end, Dragon Slayer was ready to turn around when she felt another surge of power coming from above, causing her senses to hone in on the source as her eyes glinted with relief.
"Found you..!" Dragon Slayer said as she pivoted on one foot, swinging her broadsword.
The people who were chasing Dragon Slayer took several steps back as they noticed the broadsword splitting, energy coursing through the openings as the amber-eyed Anomaly's attack started cutting through the interior of the building, extending as far as Dragon Slayer will allow it. People around the upper floors had to move back as they watched the attack continue its curve, ripping through rooms and hallways until it reached the room where both Icicle and B RS were at, the black marking reaching as far as the blue-eyed Anomaly's neck. Icicle noticed the attack and extracted her hand from B RS, jumping away from her as she took out her katana and readied herself for Dragon Slayer's arrival, her eyes focused on the cut the amber-eyed Anomaly made to the building as she watched the marking recede from B RS's skin. Icicle kept her eyes trained on the destruction that Dragon Slayer caused before hearing footsteps coming from behind her, causing the malevolent other self to turn around as she watched Dragon Slayer holding all of B RS's clothes in a bundle, her amber-colored eyes entertaining the smug feeling that the Anomaly was feeling deep within her. That didn't last for long as Dragon Slayer dashed towards B RS's unconscious body, avoiding the horizontal slash that came from Icicle, and broke the bindings that kept the blue-eyed Anomaly tethered, forcing the amber-eyed Anomaly to put her broadsword away so she could carry her ally.
"Well then, au revoir," Dragon Slayer said before she rushed towards the window, kicking at it.
The window broke under Dragon Slayer's kick, but the following situation caused the sense of vertigo that Dragon Slayer started before her tirade rushed back up to Kanna, who was slightly grateful from that break that her partner managed to create. Groaning from the current, Kanna tried to peer through Dragon Slayer's eyes, only to notice the Anomaly was jumping from a rooftop to the next one, trying to put some distance between her and the hospital, which was reasonable by all counts considering who it was that they managed to meet. As for the person doing all the work, she focused on trying to find a place that they could stay at before they can head back to the hideout, especially since she needs time to recover and deal with a certain problem, namely B RS's indecency. Figuring that she could haul off the problem to Kanna since she needs to focus on regaining her strength, which drew out a groan full of frustration from said person, Dragon Slayer hurried into a park and tried to find some restrooms to stay for a moment. There's only so much Dragon Slayer wants to find in regards to restrooms, but finding what she needed, Dragon Slayer hurried to its location and entered the women's section, grateful that there was no one in there.
Dropping B RS's unconscious body and her clothes, Dragon Slayer stretched out her back, "God, that was annoying..."
[At least we got her back, I guess...]
"True, which reminds me..." Dragon Slayer told Kanna before switching places with her, Kanna blinking as she tried to readjust her balance now that she's back in a physical form.
"I hate you..." Kanna cursed Dragon Slayer as she tried to remember how B RS dressed.
Geshumaru jumped back as Gold Saw unleashed a flurry of slashes at her, her red eyes locked on her movements as the blue-eyed Anomaly tried to think ahead of her opponent, feeling her body wearing out from the strain of going against someone who can't hold back anymore. The difference between their capabilities isn't much, but their skill is quite staggering since Gold Saw existed longer than she has, and Dragon Slayer did punctuate to her that with time, the mastery that one other self has over something grows, and it's certainly shining with the red-eyed other self. Gritting her teeth, Geshumaru felt her power coursing through her arms as she slashed at the air, a blue wave of concentrated energy heading towards Gold Saw, but that did little to deter her away from her prey, the horned other self bringing her King Saw up to rip the wave in two. That managed to get Geshumaru some time to react as the blue-eyed Anomaly dashed around her attack's path, reaching Gold Saw with her katana tilted, the tip raking against the roof as she readied herself to strike at the horned other self's opening. The chance was right before her and she was ready to capitalize on it, if it wasn't for Gold Saw planting one foot down on the roof and pulled off a wide swing, destroying Geshumaru's attack while bashing her away, her body smacking against another building's wall.
"Ugh, that hurts," Geshumaru mumbled as she slid down from the wall, her back aching, "Icicle isn't kidding around if she's doing something like this..."
Geshumaru looked up as she heard Gold saw heading towards her, "So, how do I beat someone with no regards to my life..?"
Before Geshumaru could bring her katana up to defend herself, Gold Saw rushed up to her and grabbed the blue-eyed Anomaly by her neck, smashing her up against the wall as her grip around Geshumaru's neck tightened, her arm visibly tensing from the pressure she's applying to the choke-hold. Geshumaru first thought was that Gold Saw was going to kill her by choking her until there was no air for her to breathe, but that changed when the horned other self tossed her into the air, with no chance to prepare herself as she found herself under a barrage. Gold Saw's sword managed to dig itself a bit into her skin from all the slashes, cutting Geshumaru's clothes as the fresh cuts started leaking with red blood, which started pooling around Geshumaru when she landed on the rooftop, her body screaming in pain. She could feel Gold Saw's eyes beating down upon her, piercing through her body as Geshumaru got up, her legs shaking as the red-eyed other self turned around and made her way towards her, never saying a word to her throughout their fight against each other. Geshumaru wasn't sure how long the fight was even, but she was sure that Gold Saw was ready to end her life, at least, she thought that would happen until a bright light caught their attention, which was promptly accompanied by a suffocating power that could only belong to one Anomaly that holds no regards to laws and safety.
"Dragon Slayer, I'm not sure if you're a blessing or a curse, but thanks for buying me some time," Geshumaru said as she hurried to one side of the roof and jumped off while Gold Saw remained preoccupied with the bright light.
Geshumaru landed on the sidewalk and noticed how everyone seemed fixated on the light, but that just meant that she didn't have to worry about getting caught as she felt the cuts healing themselves slowly, her clothes changing back into the attire she normally wears in the real world. She didn't mind if a bit of blood managed to stain her clothes, most of the damage got taken care of before she switched clothing, and with that change, she also shut off her power and navigated through the crowd, pulling her hood up as she tried to get far away from Gold Saw. She could see the light visibly dim into nothing, but it seems no one was reacting to her, so whatever Dragon Slayer did has managed to keep them focused on whatever happened over where the amber-eyed Anomaly is, but she knew that her hope was useless until she's sure that Dragon Slayer managed to get Mato back. Heading into a park, Geshumaru rushed into the trees, figuring that if anyone's attention gets taken away from the light, they could find her and hiding out within the small field of trees was more of a saving grace for her. She thought that she could take a moment to calm down and focus on what's next, but that changed when she heard footsteps rushing past her, but the way they moved around and where the sound was heading towards, Geshumaru couldn't help but follow since she had a good idea on who it was that just entered the park.
Geshumaru managed to track the footsteps to the restrooms and she entered the women's section, her eyes focusing on Kanna, who was dressing B RS, "Wait.. what..?"
"Sorry Geshumaru, sort of busy here," Kanna said before pausing and looking up at the battered girl, "G-Geshumaru..!"
"Let's just forget that we're trying to hide, much less, that you're out and about," Geshumaru stated, looking towards B RS, "Why is she..?"
Kanna frowned, "Don't ask me why she was naked, she was like this when Dragon Slayer saved her"
"I was wondering why she's out instead of Mato," Geshumaru deadpanned, raking through her hair with her left hand.
"I'm guessing that when Mato got ambushed by Icicle, B RS took her place to defend herself, but it didn't work out," Kanna said, sighing as she tried to shove B RS's feet into her boots, "Frankly, I'm not sure what happened last night to her aside from the obvious, but whatever Icicle was aiming to get, she almost did"
"Great," Geshumaru said as she leaned up against the wall, looking up at the ceiling.
Kanna sighed as she took the other boot and tried pulling it up B RS's right leg, getting her feet inside, "Look, we're stuck with protecting her while she's unconscious, and I know that the sooner we get out of her, the better..."
"You just want to yell at Dragon Slayer after we're out of danger," Geshumaru said, smiling a bit.
"Damn straight, but let's focus on getting away first," Kanna said as she zipped up both boots and got up, "That should do it, I mean, I don't really pay attention to this sort of crap, but whatever..."
"Right, we should get going," Geshumaru said as she started making her way out, "I'm not sure how useful I'll be in helping out, since Gold Saw didn't leave anything behind in the fight"
Kanna nodded as she closed her eyes, Dragon Slayer taking her place in the limbo world as the amber-eyed Anomaly adjusted her body before picking up the fully clothed, if not disheveled, B RS from the floor and hoisting her over her right shoulder as she and Geshumaru exited the restroom. As they started making their way through the path, they felt their bodies shiver from the temperature and got close to each other, Dragon Slayer bringing out her broadsword as Geshumaru looked around, feeling her body still heal up completely before she decided to change back to her Otherworld clothes, the fabric torn around in places, but still intact. Just from the temperature dropping, they knew that Icicle was somewhere in the area, but tracking her down was challenging since there were many shadows caused by the trees being hit by the sun, which was still moving slowly along the sky, but was getting closer to the center. For the moment, their senses remained on high alert as they tried to anticipated where Icicle was going to show up, so when they noticed multiple beams heading their way, both Dragon Slayer and Geshumaru jumped back, watching the beams rip the ground apart before they dropped back to safety. As the smoke started clearing, Dragon Slayer could feel her anger rise at the sight before her, while Geshumaru appeared surprised at what she was seeing, since there's no way for I.B RS to exist when her counterpart is still out and about.
"Icicle, if you really wanted to step all over my morals, you can do so," Dragon Slayer said to the approaching being, "But that leaves no room for you to argue your death sentence..!"
Icicle blinked as she raised her Insane Cannon Lance, "It seems that you dislike my new body, I for one, appreciate it much more than you do with that false body you made"
"Dragon Slayer.. is that really Icicle..?" Geshumaru asked, her mind trying to comprehend the scene before her.
"Sadly, yes," Dragon Slayer confirmed, narrowing her eyes at the malevolent other self, "I didn't pay much attention to it when I was saving Shooter, but now that I think about it.. it certainly explains why Shooter had that bad feeling when Icicle attacked yesterday"
"Shit, that doesn't give us any chance to beat her," Geshumaru growled out, trying to analyze their situation.
"Ha, that only means that she's stronger than before," Dragon Slayer said, dropping B RS to the ground, "Take her and get away, you don't want to see this fight play out, considering that she's forcing my hand..."
"Dragon Slayer, what's the difference between this and Gold Saw; I just don't get you..?!" Geshumaru inquired, Dragon Slayer's thought process not making sense to her.
"Gold Saw was a blockade, but Icicle now using that body as her own is a threat on its own," Dragon Slayer explained, rolling her shoulders, "I wish I could explain it more, but the way this is turning out, she wants a fight between me and her, a self-proclaim god trying to destroy her own weakness..."
Geshumaru was ready to say something when Dragon Slayer glared at her, "Don't even think of interfering Geshumaru, it will lead to your death, besides, she wants to awaken the monster within me, so I'll do exactly as she wants..!"
Geshumaru wasn't sure what to make of Dragon Slayer's words until she could feel a menacing aura overlay the temperature drop, the source emanating from the amber-eyed Anomaly that was making her way to Icicle, her broadsword drawn as an azure ring surrounded the outer rim of Dragon Slayer's irises. Not willing to argue with Dragon Slayer if she's fully intent on unleashing her true nature, Geshumaru picked up the unconscious B RS and took off, catching Icicle's attention as she pointed the behemoth weapon at her, ready to shoot her down so the blue-eyed Anomaly couldn't escape with her ally. Before the malevolent other self could fire the weapon, she got blindsided by her opponent and crashed against the trees, getting up with irritation coursing through her eyes as she looked at Dragon Slayer, taking noticed of a black crown that now rested on the amber-eyed Anomaly's head. There was an azure-colored aura that surrounded her as Dragon Slayer bent down before dashing towards Icicle, her broadsword creating a trail of pure fire along the ground before it clashed with Icicle's Insane Cannon Lance, sparks flying between both beings. They both pushed away from each other, creating some distance that Icicle immediately abused as she fired at Dragon Slayer, the high-velocity volley of beams ripping the ground apart, but it didn't matter to the amber-eyed Anomaly as she raised her broadsword and parried those that reached her.
"Don't go into a fight believing you are superior to your opponent, as the only thing that waits for you at the end is death," Dragon Slayer warned as she created a rift with her broadsword, entering it before sealing it shut.
Icicle stopped firing and started looking around, trying to find where Dragon Slayer will appear until she felt something occurring behind her, causing the malevolent other self to turn around, only to watch Dragon Slayer blast her with a charged shot full of raw power, the ball sending her back several meters. This didn't do much to damage Icicle as she got back up, only to watch Dragon Slayer twirl her broadsword around before forming four runes that's pointed at her, the simple word 'annihilate' taking control of the runes as several beams surged towards her from them, ripping apart whatever remained of the ground. Icicle raised her Insane Cannon Lance and started firing at the beams, trying to hold them back as she willed the shadows to aid her, turning them into black tendrils as they rushed towards the beams, cutting through them like the attack didn't faze them, despite the tendrils breaking apart seconds later. Within that moment when the beams were dissipating, Dragon Slayer rushed from where she was and jumped, striking Dragon Slayer in the face with her knee, her amber-colored eyes fixated on the malevolent other self as she landed behind her opponent. Icicle looked behind and stared at Dragon Slayer, but that was a mistake on her part as the Anomaly grabbed her head and smashed her against the ground, getting on top of the malevolent other self before unleashing non-stop punches from her covered right hand, the gauntlet leaving impressions upon Icicle's face.
"I'm not someone who you should take lightly..!" Dragon Slayer stated as she kept on punching, her glare being matched by Icicle.
As Dragon Slayer launched the next punch, her fist got caught by Icicle, who reached out with her left hand and grabbed her by the wrist, halting the attack as the malevolent other self tried to push the amber-eyed Anomaly off of her. It only took a mere headbutt to separate the two, but their recovery time didn't slow the pace of the fight, as neither of them reacted to the pain and kept going, Dragon Slayer trying to get close to Icicle, while the aforementioned other self kept trying to keep the Anomaly away from her so she could rip her apart with the Insane Cannon Lance. Dragon Slayer jumped back from a slash directed at her midsection before she started running, the volley of beam being sent her way forcing her to run around the clearing as the attack ripped apart the tree surrounding them, destroying whatever shadows that Icicle could probably make use of. Understanding that there's no point in running forever, Dragon Slayer took her next step before launching herself in the air, creating a chain link in mid-air as she focused on Icicle's fixed position on the ground. Icicle noticed the amber-eyed Anomaly's movements and lifted her weapon, the tip pointed towards where Dragon Slayer is as she fired again, just as the aforementioned Anomaly tossed her chain-link towards the malevolent other self, spinning it slightly as the chains wrapped around Icicle's neck.
"Come on..!" Dragon Slayer roared as she forced her body down, dropping to the ground as she tried lifting Icicle into the air.
Icicle stopped firing as she felt her body get lifted up above, her Insane Cannon Lance slipping from her grasp as she looked down at Dragon Slayer, "You..."
"Never doubt me, and never force my hand," Dragon Slayer said as she let go of the chain-link and jumped into the air, grabbing the behemoth weapon that was dropping to the ground in mid-air.
Icicle wasn't sure what to expect, but when she noticed Dragon Slayer pass her with her weapon, she knew what was about to happen as the amber-eyed Anomaly tossed the Insane Cannon Lance like a javelin, the blade piercing through the malevolent other self as she plummeted to the ground like debris falling from the sky. That was only secondary to what happened next as Dragon Slayer repositioned herself before dropping like Icicle did, but she landed on top on the behemoth weapon that pierced through Icicle, pushing it further in as they hit the ground, causing the earth to push up from the force of their descent. Icicle gritted her teeth as dragon Slayer hopped off the handle for the Insane Cannon Lance, walking away from their fight that seemed to end with Dragon Slayer delivering the last blow, which punctuated everything that the amber-eyed Anomaly said to the malevolent other self. As Dragon Slayer walked away, she could feel Kanna's surprise and fear, which caused the Anomaly to calm down as she started restraining her powers back to what they were once at, before Icicle decided to force her hand in their fight. There was no reason for her to unleash every trick that she has in her arsenal, as she doesn't want to start a bloodbath, not when there innocents that's dragged into Icicle's own corrupt goal.
[Dragon Slayer, what was that..?!]
"That's what you tried to awaken, and failed to control," Dragon Slayer stated as the black crown disappeared into nothing but black embers, "Believe me, that's only a sample of what I'm capable of, which is why I didn't want to fight against Gold Saw..."
[I'm sorry...]
"Don't apologize, this isn't your fault, besides, I should apologize for scaring you with that display," Dragon Slayer told Kanna, feeling slightly sorry for her, "After all, I knew what I was getting myself into..."
[Yeah, I guess so.. Dragon Slayer, we got company..!]
"Terrific," Dragon Slayer grumbled as she turned around, locking eyes with Gold Saw, "A pawn to a larger scheme..."
"Sorry if Gold Saw can't respond, she won't answer to anyone other than me," Icicle said as Gold Saw removed the weapon from her, picking up the beaten other self, "It's redundant to get a response from her..."
Dragon Slayer frowned, "At least of the verbal kind, but I know there are things even you can lock away or destroy"
"True, but I'm done with this folly," Icicle said before looking at Gold Saw, "Take me back..."
"Yes, mistress," Gold Saw said, her voice monotone.
Dragon Slayer could only watch as the two disappeared, but that only meant that they will keep her alive and on her own, but only for the time being.
The bell rang, signaling the end of class as lunch became top priority for everyone in the school, especially for Yomi, Kagari, and Yuu, since that gave them time to talk about what's been happening and how to take down the trio of Anomalies that they have to face against constantly. Kagari took a moment to look at Yomi, who appeared bitter when she reached the classroom and went to her seat, obviously with no scolding considering her position in the hierarchy in the school now since everyone was under Icicle's control, which left no questions for them. Getting up from her seat, the trio nodded as they exited the classroom with their lunches in tow, their classmates moving to the side as they walked along the hallways, their own conversation ready to form. There were things that they needed to get to, especially last night that Yomi hinted at with Kagari, but if there's anyone that had her own comments on problems that they're facing, it was Yuu. Apparently, something's been bugging her since yesterday, but Yuu told them to wait until it was lunchtime, just so they could get together and talk about everything as one conversation.
"So Yomi, how was your first night guarding the city?" Yuu asked, looking up at the green-eyed teenager.
"It's the furthest thing from what I expected, considering that I was facing against someone with some 'family' issues," Yomi said, remembering how Icicle healed the wounds, but not the psychological aspect that came with them, "I'm not attempting anything if I ever face against Dragon Slayer and that traitor..."
Kagari nearly lost her balance when she heard who Yomi fought, "What, isn't that a death wish on its own, just from what we know..?"
"Let me just say that it wasn't Dragon Slayer that was trying to kill me," Yomi said, rubbing her forehead as she remembered how the night went about, and how she severely pissed Kanna off, "For a moment, I thought that I was looking at death, at least B RS and Geshumaru became her targets when they got there"
"And all the while, I was sleeping like a log," Kagari let out, showing her displeasure, "Next time, you get me to come with you"
Yuu just looked at them, "I'm not sure if there's a next time..."
"Hm, what do you mean..?" Kagari asked, arching an eyebrow as she looked at Yuu.
Before Yuu could say anything, the trio heard footsteps heard footsteps nearing them, prompting them to turn around to see who it was, even though they had a good idea on who it was, it was still a good idea to see if it was Saya rushing through the hallways instead of someone else. Even though they got a confirmation on who it was that's rushing through the hallways, they didn't expect to see her carrying someone, nor did they expect that someone to look like B RS, but Yomi knew that it wasn't who Kagari and Yuu are thinking it is. Yuu stepped away and neared Saya, trying to talk to her, but Kagari and Yomi only watched the grown woman brush her away like she's nothing to her, heading straight towards the school's infirmary while ignoring all of them. For a moment, Yuu looked like she was ready to crack before she gathered up her resolve and went after Saya, heading towards the school's infirmary, which prompted Kagari and Yomi to follow her since they also wanted answers behind what they just saw, especially since Saya cares about Yuu and wouldn't do anything to hurt her. They reached the school's infirmary, noticing Saya stepping inside the room before the door closed, but that didn't deter them from reaching the door and opening it wide, which became useless in an unusual sense because when they opened the door, they were immediately greeted with an empty room, with no sign of Saya and the person she was carrying.
"Okay, please tell me that didn't happen," Kagari said, scratching her head as she tried to understand what just happened.
"It did, so don't think that it didn't," Yomi told Kagari before looking at Yuu, "Are you alright?"
"No, I'm far from alright, why did Saya ignore me..?" Yuu questioned herself.
"It wasn't a matter of her ignoring you, beside, save that question for the person she was carrying," Yomi said as she stepped inside the room, looking around.
Kagari frowned, not sure where Yomi was taking the conversation, "Care to explain?"
"While she does look like B RS, it's only because of what happened yesterday, when Icicle extracted I.B RS instead of what she was aiming to get," Yomi explained, turning around to face them, "Saya was carrying Icicle here, but whatever happened to them after they entered the room is beyond me..."
"Hold up, that was Icicle..?!" Kagari shouted, shock appearing on both hers and Yuu's face.
"Yes, and she's why I don't look sore or broken in any sense of the word," Yomi told them, sighing, "She showed up at the house after I managed to get away from that traitor, and believe me, I was just as shocked as you two are now"
Kagari looked up at the ceiling, "So, has she gone off the deep end, or is this one of her ploys..?"
"I'm assuming the latter, but I wouldn't doubt the former if it wasn't for what she told me," Yomi said walking towards the entrance way, "I'll explain more when we reach the roof, we're wasting time as is"
Yomi exited the infirmary room and waited for the other two to move out so they can reach the roof and continue their conversation, which requires them to make use of whatever time they got before they have to go back to class, even though the hierarchy system that Icicle implemented gives them more freedom than anyone else. Kagari gritted her teeth before she sighed and walked away from the door-frame, well aware that this is far from over and they will find out what's going on in terms of Icicle's actions. Yuu took one look at the infirmary room before closing the door and walking away with both Kagari and Yomi, trying to push her thoughts away from Saya, since it wouldn't help her if she's needed in a fight, regardless of when that will happen. They know that personal issues are pointless in a life or death situation, which warrants them to push away anything that doesn't pertain to the current situation, but they remain unaware of how deeply rooted everything is to one another, the answers hidden from them. Even so, they decided to push away everything for now after their conversation, as it will only deter them from their goal, unwilling to jeopardize any change they have at remaining focused as they continued on their day without anything to interrupt them.
"I certainly didn't expect such power from Dragon Slayer, but it's not exactly what I was looking for," Icicle said as she felt her body readjust itself, healing from the injuries that the amber-eyed Anomaly inflicted upon her, "It seems she's just a mere shadow of who she formerly was..."
Saya could only nod as she looked up at the massive mechanism that's being developed, the mechanical wolves moving around as they scrounge up parts and bring them towards Icicle, the pieces being taken and inserted into the structure. She couldn't make out its definite shape since all she was seeing was just one mere wall of the structure, but then she remembered what Icicle drew on the blackboard about a day ago, and figured that it's the same thing. Looking back at Icicle, Saya watched the malevolent other self roll her shoulders before turning around to face her, apathy clearly written upon the other self's face, which was the same apathy that Saya has adorned upon her. As far as she's concerned, nothing else mattered to Saya aside from Icicle's commands, which she will follow without question as the malevolent other self is the one who controls her free will, something that not one person aside from the other self before her could ever try to strip away. Icicle walked towards Saya, who remained transfixed on where she's standing, her violet-colored eyes flashing red-orange for a moment as the malevolent other self examined her subservient ally, the real self not even flinching from Icicle's piercing gaze.
"I must admit, the brutality that Gold Saw can display is quite interesting, considering she's in the same state as you are," Icicle said before staring at Saya's eyes, "And you can take that as a compliment..."
"Thank you mistress," Saya droned, looking at Icicle.
Icicle pursed her lips for a moment before speaking again, "After obtaining this body for myself, I wonder if it could apply to real selves, just destroying their existence and taking their bodies for my own, since there's something about them that caught my interest and is opening my mind to researching Anomalies"
Saya didn't say anything as Icicle continued, "I will admit, you would make a fine experiment to try this theory of mine"
As Icicle said those words, she rested her right hand on Saya's hip before guiding it up her body slowly, the armored fingers dancing along the fabric of Saya's shirt as they passed her midsection, traveling up to her chest as the woman tried keeping her breathing even. Despite having no free will of her own, Saya could still react to what Icicle is doing, feeling the malevolent other self guide her fingers to her chest as they moved to her left, Icicle's fingers applying slight pressure to Saya's breast, which caused the real self to suck in a breath involuntarily. She wasn't sure how long that lasted until Icicle moved her fingers away and started reaching her neck, the metal grazing her covered collarbone before they started traveling up her neck, moving slowing until they reached the tip of her chin. She could feel her head being tilted up slightly as her eyes remained fixated on Icicle's, staring deep into the never-ending violet pools that the malevolent other self stole from the being that once resided in the body she's in, but the moment didn't last for long as Icicle withdrew her fingers and took a few steps back. Saya watched Icicle extract herself from I.B RS's body, feeling nothing towards the actions as she noticed the malevolent other self walking towards the structure, the red-orange eyes focusing on the work being put upon it.
"I estimate that the main mechanisms will finish development in two to three days," Icicle stated, laying a hand upon it, "And no one can stop me from completing this weapon..."
Icicle looked back at Saya, who merely stared at her, "Frankly, I rather keep my best weapon than explore a possible theory, considering that destroying your existence would only lead to your death, and you still have potential that I can make use of"
"I will do anything that you ask me to," Saya said, her tone monotonous.
"I know you will, now get going, I have important matters to get to," Icicle commanded, narrowing her eyes.
Saya didn't move as black tendrils surrounded her before they pulled her into the shadows, pulling her back to the limbo world, but Icicle didn't focus on her powers' actions, her eyes glancing back to the hollowed out body that she shares her shadow with. Icicle thoughts went back to the theory that she created, understanding that the main reason stems from the body that she makes use of, noting how everything else aside from I.B RS's existence remains, giving her a connection to the violent and turmoil based emotions that she's acquainted with, fueling her with strength no one could imagine. She wasn't lying when she said that she didn't want to lose her best weapon to a mere theory, since Gold Saw was showing the same degree of an other self's murderous impulses that's shrouded by the desire to protect STR. Destroying Saya's existence meant destroying Gold Saw, in which she can't have both, even though she only destroyed one existence because the feedback that would occur from ending their connection without precaution would result in suicide if the malevolent other self even tries to inhabit one of their bodies. With all that information coursing through Icicle's mind, she's well aware of the risks, so choosing to not go ahead with it was a safe move by her call, especially since killing one of them would make any change of holding Dragon Slayer and her small army back challenging.
"Be grateful that I'm keeping her alive," Icicle thought bitterly as she resumed her work on the structure, "Otherwise, there would be no Saya in this world anymore..."
"I'm back..!" Dragon Slayer called out as she entered the machinery room.
Seeing a hand raised in the room, Dragon Slayer walked around the rows of machines bolted to the floor as she headed towards Geshumaru, who was staring at the unconscious form of B RS, looking slightly relieved since the comatose Anomaly was breathing. Geshumaru looked at the amber-eyed Anomaly, noticing how Dragon Slayer's clothes appeared burnt at several parts, but appearing unscathed compared to her clothing, indicating that she came out of the fight not only alive, but also victorious. Geshumaru knew it's a bit of a stretch of expecting Dragon Slayer to kill Icicle, even thought she could potentially do it, but considering how the world was still at risk of a doomsday weapon, it's obvious that beheading Icicle when the chance presents itself won't change anything until that weapon appears. Dragon Slayer stretched for a moment before bending down and checking B RS, making sure that everything was intact and that Icicle hasn't done anything drastic, but her examination stopped halfway as she watched B RS's body moving around, her face contorting in pain. Dragon Slayer got up and backed away from B RS's body, which was thrashing around as a scream came out from her mouth, echoing throughout the building before Dragon Slayer hurried and restrained the limbs while Geshumaru covered her mouth.
"Shooter, calm down..!" Dragon Slayer called out, her eyebrows furrowing as she stared at the girl, who struggled to release herself.
"Hey, calm down, otherwise you're going to collapse this building on top of us..!" Geshumaru shouted.
The thrashing lasted for a while before everything settled down, allowing Dragon Slayer and Geshumaru to move away from her, adrenaline running through their body from that intense moment that caught them by surprise, their minds trying to understand what exactly Icicle did to her. Dragon Slayer figured that B RS was trying to fight against Icicle's control, just like what Kanna tried for a day before her fighting spirit started to crumble slowly from the malevolent other self's influence. Even so, there was something odd about all of this that neither Dragon Slayer nor Geshumaru could figure out, especially since they don't have all the facts to help them out, forcing the situation to become more convoluted than they originally thought. Despite being lost in their thoughts, they heard groaning and looked back at B RS, watching her body stirring as she slowly got up from the floor, possibly disoriented from everything that happened throughout the day. Dragon Slayer rushed over to B RS and bent down again, snapping her fingers rapidly to catch the Anomaly's attention, but what followed next surprised both her and Geshumaru because they didn't expect it to occur.
"Hm, where.. am I..?" They heard, but the tone behind the voice was different from B RS's.
"Shooter, are you alright?" Dragon Slayer asked, partially worried.
"Hun, but I'm not Rock, so what are you talking about..?" "B RS" inquired, which made the amber-eyed Anomaly feel something boiling that just managed to simmer down: her anger.
Geshumaru watched Dragon Slayer get up and move about, practically talking to herself until she watched the amber-eyed Anomaly take her anger out at one of the machines, kicking at it repeatedly before kicking it from underneath, the bolts popping out as the massive contraption got sent towards the wall. Geshumaru stared at Dragon Slayer in shock, not expecting that sort of reaction until she remembered what she heard and promptly walked over to "B RS", bending down so she could get a good look at the eyes. They said that the eyes are the doorway to a person's soul, and that's what Geshumaru was attempting as her eyes glowed and she looked deep into the blue orbs that nearly mirror her own, the only difference between the two being the shade. It didn't take long for Geshumaru to get her answers, but her reaction was different from Dragon Slayer's, who started punching the wall while venting out her anger verbally; the blue-eyed Anomaly getting up slightly as she stared at "B RS". There were many questions that were forming in Geshumaru's head, but there were two that took precedent over the situation, and out of those two, there was only one question she could asked before reality sets in and goes straight to hell.
Geshumaru gulped as the questioned exited her mouth, "Mato, is that you..?"
Author's Note: Frankly, I don't think this chapter has the same amount of power as the other chapters, I'm not sure why though. Either way, getting this chapter done within a week is a record on its own considering when I posted chapter seven, then chapter eight. Plus, I wasn't sure whether to work on the Saya and Icicle segment, but then I decided to toss it in, just to show how mindless Saya is right now and how deep Icicle got her under her control. Also, would you believe me when I say that there's actually four more chapters remaining? I'll let you guys think on that, so please review and I'll see you all next chapter.