Chapter 20 Speed

Mizuko rubbed her head. It still hurt but at least she wasn't seeing spots anymore. There was no one around, she couldn't find anyone. Mizuko entered a large dome of stone, some rocks and boulders scattered here and there. She looked around then continued to search. Her senses tingled and she stopped running to look around again.

"You noticed me?" A girl walked out from behind one of the boulders.

She looked young, younger than Mizuko. Her light brown hair was short and choppy, her eyes were pale brown. She wore a sweat shirt that seemed much too big for her, nearly reaching her knees. She had simple sandals on her feet and there was a belt around her lower chest.

"Guess, I could fight you." She said with a shrug.

"Eh? I get to fight some kid?" Mizuko said skeptically. "I might as we-"

Mizuko was unable to finish her sentence. A foot had planted itself in her face, knocking her backwards. The girl dropped to the ground just as Mizuko sat up.

"You little bitch!" She screamed. "Did anyone ever tell you to respect your elders?!"

"I'm not a kid!" The girl screamed back. "I'm already twenty-four!"

"No way!"

What is with all the older people being short, Mizuko thought.

The girl looked Mizuko over then pointed an angry finger.

"Look at you with your glossy hair and huge boobs!" She screamed. "I can't stand girls like you!!"

Mizuko smirked. "You just jealous."

The girl reached behind her back and pulled out several rods. She connected them together to make a bo staff. She swung it through the air, pointing one end at Mizuko, then she blurred and was gone. Mizuko reached for the weapon that hung at her hip, a blade similar to one from a windmill shuriken, and swung it up in time to block an air attack.

"My name is Osen." The girl said, suspended in the air above. "And I will kill you."

"Shirasaki Mizuko. Right back at ya!"

Mizuko pushed Osen back. She somersaulted and landed on her feet lightly. Mizuko ran at her and struck out with her blade. Osen knocked the blade aside and swung the bo staff into Mizuko's stomach. She flew back but Osen reappeared behind her had dealt another blow to her back. Mizuko fell to the ground face first, blood dripping from her mouth. She pushed herself up but Osen was standing right behind her. Mizuko spun around, swinging her blade at her opponent. Osen jumped back, avoiding the attack.

"You can't beat me with such slow movements!" She taunted as she flew back through the air.

Mizuko smiled and snapped her weapon open to reveal another blade. She cocked her arm back and hurled the weapon at Osen. It was too low and Osen simply pulled her legs up. But it swung back like a boomerang and came at her from behind.

"Trying dodging in mid air!" Mizuko yelled.

Osen quickly jammed her staff into the near by wall, stopping her movement, and pulled herself up. The blade whistled underneath her, back into Mizuko's hand.. Osen let out a sigh but was thrown off when she saw Mizuko was still smiling.

"What're you smiling at?!" She screamed down at her, then she heard the whistling.

Osen turned to see another blade coming at her. She did a double take, but the other blade was still in Mizuko's hand. Osen quickly dislodged her bo staff from the stone wall but not quick enough. Before she dropped, Osen received a deep cut in the arm.

"You stupid shit!" She screamed, cupping her arm.

Mizuko caught the other blade and held them up. She held them by a ring in the middle and the two blades came out from both side.

"Futago Shokei (Twin Executor), is a weapon I created." Mizuko explained. "Originally it was a Windmill Shuriken but I learned that if I took weapon and turned it into two it had the boomerang effect when it was thrown. You're right, I'm not very fast so I need a weapon that is and comes back to me." She smiled. " Oh, and before, I wasn't aiming to hit you."

Osen gasped and looked down her feet. They had been tied down by string that was wrapped around two spire like rocks. Mizuko shrugged.

"I'm not very smart either." She said. "There was no guarantee that trick would work but I guess I got lucky."

Mizuko brought both of her arms back and hurled the Futago Shokei forward. They flew past Osen and swung back around, nearly side my side. Osen realized immediately the blades were aimed at her head, aiming to decapitate her. She twisted her body enough to watch the blades come at her head on. They grew steadily closer till they were practically one on top of the other. That's when she thrust her staff into both the center rings and flung them to the side. Osen turned her attention back to Mizuko, and began to weave hand seals. Mizuko looked around and ran to the nearest boulder. As Osen leaned back, puffing out her chest, Mizuko took a firm grip of the boulder at the bottom. She looked over in time to see flames shoot out at her. With a grunt she lifted the boulder into the air and heaved it in Osen's direction. She managed to block the flames but Osen was no where in sight. The hairs stood up on the back of her neck and Mizuko spun around. Osen was seated on the boulder behind her.

"Too bad." She said. "I'd love to kill you but I gotta go."

Osen stood and disappeared.

"Hey! Get back here!" Mizuko screamed but the only answer she got was her echo.

She cursed and kicked a stone. She looked around. At the other end of the dome was another tunnel and there was something on the ground. Mizuko ran forward into the tunnel and discovered the "something" was Hiko, knocked out on the ground. Mizuko leaned down and slapped her face.

"Hey! Hey! Snap out of it!!"

Hiko opened her eyes slowly and groaned.

"Where am I?"

"Hell do I know?!" Mizuko said with a smile.

Author notes: Yep, Mizuko's battle with a short chick. I had a lot of fun with this one. Very fun.