Author's Notes:

Last one for today.

Enjoy!

Chapter 30 – Time to talk

Jacqueline was steadily rushing through the woods, still not having reached Hitomi, Liara and Anna. She knew that she still had fifteen minutes to run before getting there and hoped to make it in time. She remembered what Lisa had told her: When Liara and Anna worked together, Liara could release all her Yoki at once, catapulting her at a level where she might even be faster than Hitomi, the supposedly fastest warrior alive. Jacqueline knew very well that speed was Hitomi's one and only talent. If she were to be outdone in that her chances would shrink to zero.

Then, suddenly, a burst of Yoki hit Jacqueline's senses. "One of them has just crossed her limits!" she said to herself. 'But… Anna? Why her?' she mused. Thinking back of what Lisa had told her about Hitomi's past she understood. Though knowing that Anna was far less of an issue than Liara she still paced up.

###

Anna unleashed a storm upon Hitomi. Having crossed her limits clearly and combining that with her Sky Dancer technique she had turned herself into a menacing bullet. Reaching multiple times the sonic sound when lunging at her opponent even Hitomi had to admit to herself what magnificient speed it was Anna reached. However, nothing much came of the Organization's Number 7 going all out – she still could not reach the fastest warrior alive.

Liara was cursing inwardly. 'That idiot. If she let me handle the fighting we might already have won. And what the fuck did she mean by "today is the day?" Just what is that crazy woman thinking?'

Her brain's gears were working at full workload. If she was to rush into battle, too, chances were high that she would not be able to support Anna anymore, which would lead to her Awakening. Even though she could care less about her as a person she was still her most valuable tool. Without her she would become weak again. She hated to admit it, but Anna was the sole reason for her to have come as far as she had. She needed her, so abandoning her was not an option. At least not a favorable one. However, if she could somehow manage to make Anna and her change roles, things would be fine.

'But how to go about that?' she mused. 'I can't get through to her like she is now. If at least I knew why she is so eager to fight herself… God damn it, where is that Tattletale when you need her? Oh, right. Silly me.'

###

"Achoo!" Lisa sneezed.

"Are you alright, dear?" her newly engaged fiancé Matthias asked of her.

"Sure, sure. It's not like I could catch colds, you know" Lisa answered smiling.

'Still,' she mused, 'who is thinking of me?'

###

Hitomi was still skillfully dodging every single one of Anna's attacks. Even she could tell how Anna had passed her limits by far – and was wondering just why she wouldn't awaken. Not knowing about how they were using a technique similar to the Doublefinger's one she also had no idea on what exactly Anna was doing. She was sure about one thing, though: If she was to properly fight back Anna might awaken. But she was kept from fighting back because of that. She knew what Anna and Liara had done and would even be fine with killing Liara, but she could not let Anna awaken. Also, she was concerned about what kind of reasons Anna had.

'Anna… just what has happened to you? From what I heard at the end of my recovery you've always been a joyful person and liked by everyone you ever met. How could someone like you work together with someone like Backstabber?'

Hitomi ground her teeth. While fighting Anna she could not ask, so, hoping that it would went well, decided to fight back.

Suddenly Hitomi vanished and Anna fell to the ground. When trying to get up she noticed that both of her lower legs were missing. She growled: "Stormcutter… you!"

'Stormcutter?' Liara thought. 'Who's that?'

"My, what a nostalgic name" Hitomi said. Taking a few steps towards the collapsed Anna she added: "Why would you call me that in such an unpleasant manner?"

Anna's Yoki began to run wild. "You idiot! Calm down or I can't restrain you anymmore!" Liara shouted at her. The moment a short look from Hitomi met her gaze she realized that she had said too much.

A terribly rippling pain hit her abdomen and she instantly lost control of Anna's Yoki. Though the latter's Yoki dropped slightly below eighty per cent the instant Liara was hit she suddenly had to struggle with her raging Yoki and her body that was suddenly eager to transform.

"Damn" she growled while trying to get her Yoki and body back under control. "Hitomi… you… I will not… forgive…" she mumbled.

"Cut it out, will you?" Hitomi said in a commanding manner. "See, I don't know what your problem with me is, but you should take care of the problem at hand, shouldn't you?"

Anna tried to take a look at Liara, but couldn't turn her head far enough. "What is that…"

"Woman doing?" Hitomi ended her opponent's question. "Let's put it like this: Even if I only use a fist, combined with the Invisible Step it can still be very deveastating when hitting in the right area. Consider her out for a while."

"Why you…" Number 7 growled.

"So, Anna, how about you now explain a few things to me?" Hitomi said and went to pick up Anna's lower legs. She then threw them in front of Anna's face, impaled the ground with her blade and sat down.

Author's notes:

Liara out cold and Anna immobilized – have Jacqueline's worry been baseless?

kstefan88