Chapter 52
With a long drop beneath them and only one destination to go, both of the girls had no choice but to leap into the room with Munro. The man struck, his foot smacking into Sakaki's stomach and sending her flying against the wall. It cracked slightly but held firm as Sakaki slumped slightly. Tomo glared at the man. He had done something to Osaka. He had just hurt her other friend. He had to…
"So what are you going to do now Tomo Takino?" asked Munro as he stood tall.
The girl was caught by surprise. She knew Osaka had told him her first name, but being referred to like that by a stranger was still unnerving.
"Are you going to use your power Tomo? The power only you out of your friends possess?" asked Munro. He smiled briefly. "In some parts of the world you are quite the celebrity. Well your name anyway. The girl who houses the power of a demon! Quite a conversation starter huh?"
Tomo backed away from the man slightly, trying to make her way slowly towards Sakaki. Munro had yet to take out his knife, but the girl was certain he had it. She had seen it before this strange twisted building had been formed. She shivered slightly, knowing he was just standing there and watching her as she went to her friend. Just observing them, waiting for the right time to come.
"I'm not from this land you know, I come from some far off place across an ocean. A horrible tacky place where I easily made a living killing people for money. I had thought that I wanted to change, but hey this way is much more fun! And now we're having too much talking, so how about a fight?"
"Not really in the mood" said Tomo, looking down at Sakaki. The taller girl groaned slightly as Tomo felt where the girl had been hit.
"I'm afraid you can't reject this invitation Miss Takino" replied Munro. "Because if you don't fight back I'll rip your throat out with my hands" he added in a calm manner, as though discussing nothing more pressing then what biscuits to eat with tea.
Tomo turned away from Sakaki, keeping herself between the injured girl and Munro. She was certain she could win. Though it had been difficult at first, Kuraigu had been defeated- but then again that had been via some dangerous methods. Methods she did not wish to resort to again.
"So what happens if I lose?" asked the student as she drew a blade, which seemed nothing compared to the knife the man now held. He had withdrawn it as he spoke.
"Well some celebrations would be in order. For a starter I guess I'd let off some fireworks" he said looking towards one of the walls. "That factory is rigged to explode whenever I want."
Tomo mumbled something to herself. She almost missed the days when missions comprised of rescuing pets for people from the village.
"And my dear Tomo, don't think to yourself there's anyway to stop it" said Munro smiling to himself.
Tomo gripped the hilt of the kunai tightly. She certainly thought it would be useful to get some of that demon power right about now. After all when it came to it that had been the only reason she had been able to win before. But Tomo knew that winning was the only option she had. The only option she could hope to happen. This man stood between her and a friend who needed help. This man had injured another of her friends. Her fingers were a pale white, gripping her weapon so tightly.
"Come on Tomo! Don't you want to play a game?" asked Munro enthusiastically.
"Game? I'll play your game" growled Tomo. "But I don't like to lose."
"Good good good!" said Munro. "And are you going to unleash your power on me? Are you going to kill me? Tear me apart? Rip me to pieces?"
"That would be nice" said Tomo, her eyes started to take a different hue. Munro's lips rose up slightly- he was smiling but it looked more like a smug snarl.
"But don't you lose yourself to that power? You are just a young girl with little experience. So what happens if you get by me? Still in your feral mood you'll just attack the enemies you see. What happens if you kill Ayumu? What happens if you awake from your dream with your friend's blood on your hands? Her flesh under your fingernails?"
Tomo jolted to a stop, her eyes flickering. She looked up at the man, who now gave a very thin smile. He didn't seem to be gloating, he just appeared to be savouring the experience. Tomo felt something strange inside her, a pang of fear. She still couldn't remember all of what happened against Kuraigu. But she also knew that only one person could save Osaka now.
"Me" she said softly.
"Do you want to take the risk? Do you want to put Ayumu in danger?"
Her fingers gripped the knife so tightly now the nails started to dig into the palm of her hand. Trickles of blood ran out as Tomo looked straight into the eyes of Munro. The man found himself still for a moment, looking at the eyes of a hidden monster.
"She's called Osaka" said Tomo in a rough tone. "And my friend won't be in anymore danger after I'm finished with you."
With no more words the girl charged, Munro standing his ground. He smacked Tomo's hand away, the kunai knife in it missing his throat by inches. He returned his own attack, slicing along her cheek. It wasn't too deep, but blood started to emerge. Tomo backed away, ignoring the burning sensation. Once more she charged and Munro merely glided out of the way, now between her and Sakaki.
"You can do better then that Tomo!" said Munro. "I'll even up the odds for you" he added, and with indifference threw the knife away. With a thud it landed in Sakaki's leg, who just about stopped herself from crying out in pain.
Tomo held onto her own knife.
"See? Aren't I kind?" asked Munro.
Tomo held out her hand in front of her and allowed the knife to fall to the floor.
"That was a mistake" she said, now noticing an animalistic tone to her voice.
The fear was gone now. Instead she felt something else. Hatred, loathing. The urge to kill this man. Not just kill him, but rip him apart, make his final minutes agony. Her friends were in trouble, and for that moment she no longer cared about what she was taught. All that mattered was victory. And from within she began to feel power.
"That's interesting" said Munro as Tomo's cheek wound healed. The girl wiped away the blood that had been left. She flicked her hand, the small amount of blood hitting the floor.
"Are you ready to give me a test now?" he asked.
"You have no idea" said Tomo.
With that she charged, sending a punch which Munro deflected with a slight smack. He ducked out of the way of another attack, moving back slightly. Tomo smirked, the fool was getting close to the wall, soon he'd be trapped. She punched again, wanting to snap his jaw from his head, but he moved away and was suddenly behind her. Tomo's fist smashed into the wall and cracks appeared.
"You're slowly getting there" said Munro.
Sakaki pulled the knife from her leg, grimacing as she did so. It hurt, but didn't look like anything major. She was more worried about what she was feeling. An aura- the sensation of Tomo's chakra was getting stronger and stronger. In the cramped room the long haired girl almost felt as though she was being suffocated. But more so, she was beginning to feel scared. Something terrible wanted to come out. Something inside her friend.
Tomo felt her punches getting stronger, yet the man was faster then he looked. She had just thought of him as some kind of thug, getting off on violence and torture. She had expected him to be nothing without the knife- but Tomo had been unable to land a single hit. She kicked out, but he moved back, bracing himself against the wall before moving forwards and punching her in the face.
"Come on Tomo. Don't force me to kill you and have to make up a story about how difficult it was" he said, avoiding another attack.
Feeling angrier now she paused for a moment. Focus, focus, focus she thought to herself. She charged again and with a yawn Munro started to move out of the way of an attack. But instead of forming a fist, her hand gripped hold of his wrist. He looked surprised as she snapped the hand backwards.
"Can't go anywhere if we're holding hands" she said, merely blinking as the uninjured hand started to punch her face. She kicked at his leg and heard a faint crack from the knee. The leg crumpled as the knee snapped backwards. Not once did Munro even grunt in surprise.
"Sakaki can you help me please" said Tomo, suddenly stepping away from the man.
Ignoring the pain from his destroyed knee, Munro stood up again, even putting weight on the ruined knee. He watched in surprise as the prone Sakaki generated a burst of fire, hitting him in the chest as Tomo swiftly moved away. He looked down at it and smiled as he started to beat out the flames, his ruined hand wobbling around uselessly.
"You want fireworks?" asked Tomo. "You can get them."
Without anymore words Tomo smashed a kick square into Munro's stomach. Some bones cracked as the man flew across the room and smashed through the weakened wall. As the fire started to catch he began to smile as he fell towards to the glass roof of the factory. Without even a cry he smashed through the glass and ignited the black powder. With a vast boom a still smiling Munro was vaporised an instant before the factory turned into a vast crater.
Tomo knew damage had been caused to the town. But it had been inevitable. And she didn't care. All she had wanted was that man dead. That was all she felt she needed at that moment. All of the surrounding buildings had become nothing more then wrecks already. She peered down below, watching a dazed looking Kimura looking up at the tall twisted building. She felt some of the power dying down within her. But she still didn't feel in total control.
"What now?" asked Sakaki.
"I'm going to rescue Osaka" replied Tomo.
Still feeling the power passing throughout her body Tomo kicked the crude door down. The two large pieces of wood flew away, revealing a large room. A room far too large in Tomo's mind- what was it supported on? Osaka stood at the far end of the room, watching Tomo.
"Are you here to stop me Takino?" she asked, Tomo stepping forwards.
"No I'm here to help you Osaka" replied Tomo.
"I don't know why you insist on calling me that" replied Osaka. "My name is Ayumu."
"Because that's who you are to me" said Tomo. She felt one of her hands curl into a fist. Still animalistic, still the power of the demon within. She was turning to instinct, and instinct was telling her this girl was an enemy. Someone to attack. No. I can't allow that.
"You're my friend, Osaka."
The girl stood looking at Tomo, as though thinking she was crazy. Only now, standing away from her did Tomo see how small Osaka was- and herself too. Just two girls trying their best to succeed. Tomo took another step forwards, heart racing as she felt the power rising. She hoped it would end soon. She didn't know how long she could control these feelings. She didn't know if it could be controlled.
"Munro is gone. You don't have to follow him anymore."
"I did this out of my own free will." Tomo noticed the final words seemed to struggle out from Osaka's mouth. She definitely felt something was strange. "I grow tired of this. Please die."
Tomo was caught by surprise as a strong burst of air sent her flying backwards. The wall behind cracked as she landed against it, not hearing what Sakaki asked from outside. Tomo climbed up but paused. She collapsed to one knee, coughing up blood. What?
"I'll be kind to you and make it quick" said Osaka.
Again Tomo was hit, and she smashed into the wall which gave way. Tomo fell backwards and only just grabbed on to the floor, narrowly avoiding falling down the long stairway. Blood dribbled from her mouth. Her grip was slipping…and then it took over. She jumped back up, eagerly looking across at Osaka, staring right into her eyes, almost asking for a fight.
"Leave now" said Osaka. She paused for a moment looking down. Quietly, without any authority in her voice she muttered one word. "Please."
Tomo charged, Osaka attacking again. Tomo was hit full on, but barely stopped running. Pressing her feet down she leapt into the air and landed on Osaka, shoving her to the ground. Osaka tried to push her away, but physically was weak. Tomo gripped her hand around the throat, wanting to tear it out, spill warm blood.
"I'll kill you" growled Tomo.
"This isn't…" Osaka paused before speaking again in a different tone. "Please…forgive…don't think this is over."
Tomo gripped the throat more tightly, strange coloured liquid trickling from Osaka's forehead. She was starting to lose consciousness and with one final burst opened her eyes and looked into Tomo's. The grip loosened in an instant, Tomo looking into the eyes of her friend.
"Sorry…don't…what happened" said Osaka, before her eyes rolled into the back of her head. The anger and animalistic desire instantly vanished, Tomo gripping her friend's light frame tightly in her arms.
"Osaka? Osaka?!"