The light of the full moon normally would blanket the streets of New Meridian. Though in the case of this dreary evening, the early autumn rain has decided to interfere with the usual cycle. The droplets rasping against the glass of the mostly empty diner. The MadMan Café was a frequent spot for Filia who has found herself in a state of self-reflection over the day's events.
If there is a way to describe today for Filia, it was bad. It had been nearly a whole year when she had awoken in that house with only a school uniform on as attire and no memory of who she was with no one she could turn to for help. Then there was of course, Samson, a gruff and vulgar parasite that had for some reason attached to the backside of her head. This was only her longest running problem, one that has led her down a rabbit hole's worth of trouble.
As for today, there was no exception here. Her at time current hide out, a small dingy room of a motel was raided by a paramilitary group known simply as The Black Egrets who are led by Parasoul, the princess of the Canopy Kingdom. Currently the Princess and her personal army had been tracking her for two weeks for some reason that the two were not thrilled to find out. A long and somewhat daring escape made her run into the hands of another situation, An Anti-Skullgirl Lab Agent who went by the code name Peacock. Thanks to in no part by Samson getting into bet with the childish agent resulted in the two running as the agent went rogue and attacked them citing Filia and "the Lying Mop" as somehow linked to the still at large Skullgirl. The fight nearly knocked her off the train she needed to reach New Meridian High which would have resulted in her being late if not for Samson's quick reaction to the catching the ledge and tripping the living cartoon in the process.
Reflecting on it made her realize the rest of the day was going to be no different when she followed a possible lead as to who she was only to find out that it was another dead end. exhausted she went to her usual place of relaxing, the small diner close to the center of downtown New Meridian. While Samson hid the white underneath the baller cap as the two agreed on should they go into an area where people may call police on someone with a parasite
Filia eyed the diner cautiously to see how many were paying attention to her, a practice she picked up over the time living with a creature greatly feared and under his own words heavily misunderstood. before deciding to speak. "Samson, we need to talk." She stated calmly.
Underneath the hat she heard a low growling though muffled voice "If it's about the room I know a few other places to hide out so don't sweat it." As always, he seemed to have some back up remark about their current situation, least in the survival sense.
"No, it's not that." she sighed in relief though that he seems to have a backup hideout from before they met. "It's about the way you handled yourself with Peacock this morning."
It was obvious to her she hit a nerve as he erupted moving the cap in all directions as he yelled "THAT LYING LITTLE SHIT WAS CONNING ME FROM THE BEGINNING!" he argued back "SHE WAS LUCKY YOU BEGAN TO RUN OR I WOULD OF RIPPED THOSE DAMN ARMS OFF HER!"
Filia tried to calm him down, it seems that it wasn't working. Panicking, she grabbed the chocolate milkshake in front of her while quickly removing her hat and shoved it right into the back of her head splashing it all over the back side of herself. she shivered as the two reacted to the coldness of the dessert slowly descend from Samson's face to her backside of her neck and back. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?" Samson responded angrily oblivious to the ruckus and the several individuals who were now shaking in fear at the reveal of a parasite within the premise.
"You were causing a scene, I had to." Her voice holding apologetically though firm tone.
Samson huffed starting to mellow himself as he started licking what he could of her frozen drink off himself and what he could mop up around the two of them with a smacking of his serrated lips before speaking. "Alright kiddo, what is it? there is more to this than just what happened at the park."
Filia nodded as she started to speak again. "Do you think I'll ever find out about my past?"
He stammered answering her question "How should I know?"
"You said you would help me find out who I was, but it seems your leads are not that reliable." She asked cautiously not wanting to provoke him again.
"I am, you're the brains and I'm the brawn. Plain and simple." His response, yet again, remained unchanged from the last few times she had asked the same question. Time and again she had asked this only to get the same answer. In some ways, she felt as though she was on a wild goose chase.
She sighed as she was replacing her hat on her head to hide Samson from any possibly wandering eyes "If you say so." She closed her eyes to reflect on what she has found out about herself.
The day after she lost her memories, she searched around for the school that used the uniform she was wearing. Her uniform was for Saint Theresa High School in the quiet suburb of Maplecrest, from what she could tell she did attend this school and after an hour of exploring the school managed to find her home room. Luckily, she found out her name from students in the class to be Filia, though they seemed shocked that she had gotten infected and when pressed harder about questions on herself they got scared and ran, though to her surprise, it was not because of Samson. It seemed to be related to her pacifically.
"Maybe I am destined to forget my past" she thought to herself letting loose a defeated sighed at her predicament.
"So, this is where you've been hiding." a calm, cold, feminine voice could be heard behind her. It made her spine jolt briefly as if a danger sense had just gone into full over drive.
Filia Quickly turned around startled by what appeared to be a tall dark-skinned woman with dawning what appeared to be overly dressed for this kind of establishment, her black dress eloquently made as if for a stage performance. A headdress filled with many pretty stones and jewels and a set of gold colored ribbon forming a very a weird symbol that encircled her upper torso. She seemed friendly enough to Filia and seemed eerily drawn to her she decided to address her "Do I know you?"
"No." She smiled before the gaze began to shift turning into a malevolent leer "But your parasite does." Just then Samson poked his eyes from under the hat. They widened as the rest of his hair shaped body tensed up curling in multiple directions catching Filia off guard.
"Kid" he paused slowly moving strands of himself toward what appeared to be a bowl of soup. He wrapped around slowly picking up haste as he approached the bowl. "RUN!" he shouted as he slammed the soup and bowl into her face ruining the woman's make up in the process.
Filia got up quickly before Samson slingshot her out the diner's window and lifting her up to a nearby streetlight. "Friend of yours?" She asked once Samson grabbed to the light hoisting herself up.
"Hardly, she seems to have a deep crush on me. If anything, she is more like a crazy stalker." His voice was more concerned than normal, even when against The Egrets or ASGL he was animalistic in nature but not scared.
"You know how?" little concerned for her well being
"She kind of killed a few of my hosts over the years." He was only half answering the questions looking around for an escape route. The mysterious woman was in fast pursuit of them before Samson latched himself to a fire escape and tossed themselves into the air to the top of a three-story building. "Now c'mon kid, start moving your feet." He yelled as he slowly began to reshape his tendrils into defensive weapons if needed.
"So why not choose the person?" Filia remarked now concerned as to who was attached to her.
"I'm not too fond of her type." Samson responded, his mind was more focused on survival, not her questions.
"Type?" Filia really did not like that answer. As far as she's aware Samson had shown few standards when sweet talking woman while she has hosted him. This often was at her expense mostly with them screaming realizing her hair was alive or that one time at the River King Casino where a woman was drunk enough to make out with him.
"Type as in uh… She wants to offer herself on purpose" he stammered as he grabbed onto another floor, he must be moving quick since the woman was barely on the other side of the building.
"(Is he hiding something?)" Filia thought to herself trying to regain her footing after another landing.
Right as she was crossing the city skyline, she was Slammed by a pair of two feet crashing her through a wall into the middle of an elevator shaft. She struggled to regain her footing to find an angry little kid with robotic like arms standing there. Her top hat and black eyes also showing disdain toward them. "You Lyin' sack of fuzz! Give me my money" a mild Brooklyn accent littered her voice along with an electronic filtration suggested many other cybernetics.
"Peacock!" Filia spoke up panicking "Now is really not a good time."
"Yeah, we got bigger problems than hustlers!" Samson blurted out annoyed
"Not my problem." She stated coldly cocking a double-barreled shotgun that came from seemingly nowhere. As she took aim a pool of blood began to for behind her, she seemed to be oblivious of it, however.
"Behind you!" Filia blurted out scared. The pool of blood began to form what looked to be a sarcophagus before divulging into a red blob taking a female like shape one Filia was already too familiar with.
Peacock lowered the gun confused and turned her head to face her backside what stood there was the woman from earlier still cover in red mostly complete. She blinked a few times at the woman before turning her head back to them "friend of yours?" she asked almost unfazed by the anomaly behind her. Filia shook her head. "Then the talkin' hair's." she concluded
"Well." Samson dragged the word with ambivalence
Peacock sighed turned around still rather calm while she pulled out a cigar and lite it up. "ahhng" she groaned as she took a few quick puffs "What's up, Doc?"
"A new living arrangement" She claimed as her blood turned into several blades cutting the elevator cables sending the elevator down the shaft, they were in. the counterweight rapidly passed the three crashing against several safety measures breaking them littering the to of the lift with sparks.
Peacock stood there now beginning to recognize the diva more like a threat she looked up at Avery who was busy grabbing a radio to call up Andy and Tommy. One of her eyes turned to spot Filia walking up beside her, her living hair done up in several serrated spikes holding a defensive pose around her. She blinked a few times at her realizing that Filia was wanting to team up against her, something she was all for as she pulling out one of her spiked bats and gazed at back at the mysterious woman ready to wallop her into next week. "So, what's the deal with the pharaoh over there?" her curiosity finally peaked.
"Her name is Eliza." Samson spoke up his tone grim and seemingly on edge "don't let her looks fool ya, she's hell of a lot older than she claims."
"Okay The hecks that even mean?" Peacock seemed to be blunter in approach in comparison to Filia.
"She's already infected" Samson stated as Eliza's face slowly started to peal into blood like a wax candle. Underneath the wax like ichor revealed to be a skeleton that two triangular shaped spurs were on its head. It screeched angrily jumping out of the skin now forming into a sarcophagus with several jars surrounding where Eliza's organs would be. The two moved out of the way of the rabid skeleton slashing at both. It prioritized Filia who kept clawing at Samson's tendrils.
Filia could feel her defenses about to give when she heard a plane flying through. She looked up to see a small bomb jump out of a tiny airplane landing on the skeleton exploding seemingly dazing the parasite long enough for the top hat of Peacock could be seen through it's ribcage getting wacked away from a baseball bat.
Samson capitalized on the stunned bones by wrapping himself, and Filia by extension, crushing it with what ever strength he could muster. They could hear the bones creak as if they were getting dislocated. "Peacock now!" Filia Exclaimed as Samson let go allowing for a twin barrel worth of buckshot to smash into Eliza's Skelton throwing it back into the blood coffin re enwrapping itself Eliza quickly began to take shape once again, stunned from what had happened.
Peacock childishly nodded her head with satisfaction before her black eyes widened and letting out a blood curdling scream as the elevator crashed into the ground. The force of it was strong enough to go through the floor into the sewer line. Filia fell to the ground expecting to be finished from the impact to see Samson cushioning her landing. "Thank you." Filia sad to the mass as he reverted to normal. She looked around, no sign of Eliza. Peacock however was out cold on the ground.
"Common let's get moving we need an exit." Samson stated. "Don't worry about her, she's done worse, and you know it."
Filia Sighed getting up looking left and right before running.
As she ran, she approached a heavy metallic door reading Lab 0 (authorized personal only) Filia looked left then right before concluding it would be best to hide here for the night. "Samson get the door." She spoke scanning the sewer way.
Samson's tentacle took hold of the door and pulled hard ripping it off it's hinges in the process. Filia entered as Samson replaced the now damaged door in place. The two began to observe the weird room. It was dark, very dark. Filia struggled to grab a lighter she kept on her to see; Samson just looked around since he could see in the dark. It looked like a mad scientist's lab, papers and machines littered the empty room as dormant machines casts their shadows on the walls from the weak torch. The room was disturbing.
"This must be one of those supposed abandoned Anti-Skullgirl labs you heard about." Samsun spoke up looking around while Filia did the opposite direction. There were a few rumors that the ASGL or Antis Skullgirl Labs had many projects before the last one seven years ago to supposedly destroy the Skullgirl once and for all. These projects however were too costly or highly impractical for them to try and use.
"What do you think it did?" Filia asked approaching a switch and powering it up hoping that it would be a light switch.
"How Should I know?" Samson responded mildly annoyed.
As Filia turned a powerful red wave of liquid crashed against her trapping her against the wall. "Did you think it would be that easy?" Eliza's voice echoed in the room menacingly.
Filia struggled against the red liquid feeling it slowly begin to envelop her, "Eliza, can't we work this out" Samson began to plead. Seeing close in on his host.
"Aw, Samson" she was almost affectionate "I would, but that low life isn't fit for you" she shot more of the blood trapping Filia's legs to the wall.
"If I'm removed, she dies as well as me" Samson was now terrified seeing that the pools of blood had gone to her neck. She planned to make this death slow and painful for her.
"I know" Eliza said in a half melancholic though sadistic manner "But if I can't have you, may as well be dead." The next wave was about to strike at Filia's head but in last ditch escape Samson moved her hair to redirect the blood causing it to crash against another machine. The whole room suddenly started to sputter alive lights slowly flickering and the sound of an old generator beginning to awaken from a long comatose slumber.
A weird circle of to the side booted up when her attack crashed into the strange device. A blue light emanates from the device as red lights lit up the room while sirens rang through the room. All hell was breaking loose, and it was only getting worse.
Three soldiers dressed in abnormal attire knocked down another door on top of a handful of catwalks above them looking down all guns trained on them. "Hands up." One of them demanded only for the authority in his voice slowly fade to confusion "What the hell?" a soldier with out a mask n with pale blond hair yelled until he saw the chaos unfold. It was all any of them could respond with seeing the scene.
Eliza sighed "so annoying." She shot another of her waves slicing a guard in half killing him. The portal was now vibrant purple. "Goodbye Samson, it's a shame we couldn't be together."
A heavy growl could be heard behind her. Eliza turned around to see a creature unlike any other. It appeared to be a bear covered in black fur and bone like armor covering its head and legs several spines protruded from its back. It raised its claw slashing at Eliza while shrugging off a good amount of the ammo shot by the guards up top.
Samson saw an opportunity to escape. Extending himself, he tethered onto several support poles and yanked as hard as he could. "Hold on kid! I got you." He finally broke free and like a bolt in a reverse crossbow, he shot Filia and himself into the circular window as the machine short circuited from an impact with the creature. The weird device proceeded to flicker then shut off leaving the two on the other side of the weird device before disappearing.
Eliza since she was outnumbered decided to retreat as the lights of the machine started to blind many of the soldiers for the time being. After her escape Peacock ran in fully armed looking for the woman that tried to kill her. She only saw a bunch of soldiers up top many of them confused at what they had witnessed. She immediately could tell the soldiers were members of The Black Egrets, "Hey dingbats where's that mummy?" it was clear she was angered
"She got away" a brave guard spoke still looking at the bear in front of him.
"Damn" she said as her shot the bear blowing its head off. There was a confused pause from them when they witness the creature disintegrate into dust before fully dissipating. She began to scan the room before realizing Filia was also missing. "Hey was there a woman in here with rather active hair?"
"She went in there." the same guard yelled pointing at the unknown device. It looked as though it had shorted and was smoking badly from the use.
Peacock stared at it for a second. Half uninterested "So what is that thing, anyway, looks like somethin outta of a cheesy sci-fi film."
"That's because it's a rift device Peacock" a woman with a light accent spoke up looking at it. The woman was tall and red hair. Peacock already knew who it was.
"Oh, look who decided to show up." Peacock teased Parasoul "Any luck with that skullgirl sighting? Or is ya Royal Highness gonna be beggin fer help now?"
"We don't need your help." She scoffed annoyed at the child's antics trying to get a rise from her and unfortunately, it was working a little too well with the way her day has gone.
"So, why'd we make this thing?" Peacock asked curiously.
"It was a plan to get rid of the Skullgirl once and for all assuming we catch her before she's at full power." Parasoul brushed some of her hair out of the way "of course, Theonite readers are not exactly known for accuracy at that form of level."
"So, what, we gonna go save that kid?" Peacock questioned already expecting something virtuous from the next in line.
"We would" was Parasoul's response "But that will take time, none I think the ASGL will spare."
Meanwhile Filia woke up scratching her head. "Ugh, what happened" she began to ask since her eyesight was blurred by the hit she had taken.
"I made a judgement call" Samson responded slightly angered at their predicament. "You're welcome by the way"
Filia shook her head trying to regain focus. the concrete floor was cold and damp it clearly had rained recently likely meaning that they had made their way to the surface. she began to stand up but fell back down Samson caught her with quickly and began to help her up. "Hey, you okay?" for the first time in weeks he seemed to be showing actual signs of concern for Filia. he wrapped her hair round her knees to form a brace to help her stand. "Don't worry, I got you kid."
As Filia's eyesight returned she looked left and right. Wherever she was, it was dark. lights in the area however told her she was in an urban environment. looking at the buildings she noticed something was off about her location. they all had a mix of colonial and squared off look in comparison to the art deco/regal buildings of New Meridian. it was clearly a commercial district however as she entered onto the empty street resting herself against a nearby lamppost. most buildings seemed to be closed for the night. at this moment Filia investigated the skyline of the buildings trying to figure what section of the downtown area she was in only to see the taller buildings do not go past eight or so stories. "Samson, I don't recognize this part of New Meridian."
"I don't think were in New Meridian Filia" his voice was grim. Seemed like his mind was racing to find answers for himself as well as his host.
"Then where are we?" Filia tensed up fearing the answer.
Samson started to ponder the question he seemed to find himself acting as her guide much to his dismay. But for once he did not have answers, least clear answers. "What ever that machine was it seemed like it threw us into a late-night movie house film."
"What makes you certain?" Filia questioned him as she tried to regain her own strength in her legs, so she did not need his support.
Samson hesitated before speaking "Look up." The tone of his voice was slightly shaken now.
Taking a few short breaths to get herself ready for what she feared she slowly tilted her head to the sky. her eyes widened in fear at what she saw. the moon had a heavy quarter of it missing shattered still within orbit of whatever planet they were on. "Wha- What happened here? Was this a Skullgirl's doing? Where in the world are we?" her mind was raising several questions a minute. she felt weak in her legs again luckily Samson kept her standing due to the hair braces. "This can't be happening." She said repeatedly to herself tears forming in her eyes. she had no way of finding out who she is while being homeless on the streets of New Meridian and now, she is in the middle of this new world with nothing but the same school uniform and the Parasitic hair monster. She was in fact back to square one, square negative three considering she was now somewhere else altogether.
"Hey, Filia... Filia?" Samson trying to get her attention from the mental break down she was having. nothing he tried was working slapping her biting the usual things that got on her nerves that he did when he was trying to tease her. "(come on Samson think.)" he was running through his memories trying to figure out what to do to cheer her up. then it hit him on what to do. he shot a lot of strands in the air crashing firmly into the ground lifting himself upward pulling Filia in the same direction. a second rope of hair shot down the side of her shirt hoisting her sideways like a flag on a pole. he began to move the hair that was roped to Filia up and down to mimic the wind. "(come on, this got to work.)" Samson remembered on a few occasions when he did this to make her laugh and cheer her up. He snuck a look at her diary once and she stated it was moments like this where she really believes that he cares for her which is saying something from either standpoint since he tends to get her a lot of trouble. Samson could argue that Filia was one of the more unique people who he has infected over the years. she put up with him despite all the trouble he causes for his host from making them drunk on accident to getting into fights. unlike most She detested violence but is willing to fight should she need to. Whoever she was before attaching to her is nothing but a distant mystery now.
Filia at first was startled and caught off guard by the actions Samson did. all she knew was she was picked up off her feet and now was hanging sideways moving in the wind. as this happened, she couldn't help but laugh. To Samson she was just a kid on an amusement park ride though it didn't help she can't remember her childhood though. "Okay, okay." she kept giggling "I'll calm down." Satisfied Samson began to lower her to her feet. "Let's look around" she suggested eagerly "It's not every day you get to see a different world, maybe it'll be like a vacation."
They traveled the streets of the for what seemed like hours on the streets coming across what seemed like an open market bazar still currently active. they traveled the bustling street seeing all the stands selling all sorts of interesting things from food, goofy looking trinkets, basic town merchandise, and clothes. She browsed looking at the wares fascinated at what was in front of her.
Samson however was not likening the looks they were getting, himself pacifically. he saw several staring at him "That hair band is kind of scary" a woman said to her friend as she stared the two stared before laughing at the idea of wearing him. He remained mostly silent but slowly spoke up when there were too many people to notice his lips move.
"Hey Filia, I think it's best we find another hat" He spoke while scanning the area still noticing some of the stares the two received.
She drew her eyes away from the merchandise to notice the staring faces. "Good Idea. I think it's safe to say that our cash is not good around here." she almost shivered at what they had to do. "I'm not exactly fond of stealing."
Samson grunted with amusement. for once his lying and gambles he makes is about to help them. "Okay, you still got that cloth napkin from the casino?" he mused thinking through how they will pull this off.
She dug through the pockets on her uniform and pulled out a red River King Casino hanker chief Samson used to swipe chips away from some unsuspected person. she showed it to Samson who grinned mischievously "Okay listen, the man at the hat shop is clearly not going to listen to me for starters no one expects talking hair. However, the dolt is going to be a sucker for a charity case, especially an attractive young woman."
"I don't know about this." She really did not like this plan
"it'll be easy, then we score a job and used it as a cover for ourselves until we find a clean getaway from wherever the hell we are."