by Jake Taylor
“So,” Isabella said with a sly smile, “What you’re saying is, if these pirates were being paid to stab us in the back, then they wouldn’t be honorless savages.”
“Not professional.”
“Oh, so the difference is they’re amateur murderers?”
Haruka looked at her. “…Yes.”
“Mmm.” Isabella nodded. “Yes, I see how big a difference that is.”
Haruka frowned. “Judging?”
Isabella raised an eyebrow. “You really think I can judge someone for killing? I’m just questioning your judgment of others for doing the same things you do.”
“It’s a job.”
“You would’ve killed me while doing your job had we not met the night before.” Haruka tried to disagree, but she knew Bella was right. Still, she had no idea what to say. Isabella laid a hand on her knee. “Honestly, I’m not trying to make you feel bad. What you do is nothing like what I did. I’m just saying it’s a little weird how you feel about actions so close to yours.”
Haruka sighed. “It’s… Feels different. Make choices, get pay, devote life to… perfection. Train, study, learn, practice, work… Effort.” She waved a hand to indicate the rest of the ship. “Predators. Pick on weak, run from strong. Stab in back out of fear, not caution.”
“You killed that man who was one of you, just like you,” Isabella pointed out softly.
Haruka looked at her. “Tried to kill you. Killed him first.”
“Would you have let him go if he had decided to leave?”
“Yes.”
“What about after he attacked me?”
“…Quiet. Someone coming.”
“Haruka-“
“Shh.”
Isabella went quiet, but Haruka could tell from her look that the subject wasn’t dropped for good. They watched from the darkness as Captain Tyne led two hooded men into the hallway. “Right in here,” he said quietly as he gestured to the door. “Now if you’ll just give me my payment-“
“You will receive it after she is on our ship,” one of the men replied. The captain went quiet and the two men opened the door and moved into the room as silent as the wind. They each moved to either side of the bed, raising their hands over it. Faint lines of light began to appear in the air, lowering to the bed and suddenly forming chains over the figures there, tightening rapidly and firmly.
There was a second of surprise and another of understanding before the two women shot from the supply room and into the cabin. Before the men could react Haruka’s hand caught one’s head and shoved it into the wall, splintering the wood. Isabella’s sheathed sword caught the other at the base of the head, dropping him like a sack to the bed.
Captain Tyne had taken off up the stairs and Haruka went after him, anger lighting her green eyes. “Ruki, wait!” Isabella followed her, already fearing what was about to happen.
Haruka burst out onto the deck where Tyne was shouting orders. She growled as she set her sights on him and he and another sailor lifted pistols. Having a lot of experience in this land, Haruka knew exactly what they were and leapt to the side as the two fired.
Being relatively new to this part of the world and pretty much all advanced technology, Isabella did not. The shots hit her in the shoulder and stomach as she emerged behind Haruka, bringing a shocked expression to her face as she wondered just what had hit her. She stumbled back a few steps and hit the wall, looking down at the two bleeding holes in confusion.
Haruka did not react well to that. She stared with widened eyes at Isabella, but three seconds later her eyes narrowed and a low rumble escaped her lips. Tyne tossed the pistol and drew his saber but Haruka’s fist reached him first, shattering his jaw. She slammed her other fist into his stomach and then swept his feet from under him, sending him to the deck.
The other sailor attempted to grab her and she slapped his hand away, then his neck, then shoved him back. A Death Mark appeared on both spots and he cried out in pain as his hands exploded, but he could make no sound when his throat followed. Haruka ignored the blood that sprayed her mask as she stomped twice, shattering both of Tyne’s knees. The man screamed in pain, but this was his fault; Haruka caught his wrist and slammed her palm into his elbow, breaking it as well.
The enraged monk then lifted the man up by his last good limb. “Stop! I beg ya… I’ve got loot I’ll share, an’ the ride’ll be free, an’ I’ll-“ Haruka tossed him over the railing and watched as he hit the water. He had one good limb to swim with; she bet that gave him a few minutes to an hour to live. She had bigger things to worry about, though, because his crew was still up and moving.
Isabella looked up, finding Haruka with confused eyes. All she knew was that she’d been hit with some sort of weapon. Two sailors came towards her with sabers to finish the job and Haruka began running, but Isabella pushed herself off the wall and shook her head. “Others behind you,” she shouted, “get the others!”
With clenched teeth Isabella stepped forward and gave a shout of frustration as she swept her sheathed blade up in a diagonal arc and stumbled forward. Both sailors grinned at each other and backed out of the way of the swipe, but it had been a ruse; Isabella moved like lightning and thrust the end of the scabbard into the stomach of one as her hand shot to the throat of the other. She slammed the second one to the deck and spun on the doubled-over one, striking his back with the sword and dropping him. A stomp of her foot silenced the one on the ground and she took a moment to straighten herself out, rolling her bullet-pierced shoulder to loosen it a bit as she strode purposefully towards another three nervous pirates.
Haruka blinked. If Isabella was tougher than she’d given her credit for, that was just good news. She had to remind herself who Bella used to be, apparently; her condition definitely made the monk judge her differently. Watching her was another mistake, though, as she realized as soon as a bullet hit her shoulder. Haruka let it feed her anger and turned on her three attackers, making a dash for them.
All drew swords, providing a defense she couldn’t easily get through. Always an opportunist with a belief in being proactive, she punched two small holes in the deck and ripped out a small board. With a dark smile she slapped a hand on the board before tossing it at them. Having no idea what she was doing they simply dodged the lightly-thrown plank with confusion.
When it exploded behind them it caught them by surprise and threw them off-balance, and Haruka was in their faces to capitalize. Her fist found one pirate’s throat, collapsing his windpipe and sending him to the deck struggling for air. She spun and caught another’s face with her heel, feeling herself getting into the rhythm of combat.
Isabella stalked towards the three pirates facing her. She didn’t notice as her grey eyes darkened a shade, but they did, and each took a step back. “Backing away from a fight? That option’s gone,” Isabella said, launching herself at the one in the middle. The other two dodged to either side and the remaining one met her blade, fending her off with a quick defense. Bella felt the other two closing in on her flanks and she steadied her feet as the pirate before her locked their blades together.
Bella glanced over her shoulder as the other two swung. She flipped her grip on her sword and shoved the first pirate’s sword up. She slid her left foot behind her and spun left, striking both blades of the other two and knocking their points up as well. She then flipped her sword back in her grip and ducked low, spinning a second time and taking out the legs of all three, sending them to the deck.
Haruka stood between two pirates and caught both blades on her bracers. She flicked her wrists up and then shot out both hands, catching the hands of both pirates where they gripped their sabers. She shoved the hilts of the swords into the stomachs of the men, doubling them over. She then grabbed the throats of both and lifted them bodily into the air before slamming them back to the deck.
The monk then looked over at Isabella, smiling to see she’d won as well. Still, something seemed wrong… Where had the two hooded men come from?
Then she spotted the other ship tied to the side of theirs, a black one that looked very familiar just like the clothing of the two men had. She looked back to Isabella and her eyes widened; Bella was checking the two strange gunshot wounds she’d received, the ones she didn’t understand.
She didn’t notice the assassin behind her. Haruka tried to shout a warning but her voice cut out. Not now, now of all times! Haruka took off running and Isabella looked at her, tilting her head. “Ruki…?” Shock registered on her face a second later and a blade extended from her stomach, one of the fallen pirate’s sabers. The assassin caught the woman from behind, moving a blade to her throat.
Haruka was unable to do anything as glowing bands of gold enveloped her, snapping her wrists and feet together, then her legs together and her arms to her waist. She fell but a hand caught the back of her shirt, lifting her up. She knew the bands on her well; they suppressed all chakra, leaving her unable to do anything but watch. The man holding her was a Black Sun she recognized, as was the woman who had stabbed – and was now holding hostage – Isabella.
Two more Black Sun assassins landed on either side of Haruka, and she could see more on the ship, but they were all masked. The man holding Haruka had short spiked black hair with bangs on either side of his face. “Jace…” Haruka muttered in a tone sharing her extreme dislike for the man. She turned her attention on the woman, glaring and growling out her words. “Irene… Let her go…”
The blonde woman pulled the blade from Isabella, drawing a gasp from her. She tilted her head, pulling Isabella closer and pressing the other blade against her neck more tightly. “That sounds like a bad idea, dear Haruka. For some reason you care about her, so she’s our… motivation, let’s say.”
Jace hauled Haruka to her feet. “We’ll leave her alone. She’ll probably survive,” he said in a low, calm voice. “Irene avoided her vitals. But in exchange you’re coming with us.”
Haruka shook with rage but hung her head, having no argument. “…fine.”
“Ruki,” Isabella said softly, “Don’t go with them-“
“I’d be quiet if I were you,” Irene said casually as she cut her off by pressing the blade hard enough to draw a bit of blood.
Jace and the two others moved back to their ship and the two masked monks began to untie it as Haruka looked at Isabella. “No choice…”
“They’ll kill you!”
“You or me,” Haruka said sadly. “Might not…”
Jace looked at her. “Your father is very… disappointed. You might get some mercy…”
“But I wouldn’t count on it,” Irene said with a smile. “Betrayal is a very harsh crime, Haruka. You know how he feels about that.”
Haruka growled. “Made my choice.”
“And you will live with it,” Jace stated simply, “or die. We’ll see.”
Haruka looked to Isabella, trying to think of whatever she could say that would mean as much as what she felt, but the words died in her throat. Something was happening to Isabella; those warm grey eyes were cold now, hard and piercing. Isabella spoke in a soft but commanding voice, her eyes boring into Jace. “Let Haruka go. You get one chance.”
Jace shook his head. “We’ve got orders. Sorry.”
Irene pressed the sword closer to Bella’s neck. “What did I tell you about talking?”
Isabella shot her hand up and caught the one that held the blade to her throat. Irene jumped in surprise and jerked the blade across the woman’s throat. At least, that’s what she intended to do, but the blade didn’t move an inch. Isabella’s grip was like iron as she pulled the blade from her throat. She turned around and calmly turned Irene’s wrist. The blond woman struggled against it, beginning to panic, but it meant nothing. Isabella shoved the blade up into her chest up to the hilt before shoving her away to drop to the deck.
Haruka and the other monks watched, surprised for different reasons. Isabella turned back to them and began walking towards the ship as it pulled away. Jace ordered them to get distance as the blue-haired knight stepped up to the edge of her ship. With no hesitation she pulled the grey cloth from her sword, tucked it into her belt, and drew the blade, her eyes never leaving Haruka’s.
An explosion of red flame erupted from Isabella, encasing her. She screamed in a mix of agony and rage, her features darkening as her eyes and hair took on a blood-red hue. She was lifted into the air like before but this time when she came down her appearance and personality were different. Her sword grew and shifted into a wickedly curved two-handed sword of a much greater size. Isabella’s crimson eyes refocused on the departing ship, now a good distance away. She stepped forward and pressed her foot against the corner of the ship, splintering the wood as she launched herself off, her blood-red hair streaming out around her face with the speed. To the surprise of everyone on the escaping ship her leap carried her high into the air and she came down straight at them.
Her impact shattered the deck of their ship and sent black wood flying in every direction. Monks yelled in shock but two had the reaction speed to rush her. Isabella didn’t even notice her injuries anymore. Surrounded by a cloud of wooden splinters and red flame she tilted her head up and to the side, hard crimson eyes burning into her attackers. They hesitated only a second, but after that second both of them had split at the waist. Only then did they register Isabella’s swing as their blood filled the air and their bodies hit the deck in two halves. Haruka watched with no idea how to react as Isabella turned to meet another, catching his fist in her open hand and crushing the bone in her iron grip. She tossed the man into the water as if he wasn’t worth her attention and looked back over her shoulder at Jace and Haruka.
The Isabella that Haruka knew was nowhere to be seen. She was gone, replaced by the one Haruka had heard only a little about, the one that had earned the title ‘The Golden Butcher’. Another assassin jumped at her from the side and she swatted him out of the air with her large sword, without so much as a glance. Her eyes remained focused on Jace and he met her challenge, moving in a blur. Isabella disappeared in a blur a split second later and the two reappeared in a clash several feet up. Haruka launched herself back as the two slammed back into the deck locked in combat. The ship wouldn’t survive this fight but Haruka was paying little attention to such details.
Isabella was cold and focused with murder in her eyes, a total stranger. She whipped her sword around not to take Jace’s legs from under him but to take his head from his shoulders, an attack he barely dodged. This change was frightening to Haruka. She’d met other people like this, it wasn’t new, but she’d never met anyone like the Isabella she knew, and all she knew was that she wanted her back. This Isabella didn’t look like she’d ever laughed or even smiled; she didn’t look like she even understood the concept of a joke. She didn’t look like she cared about anything or anyone. There was no kindness or generosity or reassurance in her expression, only a cold, burning rage and hatred.
Jace had used his specialty, creating a blade of shadow magic over each arm. With these he fended off the large blade that sought his death, but it was only a matter of time. Isabella attacked from one side and then the other, whipping the blade around faster than one of its size should move. The impacts were so forceful that Jace had to brace himself for each of them. Left, right, left, right, left, right, a rhythm was forced as the blade moved back and forth. Jace and Haruka had both seen this tactic before; create a pattern your opponent can recognize, then break the pattern suddenly to surprise them. Jace watched the blade carefully, refusing to fall into the alternating swings. Left, right, left, right… Soon enough it would be left, left, or right, right, but he would see it and take advantage.
Isabella’s crimson eyes gave nothing away as she continued the pattern. Then, suddenly… there it was! The blade struck his left, right, left, and then came back at his left, and Jace shot forward to his right. Isabella’s open left hand was already waiting for him and met him as he moved straight into it, slamming his chest with an open pal
m that blasted all air from his lungs. His eyes went wide but the crimson-haired knight didn’t give him a chance. Her foot shattered his right knee and her hand gripped his clothing, yanking him down to his knees. She whipped the blade around and drove it down through his chest, severing sternum, ribs and spine along with everything in between. The sword continued straight through with no resistance until it pierced the deck behind him.
Jace coughed and blood spattered Isabella’s face, but she paid it no heed. She yanked her sword free and kicked him straight off the ship into the ocean. The bands around Haruka disappeared as Jace’s life-force faded, leaving her free. She stood up and stared at Bella with no words. Isabella just grabbed her wrist and took a few steps before launching into the air again. They landed back on their original, now crewless, ship, and Isabella released her, looking back at the empty ship they’d just left. Haruka rubbed her wrist, examining the woman before her with mixed emotions. “Bella…?”
Crimson eyes found her and softened immediately, a hint of familiarity entering them. Isabella touched the point of her blade to its scabbard and sheathed it; Haruka watched as the blade returned to its original size as it entered the scabbard. A pulse of energy washed over her and Isabella’s normal colors returned; soft, dark blue hair and gentle grey eyes. The knight immediately fell to her hands and knees, panting and shaking. Haruka knelt beside her, tentatively setting a hand on her shoulder. “Bella…”
“Don’t,” Bella said as she swatted the hand away. She forced herself back into her feet and stumbled backwards, but caught her balance. She looked at Irene’s body, multiple emotions crossing her face. Haruka watched her worriedly but she shook her head, dropping to her knees again. “I gave them… gave them a warning,” she said.
Haruka moved towards her, kneeling in front of her again. “You killed,” she said as both a statement and a question.
Isabella met her eyes. “I warned them. I told them not to try to take you. I’ve already made the decision, Haruka.” Her arms shook weakly and Haruka caught her before she collapsed. Bella rested her head on Haru’s chest, forcing her breathing to slow down. “I’ve made… my decision,” she reiterated. “I don’t want to kill… But if it’s your life at stake… I’ll slaughter the whole goddamn world.”
