The inside of the car was silent. Well, at least for Sora. As soon as Carpellia started the engine of the car, Sora closed his eyes, adjusted his breathing, and emptied his mind. He ignored everything around him and paid attention only to what was inside of him.

The power of fire.

Even in a cramped space like a car, Sora used every opportunity he could to train. Usually, power users have no problem with utilizing their powers; it is as easy and painless as moving their hands. For Sora, it is as easy and painless as inserting a burning steel rod into his backbone. Sora grit his teeth to endure the pain and focused on his right hand in order to create a fireball.

"Guh...! Damn, failed again..."

The pain disappeared. Unable to withstand the pain, his mind gave up trying to make fire. Sora wiped off the sweat on his forehead with the back of his left arm. He did not know how long this process took him; it varied. It could last as short as five minutes or as long as an hour. For this time, it seemed to last 15 minutes, as the car stopped. Even though he was sitting in the backseat, he could clearly a blue sea in front of him. They arrived.

Chris was certain he was going to vomit. The butterflies in his stomach, fluttering up a storm, more like a hurricane he thought. He was so nervous, especially with this first mission, he couldn't concentrate on anything other than the various ways that he would mess everything up. With a gulp, he forced his thoughts away from the mission, for the time being, and instead watched the other C-Class Runner beside him. Sweat was dripping down Sora's brow readily as he seemed to be concentrating on something. Chris rung the mop handle in his hand tightly, feeling the heat and sweat rub against his hands dryly. Within moments, Sora's concentration paid off with a spark of flame.

"Guh...! Damn, failed again...", Sora muttered.

Chris's mouth dropped open in impressed surprise. He had no clue what the other C-Class Runner's power was, but he had an inkling that it had to do with fire. Chris quickly diverted his gaze to stare out the window. The last thing he wanted was one of the others asking what he could do. He was embarrassed enough about his not knowing what it was he could do, and avoided the topic at all costs. His fears were confirmed about the topic discussion when famed A-Class Runner Carpellia spoke up.

"Hey, buddy, you control fire or something? Try not to set the car on fire, okie doke?"

Chris rubbed his eyes and focused intently on the waves lapping against the pier and shoreline nearby. The docks rose ominously ahead, connecting to a series of other boat docking. Chris could easily make out their target. The large liner boat, slowly making it's way farther and farther form the docks, but still close enough to see what it was. Carpellia obviously saw it as well, seeing as she slowed to a stop and parked the car.

Chris looked around. It seemed like such a perfect day. Nice outside, people going about their business. Fishermen preparing to work, children hanging onto their parents whilst yelling out for ice cream, and couples strolling hand in hand, too deep in love to notice the disquieting feeling. The only other people that seemed to be affected on such a beautiful and normal day, were Sora and Capellia. With a shudder, Chris walked around the car, and listened to the superior Runner.

"Okay, soooooo, we're here, as you can see", she said, seemingly relaxed as she continued. "And two things. Just stay alive and be reasonable when you wanna lend a hand, okay? Now, let's go kick some arses!"

Chris hesitated for a moment, but spoke up. He wanted to learn as much as he could from the situation. "So... what do we do first? How are we gonna get over there? A small boat? Swim? I don't think we could catch it... and a boat might make too much noise."

He wondered vaguely if he was being pessimistic, but he decided he was just best trying to assess the situation. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a couple goofily chasing each other around a car. Loaded on top were two kayaks. He also noted a outdoor sales kiosk nearby. Most pier-side stands had been replaced with kiosks where you could order items from. He bit his lip tentatively before speaking up.

"Do you think... do you think we could use those?", he asked, gesturing towards the two person boats. "They'd be virtually quiet, although, I think we might stand out a bit, if we try to approach the ship as fully dressed kayakers. We could probably get more casual wear, bathing suits probably, from that kiosk over there too? At least that way, if we are spotted going near the boat, no one would think twice about it. As long as we get close, we could figure out some way of getting on there."

Eric paced back and forth in the lobby, debating on whether to go to the office, beginning to get a little nervous. The director had called for Lana, right? He was afraid to enter the office without her. From the sound of the announcement, he was only invited on this mission because Lana was. With every person that walked through the doors, Eric's posture slouched a little more. This wasn't like Lana. Knowing her, she would have been the first one here...Lana, where are you?

After a few minutes, the door to the office shut and Eric's heart sank. Lana never showed...something just had to be up. He glanced at a clock and headed for the elevator. It seemed to take forever, leaving Eric standing there in his own sweat, worried. Finally, a ding announced it was there. He stepped in and hit the button for the floor the lounge was on. The last place he'd seen Lana.

He stepped out of the elevator, thinking. Why was he so worried? This wasn't like him. He was usually the laid back one who didn't care about anything. Lana kept him in check, and was the one who made sure he was motivated. Maybe that's why he was worried...He sped up his pace a little, heading for the lounge door.

Without hesitating, Eric threw open the door...he stopped suddenly. Lana was just sitting there, still pouring over her files. At first, he just stood there, his mouth hanging open, eyes wide. Then he remembered why he was here, "What the hell, Lana?! I thought something happened to you. You usually don't ignore the director..."

She didn't even look up at him. "Calm down, Rookie. First of all, that wasn't the directors voice, so this mission can obviously be done without his supervision. If I thought they actually needed me, I would have gone, but I have other things to do..."

Eric didn't know what to say. "But...the rules...you..."

"I know the rules." She closed the folder she was looking at and picked up another, "I also know how this operation runs. If they really did need me, they would have sent someone to get me, right?" This time she did look up at her partner, slightly amused at his bewildered look. "Like I said, calm down...weren't you just telling me a few minutes ago to relax?"

"She forgot, huh? Well, I suppose it is partially my fault as well, for not reminding her..."

John sighed as he crouched to touch a suit's sleeve. He was in a room and looking at three suits which were on the floor in front of him. The room has no windows, tables, nor wallpaper; all it has is a door and a single light-bulb stuck on the ceiling, emitting weak light. This was worse than a C-Class Runner's sleeping room. Yet this barren room housed some of the most valuable pieces of equipment in the Haven. Three suits for each A-Class Runner. These suits took a lot of money, time, and effort to make. Each one was fashioned to suit one Runner only, and none else; all are unique. As such, they are the ultimate armor, made to protect titans. However, if they were not used, they were as useful as dust. John picked up a suit, left the room, and closed the door behind him, which automatically moved the displaced bookshelf back to its original location. He was back in the Director's office. He yelled.

"Receptionist! You are relieved of your duties today! Leave the doors open! I am expecting someone!"

As he heard footsteps leaving, John talked to himself.

"Lana uses the suit pretty often, so I don't need to remind her, but for Carpellia and Victoria... What a waste of funds. If Krieger found out about how much these cost to make, he'd go ballistic."

John dropped the suit he was holding onto the floor and went towards the mounted microphone. He pressed the button on top of it and made an announcement.

"Assistant John calling A-Class Lana. Report to the Director's office immediately. That is all."

Of course, Lana was not in trouble or anything. John needed her to give the suit quickly to Carpellia. Even though Carpellia was an A-Class, she would most likely be injured by her. That demon of the wind would most likely go against his wishes and have a little fun first. If Carpellia became seriously injured, the Los Angeles Haven would receive unwanted attention. Making an announcement was one of the last things that John wanted to do, lest he draw more attention to himself, but it was a necessary measure. If he waited any longer, Carpellia could already be injured, or in the worst case, dead. So, why did he forget the suit? John knew the answer before he even asked himself the question.

Guilt, huh? Seeing that boy made me lose made me lose my composure...

Sora was in a daze. His sense of hearing had been taken away, along with his sight. Nothing unusual; this happened almost every time he trained and failed. As such, he was unaware of Carpellia's words and Chris' nervousness. By the time his senses returned, he could see a blue sea and what John called a "small cruise ship". Hardly.

"Okay, soooooo, we're here, as you can see," she said as she got out of the car. "And two things. Just stay alive and be reasonable when you wanna lend a hand, okay?~ Now, let's go kick some arses!"

Following her lead, the two C-Classes got out of the car as well.

I doubt we're going to be much use against people who are probably equipped with firearms... She's going to be the one doing all the work...

As Sora thought this, Chris spoke up.

"So... what do we do first? How are we gonna get over there? A small boat? Swim? I don't think we could catch it... and a boat might make too much noise."

After a pause, Chris continued.

"Do you think... do you think we could use those?" he asked, gesturing towards the two person boats. "They'd be virtually quiet, although, I think we might stand out a bit, if we try to approach the ship as fully dressed kayakers. We could probably get more casual wear, bathing suits probably, from that kiosk over there too? At least that way, if we are spotted going near the boat, no one would think twice about it. As long as we get close, we could figure out some way of getting on there."

Chris' plan was reasonable, even if he was still holding a mop in one hand. But there was something bothering Sora. This radical group seemed crazy, since they truly wanted all of the power users in the Haven to kill themselves in exchange for the release of some hostages. So, why was the ship going farther away from the docks? Why not announce their attention to the public or kill a few civilians to gather media attention? Maybe it was just because they were crazy that they did not think of this, but...

"Huh?"

A sudden wind lifted off everyone except Sora, Carpellia, and Chris. The civilians were thrown away from the docks. Oddly, no buildings were lifted up. Only civilians and a bit of debris were all that were flung away. That was strange, but the next part was stranger. Carpellia and Chris were still with him, but everything else seemed to stop. The civilians were frozen in mid-air, unable to touch the ground. Before Sora could even say a word...

"You do know it's rude to keep a woman waiting on a date, you know? It's common sense to arrive at least five minutes early."
"Come on, Gale. My arm will get sore. We have to hurry u-"
"Shut up. I wasn't talking to you. Let me entertain them a little, since they took the time to come to this party."

Sora froze. He slowly turned to the source of the voices. It was as if they appeared out of thin air. In front of him were a masked man and woman; the man wore a dog mask that looked like a white Labrador Retriever, while the woman wore a white Noh mask that looked like an old woman. The tall, muscular man looked out of place; his brown business suit and red hair in a ponytail did not suit his mask. The woman was the same. Her short green hair that barely touched her shoulders, jeans and royal blue T-shirt clashed with her mask. The man kept one hand in his pocket while he stretched out his other hand and kept it locked in place. The woman pointed a finger at Carpellia.

"There will be no negotiation, no compromise, no escape. Only violence. Plenty of space to move around in since the trashes are gone. I'll let you do the first move, A-Class Carpellia, but only for five seconds. Five..."

Sora sprinted towards his left to get away from what would be a dangerous situation. He hoped Chris would do the same.

Victoria's eyes had become very analytical of the C-Class runner's demeanor. Her gaze was cold, but it may have been the chilling tint to them. Either way, they were focused only on the Runner before her as he quickly typed information into the computer. After he left the printed copy of the given information, she watched in curiosity as he scurried off. A devious grin etched the corner of her mouth as she picked up the paper and read over the details. "Ugh, more traveling." She snarled. It was at that time that she looked over to see Clay rushing towards her. A brow raised was her initial reply to his breathless speech. "Catch your breath, I'm not going anywhere without you." With that said, a tendril of hair reached over to pat Clay on the back and nudge him away from the desk. Victoria started to walk.

Victoria moved in close as she spoke to Clay in a hushed tone. "The C-Class didn't mention anything about the CD's extraction. To be honest I think he was a bit scared, but whatever. I didn't tell them anything, so they simply gave us a destination and a vague description of the actual reward." Veronica changed her posture to look less suspicious. Not that she actually cared, but peering eyes and curious ears were always up and about. "Apparently we've been rewarded with an a bunch of valuable gems. Not sure if we're supposed to sell them or what, but diamonds aren't this girls best friend. You can have'em if you want." Victoria handed Clay the paper containing all of the information. "We can go get it now or pick up another mission. Hopefully something a bit more violent, eh?"

Clay stood straight walked with her as he listened. Afterwards, he took the form. He scanned the information with his eyes and his index finger. "Seems simple enough. As far as I care, it should..." Clay's gaze wandered slightly higher than the paper. When he caught himself he bolted his eyes to the sheet again. "Should be a smooth ride to delivery. It's only a few blocks off, after all. We could practically walk over there. In fact, if you don't mind, I'd much rather walk so I don't have to strip down again. I'm sure you wouldn't mind that, right?" Before Vicious could respond, Clay was revealed to be getting slightly taller and stronger. He looked more like a native Jersey guy than his first physique did. He grinned and forced himself into a false accent. "Al'ight, le's get to it no'! I ain't got all day!"

It's almost painful how phony he sounds. Either way, he began walking out.

Victoria had no real interest in the gems. They were pretty rocks that sold for a fortune, but Victoria enjoyed fighting more than dousing herself with luxuries. Though slightly disheartened by Clay's choice to go retrieve them, she complied due to the venture being within walking distance. A peculiar gaze, filled with curiosity and confusion, was etched clearly across her face as she once again witnessed another of Clay's transformations. The heavy accent stuck out more than anything else, but the notable change in stature made her wonder. "I'm surprised you don't forget who you really are. You wear so many disguises." She mused to Clay as they exited the Haven. "What do you plan to do with these colorful rocks? I'm sure plastic surgery is far out of the question."

It was weird, to be honest. Victoria was never really the type of person to hold conversation. She'd rather beat information out of someone and refer to it as espionage. Unlike many of the other runners, Clay didn't cring in fear when she walked by, and he felt no shame in senselessly rambling even when it was apparent she didn't care about what he was talking about. It was an odd match up, but she couldn't have made a better choice herself.

As soon as Vicious mentioned plastic surgery, Clay laughed in his new body. "No', I did not t'ink you had a sense of 'umor. Well, I t'ink I'm goin' t' sell t'em once I retrieve t'em. O' cou'se, I cou'd au'tion t'em off o' I cou'd jus' sell t'em off t' a sing'e pers'n." He thought about what she said before they left.

Forget who he was? If he took any pictures, that would be who he would've been, but he didn't, so who is he? His standard face is just what he feels fits him best. As far as he remembers, he's always been a good ol' boy. He's just become so used to that character, whether it's himself or an act, that he just defaults to it.

Chris took Sora's lead and stumbled quickly behind a number of large crates. It suddenly dawned on him that he still held the mop in his hand. Feeling foolish, he tossed it to the side, and peeked around the crates. He could feel the power emanating from Carpellia and the other Power-Users before her. He shuddered and ducked back behind the crates again. He knew, in no instance, would he stand a chance against those two. Even though Carpellia was strong, there were two of them, and they could have an advantage on her. Sweat dripped down his face as he felt the tension rise in the air. It was as if little sparks were before his eyes.

Chris took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to find his center. Focus. He needed to focus. Their priority was to get to that ship and rescue the hostages. Chris knew, since he barely had any inkling of power, that he would be almost unnoticeable if he could just stay out of sight. Unless of course one of them was a Sniffer, where their power was finding others who had powers. How often had they been used to track rogue Runners or new recruits for the Havens? It's how he was found after all. Nodding to himself, Chris tuned out all the noise around him, and instead hummed a small song that his Mom used to sing when he was younger.

Turning away, Chris made his way, as silently as he could, towards the van that had had the kayaks on top. Darting from one crate to the next, one barrel to the side of the building, he made his way over to the van. He could make out the sounds of yells and shouts from where he had been, but it was up to Carpellia, and possibly Sora, to take care of the two attackers. There was nothing that Chris could do that would help. Struggling with unhooking the last wire that held the kayak in place, he simply kicked off the attachment with his shoe. The kayak fell down with a loud thud, and a split went across the side of it. Wincing, Chris wasted no time in dragging the small boat and it's oar, to the edge of the dock. With a loud splash, it went into the water.

Lowering himself in, Chris then unsteadily began paddling towards the cruise ship and it's hostages. He hoped that there were no other Power-Users on it, that it was just those two, but he doubted it. They wouldn't leave the hostages alone, with the ability to get help or escape. Chris decided to bet on the chance that since he was so weak as a Runner, he'd be mistaken for just another civilian. He forced himself not to think of what he was going to do once he was on the ship. He frankly had no idea. Dark shapes bobbing in the water, set him an an awkward zigzag path as he tried to reach the boat. Something stunk heavy in the air, making him gag all but a little. The boat was no longer moving and was eerily quiet. Steeling himself, Chris began paddling around, looking for something that could hopefully allow him to make his way onto the ship.

Victoria cringed at the sound of his new accent. She had dealt with many foreigners, but this voice was far beyond bearable. "Whether you remember who you are or not, please only speak to me in the voice that you deem closest to your own." Though he had not lied to her, from her knowledge, she felt unnerved by his ability mentally. To become so many things, and to almost forget your true origins. Victoria was as ruthless as they come, but when it came to accepting where she came from she had no quarrels. Her family wasn't as "vicious" as her, and she was not raised to be this way. In the face of her mother, you most likely wouldn't recognize the woman before you as a killer.

As they walked, Victoria didn't speak. Instead, she left the stage open for Clay. His ramblings almost reminded her of her brother, who had been just as social. If he were here, she wondered how he would respond to her considering someone just as talkative as he was a partner. A grin slowly crept across her maw. The flashbacks of her family reared up locked away emotions, causing her hair to billow like the wind. A very uncommon sight, as it made Victoria look more elegant than frightening.

"Five... Four..."

The woman called Gale continued to count down to battle. Gale would not make the first move until the five seconds were up.

At least that was what she initially thought.

She was annoyed by her enemy's composure, and even more so by the first words that came out of the enemy's mouth. Did she not say "only violence"? So, why did this A-Class bother to say pointless things? Instead of continuing to "three", Gale changed her mind.

"...I like you too."

She lowered her hand that was pointing at Carpellia; Gale's other hand proceeded to clench into a fist and punch the area in front of her. Useless, of course; Carpellia was still a few meters away from Gale. An ordinary punch would just hit empty air, completely missing the target.

Exactly what she wanted.

The empty air she hit propelled forward. An invisible bullet aimed for Carpellia's heart...!

---

Sora successfully escaped the dangerous situation and checked his surroundings. The civilians were still frozen in the air and Chris was nowhere to be seen-wait, there was a thing that looked like a person paddling towards the cruise ship. Sora's gaze wandered for only an instant; he directed his eyes toward the enemy in front of him.

"...Hmm. Fascinating. Did he realize my Box's area of effect and turned towards the water to get help? Or, is he going to go towards the ship? If it is the former, he must have incredible intuition. If it is the latter, he is going to find something unpleasant, to say the least. Well, it depends on one's point of view I suppose."

Was it too late or was he already looking there? Although he wore a mask, the man's head was already turned towards Chris' location; oddly, the man still had his arm extended. To Sora's surprise, the man then turned around to face him; he apparently lost interest in Chris. Why did Sora miss his chance to injure the man during his long monologue?

Do not fight this man. Run away.

The fear that Sora felt facing the man is comparable to a mouse and a cat. A mouse is instinctively aware of the cat's power. The mouse knows that it cannot defeat the cat, so it flees. Sora is the mouse, and the man is the cat. Sora knew instinctively that he cannot win against the man, even when given a brief opening. What good can a mouse do against a cat in a few seconds...? So, Sora ran towards back where he came from, the Los Angeles Haven.

"Wasted effort. Nothing can enter or escape my Box. You cannot run away since I Boxed the area around us, unless you choose to flee towards the ocean like your friend. However, that is pointless as well, since I can Box that area anytime. You must remain here with me. After Gale finishes off that woman, we will deal with the rest of you lot as well."

The man was right. Sora could not move past a certain point. It is not like an invisible brick wall stopped him. He was just stopped. No matter what means he used, he could not get anything to get past that point. Rocks, when they hit that invisible boundary line, just fell to the ground right then and there. Sora was surprised that he could not escape, but at least he now knew this man's powers. He turned around to face his opponent.

"Hmph. What a bunch of hypocrites. I thought your group hated power users?"

The masked man tilted his head to one of his shoulders. Did he truly not understand Sora's question? After a moment's pause, it seemed like he understood something.

"Ah. We are not part of that barbaric group. On the contrary, Gale... Well, you can ask your male friend when he comes back. Since there is nothing you can do, let us enjoy the battle between the two women, shall we?"

The masked man turned his whole body away from Sora to watch the battle, while Sora looked down at the ground and grit his teeth in frustration.

Clay looked─more like stared─at Victoria as her hair flowed more natural. He caught himself and took her request without argument. However, the voice he found was his old drawl. "Well, sorry, Victoria." That name felt foreign, even on his original tongue. "I suppose, since we're partners, I should make sure you don't get confused by how accurately I can mimic people. Okay. From now on, no fake voices around you. Just me..." His hair turned brown and receded into his head once more, so he looked like a jar-head. Again, he caught himself and forced it to tint black.

Clay needed a conversation again to cover up his disguise slipping up. "Oh, sorry for calling you Victoria again, Vicious. When I changed my voice, I kinda had a brain fart. So anyway, do you even remember life before the powers? I mean, since I was changing for a while, I can't even tell you much about my past. So, you can start and I'll just think about what I'll say. Alright, and go!' Clay held up the hand closer to Vicious up to the ear closer to Vicious so he can "better hear her".

Victoria shifted her eyes to Clay after her words and carefully noted the change back to his "original" state. While still a bit skeptical, she tossed the feeling to the side. "Life before the powers? I was born with this ability. I didn't gain full control of it until I was about 10, but life was pretty normal. I went to school like the rest of the kids, I ate and slept normally, and my family didn't seem to mind the fact that I could catch things with my hair before they dropped." She paused for a moment. "People who didn't understand were still fearful of me, and my friends were few because they were afraid that I may accidentally impale them. I assumed my parents would also fear, after I killed the family dog when it bit me, but they were more open minded than most because of their own special abilities. My mother was blessed with the ability to extend her nails and literally cut through steel, while my father was similar to a super hero with the ability to stretch his body and limbs as far as he pleased. It runs in the family I guess." Victoria's demeanor had not changed, and the fact that she was actually talking about her past showed that. Being not much of a talker, Victoria fell into a state of bliss when she thougt about her family.

Their walk had been shortened by Victoria's own ramblings, possibly Clay's own behavior rubbing off on her, and their destination became plainly visible. Instantly the flow of her hair reverted back to a more spiked state and stoof firmly in place. The smell of salt water waft into her nose and Victoria's facial expression showed her dislike. Water didn't have the same effect on her hair as it did other females, but it was still annoying nonetheless. "The C-Class only said a place by the ocean. I'm not sure which building it is, or if we're meeting someone for the exchange, but I say we just grab the goods and keep it moving."

As Chris slowly made his way around the large ship, calmly avoiding the dark shapes bobbing in the water, he couldn't pull his eyes from the bow. Any second, he was sure, some ferocious power user would sense him and pop over the edge to send an inferno at him. He shuddered at the thought. All he could do was concentrate on finding a way up, but still, he was unable to draw his eyes away in fear.

There was mostly silence. His own breathing along with the lapping of water against his kayak and the ship's sides was the only noises. It was strange, he thought, that there was no yelling or arguing or crying. Were all hostage situations so ominously quiet? He wouldn't have thought so, but he had never been in this situation before. The small kayak pulled up to the side of the boat, facing away from where he left his friends. A thin zipline shot out of the water, towards the railing along the side. It was slack and loose, so it wasn't being used to anchor anything. Chris didn't understand why the metal rope was there, but he pulled the kayak up close and leaned over the side, beginning to pull himself up.

Both of his feet and his left leg wet as he switched from the kayak to the line, but it didn't matter. A little water was the least of his worries at this moment. He slowly and quietly pulled himself up, reaching a bit unsteadily for the railing. Taking a deep breath, Chris heaved himself up, rolling over quickly and landing on all fours. He closed his eyes and listened. A bird squawked somewhere in the distance. A seagull probably. But nothing else. Brushing his hair back anxiously, Chris opened his eyes and looked around heavily. What he saw made him sick to his stomach.

There were bodies strewn everywhere. Bloody and lifeless. Men, women, children. If the were the hostages, they were all dead. And none of them died pleasantly. Gasping and with tears burning his eyes, Chris forced himself to his feet and began stumbling around. There had to be someone who survived. No one would just mass murder innocents. Would they?

"HELLO?", he called out desperately, using one of the cabin walls for support.

There was no answer and he called out again as he made his way around the deck. When he reached the stern, he fell on his knees and began sobbing. It was so sickening. His stomach tumbled in of itself as the boat rocked steadily to the waves. Even though he hadn't eaten that day, he could already feel anything that may have been in his stomach, about ready to expel itself. Lurching to the side of the boat, Chris emptied everything he could into the water.

What he saw made him cry out in fear. The dark shapes in the water, now that he was no longer among them, stood out even more vibrantly. They were more bodies. Those who had been on the ship, maybe tried escaping, or were thrown over for whatever reason. More death. It took Chris a moment to realize that that was the prime reason the water had been so dark. Blood. This whole area was filled with blood. How recent was this, he wondered blindingly. It couldn't have been too long. Everything was fresh still. Far too fresh. Sickeningly fresh.

Glancing at his feet with an upset stomach, he now realized that his pants weren't just dark with water, but they were in face stained red from the blood. He had left a trail of bloody footprints along the white colored deck of the boat as he had made his way around. Once again he heaved over the side of the ship. Shaking his head in despair, Chris knew there was nothing he could do. Right now Sora and Carpellia would need him more. He needed to report this to Carpellia. The dead bodies, the blood, the uselessness of the mission. Without skipping a beat, Chris stumbled back towards the zipline clutching his head and stomach, before making his way back towards the kayak. He needed to get back to them soon. Everything was wrong. Dead wrong.

"...Is my name. Also, the civilians are not really frozen in the air. It just appears to be like that due to my ability. In reality, they are probably far away from this scene right now, pursuing some other activity; only foolish people would stay in this area. Likewise..." The masked man continued to talk while observing the fight between Gale and Carpellia.

How long was he standing there like that for? How long was he thinking? Sora wasn't even paying attention to what was going around him anymore.

therearetoomanyunansweredquestionhowdoesheknowthatIcantusemypowersandthatwewereevencomingwhatstheirpurposeindoingabattlelikethis

In the midst of his fear, Sora finally remembered something.

What... Am I doing? Didn't I make a promise...?

Sora, filled with new resolve, stopped looking down on the ground and stared straight at the man. The man had his back to Sora, as if he had no interest in him; oddly, it seemed that he still had enough interest to talk to Sora, but not face him. Sora slapped himself on both cheeks and screamed.

"AHHHHH!"

Sora clenched his fists, grit his teeth, and ran straight at the man, who continued to talk.

"...In-oh, so you finally overcame your fear?"

The man did not even turn around to greet Sora's attack. He still had one of his arms outstretched; with the other arm, the man took out a card from his pocket and held it above his head.

"...Regular Sharp."

---

"...Shit..."

That first attack made by Gale was the start of their battle. They exchanged blows and attacks, neither besting the other. Buildings were knocked down and destroyed in the crossfire between the two. Accompanied by a sound of wind, Gale propelled herself away from Carpellia to get some distance between them. Gale clutched her bleeding right shoulder with her left hand and was breathing heavily. Her body had wounds all over; the only place untouched was her face area, which was covered by a mask. If it made Gale feel any better, her opponent's condition was the same as hers, more or less. However, there was a major difference between the two that would decide the outcome of the battle. Gale looked down at her immobile right hand and mumbled.

"...Ha. The distortions are starting already, huh?"

On the tip of her right thumb, where a nail should be, was a small, dark hole. After looking at it for a few seconds, she focused her attention on Carpellia. However, that attention became focused on another matter. Without looking away from Carpellia, Gale shouted in a loud voice that even the masked man would hear.

"There's two new people nearby! However, I'm going to still play a bit!"

After taking a deep breath, she charged towards Carpellia once more.

"Ha! Playing defensive, are you?!" Gale ran towards Carpellia and resumed their endless battle.

---

The man pocketed the card he he held above his head a few moments ago.

"...Hmm. That foolish Gale. My arm is not meant to be used in this fashion. This is troublesome, but I suppose it is fine since I refreshed my Box after my explanation to Sora. The new arrivals should see no floating civilians, just a normal, but empty, scene. Of course, if they get suspicious of the boundary that cannot be crossed, then that will prove to be a problem. If she does not finish as planned, I will have to act first. The distortions have already started for this world..."

The masked man glanced at his hand, then turned his attention to the moving kayak in the ocean.

"Oh, I do not want to believe my eyes, but it seems that man is truly coming back without even obtaining a weapon. Does he wish to die? How foolish. He may have some chance if he had some power or a gun, but... Hmm. Was the information he gave us flawed? Well, no matter."

He then turned to the piece of trash on the ground.

"Is that it? Is that the extent of your resolve? I am disappointed. A few hits from Regular Sharp and you are defeated... Well, it is time to eliminate your friends. They will be easily defeated once enclosed in my Box. Rejoice. You alone shall be spared from the fate that 125 passengers shared."

The man started to walk away from the garbage.

"...Wait."
"Hm? You can still stand? Wonderful." The man turned around to face Sora.

Sora was standing on two shaky feet, barely standing. His body looked like it was riddled with small bullets. Blood oozed out of the holes and splattered on the ground. Some of it stained Sora's black and white metallic wrist guard. Sora was curious on what sort of attack that was, and how the man knew his name, among other things; he had something more important to ask.

"Ha... What do you mean by 125 passengers...?"
"What a shame. So you heard my words? I was not going to say anything until your friend came back to personally tell you. However, you suddenly attacked me, so I had to react with force. If I knew you were still conscious, I wo-"
"...Shut up and answer my question."
"Very well. But did I not imply it? I meant that they all perished under Gale's hand. Men, women, and children. Ah, not to worry though. That barbaric group has been exterminated as well. If your friend spent more time searching through the ship, he could have picked up a gun or two."
"...I see. So you just stood by and watched, huh?"
"But of course. I hate killing. I try to avoid it whenever I can, but sometimes it is inevitable."
"...Ha. You son-of-a-bitch. Killing 125 innocents for no reason at all..."
"On the contrary, they were far from innocent."
"...What?"
"Are you daft? Everyone on that ship, excluding the children, were corrupt. All the men committed at least three felonies, but were pardoned due to their connections. The women did at least four, and were all pardoned due to their connections as well. They were also all whores, and were not married to any of the men that were present on the ship. They were there only for the money. However, this is merely a summary. The finer details are much more gruesome. It is amazing how you Runners always take missions without knowing the whole story..."
"...What about the children then?"
"..."

Although the man wore a mask, even Sora could tell that the man was displeased by his question. The man turned away from Sora.

"Get those wounds treated. I am amazed that you are still standing."
"Don't ignore me... What about the children?"
"...Gale did not kill them."
"Oh, then who did? The devil?"
"The parents themselves."

Sora froze.

"You probably do not believe me, which is understandable. However, if you get the chance, take a look at the bodies of the children. You see, Gale has a certain method. She always kills by piercing the target's heart. That is not the case for the children. The men killed the children they made with their concubines. They were evidently jealous of the fact that Gale would spare their children, but not them, so..."

Sora didn't hear the rest. He couldn't hear the rest. The mere thought of parents murdering their own children was unthinkable for him. He threw up the stuff that was in his stomach onto the ground. It mixed with his blood, producing an odd color. Right after he threw up, he realized how foolish he was. Why believe the words of an enemy? Sora started to laugh.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAH! GOOD LIE MAN! I ATE IT ALL UP, HUH?! HOW STUPID!"
"Calm down. You will have to deal with such things in the future. Good and evil will be blurred constantly. I have no more time to talk with you. It is time to start, whether Gale likes it or not... Box"

The man raised his other hand, and in an instant, both the kayak and Carpellia were frozen instantly.

"Aww, come on!" A female voice could be heard whining to the man as she ran closer to him.
"Shush. This takes a lot of concentration on my part. As they seem frozen to us, what they see is frozen as well. If I lose concentration, then they might be able to-"
"Stop trying to sound smart. Back off a bit; I'm gonna do it."

The man sprinted away with his hands still raised.

In an instant, Sora found himself lying on the ground, unable to move; he was bound by invisible restraints.

"Air restraints... Ugh, I hate that barf and blood next to your head, and you probably do too. For your sake and mine, don't move too much. I'm going to remove that wrist guard on your arm."
"Wha...?"

A wind, incomparable to the ones from before, could be heard like an explosion. Her left hand created a storm by swallowing the surrounding winds around her. With that much wind, she punched Sora's wrist guard!

CRACK!

Dust particles, pieces of barf, cement, and blood danced around in the wind; they obscured everything. When they finally settled, a black void appeared. It appeared right before Sora-right on Gale's arm. It started off as the size of a baseball at first, but slowly grew to engulf the whole right side of her body. It still grew. After it ate her right side, it started up from her left foot and saved the head for last.

"..."

She said nothing during this whole process, but glanced at the broken pieces of the wrist guard on the ground. It was not surprising that she was going to disappear. After all, she and the man were unnatural presences in this world. It was only natural for this to happen and she saw it coming. When everything but her face was consumed, she said...

"Fun party wasn't it Sora? Well, it's not like you can hear me, since you're unconscious. Haha."

With that, Gale and the void disappeared from the world.

"Sleeping already, Sora? Well, I suppose that makes things easier for me. Asking you that question is pointless now."

Sora was unconscious. Was it because of the wind-filled blow, mental strain, or a combination of the two? The man, who had his arms raised for the whole time, finally dropped them to his side. All of his Boxes disappeared, as well as his right thumb. A small void took its place, and continued to grow at a slow pace. The man looked at his surroundings.

Hmm. John did a good job in keeping most civilians away from here. No police present either.

He took a deep breath, knowing that he would probably have to answer tedious questions from the Runners.