Thugging It Up

The thugs look at each other, nodding as their eyes meet. Then as one, they all turn and run!?

I stare in shock for a moment, my mouth agape. Then a thought hits me and I turn to look at the other three groups.

The one directly across from where the leader emerged is running as well, but the other two groups are approaching me.

I'm not sure if I should feel relieved or irritated. One one hand, sure I acted confident that I could take them all, but realistically they probably could have taken me down if they mobbed me. On the other, if they tried I could have just charged up a wind blade and cut through them all. Might have taken me nearly all my mana, but I probably could have taken them out.

I don't say definitely because nothing is certain. There's always at least a small chance of something different happening no matter how in control of a situation someone is.

Still though, I wonder why these two stayed behind while the other ones ran? Maybe...

"Hey, any of you got the *Identify* skill?" Maybe they think they can take me because of my level?

One of the people in the group to my left, a stereotypical looking thug, sneers as he answers. "Why would any of us waste time with that sort of thing when we can focus on USEFUL skills! For example... *RUSH*!"

As he shouts what's evidently a skill name, he suddenly blurs and rushes forward. A straightforward skill. Almost faster than I can react, he's upon me, swinging down with a wooden cudgel.

Almost.

I dodge backwards to avoid his swing and the cudgel *thumps* into the ground, a divot appearing under it. Dashing towards him I swipe for the pit of his elbow, hoping cripple the arm.

He surprises me though in being fast enough to pull his arm back. Taking up a defensive stance, it's obvious what he's waiting for as the other nine thugs encircle me.

He smirks. "What you going to do now that you ain't got surprise on your side girl? If you're good and give up, we'll make sure you have a GREAT time!"

Obviously I've seen enough hentai to know what he means, and frankly I only have one thing to say:

"You do realize I have STANDARDS, right? Even if I'm no opposed to a night of fun with a group of guys, it certainly wouldn't be with some pathetic little thugs who don't know when they're outmatched!"

They all blink at me before their faces turn red in rage. The stereotypical guy is the only one to speak though, rage and indignation coloring his words. "Outmatched? OutMATCHED!? You don't seem to realize the situation here girl, it's ten against one and you're surrounded! But since you want to do this the hard way, don't get mad at us when we're rough with you!"

They each take a step and I decide to make my move. I send out a wave if fire behind me, powerful and wide enough that it quickly engulfs three of the thugs. The others stop in shock as they scream in pain, dropping to the ground to try and extinguish the flames. It doesn't work though, and as they scream I decide to come up with a little rhyme.

Kill kill kill them all~

Make sure they're really dead!~

For if you don't~

And they survive~

You will surely not!~

At the end of the second, fourth, and final verse I shoot a wind blade at one of the burning men. A smile splitting my face as I see the experience roll in for their deaths. All the thugs around me shudder at the casual killing I do. Coupled with the creepy rhyming, they're on the verge of fleeing.

Ignore the fact that the rhyme is to the tune of 'row your boat'.

Just then one of the thugs speaks up. "Shouldn't that be in the first tense?"

"Huh?" I give the thug a confused look as the others stare at him incredulously.

The thug is around five nine in height, with short blonde hair and a tiny mustache adorning his face. Hi clothes also seem a notch above the others. Maybe he just recently got acquainted with this lifestyle.

He continues, oblivious to our stares.

"Since the rhyme is about you, as you are acting upon the contents of the song, you should replace the 'you's in the song with 'I's. I would also suggest changing 'they're' and 'they to 'you're' and 'you' respectively."

There's silence for a moment, the only noise being the burning bodies of the three thugs.

Then one of the thugs next to the... educated? thug kicks his leg.

"Ow! What was that for?" He complains as he hops on one leg while holding the other in his hands.

Unnamed thug C snarls at him. "This isn't the time for your fancy schmancy word games, the bitch just killed three of us!"

Educated thug shrugs. "Yes, but I didn't really know those three, so I'm not particularly saddened by them. Honestly after that display I'm no really sure what I'm still doing here."

Thug C glances around. He looks at the dead thugs, still burning. He looks at the corpse of their former leader, who didn't even have a chance to fight back.

He opens his mouth to say something, but I interrupt. "Normally you would be right, but think about if someone sings it outside of a fight, then my way would be proper, while yours wouldn't."

He taps his chin, looking thoughtful. "I suppose that makes sense, I hereby rescind my correction." He nods at me and I nod back, my ear twitching as I catch a certain sound.

Meanwhile thug C now has SEVERAL veins popping out on his forehead. Seeming unable to take it anymore, he turns and takes a wide swing with his cudgel. It makes a meaty *THUD* as it makes contact with the educated thug's face. He falls onto his back, his face squashed. I can't tell if he's breathing or not.

Damn, he seemed funny. Played the straight man well.

Thug C turns towards me, and his eyes widen in shock at my appearance. There are scratches on my face, a cut dripping blood into my now bloodshot eye. My shirt is torn over my stomach and a long tear runs down my sleeve, covered in blood from the cut it reveals.

Thug C is dumbfounded at how I suddenly look so beat up when he hasn't managed to land a single hit.

Just then the sound of marching boots echoes down the alleys and his face pales. "Guards!" He shouts as they come into view. He and the other five thugs still standing turn to run, only to find two walls where alleys were moments ago.

While they stare dumbfounded, the guards catch sight of the bodies littering the ground and my own injured appearance. This seems to fill them with righteous anger as the lead guard shouts at the thugs.

"Don't move! You're under arrest for murder and assault!"

""Huh!?!?""

The bandits can do nothing as they stare dumbfounded at the guards bearing down on them.

Meanwhile I cover my face with my hands in apparent distress, but it's really to hide my wide smile.

'This will be fun.~'