Revenge

"Revenge?" I ask.

"That's right." Mrs. Lion grins mischievously. "On your dear Nathaniel, who wishes to harm you." She hands me a small handgun.

"I'm not going to kill Nathaniel! No matter what!" I never used a gun before, either way.

"And that's okay!" Mr. Fox says. "We just need you to stay put, alright?" He smiles.

"Deal with her." Mrs. Lion turns away.

"Goodbye." Mr. Fox raises his gun over me.

"Wait-"

He readies his swing.

"Kayate!" I scream all I can before he hits me on the head with the handle of the gun.

And black out.

Kayate's POV

He's getting tired... hah.

I've been trying to keep my mind alert to continue to predict his actions, but my body is starting to hurt and this constant swinging and dodging isn't helping my leg heal.

But Mr. Fox's movements are slowing and he isn't giving himself time to breathe. His focus is on his attack speed, like always.

"I'll avenge my hope, the one you made me lose." His sword's glow intensifies.

I grip my sniper tightly and my fingertips glow with a black aura. "I told myself I'll avenge Lillian. She didn't deserve the wrath of your despair."

"Oh, she deserved it!" He jumps in the air, sword above his head.

I slide underneath him as he falls, pointing the gun at him, I take the shot. Whether my precision hits him or he slices me in half with his slam.

This is it...

Then my eyes catch a bull fly inbetween us in that split second and explode us apart in opposite directions.

I catch myself, landing on my feet.

My rival does the same.

A cloud of smoke is between us and a voice speaks from it as it clears.

"If you insist on relying on revenge, then it must seem you don't trust the justice system."

It's Shadow. He smirks, giving both me and Mr. Fox glances and clicks his tongue. "How desperate."

"What are you doing here?"

"Have you considered my offer, yet?" He smiles at me. "Or is it that you want to join the enemy?"

"I'm asking the questions."

"As always. We all used to be buddies." He raises his arms to the side as if asking us to come near. "Working together. And then you both lost your light." He grins. "It's my duty to bring the light, you know." His arms drop dead down. 

"So why aren't you in Sunnyville?"

"... Yeah... I've been following you. Overheard somethings. And now I know how to finally close this case. Without Kayate..." He looks at Mr. Fox. "And without Killian."

He gently steps forward. "I will punish you, Killian... later. Just have to go find Precious right now. I just need you both to trust justice, for the moment, and be good men until I come back."

"Be good?" Mr. Fox stifles a laugh. "Been a while since I listened to you... Reginald."

"That's fine," Shadow shrugs. "I just need you to continue to follow after your mentor's footsteps, which you've took a step away from." He quickly spins out his revolver and shoots him. 

But instead of a bullet, it's a black cube. Mr. Fox fails to dodge and gets hit, falling onto the ground like a ragdoll.

"Kayate?" He lowers his gun.

"You're not going to find her."

"Oh. We'll see." He turns to walk the other way, gently whistling.

"Oh, and you should take it easy on your leg. Best to stay put."

Shadow's POV

"Let me go!" Precious exclaims.

Means I'm close by.

And right around the tree, I find Mrs. Lion grabbing Precious by the wrist.

Perfect.

I approach them. "Greetings, ladies." I offer a wave.

That definitely caught their attention.

"Officer Reg?" Mrs. Lion is surprised to see me.

"So you remember me? Oh, yeah. I gave you a ticket for participating in occults. May I remind, you're still in debt."

"And why should I listen to you?"

"So that's where Killian gets his snarkiness. Are you Mama Killian?"

"Enough of the games, why are you here?" 

"Precious~" I ignore her.

"Sh-Shadow?"

"You should be happy to see me. I'll save you from the nasty queen."

"Save her?" Mrs. Lion laughs. "And how will you do that?"

"Let me start over." I take a step back. "I found you." I smile. "And now you have to surrender, by law."

She releases Precious. "I don't surrender, especially not to some cop."

"Some cop." I huff. "I'm not a cop." "Precious~ Come here, you don't need to be afraid~"

"She's not going anywhere." Mrs. Lion smirks.

"If you want to stop me, then come and try."

Mrs. Lion pulls up her gun, pointing it at me.

"Wanna see who's going to win?" 

"Keep taunting, puppy."

"Tell you what, go ahead and shoot. Like a bullet, it'll all be over in a second. I dare you."

"Tsk! Mighty confident, are you?" She grips the trigger.

"You want the first strike, or..."

Without a second's notice, gunfire rings out.

The bullet travelled through the air quite slowly. I could track it with my own eyeballs. But it was the strategy that would make this situation end quickly.

I want to disable the lion to get to Precious so I could hurry up and finish my scheme.

Quickly, I raise my revolver and shoot out my ability of Black Hole. The hole forms in front of me and consumes the bullet. 

And the portal opens up behind the unsuspecting victim. Hitting the back of her head with the deformed bullet, a chunk of metal.

Eyes wide with pain, she falls forward on her face.

Precious watches, tense with shock, at the falling body.

"Don't worry, she's not dead. Even though I kind of want her to, but justice is justice. And now here we are, alone together again."

She steps back.

She's still afraid.

I grin.

I can work with that.

"What's wrong?"

"Can I go now?" Her voice barely above a squeak.

"... Are you hurt?" I take another step forward.

"... No..."

"You're bleeding." I take out a small, pocket-sized medkit from my leg holster. "Let me tend to it."

"No!" She dashes off.

No! I chase after her, catching her shortly after.

I land on top of her as we tumble to the ground.

Panic sets in as she scoots away.

"I won't hurt you." I crawl toward her, and she backs against a tree. "But I kind of made a promise..."

She flinches as I grab her face, turning her head to better look at her bleeding wound.

"This isn't too serious." I use a handkerchief and water to gently clean the wound.

Then I tilt her head up to face me. And I slowly lean forward.

Her breathing is heavy, I could almost feel her panic.

I pour a small vile of green liquid onto my fingers and I attempt to pry her lips open. But she tosses and turns her head.

Only delaying me.

Then after a while of fighting against her squirming, I finally get a drip into her mouth.

And she begins to slow down.

Her breathing.

"Sweet dreams."

"Y-you..." Her eyes slowly flutter closed.

And now plan 'Sleeping Beauty' begins.