Chapter 5, Unmotivated

Simone ran towards Suzume, who was completely frozen in place. She grabbed her by her arms and placed her on her own shoulder. After doing this, she sprinted out of the area and headed towards her base.

"You're going to get me a big payday!" Simone thought proudly as she ran, excitedly.

"Did I forget to mention...that the Vision Breaker can target things that its seen before as long as it's within radius, even if they aren't currently visible?" Suzume mumbled.

"Uh what?" Simone uttered as she began to look back.

*SWOOSH*

Simone lost all feeling in her body, which led to her falling to the ground. Suzume, who dropped right beside her, was still frozen but successfully impaired Simone's movement.

"That's right!" Suzume thought. "We'll both remain here until someone finds us. Once they see my uniform, they'll be sure to help me instead of you!"

Simone's body, while stilling being motionless, began to float.

"W-what's this!" Suzume stated as she noticed.

Suzume began floating soon after as well.

"She must be using the air around us to lift her up!" Suzume deduced.

Suzume and Simone continued floating in the air in the same direction that Simone was sprinting initially.

"I guess she had all of this in mind when she said let's call this checkmate...damn that suit!" Suzume thought as she continued to be carried by the sky itself.

*MEANWHILE AT THE WHITE LOTUS BASE*

"Where's Simone?" Michael asked. "It doesn't usually take her this long."

"Maybe she got beat up. Or played around too much and died."

"Matthew, you joke too much." Michael stated as he turned his back and walked off.

"What? Is that not what she would say about you?" Matthew asked.

"Now is not the time." Michael replied. "I already feel bad about leaving her to go on a mission without me."

"If you worry about her that much, why don't you just tell her how you feel about her?" Matthew asked.

"It's not always that simple, brother." Michael stated.

Their private conversation was interrupted when the other woman in the group knocked on the door.

"Hey. You guys will want to see this."

"What is it, Oneida?" Matthew asked.

"It's Simone." Oneida replied.

Matthew and Michael exited the room and followed Oneida outside to see Simone's motionless body floating in the air. They also saw Suzume right behind her in the same condition.

"Seems they fought to a standstill." Oneida deduced. "But, Simone's unique function prevailed."

"Well, Matthew." The leader said. "Do your thing."

"Hehehe!" Matthew chuckled with a grand smile as he approached Simone and Suzume.

He placed one of his hands on both of them.

"Primary Husk." Matthew uttered as both Simone and Suzume stopped floating and laid on the ground.

As soon as Suzume noticed she could move, she leaped to her feet and dashed a few feet away all in one motion. With her back to the group, she set her sights on the treeline in the distance, that she could use to disappear. But, as soon as she took the first step in that direction -

*SWOOSH*

Oneida had her ensnared in a metallic rope that was wrapped around her entire body.

"If you were capable of getting away from us, why wouldn't we tie you up before having Matthew disable Simone's unique function?" Oneida commented. "You're not going anywhere."

"Good job, Oneida." The leader stated. "Let's take her and Simone inside."

Michael already came to Simone's aid, he lifted her up delicately and carried her inside.

"That suit of yours always seems to hold up." He quietly commented.

"That's why I can go solo." Simone replied.

"Michael, take her to medical and work your magic." The leader commented. "Matthew make sure none of this woman's functions reactivate as we interrogate her."

"Yes sir, Captain Irons." Michael replied as he did as instructed.

"So, you're Captain Irons." Suzume stated. "Oneida, Matthew, Michael, and Simone. The boss will be delighted to gain this information."

"You still think you're getting away?" Oneida asked. "I'll make this your gravesite."

"Calm it, Oneida." Captain Irons stated. "We just want some information. We're not going to hurt you nor keep you here. But if you've been hired to kill us that's something we need to know. So, who wants us dead?"

"I do, first and foremost." Suzume replied. "And soon enough the boss will too."

"Who exactly is this boss that you keep referring to?" Irons inquired. "Why does he have you interfering in our matters?"

"The guy that will sign your death certificate." Suzume replied.

"Well, what I said earlier about us not hurting or keeping you here will become a lie if you don't give us the necessary information." Irons stated. "Don't make this difficult on yourself."

"Bring it on." Suzume replied. "You can't break me."

"We'd love to test that." Irons stated. "Alright so who wants first this time?"

"Please sir, allow me." Matthew stated.

"No, not this time." Irons replied. "She does not want the easy route."

"Understood." Oneida stated as she equipped two whips make out of the metallic rope she used earlier. "These are what I like to call the Devil's Silk."

"You're in for some fun." Matthew teased.

"This fabric is more durable than diamond, sharper than obsidian, yet somehow both flexible and sticky." Oneida stated. "Not only is my mech suit armored with this material, but I can also manifest strings of it at will."

Oneida rose one of the whips in the air and launched one towards Suzume.

*SWOOSH* *BLIKE*

The end of the whip missed Suzume's head by a portion of a inch and crashed into the wall behind her. It crumbled the wall and left a crater as Oneida brought it back.

"Still care to hold your tongue?" Oneida asked.

"Bring your best." Suzume uttered.

"Today, you die." Oneida stated.

*WHOOSH* *CRACK* *CRACK* *POP*

The Devil's Silk collided into both of Suzume's legs. Her feminine flesh ripped apart and became a bloody mess and formed a puddle of red under her feet.

Suzume responded to the pain fairly well. Although it was written on her face, and her breathing became heavy, she stood firm and didn't give in.

"You're making it harder on yourself." Matthew commented. "Just tell us what we want to know."

"Never." She replied.

"Very well." Oneida responded.

*WHOOSH* *CRACK* *CRACK* *BOOM*

This time, Suzume's face became a canvas of blood as her forehead became dented. Blood crept into her eyes and stained them as a portion of the front of her skull was revealed. Everything starter to fade for her.

"They're trying to crack me. But I'd never give you up." Suzume thought as she entered a dreamy state.

Her consciousness began to descend.

"Everything you've done for us. I could never stab you in the back."