Chapter 8

Looking Back

The night sky seemed solid and opaque from beneath the patio lamp outside. The stars were faint, almost invisible even with the moon's glow beaming through the clouds. Nishu's backyard was strong with the sharp, crisp smell of a freshly trimmed lawn. He sat on the first step down past his backyard doorway, lights off behind him so they spotlighted him in the darkness. To his right, Glom licked himself like a cat until the yoma's jaws opened and took a bite out of its own flesh. And Nishu observed this, wrestling with his own mind's morality.

"Hey Glom. I want to ask your opinion of something."

"Shoot."

"A few weeks ago, before I met you, I watched a documentary about Japanese idols and their fans. Those fans were desperate, lonely men, and I cringed for every moment of that film. But I couldn't help seeing myself in those men. And that saddened me."

"Ok. Now when you say idols I assume you mean the girls that go around singing and dancing right?"

"Right. And in that documentary, one commentator said something that's bothered me for a long time. He said Japan has a fear of strong women. What do you think of that Glom? Do you get the impression that we're afraid of strong girls?"

"Oh please. That's a bullshit comment made by someone who doesn't even understand what strength is. The fact of the matter is that you pathetic, idiotic humans don't even identify what it is you want. And it's because of that you don't understand what you fear."

"Care to explain?"

"When a guy walks up to a girl and asks her out it's a show of confidence. Confidence is an indicator of strength. It would make sense that if a girl were strong and confident, she would be the one to walk up to a guy and talk to him. If those lonely, weak men wanted girlfriends it makes sense confident women would draw them in. How is that a bad thing? Isn't that exactly what they want? I think that commentator of yours was talking out of his ass."

"You don't get it Glom. Girls never actually do that because they're not supposed to. It doesn't matter how strong and confident they are, it's the man's job to talk to girls. Never the other way around. I think what the commentator meant was how we believe if that you want to impress someone, you need to be better than them. Stronger. Smarter. Have more stuff. How can you impress someone if you can't surpass them? Women becoming that much stronger means were the ones being forgotten and left behind."

"I don't think that's right either kid. Trained female ninjas and warriors wouldn't exist if that were the case. Here's another question kid, you've got a bunch of strong women lying on your bed right now. Do you fear them?"

The boy looked back into his house. Every room was dark, but the light of the stars let him see the outlines of his home. He remembered how he moved couch in front of the TV upstairs. He thought about how every night they would talk about the girls on his bed, breaking down what he liked or hated about each of them. Memories of his encounters and adventures with his resident yoma played out in his mind.

"No. Not anymore."

"Is it because you think you conquered them? Proven yourself better in a twisted attempt at impressing them?"

"No. That's not it! I think. I don't fear them anymore because I understand them better. I realize I've done something terrible, but in the process of doing so I've gotten to see what they're like up close. I don't put them on the pedestal anymore. But… the fact that I had to resort to such things at all… the truth is I'm ashamed of myself."

"Don't be. There's nothing to it, kid. You had a strong desire for something, and through your own power and decisions you obtained it. An extreme emotion influenced and transformed into an extreme action."

"... I must have been pretty desperate back then."

"Sure. Sounds about right."

"And what about now? Do you think I'm desperate?"

"Here's a better question. Do you think being possessed by a yoma was a good thing or a bad thing?"

"What're you kidding? Bad thing! Bad thing all the way! Everything that happened after that night was either fucked up or fucking dumb! Which...was a good way to describe myself to be honest. It was... interesting though. I don't think I'd ever have gotten to see or do anything as crazy as what happened in the past week if it weren't for you. The problem is that I sometimes wondered what kind of life I'd be having if I refused your offer."

"Want me to tell you?"

"...No. There'd be no point in me getting useless information like that. It's strange. You're a lot different from I what I expected a demon to be. I thought you would only tell me how I shouldn't trust anyone and whisper insults into my ear all the time. Or If this were a hentai you'd actually be a succubus or a pink fairy. Not some weird dog."

"So what you're saying is if this were a hentai I'd be sucking your dick instead of punching it."

"You haven't been punching my dick…"

Glom stared at him with a sharp-toothed smirk. A short hyena laugh escaped the back of its throat and through its teeth. Nishu corrected himself.

"Nevermind. Yeah. You're right. You've been figuratively non-stop punching me in the dick since the moment we met."

A sonerous laugh burst out from the yoma, before being replaced by a heavy sigh.

"About the whole paranoia and weakness thing. You got that impression of demons from some manga or comic book right? Fuck that. You chose the actions you did. All you. You're the host, I'm merely a guest. I won't insult you and call you weak over decisions your own personal decisions. This is your path kid. I'm only here to show you the map."

Nishu winced and put his head down. There in the dead of night he realized something. As a student he didn't need to become a monster. What if all he needed was a friend? And now it was too late. The boy closed his eyes and grit his teeth, muscles tensing up in anger. For now, he wanted to be alone.

"Hey Glom. I'm heading out."

"Something up?"

"I... need to go for a walk."

"I'm not gonna have to put lost pet posters up for you, am I? Be sure to scoop up after yourself."

"Ha-ha. hilarious. Don't piss in the sink while you're here."

"Wait do humans really do that? That's awesome! Why don't they replace toilets with more sinks then?"

"Ugh."

Shadows in The Streets

Nishu walked the streets, shoes tapping against the sidewalk. On either side of him were the walls separating the suburban communities of his home. The walls were concrete painted white, beyond them were two story homes painted with custom colors of orange, yellow, or reddish brown. Cylindrical streetlights illuminated his surroundings with a dim yellow glow. Each had a cloud of gnats tapping their bodies against the glass. Headphones in his head, hands in his pockets, Nishu trudged alone in the empty sidewalk. A car drove by in front of him, the yellow headlights blinding his vision and forcing him to turn away.

Eyes down. Nothing going on in his head besides the music. The rising dulcet tones of the singer, the quick beat of the drums. There were girls waiting for him at home. Girls that he conquered and enslaved. They would obey his every whim as long as he kept them under his demonic control. In the past, his desire and lust for them was unparalleled. But now that he had them for himself... what was he going to do? And there was no guarantee they wouldn't resist his influence.

He passed another streetlight and watched his shadow grow before him. Then the head of another shadow approached from behind. It bobbed up and down in a walking speed faster than his. Its owner got closer with each step. Who was this new person? A late-night jogger, or another wandering delinquent like him perhaps? Or he was about to get mugged? The shadow moved in closer, until the boy could make out its feminine curves.

Nishu turned to peak at the shadow's owner from the corner of his eye. Upon seeing her, his heart skipped a beat. He did an about-face and stared at this new girl straight and square.

Asuka?

The girl took a step back and put both hands up in surrender.

"Whoa! Hey, didn't mean to surprise you there." Her voice was boyish, but not quite mature. It was an exotic, gruff kind of femininity.

No. It wasn't Asuka. But it was like looking at her doppelganger.

Skin the color of milk chocolate. A long, thin, auburn-brown ponytail flowed to her waist. She wore a plain white T-shirt with the words "Dancing Girl" printed on its center in black ink. Her blue jeans clung tight to her waist and thighs, ending with a pair of worn red and black sneakers. Her white hair-tie had its ends sticking straight up like horns as opposed to Asuka's ribbon loops.

"I come in peace? You know, it's dangerous to be out here alone so late at night. You'd probably end up meeting some weird people around here." The girl said with a concerned look on her face.

"I can say the same to you."

"Good! I think we should walk together for a bit. You'd look way less sad and vulnerable when you've got me by your side."

The boy raised an eyebrow at her.

"Are you sure I'm not the one you should be careful of?"

"I'm not afraid."

"If you knew me then you would be."

"I can say the same to you."

He turned and walked forward, trying to ignore the fact that the dark girl had jogged up beside him. There was a chill in the air, his instincts telling him that there was danger nearby. Nishu scanned the area and tried to stare down the dark corners and blind spots between the community lights. Nothing but the stillness of the night, the blackened windows and closed curtains of the two-story homes beyond the walls. The girl stared directly at him, never averting her gaze even when he looked back into her pine-green eyes. He still wasn't used to a girl staring at him like that. Beads of sweat formed on his body and dripped down one side of his head.

"And what brings a strange boy like you out here in the middle of the night?" She said with casual smile.

"I'm serious. Stay away if you know what's good for you."

"What's good for me isn't always the most interesting. And I'm interested in you."

He continued to ignore her and kept walking forward. Nishu brought his hands out of his pockets. If she was hostile, if she attacked him, he wouldn't want his hands already restrained and caught in his coat.

"I wonder what you're listening to." The girl murmured. Before the boy could react, she reached forward and effortlessly grabbed the mp3 player out of his pants pocket.

"Hey!"

The boy's hands shot forward, only for her to pat them down with her palms. Nishu's arms crossed, one wrist on top of the other, and she gave him a light push into his chest with her free hand. She did it without looking, her full concentration on navigating the menus of the device. Nishu had to take a step back and think about what just happened. He stared at his own crossed arms. Was she using martial arts on him?

In front of him, the dark girl's faced glowed blue in the light of the electric screen. She started to smile as if holding in a burst of laughter. The headphones still on his head, Nishu could hear her cycle through each song on his playlist.

The boy scowled and reached out to grab his mp3 player once more. She took a step back. Nishu responded with a full stride forward with his hand out. When the girl tried to block him, he snaked his left hand through her right armpit and around her shoulder, pulling her torso closer to his. She stretched out her left hand away from him, and he reached for the device across her body with his right arm. He pulled her closer and tried to kick her legs from behind. The dark-skinned girl countered by kicking his leg back out and forcing him into a split.

He froze. She was looking directly at him now, still barely holding back from laughing. Both teenagers cast their eyes down at the other's body. They were in a textbook tango pose. He became aware of her breath on his face, the tanginess of her scent. The boy scowled at her and said.

"If you wanted to look, you could have waited a bit and asked nicely."

"Yeah but I rather like where we ended up. Don't you?"

"This is weird! And you aren't even listening to the songs! What's the point if you can't hear the music!"

He leaned into her and reach out toward his mp3 player. She giggled into his ear, put her right hand around his waist and twisted her body. Nishu gave a panicked "whoa!" before being tripped forward and turned onto his back. Without thinking, he put one arm around her neck. Her smile changed into a cocky smirk. Her left hand, still holding the mp3 player, held one of his legs up. The other hand carried the boy by the small of his back.

"But I am listening to them. They're In my head. I've memorized some of these songs." She purred.

Their eyes were locked, her arm wrapped tight around his waist. Nishu's face became a light shade of pink. He took a moment to clear his throat.

"That means you realize those aren't dancing songs."

"You're right. These are songs you karaoke to. Songs you're supposed to sing."

The girl straightened herself up, bringing the boy up along with her.

"So how about we sing one? It'll be fun!"

"What? Here? Now?"

"Of course! You embarrassed or something? Nobody's going to judge your singing. I promise."

This girl was weird. The closeness of her. Her attitude as if she didn't care how awkward the situation was. Nishu wasn't sure if he should push her away or say something in protest. Instead he watched as her eyes started flitting back and forth between him and the mp3 player. She grinned like a kid who found her parent's secret stash of candy. He stared back, disarmed by her sudden excitement.

"Dude. Nice!" She said.

"Dude?" His surprise at the word left his mind blank.

"Duuuude. Kenny Rogers! Now that's a kind of taste I don't usually get to share with other people!."

In one quick motion, she reached up with one hand and pulled a headphone off Nishu's ears. He barely had time to react before the girl was brushing back a lock of hair and putting it into her ear. Because of the length of the wire, both had to stay close to each other, shoulders touching. He leaned toward her to get a better look at the screen. Now both their faces were beside each other, illuminated by the same bluish light. English letters slid across the screen, different from the Japanese characters of the other songs. Nishu's eyes widened and he stared at her slack-jawed. When he spoke again, he was using another language.

"[You understand English?]"

The girl raised her forehead as if the answer was obvious right from the start.

["Of course! I wouldn't recognize half the stuff on here if I didn't. And this'll be the one I want. Let's sing this one!]"

[You...don't have an accent?]

[Nope. but I can put one on if you like that sort of thing.]

"[Please no. I cringe every time my classmates say random words in English as if it makes them sound cool. It more makes them sound like a bunch of dorks, which must be especially bad if it's coming from me! And I have never understood why those foreigners enjoy people speaking their language wrong.]"

She giggled.

"[You won't have to worry about that. I know what I'm doing.]"

For the boy, the fear and awkwardness from before had drained away. He let her fiddle around with the device some more, listening to the electronic clicks as she adjusted the settings.

"[You sing the first verse. I'll join in on the second.]"

"[What? You trying to judge my talents now?]" Her voice was teasing, and sarcastic. Nishu didn't mind it.

"[You wouldn't be doing this if you weren't proud of it in some way. Show me what you're confident in.]"

A click from the device. The song started. An old violin played a burst of notes in a sound coming from a fuzzy radio. Then the briefest of pauses, and the bang of drums coincided with the strumming of the guitar. The girl's voice was timed perfectly with the singer on the radio.

"Yeah. Oh yeah what condition my condition was in."

She started bobbing her head up and down, the bangs of her dark brown hair flitting with each movement. Her knees bent, hips swinging slow from side to side. Nishu's movements were in time to the beat as well, but his was more chest than hips. His shoulders turned while he leaned his head as though swimming through marmalade.

"I woke up this morning with the sundown shining in

I found my mind in a brown paper bag within

I tripped on a cloud and fell eight miles high

I tore my mind on a jagged sky

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in"

Nishu cleared his throat and made a deep sigh. For the briefest of moments, the guitar stopped, and drums played to the beat of a new instrument. It was high and childish, like a xylophone. It only lasted for a few notes before the song picked up in energy. In tune with the beat, the boy projected his voice and tried to sing from his diaphragm.

"I pushed my soul in a deep dark hole and then I followed it in

I watched myself crawlin' out as I was a-crawlin' in

I got up so tight I couldn't unwind

I saw so much I broke my mind

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in"

Guitar solo now. Nishu and the girl swayed to the chaotic strings of the guitar and bass. The performer slammed into the strings, and the two teenagers beat their heads to the intense rhythm. The girl had her eyes closed and her left hand up to hold the earphone to her head. Nishu couldn't keep his eyes off her. His eyes scanned up and down her body, noting her supple breasts and thick hips outlined by the tightness of her clothes. He watched her rock back and forth to the beat, his own movements swaying to match.

The solo ended before the vocals picked back up even louder and harder than before. Both the boy and the girl began the last verse with excited voices. They didn't care if they sounded good or not. Instead they focused on singing the words.

"Someone painted "April Fool" in big black letters on a "Dead End" sign

I had my foot on the gas as I left the road and blew out my mind

Eight miles outta Memphis and I got no spare

Eight miles straight up downtown somewhere

I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in

I said I just dropped in to see what condition my condition was in"

He stopped singing. The boy watched the dark-skinned girl's eyes open up slow. Her face squared up with his. Her mouth enunciated every letter of each word, lips cooing, making his heart beat faster.

"Yeah. Yeah. Ooooooh yeeeeaaahh."

The song ended. Another click and the device was paused. The next song didn't play, but instead the two looked at each other in silence for a full four seconds. Both took out the headphones from their ear.

"See? Nothing to worry about."

Their concentration broke when there was a grumbling directly above them. Above the wall, a window opened and an old woman in a tank top peaked her head out the window. Her skin was grey and livered with sunspots. Wrinkles and fatty tissue folded together around her neck and armpits.

"Oh god my eyes! They burn!" yelled Nishu, flinching away.

"Shut that goddamn racket! I'm trying to sleep!"

Nishu raised both hands up in submission.

"Sorry ma'am. Won't happen again. We'll make sure to stay quiet..."

It became obvious that the old crone was gritting her teeth. Her mouth and nose scrunched up while her face took on the appearance of a spoiled apple. The boy turned to see the dark-skinned girl sticking up both her middle fingers. Eyebrows raised, chin held high, mouth shaped like a cartoon cat's. She pumped both hands up and down while leaning back an outwardly abrasive taunt.

"Wha...Why!?" The boy yelled out in exasperation.

"Why... you... little!" growled the old crone.

The window slammed shut, and even behind both layers of concrete the teenagers could hear the elder storming across her house.

"Come on! Let's get out of here!" She yelled.

The dark-skinned girl grabbed his hand and sprinted. Nishu's feet and legs were dragged across the ground until he kicked himself up and ran on his own. They kept running until they were several blocks away, not encountering anyone else through the whole trip. The girl let go of his hand and they both took a moment to catch their breath.

Villain Protagonists

"Phew! that was close!"

"Okay. First off. WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? Secondly. I live here! What the hell do you think is gonna happen when I come across that old woman again? Am I really going to have to watch my back every time I go to the grocery store? And what about you? It's not good to disrespect your neighbors you know."

"Haha! Seriously? At the grocery store? Look man, If you die by getting run over by a motorized shopping cart then that's on you. You'd deserve it anyway for being so slow and dumb. I could only imagine what'd say on your obituary."

"Who are you anyway?"

She leaned her head back and pursed her lips. This girl was doing calculations in her head, weighing her options and judging the results of each. A few seconds later her cheerful smile returned, and she thrust her open hand forward at him.

"The name's Homura. Since we sang through an American song, how about a handshake instead of the usual bow?"

Nishu blinked a few times at her, something in his head tapping at his consciousness. Homura. He's heard the name before... from where? At the time of hearing it he must not have considered the name important. The boy took her hand and shook. Homura's grip was strong and firm, which took him by surprise. He gave her hand a squeeze before letting go.

"The name's Nishu. Pleased to meet you."

"Likewise. You go to Hanzo National Academy don't you? I recognize the uniform beneath the jacket. One of my friends goes there too. Though why you'd be wearing something like that in the middle of the night I don't think I'll ever understand."

"Hey. I don't really have any other clothes. This is all I got."

"What? Are you dirt poor or something?"

"Nah more like I don't buy clothes often. I mean... it's not like anyone sees me much, so why bother trying to keep up appearances?"

Homura smirked and raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're pretty visible to me now. And you don't look half bad."

Nishu blinked once before giving her a surprised smile.

"Thanks. You've got a nice style about you too."

She chuckled with her eyes closed, waving her hand as if pushing the compliment away. The boy couldn't help but like this girl. The way she talked and the way she moved. It was like she'd be comfortable no matter what situation she was in.

"Isn't Hanzo's supposed to be for really advanced students? What's it like over there in that school?" Homura continued.

He looked forward and put a hand on his chin. His mind drifted back to the weeks prior to meeting Glom. The days of just watching people, being miserable while never actually reaching out to anyone. He shoved those memories into the back of his consciousness and focused on the school itself. His impressions of the other students and the teachers while he was there.

"Well. It's super preachy. All the teachers go on and on about what it means to be a hero. But then everyone knows how the school's founder likes to perv on his own granddaughter. I'm only a second year and I'm already getting sick of the place."

Nishu winced and looked away. It was true. Plenty of perverts in his own school. Was that why he turned out the way he was? Because he was just caught up in everyone else's mentality?

Homura put her hands behind her head as she walked.

"Hm. I feel you. I don't like being lectured about pointless things either. I don't think I'd ever be able to stand that place myself. With my experiences at my old school, I'd probably end up killing someone while I'm there."

The boy looked at her while leaning back a little.

"Kiling someone? For real?"

"Oh I didn't tell you?" She beat her chest with her fist while raising her chin. "I'm a bonafide killer! So watch out."

An idea drifted across the boy's mind, that this girl talking next to him might actually be a ninja. But then he grinned and shook his head. If she wanted to kill him, there had been plenty of opportunities to do so already. He raised both hands, palms out.

"Ooooh. So edgy and badass." he said in a sarcastic tone.

Though she laughed, Homura looked away. Her eyes closed as she became lost in her own thoughts. Another car approached from behind. Its yellow headlights made their shadows grow and stretch until they covered the entire street. For a moment, the shadows loomed in front of them grotesque and monstrous, before shrinking and disappearing as the car passed by. Nishu looked at the girl and chuckled lightly.

"Though I would have liked it if my school had someone like you. You might've been exactly what that kind of place needs. Some of the more arrogant teachers there deserved to be messed with. I might have have even joined you. I never flipped off an old lady before. Looks kind of fun."

Homura looked at him with another smirk on her face, but didn't say anything. The boy kept on.

"So what school are you from Homura?

"Oh I don't go to any school. Not anymore. Pretty much already graduated."

Her response sounded vague. To Nishu, you either graduated or you didn't. There wasn't any qualifier for it.

"Pretty much graduated?

"Pretty much yeah."

She scoffed. Her voice became tinged with irritation.

"What's with that face? You thinking you can pity me or something?"

"How can I pity someone I only met today? I'm just curious is all."

Homura swung her arms forward in a lazy arc before putting both fists to her hips. Her head tilted back toward night sky. She puffed up her chest and made an aggressive sigh. An aggressive sigh like she was saying 'Ah fuck it.' in the middle of her breath.

"My friends and I quit our school. Dropped out. We found out everything there was bullshit, so we left. Our best and favorite teacher gave us an 'honorary' graduation though. That's good enough for me. We've got the skills and knowledge to handle things on our own."

A shine appeared in the boy's eyes while his voice burst out in excitement.

"See now that's actually kind of cool!"

Homura rubbed her pointer finger on her left cheek, not entirely sure how to react to that.

"Oh don't even think anything of it. I bet you're making me out to be some rebellious anime protagonist or something. I'll tell you straight up that I didn't leave out of some noble cause. I essentially just did what I wanted. Most of what I do is actually pretty evil."

"I can relate to that. Still, you could have fooled me. I really think you'd make an interesting protagonist." The boy replied.

They kept walking, their steps silent against the cracked sidewalk. Animals flitted away from their path, scurrying up neighborhood trees or skittering into the holes of a person's front lawn. Wayward clouds drifted in the night sky, covering and revealing the moon in slow, random intervals. When Homura spoke next, her voice was low and quiet, as though she were speaking more to herself than to him.

"Anime is bullshit though. Way too simple for me. Especially the more popular ones with their generic goody-two-shoes heroes that do nothing evil or bad. They have no regrets, and I can't stand that because that's not human. There isn't a single person in the real world that doesn't wonder how different their life would be if they had made different choices in the past. An evil person with regrets is way more relatable to me than someone who's never had malicious intent. I don't care what hardships the hero experienced as a victim. Any asshole can be lonely and want friends. It takes a soul for a person to admit they were wrong."

Her words felt like a two ton strike into his chest. There was no way someone like him could have any proper response to that. He continue to walk forward in silence. Nishu wondered if he could tell this girl about his exploits during the past week. That idea lasted a nanosecond before he realized that would have been a very stupid thing to do. It was still strange looking at her. There in the dark of night, it felt like he was looking at Asuka's mirror image. Homura continued her rant.

"Yeah. Give me someone with regrets, someone who says, 'I could have been a good person, if I hadn't done that one stupid thing so long ago.' So many heroes nowadays are just victims of something. I'm tired of victims. Give me someone whose misfortunes come from his own actions. In fact, give me a straight up villain protagonist! But he's got to have charisma and charm. Hell, they should make me the hero! I'd be perfect for it! Then people will finally get to see something real!"

"Hey now. There's a fine line between confidence and cockiness."

"Pfft. It ain't being cocky if you can back it up. I'm simply pointing out the facts."

The boy smiled. A charismatic villain may actually be worth watching.

"One thing though Homura. About the heroes. I always figured that was the point. That we get to see something we rarely see in real life. I mean what if you met someone like a typical anime protagonist? What if you found someone who was honest and kind, and always tried doing the right thing?"

There was a hostility to her voice now. Like the hissing of a snake.

"I would become her villain. Or her rival. Whenever we met, wherever it may be, I would try to fight her. She'd be the one person I'd compare myself to the most. The one person whose opinion I'd truly be interested in. She would by fondest enemy. But what about you? What if you met that kind of person?"

Nishu furrowed his brow. This was a question that had no right or wrong answer. There was no point in saying anything but the truth. But had she simply assumed that the pure-hearted protagonist was a "her"? Or were they both referring to the same person?

"I think I'd fall in love. Everyone knows this world is lonely and painful. But to see someone like that, to meet them and appareciate that they exist would fill people with hope. They'd realize that maybe things don't have to be so bad."

"You say that, but really you'd just want to keep her for yourself."

Homura stopped walking. Nishu took a few more steps forward before he turned back to her. The girl's face twisted into a wicked smile, a crimson aura emanating from her body. What made the boy's eyes widen and his heart sink was that she now had six Katanas worn across her back, their long handle sticking up from their sheaths.

"So, I'd be the rival. You'd be the lover. What do you suppose would happen if the two of us met?"

Nishu looked around, checking his surroundings to see if anyone else was hiding in the long shadows. Sweat broke out across his brow. His body shook as he realized how long they had been walking. This girl had led him far from home. Very far. A mile or two away at least. At this distance away from Glom he was weaker, and couldn't rely on the yoma's passive support. Could she have done this on purpose? Isolate him and get him as far away from help as possible? Adrenaline pumped into his veins. His body tensed up.

"...Nishu. Would this be something you're fond of?"

Homura reached into the back pocket of her jeans and held up a crimson red cloth. There was the scent of cream and the salty-sweet of an ocean shore. The girl held Asuka's scarf tight within her palm. All the heat in the air seemed to drain away from the boy's body. The sound of their breathing became thunderous in his ears.

"Tell me. The Hanzo ninja girls you have in your bedroom. What are you planning on doing with them?"

He hesitated. That question was exactly what he was asking himself.

"I don't know. I'll do what my heart tells me. I trust its judgement. I'm not completely corrupt. Not yet."

"Hah! Are you sure about that? I'm not sure how those girls got into your bed, but they don't belong there. The fact that you might even feel guilty means you've done something bad. I wonder what your heart even looks like at this point. Perhaps… I should slice it out and look at it myself!"

Crimson Rush

Homura dashed forward and struck her shoulder square into Nishu's chest. As he staggered back, she hunched down and let the momentum from her charge slide the three left katanas out of their scabbards. Her right hand crossed her body, and she drew all three simultaneously between her fingers.

She struck at Nishu in an upward, diagonal angle, the three blades clenched in her hand like they were part of a massive claw. Nishu made a haphazard parry just as his own steel rod slid out of his right sleeve. The girl reached across her shoulders with her other hand, and drew the next three blades. Three swords in each hand. A flurry of slashes struck at the bone armor beneath the boy's clothes. Orange lines of energy trailed behind each strike, making her attacks look like the unhinged strikes of a berserker. Nishu parried much of her offensive, but couldn't coordinate his defense well enough to avoid getting scratched in arms, legs, and face. High pitched pings of steel rang out across the communities, bringing out curious voices and new lights from the bedroom windows around them.

This girl was fast. Insanely fast. Not as strong as Ikaruga, but every attack was wild and came at unpredictable angles. Her arms swung down at him in rapid succession, the swords between each finger too long and too numerous to figure out a way to counter. Nishu struck the blades of one hand down, then attempted a haphazard charge forward for a quick strike to her head. She ducked low and took a swipe at his side. Sparks flashed as bone armor hidden behind the leather jacket cracked away.

The fact that there was even any power at all in her hits confused Nishu. As far as he coulld tell he was up against a completely unorthodox fighting style. He noted how there shouldn't be any support in the way she held her swords within her knuckles. This girl's arm strength must be more than humanly possible.

Nishu groaned as his back slammed against a wall. He kept his rod up and parried a slash aimed at his neck. Then he groaned as her second strike tore the entire sleeve off his left shoulder. Then vertical slash cut down his middle, ripping away the undershirt and exposing the boy's bare chest.

Three more clangs, and he saw an opening. He noticed that before a new combo, she held her arms way off to the side like she was about to give somebody a hug. Most likely she made her swings as wide as possible so that twisting her torso would add more power. But something like that would be like painting a massive target right down her center. The boy pointed snapped his rod downward to strike away a low hit, then held a roof block to counter the second strike. As he did so he took a step forward and kicked her in the chest. She slid backward, loose rocks and bits of concrete scraping away beneath her shoes. Homura didn't even turn her head or take her eyes off him. Her grin became wider, more excited, and she strode forward for a renewed assault.

Nishu tried to parry her next combo, but her speed increased even more. Shallow cuts appeared on his left side and right thigh, small traces of blood dripping out the wounds.

It was no use. There wasn't any time to set up his other attacks, and eventually he would just crumble under the constant pressure. He had to escape.

The boy ducked and rolled forward, hearing Homura's blades scrape along the concrete wall behind him. He rolled onto his feet and sprinted away, leaping into the air and kicking off the opposite wall onto the roof of one house. He then looked back only to see that the girl was already upon him again. She jumped straight from the street to the roof, left arm extended as her body twisted for a rising slash. Nishu fell on his butt, arms up to block the broken and cracked shingles that erupted from the girl's point of contact.

He crawled backward while she tried to slash at his legs. More shingles and broken pieces of roof flew out with each clink of her swords. This kept on until she had to stop and parry a shingle thrown at her face, followed by a handful of black marbles.

Below, more voices rose from within the different homes. They were panicked or groggy, angry at the abrupt awakening from their late-night slumber.

Nishu turned and climbed the roofing before poising himself on its triangular tip. His rod pointed forward with one hand, other hand out to keep his balance. Homura took a second to watch him, one leg bent on the slope of the roof, hair and clothes ruffling in the wind. The moon's reflection created a ghostly aura around both of their weapons.

Her charge continued. Her ponytail flapped wildly in the wind as she spun with her full weight behind each blow. The boy looked for another opening and thrust his rod forward when he thought he saw one. But the girl caught the weapon between the blades. Yellow sparks flew from the metal as her swords grinded down his rod. She would have cut off his hand had he not let go of the weapon at the last second.

They both paused again to watch his weapon clatter onto the streets. They locked eyes with each other and stared. Nishu's eyes twitched, his left hand swung toward as if pulling something from behind. The rod that fell to the ground dissolved into a muddy black goop before launching itself straight toward Homura's face. The boy's right hand whipped down to summon a second steel rod.

But before Nishu could do anything Homura tackled him to the ground. The black goop from the street splashed against the side of Homura's head right when she pressed the tip of one blade into his neck. It didn't break skin, but the boy had to press the back of his head against the roof lest he get impaled by the sword. In front of him, the girl kept smiling as black slime dripped down her right cheek.

"Close call. But it looks like you missed. Sorry to disappoint you, but this wouldn't be the first time I've got a bunch of weird fluids stuck to my face. Not a bad fight though."

"I'll go ahead and say this isn't the first time someone tried to put something hard and thin into my throat."

"Kinky."

Her left hand crossed her body and put the blades back into their sheath. One hand now free, the other, pushing the remaining swords into Nishu's head, she reached down and rested her palm on the groin of his pants.

"Now let's see if Haruka's story was an exaggeration."

She opened his pants zipper and reached in until the buttons of his boxer shorts became undone.

"And there it is. Let's bring it out, shall we? Let's see what kind of snake you've got hiding in there."

She grabbed his dick and pulled, forcing the shaft to bend and rub against the fabric of his pants. Nishu groaned. Her fingers were like a vice coiled around his penis. both pain and pleasure traveled through him as she pried it out through his zipper. She giggled at how it stiffened in almost an instant.

"So, this is what defeated Asuka. It's kind of cute actually."

"Lady, what the hell are you... Auuuugh!"

She rubbed the tip of it on the inner thigh of her blue jeans, wiggling it around and slapping it onto her slender toned legs. At half-mast she made a tight ring with her thumb and forefinger and stroked up and down the shaft. It flopped about for two strokes before becoming rock hard. Even in her hands her skin was smooth and warm, and she gripped his penis so hard that he wondered if she could rip it off. He became harder, the throbbing veins popping up beneath the skin. The girl giggled again before gripping it with her whole hand and making the circle even tighter.

"Looks like you were an honest guy after all."

Every time her hand reached the top she would press down on the head and rub the creases of her fingers across the hole. Escalating waves of pleasure scanned across his penis like a machine. Up and down it went, in a chaotic, unpredictable pattern.

"How is it? Way better than you doing it yourself, right? Did you make Asuka do this for you?"

"N-no... stop already...aaauhnn..."

He was diamond hard now. His heart beat faster and faster. His breathing became rapid and labored. The throbbing in his penis growing more intense with every lap up and down. Precum flowed down the shaft like a fountain, making her hand slick and slippery. Homura noticed this and went even faster. A wicked grin spread across her face as she watched the boy moan and turn his head in pleasure.

Her vice-like grip was unrelenting. Nishu tried to calm himself down, to control the ever-building pressure pumping into his dick. But the more he tried to hold it back the more he just wanted to let loose. His mind had gone blank, and soon his moans began to echo through the neighborhood. It took every ounce of willpower to keep himself from cumming.

Then she repositioned her sword so that the blade pressed against his neck rather than the tip, and she leaned forward until her lips gently touched his own. Then she leaned further down, her whispery breath a hot breeze brushing across his ear.

"Are you going to cum already? Go ahead and cum. Cum for me. Cum. let loose. Picture yourself inside of me. You want to cum inside of me, don't you? Go ahead and shoot your cream all over my tight little pussy."

Every time she said the word "cum" her hand glided forcefully from the head to the base. The side of her wrist slapped at his balls, bringing fresh waves of pain and pleasure coursing through his being. His moaning grew louder in volume until it mirrored a pack of wolves howling at the full moon.

Bedroom lights within each house started to click on one by one as people were woken from their slumber.

Her vice-like grip was unrelenting. Soon Nishu started moving his hips in time with her stroking even despite the threat of imminent death.

"It feels good doesn't? Don't you just want to let it out? Go ahead, let it all out. Imagine cumming onto my face. Yes! Stain my shirt! Paint all over my face and mouth with your cum! Make me taste it! Make me feel you all over me! Oh my god. yes... Yes... YES... OOH BABY YES! KEEP GOING! CUM FOR ME!"

Her high, ecstatic voice made him shudder. Nishu's face scrunched up, eyes rolling back. Each breath came out faster and faster. His moans were uncontrollable, every stroke making him feel like he was on the verge of exploding like an active volcano. All thought escaped him. And as if by some deep understanding, he knew that just a few more strokes and his life would end. She would slit his neck, and it would all be over.

Homura stopped. Nishu's quickened breathing stopped. Below them the 2nd story balcony door slammed open. Some guy clambered out into the deck.

The boy looked down at the man, before turning to face up at his attacker. She was gone, is if vanishing into thin air. Nishu's dick immediately went limp and flaccid. He scowled at the open space.

"You... have got to be friggin KIDDING ME!" The boy raged up to the heavens. He was so close. Now all that was left was a feeling of disappointment and anger. He was so frustrated and tired that he didn't even want to bother getting up.

"What in the eggplant apple pie is going on up there!?" The guy grumbled.

Nishu closed his eyes as the man's voice scratched its way into his ears.

"What the hell are you doing on my roof?"

"Fucking myself, apparently."

"What? Hey, I don't care what kinky shit you and your girlfriend are into, but if you guys want hanky-panky then get a room or something."

"I don't have a girlfriend." The boy said without thinking.

"Well what was that girl's voice just now?"

"A ninja." He spoke without thinking once again. His mind was drawing blanks, still tired and frustrated from being on the precipice of near-climax.

"She was a ninja who liked old American songs and..."

"A what?" The man said squinting up at him

"A ninja. She attacked me after we did karaoke together...and we had a kung-Fu fight...with swords..."

Nishu realized that made little sense. He should say something that made sense. Something normal people would understand.

"Ok. The truth then. That was me. I made that voice the whole time."

"H-huh?...You mean... to tell me that was you..."

"That was me encouraging myself to cum. Yes. I want to be a voice actor someday and I like to practice voicing a girl while I imagine myself fucking me."

A minute passed as the man processed this new information. Nishu could almost hear the hamster wheel in the man's head turning at a frantic, mach speed.

"But...that sounded so hot though..."

Nishu turned his head and looked him in the eyes. The boy's expression was blank. Eyes-half closed. Unamused. The man stared at him for a second before his face contorted in disgust.

"Oh baby." the boy whispered.

"AUUGH! That's weird bro! That's weird! You disgusting pervert! You pervert! Get off! Get off right now!"

"I REALLY wish I could. And I appreciate the encouragement but you yelling at me doesn't help. That's not to say you're not attractive, I simply don't swing that w-"

"I meant get off my house you wacko! Get going before I climb up there and curb stomp you!"

"But this isn't even a curb. It's a roof."

"Arrgh!"

The man stepped back inside. Nishu willed his body to stand. There was a sluggishness that made every movement seem half-hearted and lazy. Yet he still escaped by silently jumping across the roofs of the houses. Moment's later the man appeared with a tall ladder, struggling to climb it only to find that the boy had disappeared.

Nishu was tired. Aggravated. Back in the main streets of his community he trudged toward his home with his head down and his hands in his pockets. He didn't even know what to think about what happened tonight. At the corner of his eye was a fluttering of movement, one shadow dashing behind another. A heavy sigh escaped from his lungs.

"You know, when a comic book character disappears like that, they're not supposed to come back. It ruins the mystery."

Homura's voice crept up from behind him.

"But I didn't actually go anywhere. All I did was roll off the other side of the house."

The boy turned. The dark-skinned girl walked up to him with her arms crossed, forearms pushing into her breasts. Her six blades were still strapped to her back, three on each side like they were instruments for a one-man band. And then he noticed Homura giving him the biggest shit-eating grin he's ever seen in his life.

"So... Voice actress huh?"

They both stared at each other for a few more seconds. A smile broke out across Nishu's face. He put this thumb and forefinger on his temple, eyes closed. Homura snickered.

"Speaking of things I regret." Said the boy.

Homura's laugh burst out and she hunched over, her chest shaking. One palm flew to her face.

"You're so fuckin weird G.!"

"Oh no! Don't call that stupid name!"

Nishu laughed now. Homura put her second hand up for a double facepalm.

She leaned back and laughed into the open-air despite being covered by her hands. The boy kept his head down, his own voice carrying a tinge of embarrassment. It took a few minutes for both teenagers to calm down.

"Man." Homura said between breaths. "You know that really dumb, cliché thing anime villains always say when they let the hero live? Something like 'That was so pathetic I don't even feel like finishing you off?' Yeah. I'm reminded of that."

The boy raised his eyes to her.

"If that's the case why are you still here?"

"Because maybe I still do."

They both stood straight up again. Neither of them moved. The dark-skinned girl cocked her head to the side and waited for him to respond. He was like a statue, staring back and waiting for her to be the one to make the first move. Homura sighed and reached into her back pocket. Soon the boy was looking down to see Asuka's red scarf held tight in the girl's hand.

"One thing though. If I kill you right here and now, there's no telling what that yoma of yours is going to do with the girls. Consider this a lucky break."

"Thanks for being so considerate."

Homura wasn't sure if he was being sincere or sarcastic. Most likely the latter. Still, she turned her hand over and opened her palm. And she watched as the boy took the scarf and put it into his jacket pocket. There it rested over his heart.

"So. You'd fall in love with her right? You never did exactly say what you're going to do with them now."

"Do you want me to show you?"

He took a step closer. Their eyes locked. The boy noted how she didn't step away or back off. He leaned his head in and put his lips to her's. One quick tap. That's all he planned on giving her. It came as a surprise to him that when he pulled back she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him close. His eyes went wide open in astonishment. Their lips locked, her skin and lips smooth and cool. The tip of her tongue rubbed against his. His heart pounded against his chest, heat flushed over his face.

When Homura let go of him he took two steps back and stared at the dark-skinned girl before him.

"Huh. No poison. Interesting." She said.

Nishu gave her a relaxed smile.

"I could say the same thing to you."

"I think you already know there will be a lot of trouble for you soon, so I don't need to make any grand declarations. But I will say one thing. Make no mistake If you hurt Asuka I will kill you."

"I won't. I already know what I'll do. After all, If you really love something, you must learn to let it... well. You know the phrase."

She blinked once.

"I don't actually."

"Watch me and find out."

She grinned again, but this time a blush colored her cheeks.

"If things go south, at least put on a good show before you die."

Nishu turned his back to her and continued walking down the street. The shadow that loomed over him from behind disappeared, absorbed into the dark of night. Tired, beat down, the boy stumbled through the front door of his home.

The pitter-patter of dog feet running across tile floor greeted him once inside.

"Hey kid! Did you have a good shit while you were out? OH GEEZE! From the looks of you it seems you decided to roll around in it afterwards."

"Pretty much yeah. I desperately need a shower before going to bed. Maybe take some time to relax while I lay down. Listen to more music... Oh hell no."

"What's going on?"

The boy patted himself down. His hands perused thoroughly through every pocket in his clothes only to come up empty save for the red scarf.

"That bitch! She stole my mp3 player!"

"What bitch?" Said the dog

"A fucking ninja!" Nishu bellowed with rage.