October 13th 2017

"I'm home, papa".
How many times had she said that until now? How many times had that been answered in an unlikeable way?
Enough to make her lose track of them.

But lately, that had changed.
Ever since that particular day when her body reacted for her, deciding it wouldn't take anything from that man anymore, things between them were not the same.

While their relationship didn't really improve, at least it was less bad. Now, everytime she came home and said those words, the only answer she'd get was resented silence.

Contrastingly, what she now could easily keep track of was the amount of times any word coming from her father's mouth was for her.
"Did you clean your room?", "Clean this up", "Whatever", those were basically the only phrases the pink haired man had said to her since.

He still wouldn't share food with her nor give her any allowance but it was okay, thanks to her purple haired girlfriend, that had been partially solved.

And that day, when she got home, ready to pack some clothes and other stuff to spend the weekend at her girlfriend's, her prediction of how the conversation would go between them was like this:
"I'm going to stay over the weekend at a friend's house"
"Whatever".

"Natsuki..."

But all of that changed with that single pronunciation of her name as she intended to enter her room and there was something else that day, something that felt disturbing even.

No smell of alcohol.

"Yes, papa?", Natsuki replied as she turned around, surprised with herself after not stuttering those words like she used to. "You think I'm a loser, don't you?", her father, who stood up from the couch and was now slowly making his way towards her, asked.

"Eh? I mean, no, I don't think that of you, papa", Natsuki replied but she started to feel a little nervous. "You don't respect me, nobody does, nobody does, nobody does, nobody does, nobody does!", he finally raised his voice, standing now in front of her she noticed how his fingers were all curled up, like he was gripping on some invisible ball, not getting to make them a fist and that was what made it easy for her to see it coming.

Natsuki quickly deviated her father's attempt of grabbing her by the neck with one hand, however, "AAAGH!", the pink girl yelled as she felt her father's foot stomping hers, which would be enough to mess her focus, not being able to realize when the pink haired man raised his hand to then viciously slap her face with the back of it.

The pink one fell on her side, the slap was harder than she could expect. "You will learn to respect me!", Naoto shouted and kicked Natsuki's stomach.

"Guh!", Natsuki was able to withstand it thanks to her now better trained abs but still felt it. Her father went for another punt kick to her stomach but this time Natsuki was ready and caught his foot just in time with both hands, to then push it upwards, making the pink haired man lose his balance and stumble backwards, falling over the couch behind him.

The pink girl took this chance to get back up. She touched her cheek, it still pounded from that slap moments ago. Naoto however, quickly got back up as well, this time his fists were firmly gripped as he stared back at his daughter intensely.

Natsuki gulped. She already knew what would happen but she still had some hope it wouldn't, a hope that of course wasn't answered and instead was turn into confusion as the pink haired man took a strange stance.

Natsuki's father smiled from ear to ear and positioned his legs making a zenkutsu stance, his left hand extended to the front and showing his palm to the opponent while the other was halfway up in the air like wielding a hammer.

"What in the...", Natsuki mumbled with eyes filled with confusion and concern, yet instinctively, she took her own stance, every second that passed she mentalised herself for the inevitable.

Naoto finally started as he advanced with a right hammer strike that Natsuki dodged to her left but to her surprise, her father's fist immediately put the brakes just as it missed it's target and redirected it at her with a backhand strike but Natsuki's reflexes acted for her barely arching her back enough to avoid it reaching her face.

Naoto quickly turned to her still on that odd stance and tried entering with a front kick to Natsuki's stomach but again the pink girl jumped backwards to avoid damage as the narrow hallway she had moved to when she dodged the hammer strike didn't make it plausible for her to dodge to the sides anymore.

However, Natsuki's eyes went wide open in surprise as his father leg was still in the air after missing that strike while he continued advancing jumping on one leg and due to her attention focusing on that detail, she didn't see his right fist again up in the air.

"Guh!", Natsuki exclaimed as she felt the impact of the hammer strike on top of her head, making her bent over but Naoto wasn't done yet as he immediately followed with a hard knee to her face while he shouted, "Hyuh!".

Natsuki was groggy but barely still on her feet somehow. Naoto then grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into a fireman's carry that following that momentum, was turned into a cartwheel death valley driver.

The pink girl felt all the weight of his father into her torso sandwiching her against the floor for a moment before Naoto agilely bounced back to his feet. "Here comes some respect!", Naoto laughed and jumped high for a seated senton onto his fallen daughter but finally, Natsuki reacted.

"Haauh!", Natsuki gritted her teeth to withstand the pain as adrenaline finally started to kick in and making good use of her training in the leg press machine, she kicked her father in mid air with both feet, sending him flying backwards.

"Gah!", Naoto exclaimed as he landed awkwardly on his back while Natsuki kipped back up. "Those moves aren't normal... Is this really my dad?", Natsuki said to herself as she wiped some blood off her mouth (caused by the knee strike moments ago) and took her stance again.

"Not bad... Child...", Naoto grunted as he calmly started getting back up. "Child??", Natsuki thought and finally understood something was really wrong with the man in front of him.

"No way around it I guess", Natsuki said, knowing his father wouldn't give her any chance to call for any sort of help and most likely escaping either. She took her stance and this time, she went first.

The pink haired man smiled deviously as he easily dodged the multiple rights and lefts Natsuki started throwing at him while walking backwards just like the pink girl wanted him to.

Once they were out of that narrow hallway, Natsuki stopped faking aimless strikes and went for a real one with a jumping knee but Naoto saw it coming in time as he jumped a little backwards.

Natsuki smiled and took this chance to move back to the living room area. "Tch", Natsuki heard her father say, every time getting more suspicious about him. "I don't know what got into you, papa but I'm not gonna let you hurt me anymore!", Natsuki exclaimed.

"We'll see about that", Naoto replied with a devious smile and went back at it with a barrage of strikes of his own. Natsuki had a hard time dodging them but was still able to, surprised with herself.

Once the distance between them was close enough, Natsuki countered with a quick knee to her father's ribs. Naoto bented to the side from the impact as Natsuki would continue with a leg sweep, throwing him off balance towards her to then punch his jaw with all she had.

"I never thought I'd be the one punching his jaw... How things change", Natsuki thought while she saw the pink haired man drop to one knee. "I'm sorry, papa!", Natsuki exclaimed and went for another punch to his face but Naoto stopped her by deviating it upwards and hit her with a backfist strike right to her solar plexus.

The pink girl gritted her teeth while stumbling backwards, refusing to go down but her father had got back up and was going after her again with another hammer strike.

Natsuki blocked the first just in time but again, the man's fist stopped and immediately retreated, going for another hammer that weakened Natsuki's guard and quickly retreated it for a third one.

However, Natsuki already knew her guard wouldn't work as these hammer strikes felt stronger the more his fist bounced back like that, like some sort of springboard.

When the third hammer strike was coming, Natsuki quickly grabbed it with both hands. It wasn't easy but she managed to do it. Then she quickly pulled him in and transitioned into a crossface chicken wing hold.

"I gotta put him to sleep! It's the only way!", Natsuki thought. She already had accepted his father wouldn't stop until one was out. "Nnnghhh!", but the pink haired man still had much fight left as he tensed his neck as hard as he could, while figuring out a way to escape the hold, soon he had it.

Naoto walked backwards, carrying all his weight onto the smaller girl who couldn't help but do the same, being pushed until she felt the edge of the counter against her back. "Ugh!", Natsuki exclaimed but the momentary pain had weakened her hold enough for her father to break free and hit her with a back elbow to her head in the process, rocking her.

The pink haired man turned around smiling with great malice, having enough time to charge with a vicious jumping knee of his own to Natsuki's jaw, so hard that sent the small girl flying over the counter and into their small kitchen.

"Ugh...", Natsuki grunted as she felt her jaw still aching while she tried to get back up but then, like an animal retreating against imminent danger, she dropped death as she felt a hand almost grabbing her by the hair.

Natsuki was laying on her back, breathing heavy but soon, her panic would again turn into confusion as she was face to face with her father who was bent over the counter trying to grab her but just that, trying.

Despite being face to face, her father's hand was moving in all directions, like he was blindingly searching something inside a box whose contents he couldn't see.

Natsuki didn't say anything and took a few seconds to think of her next move. She now had a crazy theory and to see if it was somewhat right, she finally grabbed her father by the wrist and pulled him over the counter and into the small kitchen with her.

The pink haired man fell bluntly on his side next to the pink girl who quickly hit his ribs with her finger knuckles, giving her enough time to quickly crawl away from him while he again, blindingly tried to grab her.

Natsuki however remained sit, watching her father slowly get back up, looking at the wall to her left, waiting. The pink girl then slowly got back up and as soon as she was standing, her father immediately turned his head in her direction, smiling deviously again.

Her magenta eyes however ignored that, instead they were discreetly scanning the area behind the counter but as expected, she couldn't see anything nor anyone.
Maybe she wasn't completely right on her theory.

Natsuki exhaled and took her stance again while Naoto did the same to quickly advance towards her, pushing the small table for four off the way as he did. The pink girl then ducked underneath as her father tried a right hook and stayed crouched.

Seeing her father throw a spinning backfist as he turned around, just hitting the air to then stay like that on guard despite having the small girl there crouched in front of him.

Natsuki began walking like a duck backwards but she forgot about the table off its place, bumping into it and pushing it a bit but enough to make it creak.

At that moment, Naoto immediately threw a soccer ball kick in her direction but Natsuki was able to move aside and let him kick the table instead but then Naoto quickly turned to her smiling and charged with another kick.

Natsuki knew she had to dodge that but she couldn't help but look to the side for a bit. Just as she thought, after almost tiger jumping her way off that first kick, she ended up almost out of the kitchen area and the counter, not covering her anymore.

The pink girl blocked the kick with both hands in time but still, it had enough force to send her against the wall behind her, dropping on her rear. Thankfully her back had taken all the damage from that, avoiding her head to bounce against the concrete there which was the crucial point for that fight.

Just as she dropped there, leaning against the wall, she caught by the corner off her eye a quick flash to her left and finally she saw it.
There almost at the end of the hallway, a door was slightly opened, the door to her father's bedroom but what caught her attention was the small object at there on the floor between the doorframe and the door.

It was a small hand mirror that again flashed in her direction when she moved her arm a little. She glanced at the metallic button of her blazer's sleeve and understood why. She couldn't help but let out a triumphant grin.

"Where are you looking at?!", Naoto exclaimed as he went to stomp Natsuki's head against the wall but Natsuki caught his foot with both hands again, full of confidence. She grinned at him and pushed him off her, making him stumble backwards again.

At that moment, Natsuki quickly got back up and ran to her father's bedroom like the flash, slamming the door open as soon as she got there and finally she met him.

There, sitting on the floor in front of her in the lotus position was a man of advanced age. What first caught her attention was his long grey yet, rebel hair like a rockstar in their prime, he was wearing a red dōgi with the image of a cool looking Buddha on the left, accompanied by some black hakama with the bottom part ripped stylishly, some classic geta shoes, a pair of red sunglasses and a red bandana around his head with all sorts of kanjis on it, but soon all of that would turn to being background as she saw what he was holding with both hands.
A katana.

A katana that irradiated a yellowish aura, which seemingly was coming from his own hands.

"Congratulations, pink child! I commend you for figuring out the secret behind my secret technique!", the old man exclaimed while giggling deviously. "T-Technique?", was the first thing Natsuki could respond before what her magenta eyes were seeing.

"Heavy arts style secret technique: Metal Master", the old man said, raising one finger, similar to one of Natsuki's friends, while holding the sword with the other. "W-Who the heck are you and what are you doing to my dad, geezer?!", Natsuki shouted, yet that first stutter showed what she inevitably felt. A bizarre familiar fear.

•

Heavy arts style secret technique: Metal Master.

It is well known that one of the secrets many martial artists seek to master is none other than ki.

Ki, as we know, is the intrinsic energy present in all things and we, as part of this everything, can have the ability to control it for different purposes.

It is said control the flow of this essential energy through your body can take you to achieve great results as martial arts in both strength and ability but it doesn't end there.

Metal Master is a variant of a technique that consists on controlling the flow of ki through your body to then make it flow through different objects or even living beings, mixing it with theirs and if yours is stronger, consequentially gaining control over the flow of ki of this object/being.

To put it simple, you get to control the object/being as if they were puppets, the ki being the strings and you of course, the puppeteer.

Needless to say this technique requires an insane level of ki control to work effectively thus, only a few masters around the globe are able to use it these days after decades of training.

Doki Doki Publishing
"Messing with the files too difficult? Try controlling your friends with ki!"

•

"Zouji, my students call me Master Zouji, I gotta say I was curious to meet you, pink child, I've heard great things about you", Zouji said with a mysterious grin. "About me?? What are you- agh! Forget that! What do you want with me or my dad?!", Natsuki asked feisty as ever, but that fear remained.

"One was meeting you, two is using you. It seems like you're some sort of living button I can press to call a certain person", Zouji replied. Until then and specially after that last statement, Natsuki had a hundred questions she wanted to ask but at the same time, her mind had been setting all sorts of different scenarios of her trying to attack the old man.

They all ended the same way. That katana either slicing of piercing through her body, no matter what and thus, she couldn't bring herself to move or speak just yet.

"Which reminds me... I think we should go out and breath some fresh air, maybe that person can't see what is going on in here... Come with me, we'll go to the roof", Zouji said and with great calm, he stood up using only his feet from that lotus position.

"L-Like I'd do anything you say!", Natsuki still couldn't control fully that odd fear but enough to at least put her guard up now. "Oh really? Look to your right", Zouji said giggling.

"What... Ah! Papa!", Natsuki gasped as she saw her father in the middle of the hallway, holding a kitchen knife against his throat. "So? Shall we go now?", Zouji asked. He gripped his katana and that yellowish aura it emitted shined brighter and at the same time, Natsuki could see her father beginning to press the edge against his own skin.

"Stop!", Natsuki exclaimed. "I'll go, just... Leave him out of this...", Natsuki's fear had finally started to go away and now, it was starting to be replaced with nothing but anger as she glared back at the old man with furious magenta eyes.

Anyone could think that after all he had done to her, Natsuki wouldn't care about her father's well being but in fact, that couldn't be more wrong.
Despite everything, she always appreciated the fact that he never left, which always reminded her that after all, he still saw her as his daughter, unlike that woman who only saw her as a burden she could just leave behind.

For Natsuki, family was everything.
An everything she lost part of and that she couldn't stand losing anymore.

Maybe not today nor tomorrow, but she always hoped things with her father could get better at some point.

"Very well, then after you", Zouji smiled and tilted his head towards her to indicate her it was time to move. Natsuki just glared at him one more time gritting her teeth to then start walking out of the apartment and head upstairs to the roof where an uncertain destiny awaited her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Of course not! A true man shall never leave his comrades behind! Did you forget?"

"Let's see what you're made of then!"

"Are you listening?", the voice on the phone that had rung suddenly while he stared at the strange masked man, asked. "Yeah... I got a bit of an inconvenient here...", Gensai said gripping his fist. The masked man had turned his head to look back it him for a moment.

"Leave that for later, this is urgent. Hurry up", then the call ended. "Natsuki... Well I have faith she'll be able to hang on a little longer", Gensai grinned to himself and finally jumped off the window to the back of the small building while the masked man had already started walking further into a dark alley there while Gensai's couple of neighbors began to ask what had happened after the window shattered. Only one got there in time to see Gensai run after something into that dark alley.

Soon enough, he caught up with him once they were out of sight. The masked man turned around and now, Gensai could see Kiyomi was unconscious over his shoulder, probably being knocked out quickly to make it easier for him to carry her around.

"I knew you'd follow me", finally the masked man spoke. His voice was deep and it sounded distorted because that mask, now better seen, had no hole for his mouth. In fact it was quite strange.

Seeing it face to face, the mask only had one hole open for his right eye to be seen, the left one was there but it was covered, making it seem like it was a white eye and a third red drawn eye on his forehead. There were a couple of stitched scars on the left side of it and probably dark red paint that made it seem like he was crying blood and finally, four spikes on the crown of his head along with one more curved sticking out of his chin like a beard.

In addition to that, his black clothes were nothing else but a classic japanese school uniform, only his blazer was open, letting him see he was wearing a black tank top with the image of a sick looking demon, which also allowed him to see a bit of what he had already figured out with that tackle earlier, a torso as muscular as his.

"Are you with him?", Gensai asked serious. "I guess...", The masked man sighed and turned around to carefully put down the orange haired girl down. He stopped for a moment as if he had changed his mind while he slid her down his shoulder to the ground, but then continued.

"Hmm...", The masked man said as he turned to face Gensai, still glancing at the girl there on the floor. "Let's just not waste any more time", Gensai said as he took his blazer off and threw it somewhere near.

The masked man of the red crest took his stance. It was familiar, oddly familiar for the school cap boy who took his Olympic wrestler stance, making him wonder in his mind, "I think I know that stance...".

However, there was no more time to think. The masked man quickly went after him with a jumping axe kick but Gensai caught his leg in mid air to turn it into a dragon screw, however, the masked man quickly wrapped his other leg around his arm to turn it into a cross arm breaker.

Now both on the floor, Gensai immediately shifted his body towards the masked man who let go of him and kicked his face right on his bad eye to then roll backwards and back up.

Gensai quickly stood up but that kick again, got his left eye twitching, enough for the masked man to close the distance between them and throw a roundhouse to Gensai's head but the funny bearded boy wouldn't go down and somehow neither did his cap.

The masked man then went for a right straight, left hook, right uppercut and a double hammer strike one after the other, all hitting Gensai's head but he still wouldn't go down and after that last blow that made him bent over a little, he saw the opening.

Gensai quickly wrapped his arms around the masked man's legs, lifting him and slamming him down with a spinebuster. "Gah!", he heard the masked man had felt that and to his bad luck, Gensai still wasn't done.

The school cap one still had him grabbed by the ankles and was about to go for a boston crab, however the masked man reacted in time and freed himself off his grip to then kick his solar plexus with both feet, pushing him backwards and then kipping back up.

Gensai shook his head quickly and went after him, trying to grab his arm but the masked man was faster than him, moving aside and hitting him with a hard knee to the stomach.

Gensai gritted his teeth as he felt that but the masked man threw another, and another and another and another, multiple knees to the stomach that the school cap boy took fully, gritting his teeth and realizing that man's strikes were getting stronger the more he hit him.

Gensai finally caught his leg after he let it land fully on his stomach but the masked man quickly jumped, putting his hands on Gensai's back to boost himself as he hit Gensai with the other knee of the side of his head.

The school cap boy let go of his leg, now rocked but the masked man wasn't done as he took this chance to clutch his head and start hitting knee after knee to Gensai's face.

To avoid a broken nose, Gensai took them all on his mouth while his head stopped pounding a bit, however the masked man let go of him suddenly only to hit him with a spinning roundhouse kick to the head.

Yet, Gensai wouldn't go down.
He stumbled backwards a little and like a card tower hit by the autumn breeze, he rocked to the sides before crumbling but that last part didn't happen in his case.

"I see you were not joking...", the masked man mumbled to himself as he looked at the school cap boy whose left eye finally stopped twitching and with blood dripping from his mouth, he smiled and said, "I didn't expect you to be this strong since you don't have a number... I guess I'll have to get serious".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What now?!!", that's what the beanie hat girl asked to herself as her phone began ringing inside her pocket and that was yet another thing stacking up the amount of things she had on her at that moment.

First of all, was her girlfriend on her arms who nervously looked around seeing the second things on her. A bunch of women in office lady style outfits only that their faces, in both girl's experience, told that was nowhere near their line of work.

They all looked serious but their eyes were those of someone who would kill you just for looking at them and the skirts they were wearing allow them to see better their toned and/or strong looking legs. There were around a dozen of them scattered around the large stairs and what was worse, nor Jasmine nor Kanae had noticed their presence moments ago.

However the third and worse of all, was the woman before them waiting for them at the temple who finally started turning around.

Her orange chinese dress with purple flower pattern and white piping looked a bit tight and that allowed them to look at her figure better. She was tall, around 6'5 and if those big arms or that broad back weren't enough, her thick and strong legs and nicely shaped torso would do, letting them see her beautifully worked body that would make many body builders pale in comparison.

Coincidentally, she also had a pair of red eyes only one was covered by her frizzy and stylish orange hair. A red lipsticked smile formed on her face as she finally saw both girls.

"Xia...", Jasmine spoke first. Kanae could tell the look on her face wasn't anything she had seen before. She was gritting her teeth and despite not saying anything or complaining, Kanae still felt the grip on her shoulders and legs got rougher for a moment.

"Oh my! What an honor to see you already know my name~", Xia replied putting a hand on her cheek surprised to then add, "...Jasmine".

"Y-You know each other?", Kanae asked quietly but Jasmine didn't seem to have heard her as her seemingly defying red eyes were still fixated on the buff woman before them. "Hello there~", Kanae then noticed the orange haired woman looking at her while curling her fingers at her and putting her index finger on the corner of her mouth making it a surprisingly charming gesture.

"You must be Kanae", Xia said and winked at her, sending her a quick kiss from there. "DON'T!", Jasmine raised her voice, startling her girl. Xia immediately looked at her again with a smile.

"Don't you dare...", Jasmine grunted angry. "Me? Sweetie... You're the one who got her involved in the first place. Your job was just to protect them, not get a girlfriend, isn't that right?" Xia asked giggling.

"And I guess you already heard that...", Xia said as she curled both of her index fingers and immediately, two of the women surrounding both girls walked towards her. "I have a thing for strong girls", Xia added as she winked, wrapping an arm around each of those two women's waist.

Jasmine just looked serious as both women stood on their toes while Xia leaned down enough to reach them and kiss them passionately one after the other to then spank them indicating them to go back to their position while she licked her lips.

"Jasmine... What is going on...?", Kanae asked concerned but again, the beanie hat girl didn't seem to hear her. "What do you want?!", Jasmine asked serious.

"You know, the usual... Let's see which one of us is stronger~", Xia said and bit her lower lip while having her arms wrapped around her torso. "Otherwise...", Xia began to say but Jasmine interrupted.

"Keep them and yourself away from my Kanae, that's my only condition", Jasmine shouted. "Alright, they were just here to make sure you didn't try to run away but as for me... Mmm fine... I guess I'll hold back for now, she's still recovering anyway", Xia shrugged.

"Stay close to me", Jasmine said serious as she carefully put her girlfriend down, her red eyes still glaring at the chinese woman before them. "I-Is this... What was worrying you?", Kanae asked but Jasmine wouldn't look at her just yet.

Jasmine's eyes were fixated on Xia's for only one reason. To make sure her's wouldn't look at Kanae for even a second.

"Come with me, this temple has a nice backyard, let's do it there away from curious eyes~", Xia giggled deviously as she began walking around the temple. "Jasmine...", Kanae still tried to get her eyes on her at least but Jasmine was still keeping an eye on the enemy as she just held Kanae's hand and began walking after Xia.

Kanae followed her while looking around at the dozen of other strong looking women who began following them as well. As confusing and concerning this was, it became clear for her that this was really what was troubling her girlfriend.

...

On new year or other festivities, Kanae remembered a lot of stands and all sort of attractions scattered all over the place but now, on a day like any other, it was just a wide space surrounded by trees and the small temple, there were only a few benches around the boundaries which Kanae was taken to so she could just sit and watch while at the other side, near the temple, Xia was making our with some of her henchwomen.

The bow headband girl had gone quiet after her last attempt for her voice to reach her girlfriend but she hadn't given up yet.
Thinking and thinking, Kanae looked at her girlfriend who had hear back turned in front of her, covering her with her body for Xia to not dare look her way.

Jasmine was taking off her blazer and then the vest, while Kanae quietly received them to just carefully fold them as Jasmine started rolling her shoulders and wrists to warm up.

Despite Jasmine's best efforts to serve as a human wall, Kanae still glanced at the tall woman on the other side who seemed to be done with whatever warm up was what and consequentially, seeing her girlfriend about to go to battle as well.

"Wait!", Kanae however grabbed her wrist before Jasmine could go any further, making her turn around and finally look at her. "Just wait here, I'll finish this quick", Jasmine did her best to give her a reassuring smile but Kanae denied with her head.

"I may not understand what's going on but it's clear to me this is what was troubling you... Since I don't understand and since I'm not able to fight at the moment the only thing I can do for you now is cheer for you", Kanae spoke, looking at her girlfriend in the eye and giving her the best and sweetest smile she could.

"Kanae...", Jasmine said. Her voice softened as well as her look and Kanae who had her wrist grabbed also felt her body getting less tense for a moment after saying those words. "I don't know who she is but I'm sure you're stronger! I have faith in you-", Kanae was saying with enthusiasm but was surprised and cut off when suddenly, Jasmine got closer and hugged her tight.

"I love you", Jasmine whispered near her ear making her blush surprised but immediately after, Kanae smiled warmly as her eyes sparkled, hugging her back gently to then reply, "I love you too".

"I'll be right back!", Jasmine put on her characteristic grin again giving her girl a thumbs up, looking brighter than ever while Kanae simply chuckled and gave her one of her own only that she bumped her fist against Jasmine's and pressed her thumb against hers like they were kissing.
Jasmine internally squirmed but controlled herself as she turned around fired up shouting, "here I go!".

In the center of the wide yard now turned battlefield, the strong Chinese woman of orange hair awaited patiently, giggling as she saw the smiley beanie hat girl coming her way while cracking her knuckles, putting on that confident grin.

"Oh? Where would that sexy menacing look of yours go?", Xia asked. "Somewhere, I don't know. Thankfully I had my girl to remind me there's nothing to worry about. In fact, it's the other way around, I can just take you down here and now, I mean if I think about it, taking the number 1 out, the others coming behind you should learn they don't stand a chance and thus it'll all be easier and will be over soon", Jasmine explained as she took her basic karate stance.

"I see, that's a very smart idea", Xia replied. She didn't take any stance. "Ready or what?", Jasmine asked confident.

"Darling... I was born ready", Xia smirked. "Don't you call me darling! Only one person can!", Jasmine shouted and in the blink of an eye advanced to throw a high roundhouse to Xia's neck.

"Nice kick", Xia smiled with eyes closed. She didn't do anything other than lift her arm block that kick as if she had scared a mosquito that was coming her way. Jasmine's leg was forced back to earth but she didn't let that affect her.

The beanie hat girl then went for a quick series of urakens at Xia's exposed torso but the tall woman simply blocked all with the back of her right hand.

Jasmine refused to let it affect her one bit. Surely she had got used to overwhelm her opponents in the last couple of years but she also already knew this woman was supposedly on her same level and to her this first series of attacks were nothing but her way to make sure that was right.

"How about this!", Jasmine jumped for a spinning back kick but again, Xia did minimal effort, blocking it with the back of her hand. The kick didn't even make her arm shake. "They're all nice strikes yes", Xia said as she put her hands on her hips, smirking confident.

"I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face. It's disgusting and I utterly despise it", Jasmine stated as she tensed her muscles and inhaled deep. "Show me", Xia giggled, still hands on hips.

"Haaa!!", Jasmine shouted exhaling as she shot a vicious shotei strike to Xia's solar plexus. "Mmm", Xia moaned mockingly. She didn't even block that, instead, what Jasmine's palm hit was nothing but seemingly steel made abs that made her arm vibrate a little from the clash.

"Tch...", Jasmine said. She almost doubted herself for a moment but with a quick glance at the bow headband girl behind her, her mind was at ease again. "I suppose it's my turn", Xia said but still didn't take any stance, she simply put her hands down.

"Try it", Jasmine said as she prepared herself. "Let's see... I guess I'll do the same you did", Xia said and quickly, went for a roundhouse to Jasmine's neck.

"Jasmine!!", but the only voice heard after that was none other than Kanae's who saw how that kick not only broke Jasmine's blocking but it also hit her neck, sending her flying off the way.

"Was I too rough?", Xia giggled, her leg still in the air as she glanced at Jasmine on the ground trying to get back up, grabbing her neck with one hand. "H-How...", Jasmine mumbled as she felt the horrible pounding on her neck going through her body.

"Oh sweetie...", Xia's shadow casted upon the beanie hat girl, blocking what was left of the sunlight that was about to set. "Don't tell me that's it?", Xia said with an evil smirk while Jasmine looked at her from below with now nervous red eyes, yet still gritting her teeth and frowning at her.

"Xia...", Jasmine muttered as she did her best to get back up but that pain kept her body from doing so, like a giant spike piercing through her body, nailing her to the ground. Somehow, Xia now looked even bigger from there.

"Oh my so called equal! How very disappointing!", Xia exclaimed dramatically as she stomped Jasmine's head to the ground. "Jasmine!!", Again, Kanae screamed her name. She now was witness of Xia humiliatingly pressing her foot against her girlfriend's head.

"Nnngh...", Jasmine however still hadn't given up. She put her hands on the ground trying to push herself up but Xia's leg felt as if weighted a ton. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, no, my dear Jasmine, there's nothing more you can do. It may not be as rewarding as I expected but I'm going to make you mine and that cute girlfriend of yours too", Xia giggled deviously.

"The... The fuck did you just say?!", Jasmine, despite having her face pressed against the ground, exclaimed furious. "Yeah, like that...", Xia mumbled to herself, smiling satisfied as she felt Jasmine's head finally lifting up with that same push up she kept trying.

"Haaa!!", Jasmine shouted as she pushed herself back up at last in one jump as Xia calmly removed her foot off her head beforehand. Jasmine didn't say anything else and went at her again this time with a fast barrage of strikes and kicks, however Xia still blocked them all with seemingly minimal effort using the back of her hands.

Xia then caught one by her ankle and like Jasmine was nothing but a ragdoll, pulled her upsidedown in mid air, to then throw a quick spear hand strike to her torso before she fell.

But Jasmine wouldn't let it happen. She instead caught her wrist and thanks to Xia's strength, she was able to hold onto her arm to then quickly wrap her legs around it, looking to dislocate it with the same impulse.

Xia wouldn't let it happen, tensing her great muscles and lifting Jasmine up instead like that, but the beanie hat girl took the chance to jump off her arm when she was high up there, landing behind her.

The buff woman turned around quickly, already seeing the next shotei coming her way. "Ah!", Xia exclaimed as she suddenly felt a heavy impact on her left leg, as Jasmine's feint worked flawlessly.

Being caught off guard for a moment, Xia then was met with a vicious uraken to her side making her bent to the side a little but finally, she caught the next one as Jasmine was going for a spinning heel kick, repelling her in time with the back of her hand.

"You do feel my strikes after all", Jasmine's confidence had returned as she grinned while jumping backwards while Xia glared at her with both hands fully extended and tensed looking arms. "And those dismissive like moves... That's part of your fighting style, isn't it?", Jasmine asked.

Xia then realized the state her hands were at, she smiled and relaxed again. "That's right, Jasmine. I'm glad you finally are getting serious", Xia giggled as she brushed her hair a bit.

"Maybe I got a bit too confident I admit that", Jasmine said while rubbing her neck. "Shall we dance this next song then?", Xia said as she again put her hands down. Jasmine now understood that was her stance.

"Jasmine! You can do it!", Kanae suddenly shouted with all her might. Jasmine glanced at her standing from her seat and putting her hands around her mouth to help her voice sound louder. She smiled. "You heard my girl, I can do this!", Jasmine took her stance again and went at her again.

Xia blocked the first low kick but Jasmine quickly threw another as soon as her foot bounced back to the ground, Xia blocked again, Jasmine's kick bounced back and repeated the same process, every time getting stronger thanks to Xia being able to take her kicks.

The fifth one finally did the trick as it kicked Xia's hand off the way, using that same kick as a large step to enter her range and land a hard jun tsuki (lunge punch) to Xia's chest, which despite what her considerably prominent chest would make you think was still hard as rock.

"Ggh!", Xia felt that well but indeed, her muscles were a great help to minimize the damage. "Kiai!", Jasmine shouted and hit her with 3 consecutive shotei to her abdomen, which she was able to withstand but still had begun to feel.

"Woah!", Jasmine exclaimed as Xia looked to strike back with a short range raising knee but she jumped backwards just in time. Xia however didn't stop and from there went for a spinning back superkick which Jasmine again barely avoided by ducking underneath since Xia's long legs would make it impossible for her to get away.

The beanie hat girl threw another roundhouse but Xia repelled it with the back of both hands, making a circular movement from there to hit Jasmine with a double spear hand the girl dodge by arching her back like the matrix and moonsault her way out of her range.

Xia charged with a rolling savate kick but Jasmine dodged to the side in time and landed a quick roundhouse to Xia's leg but the strong woman blocked it, yet Jasmine knew this would happen and turned it into a step up enzuigiri finally reaching and kicking Xia's face, rocking her while she landed.

"You're getting too rough~", Xia said as she touched her jaw. "Shut your mouth!", Jasmine said as charged for spinning roundhouse which Xia meet with a high roundhouse of her own. Kanae's jaw dropped at that moment as it was like seeing two legendary samurais clash swords.

Both warriors bounced back and tested each other by throwing the same series of roundhouse kicks, clashing one after the other like swords until Jasmine decided it was time.

Jasmine ducked against Xia's roundhouse, going for a spinning leg sweep, yet Xia's strong legs wouldn't let her go down, only throwing her off balance a little but it was enough.

Like a raising dragon, Jasmine jumped with a moonsault kick that hit Xia's jaw rocking her and to put the final touch, as soon as she landed, that momentum boosted her up for a jumping side kick worth of the legendary Bruce Lee.

...

"No...", Kanae mumbled as she dropped to her sit.
The image before her would surely cause her nightmare as Xia, doing a standing full leg split had her girlfriend high up in the air as her foot digging into her stomach carried the beanie hat girl above her head while the moonlight began to shine upon them.

Kanae didn't hear and probably wouldn't care about her girlfriend's phone ringing inside her blazer's pocket yet again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I will not die".
Yuri's sole thought was that.
Not after all she had been through.
Not after happiness had finally reached her.
Not after she finally could look forward to tomorrow.
Not after she was finally loved.

There was someone she didn't want to lose and in her heart, she knew that person didn't want to lose her either.
She had sworn to herself she would do her best to be worthy of her love and certainly, failing her like this wasn't an option.

While the beautiful man of lavender hair rambled about death and beauty, or something of the sort (Yuri had stopped caring a while ago), her violet eyes discreetly glanced at her first option to survive.

Resting next to the chair he was sitting on was a beautifully crafted rapier. The grip and quillons were shaped as an unicorn of purple color in which the blade acted as its horn.

For someone who could appreciate the art behind these weapons, Yuri couldn't help but feel fascinated but soon shook that thought off her head and while faking drinking that tea, she glanced at the sliding backdoor of her house.

Escaping was her other option but she didn't know if there was any sort of trap or someone else waiting for her in there, where nobody would see.

As crazy as the idea seemed, Yuri's safest option was to try to resist using her assassin's weapon, this was so maybe one of her neighbors would hear and consequentially see the commotion and call the police.

Yuri finally made up her mind.

"So the fascinating etern- AGH!!", Belrose eloquently rambled still but as soon as he felt the hot liquid on his face, yelled and in that brief moment of surprise, Yuri stood up and took the rapier, barely escaping his grasp.

"Yuri...", Belrose grunted annoyed as he stood up while the purple girl nervously wielded the rapier with both hands. "Don't get close to me!", Yuri said firmly. Having the blade in her hands gave her a little confidence.

"I hoped you had better manners than this...", Belrose said as he pulled out a handkerchief and cleaned himself. Despite how wide open he seemed, Yuri was scared to attack him, she wasn't a fool.

The purple girl could understand very well that the weapon she was wielding was his and thus, one wrong move and he most likely would be very capable of taking it from her at least.

"Listen, Yuri, no matter what you do or how loud you scream, no one would come to help you. I already had your neighbors evacuate the area, you and I are the only people within a 2 miles radius at least", Belrose explained. He had pulled out a pocket mirror and was redoing his make up.

"Why...?", Yuri asked. "Because that is the way it is. It is your destiny to die in this reality, it always has been", Belrose eloquently said. Yuri didn't know what to say.

"But since I have plenty of time... Come on, I will grant you the chance of changing your own destiny. Attack me, I will not fight back. I will only dodge but who knows, one wrong move and you could pierce me with my own blade", Belrose said as he finished doing his make up and put his mirror and other tools inside his jacket's inner pockets.

"Natsuki... How can you get to do this...?", Yuri thought as she remembered her pink girlfriend standing against those who threatened to hurt her in the past. Yuri always had a hard time standing up for herself but Natsuki not only did it for herself but for others too.

Yet another reason to not only love but admire that pink girl in her heart.
And yet another reason to pull herself together and bring herself to be better, worthy of her love.

She took a deep and finally, her mind was set on surviving to see her pink love again and if that meant killing that man before her, so be it.

...

a̼̱͚̻͓̩̝͕ͫ͐ͬ͂ͅ҉̧̡ǰ̧̲͉͓̩̻̫̈̅̾̊̆ͮͮͩͮ́͞d̶̲ͥͥh̴͕͉̯̜̉͌̕҉̴̶̴̷̷́́d̖̦͙̜͎̹̘̱̗̞̤̦ͭ́͋ͨ͌̈́̀i̡̊ͯ́ͪ̏̊ͧ̿͘b̶̢̬͈͖͈̘͗͛̇ͧ́́͜҉͘͢͏e̢̜̰͉̱͖̾̊̂ͦ̔̏̄̈ͭ̀̏́̀́͢͞ơ̵̷̧̢̧̰̦̰͉̬̙̮͗ͣͬ͛ͫ̿͗͗͂̌̚̕͜͢ͅȇ̵̹̪ͤ͗͊͛̈ͪ͑̔͊̅̀͟͠n̷̵̷̷̡̥̗̳͚̯̩̪͙̦̝ͥͯ͢͡͡ͅ҉d̸̷̵̢͎͚̯̭̱̝͓̙̺͌͂̄̈́ͨ̏̑̉̋̈͛́̀̚̕͢͞͠o̢͔̖͉̞̝͇̣͎̘̯͙͐̐͛ͧ̊̚͞ͅ͏͏҉̛҉d͈ͬ̅̓ͮ̔̊̒̄ͨ̾͏̢̧̨͝k̴̷̛̞̖̰̑͗̍̓́́͟͢͟͢ş̸̴̸̸̧̘̉̒͗̓̀̓̒͒͆ͪ̋̓͛́͜b͘̕̕͡͠͞s̨͙̲͚͙͚̈́̓ͪ̇̄̿ͪ͗́͘͢͡͡͠h̸̡̓̈́ͥͥ̅ͦ̀́̀͢͢͢͠ḑ̶̸̢͚̪̪͇̰̲̠͚̝͍̙ͭ́̈́ͨ̄̋̐͒̓͌̀͡͏҉ŏ̰̜̹̩̋̎̊͂ͣͨ̎̾̂͑ͅd͓͙̯̪̱̳̪̣ͮ͊̄͆ͨ̀š̲̺͎̱̰̻̜̞̞̰̪͒ͪ͆̈͏̛҉҉̧͘͢͞͞l̅̏̑̽̽̋̋̎̓̈̕҉̴̴̨̡̛̀͘̕ą̸̠̳̺̣͎̘̈̓͆̂͂ͨͪͫ̾̑́͝ȏ̸̷̮̩͎̫͈̻̬̥̭ͤͯ́͘͘͘͢͟ś̴̸̡̛̗̤̺͙̟̻̓̽̆ͩ̀͛́͟͜j̸̡͓̝̳̝̳͔̬͎͎͐҉̵̷̧́҉̶̴҉d̶̤͉̔͐ͯ̎ͭͫ͒̈͢҉̢̛̕͘b̵̷̫̯͓͉͓̩̘̤̘̖͉̈̀͘͞͏d͈̞͔̼̖̪͔͍̬̒͊ͤͅ҉̀j̶̢̫̣̟̘̫̳̖̾̈͊̑̈́ͨ͊ͮ͘͏̸̡͜d̸̮̣̯̮̻͛̔̏ǐ̮͇̮̯͇̙͈̼̤̠͂͊̋̋̏̂̚d̹̠n̷̴̡̩͉͚̰͓ͦ̽́͛̐ͣ͏̛́͘͜͡ḋ̦͙̞͡ͅ͏l̜̠̖̬͎̑̐͂̍ͨ͆͒ͮͫ̔̇̒ͦ͜҉̶̛̀̀̀́̀͘͝s̸̸̴̢̛̪̖̟̥̼͎ͫ̓͗̂́̔̂̇̂ͨ̔̀̀́̀͘͠͝͝ͅő̷̟̲̫̦͖̳̮̠͚͖̅̒͒͂̾ͭ͘͢ͅs̸̵̴̸̢͓̫ͦͯ͂̌ͫ͛͜͡b̶̨̧̼̉ͦ͒ͣ̎̈́́ͭ͘͝͏̵̶̸̨d̸̢̛̛̛̘̙̱̪̻͉͗̃͋ͦ̊̌͊̽͗ͥ̇͛̑́͝҉҉̶j̶̶̶ͧ̒͊̾̃̏͛ͪͮ͛̀͞͝͞d̖͓̘̰͎̼̲͚͎̘̳͇͛҉̴̨͜͝i̶̸͎̖̮̫̜̋ͥͩ̈̇̽̑́҉̵̴̀͠͏d̸̯̝͇͓͕̟̪̞̞̲͛́ķ̴̘̬̘̟̞̕͜͜͟͝͡͠ͅd̸̛̠̙̭̻̑ͧͣ̄ͤ̃̽́n̻̦̱͐̂́ͬͤͮͮ͊̉d̫̝̫̗̻͕̻̺͍̽ͥ͊ͩ͐ͭ̊̆̅̑͗͑̕͠ͅ҉̢̡̨̛͟͠ô̴̴̸̧̢̩͑̆͐ͬ͐̓̊̈́͜͢͟҉̵d̨̛̝̥̭̤̬͔̬̱̯͙̖̭ͯ̈́̃ͣ̚m̵̹͖͕̻̆͐͋̇̂͗͗̃͗̆ͦ́͘s̵͖̗̲̳͓͙͕̯̬͉͕̪̐ͣͦͧͤ͢͢҉͏̷̢̢͝n̸̸̴̢ͣ͂̽̉͐ͤ̽̽̀̕͡d̴̵̟͉͙͖̮̅̉̊ͯ́̀ͪ̔ͫ̍͜j̴̴̸̫̩͔̲͚̫̯͙̩̯̪͓ͬ̄̈́̀̐̿̏̾͑́̚̕͘͢͠͡͠͞f̵̛̔͗̑ͨ̏́͂̿̑͞҉̸̨̢o͕͒͐́͛͌͛ͮ͑ͯ͢͜s̩̺̞͇̤͔̃̏̑ͬs̵̜̗̖̰̩̯̞̪̖̦͑͂ͨͩͯ͒̆͌ͧ́̀̚̚͜҉͝ń̻̪̮̘̲͢͢͟҉s̶̴̢̨̤̲̥̜̯͖͚͎͂ͪ̎͂ͤ̓͐͒ͪͩ̈͒͟͠͞ͅņ̴̜̼͈̰̮̗͚̳̮͕͖̗͐́̿d̴̶͍̥̙̪ͧ̐̅ͪ̃ͧ̀͡j̸̸̷̸̢̛̟̬̭̟͇͖̝̾͗̽̍͆̓̎̊̎̚͝͠ď̨̨̡̠̰̪͇͉̬͚́ͫͥ̑̊ͅ͏̨oͦ͛͂̄̄̌ͨ̋͋ͤ͆͐̾͏̶̸̵̨̛̀͝͡͝d̷͎̣̲͇̝̤̟͕͉ͦ̔͊̌ͥ̿̚͘͟ǹ̴̴̨̛̛̯̪͕̞̲̮̲̬̜̦̀́͠͠͝͠d̛̗̼̝͈̣̤̻̪̓̍ͨͭ́͘n̵̦̠̻̱͇͙͈̘͖̾̉̊ͪ̌͗̚e͇͔̤̞͂͂̓̄̔͏҉͟͠͠j̛̗͓͕͕͙̇̈̀҉҉҉́͝ḑ̳̘̹́̕͡ͅk̴̵̴̶̷̢̡̫̙͈͓ͩ͂͘͟s̷͓͉̹͖͕̲̣͇̥̗̃ͫ̐̔ͥ̏̽͑̾̒̌͜k̵̨̨̨̝̜̙̙̫̀s̨͚͈͓̰̯̖̘̿͂̿̾̈̈́̔́̎͡nͤ̎̒͐̈́͡͏̸̶̶̢̡̡̨̀͟ş̵̸̷̢͍̟̹͙̖̬̗ͤͬͯ̋̑̅ͯ͂̂ͥ̐́͝͏̵̴͝h̨ͪͭͦͨͪͮ̈͢͠d͔͗̔̂̆́̍̽͘͏̴̧į̵̸̷̡ͪ͂̔͐̐̅̊ͬͥ̅ͧ̿̇͘͘͞d̶̡̢̧̢ͥ̉̋̎̅͋ͥͪͪ̈́̑͘̕̕͢͞͞

..

"AAAAAAGH!!", Yuri screamed. The blade fell from her hands as she dropped to her knees grabbing her head. "Huh?", Belrose was as confused as her behind that loud and deafening screeching inside her head that caused her that indescriptible pain.

Yuri's screams ceased soon but her heavy breathing and pounding head still had her on the ground grabbing her head. Belrose calmly walked towards her and picked up his weapon.

While Yuri was too set on stopping the pain inside her head, he gently pressed the tip of his blade against her neck, not piercing it yet though.
Yuri didn't seem to care, that pain in her head seemingly stronger than the threat he could represent.

"Hmmm....", Belrose kept his blade there, thinking. The temptation of actually getting rid of the purple girl was big. Surely his orders were not those but in the very end, wasn't this what that man aimed for? Doing it now may get him in high esteem with him or the complete opposite of that.

And for a moment, he thought it was worth the risk.
For a moment that is.

Belrose felt the hairs upon the back of his neck erecting as a cold sweat ran down his spine, unconsciously gritting his teeth as he quickly grabbed Yuri by the hair, pulling her while keeping the tip of his rapier against her neck.

Belrose eyes traveled all over that pretty back garden as the sun had begun to set and the darkness was upon them, there were certain corners he couldn't get to see well, looking for that figure that once caused this same feeling on him.

"You better let her go, Belrose", those were the words he heard from that person. They came from behind. Belrose quickly turned around while nervously pressing his rapier against Yuri's neck who still had trouble breathing and grabbed her head.

Standing amidst two beds of flowers, one made of violets, the other made of roses was a woman wearing a dark purple hood that covered her head. She wore a bandages around her torso covered by a black vest, white tight pants under a ripped black skirt and long black boots and along with an arm protector on her left forearm and pale dark purple bandages on the other.

Her face however, was not for his eyes to see. A pair of black googles similar to those of a spy covered half of it and a more black bandages covered her right cheek, only her little nose, small mouth and left tender looking cheek were visible.

"I guessed you would come....", Belrose nervously said. The hooded woman didn't respond and began walking towards them. "Don't!", Belrose exclaimed as he pressed the tip of his rapier a bit deeper, finally starting to dig into Yuri's skin. The woman stopped.

"Kyah!", Yuri had finally stopped the pain inside her head at that moment but to her misfortune, it was only replaced by the one on her neck now. She finally glanced at what was going on.

First it was Belrose now having her blade against her neck which she didn't realize when it happened. Second was that strange individual before them of dark purple hood.

While her looks surely were odd, what really caught Yuri's attention was a very peculiar detail on her outfit and that was a black umbrella attached to her waist.
Yuri may not had the best knowledge of fashion but even she knew that was an odd place to have your umbrella on.

"If you hurt her, I will make sure you spend your last days wishing you were already dead", the hooded woman said calmly, yet the threatening tone in her voice was frightening and to Yuri, oddly familiar.

"Let us calm down, shall we?", Belrose said and smiled, yet the nervousness in his expression was laughable as he snapped his fingers. Yuri then heard her back door sliding open and glanced only to see four men wearing purple tuxedos coming out from her house, making her glad of not taking the second option earlier.

"It is ironic because what I am going to say next goes well with that name you go by nowadays... So, gentlemen, bring her Head to me!", Belrose exclaimed and at once all four men went after the hooded woman, welding classic french rapiers of their own.

"Ridiculous...", so spoke the one who those two youngsters of beanie hat and school cap called the Head as the four men surrounded her.

And then it only took 5 seconds.

The first man to attack failed a thrust to her face, piercing through his comrades neck who looked to attack her from behind while the Head easily sliced his throat with one quick hand movement.

The third and fourth simply pierced each other's hearts as the Head easily redirected their attacks with her bare hands coming from both sides against each other.

Belrose gulped. Yuri covered her mouth a bit frightened with one hand but deep inside her, couldn't help but find that fascinating. Witnessing someone's death for the first time was somehow just as fascinating as it was reading it in books for her.

"I'll just say this one more time. Let Yuri go", the Head spoke and the purple girl immediately had one question in mind.
"How'd she know my name?".

"Sorry, but that will not be possible just yet. Not until I had run out of cards in this game", Belrose finally smiled confident. All trace of nervousness and fear had vanished at last. "Then, you will have to-!!", the Head began to say but a single glance at her own shadow cut her off.

The reason, it was because a person couldn't have two shadows.

She quickly turned around and was met face to face with someone she actually had never seen before.

Around the same height at her, a woman of long green hair was there. Half of her face was covered with white bandages similar to a person whose eyes just went through surgery, allowing her only to see the lower half of it and yet, somehow, she could feel her unknown eyes fixated on her.

Before questioning herself how was it possible for her to have got behind her without her noticing, what next caught her attention was the golden crown on her head.