章 45: Chapter 11.2
Alina sighed with boredom as she sat and belatedly watched Asami and Ken argue. The awkward silence since the time that they were alone had pervaded until recently, and the group wasn't able to decide on a ride. Asami consistently insisted on going through the Bullet Battle, a maglev roller coaster that had its riders stand on magnetic shoes while it sped over the park's grounds. The riders would simultaneously be engaged in a VR game where they would be fighting on top of a speeding train and the roller coaster only made the game that much more realistic.
Ken adamantly refused, stating that it was unsafe but Asami correctly guessed it was because he had the jitters over height. The former suggested that they start with bumper hovers before slowly moving to more intense rides. The two continued bickering even as the three sat down and had a few refreshments at a cafe.
Alina watched them argue as she contently sipped some iced coffee that she brought. The flavor of roasted beans melded perfectly with the bitter aftertaste and the syrupy sweetness of sugar mixed with crushed ice quickly cooled her down as it ran its course down her throat. Originally, iced coffee without cream was something Alina despised with passion but Jason would occasionally make some and refrigerate it, and that lead to her eventual downfall as she began enjoying the bitter-sweet drink.
"What are you, eight??" Asami scoffed at Ken. "Who goes for bumper rides again? Kids!"
"Yeah? And only adrenaline junkies run to crazy rides like that from the start!" Ken pointed at the Bullet Battle that was flying overhead them as he spoke sardonically. Screams from the passengers only served to reinforce his point.
"How dare you?" Asami gasped exaggeratedly as she pointed at him. "That's the only way to live, Ken doll!"
"Argh," Ken looked as though he was shot in the chest when he heard Asami teasing his name. "Look, I'm not saying don't go for it, just start off easy."
"What do you think, Alle?" Asami asked and Ken turned to look at her too.
"Haunted house," answered Alina, surprising both. "What? It's fun when they run away screaming after you punch them."
"Yeah, that's … uh … yeah," Ken replied.
"You were definitely raised by that guy," Asami shuddered as she recalled Jason's combat class.
Alina was about to reply when she saw a blonde woman walking through the crowds. Her startling blue eyes connected with Alina's and the latter froze as shock ran through her face.
"... Katie?" Alina let out a stunned whisper before getting up and running after the woman. By the time Ken and Asami stood up, Alina had disappeared into the bustling crowd.
The two exchanged glances before deciding to run after her when an explosion rocked the area. Screams rang out around them as a stampede of people threatened to run them over as they both turned to look behind them. A fire was burning at a distance while crying and panic from the crowd drowned all noise nearby. Ken's eyes widened as he realized that the explosion occurred near the merry-go-round.
"Nikki!" Ken bellowed as he ran away from Alina's direction and towards the explosion. Asami hesitated for a moment before running after him. She believed that Alina could handle anything but that the others, such as Nikki, might be in danger.
***
Alina jumped backwards while tilting her head sideways and a dagger gleamed past her throat and cut her cheek instead. Her eyes widened in surprise before she gritted her teeth in rage. She formed a fist and punched the assassin with most of her strength and the assailant was sent flying into a stall that shattered from the impact.
Alina touched the cut on her cheek as she narrowed her eyes. Soon after she began following the woman, Alina lost sight of her and realized too late that there was killing intent targeting her. The assassin was similar to the one that attacked Jason, however, this one was slightly weaker.
"Alright, now I'm pissed," Alina muttered as electricity crackled all around her, the current changing her eyes into a bright purple colour as her holo-lens activated. She tried using her holo-lenses to contact the others when an explosion sent her to stumble as the ground trembled with fear.
"Shit!" Alina hissed as she began running towards the carousel. A well-aimed dagger whizzed past Alina and she was forced to stop her and dodge. She turned to face the assassin who managed to pull himself out of the wreckage. "But first, I gotta make this idiot breakdance."
As Alina muttered the electricity surrounding her began arching towards the assassin. Soon, the poor man was twitching and performing a 'breakdance' as a large current of electricity began flowing through to him.
***
Michelle watched as Emily was forced to join Alice into riding the merry-go-round. Unlike the old carousel, this one was using robotic horses that had artificial skin and hair implanted in it, its appearance to real horses was uncanny with only the glowing green eyes signifying that they were machines.
Nikki, who was clamouring about the merry-go-round previously, was now munching on an ice cream bar next to Michelle.
"I thought you wanted to ride le carrousel?" Michelle asked while watching Alice laugh as she leaned on a railing.
"Yeah, no," Nikki sheepishly replied while leaning back on the railing and watching the crowd. "I just wanted to give my bro a push. Speaking of which …"
Nikki turned to look at Michelle, studying her blue eyes while her own sparkled with enthusiastic vibrancy.
"Are you from France? Your accent is so cool!" Nikki exclaimed. "Hot, I mean."
"Vraiment? You think so?" Michelle asked with some surprise. She rather disliked her accent, preferring Alina's or Emily's American accent.
"Yeah, and I'm not the only one," Nikki giggled. "Jason stares at you whenever you speak … I bet he thinks your accent is hot."
"I … non. That can't be," Michelle shook her head as her cheeks were tinged with a slight blush.
"Uh, yeah it is," Nikki rolled her eyes. "When he was chatting with uncle and auntie, he was turning to look at you when you were speaking to Asami. And when he couldn't see you, he'd tilt his head in your direction. Whenever you were speaking. Without looking!"
"Absurdité. He is not like that," Michelle protested.
"Oh alright, he was paying attention to everyone," Nikki acquiesced before grinning. "But what about you?"
"Moi? What about me," Michelle asked.
"You were the first to wanna follow him," Nikki's eyes gleamed as she spoke. "Is that cuz you like him?"
Nikki stretched out the syllables for 'like' and Michelle panicked for a moment when she heard her before calming down.
"Non, the one who likes him is Emily," Michelle answered perfunctorily. "I only admire him, he is a capable fighter."
"Oh?" Nikki looked at Michelle with a stare that was wiser than her age. Her parents' deaths and the life she lived before her brother was detected as being a Psych had matured her immensely.
Nikki was about to speak again when Michelle raised her arm and signalled her to be silent. Michelle narrowed her eyes before unholstering her gun and spinning backward while firing. An assassin that was trying to sneak on them was hit multiple times by her stun bullets as two more sped up and charged at her from different directions.
"ALLER!" Michelle shouted to Nikki before preparing to fight the assailants while Nikki ran to Emily and Alice.
As one came to stab her, Michelle agilely dodged his attack while pushing the arm that was wielding the dagger away and aimed her gun at his stomach. She fired two shots and another at the assailant's head for good measure. The rubber bullet impacted the assailant with enough force to send his whole body reeling back and onto the ground.
As the third assassin closed in, Michelle locked her gun and held it by the barrel, using the handle of the gun to block the continuous attacks the assassin delivered. As they fought, Michelle saw three more assassins enter her view from the corner of her eyes. The leader was strangely a female and she gestured at the two near her to aid the assailant fighting Michelle.
The two joined in, Michelle was pushed back by the combined assault from three assailants. Michelle used her left arm to block an attack from her left, then smashed her gun into another attack at her right when suddenly the two assassins used this opportunity to knee her at the same time. The third ran forward and performed a dropkick that sent Michelle flying backwards.
Pain coursed through Michelle's body as she flew through the merry-go-round, smashing through several horses before landing on the ground. Emily who had grabbed Alice during the chaos and Nikki tried to run and check on Michelle but stopped when the female assassin started to approach her.
The assassins walked to where Michelle laid as the latter quickly reloaded her gun with live rounds. An assassin pulled out a scimitar and slashed it at her with all his force but Michelle raised her left arm to fend off the attack. A clang rang out before the blade shattered shocking everyone that was watching.
Michelle's left arm flickered before the hologram surrounding it collapsed, revealing a robotic left arm that was completely unscathed.
"Oui," Michelle agreed with her stunned opponent before slamming her mechanical fist into him. The assassin's chest caved in from the blow as his body flew back. Michelle then fired her gun, wounding the two other assassins with non-lethal hits at their arms and legs, before changing her target to the female assassin.
"Ne bouge pas!" Michelle shouted and the assassin stopped near Emily and Alice. "Bouge et je tire!"
The assassin slowly turned to face Michelle, her face obscured with a hoodie and a face mask. She then pulled out two Kukri knives and took a step towards her. Michelle hesitated, knowing that she might kill the assassin if she pulled the trigger. Despite being trained to shoot and kill, a trace of humanity prevented her from pulling the trigger until the assassin increased her speed as she neared Michelle. [3]
Michelle retreated and fired a shot which was quickly deflected by the assassin. The reflected bullet hit a combustible container within a food stall and the explosion that followed after threw everyone backwards. A thin piece of shrapnel hit Michelle's prosthetic arm causing sparks to fly as it began to malfunction. Emily hugged Alice, shielding the latter's body with her own as the blast reached them as well.
Once the explosion subsided, the unmoving bodies of Michelle, Emily, Nikki, and Alice lay along with the debris while the female assassin slowly climbed out of the wreckage, unharmed.
[1] Yeesh I know, it's sword like Raiden's from MGS. (https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZjWBwCVQc2s/maxresdefault.jpg)
[2] Maai: The reach and distance between two melee fighters. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maai)
[3] Kukri: Curved blade. Info: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kukri) Pic: (http://www.cutlerycorner.net/images/products/x_CCN-59281.jpg)
クリエイターの想い 
Drakonous
Drakonous Ok so releases might be delayed as I'm rewriting scenes to be less clunky. Also, it's Thanksgiving and I dunno if I'll be able to release a chapter daily.
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