A Cool Victory

New footsteps came slowly from around the corner, Mamoru held his sword ready, but only a purple haired girl came around. She looked confused a moment, then grinned.

“Mamoru! I finally found you!”

“She got here too fast?” Mirai shouted.

That’s not the witch!

Mamoru pulled back his sword at their warning so that he could slash her neck but stopped with the blade behind his head. She looked just like Yamiko, could he slash someone he knew? She came close and next thing he knew his back was cracking the wall behind him. He spat and fell to his knees. The person grinned with Yamiko’s face, then her body began to dissolve to reveal black underneath.

The person had the form of a shapely woman in form fitting black suit, with a black helmet that completely blocked every part of her head.

The newcomer tried to drive a fist into Mamoru’s head, but he blocked it with the side of his blade. Shock from the blow reverberated to his arms. He grunted and tightened his grip. The attacker resolved to push hard, and he was pressed against the wall with sword’s side crushing his chest. A sharp pain, something like what a broken rib suddenly came from his side and he grunted.

Whoever the woman was, she was strong, too strong for him to beat. He kicked her legs in a desperate flurry, but she didn’t seem to notice and continued her slow push of the blade into his chest. No matter how much he put into pushing back, she had him locked in what would be a slow painful death with only one arm.

“001? What are you doing here?” The ice woman’s voice came from the end of the hallway. She walked over the icy floor with ease despite her heels. “I don’t recall inviting you to this meeting.”

The masked woman’s pressing stopped as she turned to the ice woman. Mamoru tried to use the moment to break free, but she was still using enough force to lock him into place. She said nothing even as the ice woman stopped in front of her. With the heels, she was tall enough to look down at the masked opponent.

“Well, if you have nothing to say for yourself, get going. I can take care of this little rat here. Ice burst from the wall and wrapped around Mamoru like two arms. The masked woman pulled her fist away from Mamoru and stared at him. The mask was nothing but empty, black material that seemed glossy under the hallway lights.

The woman then looked at Hikari’s ghostly form. The princess shuddered when their opponent looked at her, and turned a special shade of pale when the masked woman sliced her finger across her neck—directed at Hikari.

“What are you doing 001, why don’t you get back and get a checkup, your body must be resisting you.”

The black clad woman vanished in a blur. The ice woman shook her head. “What a difficult day today. I will have to ask for a long vacation.” She turned to Mamoru and smiled. “Now be a dear and die quietly.”

Mamoru had no desire to die quietly and shouted. His sword re-ignited in flames and he melted the ice just enough to break into a roll as an icy spear flew overhead. The woman clicked her tongue and produced an icy shield between herself and the fiery blade Mamoru directed at her.

The ice cut cleanly, but his opponent was unscathed. An icy wind shoved him down the hallway, and he shivered intensely. Ice instantly had built up across his chest requiring the sword to be held close. The woman moved her hand in the air with elegance, only to stop as a voice from behind Mamoru shouted.

“Like, back off you-”

Their opponent swung her arm, and the floor froze over fresh, catching the approaching Yamiko’s and Mamoru’s feet. She yelped from the sudden stop and began to shake her legs in an attempt to break her feet free. Mamoru drove his fiery blade in the floor.

“You were marked as low priority, but you can die first.” The woman smirked. “I get the feeling your friend will take good mental damage from that.”

The icy woman laughed and held her hand outstretched at Yamiko, and the purple haired girl’s eyes grew wide. She winced as if readying for the blow. Mamoru, still a bit frozen on his chest, yanked his feet from the shoes and jumped barefoot on the ice.

The left side of his abdomen was run through with the icy spear. As he fell backward, he heard Yamiko scream.

Can you still hear me? I can tell you’re still alive, but barely. Hikari couldn’t keep her tone calm as her ghostly form floated hands over the wound like she wanted to do first aid but couldn’t. Mamoru coughed and slid closer to Yamiko.

The cold woman laughed.

“What a hero! Taking the blow to save the helpless little girl. It is almost like one of my romantasy novels. She slowly strode with confidence to the duo. Mamoru spat blood where he meant for words to be.

“Why would you, like, do that? I… I….” Yamiko’s sentences fell apart into gibberish. Mamoru slid next to Yamiko’s frozen feet and put the flaming sword next to them.

“Oh, and now you are trying to subtly free her so she can escape. I applaud your efforts, but don’t think I will let you. But I think we are about done here.” She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the bloody Mamoru. A couple more taps, and she brought it to her ear. “Yes, you saw the picture, he will bleed out shortly even if I weren’t about to lob his head off. I do believe you owe me after this, however. What do I want, how about a weeks’ vacation! Oh, good!”

“-ou.” Mamoru spat with blood as he left the sword on the ground and stood on shaky feet. “-ou -ink- I – eed – owrd to -ight.”

Mirai hissed from his pocket, “Mamoru, don’t move, I’m trying to heal you!” He felt some relief where the wound had incurred, which he figured was the healing magic.

“I’m sorry, dear, but you are completely incomprehensible now,” the ice woman said before bursting into laughter. She slid the phone away and shook her head.

Mamoru made shaky steps across the cold floor. His feet felt like they were burning on the ice, his side felt like it was burning even more, and he left the occasional red stain, but he had his opponent in clear view. She smirked at him, like one does at a puppy.

Are you trying to kill yourself?

Mamoru shook his head. He balled his hands into fists.

The icy opponent crossed her arms, she seemed like she expected him to collapse at any moment. With her powers she probably felt confident enough to swat him away if she actually thought he was a threat. Given that she hadn’t meant she merely thought he was serving as entertainment.

Mamoru wasn’t in any shape to smile, which worked out. The walk was difficult, but the focus on his target and burning cold at his feet provided ample distraction from his weakness. He felt some strength in his arms, just enough, and just enough coming back to his legs.

Upon getting close enough, the red-haired punk lunged forward and drove a fist into the side his opponent’s face. She yelped and stumbled back. Her hand pressed on the spot, and she glared at him with fury in her eyes.

Instantly ice wrapped around his arms, and he was dangled off a newly grown tower. He spat and gasped. She walked close and slapped him on the face with her free hand. With his other wound it barely felt like a tickle. He forced a smirk.

“-at all you got?”

The icy woman’s eyes glowed with rage. She curved her fingers like she was going to try to claw his eyes out.

Yamiko bear hugged the woman from the side. Both shouted, the purple-haired girl doing her chant, but the icy woman soon shouted more as another being was forced out of her.

Their opponent passed out on the ground with Yamiko on top as a new woman stood above. She was tall, pale, and dressed in a white kimono. The yokai looked around the scene with a furrowed brow.

“Noble yuki-onna, I represent the Suzuki Clan,” Yamiko moved from over their opponent into a bow on the icy floor. “I and my companion behind you mean you no ill will, we worked to free you from this heinous woman beside me.”

The yuki-onna waved her hand and all the ice vanished. Mamou’s knees slammed into the ground, and he had to force himself to stay upright.

“Mamoru!” Yamiko rushed to his side. She winced for a moment but pulled him close despite blood getting on her.

Mamoru! Hikari “rushed” over as well but couldn’t do anything other than watch. She looked frustrated.

Mirai popped up from his pocket with her blue hair turned golden. She aimed glowing hands at where his wound was with a serious expression on her face.

The yuki-onna was next to them before anyone could react. She kneeled next to them and looked curiously at Mamoru’s face.

“I thank you for your help, young warrior,” the ice yokai said. Mamoru nodded weakly.

The Suba employee yelped as ice incased her. She slid across the floor until the Yuki-onna was close enough to reach into the woman’s uniform. A small vial was pulled free and placed into Yamiko’s hand. “Young woman of the Suzuki Clan, you face a difficult trial with these opponents.”

“I… I… I can tell….”

“From my time in this woman’s stomach, I know this contains a small healing concoction. It will help to stabilize him until your healer can complete her work.” The yuki-onna stood up. She aimed an icy stare at the Suba employee, still trapped in her frozen shackles. “As for you, I will show you torment like you never have seen.”

The yokai almost seemed to float as she walked away, with the ice trap sliding at her side. The Suba employee shouted.

“What do you think you can do you freak? Do you know how important I am? We will-”

Both she and the yuki-onna faded out.

Yamiko breathed a sigh of relief and twisted open the vial. She sniffed the contents before bringing it to Mamoru’s mouth.

“Drink it, it will help.”

Mamoru obliged and was out cold soon after.