~ two


Unseen, another armor walks the halls of an office, passers by adjusting their jackets with a shiver, he enters the office as the door shuts through him, visor locking the target.

He fires.

Another bore creature drills into the man at table's head as he tries to shake off the unknown.  And the soldier's gone with the slightest fluttering of paperwork.

Drops back into a field filled with them porting in and out near a massive factory set into a mountainside and beneath a great tree broad enough to dangle its roots down over the machinery as the steam hisses through.

To another porting out and into a capitol building where another glow sparks for its symbols to form the seal gate.

He walks toward the central chamber filled with politicians arguing, each with two unseen whisperers, whispering in each ear while stroking the hair.

The armor joins the formation of two at each door.
________________

Parasol snaps a picture on her phone in full manga gear holding a product with a smile and a peace sign, then tosses the product in the corner and picks back up the Gamebrick.

Mary - Wearing reading glasses and smoking a curled pipe, "Man !  These fuckers are dropping faster than I can kill them !  I think something's going on."

Parasol - "Inside job ?  They're all connected to the same scenarios, but never directly.  They could be cleaning house, consolidating rights while looking for someone to pin it on."  Glances with a smile, "Someone like you, my beautiful psychopath."

Mary - "Hero.  He-ro."

Parasol - "Mm-hm."  The game's beeps and boops ...

Mary - "What ?  They're bad people !  At least the ones I did."

Parasol - "I know.  I just don't know why you care.  Everyone else just feeds."  Be-boop.  "I think vodka drunks are my favorite."

Mary - "Yeah ... I don't know.  I do kinda wish bastards tasted better ... they never really do."

Parasol - "Unhealthy life styles."

Mary - "Yeah and their fucking pillsHorrible aftertaste."

Parasol - "Like chemicals and chalk.  But you know I can just go to a bar and find a pushy vodka drunk like right now.  Last one deserved it."  Pew pew !  "Ha !"

Mary - "Hmmm ... we should go on vacation after this gig.  I hear like everybody's an asshole in France.  It's like a feeding paradise.  Wanna see the stupid tower ?"

Parasol - "I could give a fuck about the stupid tower."

Mary - "God I love you."

Pew pew ... pause.

Parasol - "Really ?"

...

Mary - "Well I mean ... "

Parasol - "I love you too."  Kisses her on the cheek.  "He-ro."  Un-pauses.

Mary stares wide eyed and terrified at the ceiling while Parasol games seeming almost meditatively happier.
________________

Nunya and Formalda walk past the unseen armor as it walks the street signaling to another nearby before converging on a mark into the alleyway.  They seem to be partially aware unlike the rest.

Formalda - "Like a curse trying to claw its way in ... "

Nunya - "It felt exactly like that."

Formalda - "Let's go take a look."

Nunya - "Yay the likelihood of horrible death.  Fine but I wanna borrow ... "

Formalda - "No.  Theoretically this is our job to know."

...

Nunya - Mutters, "Your job to know ... "

They head for the alleyway, there a man with a gun to his head, tears in his eyes.  "It was me.  It was me all along."  Fires, they feel a chill in the breeze.

Nunya - "Do ... you know who that was !?"

Formalda - "Yes.  I do."  Pulls her phone.
________________

While Parasol and Mary sleep, the glow forms sparking for symbol clips until the gate is formed.  The armored thing draws at the foot of their bed.

Parasol catches the launched creature just over Mary's forehead, waking her.  The armor ghosts to the side as Parasol leaps up and fires now at her, the bullet beast cut in half as she extends what appear to be a ghost-blade from her hand.

The armor's gun extends to blade.  

Head cocks to the side, he taps his wrist comp and more gate in.

Parasol - Free hand up, "Stop !"  The armors pull back ... then move to approach again.

Mary - "Stop what ?"

Parasol looks at her as the blade's ghostliness crawls up her arm, armoring her.

Mary - Seeing her still in her frilly nightgown, "What the hell are you doing ?  Is this for the internet ?"

Parasol - Eyes go wide, "Oh !  Yes please."

Mary turns on the camera and lights a smoke suspiciously.


Credits while Parasol pretty much evil sailor moons through the constant pouring hoard (each kill is a credit name counting atop the screen).

~ Music off ~

Mary stares at her standing on the bed in her nightgown flapping her arms and making wooshing sounds with her mouth.

~ Music back on ~

A twirl over their heads with a swipe through backs, she shatters the window with a glow connected book.

Cutting through as they defend the symbols sparking, she works around the room, throwing enough symbol sources out the window to close the gate.

~ after-credit ~

Mary - Watching Parasol jump around swinging her arms into the final blow, still in her nightgown.  She turns off the camera.  "Why are my books and posters all gone now ?"  

Parasol stands on the bed looking at her with the adrenal post fight madness in her eyes breathing hard.

Mary - "I mean that was really graceful !"  Clears her throat.  "My love.  ...  Hey have you ever tried using a sword ?"