Post by Tulip Waterfield on Nov 17, 2016 6:28:52 GMT
The ship crashed into the earth, sending up chunks of earth and a cloud of dust. Tulip fell onto all fours as the huge vehicle came to a shuddering halt. The captain stumbled into the cargo bay, concern and fear written on his face.
“Tulip, we're over fifty miles from the nearest city. That missile took out the engines; the bastards who fired it are going to be arriving soon.”
The woman slowly rose to her feet, looking across at the old man who was already checking the stowed cargo to ensure it was still secured and undamaged. The woman began walking towards the bay doors, pausing as crewmen began pouring into the cargo bay with reports on the damage and repairs underway.
“Old man, prepare to lock the doors behind me. I'll deal with our rude guests posthaste. If the kitchen is still intact and the cook uninjured, ask him to whip up a snack. Gonna need a post-victory appetizer to dampen the bittersweet taste of battle.”
Pressing the release switch to the doors, the woman waited for the doors to crack far enough for her to pass through. Tensing her legs, she leaped up and out into the sunlight.
Crack!
Her eyes widened in shock as a piercing sound filled the air. Her gaze narrowed as Tulip pushed her entire body into overdrive. Sidestepping with all of her speed, she slid over twenty feet away when her shoes regained traction. Another, metallic crack filled the air as a single round struck the side of the ship, ricocheting into the air. That had been a rifle, which meant the bandits were nearby. Her gaze darted to either side of the broken earth she stood on. There was thick trees and little visibility, which meant she was at a disadvantage. But, the woman had the knowledge of their presence, which meant she now had the upper-hand. Slowly crouching, the woman placed both her hands on the earth between her feet. Thrusting one foot further back, she focused her energy into her bent leg.
In one motion, launch yourself forward!
Tulip vanished from sight as the ground exploded from her flash step. Bringing one fist back, the woman slammed it into the tree that rose up in her vision. The huge oak splintered and broke wear her hand struck. The woman ignored the tree as it crashed to the ground beside her. In front of the woman were three men, all armed with rifles. Slowly walking forward, Tulip began speaking.
“You owe my employers for crashing the ship. I'd say...about a million zeni will cover the repairs and mental trauma.”
The trio laughed and the oldest man in the the group raised his rifle to point at the young woman. “I don't know how you did that trick with the vanishing and breaking that tree, woman. I also don't know what idealistic haven you came from, girly, but out here it's dog-eat-dog. On top of that, we have the weapons and you're unarmed. Now, turn around before we fill that beautiful body of yours into a Swiss cheese.”
As the other two continued chuckling, they brought their weapons up. Tulip raised her hands palm out and spoke softly.
“You're right. Little old me is unarmed. Have you ever heard the term 'Monk'? In ancient days, they were rumored to be the most powerful fighters on this planet. Men capable of defeating entire armies with just their bare hands or whatever stick they happened to lay hands on. Today, I'm going to give you a little demonstration of what those monks might have been capable of.”
The old man cursed under his breath, realization dawning in his eyes. There was something else in his gaze, but Tulip was unable to discern what. The trio opened fire, emptying their entire clips in Tulip's direction. A faint shimmer enveloped the woman's hands, as she made fists with both. When the trio's bolts fell on empty chambers, the woman lowered her fists and let the bullets she had caught fall to the dirt at her feet. The youngest man began praying under his breath, as the other man reached into his belt and drew a knife. She walked forward, shaking her head wearily.
“If I just caught over twenty bullets with my bare hands, what makes you think I can get cut by your knife?”
“Shut the fuck up, monster!” The man screamed, sprinting forward with his knife held out in front of him. He swung the blade in an arc that the woman easily evaded. She caught his arm before he could bring it back up and stepped forward. Slamming her hand into his stomach, the woman held back to ensure the bandit didn't die. He vomited reflexively, as her strike forced every muscle in his stomach to seize up from pain. Tulip drew her hands back, plucking the knife from his grip to ensure the man didn't impale himself as he fell face-down onto his own vomit. Breaking the knife between her hands, Tulip flicked the pieces behind her.
“Let's call that a warning shot. Tell me your numbers and the location of your base; if you do, I'll make the blow cleaner.”
Before the young man could speak, the old man finished loading his rifle and leveled it towards the young man. A fear was written on his face that the woman's warning shouldn't have created. Something far worse had this man terrified. The young man's eyes widened in shock as the old man shook his head and pulled the trigger.
Blood splattered the ground, as the young man slowly sank to the ground. Piss lined the inside of his pants, but there was no injury to be seen. Tulip stumbled back, wincing as blood dripped from her injured hand. The woman hadn't had time to reinforce her hand with Ki, due to the suddenness of the old man's shot. Lashing out angrily with her uninjured hand, the woman shattered the old man's rifle. Walking forward, she picked the old man up by the collar. He couldn't even cry out as she slammed him firmly against the tree. He began coughing and struggled to regain his breath as the woman started speaking angrily.
“I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you, old man, but I'd better get some goddamn answers fast! Otherwise, I'll have to send you to an early grave and get answers from your partner you just tried killing!”
The old man began shaking his head and sobbing, muttering something about demons and death. Tulip's rage slowly dissipated as she realized her empty threats weren't as dangerous to this man as whatever evil had been inflicted on him before. Dropping him to one side, she checked her injured hand. Blood was oozing from the metal round that had embedded itself in the center of her palm. It had gone almost completely through, but she'd managed to stop it with her Ki. Yanking it free, Tulip suppressed a moan of pain as blood began flowing even worse. The sound of something moving behind her made the woman whirl, already on the offensive. She cut her attack short when she saw the young man holding out a tattered cloth. Taking it gratefully, the woman began wrapping it around her injured hand.
“It wasn't always like this, you know. My father used to be the leader of our clan, and we were honorable hunters. It wasn't until that...thing arrived that our entire world was turned into despair and evil.” The young man's gaze was watery and his words full of bitter spite. “That demon who killed my father and took over our home, forcing us to scavenge for its food and entertain it with vile deeds.”
“When you say food...you don't mean...”
“Yes. We didn't shoot down your ship in order to steal the cargo. We did it to capture the passengers. That monstrous being eats people and enjoys their suffering. Our bullets can't scratch it, explosives do nothing, and none of my clan is willing to try to fight again. We're all going to die because of that damn Asura!”
Tulip finished bandaging her hand and thought on what the young man had said. A monstrous demon who was bullet-proof and had extreme resilience. A slow smile crossed the woman's face as she walked over and set a hand on the man's shoulder.
“How much money does your village have?”
“Not a lot. After our trade was halted, we had to spend most of our zeni in order to sustain our food supplies. If I had to guess, a couple thousand zeni. Why?” His voice was full of dread, because the young man could already guess what was coming next.
“I've been looking for something hard to punch for the last seven months. You saw that tree back there; nothing can really hold up to a real punch these days. Stack on top of that the fact that I just got back from space; as nice as a peaceful trek through space is, there's nothing worse for training than an environment where a single good punch could destroy the entire ship. So, tell you what: hire me for a thousand zeni to kill your demon. I'd like to take this 'Asura' for a test ride, to see his punching bag potential.”
“But...oh god.” The man's gaze was troubled, but when he looked up the blood completely vanished from his face. The woman would've placed his expression somewhere between absolute fear and full-blown regret. Unfortunately, she was too busy dealing with what happened next.
BOOM!
Her entire world turned sideways, as something hit Tulip's head so hard her neck popped. Flying sideways and smashing through a tree, the woman rolled to a stop on the broken ground in the open. A tall, red humanoid walked forward, shaking his head dismally.
“I come to check up on my three gallant hunters, only to find a traitor, one injured, and one scared for his life. I'll deal with the traitor later, of course. Now, what shall I do about you, child?”
The demon was easily 3 feet taller than Tulip, with the muscles to match. His body was just like an ordinary person; it was at his face that the resemblance ended. A grotesque visage met her blurred gaze, with blood red eyes that lacked pupils and black fangs not unlike those of a shark. Tulip pushed herself up slowly, trying to still her trembling legs.
“It's okay to be afraid, child. I've been alive for over 500 years, and consumed millions of lives. You will not be the first fighter to try and oppose me, definitely not the last. You do look like a tasty treat, though. Firm muscles, just a slight layer of fat, and organs that are far healthier than the average sailor I've grown accustomed to. Yes, I'll enjoy consuming you.”
Tulip's eyes narrowed in determination, as she forced herself to stand. Kicking her feet out, she took up a stance with both hands raised. The demon began laughing as he saw the woman's trembling stance.
“Hahahahahaha~! You honestly think you can fight a god and survive! I've fought men a hundred times your strength! Those monks you spoke of, I dined on their flesh and strung them up to dry by their own intestines! You can't win this battle, child!”
Taking a deep breath, Tulip closed her eyes. Envision that seal within, placed by your own hand. Now take that seal and shatter it! Dirt began rising from the ground at Tulip's feet, as the air began visibly shimmering. The demon took a step back in shock, before screaming in rage.
“You bitch! How did you hide this strength!?”
“The same way you stayed off the radar this long, ugly guy. Energy Suppression. Now, enough chatter. Let's start this thing.”
The demon didn't get a chance to raise his hands, as the woman shot forward. All of her energy shifted into her fist, as she slammed it into the center of his stomach. He flew backwards into the wood, slamming through numerous trees that crashed onto the ground with resounding cracks and booms. Lowering her fist, she began shaking her stinging fist. The demon curled onto his side, trying to keep from getting sick. Blood dribbled down his cheek; whether from his grisly eating habits or the attack, the hybrid was unsure.
“That's my one cheap shot, demon. Consider it payback for the rabbit punch.”
The demon pushed himself up, grimacing in rage and pain. Leaning forward, he roared as his back shifted. Flesh appendages grew outwards, taking on the shape of wings. Tulip whistled in surprise, as the demon took deep, shuddering breaths. Then he flew up into the air, rising far above the earth the woman stood on. Energy began gathering in the demon, as he screamed down at the woman.
“It's been centuries since I took on this form, mortal! I'm going to use my Death Slash to completely eradicate you from this existence!” Raising one arm into the air, it began shifting, becoming a huge, blood-red blade. Red energy crackled down the length of the blade, as the edge took on a darker black hue. He threw his arm-blade back as he rose further into the air, intent on diving down in a flash to cut down the woman in an instant.
Tulip only smiled, licking her lips seductively. She would savor every excruciating millisecond of the next few moments, as she tested her most powerful strike against this demon from Earth. It had been months since she'd used that for real in battle, and it would be like pure ecstasy to use it against such a worthy adversary. Monster or not, the energy this demon exhibited was nothing to look down upon. Bringing both hands back, Tulip began focusing her energy, kneading it in her mind and placing the focused result into her hands.
The demon reached the peak of his flight, tucking both of it's wings into its back and slowly falling backwards. As Asura's head came down, his speed suddenly tripled, aided by his energy as he prepared to slice the irritating woman completely in half. His speed reached the sound barrier and passed it, creating a sonic boom that echoed through the clearing.
The energy had long since reached it's max, as Tulip struggled to maintain her focus. To self-destruct now and die at the same time would be the height of hilarity. She began focusing the remaining energy she had, preparing it just in case.
The demon thrust his blade forward, preparing to impale the woman's head and cut her in half from the top. Her stance shifted, head blurring and eyes shifting to face his. Her unbandaged hand came up to meet his blade, striking the tip in a shower of red sparks. The tip of the blade cut into her flesh but didn't pierce, as red energy crackled in the air around the two. The ground under Tulip began cracking, as the demon's blade began forcing her down. The blade started to dig in further, forcing the woman to grimace in pain. The demon laughed in triumph, but stopped as Tulip's entire body blurred. Retracting her good fist, Tulip brought her other around in a hook, slamming into the side of the blade. The course shifted enough to only graze the woman's chest. The bandage on her hand turned dark red as blood was forced out due to the impact. Rotating her entire stance as the demon was forced forward by his own momentum, Tulip brought one knee up to her chest. Thrusting outwards into a perfect heel strike, Tulip drove her heel through the demon's chest, using her remaining energy and the devil's own speed to completely impale him. The demon struggled to breath, suddenly finding his own body too heavy to lift. Tulip spun to the side, letting her leg with the body on it plant on the ground. Drawing her bandage-free hand back, the woman slammed her fist down onto the demon's face. A crater was formed from the impact and dust flew up from the impact.
The trio of hunters stumbled into the open, trying to discern the result of the fight. The dust began clearing, revealing a shocking sight. Tulip was stumbling forward, barely able to maintain her consciousness. Expending all of her stored up energy so suddenly felt great at the moment of use, but afterwards left the woman running on fumes. The red body of their former tyrant was lying immobile behind her, body resting partially on the surface. His head was out of sight, buried somewhere in the crater created by Tulip's own fist. The old man walked forward slowly and handed Tulip a small bag.
“This isn't much. A lone man who tried and failed to accomplish what you've done carried this. It was his 'good luck' charm.”
“It wasn't much.” The woman forced a smile, despite the aching in her hands and the blood running down her chest. The sound of ground breaking made the woman's green eyes widen in shock, as the old man began running backwards in shock. He shouted something about the bag and 'healing', but the woman was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy emanating from behind her.
“Dammit, that hurt, girl. Took far more energy than anticipated to heal the damage you inflicted. Let me give you something as a reward.” The tall, red demon was already back on his feet, face half-hidden by steam as it regenerated. Pointing one finger towards Tulip's knee, an almost invisible beam of energy bored a hole through the air, piercing the girl's flesh and muscles. It burned a hole into the ground as Tulip screamed in agony, collapsing to one knee. The demon began firing more beams, piercing her arms and other leg. Her hand tightened impulsively around the bag, as pain completely overwhelmed her body. Falling face-first onto the dirt at her feet, Tulip struggled to maintain her consciousness through the severe pain
shooting through her entire body. The demon slowly walked forward, kneeling next to the woman. “Want to continue our fight, child? Oh, wait...you can't.”
Grabbing her head roughly from behind, the demon rose to his feet and hefted her limp body high. As her entire body swung upwards from the force of his motion,her hand loosened and let the bag fall onto the ground below. The top had come undone, spilling coins and a single bean onto the ground. That's...!?
“Let's plant ourselves a retard tree, shall we!” The demon shouted with glee, before slamming Tulip headfirst into the ground. The dust exploded into the air as the ground visibly cracked from the impact. Tulip's body lay immobile, fingers barely twitching from the extreme damage she'd just sustained. The demon sighed and turned away, beginning his slow walk towards the ship. Out of respect for what the woman had pushed him too, he wasn't going to consume her immediately. Better to let such a rich meal be the main course, after a quick appetizer. He paused as he felt something shift in the air.
'There's no way!?' He turned slowly in shock, as the energy in the air around Tulip began increasing. The woman was making a fist and struggling to pull it back towards herself. How she was mustering this power, on the brink of death and after expending her energy, was beyond the demon's comprehension. Darting forward, the demon kicked her in the side, launching her body up and through the air. She spun sideways, slamming back-first into a tree hard enough to send a chorus of cracks through the air. Her green eyes widened in pain and agony, before the life faded from them. Her lips parted to scream, but with no air only a tiny gasp slipped from her lips. The woman fell away from the tree, landing on the ground and rolling to a stop face-up a few feet away. The demon shook his head and began walking towards the ship once more.
“Shit! Fuck!” The young man muttered under his breath, as he crept closer to the woman's immobile body. The man knelt over her immobile corpse, expression tightening in regret and sorrow. Then he noticed the subtle movement of her chest. She was breathing! Her hand slowly opened, revealing one of the beans she had been given. She muttered something so soft, the young man was sure it had been her dying message.
“Put this...in my mouth.”
He complied, plucking the bean from Tulip's cold hand and placing it into her mouth. She chewed slowly, as if the motion took all the life she had left. Swallowing took an eternity, as the woman waited and prayed she hadn't been wrong. Her eyes closed slowly, as a smile curled the edges of her lips.
The demon paused as he reached the ship. The huge metal box wouldn't be able to resist his energy blast. Raising one palm heavenward, the demon began creating a ball of red energy. It continued growing in size, until it became bigger than a small house. Probably far more bang than needed against something of this caliber, but the demon was growing tired of underestimating things. Preparing to drop the ball on the ship's bay doors, Asura paused as something tapped him on the shoulder.
“What?”
“Grit your teeth, bastard.” A punch crushed his ribs and pierced his organs, as the woman drove her fist into his side with all of her strength. A cry of agony was forced from his lips as the demon was launched sideways into the forest. Tulip sprinted after him, maintaining a weary attention on the ball of energy hovering overhead. It burned through trees with ease, sending huge wooden pieces to the earth around the two. The demon forced himself to stand, trying to understand what was happening. This girl wasn't a demon! How had she recovered so quickly!? She had spent all of her energy in those attacks, which meant she hadn't recovered using healing Ki! Wait...that bag! His gaze shot out across the broken woods and fell on the earth where he'd smashed the girl. A brown, leather bag lay crumpled on the ground, coins scattered around it. That had been the bag of that man!
“We both know how this ends, demon. You drop that attack on me, screaming how I'm a pathetic mortal and shouldn't stand against a god. I punch it using all of my energy, destroying it and destroying you immediately afterwards. End of story, with the Clan living happily ever after and me getting back to my meal ticket. Sound good?”
“No, mortal. I won't be satisfied until I tear you to shreds.” The demon threw his palms heavenwards, roaring in rage. The ball fell from the sky, enveloping him in a pillar of red light. Tulip winced as the energy emanating from the demon increased to almost quintuple its previous strength. The light dispersed, revealing the demon had increased in size by three more feet and gained over a hundred pounds in muscle. He grinned, revealing his grotesque fangs had also increased in size. “With this, my final and most powerful form, I'll defeat you, bug!”
He began sprinting forward, vanishing to the eyes of the men watching. Tulip watched the demon sprinting closer and slammed her fist into her cupped hand in realization. “I've figured it out!”
The demon swung his fist through the girl, cutting her in half and splitting the earth to one side from the pressure of the air. The girl dispersed, revealing only empty ground. An afterimage?! His red gaze darted towards the battlefield, only to widen in shock. The field was completely empty, save for dust that swirling across the ground. The girl was using her energy to increase her speed, which was making her too fast for the demon to catch. His new form could crush the girl without effort, but the increased mass and strength slowed him down considerably. To a normal fighter, it would still be a fatal encounter. This girl had somehow become stronger since their initial counter, already learning new ways to utilize her strength and energy. Something slammed into his side and the demon glanced down. A tree, sharpened from friction, has just been lodged into the demon. How!? He hadn't seen something that large moving!? His eyes widened even further in shock, as the dust completely vanished. She was moving faster than even he could perceive. A sudden, piercing boom cracked the air between him and the ground, as the woman stepped back into the visible reality. Her hand closed into a fist as she braced herself and swung forward. His arms shot inwards, as he tried to beat the girl in a quick-draw match. Both knew that the victor would walk away, and the loser would die brutally. His fists stopped in shock as her fist struck his chest. Her speed and energy had been brought together for this one strike, which tore a gaping hole through the demon's chest. His organs splattered the woods behind his huge body. His body was already trying to regenerate the grievous injury, as blood sprayed from the hole. Not slowing her assault, Tulip focused her energy into her legs and jumped forward, using his injury as a foothold to propel herself upwards into a back-flip. Slamming her toe into his chin, Tulip kicked Asura's head back so hard his neck audibly cracked. The demon struggled to relocate his broken neck, but the injuries were already too much for his dwindling energy. Tulip landed and drew both of her hands back to her side. Straightening her hands out as if they were blades, the woman launched herself forward and upwards. Both her hands lashed out as she passed over Asura in a flip. His head split from his body, as the demon got one, final look at the woman. So...this was where it all ended.
Tulip walked back to the ship, picking up the bag of coins along the way. Her clothes were stained in blood and torn, but she ignored that with ease. Her hair was laced with branches, dirt, and blood as well. Knocking firmly on the door, she waited for the captain to answer.
“Got the bandits to apologize. Fought a demon, too. Oh, they paid me some coins!”
The captain wearily opened the cargo bay doors, letting the disheveled woman enter. She tossed him the dirty bag, as the crew wearily circled around their strange guard. The woman stretched, worsening the damage to her clothing, then asked. “Did the cook finish that post-victory meal? I could really use a good meal right about now.”
As the woman vanished further into the ship, the captain shook his head wearily. He stared at the leather bag and muttered to his crewmen in the bay. “I'll never get a read on that woman. She is the greatest mystery on this ship.”
“Tulip, we're over fifty miles from the nearest city. That missile took out the engines; the bastards who fired it are going to be arriving soon.”
The woman slowly rose to her feet, looking across at the old man who was already checking the stowed cargo to ensure it was still secured and undamaged. The woman began walking towards the bay doors, pausing as crewmen began pouring into the cargo bay with reports on the damage and repairs underway.
“Old man, prepare to lock the doors behind me. I'll deal with our rude guests posthaste. If the kitchen is still intact and the cook uninjured, ask him to whip up a snack. Gonna need a post-victory appetizer to dampen the bittersweet taste of battle.”
Pressing the release switch to the doors, the woman waited for the doors to crack far enough for her to pass through. Tensing her legs, she leaped up and out into the sunlight.
-----------------
Landing on the ruined earth, the woman covered her green eyes wearily and waited for them to adjust. When her eyes stopped stinging, the woman lowered her hand and surveyed the surrounding terrain. The crashing ship had left a long, straight gash in the earth that was easily over 400 meters in length. The woman closed her eyes and tried to smell anything on the breeze, something other than the burning metal and shattered earth around her.Crack!
Her eyes widened in shock as a piercing sound filled the air. Her gaze narrowed as Tulip pushed her entire body into overdrive. Sidestepping with all of her speed, she slid over twenty feet away when her shoes regained traction. Another, metallic crack filled the air as a single round struck the side of the ship, ricocheting into the air. That had been a rifle, which meant the bandits were nearby. Her gaze darted to either side of the broken earth she stood on. There was thick trees and little visibility, which meant she was at a disadvantage. But, the woman had the knowledge of their presence, which meant she now had the upper-hand. Slowly crouching, the woman placed both her hands on the earth between her feet. Thrusting one foot further back, she focused her energy into her bent leg.
In one motion, launch yourself forward!
Tulip vanished from sight as the ground exploded from her flash step. Bringing one fist back, the woman slammed it into the tree that rose up in her vision. The huge oak splintered and broke wear her hand struck. The woman ignored the tree as it crashed to the ground beside her. In front of the woman were three men, all armed with rifles. Slowly walking forward, Tulip began speaking.
“You owe my employers for crashing the ship. I'd say...about a million zeni will cover the repairs and mental trauma.”
The trio laughed and the oldest man in the the group raised his rifle to point at the young woman. “I don't know how you did that trick with the vanishing and breaking that tree, woman. I also don't know what idealistic haven you came from, girly, but out here it's dog-eat-dog. On top of that, we have the weapons and you're unarmed. Now, turn around before we fill that beautiful body of yours into a Swiss cheese.”
As the other two continued chuckling, they brought their weapons up. Tulip raised her hands palm out and spoke softly.
“You're right. Little old me is unarmed. Have you ever heard the term 'Monk'? In ancient days, they were rumored to be the most powerful fighters on this planet. Men capable of defeating entire armies with just their bare hands or whatever stick they happened to lay hands on. Today, I'm going to give you a little demonstration of what those monks might have been capable of.”
The old man cursed under his breath, realization dawning in his eyes. There was something else in his gaze, but Tulip was unable to discern what. The trio opened fire, emptying their entire clips in Tulip's direction. A faint shimmer enveloped the woman's hands, as she made fists with both. When the trio's bolts fell on empty chambers, the woman lowered her fists and let the bullets she had caught fall to the dirt at her feet. The youngest man began praying under his breath, as the other man reached into his belt and drew a knife. She walked forward, shaking her head wearily.
“If I just caught over twenty bullets with my bare hands, what makes you think I can get cut by your knife?”
“Shut the fuck up, monster!” The man screamed, sprinting forward with his knife held out in front of him. He swung the blade in an arc that the woman easily evaded. She caught his arm before he could bring it back up and stepped forward. Slamming her hand into his stomach, the woman held back to ensure the bandit didn't die. He vomited reflexively, as her strike forced every muscle in his stomach to seize up from pain. Tulip drew her hands back, plucking the knife from his grip to ensure the man didn't impale himself as he fell face-down onto his own vomit. Breaking the knife between her hands, Tulip flicked the pieces behind her.
“Let's call that a warning shot. Tell me your numbers and the location of your base; if you do, I'll make the blow cleaner.”
Before the young man could speak, the old man finished loading his rifle and leveled it towards the young man. A fear was written on his face that the woman's warning shouldn't have created. Something far worse had this man terrified. The young man's eyes widened in shock as the old man shook his head and pulled the trigger.
Blood splattered the ground, as the young man slowly sank to the ground. Piss lined the inside of his pants, but there was no injury to be seen. Tulip stumbled back, wincing as blood dripped from her injured hand. The woman hadn't had time to reinforce her hand with Ki, due to the suddenness of the old man's shot. Lashing out angrily with her uninjured hand, the woman shattered the old man's rifle. Walking forward, she picked the old man up by the collar. He couldn't even cry out as she slammed him firmly against the tree. He began coughing and struggled to regain his breath as the woman started speaking angrily.
“I don't know what the fuck is wrong with you, old man, but I'd better get some goddamn answers fast! Otherwise, I'll have to send you to an early grave and get answers from your partner you just tried killing!”
The old man began shaking his head and sobbing, muttering something about demons and death. Tulip's rage slowly dissipated as she realized her empty threats weren't as dangerous to this man as whatever evil had been inflicted on him before. Dropping him to one side, she checked her injured hand. Blood was oozing from the metal round that had embedded itself in the center of her palm. It had gone almost completely through, but she'd managed to stop it with her Ki. Yanking it free, Tulip suppressed a moan of pain as blood began flowing even worse. The sound of something moving behind her made the woman whirl, already on the offensive. She cut her attack short when she saw the young man holding out a tattered cloth. Taking it gratefully, the woman began wrapping it around her injured hand.
“It wasn't always like this, you know. My father used to be the leader of our clan, and we were honorable hunters. It wasn't until that...thing arrived that our entire world was turned into despair and evil.” The young man's gaze was watery and his words full of bitter spite. “That demon who killed my father and took over our home, forcing us to scavenge for its food and entertain it with vile deeds.”
“When you say food...you don't mean...”
“Yes. We didn't shoot down your ship in order to steal the cargo. We did it to capture the passengers. That monstrous being eats people and enjoys their suffering. Our bullets can't scratch it, explosives do nothing, and none of my clan is willing to try to fight again. We're all going to die because of that damn Asura!”
Tulip finished bandaging her hand and thought on what the young man had said. A monstrous demon who was bullet-proof and had extreme resilience. A slow smile crossed the woman's face as she walked over and set a hand on the man's shoulder.
“How much money does your village have?”
“Not a lot. After our trade was halted, we had to spend most of our zeni in order to sustain our food supplies. If I had to guess, a couple thousand zeni. Why?” His voice was full of dread, because the young man could already guess what was coming next.
“I've been looking for something hard to punch for the last seven months. You saw that tree back there; nothing can really hold up to a real punch these days. Stack on top of that the fact that I just got back from space; as nice as a peaceful trek through space is, there's nothing worse for training than an environment where a single good punch could destroy the entire ship. So, tell you what: hire me for a thousand zeni to kill your demon. I'd like to take this 'Asura' for a test ride, to see his punching bag potential.”
“But...oh god.” The man's gaze was troubled, but when he looked up the blood completely vanished from his face. The woman would've placed his expression somewhere between absolute fear and full-blown regret. Unfortunately, she was too busy dealing with what happened next.
BOOM!
Her entire world turned sideways, as something hit Tulip's head so hard her neck popped. Flying sideways and smashing through a tree, the woman rolled to a stop on the broken ground in the open. A tall, red humanoid walked forward, shaking his head dismally.
“I come to check up on my three gallant hunters, only to find a traitor, one injured, and one scared for his life. I'll deal with the traitor later, of course. Now, what shall I do about you, child?”
The demon was easily 3 feet taller than Tulip, with the muscles to match. His body was just like an ordinary person; it was at his face that the resemblance ended. A grotesque visage met her blurred gaze, with blood red eyes that lacked pupils and black fangs not unlike those of a shark. Tulip pushed herself up slowly, trying to still her trembling legs.
“It's okay to be afraid, child. I've been alive for over 500 years, and consumed millions of lives. You will not be the first fighter to try and oppose me, definitely not the last. You do look like a tasty treat, though. Firm muscles, just a slight layer of fat, and organs that are far healthier than the average sailor I've grown accustomed to. Yes, I'll enjoy consuming you.”
Tulip's eyes narrowed in determination, as she forced herself to stand. Kicking her feet out, she took up a stance with both hands raised. The demon began laughing as he saw the woman's trembling stance.
“Hahahahahaha~! You honestly think you can fight a god and survive! I've fought men a hundred times your strength! Those monks you spoke of, I dined on their flesh and strung them up to dry by their own intestines! You can't win this battle, child!”
Taking a deep breath, Tulip closed her eyes. Envision that seal within, placed by your own hand. Now take that seal and shatter it! Dirt began rising from the ground at Tulip's feet, as the air began visibly shimmering. The demon took a step back in shock, before screaming in rage.
“You bitch! How did you hide this strength!?”
“The same way you stayed off the radar this long, ugly guy. Energy Suppression. Now, enough chatter. Let's start this thing.”
The demon didn't get a chance to raise his hands, as the woman shot forward. All of her energy shifted into her fist, as she slammed it into the center of his stomach. He flew backwards into the wood, slamming through numerous trees that crashed onto the ground with resounding cracks and booms. Lowering her fist, she began shaking her stinging fist. The demon curled onto his side, trying to keep from getting sick. Blood dribbled down his cheek; whether from his grisly eating habits or the attack, the hybrid was unsure.
“That's my one cheap shot, demon. Consider it payback for the rabbit punch.”
The demon pushed himself up, grimacing in rage and pain. Leaning forward, he roared as his back shifted. Flesh appendages grew outwards, taking on the shape of wings. Tulip whistled in surprise, as the demon took deep, shuddering breaths. Then he flew up into the air, rising far above the earth the woman stood on. Energy began gathering in the demon, as he screamed down at the woman.
“It's been centuries since I took on this form, mortal! I'm going to use my Death Slash to completely eradicate you from this existence!” Raising one arm into the air, it began shifting, becoming a huge, blood-red blade. Red energy crackled down the length of the blade, as the edge took on a darker black hue. He threw his arm-blade back as he rose further into the air, intent on diving down in a flash to cut down the woman in an instant.
Tulip only smiled, licking her lips seductively. She would savor every excruciating millisecond of the next few moments, as she tested her most powerful strike against this demon from Earth. It had been months since she'd used that for real in battle, and it would be like pure ecstasy to use it against such a worthy adversary. Monster or not, the energy this demon exhibited was nothing to look down upon. Bringing both hands back, Tulip began focusing her energy, kneading it in her mind and placing the focused result into her hands.
The demon reached the peak of his flight, tucking both of it's wings into its back and slowly falling backwards. As Asura's head came down, his speed suddenly tripled, aided by his energy as he prepared to slice the irritating woman completely in half. His speed reached the sound barrier and passed it, creating a sonic boom that echoed through the clearing.
The energy had long since reached it's max, as Tulip struggled to maintain her focus. To self-destruct now and die at the same time would be the height of hilarity. She began focusing the remaining energy she had, preparing it just in case.
The demon thrust his blade forward, preparing to impale the woman's head and cut her in half from the top. Her stance shifted, head blurring and eyes shifting to face his. Her unbandaged hand came up to meet his blade, striking the tip in a shower of red sparks. The tip of the blade cut into her flesh but didn't pierce, as red energy crackled in the air around the two. The ground under Tulip began cracking, as the demon's blade began forcing her down. The blade started to dig in further, forcing the woman to grimace in pain. The demon laughed in triumph, but stopped as Tulip's entire body blurred. Retracting her good fist, Tulip brought her other around in a hook, slamming into the side of the blade. The course shifted enough to only graze the woman's chest. The bandage on her hand turned dark red as blood was forced out due to the impact. Rotating her entire stance as the demon was forced forward by his own momentum, Tulip brought one knee up to her chest. Thrusting outwards into a perfect heel strike, Tulip drove her heel through the demon's chest, using her remaining energy and the devil's own speed to completely impale him. The demon struggled to breath, suddenly finding his own body too heavy to lift. Tulip spun to the side, letting her leg with the body on it plant on the ground. Drawing her bandage-free hand back, the woman slammed her fist down onto the demon's face. A crater was formed from the impact and dust flew up from the impact.
The trio of hunters stumbled into the open, trying to discern the result of the fight. The dust began clearing, revealing a shocking sight. Tulip was stumbling forward, barely able to maintain her consciousness. Expending all of her stored up energy so suddenly felt great at the moment of use, but afterwards left the woman running on fumes. The red body of their former tyrant was lying immobile behind her, body resting partially on the surface. His head was out of sight, buried somewhere in the crater created by Tulip's own fist. The old man walked forward slowly and handed Tulip a small bag.
“This isn't much. A lone man who tried and failed to accomplish what you've done carried this. It was his 'good luck' charm.”
“It wasn't much.” The woman forced a smile, despite the aching in her hands and the blood running down her chest. The sound of ground breaking made the woman's green eyes widen in shock, as the old man began running backwards in shock. He shouted something about the bag and 'healing', but the woman was completely overwhelmed by the sheer amount of energy emanating from behind her.
“Dammit, that hurt, girl. Took far more energy than anticipated to heal the damage you inflicted. Let me give you something as a reward.” The tall, red demon was already back on his feet, face half-hidden by steam as it regenerated. Pointing one finger towards Tulip's knee, an almost invisible beam of energy bored a hole through the air, piercing the girl's flesh and muscles. It burned a hole into the ground as Tulip screamed in agony, collapsing to one knee. The demon began firing more beams, piercing her arms and other leg. Her hand tightened impulsively around the bag, as pain completely overwhelmed her body. Falling face-first onto the dirt at her feet, Tulip struggled to maintain her consciousness through the severe pain
shooting through her entire body. The demon slowly walked forward, kneeling next to the woman. “Want to continue our fight, child? Oh, wait...you can't.”
Grabbing her head roughly from behind, the demon rose to his feet and hefted her limp body high. As her entire body swung upwards from the force of his motion,her hand loosened and let the bag fall onto the ground below. The top had come undone, spilling coins and a single bean onto the ground. That's...!?
“Let's plant ourselves a retard tree, shall we!” The demon shouted with glee, before slamming Tulip headfirst into the ground. The dust exploded into the air as the ground visibly cracked from the impact. Tulip's body lay immobile, fingers barely twitching from the extreme damage she'd just sustained. The demon sighed and turned away, beginning his slow walk towards the ship. Out of respect for what the woman had pushed him too, he wasn't going to consume her immediately. Better to let such a rich meal be the main course, after a quick appetizer. He paused as he felt something shift in the air.
'There's no way!?' He turned slowly in shock, as the energy in the air around Tulip began increasing. The woman was making a fist and struggling to pull it back towards herself. How she was mustering this power, on the brink of death and after expending her energy, was beyond the demon's comprehension. Darting forward, the demon kicked her in the side, launching her body up and through the air. She spun sideways, slamming back-first into a tree hard enough to send a chorus of cracks through the air. Her green eyes widened in pain and agony, before the life faded from them. Her lips parted to scream, but with no air only a tiny gasp slipped from her lips. The woman fell away from the tree, landing on the ground and rolling to a stop face-up a few feet away. The demon shook his head and began walking towards the ship once more.
“Shit! Fuck!” The young man muttered under his breath, as he crept closer to the woman's immobile body. The man knelt over her immobile corpse, expression tightening in regret and sorrow. Then he noticed the subtle movement of her chest. She was breathing! Her hand slowly opened, revealing one of the beans she had been given. She muttered something so soft, the young man was sure it had been her dying message.
“Put this...in my mouth.”
He complied, plucking the bean from Tulip's cold hand and placing it into her mouth. She chewed slowly, as if the motion took all the life she had left. Swallowing took an eternity, as the woman waited and prayed she hadn't been wrong. Her eyes closed slowly, as a smile curled the edges of her lips.
The demon paused as he reached the ship. The huge metal box wouldn't be able to resist his energy blast. Raising one palm heavenward, the demon began creating a ball of red energy. It continued growing in size, until it became bigger than a small house. Probably far more bang than needed against something of this caliber, but the demon was growing tired of underestimating things. Preparing to drop the ball on the ship's bay doors, Asura paused as something tapped him on the shoulder.
“What?”
“Grit your teeth, bastard.” A punch crushed his ribs and pierced his organs, as the woman drove her fist into his side with all of her strength. A cry of agony was forced from his lips as the demon was launched sideways into the forest. Tulip sprinted after him, maintaining a weary attention on the ball of energy hovering overhead. It burned through trees with ease, sending huge wooden pieces to the earth around the two. The demon forced himself to stand, trying to understand what was happening. This girl wasn't a demon! How had she recovered so quickly!? She had spent all of her energy in those attacks, which meant she hadn't recovered using healing Ki! Wait...that bag! His gaze shot out across the broken woods and fell on the earth where he'd smashed the girl. A brown, leather bag lay crumpled on the ground, coins scattered around it. That had been the bag of that man!
“We both know how this ends, demon. You drop that attack on me, screaming how I'm a pathetic mortal and shouldn't stand against a god. I punch it using all of my energy, destroying it and destroying you immediately afterwards. End of story, with the Clan living happily ever after and me getting back to my meal ticket. Sound good?”
“No, mortal. I won't be satisfied until I tear you to shreds.” The demon threw his palms heavenwards, roaring in rage. The ball fell from the sky, enveloping him in a pillar of red light. Tulip winced as the energy emanating from the demon increased to almost quintuple its previous strength. The light dispersed, revealing the demon had increased in size by three more feet and gained over a hundred pounds in muscle. He grinned, revealing his grotesque fangs had also increased in size. “With this, my final and most powerful form, I'll defeat you, bug!”
He began sprinting forward, vanishing to the eyes of the men watching. Tulip watched the demon sprinting closer and slammed her fist into her cupped hand in realization. “I've figured it out!”
The demon swung his fist through the girl, cutting her in half and splitting the earth to one side from the pressure of the air. The girl dispersed, revealing only empty ground. An afterimage?! His red gaze darted towards the battlefield, only to widen in shock. The field was completely empty, save for dust that swirling across the ground. The girl was using her energy to increase her speed, which was making her too fast for the demon to catch. His new form could crush the girl without effort, but the increased mass and strength slowed him down considerably. To a normal fighter, it would still be a fatal encounter. This girl had somehow become stronger since their initial counter, already learning new ways to utilize her strength and energy. Something slammed into his side and the demon glanced down. A tree, sharpened from friction, has just been lodged into the demon. How!? He hadn't seen something that large moving!? His eyes widened even further in shock, as the dust completely vanished. She was moving faster than even he could perceive. A sudden, piercing boom cracked the air between him and the ground, as the woman stepped back into the visible reality. Her hand closed into a fist as she braced herself and swung forward. His arms shot inwards, as he tried to beat the girl in a quick-draw match. Both knew that the victor would walk away, and the loser would die brutally. His fists stopped in shock as her fist struck his chest. Her speed and energy had been brought together for this one strike, which tore a gaping hole through the demon's chest. His organs splattered the woods behind his huge body. His body was already trying to regenerate the grievous injury, as blood sprayed from the hole. Not slowing her assault, Tulip focused her energy into her legs and jumped forward, using his injury as a foothold to propel herself upwards into a back-flip. Slamming her toe into his chin, Tulip kicked Asura's head back so hard his neck audibly cracked. The demon struggled to relocate his broken neck, but the injuries were already too much for his dwindling energy. Tulip landed and drew both of her hands back to her side. Straightening her hands out as if they were blades, the woman launched herself forward and upwards. Both her hands lashed out as she passed over Asura in a flip. His head split from his body, as the demon got one, final look at the woman. So...this was where it all ended.
Tulip walked back to the ship, picking up the bag of coins along the way. Her clothes were stained in blood and torn, but she ignored that with ease. Her hair was laced with branches, dirt, and blood as well. Knocking firmly on the door, she waited for the captain to answer.
“Got the bandits to apologize. Fought a demon, too. Oh, they paid me some coins!”
The captain wearily opened the cargo bay doors, letting the disheveled woman enter. She tossed him the dirty bag, as the crew wearily circled around their strange guard. The woman stretched, worsening the damage to her clothing, then asked. “Did the cook finish that post-victory meal? I could really use a good meal right about now.”
As the woman vanished further into the ship, the captain shook his head wearily. He stared at the leather bag and muttered to his crewmen in the bay. “I'll never get a read on that woman. She is the greatest mystery on this ship.”