" YUANFEN " genji shimada.

viii | false hope

yuanfen.
act two, chapter eight.
"false hope"

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SEVERAL DAYS PASSED WITHOUT another encounter with the ninja named Genji. Vixen did her best to focus on the mission, though being stuck on base made it rather hard for her to think about anything but him. Each night she found herself glancing continuously towards the window in her room, part of her hoping (though the other part fearing) to find him waiting for her outside. Though he was never there. Perhaps he truly did listen to her advice and decided to stay away. She was slightly thankful for this, for if he was smart enough to stay away then there was less of a chance for the Reaper to find out that she hadn't actually killed him.

    After all, Vixen's main goal was to survive, whatever the cost may be.

    Despite being determined to continue fulfilling the Reaper's mission, something didn't feel right when she was sent on her next mission. The gun that was holstered to her belt felt awkward against her hip, and every little noise that met her ears caused her to jump in fright, staring around her distrustfully as she made her way through the city.

    Vixen was scared. She was scared of failing and having to go through the Process all over again, but, oddly enough, she was also scared of taking another life. Her fingers trailed over the cool metallic surface of the gun on her hip, and she glanced down at the weapon with a grimace. She was hesitant, scared to pick up the weapon and fire a copper bullet through another living being. She had never really thought about it before; the reality behind her actions never once bothered her. She simply did what the Reaper asked without any questions, so what had suddenly changed? What caused her to suddenly doubt everything that she had been told was the right thing to do?

    Pain suddenly shot through Vixen's head, pulsating down her spine like a heartbeat. She knew what was causing this: the remnants of the Process were still crawling through her brain and attempting to push out any doubtful thoughts she had towards the Reaper's mission. She had no idea how he managed to plant himself into her mind, though it only made her all the more terrified to disobey his orders.

    Movement ahead pulled Vixen out of her dizzying thoughts. She looked up, eyes landing on a lithe figure turning down an alleyway. Immediately, Vixen grabbed the gun on her hip, yanking it from her holster and slinking after the figure. As she slid into the alleyway behind the stranger, she studied their features closely. It was a woman, with dark shoulder-length hair and fair skin. There was no doubt in Vixen's mind that this was her target, the woman that she had been sent to kill.

    "A woman walking down an alleyway by herself at night?" Vixen mumbled to herself with a scoff. The woman in front of her seemed careless, moving down the alleyway without a care in the world. Vixen wasn't sure if she was brave or stupid. Perhaps a bit of both. "Dumb move, Kimiko."

    As Vixen spoke her target's name, the woman came to a stop. Her shoulders were suddenly tense, and she slowly glanced around her as though sensing that she wasn't alone. Vixen stayed hidden, for she knew that the perfect time to strike was when her target had her guard down. Sure enough, the woman named Kimiko shrugged before turning her back to the assassin hiding in the shadows. Vixen's hands were shaky as she tightened her grip on the gun, glancing down at the weapon with a moment's hesitation. She had to do this, she knew that, but why was it suddenly so hard to do so?

Collecting herself, Vixen let out a sigh. Then, she sprang to her feet, stepping out of the shadows and into the dim light being illuminated from the street lamp above her. Kimiko whipped around at the sudden noise, eyes widening upon noticing the gun being pointed directly at her forehead. She then seemed to relax slightly, much to Vixen's surprise, and a small smirk curled upwards on her thin lips.