Amethyst Genesis: Bleeding Ruby

3:22

YYear 2025, March 22nd, 3:22 PM Eastern Time...

A vast expanse of purplish light begins to descend upon a bustling city, forming a dome in the sky that obscures the sun...

The vision is silenced by a crescendo of confused murmurs and then screams...

"Goodbye #3..."

*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*

Year 3025, March 22nd, 3:22 PM Eastern Time.

An alarm shrieks loudly on a sleepy golden morning, while slivers of light sneak through the window blinds. A hand from the bed next to the alarm stand gropes to silence the alarm, fumbling to find its exact spot on the desk. A figure shuffles out from under the sheets, groggy and disoriented. It's a young man, who stretches from his nest, his muscles and joints popping in a satisfying symphony. The young man shakes off his blankets and rises. His soft yellow hair flutters as he combs it in front of the nightstand mirror, his face clean and skin fair, his eyes free of bags—a gift from a lifetime of good rest. He smiles at the sight of his well-cared-for appearance; it pleases him.

He undresses, revealing a scarlet red mark on his neck labeled "#3." He pulls on his baggy black pants and a vibrant red sweater, then stumbles into the living room. The hallway is lined with photos and frames of him, his mother, and a girl about his age, all smiling. Reaching the kitchen, he spots a picture on the table showing his family gathered around him, blowing out birthday cake candles. He smiles and sighs nostalgically. Turning to the fridge, he notices a note. It read, "Happy Birthday, Hal Honey! I'm sorry for planning it the night before. I've got a trip overseas. If you need anything, Kara will handle it. Speaking of the devil, tell her to stop picking fights with people; I've already had enough of treating broken bones. Love you <3."

Hal chuckled to himself, neatly folding the paper into quarters and tucking it into his pocket. He stepped out the door and softly closed it behind him. Outside, the brightness of the sun contrasted with the fresh scent of settled rain. The road was quiet, devoid of traffic, yet bustling with people. Children played in the puddles left by the rain, while adults gathered on the nearby home's stairs. The absence of vehicles was compensated by the crowd's volume. Hal quickly made his way through the throng and entered a quaint coffee shop. As always, it buzzed with life, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the subtle scent of pancakes, creating a perfectly controlled chaos of clattering plates, chattering patrons, and boiling water. Hal sat down and gestured for a waiter. "You want to see the boss? She's not in the best of moods, just so you know," the waiter said, nodding towards a man with long black hair who was indulging in pastries. "The pig's here..." says the waiter. The waiter sighs and walks towards the back, Then, a tall Kirinui woman with short black hair and red eyes stepped out of her office. Her ears resembled those of a cat, her build was muscular, and she wore a resting stern expression.

The woman spots Hal and quickly approaches him; they embrace warmly. "About time, sleepyhead," she teases. "Kara, Mom wants that fight ring closed," Hal mutters, handing her the note. Kara's expression darkens with anger as she reads it, crumpling the paper in a rage. "We need to make money somehow!" she retorts. They sit down to talk, but the atmosphere changes when Kara confronts a man gorging on pastries. "Hey, it's been three weeks of dine-and-dash; when will you settle your bill?" she inquires with a forced smile. "I owe you nothing; you should be honored to serve someone of my caliber!" he boasts, biting into a danish. "I am a fragment, a pinnacle of creation—I owe nothing—" His words are cut short as Kara slams his face onto the counter, breaking his nose. He groans, reaching for a steak knife to retaliate, but Kara intercepts, snapping his arm with a gruesome twist.

The man howls in pain, "YOU BITCH!" and stumbles backward, dropping the knife. A lavender-colored number, "#4445," begins to glow on his neck, as intense as his fury. Hal's eyes widen as the man's mark seems to charge up for something. "I think we should make a run for it," Hal suggests, nudging Kara. "You think?" Kara grunts, then hurls the man out the door. "I am above you, beast! How dare you!" the man screams in anger, rising to his feet. "Hal, get out of he-"

BOOM!!!

Before she could finish her sentence, the man unleashed an explosion. Hal threw Kara out of the blast's path before being engulfed by it himself. Kara's eyes widened with worry and dread, her ears ringing from the blast. "Hal? HAL!!!" she cried out. The restaurant descended into chaos; glass shattered, patrons screamed, and employees fled. The man towered over a kneeling Kara, declaring, "He is dead, and you're next!" A lavender light emanated from his hand, morphing into a dual-handled axe that solidified into a tangible weapon. He swung the axe towards her. And then...

KLANG!!

A hand, glowing with red light, emerges from the smoke, seizing the axe over the man's shoulder and shattering its blade. The man whirls around in shock, only to be met with a firm knee to the face, sending him flying into the street and shattering his jaw. Hal materializes from the smoke before Kara, the mark on his neck a vivid blood red. Kara, observing the red petals of light that seem to bloom around his back, asks cautiously, "Hal... what is that on your neck?"

Despite the evident strain in his movements, Hal's face retains a calm, almost somnolent expression. In an instant, he's at the man's throat, a scarlet blade sprouting from his arm, aglow with a rose red radiance. "You're one of us, right?" the man inquires, a giggle escaping him. "A fragment, correct?" His words cut short as Hal lunges, his strike nearly decapitating the man, who narrowly blocks with what remains of his axe. The man's cocky smile fades to horror as he realizes his handle has shattered. In the next moment, he's swept off his feet and lands with a thud on the ground.

Hal points his weapon at the man's throat, who feels a surge of intense rage yet also a soothing calmness. He attempts to raise his fists in defiance, but his muscles are too relaxed to respond. Standing over him, Hal bellows calmly, "Please excuse me, but do you plan to repair the diner? My friend put a lot of effort into that place, and I wouldn't like if it were destroyed by someone who has horrible munchies. Judging by your attire, you seem to have considerable influence and the financial means. Would you be willing to compensate for the damages?" He asks motioning to the wreck of the diner.

"Is he actually asking for money? After I just tried to kill him," the man thought, both confused and amused. "FINE, TAKE IT!" he yelled, handing over the money before bolting away. Onlookers began to crowd the scene, murmurs rising like bubbles. Hal snapped out of his sleepy daze, noticing Kara approaching. "Just enough to fix it," Hal chuckles to himself looking at the cash.

BONK!!

Kara smacked Hal on the back of his head. Hal turned to her, his face a mix of pain and confusion, and saw her eyes brimming with tears. "DON'T YOU DARE GET YOURSELF HURT LIKE THAT!" she sobbed. "But I-", he started. "NO BUTS!" Kara interrupted, pulling him into a tight hug squeezing the life out of Hal. "I can't bear the thought of you being in danger again. You could have been killed!" Hal listened silently, nodding without a hint of resistance. "Go home," Kara instructed. Without hesitation, Hal complied and ran off. "That idiot," Kara thought, dialing an insurance company as she watched him leave. Meanwhile, in a nearby alley, a man trudged away, making a call of his own.

""Do you mean you've actually found him?" a female voice inquires over the phone. "Yes, boss, the Sloth fragment is located at..." he pauses, glancing at the building Hal is sprinting towards, "2452 Kettle Drive!" he exclaims. "Thank you for locating him, your reward will be substantial...." she exclaims, "But I must war-".  But before he could finish his sentence *BEEP BEEP* "She's disconnected....". Footsteps draw near the weary man; he observes a tall figure advancing toward him. "Who might yo-". A long, slender black blade pierces his chest, he chokes on his blood. "I never managed to say what I needed to..." His form dissolves into a shimmer of blue light.

Later that night....

Hal is in the kitchen putting away dinner and watches the tv. "Kara sure is pissed, but what's wrong with the fact I fought that guy? She almost got killed!!". He goes quiet for a moment, he opens up a soda and walks to his room's door to study, but he notices the door was open. "Funny, I don't recall anyone being home,"

*Click* CREEEAAAK

He opens the door
"Hello?"
END