Spectral Radian: Strife of Altered Souls (Chapters 1-10)

Six: Huntress

Ruuka stood up with a calm rage simmering in her eyes. "If the record doesn't exist online, I will go to the Grand Library myself and obtain it...by any means necessary." Shiren, slightly terrified, grabbed her arm. "Ruuka, you can't. I know you want to and you have every right to but you can't."

Wispy, multicoloured fog started to surround Ruuka as her normally-cobalt eyes turned a striking sapphire blue. "And why can't I? What are they gonna do -- kill me?"
The fog started to turn into sparks, and the lights in Shiren's room started flickering on and off. Shiren, panicked, shouted, "Ruuka, stop! You'll attract the drones and then we're BOTH in trouble!" Ruuka smiled at him and walked towards the door. With a wink and a flick of her wrist, she whispered confidently, "Let them come."

Come they did. As soon as she stepped outside, half a dozen drones descended on her, already set for swift incapacitation protocol. However, where last time she was on the run, this time she was in full control of her spectrum, gathering it in her left hand and forming a lasso with it. She grabbed one drone and slammed it into several others. The remaining drones fired trance bullets in an attempt to incapacitate Ruuka, but she simply let off a pulse of spectral energy that knocked all bullets away. Feeling restricted in her movements, she threw off her jacket, exposing her bare chest and back, shimmering with the beautiful rainbow effect of her spectrum.

Ruuka closed her eyes and a thought came to her mind in the form of flickering wings and pulsing ripples of rainbow-colored energy. She held onto that thought, and her eyes flew open.

"Requiem Mirai."

Her spectrum gathered behind her in the shape of wings as she held her hands clasped together, her bracelet glowing as it struggled to contain her growing spectral energy. "Tonight, the hunted becomes the Huntress. Now get out of my sight!"

Ruuka unclasped her hands and spread them out, and all the energy she'd built up erupted around her in a series of beautiful multicolored explosions, destroying all the drones and reducing the immediate area around her to rubble. Her eyes glowed and her smile radiated the pure innocent joy of a girl who finally stood up for herself. Her skin lit up in different colors as her own energy washed over her, bathing her in the light of a rainbow. Balling up her fists, she reabsorbed all of her spectrum back into her body, a mixture of pain and calm washing over her face as it rushed back into her. As the world fell silent and dim once again, she stared up at the rain hitting the eco-barrier and smiled. I can make my own rainbows, now.

She turned back towards Shiren's apartment only to see him standing in the doorframe with his eyes widened. She softened her gaze and put her hands on her hips. "Too much?"
Shiren sighed and looked down. "Ruuka. Don't get pissed at me for saying this, but...you're not wearing a shirt. I can see everything." Ruuka looked at him with a slightly annoyed expression. "Sorry. I didn't know it'd bother you so much. I should've asked for a shirt whilst I was at the institute, huh." Shiren, realizing how insensitive he'd sounded, apologized. "No, you're right. I'm sorry -- I shouldn't have said that the way I did, I just... you're right."

Ruuka eyed him sharply as she put her jacket back on and walked inside, being sure to leave the front unzipped to spite him. Shiren, understanding her wordless message, attempted kindness. "Would it be too much if I took you to the Rosered District and helped you put together an outfit...?" Ruuka replied, "I'd prefer not to...but at the same time, its been a while since I've gone shopping at all." She looks at him softly. "Could we please go when there's no one around? I don't want to hurt anyone...innocent. Anyone innocent." Shiren taps the bracelet on Ruuka's wrist. "As long as you have that, you won't hurt anyone, I promise. I know what I'm about to say may be something you've heard before from all the wrong people, but... please trust me. Please."

Ruuka didn't respond and instead stared at the ground for a few minutes. Glancing over at Shiren, she realized he'd done the same. She tapped his shoulder to get his attention, and when he turned to her, she gave him a hug, and whispered softly: "I trust you. Please don't make me regret it, okay?" Shiren nodded and replied, "I promise you I won't."
"By the way, the jacket stays unzipped."
"Ruuka..."
"What? Problem?"
"No...I mean, not for me, but..."
"But what? I should care about the opinions and comments of people I don't know, and fit myself accordingly for them? I'm a criminal by their accounts, I can do whatever I want."
"But..."
"Shiren, I'm going to take off the bracelet if you don't stop."
"..."
"Thank you. Now doll me up when we get to a decent store, alright?"
"...Ruuka. You're, like, insane."
"Mhm. And I will revel in my insanity and so will you."
"Of all the buildings you had to tumble into..."
"Fate chose yours."
"I don't believe in fate."
"And I don't believe I chose to land in your dust cave."
"... Touché."

Ruuka yawned and walked over to Shiren's couch, laying down and curling into a ball. Shiren watched her, then eyed her bracelet, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw a green heart. She was at undetectable levels, even better than the yellow "Caution" she was normally at. He leaned his chair back, closed his eyes, and fell asleep shortly after.

*+:｡.｡ FIRST ARC END ｡.｡:+*