As we walked down the moonlit street, music pulsed around us. Aoba had gotten used to it, though sometimes he would still get a mild headache. My tongue burned as the peppermint I was enjoying slowly melted in my mouth. I glanced around as my sharp eyes picked up every movement the shadows made in the dark corners. Our two-dimensional doubles walked along side us, moving back and forth as the lights throbbed. I glanced down at Aoba, taking in his pale features under the neon lights. I studied him, watching the way his eyes flickered around the street, taking in the sights. Thoughts bounced off the walls of my skull.
Why did he care?
What is he thinking?
Why is he so kind to me?
What is he?
WHO is he?
I automatically corrected myself, remembering that he is a sentient being, just as I. But then my feet stumbled over each other on the smooth ebony street, jolted by the thought that I was recognizing him as an equal, not an object. But, that's all he was to me, right? An object to help me reach my goal? I was lost in my thoughts when I felt Aoba press his shoulder against mine, shaking. His fearful eyes were trained in front of us, and when I followed his gaze, I realized the problem. Seven to eight men stood ahead, looking at us as if we had interrupted something. As my eyes scanned over them, I noticed the identical tattoos on their biceps. A gang. The Black Undead by the looks of it. Great. I mentally scolded myself for being so stupid, leading us right into their territory. Knowing there was no chance of getting out without a fight, I raised my chin and met the leader's eyes with my own. I could tell by the way that he held himself, and how the others seemed to almost move to protect him. I let a small smirk slide onto my lips, my icy blue orb staring deep into his emerald ones. Without even speaking, we knew what was going down. In an instant, I had swept Aoba behind me with one arm, and let my hand fall to my key chain. The leader had stepped in front of his men, and was cracking his knuckles. We stared at each other, waiting. Then I had an idea. Without moving my gaze from him, I stepped to the side and placed my hand on the side of the alley. I could feel the deep, steady beat of the city under my palm. I tapped my foot to the beat, then charged.
The leader jumped to the side and I spun, narrowly avoiding his fist. Twisting, I kicked at his midsection, only to have my leg grabbed and jerked to the side. I somersaulted and kicked off the wall, launching toward him. He dodged, but I landed on my hands and snagged his neck in between my knees, then shifted so I was sitting on his chest with his arms pinned beneath my legs. I was about to deliver the final blow to his neck when my own was grabbed, and I was lifted into the air, my legs thrashing. I faintly heard Aoba yell my name, but my senses were going fast. My left eye burned, and I knew I didn't have a choice. A charm glowed, but this one wasn't on my key chain. This charm was tied to a thin rope around my neck. It glowed hotter and hotter under the man's fingers, and he grunted, but didn't let go. I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling my body go limp. It was now or never. I saw the blurry image of Aoba getting grabbed and hit by the men, and then it happened. Almost simultaneously, we both screamed.
Our screams sliced through the air, a melody of power and destruction. Everything shook, bodies spasming as minds were overcome by demand. Heads snapped back, eyes pure white as destruction riddled their mind and soul. Colors flew, sound warped, then black.
I inhaled, eyes closed as I felt the ground beneath my feet, using that to ground me to sanity. I finally opened my eyes, and surveyed the scene. Bodies lay strewn left and right, parts of them simply torn apart by the molecule. My face stayed cold and calm as I swept my eyes over the damage, stepping thought the gore with a sickening squelch as my combat boots sunk into puddles of dark red blood. I walked to Aoba's limp body, picked him up, and walked calmly back to our house.
