War of the Queens

Chapter 3 and Flashback 2

Chapter 3

"It appears that we have a situation." Ches's voice came through each rabbit's earpiece.

Raiden quickly pressed a finger into his left ear against his earpiece "You think we don't already know that?" He snapped.

"I need to know if you three can handle it. I need to stay with Absolem, we have much to discuss. Hold off the intruder, would you?"

Raiden's grimaced and opened his mouth to reply.

"That's what we do. You can count on us, Ches." Dante responded before Raiden could turn his anger into words.

The connection quickly ended and the rabbits turned to their new enemy. She was a human girl, standing barely over five feet tall. She had dull green eyes that seemed to carry death in their glow and a lean muscular build. Her blonde hair was in a short pixie cut that hung into her eyes in the front and spiked up in the back. She was clothed in all black, her shirt was a cropped tank that ended just below her breasts, her pants were so baggy that they barely clung to her muscular hips, her feet wore simple black boots. She caught sight of the armed rabbits and gave them a smile as she drew two large katanas from the sheaths on her back.

"I suppose you want to die as well?" Her voice was cold, "Very well."

Raiden frowned and sent a small blade slicing through the air in her direction. The girl saw his movement coming and easily leaned to evade it.

"You're going to have to do much better than that." The girl said with a smirk.

Dante poised her slender rapier for battle and slowly advanced toward the girl. Dante kept herself perfectly balanced and hid all of the expression on her face to avoid communicating a move as she circled the strange girl. The girl smiled and her eyes glowed with bloodlust. Behind them, Mallox aimed his revolver as Raiden drew another blade.

The girl didn't bother to turn her head as Dante continued to circle around her, in fact her eyes seemed to be glued on the sphere of smoke. Her swords slowly lowered. Dante looked at the girl again with more caution.

"If you surrender now, this will all go more smoothly." Dante spoke slowly and clearly, looking to Mallox and Raiden as she did.

"I will leave peacefully, but not before my objective is carried out." The girl's eyes seemed to get darker as she spoke, "It would be best if you all stood aside."

***

Absolem was puffing furiously from his hookah and his nervousness was bleeding into Ches.

"This discussion will have to be rather quick, and nothing is set in stone yet." Absolem inhaled deeply from the nozzle. "I have been told to recommend a fourth person for your rabbit party."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea. I can't manage another one, especially if they're anything like Mallox and Raiden." Ches said as he tried not to inhale the increasing volume of the smoke cloud.

"It would be good for them, Ches, especially that Dante girl. She must need a new challenge in training." Absolem's voice cracked with fear and he quickly filled his mouth with the nozzle of the hookah.

"Yes, it would be good for her, but Absolem, I cannot manage another person. I have to turn down your offer. This can't be all you wanted to talk to me about."

Absolem took another nervous puff before staring blankly into the smoke.

"I think your rabbits may need your help." Absolem said as he released another smoke ring from his lips before quickly ducking.