Gantz: The beginning

Rush of excitement.

Yoko appeared at a dead-end for the third time; she hadn't seen any aliens nor her comrades since the mission began. She doubled back and re-checked her transmitter. "Forty minutes, geez, where the hell is everyone?" Because nobody around them could see them, it made the cold night air even eerier. "I wonder if those two hippies are still alive?" She wanted to be positive and kind to new ones, but she couldn't help feeling like they would be a hindrance. Just as Yoko turned another corner, a piercing scream filled the silence, and she swerved sharply to run in that direction. As she got closer, Yoko saw it was the female newbie; the woman was donning deep lacerations to her face, and her suit was slashed in several places. "Damn, what kind of doll can do that?"

"Oh my god! Help me, somebody!"

Then Yoko saw it, the small doll-like alien, and it was swift for something that had tiny legs. Both player and alien left a thick trail of blood amidst their running, and Yoko wondered how the woman was even still alive, considering her condition. Yoko could see a large knife within the doll's grasp upon getting a closer look, which explained the slash marks. Yoko quickly aimed her gun, but as soon as her fingers pulled the two triggers, the doll leaped into the air, and Yoko hesitated with surprise. "Holy shit."

"It's gonna kill me! Somebody help! Please!"

Yoko gritted her teeth, she didn't know why she couldn't pull the trigger, but she tried to tell herself it was because the woman was too close.

The woman turned as the doll closed in and screamed, but it was quickly cut short when the alien landed against her. The knife came down first and sank into her head. Yoko gulped as she watched both woman and alien fall to the ground, unsure if it was fear that caused her to freeze or the sight itself. The doll stood on the body, sliding the knife out quickly, and then grinned when she saw Yoko.

Yoko trembled slightly; she hadn't imagined such violence from such a cute-looking alien. "Ashi was right," she muttered quietly and raised her gun, hoping she could pull the trigger in time before the doll jumped again.

Blood on its face and knife free, the doll walked toward Yoko. "Play with me."

Yoko swallowed the lump of fear in her throat and said, "Sorry, I stopped playing with dolls when I turned ten." The alien suddenly leaped into the air, and Yoko quickly fired her weapon, positive that a couple of the shots hit its target. The moment the alien neared Yoko, it blew up. Blood splattered over her face and covered half of her white sweater. "Shit." She looked down at herself and sighed.

"Not a bad look for you." Yoko jumped at the sound of someone else's voice; she looked behind but couldn't see anyone, then as she turned back, electrical static sparked visibly in front of her before Nishi appeared.

"You scared the crap out of me, where the hell have you been?"

Nishi gave her a grin. "Searching just like you; we got separated further away from each other this time."

Yoko regarded the dead woman with a frown. "Yeah, I only found that woman by chance."

Nishi clicked his tongue but not because of the new player. "And you stole my points."

Yoko raised an eyebrow as she turned her attention to him. "I stole your points?"

Nishi sighed and raised his weapon to his shoulder. "Yes, I had my eye on that one," he said and gestured to the doll's remains with a nod. "I followed it all the way here undetected, it surprised me how fast it was, so I needed to wait for the right moment."

Yoko cringed and spared another glance at the woman. "So you saw what it did to her too? I hadn't meant for it to get her..."

Nishi laughed at her lame attempt to appear guilty; he knew enough about her now to separate her sincerity from her deceitful expressions; it amused him every time she tried to soothe her conscience. "But she was a perfect distraction for you."