“I shall… RuiRui.” Rickey blurbled. “Her emotions... sensed. Urgency. Must act. He... hard to... devour. Will take... time.”

“He’s holding on? You’re not just munching on his suit, are you?” Rui criticized. “Go full power.”

I gaped and seized Rui. “No! You aren't a murderer!”

Rui stared into my eyes and cried. “He crossed a line! He said it himself! He broke her! He sounded so proud he did it!” Rui sobbed. “He’s going to pay! You can’t let him get away with everything he’s done!”

Natalia-sama intervened with her sunny smile. “It’s been a while, Rickey. Good to see you. Please don’t kill him. Can you disable him for us? Please.”

“Mmmm... like the sun... a star. I... not specialize in... restraint..." Rickey shook like a gelatin mold, blurbing. He shrunk slowly, losing his edge of aggression.

“Do your best, Rickey. My people are born killers. We know a better way.” Ume smiled brightly. “You can do it too. Your spirit is too gentle for the work you do.”

“Ah... but then how... eat? Yakuza… feed to me … like monsters… other humans. So cruel… Dark like Nyx... flowers... deeply in their withered... souls. Yet they feed… me… validate… my existence.”

“It might be taken as an insult..." I started. “But you could dispose of waste. It might not taste good, but you’d do a service to the country.”

“Susumu says... eat garbage? Insult... is it?” Rickey blurbled, sounding confused.

“No... it’s not an insult.” Natalia-sama patted its body, causing it to quiver extra more excitedly. “It actually would help people. Does it matter what matter you absorb? Can you taste things?”

---

“No... There is no taste... only nutrition. Anything… I can absorb.”

“Then you could solve a problem the world faces!” I cheered, pumping my fist into the air. “That’s what you can do! You can be a hero. Even if they learned of your existence, as frightening as you appear to be, they’d celebrate you and your services!”

“Cele… brate… Acceptance… Love… I only receive… from Rui. Little star. She shows me… affection. Her kindness… melts me softly…" Rickey shook and shrunk further. “To… be… loved… Fut… u… re…"

We looked at each other warmly, smiling. Even Rickey had a bright future ahead of him. He could proudly face the world and be an important part of society. It wasn’t glamorous, but I could sense that he had a gentle spirit, despite his mischievousness.

*FWOOOOSH*

*SPLAT*

Pieces of Rickey flew in all directions, sending chunks of his yellow and green body in all directions, covering everything in range with the viscera. Where Rickey was now stood the man with cold eyes and he was untouched. His suit itself was immaculately clean.

A sneer twisted his expression. “So foolish. Did you think that your little trap would work on me? Ah... so my true opponents have revealed themselves. Let’s see, a small girl. An insane otaku, this I know. Oh yes, that stupid boy Reiko spoke of. It is you, isn’t it?” He eyed me suspiciously.

“You stalked us at the amusement park. That’s an unhealthy habit you have. Did you continue to stalk her after she was defaced?” He chuckled as he dusted his clean suit.

“And..." He eyed Natalia-sama and Ume. “A vampire and a kitsune. Impressive, but there’s not a thing you can do against me. This fight you foolishly picked with me tonight will end even more sadly. Leave and I’ll forget this insult.” He turned his back on us insultingly, clasping his hands behind him. He still held the object I saw earlier and pointed it at us. “If you persist, I’ll show you the folly of your path.”

“You bastard!” Rui yelled loudly. “You killed Rickey too! Damn you!” Rui raged and she pulled something from her purse. I gritted my teeth and tried to keep Rui from engaging him.

He stood there immovable. “I see..."

“NOW! STRIKE!” Rui yelled as I reached him, raising my hands above my head to bring a fierce strike down on the back of his neck.

From all sides shadows leapt at us. The man sidestepped me as though he’d been able to predict my moves. Meanwhile, vampires materialized all around us, fangs bared. He was trapped!

“Ah, another half-way decent attempt! Come, my creatures!” he bellowed as he raised the mysterious object he held high above him. Its oblong form shone white in the darkness. From within the light, things took form to surge out in every direction to meet the attacks of the fifty vampires. One after another, shaggy forms clashed with the vampires. I saw canine faces and tails. They were like classic werewolves from movies. The vampires cried in surprise as they collided. Amidst them, the man stood aloof with his back still towards us. The werewolves savagely fought against the vampires. Fangs and teeth clashed with supernatural grace. Fur and blemishless flesh collided. Screams started to fill the air. It was still too early to call which force would prevail.

I resumed my own assault, realizing I might be the only one capable of bringing the man down. Regardless of my face or voice, I still had the build of a young man. I felt anger seethe inside me. My fists lashed out rapidly. As I did, the speed picked up. The man dodged and weaved as though my movements were child’s play. They probably were, since I’d never been trained in martial arts. I kicked and punched without pause. His steps were precise and crisp. He was like a martial arts master, always a step ahead of the inexperienced brawler me. I clenched my fists and screamed; my frustration reached its limit. The jade bracelet flashed.

I grew in size a bit and charged at him, my fists balled up. This growth was my latent power left over from being a noh-face yokai. Mitsuhiko’s movement started to become more and more deliberate. Even his cool expression narrowed. “Ah, so you have awakened to spiritual powers. Interesting.” He leapt over one of my lightning-fast kicks like a vaulting horse. “You can’t prevail. You’re an amateur. I can tell you have no idea what you’re doing.” Every word struck my heart, but nevertheless, I didn't stop.

He continued to make me look like a fool. Rui held that object in her hand. It started to glow, but she hesitated to use it. She bit her lip.

Natalia growled. “You think you can toy with us? I’ll bring you down!” Her body morphed instantly, shifting into that vulpine form of hers. She grew again while I tried to land a blow on this snarky man’s body. Natalia charged violently at him with her jaws yawned large enough to scoop up the cold-eyed man. Her teeth shone and saliva flew from her mouth as she lunged. Her jaws closed where his neck was a moment ago. The man sidestepped again. “No matter how hard you try, you too will fail. Perhaps it’s time to end this foolish game.”

Ume shrieked as she launched herself with unbelievable speed towards the man. His head turned in her direction and he smirked. “Come, my faithful guardian.”

His faint shadow expanded into enormity. His shadow covered the ground like a vast pool. We pressed the attack. Ume’s strikes were precise and quick. I grinned broadly when her blows started connecting. He grunted and staggered under her continuous assault. His boots skidded on the pavement. He slid backward. He’d actually been forced to block attacks for the first time! Ume flipped into the air. Her skirt fluttered up to reveal her thighs as she brought her legs down on the man’s head. He sank into the pavement with the force of her blows. It cracked and ground into gravel. He was pinned and the force of Ume’s strikes was digging a grave for Mitsuhiko, but he suddenly vanished with his cocky expression.

Ume looked startled as her heel slammed against the ground instead of its intended target. The rubble was sent flying in every direction beneath her blow. Rubble rained down on everyone. Suddenly, she dropped as though the crater she’d opened up was filled with quicksand. Natalia surged forward to seize Ume in her jaws to keep her from falling, but she instead fell face first into what had captured the valliant vampire. Rui and I watched where they’d disappeared. I screamed and leapt after, slamming my fists hard against the fragmented pavement. My hands furiously dug desperately where they’d been swallowed up.

“Now for you, foolish little one,” I heard the man’s voice echo. I turned in time to see Rui sink into the pavement. She reached and tried to grip the edge of the pavement, but there was nothing to seize. Her nails scrabbled at the cement.

“Susumu! Get him! You can do it!” she yelled as her lips passed the dark horizon of no return, followed quickly by her dark hair.

“RUI!!! DAMN IT!” I yelled, springing over to where she’d disappeared. My fists foolishly slammed onto the ground where she’d disappeared, to send chips of cement flying.

“GIVE MY FRIENDS BACK!” I screamed.