《Blood & Paint》Chapter 12: Festival of Broken Needles, Part 2
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"Are you still willing to fight, Miss Kitani."
Shotaro looked at her. Kitani's eyes were that of unmatched fury, and anger indescribable. "I'm getting fired from that job, most definitely. What makes you feel like you can ruin someone's life like this!"
"You're still an evil-doer, you protected a wanted criminal."
"You don't get it, do you? I didn't want this life." Kitani cries out as a tear rolls down her cheek, "do you think I'm as sick and depraved as some of these people? Do you think I find this as something I enjoy?"
"I don't care about your circumstances, what I know is that you disrupt order. For that, you need to be eliminated." Shotaro coldly retorted, "To me, keeping my friends safe is what's most important. You nearly killed my friend and for that, you will pay the cost."
"You won't hear me out, there is no point to this." Kitani sighed.
"I don't need to waste my time arguing with people who are in the wrong." Shotaro snaps back.
Kitani defends herself, making a barrier made of her Talent's needles while Shotaro prepares to charge at her. "Ryūken!" He shouts, lunging his right fist at the wall of needles, the barrier broke open with some of the needles pricking Kitani's hand.
"My Festival of Broken Needles doesn't apply to me, you know." Kitani sulked even more.
"What's your problem, fight back!" Shotaro looked at Kitani, frustrated. He kicked a nearby can, the force of which shattered a glass window of a nearby shop. Shinsaibashi was empty now, it was just Kitani and Shotaro standing against each other. Meanwhile, Yuko stayed on the sidelines with an unconscious Kazuo lying on the floor. She tried slapping his face a couple of times but, nothing. She looked at the two foes, surprised at the sudden pause in their battle.
"Why are you doing this? Why aren't you fighting me!" Shotaro shouts. Kitani dropped all of her needles to the ground, "Because I don't want to. Why are you here and how did you find me."
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Shotaro answers, "I told you you hurt my friend a few days ago. The one tall guy with brown hair, he nearly died."
"I told you, I was asked to. I live my double life for reasons you won't understand." She continues. Shotaro switches back to Masked Rider's original form, "Then why do evil? We don't need evil-doers like you in this world."
"You don't understand, people like you will never understand." Kitani starts to tear up, "I've done nothing to you all my life, a single needle won't change anyone's life. Tell me, is that friend of yours still alive?"
"Yes, you're lucky he's still here to breathe, otherwise," Shotaro remarks, "I would have been less patient."
Kitani takes a deep breath then shouts, "Tell that to my parents who passed away! I've lived hard enough, I may be in debt to those folk, but at least I was living fine up until today."
The statement shook Shotaro and Yuko who were overhearing the conversation. Shotaro was particularly surprised. But, something didn't click with him. His sense of "Justice" did not allow him to feel any empathy towards Kitani, but somehow, that statement made him feel uncomfortable with the fight.
For a moment, Shotaro reached out his hand then immediately shook his head, "I've been hurt enough in my life, I promised to myself that I will uphold justice." Kitani's desperation turned her face into a scowl, vicious and full of anger. She takes a deep look into the eyes of the Masked Rider suit, "You're no different than the dogs of the Hitman Squad. All they know is murder, but you. You do these actions in the name of 'Justice' as if it's no different from senseless violence. If you feel like it's the best course of action then look at me in the eye, Mr. Hongo. Kill me, right here, right now."
Shotaro winced, then exhaled.
"I'm not going to kill you, but you still deserve a few punches." Shotaro punches Kitani's right cheek knocking her to the ground, creating a small crater at the site of the impact.
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Kitani slowly stood up, her outfit now splattered with her own blood. She lodged some needles between her fists and punched Shotaro with a mighty force, cracking open part of Masked Rider’s helmet. Shotaro was taken by surprise, his eyes widened as he fell onto the floor back first. “If you’re going to kill me, then I should fight back as well.”
Shotaro quickly shouts “Transform!” summoning the Masked Rider armor back on himself, coughing up a bit of blood. His eyes now filled with determination, Kitani also prepared a stance and surrounded herself with needles. Kitani starts an attack, launching a multitude of needles again towards Shotaro, some of them sticking onto his armor. With a mighty leap Shotaro sends himself flying, “Rider . . . Kick!” he roared, his foot landing on the floor of Shinsaibashi, debris raining from the impact.
While the two of them fought, Kazuo woke up after an hour. Yuko quickly slapped his cheeks to check if he’s awake. “I’m alive, goddamn it.” Kazuo sighs, “why’d you have to do that?”
“Force of habit.” Yuko tries to laugh it off. Kazuo peered behind Yuko watching Kitani and Shotaro fighting. Shinsaibashi was empty except for the four of them, "Is he okay, Yuko?"
Kazuo stares as Shotaro and Kitani trade punches and kicks, each with an equal amount of anger and ferocity. Kazuo felt rather useless as he was knocked out for the past 30 minutes or so. He looked around the shop, looking for a source of paint, at least a small bottle of paint would do something. He spots a stationery store and signals Yuko to follow him to the store. The two of them scuttled slowly towards the shop trying to stay away from Kitani and Shotaro's line of sight.
"Look, I got an idea." Kazuo whispers
"And that is?" Yuko answered
"Basically, I can shoot a bolt of paint using Chijikusei Gotenrai, can you help to redirect it using Work?"
“Depends, how can we sneak up to Miss Kitani and not hit Uncle Shotaro.”
Kazuo paused and tried to find a solution, there was no cover and no people to hide behind. Yuko quickly thought of a plan. Shinsaibashi was built in the structure of a long corridor, deciding that it was the best course of action, Yuko told Kazuo to run towards the exit, holding a plastic board behind him to protect himself from stray bullets. The two of them nodded and gave each other a fist bump. Kazuo ransacked the store, looking for a bottle of paint. After a little scramble, he found a cabinet of paint. He opened up the shelf and took a small bottle of black paint, he raised it up to alert Yuko. "Right, I'll stand near them, get ready to fire the paint." She whispers.
While the two of them prepare, Shotaro and Kitani continue to trade punches and kicks. Shotaro’s Masked Rider made it difficult for Kitani to use Festival of Broken Needles to find an opening for an attack, the thick armor meant that the needles were ineffective at best when fighting against Shotaro.
“Why don’t you understand me! I don’t want to be here!” Kitani continues to shout at the uncaring Shotaro.
“I’m not going to listen to someone like you, not until you prove it. Until then, we will fight.”
Kitani tried to counterattack, kicking Shotaro’s head which knocked him down to the ground. In his anger and his shame, Shotaro screamed then stood silently. He ran towards Kitani, trying to land another Ryūken on Kitani. She throws several needles at Shotaro to try and stop him. Shotaro launches a punch only for Kitani to counter with a kick that hits under his chin, Kitani’s heels bring a sharp pain that sends Shotaro to the ground, writhing in pain.
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