《Blood & Paint》Chapter 12: Festival of Broken Needles, Part 2
Advertisement
"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."
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
- In Serial90 Chapters
Trash Knight: System Recycler: A litRPG Satire that No One Asked For
MISTAKES WERE MADE Obi Imsi enjoyed his life as an overpowered paladin tryhard filled to the brim with beautiful women who loved him unconditionally for all the wrong reasons. Everything was going great until he tried to woo the wrong one and was polymorphed into a literal trash can. Starting back at level 1, he must find someway to regain his power and hopefully return to his real body. He soon finds that his new life won't be easy, and he embarks a fantastic fantasy adventure that's so bad, it's good (terrible). Formerly known as Harem Trash, renamed due to disturbing lack of harem (crow harems don't count). Updates on weekends. Once the story is complete, it'll stay up for a few weeks until I take it off to put it on market.
8 234 - In Serial56 Chapters
Evil Dragon on Paper
Naked. Hungry. No longer a dragon. Well. Crap. Author of Devil in White(Awakened Aspiration Online) & Evil Dragon on Paper Advanced Synopsis Spoilers Below. Stolen. That is the only way to start this tale. His life and fabulous wealth had been stolen! A proud dragon, feared and respected by all, torn from his beautiful body and stuffed into the meat of a... what the crap is a Tiefling? That will have to wait. Between the murderous furred creatures with fancy hats, the deadly domicile mimics, and the cows that are more carnivore than herbivore; there is only time to eat, run, and grow stronger. Do you like dark humor about theft, revenge, and violence? Do you consider the safety of your main character secondary to continuous comedic pitfalls and bouts of poor luck? Maybe you just want to see if the clothes eat him?
8 454 - In Serial17 Chapters
One Punch Man : The New Saitama
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Glasgow This is the story of an otaku who one day woke up as the One Punch Man, Saitama. But how is he gonna live now that he's in a different world, filled with heroes and monsters. He's just an otaku !!! One thing is sure, this world will change now that a calm and cold man replaced the best hero. *********** Warning: This story start a few months before canon. Some characters will be OOC. This is an altered version of One Punch Man where Blast isn't a hero of the association and the Monster association hasn't been created yet. I will write a chapter per day, but this may change as i will write more the more votes and reviews there are.
8 211 - In Serial14 Chapters
The Rabbit And His Lover
Lark, who was born into a poor family, suffered separation from his parents when they were framed and murdered by the scheming government officials trying to survive and swearing revenge he becomes a thief (and a murderer). But the destination seems far when he suddenly gets killed and then reincarnates in the body of a rabbit. Trapped and force-fed carrots by an unexpected love interest, will he be able to get accustomed to his new life, and can he exact his revenge on the corrupt government and the empire that oversees it all without getting fat?
8 161 - In Serial11 Chapters
Imagining Online: The game
Hiro Gustavsson a half Swedish half Japanese guy enters the world of Imagine Online to experience a second life full of Fantasy, Action, Comedy and Friendship. At the first day in Imagine online something happens that may bring him to fame or infame.Read to see what exciting things will develop for him with, what happened and will he strive for fame or infame in the end?Warning slow updates! Reason? Well private matters, for those who read through this before I can tell you that my Grandma died 14th april this year, 2016.
8 142 - In Serial9 Chapters
Immortal Peace
After the sudden arrival of Rhea into the throne room, Olympus is thrown a spiral as they are given the ultimatum of a marriage for peace, or war. What will they choose, who will it involve, and why oh why, does Apollo have to lie.I don't own the pictures for the cover, they were taken from RickRiordan Wiki
8 195