F.E II (Meeting with Death)

Rakuyō: F.E 2 𓇢

Arizona II

A Meeting with Death

Half an hour goes by since the battle at the grassland. Soluna and Smokey reach the back of the saloon, Soluna heading towards the door. "Damn it! I lost the key!"

Smokey drifts close beside Soluna, his hand settling  onto her shoulder, "I can get us inside, I think, " he pauses for a moment, before adding on “My body is telling me to do something."

Soluna turns to Smokey, "What are you-” she stutters before a shiver goes down her spine. She lets out a gasp as her body grows dark, the feeling of the ground turning it liquid pulses through her as everything in that moment  turns black.

Instantly she and Smokey emerge from the wooden floor inside, she stumbles forward, falling to her knees huffing "W-what was that?!" she asks looking back at Smokey.

"I don't know…” Smokey replies floating beside her “It just felt right.”   Soluna stands to her feet turning to the counter rushing for it,  she grabs the lamp she left there from the afternoon. She quickly turns it on as a faint light shines from it.

"Eugh!" Smokey recoils hissing, he folds into himself diving back into the shadows. He shrieks, covering himself with his claws.

"Smokey?" Soluna whispers, turning around towards him, stepping forward "What's wrong?"

"The light… The light hurts!” Smokey voice cracks, “Please get it away from me!" He whimpers, shrinking smaller. Soluna steps back, covering the lamp with her palm, casting a shadow over him. 

What the hell are these powers? Is there no way to turn these off?

Is there no way to turn Smokey back to normal? Is this his spirit or something? And with me, this power of growing pla- she looks down at her own hand as her thought pauses her eyes slowly widen.

The Yesha story! He had something similar, wait! 

"Wait here!" Soluna shouts, rushing towards the backroom, yanking the door open causing it to bang against the wall. She grabs a nearby stool running to a shelf, she climbs onto it reaching for the highest shelf, her fingers brushing against wood and dust, until she feels something leather, she grabs it, stepping down flipping the pages open. 

Come on, come on!

 She lands on a page as her breath stops, a drawing of a man in a cloak covering his eyes with the hood, holding out his hand with flowers growing out of his palm. 

"There it is," she whispers to herself.

She reads the text before the picture. It's said that Yesha was a sickly messenger and he was granted powers by twins? Sisters of the Sun and Moon came to visit him? What does that even mean? She turns the page, reading paragraphs written across the paper.

The Sisters of Life came before him, one glowing radiant gold like the sun, and the other a chilling frost like the moon. The two bestowed Happiness and Purpose upon him, curing any illness he suffered. The act from the twins awakened something in him. The Power of Life.

He became a Saint after that, healing the sick and weary and guiding them to find their reasons in life. People started to revere him as a savior of humanity.

Soluna holds her palm out focusing on it,pink sparkles start to emit from her pores as roses start to grow from it.

Soluna jolts back, stumbling dropping the book as it thuds on the ground before she could even register it. . "Impossible…” she says as her lips start to quiver. “This can't be real!"

"I have the same power as this guy! So he was real this entire time? So I really have been praying and serving something completely different!" She clenches her fist crushing the roses in her palm, the petals falling to the ground.

"So my life is a lie? Everything I've been raised by, everything I was taught was just a retelling of this guy!"

"No, I refuse to believe I was serving a lie all this time!” she swallows,  "Whatever or whoever these twins are, I need to know more about them!!"

She picks up the book slamming it shut. She takes a deep breath before placing it on the lower shelf.

"Soley!" Smokey’s voice cracks from the wall, on instinct Soluna’s chest tightens as she whirls around, running out of the room. "Yes?! What's wrong?!" she yells.

"T-there's a woman in front of me! She's staring at me!" Smokey shouts.

 Soluna scans the room raising an eyebrow, she quickly catches her breath looking around. “A woman? Where?” she asks.

"What are you talking about? There's no one here but us?" Soluna says slow. Smokey starts to panic. "She's looking at you now!"

The floorboards creek under her as she steps forward. "There's no one here. Not even a silhouette. Are you seeing things?"

He's losing it, he hasn't gotten any sleep, damn. I need to-

"STOP IT, I'M NOT DEAD FOR YOU TO COLLECT ME!" Smokey shrieks. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" He flies past the moonlight seeping through the window. He hovers next to Soluna.

"What is going on with you!" Soluna yells, looking up at him.

"LOOK!" he jabs a claw at the empty air. "SHE'S RIGHT THERE!"

Soluna scoffs, narrowing her eyes looking at the spot. "This isn't the time for games, Smokey! I don't see anyone."

 "Listen, lady, I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not dead! If I were, I wouldn't be speaking right now!" his voice now sharp and defensive.

"Hm?" Soluna hums. "Dead?" she repeats,looking up, putting her attention on Smokey. "Can you describe who you're seeing?" she asks.

"She has crimson hair and crimson eyes, and four weird horns! Her skin is a bit darker than yours!" Smokey replies as his claws tremble.

Smokey then stutters, drifting backwards. "H-how do you know my name!? Who are you!?"

Silence falls for a moment.

"A notebook?" Smokey calls out. "My name appeared on it the moment my throat got slashed?" he says.

Soluna sighs, lifting her hand, branches sprouting out of her palm. "Tell me where this woman is standing. I'll prove to you that you're just hallucinating."

Smokey continues to talk to nothing. "What is a Core?! What are you talking about?" He then turns his head down to Soluna. "She has her 'Core Essence'?" Smokey says.

"Soley, she's right in front of us!" he yells, pointing to an empty space by the back door.

Soluna sighs, flicking her wrist as the branches fire towards the spot. "See, I told you there's-" before she could finish the sentence, the branches start to wrap around the air, compacting into a small cylinder.

"The hell?!" Soluna shouts as her eyes widen.

The branches wither and turn grey. "Erg!" Soluna shrieks, breaking the ends off her palm, jumping back.

Soluna's eyes glow pink for a split second as her pupils pulse. In that instant a woman with ginger-tan skin appears from nowhere.

"Wha-" Soluna stutters as she looks at the appearance of the woman.

She has two horns on her forehead that stick up, both the color of her skin but scarlet at the tips. On the side of her head there are two black horns slicking back.

She wears a pure black cloak with crimson streaks across it, with a red gem-like emblem sitting at the middle of her neck. Her wavy autumn-hued scarlet hair reaches her back, as her pupils gleam like two rubies, with long black lashes that frame her almond-shaped eyes.

Soluna looks on in shock. "Crimson hair… Crimson eyes…" Soluna mutters to herself, repeating Smokey's words.

"What are you? Are you another one hunting me down?!" Soluna shouts, asking.

"Hunt?" The woman repeats, tilting her head. "What are you talking about?"

She crosses her arms. "I'm here to collect the soul of that thing next to you," she says, turning her attention to Smokey.

She leans forward, facing Soluna once more. "Say, by the way, where did you learn to use a Core Essence?"

Soluna steps back, grabbing Smokey, covering him. "A what?" she says back, "I have no idea what that is, and if you're here to take Smokey I won't let you!" she exclaims.

The woman looks down at her notebook, huffing. "Please don't make this harder than it has to be, I'm here for a 'Sosthenes Rose'…" she explains.

Soluna's eyes widen. "H-how do you know his name-" she whispers before shaking her head, "No, I refuse to hand him over! You won't be killing him." Soluna says, reaching her arm out, sweat dripping from her forehead.

Something about her feels off… 

The woman looks at the notebook closer. "Hm, shocking, your name doesn't seem to appear. Usually when a mortal lays eyes on a Shinigami, their name automatically writes itself in the book."

"Shinigami?" Soluna repeats. What is that? I have never heard such a term.

The Shinigami slams her notebook shut as it disappears into red mist, then steps forward towards Soluna. "So I guess you're doing this the hard way?"

Soluna grits her teeth. "Smokey!" she calls out, turning her gaze up towards him. "Yes!?" Smokey shouts.

"Grab my gun from under the counter, hurry!" Soluna commands, raising her arms as vines and branches grow from them, surrounding her.

"Okay!" Smokey yells, rushing to the counter. He flies over it, grabbing the gun from the bottom shelf.

"SOLEY, HERE!" He shouts, tossing it to her. Soluna moves her arm towards the gun as a vine stretches out, wrapping around the handle. She drags it down, grabbing it, then aims the barrel at the Shinigami.

"Oh, those are the fancy firearms that you mortals use to kill, right?" The Shinigami says with a grin.

"Take one step and you'll be the one dead on the ground!" Soluna bellows as sweat continues to race down her face. Something's wrong here… she thinks again.

The Shinigami snorts, taking a step forward, she raises her hands. "Oops!"

BANG! The sound of the gun cracks through the saloon, a bright flash lighting up the area momentarily.

The Shinigami flicks her wrist as the bullet bounces off it. Soluna's eyes widen, Did she-! No! That can't be possible! She squeezes the trigger once more.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Soluna fires rapid shots at her, Smokey covers his ears, ducking under the counter.

The Shinigami raises an eyebrow, swiping her arms, creating a cloud of red mist.

The bullets phase through the cloud, disappearing inside it, she then slowly flickers her hand.

"Who do you take me for exactly? Your weapons won't work on me." The Shinigami says, dispersing her cloud.

"Ugh!" Soluna grunts, I'm out of bullets, I wasted them all! I need an alternative now!

The Shinigami steps forward once more. "Let's stop wasting time here, just give me the creature."

She walks towards Soluna, as Soluna steps back trembling, her thoughts beginning to race.

Looking into her eyes it feels like I could die at any moment here! It feels like I'm being hunted and there's nothing I can do.

Soluna's heart beats louder and faster for each step the Shinigami takes, the vines and branches around her flail wildly around her.

Something… Something… SOMETHING!

She holds out her gun once more, pointing it straight at the Shinigami, as she rolls her eyes. "The same old trick? You see, it hasn't worked the first two times." The Shinigami says with a chuckle.

"Huh?" The Shinigami hums, watching. Soluna flicks the gun upwards, closing the barrel as it starts to glow pink. "Urgh!" Soluna grunts, aiming once more.

BANG!

A pink and white flash illuminates the saloon, Soluna flies back from the force as a glowing pink wooden bullet charges at the Shinigami. 

The Shinigami quickly moves her head to the side to avoid the bullet, in that moment the bullet starts to expand, spiny splinters grow from it, bursting as it passes the Shinigami's head.

The splinters lodge into her face. "Erk!" she hisses. Soluna, on the ground, huffs, still holding the gun out. The metal starts to crack as it starts to break apart. "No! My gun! At the worst possible time too!"

The Shinigami stands straight, plucking the splinters out of her face, she throws them down to the ground. Her gaze meets Soluna on the ground as she stays silent.

"Tch!" Soluna sucks her teeth, I'm out of options… I doubt I can take her hand-to-hand!

But I have to try- Before Soluna could finish her thought, the Shinigami's eyes and hair flicker a crimson light before they start to glow.

Soluna's stomach drops, her body trembles and freezes. The Shinigami continues to walk towards her.

I'm going to die… I'm going to die! She quickly grabs the cross on her necklace as it reflects the crimson light radiating from the Shinigami. Soluna's chest tightens as her pupils dilate.

She looks up to see Danya standing over her, La Morte, help me… A tear forms in her eyes, as a memory of a man with violet eyes and snow-white locs looks down at her, she's surrounded by an endless ocean, sitting on a small island, the grey clouds above swirling.

La Morte's violet gaze meets hers, "It's not your time yet." he says with a low voice. The memory fades, Soluna back in reality facing the Shinigami before her.

"Didn't you hear me? It's not your time, so sit down and shut up." She says as her crimson glow dissipates. She turns to the counter.

"Y-ou… you're just like him…" Soluna stutters, her eyes still wide. "Huh?" The Shinigami hums, turning her head back to her. "Like who exactly?"

"La Morte… you two both spared me from death." Soluna whispers, still shaking. The Shinigami narrows her eyes. "Twice? La Morte? Hold on, you're telling me you've met another Shinigami?"

"Was he tall, pure black, with big white eyes, or was he on the shorter side, brown skin, white hair with violet eyes?" She asks.

Soluna stays silent for a moment. The Shinigami leans forward, closing the distance between them. "Hello? I didn't scare you that bad did I?" She says, waving her hand in front of her face.

Soluna lets go of the cross, her heart still races. "Violet eyes- he had white hair…" The Shinigami's eyes widen. "Amore? Have you met Akuji before?"

She stands back straight. "Interesting, so you had two encounters with death and survived both? You're quite the lucky one."

"Aku-ji…" Soluna stutters. So that's his name, he wasn't just a dream after all. I need to know more about him. But first, I still need to save Smokey.

The Shinigami turns her back to Soluna. "It's been a nice chat, but I have souls to collect!" She makes the peace sign with her fingers. "Ciao!" she says, walking over to the counter. "Come on, little ghost boy thing, it's time to go." she says to Smokey.

"Wait!" Soluna shouts. The Shinigami huffs, turning to face her. "What now?" she asks.

"Please, there has to be something I can do to save Smokey! Please don't take him!" Soluna pleads, trying to stand back up.

"Anything! I'll trade my soul for his to be saved!"

The Shinigami rolls her eyes. "That's not how this works, you can't just trade your soul for another to live once they've already died."

"Explain to me how he's dead if he's been here the entire time! This makes little sense to me!" Soluna says, wobbling back to her feet.

The Shinigami shrugs, "Beats me. I don't know how his soul turned into that, must have some connection to how you're able to use a Nature Core."

"Maybe that's why you're being hunted." The Shinigami says coldly, turning back to the counter, she knocks on the wooden surface of it. "Oi, let's go, you have 5 seconds before I force you out."

Smokey flies out of the bottom cabinet, floating before the Shinigami. "Fine, I'll come, just promise to leave Soley alone!"

The Shinigami scoffs. "She was never any of my concern in the first place. So we have a deal."

"SMOKEY STOP!" Soluna screams, stretching her arm out, stumbling forward. "Think about what you're doing!"

"Listen, Death! The Game– The Game is the final offer I can give you!" Soluna exclaims.

"When we first got these powers, a voice told us that if I find my other half, I'd get a wish of my deepest desire."

"So my final offer is, if you let Smokey and I continue our journey, I can promise you'll have your fair share of souls you can collect! And if not… like I said I'll give my soul to you, I'll commit suicide on the spot, and you can do whatever you like to me!"

The Shinigami turns to Soluna, raising an eyebrow. "Do you really think I care what happens to these souls? What makes yours more special than the next? That you'd expect me to take a bribe?"

"You're not the first mortal I've seen with a core essence awakened, nor will you probably be the last, so if you thought that made you special, unthink it."

"But," the Shinigami adds on. Soluna's ears perk. "I am a bit curious about this 'game' hm."

"This might be a good excuse to take a break actually… Let me think about this."

"Yes, the game! I was told that others will be hunting me down trying to kill me to be a 'host'," Soluna says.

"Okay, okay, I think I see what you're saying, fine I'll spare your pet, getting to watch all this sounds fun."

The Shinigami snickers. "Ooh, seeing mortals battle it out, I'm getting excited just thinking about it!"

Soluna sighs in relief as Smokey flies towards her. She grabs him out of the air, holding him tight. "Smokey, I promise, I'll return you back to normal. We'll win that wish."

Smokey holds her back, still shaking in fear from the Shinigami's presence.

The Shinigami looks at the two as they embrace as she snorts. "You know, you remind me of someone I knew a long time ago."

"She would have done anything to protect a little girl she loved dearly, one she barely knew at that." She sighs. "But in that short time they've known each other, she meant the world to her. Seems like you two have a similar relationship going on here."

Soluna looks up at the Shinigami, "You're just going to follow us and watch? How can we trust you're not going to do anything to us?"

The Shinigami chuckles. "Oh please, I have nothing to gain just randomly killing you two." She summons her notebook once more as red mist surrounds her.

"Plus, I can't do anything to you unless your name is on the notebook, killing live mortals is against the rules."

Soluna hums under her breath, looking down at Smokey holding onto her. I don't have a choice here; she's just going to force herself to tag along.

She lifts her head as her gaze meets the Shinigami as she leans back on the counter, crossing her arms. Soluna grunts, "Can I at least know your name?"

"Oh, I don't really give out my name to people I don't know, so you can just call me… hm.."

"Nya…” She says, lifting an eyebrow,  “Yeah that's good, just call me Nya."

This girl is strange, but if it gets us to Death Valley faster, so be it…

"Oh, and by the way." Nya says, sitting up, she points to the shutters behind Soluna, "You should focus on the two guys standing outside."

"Huh?" Soluna hums, turning around. Two guys? What does she- In that moment a hole bursts through the shutter, cold air leaks inside.

"Aye, aye! Seems I was right, there are people in here!" A man's voice yells from outside. "YIPPIE! IT MUST BE THE HOST!" He screams, punching another hole through the metal.

Soluna steps back, letting go of Smokey. "Run! Get out of here!" Smokey shakes his head. "No, I'm not leaving you behind again! I'm fighting with you!"

Another hole bursts through the shutters, as ice crystals creep across all three openings. "ALL FOR MY ENTRANCE MAY THE WONDROUS!"

Another hole bursts through as the air inside grows colder, Soluna covers herself with her arms, shivering.

"SPLENDID!" The ice begins to crack as instantly the shutters burst apart into ice shards as a man with long flowing silver hair bursts through.

"LUCY DUCY HAS ARRIVED!" He wears a fluttering, disconnected fur white cape covering his right arm, as his left arm is covered by a long black sleeve, with tears across it revealing his porcelain skin. His body is covered in a black tight suit, and he wears two black boots.

Soluna grits her teeth as particles of frost surround her. Nya, near the counter, claps. "Ottimo! Ottimo! Nice entrance!"

Soluna's breathing starts to grow ragged, ice vapor floating off her mouth with every exhale. "W-who are you?!" Lucy chuckles. "Aye, I found a pretty little one here!" he looks over to Nya. "Oh, and an exotic-looking one! Who knew this saloon held so many beautiful women!"

"You hear that James?" Lucy calls out. Soluna's eyes widen. "James?!" she repeats. Soluna's body goes cold for a moment, James?  It can't be, is it the same one from earlier?

Footsteps approach Lucy from behind, as a man stands in the moonlight, his shadow stretches over the floorboard, as he flicks the tip of his hat.

"Howdy.” A voice almost pleasant says, “Nice seeing you again, eh, Demon of the West?" James says, reaching into his poncho.

Soluna freezes hearing James call her that title. How did he find out it was me? Impossible, there's no way!

"Demon of the West? W-what are you talking about?" Soluna stutters, trying to save face.

 "Oh, cut the games, lady, it's pretty clear now.” He says reaching in his poncho” I had a hunch before when I the second I saw you kill Tucker. But now seeing you dressed like that, the murders near the crater where that meteor fell, it all points back to you." James explains.

He then turns to Lucy "Seeing how you and this weirdo are both dressed ridiculously, he wasn't lying about you being some 'Host.'"

Lucy chuckles, clapping. "Wonderful! Magnificent! Seems like our deal is coming into fruition! You collect her bounty. I get the power of the host, win-win!"

James sighs as frost vapor emits from his mouth, metal clicks from his poncho the sound making the hairs across Soluna's body jump, he pulls out a tommy gun,  leveling it at her

"Nothing personal now, I hope you do see your 'guardian angel' in the next life." Soluna clenches her jaw, leaping back.

"SOLEY!" Smokey yells, rushing towards her the moment James squeezes the trigger.

TA-TA-TA-TA. The sound of shots erupts, swallowing all other noise, James jolts back from each shot, as Lucy covers his ears, smiling.

Flashes flicker across the dark saloon as the gunfire swallows the entire room, Nya turns into red mist before the bullets can reach her.

Smokey grabs Soluna in that split moment before the bullets can pierce her. He drags her back into the shadows as the bullets fly past them.

Bottles burst open; the sound of glass echoes in the room. The gunfire continues as shells fly out of the clip.

James stops firing as smoke emits from the barrel; bullet holes litter the saloon. He huffs, pointing his gun down. "Is she down…" he grumbles.

Lucy uncovers his ears. "I believe her body fell over the counter during your barrage; there's no chance she lived through that."

James places the tommy gun back in his poncho; he walks towards the counter, looking over it. "What!?" he shouts.

"What is it?" Lucy says, raising an eyebrow. "She's not here! Her body, it's not here!"

Red mist appears above James as Nya snickers from within it, she forms, floating above the counter, her notebook appears in front of her as the pages flip open. "James Harden?" she repeats.

Lucy, who's still standing at the entrance, looks up at Nya, "Hey, James, that red-haired girl is above you, I would have thought you got her too."

James looks up seeing nothing, he scratches his head. "What are you talking about? What red-haired girl?"

"Oi, Iceman." Nya calls out to Lucy. "Hm, and what do you want? Refer to me by my name which is Lucy Ducy!"

"Well, Lucy Ducy, say addio to your amico here, he's a goner for sure." Nya says with a grin. Lucy raises an eyebrow. "Eh? Now what are you on about, woman? I don't speak Italian, so say it in English or be quiet."

Nya stays silent, zipping her mouth shut with a hand motion, Lucy clenches his fist. "Well, answer, what are you talking about?!"

James turns to Lucy. "Are you talking to yourself?" Lucy scowls. "No, you imbecile, there's an annoying redhead above you!"

A popping sound appears from behind the counter, the spilled alcohol bubbling. James looks down at it as the bubbles start to pop faster and more violently.

"What the?" James mutters to himself, in that moment Soluna and Smokey burst out of the shadows from the spot where the alcohol lies.

"ERGH!" James shrieks as Soluna lunges at him, reaching her palm down, grasping his face. "Grruh!" Soluna growls, as branches and vines dig into James' face. "EUGH!!" James screams as blood leaks from his face. Soluna pushes his face back, sending him rolling across the floor.

James curls into a ball, holding onto his face, he hisses in pain. Lucy looks down at him. "Get up, what are you doing?!"

Soluna lands on the ground huffing, she grits her teeth, pointing down at James. "BURST!" She bellows.

At that moment James's face starts to implode, branches rapidly grow from his head. "AUGH!" He bellows as his head sinks in on itself, exploding.

Blood erupts from James' open neck wound, leaking over the ground. "Ugh…" Lucy grunts, staring at James' corpse as the pool of blood surrounds it. "How cold, I see why you have the title Demon of the West."

Pink energy starts to surround Soluna as she looks straight at Lucy. "Hmph." Lucy scoffs as a blue aura surrounds him, mirroring Soluna's.

"HA!” Lucy shouts. “ FINE THEN! LET THE MAIN EVENT BEGIN! WHO CARES ABOUT THE BOUNTY HUNTER!" He leans forward, bearing his teeth. "Lucy’s here for your life and your life only! Lucy Ducy will get his wish!"

The two stare into each other's eyes as they take a step forward. Commencing their battle to the death.

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Rakuyō: Frontier Escapade 2 END (X)