Timed
Waking with a start, Reze saw the sunlight, she’d slept a whole night. She wasn’t planning for this, who knows how much closer people had gotten to finding her while she slept? With resolve, she tried to pull herself from the comfy bed to try and get back on her feet. But she couldn’t. Power and her deceptively strong arms were wrapped around her. “Power. Power wake up.” She whispered, but in the urgent tone that implied she’d be screaming if she felt comfortable enough.
“No… We’ve clearly been ensnared by the cuddle devil, there’s no use fighting it, just hold me.” She mumbled sleepily while not letting loose her iron grip.
“Power please! We need to move.” Begged Reze, irritated at how little Power understood the whole “fugitive” thing.
“No need. Power is the strongest warrior in the whole of everything. I protect gorgeous maidens like you all the time.” Groggily, Power slurred her way through a half-hearted boast. She was barely awake. She’d been dreaming about being a glorious knight, and wanted to get back to it. She was about to slay the dragon devil, that was the best part!
Realising she wasn’t going to get out of this her way, she’d do it Power’s way. Sinking back into the hug in defeat, she put on her best frail, affected, “girly” voice and said “Oh please, great warrior Power. I think I saw a monster in the kitchen! I’m so scared, please oh please go and scare it away.”.
Successfully convinced this was her plan from the start, Power rose from the bed like a zombie from the grave. “Worry not, Princess Reze! I, the glorious knight Sir Power, shall dispel this beast!” She proclaimed heroically. Tying her cardigan around her neck like a cloak before rushing into the kitchen. Reze sighed, leaving the bed, she looked out the window, no sirens, no snipers. For the moment, it looked safe. Catching a glimpse of her silken sleepwear in her reflection, the words “Princess Reze” reverberated around her brain. Maybe she could convince Power that they should do pet names, she wouldn’t mind being called a princess more often. She shut the door and changed into something more practical for the day, shorts and a polo top, both stolen, naturally. But she carefully folded up the silk dress to slip into her backpack. She knew it was stupid to keep it, but this contract had made her sentimental.
“Lady Reze! I have slain the beast!” Power yelled, interrupting the moment as she bounded into the room. Reze rolled her eyes and looked around to see Power holding a dead mouse.
A mouse…
“Power, where did you find that?” Her face dropped, she scanned the room to see where she had put her knife, seeing it was still on the dressing table.
“It was already dead in the cabinet! But I also killed a dragon!” She lied about the dragon, but Power did find it already dead. Meowy gave dead mice to her and Denji all the time. Denji complained it was gross, but Aki laughed and said Meowy thought it was like giving a gift. Power failed to see why humans would want dead mice, but gifts are a relationship thing, so this would definitely work.
“Put that thing down, pack your things, we need to run away right now.” Reze said softly, dropping into a fighting stance as her eyes darted around like ricocheting bullets.
“An elopement!? My lady, you are too bold.” Power exclaimed, placing a hand on her chest and placing the back of her hand to her forehead like she saw in a mediaeval movie one time.
“No, not like that! Like running because we are in danger.” Reze ignored how much she enjoyed Power talking like she was a princess and pushed past her to grab her new knife.
“Hah! Danger? Impossible. Power is far too strong! Why, just the other week I single handedly slew the deadly Katana Devil AND the Zombie Devil all by myself!” She posed and pontificated. Reze was not impressed by this.
“Enough, this isn’t a game. This means that your scary boss has been watching us, and we have to go, neither of us are strong enough to fight her, I’m sure of it. Last chance: I’m leaving right now, with or without you.” Growled Reze, throwing her backpack over her shoulder and storming off towards the window.
“No! No! No! We are girlfriends! Girlfriends are meant to live together! And not in different, boring houses everytime.” Power refuted.
“That’s not possible. I’m a fugitive. The soviets want me dead, public safety wants me dead. I am on the run, and if you can’t accept that, then this isn’t going to work. Now come on, we can probably be on board a plane out of Japan by nightfall if we leave right now.” She shot back, hopping onto the windowsill and extending her hand back for Power to grab.
“Never! We are staying! As part of our contract I DEMAND we pick a place to live and we decorate it and paint it and shop for furniture and do all your other stupid human things!” Stamped and shouted Power.
“Ugh! Why!? Why do you care about paint and decorations and “stupid human things”? Aren’t they “puny” and “beneath you” or whatever? Why do you want this so bad?!” Reze hadn’t raised her voice at Power before…
“I don’t care about stupid human things! They are beneath me! I only do my stupid job because Makima will kill me if I don’t, I only bathe and clean because otherwise Denji and Aki yell at me. But being with you is the first time I’ve ever wanted to do a human thing! You make me want to care!” She yelled back, fury in her words but sadness in her tone. “I want to spend my life doing stupid human things with you!” She began to bawl as she ran across the room and grabbed Reze around the waist, pulling her into a squeezing embrace as she cried into her shoulder.
She wanted to be touched, both by her words and by her arms. She really wanted it to affect her, to make her settle, to make her live a long and blissful and insignificant life. But it didn’t. She sneered, pushing Power off of her “I’m leaving. Right now. If you want this contract to continue then you’ll meet me at the airport. If not, we’re done.” She said, coldly, maliciously.
“You can’t do that. That’s not how contracts work!” Power yelled back, not even allowing herself to be stunned by Reze’s out of nowhere cruelty.
“What are you gonna do, hunt me down? Since you seem to be unable to get this through your head, I’m already on the run. One extra dog on the scent won’t stop me.” Reze responded, hopping back onto the windowsill. She wanted Power to just give in and agree to come with her, but she knew it wouldn’t work. Why did she want this so bad?
Power held firm, glaring at Reze expecting her to hop back any minute now.
Reze sighed, placing her hand on the gutter pipe and sliding down the wall, out of sight.
When Power got home she was covered in dirt and grime. Aki rolled his eyes, he had just managed to clean her off and she was already filthy again. She dropped a dead mouse in front of Meowy before walking into her room, shutting the door and immediately flopping onto her bed.
It had been a few hours since she got home. Aki had made dinner, he knocked on the door and Power never responded. Even when Denji threatened to eat her portion for her. Meowy scratched on her door and she said nothing. After nearly a whole ‘nother hour, Aki pressed a cup against the wall to try and check that she’s at least still breathing in there. It was a breach of privacy, but Power had invaded his personal space enough that he didn’t feel too bad about it. But then he heard her crying…
“Power, I’m coming in there. Please put some pants on if you haven’t.” He said, waiting a few moments for her to make herself decent before opening the door. The blinds were drawn, the room was a mess (though Aki was fairly sure it was just already like that) and Power was face down on her mattress sobbing quietly into her pillow. He sat on the edge of the bed, hesitating before placing his hand on her leg. “Power, you don’t need to talk to me about exactly what’s wrong. But you do need to tell me if you’re okay, got it?” He said reassuringly, not wanting to pry, but wanting to know she’s alright.
“I think I broke up with my girlfriend…” She said, sniffling and refusing to lift her head from her pillow.
“You think? You mean you can’t tell?” Denji said, hovering on the doorframe.
“You’re not helping. Be nice or get out.” Aki responded, Power had walked in on him and Denji sharing a moment and almost ruined it by not understanding humans. But he knew she wasn’t trying to.
“We were yelling. She said I had to leave with her, right now, and I didn’t. She said something about us being “done”, I don’t know.” She turned over to look at Denji, making her words slightly more comprehensible.
“Yelling about what?” Denji asked, kneeling beside her.
“I wanted to get a house and do the things humans do when they get in relationships. She says she’s “on the run” and she can’t. I told her I was strong enough to protect her, but she’s scared of Makima.” She huffed.
“Power, please don’t tell me you’re dating a criminal… Or a devil…” Aki questioned. He cared about her safety, but was very scared she had gone and done something stupid. Then again he did swear that girl looked familiar…
“She’s not a criminal. At least she doesn’t deserve to be. She’s like a princess. She’s everything all humans should be…” She said dejectedly, wanting to be fired up about it but just sinking back down into her stupor of solemnity.
“Y’know I was hanging out with a girl like that recently. You weren’t here for it. She turned into a bomb devil and tried to kill me. Then she ran away and told me she never liked me. Looks like we’re both shit out of luck with girls, huh?” Denji said, lying down and letting Power rest her head on his chest, he knew she liked doing that. He liked to imagine Pochita could say hi to her if she did, he hoped she’d get to meet Pochita some day, somehow…
While his two stupid demon kids had a touching heart to heart moment. Aki was connecting the dots. Power was dating the same girl that tried to kill Denji. This was potentially the worst possible thing that could’ve happened, other than getting a complaint from the neighbours about how Power ran off with no clothes on yesterday. He really wanted to hold it together and be supportive, but his stomach just dropped harder than it ever had before. This was it, he was gonna be arrested for aiding and abetting a devil/terrorist/spy. “I’m gonna go and have a smoke…” He stammered, forcing himself to his feet and out to the balcony.
“What’s his deal?” Denji said judgmentally.
“Denji… You’re almost a human, you know how human things work. How do I fix this?” She questioned.
“Beats me. But I know if I were a chick, I’d want my girlfriend to just tell me everything would be alright, and that we could work it out together.” Reckoned Denji.
“What if we can’t work it out? Do I lie? I’ve never lied before! How does it work?” Power said, the irony completely lost on her. She turned to Denji to just see him staring wistfully at the ceiling. “Fool! I’m talking to you!” She yelled.
“Ah shit, sorry. I was thinking about being a girl with a girlfriend and I started picturing two girls making out and got distracted.” He laughed.
“What the hell is “making out”?” Power asked, having never heard the term before.
“I dunno. It's like kissing, but more.” Denji responded, thoughtful and eloquent as always.
“This explains nothing.” An exasperated Power responded.
“Some people call it frenching. Maybe two French guys made it up?” A philosopher at heart, Denji offered up his thoughts.
“I am the governor of France, and I’ve never heard of this.” Retorted Power.
“I think France has a king, dude.” Denji said back.
“Then I shall decree that my people toil for a thousand more years for inventing stupid things!” She declared loudly.
“Nah man, making out is really cool apparently. I think it involves tongues? But the last time I had a kiss involving my tongue the girl bit it off.” Said Denji, recalling how weird it felt to not have a tongue for a few moments.
“I’d let my girlfriend bite off my tongue. I wouldn’t blame her for being so madly in love with me that she wants to eat me.” Power said longingly.
“Heh, amen to that. I wish Reze was only biting off my tongue because she liked me.” Denji put his hand behind his head for comfort.
“How dare you, fool! She is my lady love!” Power yelled, smacking Denji in the face. Denji assumed she was doing her typical thing and laughed it off.
“Yeah sure. Hey, tell me about your girlfriend, I’ve never met her, is she pretty?” Questioned Denji.
“She’s the prettiest, her hair is purple and soft and gorgeous. She has the most calming green eyes. And when she laughs it makes me really happy inside…” Power listed everything, her voice going from languid to happy to yearnful.
“Damn that sounds exactly like Reze!” Denji said with astonishment.
“Yeah that’s her name! Reze. Isn’t it pretty? Just like all of her. From her stolen clothes and big backpack to that weird necklace she’s always wearing.” She rants, if she were living in a cartoon her eyes would be turning heart shaped.
“Like a… A choker…?” Denji said in creeping terror.
“Yeah that’s what they’re called.” Power said, thankful that she remembered the word all by herself without help.
“Power. Are you actually dating Reze?” Asked Denji.
“Yeah, duh, that’s what I said? When we met in the alleyway after Makima killed her with a spear I gave her my blood to heal her and we made a contract that we’d be girlfriends.” She recanted.
“Makima did what?! And you can’t make contracts you’re a fiend! And Makima did fucking what?!” Denji was taken aback.
“I…I can’t?” Power said in disbelief.
“Umm yeah dude, Aki said it while we were trapped by the eternity devil.”
“I don’t remember this…”
“Dude this isn’t the main thing here. What do you mean Makima killed her with a spear?” An increasingly frustrated Denji asked.
“But if our contract isn’t real… Then…” Tears welled in her eyes.
“I just came back in from the balcony, did Power just say Makima killed her girlfriend with a spear?” Aki questioned as he re-entered the room.
“Yeah! And her girlfriend is Reze! The bomb girl!” Denji exclaimed.
“Yeah, I’d already figured that out.” Aki replied.
“Then if she leaves I’ll never be able to find her! She’s probably already left Japan by now and she’ll never come back!” She cried, completely ignoring her pseudo-family realising that something horrific was happening behind the scenes that they had no idea about.
“Power, sweetie, there’s something a little more important going on right now, can you tell me a little more about what’s happening with Makima?” Aki tried a new approach, being less confrontational.
She continued not to acknowledge the other conversation. “But if there’s no contract. That means she stayed my girlfriend this long because she wanted to!” Exclaimed Power, the spark of hope filling her eyes again as she darted up and out of bed. “I know where she’s heading, I have to find her!” She yelled, putting on a tank top far too large for her over the sports bra and basketball shorts she’d been wearing. Slipping on her shoes and grabbing a coat and barging out of the door before Denji and Aki could stop her.
Reze slipped between the crowds at Narita International Airport. She saw a young looking employee following an older employee, bingo. She tailed them quietly and at a distance. Waiting for them to slip into the employees only area. Weaving between the civilians, she kicked the most robust piece of litter she could find, an empty soda can, towards the door, wedging it open before it could lock.
“Now there are rarely ever issues at the passport counter. We’ll radio you if we need your assistance. I know you’re new, but still, people’s lives could depend on it.” Said the senior officer.
“Yes sir. Anyone to look for in particular?” Said the new recruit.
“There is, girl with purple hair and a Soviet passport. Her name is “Reze”.”.
She held back the urge to curse under her breath. Looks like her only option was stowing away in the cargo hold. She was about to turn around and leave, before she felt a hand on her shoulder. A devil hunter would have killed her on sight, so that leaves airport security or the soviets. Or it could be Power… She hoped it was Power. Why did she hope it was Power?
The cold press of steel on her back proved that it was probably the soviets. She wasn’t fast enough on her reflexes right now, so trying to fight her assailant hand to hand from this position seemed like a plan that would only get her killed. She’d never reach her choker in time to summon the bomb, and all the devil hunters would close in on her immediately if she actually managed to. So she let the agent win for a moment. Slowly raising her hands. “Вперед.” Commanded the agent.
He walked her through the employee area, keeping the gun in the small of her back and pressing it against her to push her forward. Through a hallway and down a flight of stairs into a basement storage area. She never heard the employee door close, and she heard another set of footfalls behind her. They were smart enough to send backup, but not smart enough to kill her on sight. Amateur.
“Pуки за спиной” He ordered. This was not gonna help her, but she still had the knife, she could escape this… Probably. Regardless, she complied, putting her hands behind her back. The agent zip tied her wrists and elbows together to stop her reaching her pin. He then reached up to an earpiece and said “Цель обеспечена. Ожидание заказов.”.
Reze had done escape training, she wasn’t getting out of these while under supervision. But if she could get his back turned for a moment…
Suddenly he raised his hand back to his earpiece, she could hear it buzzing, an order was coming in. “Будет соблюдать. Слава Советскому Союзу.” He said, cocking his supressed makarov.
Блять.
This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! Shot dead in a basement by some grunt.
Блять.
She needed a plan, the “just an innocent girl, please help!” plan wouldn’t work, she was a criminal that the guards were watching for. She wouldn’t be able to reach him with her legs, she couldn’t reach her knife.
Блять!
This was it. She was out of ideas.
Then the agent pointed his gun at his own head.
“Fire, солдат.” A soft, familiar voice from around the corner. The pronunciation was off, as if they weren’t a Russian speaker by birth
He fired. As the blood spilled from his wound, he slumped down. Revealing the form of Makima.
“Well, my little sparrow. It seems you’ve been caught. How lucky for me.” She said, walking past the corpse and towards the captive Reze. “You’ve been particularly hard to find. I only managed to spot you once. Good job using my own employees as a shield.” She monologued as Reze recoiled whenever she got too close.
“Once? But what about the mice?” Reze questioned, trying to get Makima to reveal just a little more about how her devil contracts worked.
“Oh, I suppose you’re right. I spotted you twice then. I figured I wouldn’t mention the time the scary bomb devil ran away from a mouse she couldn’t see. To save your pride.” Her tone was needlessly sweet for her cruel intention.
“And the dead mouse I found in the apartment.” Reze sneered, making herself sound angry to hide how she was still upset that she may or may not have just broken up with Power.
“I can’t hear through a dead mouse, silly. No need to be paranoid. Even though you’re a filthy devil, I respect your privacy.” She laughed. It felt wrong, like seeing a face that wasn’t quite human. Reze steeled herself against the wave of sadness that came from knowing she yelled at Power over nothing.
“Just get on with it. I have a plane to catch.” Reze spat, turning away from Makima as she tried to worm her way out of the zip ties. She knew it wouldn’t work, but she felt like a caged rat and she needed out. Something about Makima’s eyes was kicking her brain into a fear response she thought had been trained out of her.
“What’s your angle? How exactly do you think seducing Power is going to get you closer to stealing Chainsaw’s heart?” Makima asked as she stepped closer to Reze.
“It isn’t. She saved me, from you. And I thought she was cute. You got something against lesbians all of a sudden?” Reze wasn’t entirely lying, just omitting the whole “contract” thing.
“Nothing at all. But I do have something against foreign agents trying to kill my best devil hunter. So I’ll ask again. How are you planning to swing this to steal Chainsaw’s heart?” Makima got even closer, Reze was panicking.
“Back off! I don’t care about your stupid Chainsaw anymore. I failed my mission. I just wanna get away from you!” She pulled against the tight plastic, feeling it dig into her skin.
“I don’t recall telling you to lie to me. I know you’re lying, sparrow. What are you hiding from me?” She said, suddenly the corpse of the agent picked itself up, and despite being without a head, grabbed Reze by the hair. “You can talk now.” Makima said, passive aggressively ordering Reze to talk. This woman just got scarier every time they ran into each other.
“I made a contract! I made a contract with Power when she saved my life, and I promised to be her girlfriend. That’s it! That’s it I promise! Even if I brought chainsaw devil back to the soviets they’d still kill me for my failure. I’ve got no reason to take his heart! Just let me go!” She begged, her fear taking control of her. She needed to get away from this woman right now. She tried to kick with her untied legs but Makima avoided her. “Just let me go! I won’t go after Chainsaw again, I just want to see Power!” She welled up uncontrollably with tears as the fear took hold entirely.
“Well. If only you told me the full truth from the beginning. Then we wouldn’t be in this situation.” Makima said pleasantly as the soviet corpse dropped to the ground, as dead as it had been when the shot was first fired. “Now, I could try and kill you again, but something tells me you won’t stay dead. So I’m going to leave you here. I hope someone finds you soon.” She said, taking the knife from Reze’s bag and placing it inside the top shelf of a tall filing cabinet. “Of course, you shouldn’t have brought this to an airport. The blade looks to be over four inches. So I’ll just put this somewhere safe.” She said with a cruel smile. Reze scowled, tied as she was; she'd never reach that shelf and she needed that knife to escape. Of course, Makima knew that. “Have fun, little sparrow. I hope the guards don’t find you. Wouldn’t want you to be extradited back to the Russians before you can say goodbye to your girlfriend.” Barely veiling the threat as she walked slowly up the stairs before disappearing out of sight.
Knowing the likelihood of escape without detection was basically zero while she was still bound, and knowing any attempt to untie herself was going to bring the attention of security. She allowed herself a brief moment to wallow in the hopelessness of her situation.
Then she heard another set of heavy footfalls heading down the hallway towards her. She grit her teeth, and embraced the fact that the guards were about to find her. Her only hope was that they'd let her keep the silk dress in her bag for the flight back to Moscow, maybe it would still smell like Power…