They Are Made From Lightning

TEN (十)

Maybe his history of irregular pot-stacking had finally caught up to him. This was Tora's first thought. It was one that seemed the most logical to her.

And then something skittered across the room, moving like elastic. Unfathomable at a first glance. She knew where she'd seen these movements before. Just earlier on.

Rebound emerged from the shadows.

The last time Tora had seen Rebound (just a few hours ago), she'd been beaten to a bloody pulp. Her last memory of Rebound was the girl lying flat on within the ring, piercing, glazed eyes staring up at her like she was the night sky, smiling. She had a streak of blood on her mouth, and muttered something inaudible.

Now, she seemed fine.

It wasn't her presence that surprised Tora. She never fought with the intention to kill. She'd always fought with the intention to badly wound, as she'd called it. Meaning she never intended for opponents to even lift an elbow for the next fortnight.

And yet, Rebound stood before her: perfect and glossy and new.

"You followed me back from the club," Tora said blandly.

Rebound snorted, seemingly annoyed at Tora's tone. "Great observation, buttercup. I don't suppose you have anything else to say?"

"Well, the defeated try to do that sometimes. It's nothing new." Tora's eyes drifted to the broken window that Rebound must've obviously climbed through.

This action caught Rebound's eye, and she smiled at her own handiwork, "Quite impressive, isn't it?"

Tora slid her brass knuckles out from the sheaths around her waist and slammed them on.

Never falter.

The girl put both hands up, urging her to stop, "Hey now, calm down, calm down. I'm not here to fight if you hear and accept what I have to say."

Never falter.

Tora stared at the girl, a frown stretching across her face. She felt something surge inside of her. She used to think that it was fear, but then she'd learnt that the night she'd been struck by lightning, it'd gutted out most of her fear and replaced it with this: rampant, disobedient energy.

Tora didn't say anything.

Rebound raised an eyebrow at her and continued. "I'm here because you have something, Tora Hanazawa. Something that we need. You're the only one who can give it to us."

Never falter. "What do you mean?"

She would fight Rebound again if she had to. And she would win, again.

Rebound looked unimpressed. "You know what I mean." She paused, and then a devious smile pulled across her face.

"Well, if you come with me, Angelica will be fine."

Somehow, the arrangement of those words made Tora freeze. Did they know that Angelica had powers, too? Because from what Rebound was saying, she didn't seem to.

Maybe, it was because Rebound said that they needed her. What did that mean?

Or maybe, it was because –

"So: deal or no deal, buttercup?"

There was no time to think. She gritted her teeth, electricity fluttering underneath brass. This time, it was a conscious choice to not reply. If the spectators in the club wanted to call her a monster, she would make sure that she would live up to that name.