Great Bookstore War

— You can get the golden girl, Franchise. — Juice signed.

— Got it. Imperium, try your luck on the girl. — Franchise signed.

— Captain, let’s get the other two. — Evangelist signed.

In the depth of his heart, Franchise acknowledged his girlfriend for the smart call while also condoning himself for not thinking about it sooner. But this realization was then focused with indignation, at a certain someone, who he called Captain. Had this not been the situation that it was, Franchise would have snapped.

The all-out, Great Bookstore War, has started.

Slots continued to launch his heavy spheres in the general direction of the enemy, with Ragnarok hitting them back with twice the strength. Imperium snaps his fingers against Useless, who only skips time forward, to dodge the boy.

Evangelist fights Epicenter hand to hand and quickly gets the upper hand, stabbing the woman in the neck with her scissors. This caused Useless the little number of words she had, to revert time and save her ally. Epicenter approached, tuning into the battle. Juice’s flares explode against the bookshelves making paper rain over the battlefield. Meatball continues to run in the air, dodging Franchise who hunted her.

Changing gravity with every platform, the battlefield was turn into a three-dimensional conflict, in which anyone could intervene on another battle, from any direction. Killerkill went to Evangelist’s aid, only to be stopped by Epicenter, who tried to stab her.

With another time skip from Useless makes her get yet another hit against Imperium. And also makes everyone a little more hectic. Keep in mind, that only Useless can act in the time that is warped, and the others have to deal with the aftermath.

Epicenter kicks Killerkill down and rushes over her. She throws her knife, which Killer was ready to catch, but the knife opened a portal, that lead back to Evangelist and Teacher. Going throught the portal, Epicenter dropkicks Evangelist and teleports away once again.

With a powerful twist, Imperium made the platform he and Useless where on explode and the burst delivered him upward, close enough to snap against Slots. The shock of having his legs spin into pieces, was enough to let Ragnarok hit him down, deep into a bookshelf. Slithering back up, he saw a flare coming his way.

Juice pretend to fire against Slots, making change directions and move closer into Ragnarok’s range. But the flare landed above him, against Epicenter, and the explosive shrapnel damaged her severely. She opens a portal and leaves.

From above, Franchise cut the space between himself and Useless, landing in front of her right after another time skip. The shock delayed her reaction, but it didn’t hinder Franchise one bit. The other women simply saw, Franchise slicing Useless legs off with a swipe of his hand. In the constricted image of time, they saw the girl screaming, falling back and spewing blood.

After seeing that opening for opportunity, Franchise turns the tides of the fight. With the distraction and sudden movement, Meatball had undone her acid coating. A high piercing shot from Juice, moves through her liver, and makes her fall. Teacher was the only one, unharmed, who saw all of it go down. The woman with the acid was in a distant bookshelf and Teacher had no way to reach her without exposing herself.

— Amanda!! — Teacher called out for Meatball, to no avail.

Teacher, Epicenter, Meatball and Useless are sisters in battle. Strangely enough, as the four less psychotic people, they’ve developed a much more natural bond with one another, than the men did. Slots was a fanatic who worshipped Limbo. Limbo was evil beyond perception and Despise had nothing in his mind other than to carry out the orders that were given to him.

Through their time together they’ve grown to care for their squadron, beyond what rules and regulations had asked them too. The girls, whether they liked it or not, had a humanity in them, that had not yet been shunned. And because of that, they too had something to care about. Epicenter was nowhere to be seen.

— This is not happening… — She spoke.

Teacher learned that Useless was a homeless child with no known parents. She was rescued by Limbo, and her luck finally showed itself in the form of it’s VSS. Megan Una, also known as Useless, was on the track of a better life, her immense potential still to be seen. Teacher indulged the idea, that Megan and Atticus would one day have a squadron of their own. Creating new milestones by themselves.

Huffing and puffing, Franchise looms over Useless, who cried and screamed. In her mind, she begged them to say a word. If she could revert time, she would save herself. She no longer would challenge them. But Franchise stared at her, in silence.

A clap for attention, makes him look back at his Captain.

— Don’t do it. — Killerkill gestures, approaching.

— Why not? — Franchise gestured with his prosthetic arm.

— We might have to speak for her sake.

— And give her the chance to get back at us?

Killerkill was once again forced to choose between what is right and what is best. The problem was that she could not distinguished in her head, between those two things. And only Killerkill, had that issue. Because to her, the aftermath was as important as the process. Was killing the child the right thing to do, or was it the best thing to do?

— She is our enemy.

They could not wait any longer. They could not gamble on the fact that someone would show up and speak without worry, giving Useless the ammunition she so desperately desired. Neither Franchise nor Ragnarok could heal the girl, nor would they speak for her benefit. They could only harm her even further. And because Killerkill could see that in their eyes, she battled the desire to say something. Trusting that the crying girl, who was but a little older than Imperium, would stay true to her word and give up.

— It’s an order.

— It’s them. Before us.

A whistle for attention leads their eyes to Juice.

— What’s the situation? Can we go? — He gestured.

— We might have to wait and call Teacher. — Evangelist gestured.

— A truce? With them? After all this? — Imperium gestured.

Killerkill and Franchise stare at one another with sharp eyes. Juice and Imperium where standing next to the man while Evangelist and Ragnarok where with the Captain. Thankfully, the discussion bought them enough time to regroup in a single platform. But the decision between their indistinctively yelling was cut short by a warping sound. Epicenter returned with a new portal.

— Here you go. — She told the ally she brought.

The atmosphere heats up as Despise enters the battlefield.

— Time to amputate.