Neon District Slums

Despite knowing better, Mari had to admit she was impressed.

The man they were chasing was wily enough to keep both her and Carmine at a distance while carrying a hostage.

She reared back her fist and launched another shockwave, this time aiming for his legs. He leaped out of the way before she had even completed the motion, evading the attack altogether.

At the her peripheral sight, she could see Carmine firing several bolts of fire as well. Likewise, he had leapt away preemptively.

The blonde knew she was getting frustrated with the lack of progress; he kept running them in circles, commenting on every other action they made.

And it was grating on her nerves.

"C'mon princess! You looked a lot livelier than that! Or are you both big blowhards? Like how you both blo- Whoa!" A roaring column of flames erupted from where he once stood. He leapt acrobatically onto a nearby balcony, with To Kei slumped over his arm. "Quite the spitfire, ain't cha? Get it? Cuz you got that-"

He was cut off by another flame burst, each torching the tiles as he nimbly dodged each shot.

She had to do something soon; Carmine was becoming more unfocused as time passed by.

And where on Earth were the authorities?

'It's been about to ten minutes', he thought. 'Should be enough.'

The ivory-haired man ducked from another firebolt, then sidestepping a thunderous shockwave. "Then again", he muttered. "Time's kinda with me on this one."

They had left a trail of ruin and destruction in their wake. Several buildings and streets were already compromised and falling apart. A stray of civilian may have been hit in the crossfire, but nothing mortal as far as he knew.

Whatever. Collateral is collateral.

As he saw the first of the two approaching him, the violent lavender one, he tossed his passenger at her. She reeled in shock before catching him in her arms.

"Been fun, hotcakes! Let's do this again sometime!"

And with that, he vanished without a trace.

For the last few moments, all Carmine saw was red.

Any hesitation she once had turned to ash as she chased in pursuit after the bastard that dared-

No, she was angry enough as it was. Now she had to use it as the focus it was intended to be.

She skidded as she turned at the corner, only to gape momentarily before catching To Kei in her arms.

"Been fun, hotcakes! Let's do this again sometime!"

That pig! Before she could scorch the chauvinist into ruins, he disappeared.

Nostrils flaring, she took a slow, shuddering breath and calmed herself. She looked down to the man in her hold, soot staining his suit and skin. An orange flame, this one soft and gentle, sparked into life in Carmine's hands.

She knew her priorities and set to work.