Wednesday October 4th
The Hollows. 510 Cherry Hill Road. Apartment 5b.
Derek's Home.
Seventy-eight, seventy-nine, eighty Derek counted from underneath a bench-press. Eighty-one, eighty-two Suddenly, a knock at his door. At the flex of a muscle, he was hidden. The ordeal he had recently been through with New Mafias conspiracy had taught him to be extra careful. He looked through the eye hole expecting to see his girlfriend, Saffron McKenzie known to the world as the Amber Banshee, but he saw nothing. He leant over the door and listened. Nothing. Somebodys messing with me he muttered, his fists pierced slowly by emerging bones, sharp as razor blades.
He flung the door open in a violent swing of his left arm and lunged out of the door with his right set of claws hoping to strike anything unseen. And he did.
Ow! came a cry.
Sunshine? Is that you? Derek asked, puzzled.
A beautiful young lady de-cloaked before him. Her long dark hair resting graciously across her shoulder. She wore very little; just a mini denim skirt and a white belly top, bright red blood disturbed the gentle caramel of her skin, along the right forearm.
Derek
why would you?-- never in her life had Dragonfly been so shocked. Shed known Derek over four months and had been through the wars of hell with him by her side. --I thought we were friends, why would you--
Derek was speechless. He had just attacked a team-mate, however unknowingly, and Dragonfly of all people. I
Sunshine, I
Im sorry, I--
A sudden flash of light and Derek stumbled backwards. Dragonfly had executed a one-inch punch. Youre sorry Derek? she exclaimed. Oh, I cant believe this! After all this time, I finally make the effort to visit you at this dump and you strike me? What because I dont like mutants?
No. Sabrina
Derek stuttered. I swear to god, I didnt see you out there
Again, Dragonfly struck out, but this time, Derek blocked her attack. She followed through with a back-fist strike and caught Derek by the chin. She advanced onto him and pinned him onto a far wall, bringing her face into his in a threatening manner.
Sabrina, youre making a terrible mistake. I (censored) swear it girl, I did not see you there Derek emphasised, through trapped teeth. Dragonfly wasnt impressed.
Do I look stupid to you? You think Id fall for a lie that old? she whispered.
I swear to you woman, now let me go! he ordered, dismissively.
For a split second, the word woman sparked a loose cable in Dragonflys head. She thought of drawing her blade.
Sabrina
youre bleeding. Let. Me. Go
A sudden silence enveloped the room. Dragonfly recalled the moments at headquarters she had enjoyed with Derek. Sometimes, she could confess that Derek spent more free time with her than his girlfriend, Amber. She gazed into his eyes and saw a reflection of herself.
Sabrina, this is the last time Im asking you. Will you kindly let go of my shirt? Please.
Slowly, she released her grip and Derek retracted his claws. The two were so close they could feel each others breathing.
Derek sighed. Look, I dont know why or how you were invisible, and Im guessing neither do you--
Shut up! Sabrina barked, feeling defeated. She violently pushed away from Derek, slamming him hard against the wall before turning towards the kitchen sink. Jerk!
Without really meaning to, Derek swore in retaliation, using a word for canine gender. Strangely, Dragonfly pretended not to have heard it. She washed her forearm off dry blood under the running tap, yanked up a clean cleaning cloth from its packaging and wrapped it about the wound.
You know, I do have a wash basin right inside the bathroom Derek complained, breaking open a can of beer and taking a gulp.
Eat my blood, pig head Dragonfly cursed, snatching Dereks beer away as she barged past him.
Hey! Derek hollered. Hey! Woman, thats my last can He made to yank it back but was faced with the deadly point of the Golden Dragonfly katana.
Im gonna drink this here beer, and then Im outta this dump. Got a problem with that?
Derek swore again, avoiding further arguments, he headed over to a window to curse some more.
And the next time you call me a (censored) I swear to god Ill rip your (censored) (censored) off, you (censored) big headed, skinny (censored) pile of trash, youll end up looking a wasted transsexual with a sex-change gone bad Dragonfly warned, gulping down Dereks beer. He had never heard a woman attack with such verbal ferocity, stood in the middle of his own apartment with a four-foot long blade slung dangerously in one hand and a can of beer in the other. It was a beautiful sight.
Err
wow
okay he replied, sarcastically. He actually, now wanted to see her angry. Through the window, he saw an old friend from the Outcast gangs being mobbed by over a dozen Trolls. (censored)! he exclaimed, his fists exploding out in six bladed claws. (censored)! (censored)! he swore repeatedly.
What? What is it? Dragonfly asked, moving over to the window to see. She turned back around to address Derek but he was already out the door. Once an Outcast, always an Outcast she moaned. Im staying right here to watch the show
Seconds later, the Trolls were sliced, diced and shredded beyond recognition. Alive, but unconscious. Dereks pal didnt thank him, matter of fact, he failed to register Derek was ever there. Clearly Derek was no longer favoured by the gang, he too simply turned his back and headed back up the apartment.
Derek, you hit like (censored)
Shut your mouth. You get to use the word, but I dont?
Precisely. Now, you need a little work on your fighting boy. No wonder Hyper Cat kicked your behind
I said shut up Derek was loosing his temper, but Dragonfly was enjoying the taunt.
Ah, Im only kidding, god, you look really cute when youre mad she giggled. Say, I feel like fighting all of a sudden. Wanna hit the NRVS?
What, because I need training? Derek asked, but Dragonfly just laughed more. Im being serious; maybe I could use a different workout. These weights are getting lighter and lighter
Okay. Dragonfly replied, emptying Dereks beer in one large swoop. Ill teleport and then recall you
How is it that you can do that anyway?
To be honest with you, I dont know. Dragonfly ran up to Derek, kissed him on the cheek and disappeared with a final See ya
Right he replied. When she had gone, he decided to change shirts. This chick is flirting with me he cautioned himself. But as he made to redress, he suddenly vanished through the air, topless.
((Written with Derek and Dante))