Windows gaped like empty eye sockets. Doors hung crooked on rusted hinges. Grass pushed through cracked pavement as if nature itself was trying to reclaim the dead.
A child ran.
Her name was Gigi, small legs pumping as hard as they could carry her, breath ragged, tears streaking dirt down her cheeks. Beside her sprinted her duck, Polly, waddling behind her. She swept Polly into her arms and ran.
Behind them came the sound of wet footsteps.
Something laughed.
"Me parasite hungry," the creature crooned, its voice gurgling and playful.
"I eat human girl."
It was a four-legged parasite, its body a twisting mass of sinew and plates, blade-like limbs scraping sparks from the ground. Its smile stretched far too wide.
Polly skidded to a stop and turned.
She quaked, sharp, furious, fearless.
"Polly, run!" Gigi screamed.
The duck glanced back at her, quaked once more, then lowered herself between the girl and the monster. Her quack was low, trembling, but unyielding.
"Polly, you don't have to sacrifice yourself for me!" Gigi sobbed.
Polly didn't move.
She quacked again, go.
Gigi turned and ran.
The parasite shrieked in delight and lunged. One bladed leg swung down like a guillotine. Polly leapt aside, but the second strike came too fast.
CRASH.
Her body was hurled through against the wall of an abandoned house. Dust exploded outward. Polly hit the floor hard, body screaming, breath shallow and broken.
The parasite crept closer, tongue dragging across jagged teeth.
"Oooooui..." it purred.
"Quick snack before the full course meal. No... I want the human now."
It turned and bolted after Gigi.
Gigi burst into another house and slammed the door behind her. She stumbled into a bedroom and pressed herself against the wall, hands over her mouth to choke back her cries.
"Polly..." she whispered.
Then she felt it.
Breath.
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Hot. Close.
She turned.
The parasite's body loomed outside the building, but its head stretched impossibly long, snaking through the shattered window, neck thinning and elongating as it pushed inside.
Its smile filled the room.
Gigi screamed and ran.
The front of the house collapsed behind her as the creature tore through it, walls disintegrating like paper. Heavy footsteps thundered closer.
Then..
SHIIIIING.
A silver arc split the air.
The parasite's front limbs were severed in a single, flawless motion.
It screamed.
Plum stood between it and the child, Ruby claws humming with cold, violet Abi.
The creature roared and charged.
Plum slammed her scythe into the ground.
"Grave Chains."
Black chains covered in solar energy erupted from the earth, coiling around the parasite's legs. It stumbled, crashed, tore at the bindings, but more chains wrapped tighter, dragging it down.
The parasite thrashed, shrieking, frothing with rage.
Gigi hid behind an old water barrel, peeking out with wide, trembling eyes.
The creature twisted its head toward her, jaws snapping, but the chains constricted violently, yanking it back.
Plum stepped forward, eyes cold.
"You are the last of them in shibuya."
"KILL ME, SCYTHERIAN," the parasite screeched, "BUT I AM EVERYWHERE!"
Plum lifted her scythe.
"Everywhere but here, now my sun bear finish him."
The parasite's eyes widened.
A shadow fell over the district.
From the sky descended a massive warrior duck, armored in radiant Abi, mane flowing like a banner of light. Its presence shook the ground.
"What... is that?" the parasite whispered.
Burajiru rode atop the duck.
"This is Pollymorph."
The warrior duck quacked but it was more like a roar.
One fist, forged of pure Abi, slammed forward.
The impact obliterated the parasite in a single explosion of light and ash.
Silence followed.
Gigi stepped out slowly.
Plum and Burajiru turned toward her.
"Oh my," Plum said softly. "Are you okay?"
Gigi swallowed. "Where... where is my duck? Polly?"
Burajiru smiled gently. "Oh. That was your duck. She was in pretty bad shape, so... I evolved her."
Gigi's eyes widened.
The warrior duck knelt and placed a massive hand on her head, letting out a warm, familiar quack.
"Polly?" Gigi whispered.
She ran forward and hugged her friend, tears soaking into glowing fur.
She looked up at them both.
"Thank you, Mr. Afro Man... and Ms. Skeleton Lady."
"No worries," Burajiru said, grinning.
Plum suddenly crushed him in a hug.
"You did so good, baby," she said, voice shaking. "I'm so proud of you."
They walked home together.
"I think that was the last one," Plum murmured.
"That's good," Burajiru said, then paused. "What's on your mind, babe?"
Plum hesitated. "I wonder what it would be like... if we had a daughter."
Burajiru closed his eyes.
When he opened them, his expression softened.
Plum gasped.
Before her stood a child, long, curly red kinky hair, warm tan skin, orange eyes like Plum's, a perfect blend of them both. The little girl smiled "Hi mom."
The girl ran forward and hugged Plum.
Plum froze... then collapsed to her knees, clutching her tightly, sobbing.
"I tried to imagine her," Burajiru said softly. "A mix of both of us."
The girl shimmered and dissolved into Abi particles.
"I'm sure she'd look different," Burajiru added gently, "but I think it's close enough."
Plum kissed him, hard, desperate, full of tears.
And for the first time in a long while... the Yuto District felt quiet.