A Dance of Lightning and Ice

Black hair that reached her thighs swished as she walked across the barren land. The lady wasn’t quite sure where the others were – it was either they were killed in the battles, or were endlessly aiming around, just like what she was doing at the present moment. Shiny white boots gleamed as she walked, reflecting the sunlight that shone right at her. The silence was deafening, and it was enough to rouse paranoia in her. The lack of people made her wary.

“My, my. Well, if it isn’t little miss Ignis?”

Jade Ignis, at the sound of the voice, now wanted the silence back.

Damn it.

Lazy green eyes glanced at the newcomer across her.

“Bianca Frigus.”

The blonde cocked the pistol towards her, yawning. The color of the weapon shone an icy blue.

“You should be an easy one to deal with,” she sneered. “Got rid of the others easily. Now it’s your turn.”

Jade cocked a brow, looking into the barrel of the pistol.

“I wonder how you dealt with Vermiculus. Or Goldenrod.”

“They don’t have Gear.”

“And you do?”

“Aphrodite.”

She recognized the name.

AphroMachina.

Otherwise known as V-Machina.

“And when I exterminate you...” she put a finger on the trigger, “…I’ll have your Gear.” Bianca smiled sweetly, “Hasta la vista, Ignis.”

She pulled the trigger.

Immediately, Jade leaped back, the bullet hitting the tree right behind. She quickly glanced up, expecting to see an irritated expression on Bianca’s face.

But it was one of excitement.

Ice immediately shot out, winding itself around Jade’s torso. The woman struggled, glaring up at Bianca, who came closer with a spear made out of ice materializing in her hands. She carefully used it to lift Jade’s chin, sending her a false pitying expression.

“This was the same trick I used on the others,” she sighed dramatically. “That wasn’t a fun fight, wasn’t it?” Jade stayed silent. “Quiet now, hmm? No matter. I’ll give you an easy way out and then rip the Gear away from you. Fair and square.”

She dragged the spear down, down her chin and trailing it down her neck.

And it reached contact with the ice that bound her.

“Percutiat!”

Bianca screeched as the lightning transmitted from the ice around Jade’s torso, to the spear, to her fingers. The blonde stumbled back and Jade kicked upwards at the ice, cracking it and finally breaking it down. She grabbed for the spear and ran towards Bianca, who fumbled for the button which would activate her Gear.

No such luck.

Jade’s fist connected with Bianca’s cheek before the latter could even summon her V-Machina. Twirling the spear, her eyes locked with Bianca’s blue ones, and she pinpointed the exact location…

…in a matter of seconds, she was pinned down, blood oozing out of her shoulder as the object was driven in. The blonde screeched in pain, writhing around on the ground, and Jade could only watch blankly.

“Murderer!” she hissed. “You sadistic, horrible, war-freak!”

“You said you wanted to experience my Gear, didn’t you?”

“I wanted to take your Gear-”

And the spear was driven in even more.

“HeraGear, sorbeo.”

Lavender light flowed into the vial, and Jade watched as Bianca’s struggling decreased.

“N-No, y-you can’t t-take it…”

Jade pocketed the glass vial and turned away.

“It wasn’t even yours to begin with.”

And she left, leaving a defeated competitor on the ground, slowly bleeding away.