The Past Returns (Bow)

Well rested, the restless boy was. He'd slept like a child, which was rare. Maybe it was the bed? He glanced over at the pink haired girl laying in the stained bed the cheap motel had taken his money for. No, it likely wasn't that. The bed was better than concrete, but only barely. He sat on the heater by the window, hogging the room of warmth as he ashed the cigarette in his mouth in the filthy tray.

He was dressed in a simple black hoodie with black sweat pants. He always kept at least a few sets of clothes in his backpack on nights he went clubbing.

Spoiler:

Why was he still here? Normally he'd be off burning a church or something by now, but something about the forgetful broad made him curious. Did he want to talk to her or something? Maybe. He was quickly getting sick of waiting though. She slept too damn much.

"OI! Wake up, brat."

The pink haired girl was dreaming of the memory with her and her father again. It seemed to replay on loop in her mind as a sort of comfort to her. It’s why she still worked in that club even after the mess that went down on the first night. It was the only way she had access to the drug that let her remember things. She didn’t ever want to let that go.

Just like she didn’t want to let go of this dream! Each time it played, it was the very same spot in the timeline. Her Daddy would call her upstairs, she would help change the lightbulb, it would glow, and then her Mommy would call from downstairs and the memory would go dark. She didn’t know what happened after that. She couldn’t ever get that far. Maybe if she took another hit of V-9...

Then she heard something outside her own brain. She blinked and looked up and around until her eyes rested on the boy she had come here with. Right! They had sex last night. It was her first time. The girl blushed lightly and smiled as she sat up, the sheet catching on her chest to cover them. ”Good morning, Case!! How are you today?? Ooh! A change of clothes!! That’s smart.” She giggles lightly and looks around for where she left her clothes to put them back on.

Case watched the girl closely. Not her face, he hardly gave a shit about what her expression was. Her body, her movements, that bastard of a sheet he thought about swapping away. He didn't though. She was friendly. Bubbly. Was she like this last night too? This was not his type. He hung around the type of gals that had weird piercings and tattoos. Not bubbly and friendly gals. Why did he pick her?

"You were dreamin'." He said easy, ashing his cigarette. "About me?"

It was a tease, he let a devilish smile shine through his apathetic persona. He wanted to know more about the girl who knew nothing about herself. What type of stuff would she like? What would she hate? Who would she kill?

More importantly, why did he care? He looked out the window quickly, frowning. He saw some advertisement for lingerie. This world was full of that shit. Advertisements. Fuckers trying to tell you who you were. Liars. Bastards.

"You hungry?" He asked, looking back at her. He made no effort to get her clothes. No, she'd have to figure that out herself. He wanted her to find herself, really. He pitied the broad. It was impossible these days to know who you really were. "I'll get us something. You can, uh, freshen up."

After last night he figured she'd need a shower. He threw his cigarette on the carpet then stomped it out, leaving an awful black smear. He didn't care about her answer, and would head for the door. There was a vending machine he planned on looting. He went down the stairs, but paused halfway, eyeing a armored van in the lot.

"Aa..? I know them." He grew up on these streets. Those bastards were hired by that big fucking corporation. Deployed to deal with problems. If they were here then... "Ahhhh shit. Who'd I piss off this time?"

He threw his hood up, planning on leaving completely. Fuck the girl. He vanished out across the road with his swap, then looked back. The boys had reached the door and were kicking it in now... right where Railyn was.

The young girl blinked when he asked if she had been dreaming about him and she just giggled lightly with a playful shrug. Was she always like this? Even she didn't know the answer to that question that hit both of their minds at seemingly the same time.

While he was wondering things about her, she just had one thought on her mind. Where were her clothes? She started to look around and noticed that they were on the ground, in various states of usability. At least her bra and panties seemed to be fully in tact?

Then he asked if she was hungry and the girl nodded, watching as he snuffed out the cigarette on the carpet without a care in the world about the mark it left behind. She looked at it, but noticed there were several other similar marks and just assumed that it was normal behavior. He mentioned freshening up and she tilted her head, but then realized he must be talking about a shower and nodded. "I'll do that!!" She giggled and got up, butt naked as she made her way to the bathroom, humming on her way as he walked outside.

The next thing she knew, she heard the door being kicked open and she went wide eyed, turning the water off and blinking. "C-Case?? Is that you??" No. No it was not.

The bathroom was filled with four guys in full armor and loaded guns pointed straight at her. One of them told her to wrap herself in a towel and come with them and no one would get her. Who was she to argue with them? The small pink haired girl just nodded, fear swallowing up her words. She got out and did as she was told, wrapping herself in a towel as she shivered and would follow wherever they led her.

Case had never seen the powerful force that was the Hounds. Only heard stories. Effective but single minded. They only ever had one objective and never strayed from it. He let out a half chuckle, throwing his hands behind his head as he watched. He wondered if the bots would be disappointed when they realized he wasn't in there. Fuckin' useless pieces of scrap.

...only that's not what happened. They came out with the pitiful girl in their clutches, clad only in a bath towel. "Aa? What the fuck?"

They weren't after him, then? That's what it seemed. There were only a few of them, considering. They would have likely sent more if they were after him. Did that mean... he was off the hook? He just had to walk away to freedom? One look at the shiver girl though. The girl with no past. The girl with no idea who she was. They'd take her and break her, squash whatever she used to be until all that was left was whatever they wanted.

A chill ran up his spine. It caught him by surprise as he dropped his backpack to the floor. "Fuck."

The word was simple, but he reached into his pack to grab out a couple knives as his eyes narrowed. What was it about this broad? After a few seconds, as she was being walked to van peacefully, she would suddenly find herself standing where Case had been across the street. A pair of clothes were set on his backpack for her. He was now in the middle of the three of the Hounds, and a sadistic smile crept on his face.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you all."

The words came from his core, and were so honest and true he wondered if he'd ever said anything true in his life before. His knife flung out, but were obviously useless against the metal. Once attacked, the machines started going after Case. The commotion was loud, but he seemed slipper enough to hold his own as he dodged blow after blow.

"COME ON YA FUCKIN' TIN CAN!"

Railyn didn't know where Case had gone. She kept looking around for him but thought maybe he had already been injured or worse. Those were really the only two options she could think to consider. There was no way he would leave her there after all. Right?

Obviously, she was correct! One moment she was walking towards a van, and the next she was across the street and looked back to where she had come from! Case was fighting the men that had just tried to kidnap her! Her eyes went wide and she almost ran right back over, but noticed the clothes laying on top of the backpack next to her. That would be smart.

The girl ran into the nearest alley and threw on the shirt and squeezed into the tight fitting jeans. Girl had a butt. As soon as she was decent, she ran back over without having first considered what she would do once she got there. Her face looked like she was a deer caught in headlights. What was she supposed to do?

She looked down at her hands and growled. "Do something!! I know you can!! I just don't know how to make you!!" She whimpered and looked up at Case as he shouted at the machines. She bit her lip and growled. "This is stupid stupid STUPID!!" She shouted and threw her arms forward pointed towards the man running after Case and lit his ass on fire. "...oh..."

Case's composure was quickly fading as the fight went on. His knives did nothing to the machines, so he was stuck dodging and blinking in and out of existence. Something he knew he couldn't maintain forever. He needed to think of something fast. As he did a quick back handspring to put distance between him and the bastards, he took a low pose with a soft growl. Think, think THINK!

Suddenly there was a fire launched at the back of the machine, and Case straightened and raised a brow. He peeked around, spotting Railyn curiously. He looked at her, then the Hounds, then the fire.

"...huh?"

It didn't make sense to him... unless the chick was a meta?! That was why the Hounds must have wanted her. Shit, that made sense. The machines spun around to step menacingly towards Bow, but he could tell she had no control over this shit. Not yet, at least. He spotted a bird flying high above and swapped it with one of the Hounds, causing it to fall from the sky. It landed harshly on the Van they showed up in, crushing the roof.

"Oi, oi, girlie, we'll need more firepower than that. You got it?"

That, or they could run. He could probably get them away, right?

The girl watched as one of the machine things dropped from the sky and blinked. What was this craziness now!? The one thing she knew for certain was that Case had saved her. She smiled over to him for a moment. "Th-thank you, Case!! I-I'll try!!"

However, she wasn't angry anymore. Case seemed to have things back under control and she was much calmer than just a moment ago. She still yelled out and tried to throw more fire, but it just sizzled instead. Nothing was produced and she looked down at her hands confused, biting her lip.

"W-we might be in trouble... RUN!!" She screamed out and grabbed his hand, trying to pull him away from the machines. He would now notice that she had his backpack on. Guess she didn't want to leave it unattended.

Case had, in fact, saved the mindless girl. Why? Maybe he had a crush. Maybe to piss of the machines. Maybe on a fucking whim, did any of it matter? She'd paid off big time with her fucking display of fire. The boy would use her to burn these robots to crisp then maybe pull the fucking sun from the sky.

"Aaaa...?" She yelled to run. She couldn't do the fire again. She ran and grabbed his hand, pulling him along like a child with no say in any of it. His jaw clenched, but he swallowed the pride. No, he'd get his revenge, some way that made sense.

"Ah, fuckin'... just... get ready, alright." In another instant she'd find herself on a roof down the road. Another moment passed and he was next to her. "Run? Let's get the fuck outta here. These nobodies can't keep up."

His energy was gone and he spun, putting a hand on her breast. He'd grab a few times, before finding the pack of cigarettes in the pocket she wore. "Shit like this is why I'll brun this city to fucking ash. Tell me, Railyn. What's the first thing you remember?"