Trial: Recklessness

The sun hangs low over the water as it shares its last vestiges of light for the day and the last of the ships rush into port. There is an audible hum of electricity as a number of lamps turn on, illuminating the dock as best they can. A young woman watches from the shadows as a group of five wearing all black approaches a trio of dockworkers who have just sat down for their evening break. The two groups stare one another down warily for a moment before one of the dockworkers speaks up. "Dock's closed until morning. Whatever business you have can wait until then." The apparent leader of the visitors removes her hat, revealing a stern glare before a sly and practiced grin crosses her lips. "We need only but a moment of your time, friends. You contribute so much to Shimizu; one might say your very hands are responsible for bringing all prosperity into the prefecture. And yet your remuneration is...well...bull shit. We wish to rectify that. It would take but an extra half hour at night at most, but never again would you or your families know hunger." The dock workers quietly debate amongst themselves for a time and the woman waiting in the shadows sneaks a little closer, hand on the hilt of her sword. Another dockworker speaks up. "As...generous as I'm sure your offer is, we cannot risk smuggling. The Governor wo-" "Do you not grow tired of being ruled by the Abe clan? They govern like children, restricting what we can put in our bodies, our line of work, what we wear, who we make love to...they are relics of a past age. Dinosaurs even. The Ninkyo wish for you to grow and be free. We do not seek to control you." As the dockworkers begin to talk it over again, seemingly warming up to the idea, there's a soft pitter-patter followed by a scream from the back of the group of gang members.

All parties turn to see a young woman brandishing a bloodied katana with a feathered hair tie catching the lamp light. The head gang member growls and curses underneath her breath. "Abe. It was a trap." She unholsters a gun and points it at the group of dockworkers, who quickly hold their hands up. One of them speaks. "We swear on our families that we did not know she was here." The leader mulls it over as her cohorts ready their own katanas and inch towards their attacker. "Then help us subdue the pest." The men nod and spread out to find crowbars and other improvised weapons, quietly damning the Abe family name underneath their breaths. There is another shout and another gang member falls. Noriko's eyes burn with a subdued rage as the leader prepares to line up a shot with her gun. "Ironic, don't you think? Such a perfect metaphor for the antiquity of the Abe clan: being shot dead with a sword in your hands." As she prepares to squeeze the trigger, a bolt of lightning dazzles everyone's eyes and knocks out the lamps. With a loud whinny, a Zebstrika charges into the fray and Noriko hops on it and gallops behind a mountain of shipping containers, recalling her mount and slipping into the shadows. The leader curses angrily and fires a shot towards the retreating blur as the dockworkers fan out to set up the reserve lights. The bullet rings true and grazes Noriko's side.

Noriko finds a small opening in one of the larger containers and squeezes herself in. As her eyes adjust to the darkness, she feels a stinging pain in her side and sees a thin blood trail and curses. So much for buying herself some time. She looks around the container while she plans, and she's surprised to see the statue composed of the bones of a large reptilian creature. More than that, she feels a very dark and angry presence drawing her in, as though calling out to her. Noriko carefully steps closer to lay a hand on the statue and a dark haze overcomes her vision. When it lifts, she finds herself staring into a slavering, sharp-toothed maw. It bellows a deafening roar and Noriko rushes towards the entrance of the shipping container. As she scrambles out and lands hard on her wound, gunfire is already being hailed blindly towards her. The lights snap on and, as every eye readjusts, one of the sword wielding grunts finds himself only a few paces from the young Abe. With a satisfied smirk, he lifts his sword for the killstroke and is promptly torn in half by the mighty maw of the creature busting out of the container, which lets out a mighty roar after its quick snack. There is a brief silence as all combatants try to process what exactly is happening, interrupted by one of the dockworkers screaming and running off towards the city, quickly followed by his companions. The remaining grunt and the leader nod at one another before splitting up: the grunt releases a Tyranitar that immediately squares off with the unexpected Tyrantrum and the leader points her gun at a Noriko already diving for cover. As the bullet spray resumes, Noriko takes a moment for a quick but sloppy wound binding and glances over at the titanic pair struggling for dominance. Though the Tyrantrum might have the upper hand in a fair fight, the grunt uses the openings granted by his companion to deliver deft strokes. Noriko sighs and chucks a rock into the night as a momentary distraction for the gunner before charging straight for the Tyrantrum. She slides between its powerful legs, ducks to avoid having her head chomped clean off, hops over a sweep of the Tyranitar's powerful tail, and plants her sword right in a very surprised grunt's chest. The reptilian monarch almost seems to chuckle before resuming its battle.

After a momentary breather behind another shipping container, Noriko rushes towards the gunner, clutching her side and gritting her teeth. The surprised gang leader whips around and manages one pull of the trigger before Noriko finishes closing the distance...only to hear a dreadful clink. Both women stare in disbelief for a moment before Noriko deftly kicks the gun from her adversary's hand, who quickly whips out a knife. Noriko grunts and pulls herself backwards into a defensive posture. The gang leader smirks. "Abe...Noriko, yes? Pitiful. Once your clan fought in the open as proud warriors. Now you skulk in the shadows and fight like cowards. Shimizu will not mourn you." The two charge at one another, both throwing all of their weight into one attack. The knife sinks deeply into Noriko's side, but the sword proves deadlier. As the leader's body thuds to the ground, Noriko staggers away, wincing and gasping. There is a loud crash and the Tyranitar is left on the ground. The victor thunders slowly towards Noriko, two battle-scarred warriors sizing one another up. She struggles to raise her sword as her crimson bandage drips. The Tyrantrum erupts in a deep, resonant laugh.

"So recklessness still thrives in the modern era! Put down your thorn, ape, I have no quarrel with you. Indeed, I owe you a great debt. Long was the time my spirit festered, craving for battle once more. When last I walked this Earth, I was hailed as queen and feared. Many apes have I seen in that time: those who liberated me from the mud, those who reassembled me, those who transported me...but none before you could perform such a miraculous feat as to call forth my shade!" The titan leans in and gives Noriko a curious sniff. "You...I smell traces of the blood of royalty? Diluted but proud. If you intend to seek more fights like today, it would be my honor to accompany you. How may I address you, ape?" Noriko considers the offer, seemingly troubled. "Abe...Abe Noriko. And yes, yes my fight is far from over. What then shall I call you?" The Tyrantrum raises itself to its full height with a proud snort. "I am Praecipita, the Laramidian Queen!" Noriko moves to bow in greeting but Praecipita quickly interjects. "Do not bow before me or any other, Abe Noriko. You have earned that much." She nods and gives the dinosaur a sad smile. "If you insist. And as much as I would love to have you accompany me in dealing with the Ninkyo, I do not believe I will be particularly welcome in my own home anymore. I think...I think I shall explore the world. And I would welcome the company." The Tyrantrum nods and lifts the young woman onto her back carefully with her teeth before thundering off into the night.

Follow-Up: https://pastebin.com/p2WeLB3S