Afternoon Rush

Yumiko sat cross-legged on the rooftop. If what the feathery information broker had said was correct, an armored car would be taking this route. The streets were devoid of any traffic, and her pocket watch ticked close to 12:30. Sunlight peeks through passing clouds as office workers leave their buildings for lunch.

From what she read on the matter i.e. news paper clippings, heavily discounted villain autobiographies, and graphic novels, she had a good idea on what to expect. It's a bit disappointing that the government prefers a more subtle approach these days. Unless absolutely necessary a convoy attracts unnecessary attention. Old lessons from the vigilante era. The photos in her hands depict an unmarked truck. What few cars passing by did not match the description.

Japanese emergency services have an average response time of eight minutes. More than enough time for a snatch and grab. One white truck riding up the road. It's show time. She vaulted over the rooftops ledge, holding her prop scythe tightly. Her heart races during the freefall. Being so helpless had never felt so exhilarating. The descent slowed down inches away from the asphalt, and a burst of speed sent her racing up the two-lane road. A quick pose for the staring pedestrians and she's off t0 the races.

Side mirrors showed a distant figure gaining on the car. Protocol dictates one should act calm but the blot gaining on them might force a crash. Driver Jun rubs the sweat off his brow as co-driver Yamamoto rang up Tasakami Holdings emergency hotline. They started speeding on the express way. His coworker clenches on handrail as the phone rang. Outside the route truck something slammed next to it.

"We have a 110, please send someone immediately. Ease up on the pedal! It's not worth throwing our lives away."

Invisible magnetic fields, when positioned at the perfect angles, have polarities that loop forward and keep the user moving at incredible speeds. Unfortunately for her, there wasn't a maglev foot brake. She rides next to the truck before overtaking it. Sparks fly as the broomstick rips into the trucks side.

Yumiko waved at the tinted window, her broomstick slowing down as a new magnetic field formed around the money truck. All her senses were numbed as she focused on raising it. The broomstick stopped dead in its tracks as the route truck flipped over, its wheels still spinning mid-flight. It crashed and skidded to a halt. With a flick of her wrist, the doors slammed open, revealing its groaning driver still buckled and upside-down.

"Ohayo Driver-San, stick to the script and none shall be hurt. Reach for the sky." She announced.

Peering into the back, she saw several thousand yen bills and an unconscious operator lying there.  A few minutes until the second act, cars zoom by on the opposite end of the road. Quick on the draw, she stacks the cash into her messenger bag. Yen symbols form in her eyes from the excitement of such a payday. Some onlookers come closer, interrupting the flow of leaving cars, as they witnessed the crime. To appease their altruistic tendencies she tosses a few wads into the small crowd.

"Enjoy yourselves!" She announces

"True strength is earned, not stolen!" shouts a man

Looking around, she saw a figure running towards the truck. A crude mask and even gaudier pompadour identified the boxer emerging from the crowd. Boxing gloves twice the size you'd see on a heavyweight champion on him.

"Ohohohohoho!" she bowed. "A hero without a costume? How fun!"

"Strength doesn't come from a costume. It comes from...(flex) character!!!"

"Oi!! Get ready to face 'The Right Hand of Justice', villain!"

"I, Walpurgis, will be your opponent this day, little man. Show them a great time."

She sends the scythe towards him. The crowd scatters while he winds up his arm. Some freeze in fear and others stumble in an attempt to escape. Air bursts as his fist unleashes a blow, punting the metal prop where it spins out on the road. Walpurgis pulls the prop back into her grip and adopts a fighting stance.

It's terrible timing but he can make a difference here and now; costume or not someone has to stop this. Magnum Shrimp started his footwork, looking for a better angle on the villainess. He split steps crisscrossing, then side to side. Noises within the upturned vehicle caught his attention. Its driver, shouldering an unconscious co-worker outside, stopped in their tracks. Walpurgis coaxed the door off its hinges with a flick and sent it soaring forward.

"Dance! Dance!"

Like clockwork, he pulls the next punch, aiming for an uppercut. The speeding door flies towards him, uncomfortably close. In the blink of an eye, he releases the punch, redirecting the object's movement. It hurts like hell, even with padded gloves on, but it's still much better than letting it crash into a building or worse. With a bang, the metal scrap crumples onto the floor.  The two hostages hobble onto the sidewalk. Magnum Shrimp standing guard for them.

"Arigato gozaimasu!" let out the driver

"Get outta here. It ain't over til it's over." he replies

Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.

"Your performance is adequate enough. Not quite waltz. Not quite kabuki. How about an encore?"

"Really startin' to piss me off lady."

Sirens blare in the distance as emergency vehicles approach the wreck. Walpurgis lets the scythe rest across her shoulders. She faces the origin of the noise. The lapse in judgement is enough for Magnum Shrimp to rush her. A good defense is a great offense. He compresses his arm to strike with a slow and strong clockwise motion.

She notices too late and can only dive away, her witch hat nearly becoming a victim of the vicious strike. One crater forms inward on the upturned truck chassis. Her opponents arm is raised to guard while his striking arm stays still. She pats the dust off her costume.

"How very brutish of you. You wouldn't hit a girl would you?" Walpurgis' smile cracked.

"Like I care. Justice is blind for a reason."

The scythe drops diagonally, sliding along the asphalt and sweeping at his feet. He hopped over it, but the metal slab raised itself before his legs. Back first, Magnum Shrimp fell, shielding his face from an expected strike that never came. Disorientated, he sees the witches hollow eyes looking down on him.

"Fare-thee-well."

With his ears still ringing, Kenji Shako watches her ride away on the scythe-turned-broomstick. As the driver rushes over to help him stand up, the paramedics and police arrive on the scene. Kenji reaches for his Hero License, hoping for minimal paperwork and an ice pack to ease his pain.

Yumiko lifts the broomstick and launches herself out of the expressway, soaring into the urban jungle. She weaves through back alleys, taking hard turns on the way home, skidding past parked cars and the closed red-light district. Through residential neighborhoods until finally reaching the forests edge.

It will be some time before she can return to the city again, but at least she can relax at her favorite café. Perhaps she will even bump into Yako-chan once she visits. Cruising to the humble flat she calls home. Once she's done relaxing there will be time to prepare a 'thank you' gift after a nice relaxing bath.