⚠️Authors Note - Mature Content
"This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, nations, corporations and events are products of the author's imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real events or persons is coincidental."
Tags: Alternate World, Dark, Vigilante, Cyberpunk, MegaCorps, Single-Shot Stories, Short-Stories, Hero, Supervillain, Magic, Fiction, Science Fiction, Superheroes, History, Futuristic,, Noir
"A separate series that explores other aspects of the world of Crown Obsidian from multiple points of views, years and places. Each chapter is its own standalone story."
The Owl
Date: 08th December 2019
Character Name: The Owl
Location: Promise City, Ct
District: The Wound, The Owls Clocktower
Time: 2147 (09:47 PM)
The Owl strutted across the balcony of one of her many hideouts. This one was special, her clocktower. A domineering structure that emphasised her power. She controlled everything within these walls, and now even time. It was a stone structure surrounded by the lawless battleground known as the Wound. But no one dared fire at her territory.
Because she'd fire back, HARDER.
Outside stood heavily armed enforcers belonging to the Owl, with puffy jackets and purple armbands with the emblem of the Owl's crew. Makeshift border walls built from rusted burnt out cars piled on one another. Her guards patrolled roofs, manned the walls and guarded doorways.
The smoke emanating from the Central District blackened much of the blue sky. The chaos the vigilante had caused to find her son in full swing, much to her delight. Now, she knew she'd never hold her 'son' again, all she could think was to punish BlueJet as much as she could.
SSUUUUUU
She exhaled. She leaned casually on the bannister gazing past the vast bastion that walled in the district. She could see the megastructures belonging to the puppetmasters of the city. Kodoma. LawGroup. And of course, the current fire engulfed the tower of BlueJet.
At the end of her long black nailed fingertips the short cigarette crackled.
TAP TAP
She tapped, letting embers fall below.
Her satisfied smile was one of victory.
"Ma'am…." her lieutenant approached.
"SSHHHH" She responded by placing her menthol smelling finger on his lips.
The Owl casually flicked the cigarette away.
"Let me enjoy… MY kind of justice."
She murmured, inhaling the stale cold air.
"B-But I just wanted to let you know… your son he is…-"
"Dead? I know." She said solemnly. Emotion's rushed her, one's she long forgot.
Her eyes were dry, but stinging. Filled with sorrow, but surrounded by a dog eat dog world especially in the Wound, she couldn't afford to cry. At least not in public.
The Owl felt numb, emotionless and for the first time in a while she was silent.
"Umm….Madam Owl… What about the East End Sanguines?... they have claimed our-"
The Owl wasn't even listening to her lieutenant's report. She just stared, dazed.
"... I don't care…." She muttered gritting her pearly white teeth, her long dark brown hair falling, shielding her wet swelling shame from the world.
"Warehouse…a delegation is here to-"
"I DONT F*CKING CARE!" she screamed slamming her fare hand on the iron railing with a reverberating-
DINGGGG
She lowered her head, her hair draped over her face. Her face contorted, her eyes ignited with fury.
She snapped her head upwards. And with a low growl she stomped away, like a storm.
Click Click Click
Her heels were like gunshots upon the sidewalk. With one hand she pushed her Lieutenant aside.
"Move." She hissed.
And as ordered her crew parted. She was an unrelenting storm. Untamable. Furious and wild. And most terrifyingly - emotional.
"Baggy. Gun now." The Owl growled, teeth bared.
And as ordered her lieutenant handed her a silver magnum pistol. With a cruel SNATCH she tore the pistol away.
With a loud metallic click.
The entrance of the clocktower were two, three metre tall mahogany doors, she shoved them open. And was immediately greeted with the hellscape that was known as the Wound.
And it wasn't ready for her, for she lost her son, the ONE thing that anchored her.
Outside the Clock Tower
Standing in a huddle, her crew braved the falling snow. Dressed in winterproof clothing. Their predatory eyes snapped to the Owl as she emerged from the Clock Tower. She powerfully strided toward the Sanguine 'Delegation', her fiery eyes locked on the target.
As she neared closer.
And closer.
She raised the pistol, shoulder height.
The Sanguine Delegation spun around. His blood red mask hid their identity. He began to speak.
"Madam Owl, finally, we me-"
BANG
Thud
His body collapsed like a sack of potatoes as it lunged backwards. His head was now cracked, like an egg.
All eyes of both Sanguine and Owl fell upon her, as blood ran down her tanned legs, as a pool formed around her crystal high heels she looked up. That cold smile had returned. Predatory. Merciless. Inhumanly cruel. Her tanned lightly puckered face was covered in blood droplets. Blood ran down her tanned creased cleavage, slowly trickling into the crevice.
She exhaled.
She leaned down, and grabbed the now, very dead, messenger's collar.
She whispered sultry, but elegantly, terrifyingly elegantly-
With her heavy thick spoiled breath…
"You wanted a war. Now you have one."
The Owl sounded confident, but she wasn't defeated. But she just couldn't show weakness. And so, when she ends the war? She can grieve.
For her son - the boy she raised in this hellhole, the only innocence she had ever protected.
The Empress
Date: 08th December 2019
Character Name: Reina 'The Empress' Kodoma
Location: Promise City, Ct
District: Kodoma Corporate Tower, Business District
Time: 2147 (21:47 PM)
Empress Reina. They call her the Iron Empress. The undisputed ruler of the Kodoma Corporate Dynasty that rules the Japanese Republic. Not the legitimate leader of Japan, but everyone knows, she may as well be it. She controls three thirds of the Japanese economy.
And the other third, is held by her allies or convinced vassals. The monarch himself is her puppet. And everyone knows it.
She looked down on the fire engulfed street below, she tapped the reinforced glass that illuminated blood red.
Tap Tap Tap
She was silent, her face as stern as stone. Her green eyes narrowed as she exhaled.
"I told that damned Kyoko to not make a mess!" she hissed furiously.
She paced along the wide elongated window. Gazing at the flames below.
She heard the screams. Saw the glaring sirens in the distance. She saw the Kodoma mercenaries (Read Chapter Ten) being loaded into ambulances and the BlueJet security forces patrolling the streets.
"Summon Kyoko!"
Later that night…
CRACK
The slap reverberated across the tanned, bloodied face of Kyoko. She gasped in surprise.
She sat on her knees. Perfect posture. Stern face. Her head bled from the headbutt before.
Reina paced back and forwards, her burgundy robe brushing the black marble ground.
Her eyes fixated on Kyoko like a pacing wild tiger, staring her down, gritting her white teeth.
Her perfect black hair tied in a clean neat bun, a golden ruby encrusted tiara crown resting in place, distinguishing her royalty from the peasants of the city.
"YOU STUPID FOOL!"
CRACK
Another hit.
"YOU LED AN ASSAULT BY YOURSELF!..."
CRACK
A third strike.
"WITHOUT INFORMING ME!"
Reina screeched like a banshee.
Reina, inhaled sharply.
"You.. betrayed me Kyoko… after everything I have done for you…"
Then Kyoko finally spoke-
"I am sorry… Reina-sama… so very sorry…"
Reina walked beside the cowering but elegant Kyoko. The welts pulsating on her red bruised tanned face.
"I don't accept pleading. Remember?" Reina sneered, pulling Kyoko back by her blonde wet hair.
The aroma of wealth was strong as it struck Kyoko's tanned cheek.
"You know… I haven't heard from my son in… maybe a year and a half?... Do you have any news about him?..."
There was a deafening pause.
Then Reina's face twisted into a sick, cruel, demonic smile.
"No. Of course you don't."
CRACK.
A fourth and final strike.
After leaving a cut across her usual pristine face. Reina walked to the window once more.
"Go. You've disappointed me enough."
Kyoko stood, and bowed deeply, so deep her head almost landed on the marble ground. She cried, but maintained a stiff exterior. Tears ran down her tanned cheeks, her eyes were bloodshot, and cheeks sore. But she stood strong. And left as ordered.
For disobeying a Kodoma Matriarch would ensure a painful long agonising death.