What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? What the hell? What the hell was going on? People were running, screaming, some were lying in the street. Were they dead? Where did those monsters come from? What the hell was happening? Where was Martin? That bastard! He’d totally ditched her! Was he hiding? Should she hide? Where even would she? 

“Gaaah!” Mina grabbed her head and mussed up her hair, trying to clear the questions racing through her mind as she crouched hidden behind decorative shrubbery. She looked down the street where the monsters were; her house was in that direction. Maybe if she could slip past? They looked distracted by the crowd, maybe if she was quiet it would be possible? She crouched low, casting a quick glance around before slipping out of the bushes. There weren’t a lot of places to use for cover, but if she kept close to the storefronts, maybe-

Nope! Nope nope nope! One of the creatures with a bug-eyed pigeon face lunged for her, and she broke into a sprint, getting out of the way just in time for it to slam head-first into the glass window. This was a terrible idea! She should not have done this! Maybe she could still get away and hide? Where? In a dumpster? Could she hide in a dumpster? How would she even get away?! They’d already spotted her! 

Mina’s shoes pounded hard against the asphalt as she ran, lungs burning like fire in her chest. She had always slacked off in P.E., and now it was really starting to bite her in the ass. She still had her bag with her, and its weight was becoming harder and harder to ignore - ugh, why hadn’t she just dropped it yet?! Sure, it had her phone, and her wallet, and her- gaah, this didn’t matter, she should just-

One of the creatures let out a shriek in the air above her, and as if on instinct Mina spun on the ball of her foot while her arm swung around, slamming her bag against the side of its ugly crow face as it dove toward her. It went sprawling to the side and all her stuff went scattering across the ground after it as her bag tore open from the impact. Her eyes traced the path of her stuff as it fell; ugh, seriously, what the hell kind of a day [i]was[/i] thi-

This… this was some kind of joke, right? It had to be. A weird street performance, or a nightmare, or- She swallowed hard, her eyes locked tight on the flash of pink hair across the street, cowering against a wall as a pair of creepy birdmen closed in on the girl. No, this- this was Mina’s chance, she could run while they were distracted, before that crow guy got back up, she could just turn and… and…

Why wouldn’t her legs move?

“Which way would you run, child?”

A voice spoke from nowhere, in some kind of European accent. “...What?” Mina’s mind felt heavy and sluggish.

“Would you flee, or save this girl?”
Everything felt like it was running in slow motion. Mina’s throat felt so, so dry. “I don’t- I don’t under-”

“Look with your eyes, child,” the voice reprimanded sharply. The enemy lies before you, threatening your people. You could flee for yourself, aye, but your soul balks at the idea, does it not? You wish for the will to act. To move, and show your strength. Is that not so?”

“I- I don’t know, I-” Her eyes were still fixed on that flash of pink. She was becoming vaguely aware that she was shaking. 

“Would you like to find out?” There was a sword, now. A long hilt, suspended in the air unsupported. “If it is the courage to act you seek, child, accept my power and make it yours. [i]Draw my blade, and step forward.”[/i]

This- this was crazy, right? She was crazy? There was no way any of this was happening. Did she get sucked into some kind of- of-

Clawed hands reached toward the girl by the wall in slow motion, inch by torturous inch. Mina didn’t think, couldn’t think. She saw the monsters about to grab that stupid pink soccer girl, pictured those bodies lying in the street-

The sword was lighter than Mina had expected. A zweihander, perhaps five or six feet in length - no, just over five feet, not quite longer than she was tall. It swung through the air like a guillotine, bisecting the creatures in the same instant she had stepped forward. Across the street in one step? Some kind of instant transmission ability, like in Dragonball? The creatures faded like smoke, without blood. Mina glanced down at the girl - at Tamaki. She looked back up at her, stupefied, unrecognizing. Panic maybe? Whatever. 

“Run for safety!” she commanded, before the stupid b- before the girl realized who she was looking at. To Mina’s relief, Tamaki complied without hesitation. 

Mina looked back down the street, toward the other monsters and their chaos. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and a quick glance revealed the visage of a silver-haired knight in a blue hood standing behind her, a large, empty scabbard slung over one shoulder. 

“We have yet more to contend with, child,” the knight said. “Worry not the distance; simply step forward, and the wind will carry you forth. Now, go!”

Mina wasn’t sure exactly when she became this lady’s gofer, or when exactly her clothes had changed, but in for a penny, she supposed. She turned her face forward, gripping the sword firm in both hands. May as well see how long this lasted. “Right then!” she announced, and stepped forward once more.