Editing Character Vignettes (section)

=='''Hana and Judy meet a monster'''==

"We're late, Hana!" called Judy to the back of her fast-moving best friend. That would never do, in her opinion-- Hana should be there on time for meetings with her gang. Besides, being punctual would only do her good at the new school.

"I know-- hold on, Juds. There's a shortcut through the alley, there," answered Hana, pointing.

The alleyway was dark and foreboding, with almost a palpable aura of menace that was instantly clear to everyone but Hana... or if Hana sensed it, she ignored it. Judy shuddered, but she didn't want to admit fear in front of Hana. Besides,with Hana there, she had confidence that nothing would happen-- and if it did, Hana could certainly deal with it. She followed as Hana charged between buildings.

The chill in the air was getting worse, and Judy found herself wishing that she hadn't urged Hana to run so fast; she would have vastly preferred holding on to her best friend's arm at a time like this. But at least at this rate, they'd surely get out of the alley swiftly... but it seemed to go on forever.

Suddenly the lights in the alley began to pop and break, plunging the girls into darkness. There was a dark chuckle, and Hana and Judy looked around, trying to see where it was coming from.

A pair of round, luminous eyes opened, a good seven feet off the ground, and the creature, gaping fangs shining, stepped out into the dim light. It was broad-shouldered and muscular, a smooth slate grey in color. It had no hair or ears, a projecting snout, and long claws on its three-fingered hands and three-toed feet. It laughed again, malevolently, and reached for the girls.

Judy stared in shock, a scream frozen in her throat, but Hana was already in motion, whipping the scarf she always wore out in a deadly arc-- the sash weight sewn into it made it a dangerous weapon.

The creature was clearly surprised by Hana's attack, but unhurt, and it backhanded her with a blow that sent her reeling backwards. Hana's head was spinning-- she could hear Judy calling her name, but she seemed distant. The creature was extending a clawed hand towards her friend...

''You are not going to hurt Judy.'' Hana stood up. ''No one is going to hurt Judy. Not while I'm here.'' She knew that she hadn't hurt the thing, knew that she didn't have a chance of causing it any harm. But that didn't matter. Jeongs did not back down. Hana never backed down from a fight, even one that she couldn't win. But the creature was reaching for Judy... Hana had to get its attention, and protect her friend.

Hana gave a fierce scream, and thrust her fist defiantly into the air. Wind whiped around her, making her hair and clothes flutter wildly.

A silvery-white column of light erupted from the ground, enveloping her, and her dark silhouette was visible inside. A series of blades spiraled down from the sky, surrounding the column of light in a double helix, spinning faster and faster.

Suddenly, the column of light exploded, and Hana was revealed, now dressed in a blue leotard. The blades spiraled in towards her, some of them moving to form her shoulder and forearm guards, her boots, her skirt, and finally the metallic wings on her headband.

Hana pointed at the enemy and grinned. "Let's go, you!"

Hana didn't really understand what had happened to her, but the power flowing through her cleared away all doubts. The creature's eyes seemed to widen as it stared at her, but it was still reaching for Judy... Hana didn't think about how she was going to stop it, but simply made it happen, and a cascade of blades shot out, forming a wall between Judy and the creature. The monster, still in motion, struck the wall with its hand and cried out in pain, pulling back a mangled limb. It looked in shock at the injuries and then at Hana, almost as if it was trying to say something.

Hana grinned and charged, moving at remarkable speeds as she slammed her fist into the monster with incredible force. Now the creature staggered back, and the confusion that had briefly appeared in its eyes vanished. This wasn't supposed to be happening, but it wasn't going to let itself be struck like that. It roared, and the mutilated hand began to repair itself.

Judy watched, her mind racing. ''This didn't make any sense... But so what? I can see what's happening. It must be real. Hana's protecting me, but she'll surely have an easier time if I'm clear and she can focus on the fight. That thing is healing, too. She needs to finish it quickly.''

She pulled back from the wall of whirling blades and called out to Hana. "I'm clear!
Focus on your enemy, Hana, and take it out quickly, before it recovers!"

Hana nodded, and the wall of blades pulled back to her, orbiting around her. ''All right. Let's wrap this up...'' She didn't stop to analyze how her powers worked-- that didn't matter. Later, she would wonder how she knew how to use them, but for now, there was only the fight. That was what mattered. And she knew that she would win.

Her blow had knocked the creature back from her a short distance, but now it was charging her as it healed. ''Fine. Let's go.'' Hana ran at the creature as well, shouting "Ribbon of Blades!" She didn't know where the words came from, but did it matter?

The orbiting blades formed into a compound buzzsaw edge, slashing, and Hana ran past the monster, unconcerned about its reaching arms. She stopped and turned, looking back at it.

The creature stood there, utterly still, for just a moment. Then it began to fall into
pieces, head sliding one direction, shoulders another, chest in a third. Dust poured out of it, and it quickly crumbled away to nothing.

"Hana? Are you all right?"

Hana looked up at Judy and grinned. The armor dissolved away into motes of steely light, but Hana knew that it would return when she wanted it to. She felt alive, and filled with energy in ways that she'd never imagined possible. The thrill of fighting had never felt so good, and fighting monsters, she knew, was perfect. No one would tell her that she shouldn't. No one could lecture her. It was the right thing to do, and she wanted to.

Perfect.

"I'm fine, Juds. You know how you're always saying I should find what I want to do in my life? Well..."