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They weren’t supposed to be there.
She wasn’t supposed to be here.
But most importantly,
He wasn’t supposed to be here.
It was supposed to be a regular night. It was just supposed to be a regular job. It was supposed to end the way it always does.
The night began, as it always did, with a call to action. Ninjoy stood atop a building, staring down at the busy streets of Tastyville. Like normal, an explosion. That classic charade between her and her designated rival, The Dynamoe, began. A battle of wits and slight violence, never enough to hurt each other, largely. No one but them knew why the fact that newfound boundaries and rules were set for their ongoing battles. The fight ended as always, Ninjoy won, and Dynamoe retreated. That’s where the battle should’ve ended, but it didn’t.
Ninjoy, so close to returning to her civilian life, entered her other self’s apartment. She should’ve gone straight to bed, but she saw it. On her counter, a note.
She should’ve gone to sleep.
Stupidly, she opened it. Inside: another call to action, and an address.
She should’ve tossed it out.
Ninjoy tracked the address to a strange abandoned warehouse, so large and empty, or so she believed.
She should’ve left.
As she continued walking around, her guard all the way up, and that’s when she saw it:
The Dynamoe, standing before her.
She shouldn’t have come.
Had this been his plan? It certainly sounded like it, and yet for a brief second, she recognized that confused expression her partner at home carried, before it slipped away.
Why did she go?
“How absolutely adorable, did my esteemed rival miss me so much to meet me a second time?” He taunted joyfully, “I didn’t peg you as such a romantic, Ninjoy.”
They should’ve realized.
Never letting go of her playful attitude, “I’ll have you know I did no such thing. If anything, this little stunt has your name all over it. You trying to keep me awake?”
Why didn’t they realize?!
The pair of rivals questioned each other, neither admitting to responsibility, and yet neither believing the other. Yet another battle of wits, and neither intended to lose. What wasn’t clear was that the answer was not in front of either of them, as they locked eyes.
“Admit it already, Dynamoe, where have you planted the bombs?”
“I beg to differ, Ninjoy. I’m sure you have planted traps around to try to catch me once and for all, but I am not easily fooled!”
Why didn’t they notice?!
The two engaged in attempts to outwit each other, and slowly the dread began to creep in. If the other wasn’t to blame and neither were they, then who was at fault?
“Alright, Ninjoy, you’ve had your fun, now admit defeat, it’s getting quite late for you to be up!” Dyanmoe jokes beneath his own worry.
“Stop being stubborn, Dynamoe, just fess up already, and we can go home now. It’s too late to deal with your stupid hijinks.
The realization that neither was at fault crept in.
Both parties attempted to leave, and yet the heavy door dared not move.
“Alright, this isn’t funny, let us out.” Ninjoy pleaded to her rival.
“Jo- Ninjoy, I,” he looked at her in terror, a sight new to both, “I didn’t do this.”
Why?
The windows dare not break, no matter how hard the two threw their weight onto them. Fresh out of battle, Dynamoe carried no explosives besides the grappling hook around his waist. Ninjoy had arrived empty-handed, believing this was a fight she would win easily.
As the two regrouped, a newfound anxiety filled their bones, a sight that neither was used to from the other. In touch with their every sense, at that moment, the neglected sense of smell suddenly crept in.
A smell, the two were well acquainted with.
Why hadn’t they noticed?!
Kerosene.
At that moment, time not allowing a reaction from either, the two fell to the ground as the fiery elements of hell engulfed the building. Ninjoy and the Dynamoe, trapped at the center of the rings, too stunned to move. The raging waves of flame dared not hesitate, covering every spot that once had been empty.
Ninjoy stood helplessly, before her hand was pulled upwards.
Relentlessly coughing, bruised and burnt, The Dynamoe begins leading the two up the stairs to the top of the warehouse. At that moment, the slow sensation of burning began, presently sizzling off Ninjoy’s skin. It stung more than anything, but she persisted.
They made it to the higher level of the warehouse, and yet no hope; everything still remained engulfed, trapping them further. They couldn’t go back; the stairs below collapsed the second they climbed up. They were trapped, together, but trapped.
The fresh air of relief began to fade as every breath they took began poisoning their lungs. Every blink served as quick relief from the sizzling sensation in their eyes. Despite both being masked, the sight blurs further.
From the bright yellow lighting, the two suddenly take note of the pale white light creeping in. A gleam of hope, a short gleam of hope.
Through the fiery prison, loose ceiling wood had come loose and created an exit. The issue was that their exit was too far up; neither of them could reach it from where they sat. Their legs were too injured to jump; they could only sit in each other's arms as they pleaded for any ideas to suddenly appear.
Ninjoy prayed that the Fire department would arrive soon, but at the rate the flames were rising, all that would remain were the charred remains of two adults playing dress-up. Her eyes met her rival in life; if they would die, at least it’d be with the one person who understood her as no other person had before. A light, a glimmer of hope, appeared, one so noticeable it shone through the red mask hiding his eyes. He began fiddling with his belt, scrambling to reach for the first tool he needed. The smoke was too heavy for Ninjoy to notice until she heard the clip on her own belt.
Dynamoe’s Grappling Hook.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” She screamed, not allowing the desperation in her voice to be drowned out by the inhalation of smoke.
Somberly, he spoke up, “If I aim correctly, you’ll be able to escape through the hole! It’s the only way!”
Her gaze remained on him, full of betrayal, “If you think I’m leaving you here, then! -”
“We both know your life has always meant more than mine. People need you. And my arms won’t be able to hold on, we both know that.”
Despite the smoke coating her eyes, the two were no fools to the tears streaming down each other’s faces.
“You made my life worth living, complete, I am now.” Dynamoe painfully reaches for Ninjoy’s face.
“I love you, Joy.”
The contact of their faces only lasts a moment before Ninjoy’s body force jerked above. She screamed, screaming that her partner didn’t do this, but he was gone. It only took a moment for Ninjoy’s body to hit a big tree near the building. She was saved. She was alone. She was in pain.
The last thing she saw before blacking out was the building collapsing in on itself.
Tastyville was saved, and Dynamoe was defeated, once and for all.
And for the first time in months, Joy was alone.