NOVEL WEB 010 – Rocket Queen
Entering and walking around the mall, I saw him glancing briefly at Hot Topic.
But then he went to Walmart.
Walmart? Who buys clothes at Walmart?
I grabbed his hand and stopped him in his tracks.
"Let's go edgy boy, you want clothes too don't you?"
"What?"
"I saw you looking at it. C'mon, there must be some cool Bart t-shirts for me"
"I don't think Hot Topic is going to have The Simpsons merch"
"Hot Topic is counter-culture and so is Simpsons. C'mon, come grab yourself some 'too cool for school' clothes"
"Fine"
I smiled and lead him there.
"Let go"
"Oh, sorry"
He look annoyed but I'm almost sure he blushed.
Actually, I'm sure.
His skin is really pale so it's easy to see different.
Maybe he needs to go out in the sun a little.
Entering the shop, I saw the only receptionist sleeping on top of the counter.
I feel you.
Now I don't want to buy anything just so I don't wake her up.
"Oh look, El Barto!"
His attention has divided between what I was looking at and some anime hoodies and t-shirts.
How many hoodies does an edgy boy have?
"Just get it already, jeez"
I grabbed the Naruto hoodie and pushed it to him.
But he didn't seem satisfied and was "stealthily" looking at a different t-shirt.
It's... Sailor Moon?
"This is the one you wanted? Just take it already, the money is yours you buy what you want!"
He mumbled "I should've just bought it online" and took two more Sailor Moon t-shirts.
"Don't forget my pink donut t-shirt! And this El Barto hoodie! Ah, what about this Invader Zim hoodie? Oh, there's Ren & Stimpy and Rocko's Modern Life!"
This is so much better than Goodwill.
---
I looked at the boyish girl walking around like a starving kid in a candy shop.
How the fuck does she have that much energy?
She had a near-death experience and now it looks like it's Christmas for her.
I thought it would feel weird buying clothes with a girl.
But it feels like I'm buying clothes with a child than with my girlfriend or something.
What a pain.
At least I found a nice Sailor Moon t-shirt.
While I was trying to come up with a way I can run away and not feel bad, I felt something strange entering the store.
I grabbed Roxanne's hand and pulled her closer to me.
"What?"
I stared at the new "customer" who just showed up.
"Who are you?"
"Huh? I'm just buying clothes, whatchu mean?"
A blonde woman with sunglasses smiled at me.
"Cut it out. Who sent you?"
"What's it that spy movie line? I just wanna buy clothes for my son. He likes this band called Funs and Poses or something"
She was wearing an aviator jacket, jeans, and big black boots.
I pulled Roxanne behind me and looked around.
There are not many things to use as a weapon or a shield in a clothing store.
"Just tell me what you want already"
"Ok ok, so look, you guys killed Miss Guldemond's shitty brother, so she is interested in ya. Wanna join his little group of freaks? We make a lot of money and have a lot of fun, ya know"
"I'd rather die than join your little villain gang"
"Villain? I dunno if I would use that word. It's all about point of view y'know. You can be a hero if you want"
"I don't care, get out or I'll do the same I did to that guy to you"
"Hahahaaa~ I like to see ya try kid"
A red demon with no nose and ears came out from her back.
The demon has big sheep horns, a long black tail with a red rocket at the end.
His mouth is opened with a big smile and black smoke was coming out of it.
He pointed his knuckles to me, which had a hole in each knuckle.
"Take this, brat! [Rocket Queen]!"
"Oh no no no no baby, YEAH!"
Rocket Queen shot small fireworks rockets in my direction.
"Get down!"
I pushed Roxanne down and jumped to the other side.
"[Doll Parts]!"
"Soiya soya!"
Doll Parts came out, grabbed buttons, and threw at the rockets, making them explode before reaching us.
*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM*
"What the fuck is happening?"
I shushed Roxanne and tried to find a way out.
"So that's your Stand? Looks pretty weak. I can't believe that idiot died for a pathetic Pinocchio wannabe"
I made gestures to Roxanne for her to go in the opposite direction that I'm going.
She mouthed "Why?"
I replied "Just go"
"C'mon, kiddo. Show me more of your Stand, won't ya?"
I don't know where she is now.
She's stepping on top of the clothes that fell from the explosion, so it's hard to identify.
If I show my head, she'll notice me and shoot.
If I try to look through Doll Parts, she'll probably notice him and shoot.
There must be a weakness.
I have no idea.
Only one way to find out.
Doll Parts took out a scissor from his bag and threw it into a glass shelf.
---
*CRASH!*
"Found ya!"
"Oh no no no no baby, YEAH!"
With each "no", a rocket was shot out from Rocket Queen's knuckles.
*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM*
For a while, only silence could be heard in the store.
The blonde did a deep breath and said:
"Did ya smell that? It's the smell of gunpowder. Isn't it great?"
No one replied.
Suddenly, the sound of steps echoed through the empty shop.
"There you are!"
"Oh no no no no baby, YEAH!"
*BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM*
*CRASH!*
The game of cat and mouse, booms and crashes, steps and screams repeated 3 more times.
"Ok, it has been fun but I'm gettin' tired, brat. Come out here and show me whatchu can do or I'll destroy this whole store"
"I'm right here"
"Huh?"
The blonde heard Kurtis' voice behind her and made Rocket Queen punch where she heard him.
*BOOM*
But she found nothing.
"What in the hell?"
"Sorry, I was actually here"
She punched again.
*BOOM*
And found nothing again.
"I'm here"
"No, I'm here"
"Right here"
"Here"
The whole store was filled with Kurtis' voice speaking from every direction.
"Is this your Stand? Being an annoying little brat? Shut up and fight me like a man- GYAH!"
The blonde's torso was pierced suddenly by a pair of scissors in the middle of the commotion
"I'd rather fight like a coward than die like a man"
"You... fucking... brat..."
She fell face-first to the ground and started bleeding.
Doll Parts put the scissors close to her neck.
"Tell me where and who your boss is and I'll kill you quickly and painlessly"
"Kill me already, ya pansy brat..."
He stepped on top of her back and put his whole weight into it.
"GAHHH!"
"Spit it out"
"Guh... His name is Molly Guldemond, but..."
"Thank you"
Doll Parts slashed her neck, quick and precise.
*Sigh*
"Should've asked about their Stands"
---
"What do you think about his state, Doctor?"
"The blisters, which already were minor, disappeared. It might be because of the Super Soldier Serum, but I'm not sure yet"
Waking up from what felt like I was encased in ice again, I heard two mean talking near me.
I was in a hospital, again, but this time it looked modern, instead of the fake set.
"What happened..."
I was still disoriented, so I could barely register what was around me.
But I could notice the see-through eagle man across my bed.
"Who is that, new Avenger?"
Both of them, Nick Fury and Bruce Banner looked at the eagle man, and then looked back at me.
"What are you talking about? There's no one there"
"Fret not, Captain Rogers. I'm visible only to you."
"You really can't see the humanoid eagle talking to me?"
They both looked at each other.
"Do you think the illness causes hallucinations?"
I looked closely at the eagle.
He was a tall humanoid eagle, maybe 6'5, he had shades of blue and red all over his feathers with a white star in his chest, and wings behind his back.
In other words, he resembled my uniform.
"Allow me to introduce myself, my dear friend. I am Sinatra, and I proudly serve as your Stand."
"Stand? What is a Stand?"
"Who are you talking to, Steve?"
"You really can't see him?"
"Who? There's no one there"
"Describe him for us, Captain"
I think Fury believed me, at least a little bit, so I described the 'Stand' for him.
"I see. What exactly is he? Could you ask him?"
"Allow me to clarify, Captain Rogers. I am the physical representation of your life energy, bound to protect and assist you in the challenges that lie ahead."
I repeated what he said to Fury.
"And what can he do?"
"Allow me to demonstrate, Director"
For their surprise and amazement, he grabbed an apple that was by my side, and crushed it.
"Was that satisfactory?"