As the sun finally dipped over the jagged horizon of purple skyscrapers, the city was left in abrupt darkness.
She came to a stop suddenly, panting heavily; unexpectedly closing her eyes.
Breathe.
Just breathe for a second.
Just for this second the world has to stop.
She had to rid herself of the echoing sound of footsteps on the concrete landscape.
Amber lights at the corners of the building flickered on with the faltering of light.
Still with hooded lids, she ran her fingers over her gun, exploring the cold, calming ridges of metal.
The hurried rush flowed from her body.
She couldn't mess this up.
Taking another deep breath, ignoring her mind telling her she would loose the scent; she focused, mentally mapping out her location.
It was deep city, as usual.
A whisper of movement to the far left, maybe a footfall, or just a movement of fabric, but she had to pay attention to it, she was the hunter.
Even if that's all it was, it would have to do.
If it really was him, there would be little more indication of a presence; he was quiet as a damned cat.
"Boss…Boss," came the crackled interference, "We've lost all connections with the observer apparitions in the sector, it's unheard of unless…well, it sure sounds like it BK-201 if you ask…"
So it really was him, and that doll of his.
"Boss…Boss-" She tore the wire out of her ear and threw it to the ground.
"Sorry Saitou" came the murmur with eyes set almost maniacally forward.
Evening's shadows traced on emotionless building walls.
She turned left.
The long ponytail was sent flying as she sprinted through the labyrinth of alleyways.
False stars and weak orange lights lit the path.
She didn't even notice as a black cat meowed frantically in her hurried wake.
She was the hunter.
Street lights flickered momentarily.
By God, it was him.
She skidded to a stop at the entrance of the next alleyway.
It was too dark to see anything properly, but there were noises all around.
"Shit!" cried out an unfamiliar voice; it sounded surprisingly distant.
Then the street lights flickered again.
Kirihara sighed wearily, bringing out lines on her face that she was too young for.
She plunged in to the thick darkness.
Where were the footsteps coming from? They weren't around her, so they must be…from above?"
So that was it.
Biting the gun between her teeth, she began to climb up a steep ladder on the edge of what looked like a rundown apartment building, only a few stories high.
The grunts and metallic clashes ever closer with each step.
But what the hell did BK-201 have to do with the contractors she was chasing?
The stupid syndicate never knew when to stop, pitting their own against each other.
As she reached the top of the building, a dark shape slumped heavily in front of her.
A gurgling sound.
She'd know the noise anywhere.
Silently, trying to avoid battle she stepped over the dark shape, motionless on the ground, not wanting blood on her shoes again.
A star skimmed the sky overhead, momentarily tracing gold against a bruised background.
Her eyes peered ahead, wondering if the other contractors had noticed her presence.
She brought the gun back into her right hand.
Uncharacteristically she began to panic a little, a measly gun wasn't enough protection with these people around, and anything could happen when Li-kun…no, when BK-201 was involved.
A huge explosion ahead; bringing up dust. She covered her mouth; coughing would only give her position away.
She knew that sound, so RQ-417 was on the roof too.
Jackpot.
Abruptly, all the building lights blasted on at full power, and the scene was finally revealed under golden glow.
The roof was in shambles, just ahead stood RQ-417 with his beautiful grey eyes and tall wiry body.
One could clearly see his trail of destruction, foot shaped holes were left on the thick cement, leading down into oblivion.
She glanced fleetingly out the corner of her eye to the body behind her.
He must have been SF-299, though Kirihara didn't know him by face. However, the six coloured pens in his top pocket were visible, though partially obscured by the crimson flow gushing from a clean neck wound. Those pens signified an infamous remuneration which would never be completed again.
Siren wails in the distance, shit, she'd have to hurry this up before her department got here.
BK-201 was nowhere to be seen, but these two contractors must have had some considerable skill because fragments or a certain mask were littered among the rubble.
She ignored her thunderously pumping heart; he wasn't the one she was here for.
RQ-417 had been dazzled by the sudden lights as well, but now spied Kirihara standing directly in front of him, her gun pointing square at his heart.
A handsome smile lit up his face, but he couldn't disguise his heavy breathing, nor a thick gash on his right thigh.
"Well if it isn't little Misaki, my favourite of all the police in Japan."
Her eyes remained cold and unseeing.
"RQ-417 you're under arrest. Put your hands behind your head, and sit on the ground, legs outstretched, feet pointing upwards."
"Haha! So you know my power well little Misaki."
"Put your hands behind your head, and sit on the ground, legs outstretched, feet pointing upwards."
He slid awkwardly to the ground to obey; placing his bloodied hands behind is silver hair, wincing in obvious pain.
"Ah, my little police woman, she's a hard task mistress is she not Black Reaper?"
He directed that at a broken window above, on the building next door.
It was the only room with no lights on.
Kirihara assumed that BK-201 was in one of the other rooms, he wasn't so obvious.
A chill blast of wind crept up and ripped her hair from its tie, falling messily on the back of her masculine suit.
"And she's beautiful." RQ-417 sighed blissfully.
Always oblivious, she looked at his eyes which flickered above.
"The sky?" she mused with narrowed eyes, moving closer.
The hunter.
The executioner.
This was the part she hated.
"The sky?" he replied with glittering eyes, "Well yes, I suppose that's beautiful too."
Safety off.
"You're wrong. The sky isn't beautiful anymore RQ-417. It's fake."
Bang.
"Shit."
Red eyes, blue glow.
Shot a second too late.
He rolled on the ground, just missing the bullet, and clambered to his feet.
She ran to the far wall, beneath the other building, needing a wall against her back for protection.
She took aim again.
He was running.
Too fast.
Explosions rocked the roof. Every step he took left a deadly footprint.
Steeling her nerve, pushing the wayward blowing hair out of her eyes with her left hand; she shot again.
"Urgh!" He slowed as his shoulder was blown apart in a deep red splatter, but he smiled with too white teeth through the pain.
Looked like a shark.
"Tut tut, if you play nicely Princess Misaki, I'll make it nice and quick.
Shit.
Shit.
Shit.
He was coming too fast.
She almost wished she hadn't abandoned her earpiece on the ground, but then, she was always too stubborn when he was involved.
Damn, there wasn't enough time to think.
And then he was there, right in front of her, and she could smell the blood and cologne.
He kicked at her in a glint of silver; she rolled to the side on the wall, barely missing the explosive impact which hollowed out a deep abyss through the building.
He grabbed her arms, incredibly strong even with a shattered shoulder.
Pinned her to the concrete wall, slamming her head against it.
Metallic liquid spurting from her lips.
Gun clattered to the ground.
Her eyes still icy and businesslike.
She'd die letting him know she felt no fear.
She'd die a hunter.
"I'm gonna miss you, my sweet little Misaki."
Hard lips against her own, tasting her blood.
"That's Kirihara-san to you" she spat out, trying to struggle, but failing.
Her body rendered helpless after the blow to the head, the world was swimming.
Everything seemed to slow down.
Every movement, worth a lifetime.
It was all she could do not to fall asleep.
She fell to the ground as he let go and prepared to stamp right through her body.
Right through her gut.
This was it.
She stared him right through the eyes, but there was nothing there.
After all, he was a contractor.
Then she stared at the sky.
She had lied before, it really was beautiful.
Slicing metal through air.
Those knives.
Those familiar knives, buried in flesh.
One in the neck.
One through his raised foot.
Kirihara slumped further into the concrete, tangled in her long hair.
Eyes misty and fogged with relief and exhaustion.
They couldn't stop looking into the fake heavens.
A black presence leaned on the wall beside her.
She felt for her gun, but it was too far away.
Well, that's what she told herself.
"Why?" she whispered hoarsely.
"It was my job to kill him," said that quiet, flat voice.
And he looked at the sky too, just for a minute, to watch the star fall.
The sirens now loud and flashing below.
Then the presence beside her melted away.
Slowly, clutching the wall, she stood up, picked up her gun and achingly made her way across the roof and down the ladder.
She ignored the familiar voices now worrying over her in the flashing alleyway.
Her eyes set forward.
She was a hunter.