The 1and The 2

''They're coming."

He looked down at the woman in his arms, her raven hair on his chest and panther black eyes meeting his chocolate gaze. "Think they'll listen to reason?"

Her grin was apologetic.

Pressing her lips to his before climbing out of his hold and their bed. Her brown skin shone in the greenish moonlight that entered their small cottage as she stretched, putting both her muscles and scars on display before reaching to get a pair of shorts and flowing robe top.

-Smack-

"Hey, handsy." She turned to her companion with a smirk, enjoying the hit on their bottom, "you do realize. I'm most likely going to get into a fight, right?"

"Oh! Most definitely." He grinned, rubbing his whiskered chin, "and if you do and get hurt. I get to treat your wounds, number 2."

She shook her head with a sigh at his chuckle. Grabbing her crimson star hilt blade and a silver circle locket, she turned to give him another kiss. "I'll be back. Hopefully not bloody...or at least not with my blood."

"You know I can go out instead, right? You can sit and watch me do my thing."

"Hhhm~mmm." Her purring had the intended effect of eliciting excitement, "I would love to but..." She nodded to his shield and the golden heart-shaped locket resting upon it.

"You are the strongest on the planet- the number 1 with the golden heart and, you know, the legend, the rules. Only the number 2 can challenge the number 1."

"Then wouldn't you be the true number 1? Since you stole my heart?" 1 licked their lips as 2 crawled on their bed and straddled their waist.

"I think you just like submitting to a strong woman." she smiled carnally, feeling him tremble under her.

"Do love a woman who can kick my ass, and you always have me on my back."

"True, but you love it." She gave 1 a peck, "They're a number of them."

She was better at sensing danger than he was. " You think it's all them from earlier?"

"From the black market, maybe." She shrugged. "They were looking at your locket pretty hard, shouldn't be a long bout, though." She grinned dangerously, "enough for a midnight workout..."She bit her lips, looking at the number 1, "get that nice blood flowing."

He looked at her as she climbed off his body. A little annoyed and aroused at 2's tone and demeanor.

"You can't be all flirty and carnal before fighting and causing carnage!" 1 complained, a light blush across his face. "That just gonna make me wanna keep you with me."

She chuckled, and as she was about to respond...

"Bearer of the golden locket! We know you are in there! Come out!"

2 placed her hand over her face, indicating that their enemies were wearing facemasks.

"Guess they aren't used to the smog-less air." 1 whispered, getting an affirmative point from 2.

“Makes this soo~oo. Much easier, if a bit less exciting though.” 2 snickered, “I’ll be back. You stay pretty.”

1 watched her walk out of their room and listen as her feet glided down the corridor. His ears twitched to the sound of the sugar cane flap lifting. The summer night air crept in immediately.

“Good evening, ladies, gentlemen, and...others. What can I do for you tonight?”

1 listened as 2's charming voice called across the field, already imagining her leaning upon her blade bent forward.

“Not here for you, woman.” an older husky voice spoke.

“That much is obvious….”

“Woman, do you know who you are bedding? The importance of his locket?”

It took 1 everything he had not to laugh at the question. If anyone on this smog-filled, savage planet knew the importance of his locket, it was 2.

“It's just a locket, sir."

"...Don't patronize us. We know what we saw. That is old-world metal. Pure, pre-planetary calamity."

Well, he wasn't wrong. Their lockets were made from elements predating the end and restart of earth's civilization. Before the eco-systemic calamity that gave birth to atmospheric pressure, none changing climates, shorter planetary revolutions, natural smog areas, the advent of animalistic human hybrids, and legends.

Legends like the two lockets.

“Sir, I implore you, his locket is the same material as your Antium mask-”

The next thing 1 heard was something crashing against the outer wall of their hideaway, whirling and digging its way through before still silence.

“That was uncalled for, SIR.”

1 trembled at the cold sharpness of 2’s pitch. He could already see her face, stone and steady, left index lingering at her sword hilt.

“We might seem to be a little brash, but I don’t know if you are aware of the legend surrounding the lockets of power.”

“The lockets of power? Oh, you're referring to the heart of heaven and the circle of earth lockets, correct?”

1 chuckled, hearing the slight mockery on her tongue. He grinned, getting from their bed to peek at the confrontation from one of the corridor windows.

In his sights, upon the stone path leading to their getaway surrounded by the black grass plains, stood four would-be challengers adorned with beastly respirators of yellow, with aluminum like armor of green, known as Antium. The same material their mask was made of.

Their weapons were primarily clubs of steelix, and their leader had a six-chamber pistol that shot scorching pellets of the same metal. That alone told them they were bandits from a bandit area. Maybe a troupe of mercs or treasure hunters if they are looking for legends.

“You. You know about them?” The supposed leader spoke, shock in his throat.

“I’m quite aware of the legend.” 2 began with soft velvet, “The golden heart of Heaven. Legends say the one who bears this locket is the strongest. Chosen by the gods of our savage existence, the bearer will be fated to be prosperous for all time, the world secrets laid bare...When the time of their return arrives."

"You are familiar with it."

"Quite, everyone knows of the gold heart, but ignore the silver circle. Despite its immense importance to the legend."

"Gold...Silver…?"

"Yes. The respective metals of the locket." 2 grinned cheekily at the confusion. "You know, challenging the heart without the circle is paramount to sin."

"I heard of it...No one even knows if that part of the legend is true, and if it is, it's best to avoid looking for such a cursed item." The masked man admonished, "always being hunted, always on guard. The role of the circle...The second, is a curse."

"And because of that fear, you chose to hunt who you believe to be, the first...The strongest, unlawfully? Without proof of your strength? Of right?" 2 arched her left brow.

"It's not fear...It's opportunity." The masked man argued, "The first is right in front of us; why shouldn't we take their head? Their place? Who would turn away from such a chance?"

"A...chance?" 2 inquired, "you see this as a chance." 2 stood still before laughing out loud, mockingly.

"Sir, please turn back...live your life...Forget the legend."

The quadrant of bandits felt a chill down their spines at 2's warning.

"You do not have the ability to be number one, nor the right to challenge them."

"Which means I was right my assum-"

"Your greed isn't worth your life." 2 interrupted, "leave until you live the life of the second...Then come back and challenge the first."

"The second doesn't exist!" The man explained, "and even if it did. Who knows where on this horrid planet they are or who bears the circle?!"

"So much fright on your tongue...Could you have met the second before?"

2's face was nearly split by her smile. Seeing the bandits glare as they aim their pistol at her, trembling slightly.

"Woman, move out of our way. We're not here for you, just the one. We have no quarrel, no aggression against you."

"But...You do...You're trying to challenge the number 1; the heart, without right..."

"Assassinate…" the man corrected.

"Without walking the path of the circle...The Silver...The monster." 2 reached into her robe.

"No…" The man stepped back, fear in his eyes as they locked to the pure silver locket reflecting the moonlight in 2's hand. " You're...the second?"

"That I am…"2 smirked, placing the chain of locket over her head, letting the circle lay between her breasts. "I have been for ten years," she walked forward, a maniacal grin on her face, "and for three of those years...I've laid with and lived with the first."

"Why haven't you killed the first...take their place?" The bandit yelled, "Take their life...Like you did my family?!"

-Bang!-

The pistol fired another pellet. A whirling red hot sphere flew past the second harmlessly.

"Because I am not a believer of fate, of destiny, and legacy."

-Bang!-Bang!-Bang!-Bang!-

Four more shots.

"ARRGH! MY SHOULDER!"

One hit.

"Davion!" 2 yelled, concerned, turning around.

The wrong target, a wasted shot.

The bandits took the chance to attack, each taking a swing with their clubs from behind.

Maybe it was the change in air pressure, the feel of their clubs swinging, or the slight sound of their steps, but it didn't matter.

2's ear twitched. Her left hand moved. Her cutlass was unleashed.

Eight wrists flew, and four lives ended.

All in the time, a cloud passed over the moonlight.

The leader watched in anger as 2 wiped her face and complained about the bloodstains on their robe, already forgetting about him and his team; walking back to her cottage waving, where the first, a man of the same tone greeted her with a kiss—a heart locket around his neck.

Their happiness...One of a monster and a god… At the top of this savage world was the last thing he saw.