The hound and the fox.
Author's note: Sorry if I disappoint my readers. Action isn't really my forte. But I put my all into this. Feel free to criticize me and give pointers. Take note this is an AU.
It was fairly even ground. It was not Himmlereich, the untouchable realm of the silver clan, or the school island, the domain of the Colourless clan. It was a section of old, abandoned building on the eastern outskirts of Shizume city. Some of the already deteriorating buildings had collapsed in the intensity of the battle.
And the opposing sides had an even number of people. Isana Yashiro, the colorless king, and his right hand, Yukizome Kukuri, one side, Adolf , the silver king, and his second in command, Yatogami Kuroh on the other. Neko had stayed back on Weissman's orders to distract anyone who intended to interrupt them. Kuroh was aware that the reason his king wanted to fight Isana alone was that Isana only wanted to fight him and he did not want other to be burdened.
His attitude never changes.
Now, with their kings fighting a few blocks away from them and their swords high in the evening sky, The black hound faced the white fox.
"What is your intention in this pointless war, Yukizome?"
Kuroh barely dodged the bullets that peppered the wall behind him, the speed to fast for him the block. Despite the fact that Kuroh was more powerful, Kukuri was faster, stealthier and a quick thinker.
"Pointless eh? Tell me, Yatogami. How much about the kings do you really understand?"
More bullets. More dodging. Until the two stood facing each other, three meters apart.
"What are you talking about?"
"Don't be in such a hurry. This is our 'last' battle, after all that fights we had. Lets waste some time and prolong the moment eh?"
The sharp eyes, sinister grin and uncomfortable aura that mirrored her king, so different to the large innocent eyes, warm smile and the comforting presence he had first seen. The Ashinaka uniform was only ruffled, a few tears on the cloth. Kuroh's clothes were in no better condition.
"A king is someone who receives great powers from the Dresden slate. They are given a large responsibility by accepting those kings are given high respect and people look up to them. But their powers are blessings that come with curses."
" 'Blessings that come with curses' now that I can agree on. But 'respect'!"
She spat out the word, disgust on her face.
"The first six kings are given domains. For gold, evolution. For blue, order. The Colorless is 'balance' they say. Tell me, exactly how are we 'balance'?
Because of the nature of our powers, we are feared, untrusted, looked down upon! Viewed as beings you should stay away from. Do you know why the Colourless has had more king that the other clans?"
"If I remember correctly, your kings have all died early from sickness. They have all died at around the age of forty."
"Correct! Now the next question. WHERE DO YOU THINK THE 'SICKNESS' COMES FROM!"
A cold tingling sensation went down his spine. He knew the answer. But saying it would be acknowledging it.
"Not keen on answering? Well then let me answer. With such great 'powers' why is it the bodies and minds of kings suffer no great damage, despite the power being foreign to them. You know how the body reacts to foreign substances. But why is there no reaction at all? How does the king's soul accept the power so easily?"
Kuroh didn't want the truth. The ugly, black and twisted truth.
I think of this power as joy! It brings happiness!
Was that a lie, Shiro?
"BECAUSE THE DAMAGE ONLY EFFECTS THE COLOURLESS KING!"
Her voice echoed in his ears, the truth echoed in his mind.
"The Colourless king is there to take the damage for the other kings! You don't know how it feels, to be raised upon a throne, told that you were given a 'great blessing' when in reality you were just there to die for someone else! While Yashiro's life is shortened against his will, your king is immortal!"
No… no… Shiro would never had let this happen…
"No, Yukizome, wait! There has to be an expl-"
"Cut your crap! Die, Yatogami!"
Their auras clashed, the metal of Kukuri's gun blocked by the blade of Kuroh's sword. They parted with an explosion, Kuroh landing on a bench and Kukuri landing on a fallen vending machine. She fired several shots from both her guns and Kuroh readied himself, only to realize he was not the target.
She's aiming above me!
He looked up and managed to use his powers to push the bilboard away before it could crush him. But the small seconds it took to do that gave Kukuri enough time to close the distance between them and before he realized it, both guns were pointing at him.
At that range she won't miss! I need to-!
His hands, with years of practice drilled into them, raised the blade without his mind thinking. Two gunshots sounded and blood flew in the air.
Both quickly jumped away to a safe distance, assessing their injuries.
Kukuri raised her hand to staunch the flow of blood from the gash in her lower chest.
It's not too deep, good. Any deeper and I'd be dead. But if I don't do something about this in five minutes I'll be in big trouble.
She took off her blazer and tied it over the wound, momentarily stoping the flow.
Kuroh winced and tried not to make the pain in his upper left arm flare. He ignored the pain in his lower right thigh. Although it was painful, the hole in his arm was bigger concern. He tore a piece of his jacket and, in similar fashion to Kukuri, tied it around the wound. He tore a second piece tied it around the thigh, once he checked that it was nothing of big trouble.
They both readied themselves and slipped into their battle stances.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
A piece of a wall from the building next to them dropped onto a metal bench with a loud clang.
Both moved at the same time, a glowing hand projected through aura slamming into a vending machine and a metal bench being peppered with bullets.
If Kukuri was using normal guns she would have run out of ammo half an hour ago. Kuroh had never seen her run out of bullets. If she lost her gun or it was somehow destroyed (Kuroh had only managed to grab her gun thrice and destroy it once) she would pull another out from god knows where.
Kuroh had his sword (Kukuri had once managed to steal it, leading the two to giant chase around Shizume city) and his aura which was capable of being manifested into a solid form, most often a giant hand.
Bullets pierced the air and a mixture of concrete and metal went flying as a giant hand made of aura slammed into the building behind the now gone fox.
It was final fight and they were both going to go all out.
How ironic. The situation, it's-
Like out first meeting, and yet this is out final fight.
The sound of screeching cars and passers by hurrying to get away from the fight. She's standing across him on the road, both guns at her side.
Just like now.
"Yukizome Kukuri, the vassal of the seventh king, Isana Yashiro. You can call me Kukuri."
He's standing still, observing her with his dark eyes, his coat swaying in the wind.
"Yatogami Kuroh. The vassal of the first king, Adolf . You can call me Kuroh."
He had thought of her as a fox, hidden beneath layers of faux masks.
"Nice to meet you, Kuroh."
She had thought of him a dog, loyal and never disobeying, carrying out its duty without complaint.
"Same to you, Kukuri."
Say.
The sharp wind caused by the quick flurry of movements.
If we weren't enemies.
The clang of metal. The sound of bullets.
If we weren't on opposite sides.
The swish of a blade. The click of gun.
Do you think we could have been friends?
The red spray of blood that painted the air.
"Che. Well this is troublesome."
"It's a matter of who dies of blood loss first now."
"You better not give up easily."
"I should be saying that to you."
A fading evening sky with the black of night creeping on it.
Just like that time right, Yashiro?
"Che. Why the hell do you follow me around?"
Yashiro. He liked to eat at the rooftop alone. Never mingling with the crowd, never standing out either. He just… disappeared when everyone wasn't looking.
"It's lonely being alone all the time isn't it?"
"I can deal with loneliness."
"How about I be your friend?"
"Are you crazy?"
"Nope."
"Suit yourself. Just don't get complain when you get killed for being around me."
"Then I'll try my best to stay alive!"
"Che."
And then,
"You'd better not die."
"Sorry Yashiro. I might not be able to keep that promise. But I'll try my best. So you try your best too."
Birds. Flying free in sky. That's what he wanted to be.
The sky divided into the warm orange of sunset and the dark blue abyss of night.
Jut like that day right, Shiro?
"Are you here to see the sunset too?"
Shiro liked looking at the sunset. But he preferred looking at it from tall building instead of his own airship. He was a puzzling man.
"I swear my alliance to the first and silver king, Adolf . I promise to follow you, Shiro. I'll lay down my life for you."
"We're friends right? There's no need to stand on ceremony. I trust you Kuroh."
And then,
"But don't die for this pathetic man's sake. Rather, please live for me."
"I'll try my best to keep that promise. But if I die, I'd like you to know your were never pathetic. You were a good king. I'm glad I served you."
A engulfing darkness, is what she thinks.
An endless void, is what he thinks.
They can't move. They can't think. They cannot remeber.
"KUKURI!"
"KUROH!"
Kukuri…
Kuroh…
Is that my name?
A familiar warmth.
Sorry.
Thank you.
Goodbye.