Disclaimer: HOWDY Y'ALLS! Okay, so we all know I'm too poor and all to own anything. Hell, I'm a college student for crying out loud… it's impossible to own my own soul at this point.

A/N: YO! So, I've been asked on several different occasions if I was planning on doing another drabble. Well, I've started about three, all based on the same thing/scene, but I was never able to make them turn out the way I wanted to. Then, a completely different inspiration hit me. I was re-watching episode… 9? The one that's Ryu-centric and my friend (who'd watched a music video dedicated to Ryu with me earlier) asked about the last episode, because it showed Kudo with the pipe in his hand, ready to skewer Ryu and then BOOM! End of music video.

Basically, this is my take on the last part of Episode 10 (I think??) and so on before graduation. (Sorry, I have no internet so I'm not able to check which episode goes where eheh…)

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Bestu Ni

Drabble Two: Episode Ten – The End

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It was going horribly.

Each of the 3-D members was sustaining heavy beatings at the hands of Kudo's men. Why had they come here in the first place!? Take was being double teamed by two men who decided to take advantage of his smaller stature. Tsucchi was almost holding his own against a couple of other men and Hyuuga was lost in the mass of 3-D students trying desperately to get back to back and defend each other.

Hayato shoved his latest assailant away, only to be confronted by another. He glanced around, trying to catch a glimpse of his friends. It was difficult with some ruffian trying to strangle him in the process.

"You'll never make it out of here alive," the gruff stranger hissed. Hayato growled.

"Yeah, right!" he said, flipping around to the other side of his attacker. He grabbed the man's shoulders and planted a firm knee in the attacker's spine. The man quickly went down with a cry. "Hah!" Hayato couldn't help but sneer. He tried another 360. Where the hell was Ryu!? He had finally found Hyuuga trying to fend off a man much bigger than him. He would have gone to his aide if he hadn't seen what made his stomach squirm.

Ryu was standing face to face with Kudo. The dropout held a heavy metal pipe, one end cruelly sharpened. Ryu was already sporting a bloody lip. "Ryu!" he called, taking a step towards his friend. He had to backtrack, though, as a fist came sailing his way. He wasn't able to completely avoid it and it made fair contact with his chin. Hayato collided with the ground, landing awkwardly on his wrist. A small cry escaped his lips; it was sprained for sure. Damnit, now defending himself was going to be even more difficult.

"Why don't you just stop this!?" he heard Ryu say with desperation. He rolled over to his stomach and looked in his friend's direction. Ryu was holding his left arm tightly; Hayato saw blood dripping from his fingertips.

"Shut up!" Kudo replied, punching Ryu as hard as he could. Already injured, there was no way Ryu was able to dodge the hit and he took it completely, knocking him to the ground. "You've done nothing but be a pain in my ass, Odagiri!" Kudo growled. "I've been to jail because of you… I had to drop out of school because of you… Hell, I tried to kill you, but you just keep coming back." He spat in Ryu's direction and turned, ready to go attack more of the helpless 3-D students.

Suddenly, Ryu grabbed Kudo's leg, halting him. "Ryu…" Hayato whispered, still immobile on the ground.

"Please…" Ryu begged. Hayato's heart clenched. "Please stop this," he said again.

"I don't think so," Kudo said, jerking his leg free. This time, though, he didn't walk away. He walked around to Ryu's side, the poor boy still lying prone on the ground, and stepped harshly on his spine. Ryu's teeth clenched in pain.

"Ryu!" Hayato shouted, trying to get himself up. Suddenly, another member of Kudo's gang was straddling him. The ruffian grabbed a handful of Hayato's hair, jerking his head upward so that he had a perfect view of his helpless friend. Kudo locked eyes with Hayato and gave a wicked grin.

"I know how to destroy both of you," he said, lifting the cruel pipe up above Ryu.

"No!" Hayato shouted, struggling against his holds.

"Too late!" Kudo shouted.

He brought down the pipe, the sharp end driving mercilessly into Ryu's side. There was a sickening snap of one of Ryu's ribs. Ryu's eyes simply widened, his face paralyzed with pain.

"NOOO! RYU!" Hayato shouted, rage filling him. His captor didn't stand a chance as Hayato twisted to the side, using both his good and bad wrist to throw off the ruffian. He delivered a hard roundhouse kick to the man's head, taking him down for certain. He turned back towards Kudo.

The dropout yanked out the pipe from Ryu's side, making the injured boy cry out. Ryu's blood decorated the pipe, making Hayato's own sing with rage.

"KUDOOO!" he shouted. Kudo just gave him that wicked grin and walked away. Hayato took off for Ryu, the other boy already trying to get on all fours. "Ryu…" he said, his voice shaky.

"I'm fine," Ryu replied. "I promise, I'm… I'm fine."

Just then, the warehouse doors burst open. Hayato didn't have to look to know who it was. All of the ruffians in the place paused their thrashing as Yankumi stepped in. Still, Hayato didn't bother with her. The ruffians would all meet their just ends; it was Ryu he was concerned with.

"Ryu… Ryu, you're bleeding…" Hayato said, trying to help his friend upright. Ryu didn't reply. His breathing was too fast… too shallow.

"Yabuki! Odagiri!" Yankumi shouted, coming towards them. However, ruffians were already stepping past the two downed students, making their ways towards Yankumi. Hayato paid them no mind, also not noticing Kudo silently slipping away.

"Ryu!" Hayato exclaimed as the frail boy collapsed in his arms. There was too much blood; it was everywhere… on Ryu, on Hayato, on the ground… Panic made Hayato's heart beat faster as he struggled to remain in control of his emotions. "Jesus, Ryu…"

"I'm sorry," Ryu groaned, sounding completely unlike himself.

"Shut up," Hayato said, putting his own hand on Ryu's wound. Apply pressure… he knew that much. "This isn't your fault… He didn't fight fair."

"No…" Ryu replied. "I was… taking matters into… my own hands… again," he said. "I thought… that maybe he'd stop…"

"Ryu, shut up," Hayato said again, his voice cracking. Suddenly, Yankumi appeared at his side, bearing a bruised cheek and a split lip.

"What happened!? Jesus, Odagiri-"

"Call an ambulance!" Hayato shouted. However, one of the other students was already dialing the hospital. Hayato couldn't even hear him speaking, all his attention focused on Ryu,

"Just hold on, Odagiri-kun… We've called the hospital," Yankumi said, trying to soothe the injured boy.

"I'm… f..f…" He couldn't finish, a coughing fit suddenly attacking him. It was strange sounding, fluid-like for some reason. Then, suddenly, he put a hand to his mouth and gave a large, violent cough. Hayato heard it, Yankumi as well, but that didn't make it any easier to see the blood dripping from Ryu's lips as he pulled his hand away.

"Damnit! Where's that fucking ambulance!?" Hayato shouted, his voice breaking again.

"I called them," a voice in the background said, but it didn't matter. They need to be there now.

"You're gonna be fine, Ryu," Hayato said, his eyes already stinging. Ryu nodded.

"I know…" he whispered.

"The ambulance is on its way," Hayato added. "They'll get you and you'll be fine."

"I… I know," Ryu whispered again. Another coughing fit came over him. He tried to cover his mouth, but that didn't do much to hide the blood as it fell from his lips once more, running down his pale skin and turning the collar of his white shirt dark red.

Finally, Hayato heard the sirens. "Everyone, get back!" Yankumi shouted. "Give the paramedics enough room to get to him! Hayato, keep a hold of him! Its okay, Odagiri-kun. They're here."

"See? I told you they'd get here… that you'd be fine," Hayato said. But when he looked down he saw that Ryu's eyes were closed. "Ryu?" he said, his voice shaking. "Ryu!? RYU!" He gently shook his friend, but there was no response.

The ambulance came in through the large open doors, squealing to a stop near the boys. Several paramedics burst from the vehicle and made their way towards Hayato, Ryu, and Yankumi.

"What happened!?"

"He was stabbed!" Take shouted. They quickly got to work, pulling him away from Hayato.

"Wait!" he shouted, but the paramedics took Ryu away from him anyways. "Wait, damnit, you're hurting him!"

"Yabuki-kun!" Yankumi said, pulling him away. "You want them to help him, right?" she asked. "C'mon, let's go. We can ride in the ambulance," she said, jerking Hayato along. "The rest of you… another ambulanced is on its way to treat you guys. We'll meet you at the hospital." And with that she and Hayato boarded the ambulance.

"Sit here," an EMT commanded, placing the two safely out of the way.

"I can't get a pulse," another one said. They had just successfully attached a monitor to Ryu.

"Get the defibrillator!"

They quickly removed the large piece of electrical equipment and worked to cut Ryu's bloodied shirt in half. "Alright, he's ready!" one said after placing pads on the electrically charged equipment.

"Clear!" one said, placing it on his chest. They sent an electrical shock through Ryu's body, making him convulse. Still, the monitor read no heart beat.

"Clear!"

Another shock.

"Clear!"

Another shock.

"…Clear!"

Another shock.

Still no response.

Hayato watched with horror as the EMTs stared at one another, their expressions somber.

"What are you doing!?" he shouted, standing up. "Try again!"

"Sir, we need you to sit down," one EMT said.

"No! You need to keep trying!" Hayato shouted.

"Yabuki!" Yankumi said, grabbing a hold of him.

"He's not dead!" Hayato shouted. "Try again, damnit! He's not dead!"

Hayato didn't know if they would have tried again because the ambulance had already reached the hospital. They quickly wheeled Ryu out of the ambulance and into the critical condition unit. Yankumi and Hayato followed close behind until they reached the doors marked 'SURGERY'. A nurse turned around and stopped them.

"I'm sorry, but you can't go in there," she said, holding her hands up.

"The hell I can't!" Hayato shouted, trying to shove past her. Yankumi grabbed a hold of his shoulders.

"Damnit, Yabuki-kun!" she said. "Come on! If you go in there you'll only be in the way! That could hinder the surgeons and in the end that could cost Ryu what precious time he has! Now, get back here and wait!" she shouted. Hayato stopped his fussing. He didn't drop his hardened glare from the nurse's eyes, but he did back away. "That's it… C'mon, we'll wait right here, right outside the door."

Slowly, the two sat down in the hallway. Hayato kept his eyes on the light reading 'SURGERY'. He just couldn't take his eyes off of it. All he could hear was the flat-lining of the heart monitor in the ambulance. It filled his thoughts; that sound, the sight of Ryu's blood, his closed eyes…

It was all horribly painful.

Especially because, in the end, Ryu might not make it anyways.

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I'm just HORRIBLE aren't I! Well, I'm sorry… ehehe… But this is where this drabble ends. I'll write the next part (DON'T WORRY LOL) and you all can read it and enjoy its glory! Bwahahahah!