Switched Loyalties – Apokolypse
Chapter 7
Dairou and Apokolypse injure each other greatly during this fight, it was obvious that there would likely be no victor in this fight as the X-Men watch from a safe distance.
Dairou was severely injured but noticed the X-Men and especially Logan watching as he used his telekinesis to land safely "Watch and learn, Logan…this is where we differ" He met Logan's eyes as he wasn't facing him; he nodded and smirked without a word to their mutual unspoken understanding.
Dairou turned his attention to his adversary who was healing as fast as he was "When you die…they will have no hope left" Apokolypse's eye turned making eye contact with Rogue.
Dairou raised his sword and pointed at him "Hey!" he grins wickedly "forget them, I'm your opponent and even if you kill me, I'll make sure you'll go to hell with me."
"Why do you fight for a race that only sees you as a monster?" Apokolypse asks earning a reaction from Dairou "you will never earn their trust!"
Dairou looks at Rogue again as well as the others "I have the X-Men; they are all the family I need and I have no interest in if humans trust me or not" Dairou raised his aura to its highest peak startling Darius and Odion.
"nice…" Darius looks to see his brother's aura turn from its usual red color to a rainbow of colors "You're not so little anymore are ya, nii-san?"
"You really have changed, ya little baka" Odion smirks "Is this the power of the Satsui No Ameterasu your mother always said you possessed as a child?" He was visibly in awe.
Rogue watched Dairou and couldn't help but see Darius' and Odion's shock then back to Dairou to see a sort of energy enveloping him for the first time in her life "Stunning" Odion looked at her and came to her side, putting an arm around her "You can see his aura now…can't you?" he asked as she nods.
"Your end is near mutant!" En Sabah Nur snarls as he and Dairou charge at each other "Couldn't agree more!" was Dairou's only reply, but it didn't sound like Dairou's normal tone and only Sabretooth and Wolverine knew who this was. The killer within Dairou has re-emerged…his name known only as Kaiju.
Dairou and Apokolypse met, Dairou stabbing him from the chin through the head but getting stabbed through his chest in the process, barely missing his heart.
"No…" Apokolypse said as he met his end to Dairou's Ameterasu but Dairou fell as well, his injuries great as his healing factor helped but at a much slower rate than it usually would.
"Rogu…ie" Dairou gasped as he falls as well as Rogue runs up to him, Odion failing to stop her.
"Dairou!" when Rogue gets to him he looks at her, his pupils appearing and disappearing in his eyes as Daimon Hellstrom appeared, looking on as he laid there with his eyes shut.
Rogue starts beating on his chest and crying silently as the X-Men look on, only for his eyes to snap open as Victor whispered "Kaiju…" releasing a collectively held breath. He knew better than anyone that Kaiju is the real Dairou as his personality was always that of a neutral one. Not evil but definitely not good either.
Dairou looks at Rogue silently then grabs her arm tightly, threatening to break it "Hit me like that again as long as you live…" he yanked and pulled her closer whispering "and I… will… kill you, you hear me?"
Rogue paled "You…you're not Dairou" as she backs away and he lets her go "Who are you?" she snarled at the smirk he gave her "You're that 'Kaiju' Victor always called you by, aren't you?"
Dairou, or who he is now, Kaiju rose into an upright sitting position looking at Rogue from the corner of his eye as he said in a defiant tone as if it was nothing "Yeah, what of it?"
He looked away before she could answer "So, you're still alive, eh?" he asked Apokolypse with a sadistic grin as he struggled to his feet.
He tries to get to his feet slowly as Rogue came to help him up "Get away from me!" he punched her in the stomach forcing her back as he stood up and charged at Apokolypse, grabbing Ameterasu along the way.
Victor comes to Rogue "Watch and learn, Anna-Marie" he looked at her then Dairou "This is why Logan and I were so scared of Dairou, keep your distance until he says otherwise or he'll lash out like he just did...maybe with his Ameterasu and you both don't want that"
This was the moment, as all on-lookers hope for the best…or the worst, depending on what is lost or gained by Dairou's victory or defeat.
Dairou clashes with Apokolypse, running Ameterasu straight through his heart as he received a grave wound to his side, he looked down in horror that he may not survive this as the two fell, Apokolypse is dead while Dairou was clinging to his own life at the moment.
The X-Men run to his side as the other onlookers, they were waiting to make their decision if to pronounce him dead themselves.
{Ellie Goulding's 'Beating Heart' (the part without vocals) plays… I don't own it but like it all the same}
"Dairou" Illyana ran to him as he only grunted in response as she came to his side "don't die…" she had tears in her eyes as he looked at her sadly, he had a soft spot for a sad woman period and she was no exception as he catches a stray tear "I'll be fine…don't cry, you're making me sad"
Illyana chuckles as she came down to kiss his cheek, but he intentionally puts his lips in the way and she tried breaking the kiss in surprise but he held her in place until they separated "Wha-?" was all she could say as Dairou interrupted, silencing her "sorry, but I don't like being kissed on the cheek…I don't care if Roguie sees us either, it's not like we can hide."
"Wait here" she said, leaving him "I'll get the others" he only nodded in reply and waited, content with watching her leave for now.
She quickly returned with the X-Men and the still woozy Beast to his side "We need to get him back to my lab and fast" Hank said checking his wounds.
Victor and Piotr nodded as they heaved his body back to the mansion "Come on, big guy, you've lived through far worse" Victor grunted his words of encouragement.
Dairou looked at Rogue in silence before closing his eyes.
The four watching Dairou followed them back to the mansion, keeping their distance, while at the mansion Dairou having fallen unconscious for the journey was awake, still in severe pain as Daimon Hellstrom visited with Rogue.
{Ellie Goulding's 'Beating Heart' continues this time with the vocals of the chorus…I don't own the song, I just really like it}
"What do you two want?" Dairou asked without an inch of emotion looking away from the two.
"To help you…with your father's permission already granted" Daimon said the flame on his head blazing as it usually did.
"What help would I need from the two of you?" Dairou was cautious as Rogue smiled "He's gonna restore your lost memories"
Dairou looked at the two like they were as mad as he was getting now "Stand back, Rogue…" Rogue takes a step back as Dairou sat up looking Hellstrom straight in the eye.
"So, you mean to tell me you could've restored my fucking memories this entire time and did nothing?!" Dairou was furious as Rogue stepped back further as he grinned "Thank you…ya insufferable baka!" then he slugged the demon right across the nose knocking him into the wall.
Victor entered to hear the commotion "What's goin' on in here?" he asks as Dairou only shrugged and grinned innocently at Victor gave him a suspicious look "Nothing dangerous, Sabretooth-sama."
Victor held Dairou's hand and smiled "Rest easy" Dairou raised an eyebrow "With Logan still out there, how can I?" Victor frowned "Something tells me, we've only begun to see my little brother's true colors"
"I hope you're wrong about him for once" Dairou looked sad as Victor put a hand on his shoulder "As do I."
Logan moves to the hillside, still to some degree worried about Dairou but not as much as it would appear, when he is greeted by a young woman, about Daken's age with almost the same personality as him, his clone/daughter, Laura Kinney codename X-23.
"You see him, don't you?" Logan looked at and circled Laura with distaste "He's the killer of yer poor, little mother" he said with slight amusement.
"When do I get to make him pay?" was all she said glaring at the red eyed man being towed away by the X-Men "I'll go in there and kill him right now and anyone who gets in my way!" she popped two claws from her knuckles in a similar fashion as Logan, with another in each foot.
Logan grabbed her by the throat "If you go in there now, your fate is sealed and I won't be coming to yer rescue or funeral" he threw her to the ground as she looked at him in pure fear and disbelief "Come on, you'll get yer festering revenge in no time but we have things to do first."
Laura looked through the forest and saw Giriko Cerulean pass by followed closely by Pinger Cerulean, unaware of them and growled on sight of the white haired man "like keeping our eyes on them?"
Logan nodded as he walked off and Laura followed but stopped to take one last look at Dairou as she thought "all in due time" as she hurried after Logan who wasn't waiting.
Outside, the visitors decide to take their leave…having planned accordingly, with Dairou alive.
"Looks like you've made a losing bet today, Giriko" the Dairou-lookalike, Roku smirked as Pinger remained adamant as he thought "maybe this man can help me find my father and brother…"
"Roku, do you think I'll ever find my brother?" Pinger asked as they stopped and the woman, Yuna shook her head "not this again…" earning a glare from Roku and an incredulous look from Giriko "Go on and check the aura blockers to make sure we aren't found, we'll catch up" the two looked at each other before going in separate directions and checking some descreetly placed glowing paper markers with the Kanji for 'block' marked on them.
Roku turns to Pinger "You think those outsiders will actually help you?"
Pinger looks away "I'm willing to do anything to find my father…if it means working with that strangely familiar man, then so be it" Pinger gave a serious expression as he followed Giriko then stopped for a moment "It's not like you guys are much help."
Back with Dairou, he was resting for now but couldn't help but think he sensed a familiar aura even for a slight moment as Daimon got to restoring his memories.
"She's rather fond of you, so why are you so cold to her?" Hellstrom asks a strangely silent Dairou as he replied "I despise weakness… can't tolerate being in love with someone who is so dependent on others as much as her."
"Then train her" the demon suggested as Dairou looked out the window with a quirked eyebrow "train her to be as strong as you are, leave the X-Men if you have to."
Dairou gave a small smile "I think I will" he said as Hellstrom finished "my mind's a fog, is that supposed to happen?"
Hellstrom nodded "You are to return to Hell and finish your mess from the last time as well" he poked him in the chest with a glare as Rogue came in and Hellstrom left them alone "Dairou…"
Dairou puts his hand up to silence her as he closed his eyes "I don't want to hear any excuses for why you're still too dependent on me!" he snarled angrily as she took off his necklace "You must want this back then?"
He took it and put it on "we're leaving for training…" as she gave a hopeful smirk "the team?"
"No" Dairou swung a punch at her and missed "you've grown far too dependent on my power instead of your own, so it's just you and me, baka."
Dairou pulled her close and kissed her then hugged her "I'm sorry…for everything" Rogue rubbed his back to soothe him "enjoy my kindness while you have it now though, cuz once we leave this mansion, it's over and I won't be going easy on you and you should know what I do to things that disappoint me" he pulled out Ameterasu to prove his point.
He loses his grip of Ameterasu and gripped his head in pain as the sword fell to Rogue feet and she could fell an energy calling out to her but he grabbed it before she could "do…not touch it."
Alternate ending…
"Dairou" Illyana ran to him as he only grunted in response as she came to his side "don't die…" she had tears in her eyes as he looked at her sadly, he had a soft spot for a sad woman period and she was no exception as he catches a stray tear "I'll be fine…don't cry, you're making me sad"
Illyana chuckles as she came down to kiss his cheek, but he intentionally puts his lips in the way and she tried breaking the kiss in surprise but he held her in place until they separated "Wha-?" was all she could say as Dairou interrupted, silencing her "sorry, but I don't like being kissed on the cheek…I don't care if Roguie sees us either, it's not like we can hide."
Rogue and the others came around the corner and Dairou looked at her as he felt the life fade from his body and tried to speak as he reached and touched Rogue's crying face "forgive me…Rogue, I'll be fine"
Victor sniffed as even he was slightly crying and turned to Jean and Kurt beside him "he's lying" he said with little emotion as he already knew Dairou's fate was sealed as Dairou said with a weak smile "don't cry or you'll make me sad…thank you for everything." His hand fell to from Rogue's face as she finally broke down and Jean consoled her "he'd hate you if you didn't move on, eventually"
Rogue hugged onto Dairou's sword, Ameterasu as her eyes went black for a moment "never…I'll never move on, not soon anyway."
Odion was a distance away watching over Rogue in sadness "it seems Ameterasu has taken a liking to Rogue…" he looked into the sky "Dairou, watch over her from up there, okay?" he asked to no one.
A distance away, the onlookers looked pale and sad, none more the Pinger Cerulean while Giriko Cerulean was anything but sad as he was already planning to steal Dairou's body in his head.
"There goes my only other connection to finding my brother and father" Pinger said in sadness as Yuna closed her eyes saying a silent prayer.
Roku held Pinger close in a tight bear hug "you shouldn't give up so easily, kid" Pinger struggled to breathe as he snarled at the larger man "let go of me or you'll be the next dead one."
Giriko smirked "Well, you guys can head back without me, I don't want than body buried until I get paid"
"Y'know, money is the root of all evil, Giri-san" Yuna said and Giriko's axe was at her throat in two seconds as he replied "no, it isn't, it's the root of all success and never forget it."
"Easy, Giriko" Roku looked back at him "get you prize and let's get out of here by nightfall"
Later that night, Giriko took off without a reply, avoiding Odion at all costs growling silently "doesn't that guy sleep?" as Odion looks around and almost spots him then passed again with Dairou's dead form slugged lazily over his shoulders "this guy needs to lose some weight as well, feels like he ate concrete his whole life."
A/N – So there's the two part finale of SLA/Switched Loyalties Apokolypse, give me your thought as I plan to do a story following each ending, not to mention Dairou's grueling training with Rogue. Also a new story with a vengeful X-23 and Pinger Cerulean, by the way, is Dairou's long lost younger brother and Yuna is his sister that he hates bitterly. Read/Review and PM me if there's anything you don't understand.
Warrior-of-Darkness015 out.
