Scene Ten

The Vampire's Downfall

Tatsumaru's soul is leaving Rikimaru's body to gain a whole new body. Tatsumaru's body is completely different from the one he had earlier. Tatsumaru has long light blue hair that falls to his lower back this feature is from when he first gained Reigo's power. He is wearing black silk clothes as he was earlier. He also has one black Angel wing similar to Reigo's, and one white Devil wing similar to Reigo's twin brother. Tatsumaru also has bright green eyes this is also from when he first gained Reigo's power, and now he has Rikimaru's power, too! The Chosen One's power!

"Now I shall rule the whole world!" Tatsumaru said with an evil laugh.

"That's not good, is it?" Rikimaru asked.

"NO! HOW THE HELL DID TATSUMARU GAIN THE POWER OF THE CHOSEN ONE?" Tetsumaru shouted.

"I… don't… know…" Rikimaru said slowly. Something is happening to Rikimaru's body as Tatsumaru gains the powers from his followers. Rikimaru's body weakens as the Chosen One's power leaves him. These are the powers Tatsumaru gained from his followers.

"I gave Tatsumaru the power to summon terrible beasts from the underworld without any special training," Seymour said.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to give people the Curse Mark referred to as the Curse Mark Jutsu," said Orochimaru.

"Tatsumaru gained the ability to do any kind of Genjutsu, Ninjutsu, and Taijutsu with little effort," said Hatake.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to use all levels of the Sharingan eye. This allows the user to copy anybody's attacks and/or control their body's movements," said Itachi

"I accidently gave my brother the power of the Chosen One., which was entrusted to me by my father, this is all Tatsumaru wanted from, but he got something more…"

"I gave Tatsumaru the power of a Full Dog Demon," said Yakatemaru.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to call Venomous Wasps to his aid. I also gave him the ability to give anybody a curse called the Wind Tunnel," said Kurosawa.

"I gave my nephew the form of the Dark Phoenix, the Bird of Destruction," Kai said.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to learn any element, though his original element is Darkness," Takashi said.

"I increased Tatsumaru's Dark Powers and gave him the ability to fight with a long sword," said Reigo.

"I also increased Tatsumaru's Dark Powers and gave him the form of the Vampire," said Vladislous.

"I gave Tatsumaru the form of the true Vampire King," Myotismaru said.

"I gave Tatsumaru the power of the Wind Element," said Garland.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to turn invisible whenever he desires," said Saikiro.

"I gave Tatsumaru the terrible powers of the Dark Yang and the healing powers of the Light Yin," said Jack.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to use Fire bending. This power is when you use the energy in your body and turn it into fire. There is no danger in doing this unless you burn someone you love," said Dante.

"I gave the Prince of Darkness a wolf's eye. It allows the user to put anybody to sleep if they look directly at the eye," said Taikiro.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to read other peoples' minds when he wants to," said Ayame.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to fly and destroy anything with a single wave of his hand," Kuja said.

"I gave Tatsumaru the form of a giant snake; it's half human, for the upper body and has a snake's tail for the lower half of the body," said Ricy.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to move things with his mind," said Hajime.

"I increased Tatsumaru's Dark Powers and gave him a spell to use as a Vampire," said Abel.

"I gave Tatsumaru the ability to see things before they happen. That's why Tatsumaru knew he was going to get the Chosen One's power out of Rikimaru's body before he actually did," Masatsugu said.

"I gave Tatsumaru the power of immortality and the ability to heal any fatal wound that would have killed an ordinary man," said Paul. Tatsumaru looks at his newly revived body then he looks at his father and soon to be dead brother.

"Ah, you want to know how I got the Chosen One's Power out of Rikimaru's body, don't you?" Tatsumaru asked.

"Yes, how did you?" asked Tetsumaru.

"It's just not possible that this has happened!" Rikimaru said shocked.

"Nothing's impossible for Tatsumaru Tenryu," said Abel.

"Even for Tatsumaru, gaining the power of the Chosen One will be fucking hard!" Tetsumaru swore.

"Dad, stop cursing please!" Rikimaru said to his father. Tetsumaru looks at his son with anger in his eyes.

"Besides Father, when Tatsumaru took the Chosen One's power from my body, he took something more…" Rikimaru said. Tetsumaru's expression changes from one of anger to one of confusion. At that, same instant Tatsumaru feels something spreading throughout his body. He feels terrible pain, something is wrong. Tatsumaru yells out in pain.

"WHAT DID YOU DO YO ME?!" Tatsumaru yelled.

"When you took the Chosen One's power I forced a terrible curse into your body!" Rikimaru said with a sneer.

"What will it do?" Tatsumaru and Tetsumaru asked simultaneously. Tatsumaru crouches in pain.

"It will kill Tatsumaru over and over until he comes back to the side of Yin. When he gives up his evil ways and begins to help the Yin rebuild the world. I WILL MAKE A WORLD WHERE THERE IS NO EVIL!" Rikimaru laughs.

"Rikimaru, in this case you're the one who's being evil, because a world without evil is not a world at all," Tetsumaru said.

"I hate to say it, but Tetsumaru is right," Tatsumaru speaks through gasps of pain.

"Hey, that's Father to you!" Tatsumaru shrugs his shoulders indifference.

"Whatever, old man," Tatsumaru said as Jinn walks into the clearing.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Jinn asked.

"Jinn, what brings you here?" Tetsumaru asked as he faces his son. Jinn faces Tatsumaru with an unseen understanding in his eyes.

"Did Tatsumaru manage to gain the power of the Chosen One?"

"Yeah, why? I can't have it though," Tetsumaru said.

"You're very wrong. Tatsumaru was meant to have the Chosen One's power from the beginning, and you have no say so in the matter!" Jinn said.

"What do you mean, Jinn? Why are you helping me?" Tatsumaru said as he tries to contain the pain in his body.

"I'm not trying to help you!" Jinn lied as he turns to face his father. "Therefore, Father, you cannot change destiny." Jinn looks back in Tatsumaru's direction, but the Dark Master is no longer there. "Father, where's Tatsumaru?" Tatsumaru appears behind Rikimaru with Reigo's long sword in his right hand. He raises the blade and puts it against his brother's exposed throat. His body has turned Human again.

"ARE YOU ACTUALLY GOING TO TRY AND KILL YOUR OWN BROTHER?" Tetsumaru asked wide eyed. Rikimaru looks at his father completely bewildered. Tatsumaru puts the blade closer to his brother's throat.

"I will do anything I can to gain more power!" Tatsumaru said in a deathly calm voice.

"It is just as I feared for so long…" Tetsumaru said slowly. Rikimaru feels the cool metal of the blade against his neck.

"What do you mean?" Rikimaru asked.

"Yeah, old man, what do you mean?" Tatsumaru asked.

"The more power you gain the more you actually kill yourself!" Tetsumaru said. Tatsumaru flinches at this.

"That's… impossible…" Tatsumaru said slowly. Would Father really put a Doom Spell on his own son…? Rikimaru thought.

"That's why when you were born I put a Doom Spell on you that will last forever," Tetsumaru said. This spell will last unless I am killed by someone. "This spell will kill you little by little each time you gain more power! I'm sorry, my son, but I could not risk letting you become too powerful, otherwise you will end up destroying all three worlds. I never told your mother that I put the Doom Spell on you even though she told me not to," Tetsumaru finished.

He…really…did…put…a…Doom Spell…on…his…own son! Rikimaru thought in disbelief. "FATHER, WHY WOULD YOU GO AGAINST WHAT MOTHER SAID AND PUT THE SPELL ON YOUR SECOND SON?" Rikimaru yelled at his father.

"Because Inumaru was not born with the Yang on his forehead like Tatsumaru and Jinn," Tetsumaru explained. Tatsumaru takes this information in and then he lowers Reigo's sword. Finally he hands it back to his grandfather, handle first, who is standing behind him. Tatsumaru moves to stand beside his brother and looks at his father blankly.

"I have a brother that is older than me…?" Tatsumaru asked lost. Rikimaru faces Tatsumaru.

"You have a twin brother to be precise. Inumaru was born with the Yin on his forehead. Ever since Father gave him to Uncle Lee, Nobody has heard from him," Rikimaru answered.

"You will leave Inumaru out of this, Rikimaru! He has nothing to do with Tatsumaru and his power-hungry ways!" Tetsumaru sneered.

"You brought him up, first, so drop it, will you?" Rikimaru countered.

"Why would you curse your own son?" Tatsumaru asked.

"Because there is another legend about the Yang…" Tatsumaru narrows his eyes.

"I bear the YinYang on my forehead, Tetsumaru."

"You do not, so stop lying to yourself, you God forsaken Bastard!" Rikimaru looks at Tatsumaru's forehead.

"Dad, he does bear the YinYang on his forehead, so you may have made a major mistake, but knowing Tatsumaru the way I do, maybe you did not." Tatsumaru flinches away from Rikimaru.

"What is this other legend about the Yang?" Tatsumaru asked.

"Even if he does bear the YinYang on his forehead, the Yang is what mainly influences Tatsumaru's every action," Tetsumaru said ignoring Tatsumaru.

"The second legend of the Yang is the desire for the world to be under his total control…" Rikimaru answered his older brother.

"Yes, Rikimaru, Tatsumaru wants total world domination, and the destruction of the power of Yin."

"And you're saying I have this desire? Why?" Tetsumaru presses the conversation forward.

"What do you plan to do with all of the power you're gaining?" Tatsumaru spreads his arms wide.

"I plan to do what I can to save this wretched world!"

"Whatever do you mean?!" Tatsumaru looks up into the growing light of the sky.

"I plan to destroy the evil side of the YinYang!"

"That would mean destroying yourself, Tatsumaru," Rikimaru said pointedly. I need to get to Inumaru before it's too late. Rosa thought. Rosa exits the clearing without being seen by the others.

"Rikimaru is right the evil side of the YinYang is the Yang, which would result in the destruction of yourself," Tetsumaru said. Tatsumaru lowers his arms and looks at his father.

"I may bear the Yang on my forehead, but I was never the truly evil twin, out of your first two sons!" Tatsumaru said. Now his heart and soul are pure—he's telling the truth—but does father see this or is he going to say that Tatsumaru is lying? Rikimaru thought.

"What are you getting at Tatsumaru?"

"My 'Good' twin brother Inumaru is the real evil brother."

Abel's thoughts: Just as I thought!

Itachi's thoughts: So the ShadowHearts are really the Good Guys?

"Inumaru bears the Yin on his forehead, you idiot!" Tetsumaru protested.

Rikimaru's thoughts: How far will Father go to protect Inumaru?

"Even though Inumaru bears the Yin on his forehead, he is still the evil twin. But I see you have not realized that as of yet. Maybe one day your death will be your teacher," Tatsumaru said in an unrelenting tone.

"Explain."

"Yes I was born with the Yang on my forehead mainly because I was born with the Tenryu Curse, but I also do bear the Yin on my forehead to balance out my body. Inumaru was born with the Yin to form a balance between him and me –the Yin on my forehead has nothing to do with Inumaru. My twin has no respect for those that work for him. So Tetsumaru do you believe me and Mother or do you still go by what you said earlier?"

"I STAND BY WHAT I SAID BEFORE!" And to prove his point Tetsumaru draws his sword and charges at Tatsumaru.

"Father please don't…" Rikimaru started. Tetsumaru's sword punctures his son's chest. Tatsumaru then pulls his sword out of Tatsumaru's chest. Tatsumaru staggers backwards a few steps before Reigo catches him so he does not hit the ground.

"Fare well for now, this is not the last you have seen of us," Reigo said. Reigo, who is holding his grandson, disappears followed by the others. Rikimaru feels a lump rising in his throat.

"Father is it over?" Rikimaru asked.

"For now anyway," Tetsumaru said. Tetsumaru, Jinn, and Rikimaru, realize that everything is almost back to the way it used to be. Though no-one really knows what will become of Tatsumaru and the rest of the ShadowHearts, but Tetsumaru is sure the fight for world domination is not over yet.

End of Book One…