Ha! More fight scenes! Back to the norm, although apparently the last chapter wasn't too bad...anyway, due to the time constrictions of school, i will now be updating every Tuesday and Thursday, if i have the chapter done. This is the last pre-written chapter I have, so you'll have to wait for me to type them now. It just occured to me that the sneezing thing in chapter ten, while very brief, may have confused some people, go to my profile to find out what the heck was going on. Here's your next chapter!
Azula crashed into the wall and fell to the floor. She had to get out of here.
"Unacceptable."
She drew herself up and focused on her bending. It had to return soon. For the next few minutes, she slowly worked up a blue flame above her palm and then turned her attention to her lightning. She blasted a bolt at the section of wall that the door appeared in and the room was filled with smoke and debris. As it cleared she saw a small crater in the wall. This would take too long! She dropped to her knees as the confusion renewed its attack on her mind.
"Stop it!"
She jumped up and began to blindly fire at the wall. She fell backwards onto the bed as she saw what little progress had been made. The door opened and six Earth Kingdom resistance soldiers cautiously looked in.
"What the heck is going on in here?!"
Azula glared at them and leapt for the door. Two of the guards were on the floor in seconds leaving the other four to deal with Azula in the cramped hallway.
"Quick! Don't let her escape!"
"I don't want to escape!" she snarled as another soldier fell at her feet. She ran towards the last three as she sent her flames at them. They quickly pulled up a wall and sent it towards her. She broke it in two with lightning and then quickly finished off the worthless trio. She turned and ran down the hallway to find her brother, this would end soon.
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Zuko's eyes opened to find his sister looking at him as she leaned against the door frame. He jumped out of bed and took a stance before looking at her carefully. Why wasn't he dead?
"What's going on Azula?"
She dropped to one knee and held her head.
"Be quiet." she looked up at Zuko before continuing, "I am not wrong Zuko. I can't be wrong."
Zuko gave her a strange look before posing the question again, "Azula...what's going on?"
She pushed herself to her feet and pointed at him.
"Zuko, you're not just a worthless bender, you're a traitor who refuses to accept the only truth in life. You and I can't both live. One of us is wrong, and it isn't me. You do so much more than annoy me now, you mock the Fire Nation itself. This will be settled with an Agni Kai, at sunset."
Zuko dropped his hands and stared at her. This was not the Azula he knew so well from his childhood.
"Azula, I have more important things to do than fight with you. Father will be sending troops here today to take Omashu back."
At the mentioning of her father Azula flinched.
"Don't talk about father! And don't give me your weak excuses! Agni Kai, in the main garden, at sunset!"
She turned and walked back to her cell, the door of which was still open. Zuko looked at Uncle who had been sitting up in bed watching the ordeal unfold.
"What is going on Uncle? Shouldn't I be dead right now?"
Uncle looked grave as he answered, "Under normal circumstances, yes. However, Azula has begun the change that you have already undergone, but for her it is much harder. She has had my brother's teachings, her truth in life, broken in two and thrown into her face. She will not kill you now until she can do so in a way that will prove she is right. That is the problem though, she isn't right, and this will either change her or..."
"Or what?"
"or it will kill her, whether you decide to or not. She doesn't have the same will to press on that you possess. She has always been sure of everything, and has always been good at everything. If she loses this duel, her whole life's structure will come crashing down around her."
Zuko sat down on his bed and looked out the window. An Agni Kai with Azula? That was what he'd wanted for so long, and now it had suddenly lost its appeal.
"What will you do Uncle?"
"I must stay with the others to help coordinate the movements of the resistance troops. There are so few left, this battle will be the hardest this war has seen in many years. I am sorry that I will not be able to watch your duel with Azula, but as long as you remember your basics and control your lightning, you will win. However, you must not use Agni's Fire, unless you want to kill her."
Zuko turned as the door opened. Katara was looking in at them.
"Was that Azula I saw just now? Why isn't she in her cell?"
"I've been challenged to an Agni Kai at sunset. She will remain in her cell until then." was Zuko's response as he brushed her aside and strode out the door. Katara turned to Uncle.
"What is he talking about?"
"My niece, like so many others, has lost herself to my brother's "truth". When she was defeated by Aisu and then Prince Zuko, her mind could not handle the possibility that the foundation of her life could be an illusion. She is determined to wipe out any trace of weakness in herself and her truth. While this will be a simple duel, it will be much more important than any battle we may fight today."
He got up and left the room, leaving Katara alone with her thoughts. After a few moments she walked down the hall that led to the throne room. Everyone was up, including Sokka, preparing for the battle that shadowed their every thought. Bumi walked in and looked around before walking over to Aang.
"Ready to have some fun Aang?"
"Bumi, I doubt today will be anything but fun."
"Sure it will, it just depends on how you look at it."
Uncle was busy having a conversation with the resistance leaders as Toph came up to him.
"Yes, they will probably use the catapults and tanks, but we still have to consider that we have six war balloons to use as well."
"Iroh, we need to talk about the tank problems. Earthbending doesn't work on them, and Aang and Katara are the only waterbenders here to mess up their internal balance."
Iroh looked down at the little blind girl staring up at him with her arms crossed.
"Yes Toph, I realize that those tanks will be a problem, but it really should only take Aang and Katara. What is a more pressing matter is that they will have their own war balloons."
"War balloons? Twinkle Toes or Aisu can handle those no problem."
"I don't bend."
Toph turned to see Aisu leaning against the wall behind her.
"What?! Come on Aisu, this is important!"
"Not important enough."
With that he walked off to find Sokka. Aang walked over and put his hand on Toph's shoulder.
"Don't worry Toph, I'm sure I can handle a few war balloons by myself. Maybe Momo could help too."
Toph threw her arms into the air and stomped off, "Great! We have a lemur instead of a master airbender!"
Momo began to chatter on Aang's shoulder.
"Don't worry Momo, she doesn't mean that, you'll do fine. I'm sure-"
"You Highness! Fire Nation troops approaching the city!"
Everyone turned to look at the young recruit who had entered the room. Bumi smiled and clapped his hands together.
"Excellent! How many?"
"Uh, we have an estimate of five hundred foot soldiers, fifty tanks, and seven war balloons sir. What would you like us to do, sir?"
Bumi cackled and began to walk out of the door.
"Nothing!"
Everyone in the room turned to look at him.
"What!!!"
"Just kidding! Come on, let's go check on the troops."
They all shook their heads as they began to follow the crazy king to the city walls. As they reached the drilling fields, they saw all of the soldiers in the city were lined up in columns. There were only about a hundred of them. Bumi shuffled to the front of the small battalion and began to walk back and forth.
"This will be a day to be remembered in Earth Kingdom history. This will be the day that the first blow was struck against the Fire Nation. For years to come elders will tell children of how the Earth Kingdom resistance fought off the Fire Nation with odds of more than five to one."
One soldier stepped forward and looked at the king.
"And if we don't fight off the Fire Nation?"
Bumi cocked his head and looked closely at the man.
"Then at least you went down in flames."
Everyone was silent but Bumi, who began to laugh. Katara turned as another voice joined his. Toph was holding her side and pointing at Bumi.
"That was a good one you old crazy!"
As the two quieted down Sokka gave Aang a funny look. Toph, the girl who rarely laughed at anything anyone else said, was laughing at Bumi, the king with the sense of humor no one got? Aang smiled and shrugged. Iroh walked to the front of the accompaniment and looked at he soldiers.
"Some may know me as The Dragon of the West. Some may remember my siege of Ba Sing Se. Today, I will be remembered as the greatest traitor in Fire Nation history, or the greatest hero." he paused for a moment to consider what he had just said. "I will be taking command of half of you, with King Bumi taking the other half. The Avatar will choose seven of you to operate the newly engineered war balloons."
He walked own the center of the group and cut it into two platoons of soldiers. Aang picked his seven and led them to the war balloons. The remaining troops filed up against the wall and the ground underneath them slowly rose until they were looking out over the city walls. Fire Nation troops and tanks were outlined against the still rising sun, with the seven war balloons hovering in the air behind them. Iroh's eyes narrowed as he was brought back to his commanding days in the army. This battle would decide it all.
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Zuko heard shouts as the fighting began. He hated this waiting, but if he wanted a shot at living through tonight's Agni Kai, he would have to conserve his strength. He fell back onto the bed and sighed. He looked up as Ty Lee and Mai entered the room.
"What are you two doing here?"
Mai gave him a bored stare and Ty Lee giggled.
"You don't really expect us to fight our own nation do you? We're here because Azula is." Mai replied as she looked out the window. Ty Lee laughed again and sat down in a chair. Somehow, it didn't look right when she wasn't bouncing off the walls.
"So, it's you and the waterbender?"
Zuko raised an eyebrow, "What? You're crazy. She's nothing more than the Avatar's waterbending teacher."
"You dance well." Mai said as she turned from the window. Zuko frowned. What was that supposed to mean?
"Uh...thanks?"
"Mai's just thinking about that time you two had to dance when we were kids at the palace."
Mai's arm shot out and Ty Lee found her head surrounded by darts. This was why she usually never stopped moving. She got up and began to cartwheel around the room.
"Oh come on Mai, I was just kidding!"
Zuko looked at the two. They had stayed the same all these years, it was strange now, being here on opposing sides. He got up and walked down the hall to look in on his sister. He half expected flames to be shot at him as he looked into the small room. Azula was on the bed with her back to him and her knees pulled up to her chest. A flame was pulsing over her outstretched hand. Zuko watched for a few more minutes before returning to his room. This was just not like his sister. As he walked back into the room Ty Lee bounced up to him and looked at him closely.
"Zuko, do you remember that time you knocked that apple off Mai's head after Azula set it on fire?"
"Yes. Why?"
"No reason." she said turning to Mai, who's face was slightly red. "See? I told you he'd remember!"
"Oh, shut up."
Ty Lee walked out the door on her hands and Mai followed her out. Yes, those two had definitely stayed the same. They were still the crazy girls from his childhood. He lay down on his bed and rolled over, waiting for dusk to settle.
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Aang wiped his brow and turned to look at the sky. He had been able to destroy only two balloons in the last hour and Katara was nowhere to be seen.
"Whoa!"
He jumped behind a boulder that had recently emerged from the ground and turned to see Katara looking back at him.
"There you are! Come on, we were supposed to be working on the tanks ten minutes ago!"
"But what about the balloons?"
"They're slow, now let's hurry!"
The two ran to the wall's edge and found Toph fighting back to back with Aisu.
"Airbend you idiot!"
"No." he said as he rushed forward to cut the wheels off an oncoming tank. Toph grunted as she sent another five tanks flying backwards only to have them right themselves and continue forward.
"It's okay Toph, we've got this. Sokka needs some help though."
Toph searched for Sokka in the madness and found him surrounded by firebenders.
"I swear I just saved his butt five minutes ago!"
She ran off and left the three to handle the onslaught of tanks. Aang and Katara went to work and tanks were soon falling apart left and right, but they just kept coming. Katara looked around and saw Iroh blasting lightning in all cardinal directions while giving orders to the tired men. He grabbed one man's fingers to redirect his lightning only to find another soldier in his face. He quickly sent flames from his mouth and threw the other man onto the ground. He turned to face three soldiers and jumped over them before landing next to Aisu. The two seemed to move in a rhythm as they moved forward into the enemy troops. They would expand out and then move back towards one another taking care of any who had dared to get in between them. Aang looked around as there was a momentary lull in the tank's perpetual charge and saw Toph send Sokka flying through the air on a pillar of earth. He landed and slashed one man across the chest before turning to meet the fire of another. He drew Suki's fan from his belt and deflected the flames into another soldier and then kneed the man in the gut before disposing of him quickly. Toph ripped one of the front wheels off a tank and then stuck it into the ground. Backing up, she sent herself into the air and then landed with a crash, sending the wheel spinning off into the enemy ranks. She smiled as she ripped another wheel off and stuck it in the ground, the soldiers would soon learn to fear the little blind girl before them.
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Zuko stared at the wall in boredom. It was still several hours until sunset and there was nothing he could do but wait. He walked into the main garden and looked around. This pristine place would soon host the battle he had been waiting for his whole life. He sat down underneath a tree and looked up at the sky. From here you could hardly tell there was a battle being fought outside. He closed his eyes and an image of his mother popped up in his mind. Where had that come from? He watched as she pulled up her hood and began to walk away from him.
"Wait."
She continued until she was gone and he was left looking at the backs of his eyelids.
"Why? To protect you, you already know that. But from what? There is no way father would take mother's life in exchange for mine. So why..."
His opened his eyes and pushed himself up off the ground. He didn't know why, but he would find out before the end of this war. He walked back to his room and looked out the window. Waiting was almost worse than the Agni Kai itself. He pulled out his broadswords and began to whirl them around. He brought himself back to the times when he was still learning how to use them. He could still remember the first time he'd seen them.
"This is the dumbest weapon I've ever seen Lu Ten."
The older boy turned to see his cousin holding his broadswords in one hand and laughed.
"Zuko, you're holding them wrong, that's why they're dumb. One per hand genius."
Zuko pulled them apart and seemed to teeter as he found his balance.
"Like this?"
"Yeah, but I'll need them back. Did you hear? I get to go to the front soon, at Ba Sing Se. I leave in a week."
Zuko dropped the weapons and ran up to his cousin, "Really! That's so cool! I can't wait until I can go to war for the Fire Nation."
Lu Ten's smile disappeared as he picked up the weapons. He slid them back into their sheath and looked at the sky.
"Yeah, that's what I keep hearing. But I sometimes wonder if it's worth it."
"What are you talking about? Going to war is a great honor, at least that's what my dad says."
Lu Ten's smile returned and he ruffled Zuko's hair before walking off.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. Come on."
Zuko ran after the older boy as they discussed the latest changes in the war's progress.
Zuko dropped his swords on the bed and sat down. He knew what he was talking about now, but it was much too late. Lu Ten understood what it had taken him years to grasp, but he had died anyway, all for the war he was now so desperately trying to stop. Zuko sheathed his swords and found himself staring at the wall again. Sunset was coming.
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Bumi smashed a group of soldiers together and then lifted them on a chunk of rock and tossed them back into the rushing soldiers. One of the Earth Kingdom men next to him fell to a flaming chunk of rock that had been intended for Bumi. He lifted it and sent it flying back before looking down at the dying man. You didn't need to be a mad genius to see they were losing. They were down to thirty-five soldiers up on the wall and ten down on the ground along with Aang's group. He watched as Aang leapt into the air and flew towards the slowly advancing balloons. Aang watched the men underneath him and saw Aisu running directly under him. The boy jumped off the side of an emerging pillar and for a brief second was hovering next to Aang.
"Here, it'll be easier with this."
He thrust his sword through Aang's thin belt before falling to the ground and continuing the fight. He seemed unhindered by the lack of his sword as he made a path through the soldiers until he was fighting beside Sokka, Toph, and Katara. Toph looked at him as he struck a soldier on the neck who had burned him and then turned to cover Sokka's back, who was busy with the three men in front of him.
"Ready to bend yet?"
"You know, I just might be. I'll get back to you."
He turned his attention back to the four men behind Sokka and left her to deal with two tanks that were quickly advancing on them. She crushed them together and then slid to the right and sent them into another three tanks with a quick jab into the air with her fist.
Katara toppled another tank before jumping behind a rock for a breather. She pulled out some water and healed one of the Earth Kingdom soldiers next to her and then jumped back out into the fray. She grabbed Toph and slid under one of the tanks and pointed to the underside.
"Toph, make a hole there! That's where the water balance system is and I'm running low!"
Toph used two fingers to poke a hole and Katara filled up her water skins before Toph shoved the tank aside.
"How's Twinkle Toes doing?"
"I don't know, I can't see him right now-flame to your right!"
Toph jumped aside and shoved the soldier who'd had the nerve to attack her straight into the ground.
"Wait, there he is!"
She motioned to her right despite the fact Toph wouldn't be able to see him. Aang landed on one of the balloons and ran down the catwalk. This was harder than he'd expected, whenever he got close he was forced to move back because of the flames that were being shot at him from the sides of the balloon. Apparently the Fire Nation engineers had anticipated him trying to simply pop the balloons. As he ducked behind a large metal tank Momo landed on his shoulder with a note in his hand. The lemur began to chatter as Aang unrolled the parchment.
"Give me the staff."
Aang peered over the edge and saw Aisu looking back up at him He cringed as he dropped his precious staff down to him. Aisu opened it and quickly examined it before taking a running jump and moving skyward. He landed next to Aang and handed him his staff before taking his sword back.
"What's the problem Aang? We need you down on the tanks."
"I can't get close enough to pop them, they've got firebenders on these platforms that line the balloon's edge."
"Well I can't do this alone either. I'll distract while you pop."
Aisu looked over the railing and up the sides of the balloon. Aang was right, there were firebenders everywhere. He summoned a gust of wind and sent himself up into the air. As he landed a soldier turned and shot a wall of fire at him. Aisu sent a blade of air to split it in half and then lunged forward through the gap. He quickly cut the soldier down and motioned to Aang. Aang landed next to him and then jumped up the side of the balloon and bashed two soldiers over the head before thrusting his staff into it's side. They heard a low hiss as the air began to escape and the balloon slowly began to move off course to the left. The two jumped into the balloon's side which sent them rocketing out towards the next target. As they landed Aang looked at their position over the battlefield and groaned.
"Aisu, this is taking too long, and I can't leave Katara to handle all those tanks by herself. You'll have to finish this, whether you think you can or not, I'll be back later."
Aisu sighed as Aang handed over the staff and then jumped to the ground. He landed next to Bumi who was in the middle of sinking some soldiers in a stream of quicksand. Aang took a moment to help his friend and then ran off to find Katara. This battle was not going well, but at least the sun was beginning to go down.
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Zuko watched as the sun slowly made it's way towards the horizon line. It would soon be time to start the Agni Kai. He didn't have his ceremonial clothes to wear, so the plain Fire Nation ones Jin gave him would have to do. He pulled on his dark red pants and realized that the only thing he was really missing were his arm bands. His shirt would work for the piece of cloth that was supposed to cover his shoulders. He made his way out into the main garden and sat under the tree to wait. Mai and Ty Lee walked in a few minutes later and took a seat next to him.
"Here." Mai said as she held out a pair of arm bands.
Zuko took them and fastened them onto his arms before looking back at her.
"Where did you find these?"
"Azula had them on our convoy."
He looked to his right as his sister walked into the room. She also had arm bands and wore a dark red shirt that looked much like the white one he had seen Katara wear while training with Aang. It was tighter and allowed her to move more freely.
"I see you have your ceremonial clothes Azula. Why would you bring them if you never intended to fight me in an Agni Kai?"
"Quiet Zuzu. By the end of this duel you will be nothing more than a shameful memory to the Fire Lord."
She turned and knelt on the ground with her back to Zuko. He got up and followed her lead. Ty Lee looked over at Mai who rolled her eyes and raised her hand in the air.
"Go."
She lowered her arm and the siblings turned to each other. Zuko's shirt fell to the ground and he looked at the girl standing across from him. She glared at him and took up a stance. Zuko took his own and matched her gaze. Her lip curled as she blasted fire at him. He waved his arm forcefully and sent it into the ground beside him, swept his leg along the ground and then barrel rolled, spewing fire at Azula. She leapt over the fire that raced along the ground and then pushed aside the roiling flames that met her in mid air. She landed and sent a volley of fire balls at her brother who pushed the first away and then ducked under the next two. He jumped from his crouch and performed a roundhouse which hurled a string of fire at Azula. She kicked through it and sent an explosion of flames at Zuko who spun around it and released a whip at her legs. She jumped through a loop along its length and rolled before jumping up on his right. He dropped the whip and rushed to meet her and they began to fight hand to hand. She went for his temple and he grabbed her arm and stepped under it, twisting the arm around. She followed the movement and corkscrewed over him before jumping off his shoulders and blasting at his back in mid air. He was thrown to the ground while turning and deflecting the blow, and Azula sent fire along the ground to meet him as he fell. Upon making contact with the ground he curled himself up and then pushed his legs backwards, using his momentum to go into a back flip. He landed with her flames already behind him and ran forward to meet her. Azula moved to the left and as Zuko moved to his left as well, he was hit with a memory from his childhood.
Azula moved to the left and Zuko smiled as he moved to his left to match her, his sister was so easy to spar with. His eyes grew wide as she quickly moved to the right and sent him flying before he could match her movement.
"Hey, that's not fair Azula!"
"Anything's fair Zuko. Don't you remember the last lesson? You're falling behind."
Azula seemed to slow down as he watched her moving to the left. His gaze went to her legs and he saw her muscles contract.
"She's going right again!"
Zuko didn't bother to follow as she moved out of the feign and went to the right, but kept moving left and spun with his right arm extended. Azula found herself striking at air where Zuko's open ribs should have been, and then felt the back of his fist make contact with her cheek. She whirled as she flew backwards and performed a backwards handspring. She landed and lifted a hand to her lips and felt blood running down her chin. Zuko had gotten the first hit.
"You've done that before Azula. Don't expect it to work twice."
She wiped away the blood and tried to figure out what had happened, Zuko was not supposed to be able to touch her. She launched herself at him and he was thrown back as he struggled to push aside her onslaught of fire. She jumped backwards and began to make the lightning motions as Zuko tried to reach her before she could complete them. She released the bolt and he extended his hand to redirect it into the ground in front of her. She jumped back from the explosion and found him on her side. When had he gotten so fast? She lifted a knee to block his own and then extended her arm to block a punch that was coming from above. Zuko had never intended to punch as he jerked his fist downward, but instead used the momentum to send himself into a barrel roll. His heel came down on Azula's shoulder and she fell to the ground. He followed up with a fireball to where she lay, but she met it with her own and then rolled to the side. She was beginning to get agitated. How had he gotten another hit? Mai gave Ty Lee a look that almost wasn't bored and then turned back to the fighting as Azula moved in to continue her attack. She sent a flurry of blows at her brother who blocked three before taking one to the head and rolling to the side. He came up with a stream of fire coming from his hands and she leapt over it and sent a wave of her own blue flames at his back. He rolled backwards under the flames he knew must be coming, and then turned as he came up to deliver a kick to his sister's side. She blocked it with both hands and threw him to her left before double front flipping and sending a wheel of fire at him. He ran up the side of the tree and slung himself over one of the lower branches back at Azula, allowing the flames to make contact with the trunk. He landed in front of her and attacked her with his flame daggers. She blocked both his hands before kneeing him in the gut and then giving him an elbow to the base of the neck. He fought off the darkness at the edge of his vision and rolled with the blow, coming up with Azula's fire in his face. He threw himself onto his back and then thrust his legs into the air to make himself hop horizontally over a wave of fire she had sent along the ground. He spun in mid air and quickly pushed himself up onto his feet. She lunged at him and he caught both of her hands as they tried to make contact with the sides of his neck. Their faces were only inches apart as Zuko inhaled and then closed his eyes for his next attack. He'd never tried a full powered one of these before, he preferred to watch Uncle do it. Azula let out a cry as flames erupted from Zuko's mouth mere inches from her face and she was forced to throw herself backwards. Before she could make contact with the ground Zuko jumped forward and thrust his knee up into her back. The air was forced out of her lungs as the blow met her spine and she fell gasping to the ground, which was all Zuko needed. He swiftly knelt and sent out his flames. She tried to scream as the flames made full contact with the left side of her face, but she still couldn't breath. Zuko straightened up and looked down at her. She sucked in the air as her lungs began to work again and then screamed.
"Quiet Azula. I'll have Katara heal it after the battle is over."
Azula rolled over and held her head, she didn't care about her face.
"NO! I can't lose! Not to Zuko, not to anybody! I can't be wrong!"
"But you are. Both you and father are, and have been. That is the truth."
She closed her eyes as her head began to throb. Mai walked over and looked down at her childhood friend, then looked at Zuko.
"Not that I care, but you're not going to kill her?"
Zuko remained quiet for a moment before turning to walk out. He stopped at the door and looked back over his shoulder.
"I did. Azula is dead. Now let's hope whoever she is now doesn't die too."
He walked back down the hall and into his room. Now that his Agni Kai had been settled, he was sure they could use some help in the battle out front.
Good? I really liked writing the Agni Kai scene, it was a lot of fun to come up with techniques. I hope you liked it too, Zuko finally evened the score with his sister, which we all knew was coming. Please tell me what you thought of it and R&R! Until next chapter,
Twilight Rurouni