Disclaimer: The characters of Gintama belong to Sorachi Hideaki. :)

Authors Note: WARNING! Yes, big letters, but yes this is indeed a warning. I have been busy so this was late, but that is not the main reason. I have found out that my Word Documents has expired. So, it was really fortunate that I could get a free trial, but guess what? It's only for 30 DAYS. So, after that thirty days is up I will not be able to post again and I will not know when I can get another trial for a year. Because a year trial is like over $100 (Stupidly expensive? I think so…). But, guess you have to make money somehow… I'm sorry… I will get as many posts as I can before that happens. I will be working as much as possible every day. When my thirty days are up and if I don't have it paid for again, I will tell you guys on my profile and have all my works put on hold. Again I'm sorry. BUT! Let's enjoy this chapter!

Chap. 36 Downfall

"Can't we stop now?" Shinpachi wheezes as he tries to catch his breath.

Akatsuki looks behind him, the amanto at a far distance, but the Dakini nowhere in sight. He nods, looking around at the open area. "Yes, let's stop."

Everyone skids to a stop, desperately trying to catch their breaths as the amanto near.

Akatsuki looks around. "This seems like a good spot. No citizens." His eyes widen slightly when he feels a tapping on his back.

"Um, boss?" Souchi says. "Can you let me down?"

Akatsuki chuckles. "Oh. I forgot all about you." Souchi grumbles something inaudible as Akatsuki sets him down.

Kagura raises her fists. "Let's kick some ass!" She exclaims, jumping up and down.

"You're too excited…" Shinpachi mumbles.

"She should be." Ryouchi says. He opens his cloak, revealing a set of knives; he grabs four, two in each hand settled between his fingers. He leans forward excitedly. "This is going to be fun."

"When did you get so cool?!" Shinpachi screams.

"The quiet ones are the deadly ones…" Eiji mutters.

Ryouchi smiles. "Let's go!" He yells, running forward. Pulling his right arm back he grips the two knives between his fingers, flinging them forward. One knife hits an amanto square in the head, the other knife embeds itself in another amanto's eye, the amanto immediately falling forward screaming. Ryouchi tilts his head. "Guess my aim is a little off."

Two more amanto replace the other two as the rest run past Ryouchi towards the others.

Kagura lashes out with her fist, connecting with an amanto's nose. She quickly pivots, jabbing her elbow against another's throat.

Souchi spins swinging his leg, kicking an amanto in the face. As the amanto falls back Souchi jumps into a side spin over another amanto's head. Before the amanto can turn around Souchi chops the back of the amanto's neck, knocking him out.

Akatsuki stares for a moment at the unconscious amanto. He smiles slightly. "Still won't kill will you Souchi…?" Suddenly Akatsuki's eyes widen, his head snapping up. He looks around slowly, his eyes resting on a figure a short distance away. Akatsuki smirks, whispering the name. "Akira…"

"Shiroyasha…" Oboro says a wide grin on his face.

Gintoki's eyes widen slightly. "You…?" Oboro smirks. Suddenly, a small object flies out of nowhere embedding itself in Gintoki's leg before he can even blink. Gintoki groans as his leg gives out, falling forward on his hands. He groans again, glancing at the poisonous needle jutting out of his thigh.

Oboro chuckles. "Hurts more than last time doesn't it? These ones are ten times more effective. If you shot one in part of your central nervous system it would most likely paralyze you forever."

"Bastard…" Gintoki mutters. He reaches down, gripping the needle, ripping it out. Gintoki throws it to the ground, struggling with his good leg to stand.

"I really wouldn't do that." Oboro says. Gintoki cries out suddenly falling back down. Oboro smirks. "The poison on these needles are unique. In the old ones they only spread slightly, but these will spread through your whole limb. It will cause immeasurable pain. Only one needle in the right place will cause death in seconds."

"Coward… Using means like this…" He chuckles. "Can't you fight like a real man?"

Oboro tilts his head slightly. "I don't usually like using my needles. I'd rather have a sword as you favor, but for this…" Oboro's eyes narrow into a glare. "For this I will use any means necessary to kill you, Shiroyasha." Oboro brings out one more needle, staring at it silently. "I will… make you suffer…"

"Still as anti- social as ever." Akatsuki says.

Akira's eyes widen slightly, turning quickly. "Bastard." He mutters.

Akatsuki smiles. "Whoa, that's a little rude. I mean we haven't seen each other in a while."

Akira sneers. "Why the hell would you want to see me? I left. I have no ties with you anymore."

"Hmph. You never had ties with me Akira. You never gave a damn about your boss. Preferably I don't care about you either. I don't care about any of you." Akatsuki chuckles, gesturing to Souchi, Ryouchi, Minase, and Eiji. "All of you were just pawns in my little game. You all are worth nothing more than the ground you walk on."

Akira's silent for a moment. "The hell…?" He mutters. Suddenly he clenches his fists, lunging towards Akatsuki. "The fuck are you talking about?!" He screams, throwing his fist forward. Akatsuki leans back, Akira's fist just barely catching his nose. "You're saying you don't give a damn about us?!" Akira screams, throwing punch after punch, Akatsuki dodging all. "We're just pawns to you?! Do you honestly believe that?!"

Akatsuki laughs, grabbing Akira's fist suddenly, stopping his series of punches. "Of course I think that. Did you think I picked you guys because you were strong and we could all be best friends? I picked you all because you are easy to manipulate." Akatsuki smirks. "Nothing more…" He whispers.

Akira's eyes narrow in hatred. "You… Son of a bitch!" He screams, lashing out with his other fist. Akatsuki grabs his fist fast, holding it in place like the other.

Akatsuki chuckles. "Do you think I care what happens to you? Do you think I care that you left? Like I said…" His eyes brighten suddenly as he grins wolfishly. "You are nothing."

Akira's eyes widen as he screams. Akira rips his fists out of Akatsuki's grip, grabbing Akatsuki's shoulder he pulls him forward, driving his knee into Akatsuki's abdomen. Akatsuki's eyes widen lurching forward slightly as his breath leaves him. Akira doesn't stop, pivoting he slams his elbow into Akatsuki's nose, sending him flying.

Akatsuki lands with a loud thud in front of Ryouchi, who just stabbed an amanto in the eye with one of his knives. "Boss?!" He screams, crouching beside Akatsuki.

"Get the hell out of the way!"

Ryouchi's eyes widen. "Akira…?"

"I said get out of my way!" Akira growls.

Ryouchi glares at him. "What the hell are you doing?"

"What's it look like? I'm going to kill him!" Akira screams.

"Akira…?" A voice whispers behind him, just barely audible, but enough.

Akira's eyes widen, his shoulders slumping slightly. Without turning around he whispers. "Souchi…"

Gintoki jumps back as Oboro lunges, his needles in hand. Gintoki leans back again, quickly reaching out gripping Oboro's wrist. "Why the hell are you so bent on making me suffer so damn much? It's a pain in the ass."

Oboro smiles slightly. "There is no reason for my benefit. I just need to fulfill my duty."

Gintoki's eyes widen slightly. "Duty…?" Suddenly Oboro rips his wrist out of Gintoki's grip. Stepping away from Gintoki.

Oboro smirks, glancing at his palm. "Shiroyasha… I underestimated you that time and the second time, but not anymore." Oboro tilts his wrist so Gintoki could see the palm of his hand. Gintoki's eyes narrow at the scars and bruises that covered his hand. "You remember my Hakkei strike? Well, like my needles… It's ten times more powerful." Oboro grins madly. "I will not lose this time… Shiroyasha!" He screams, quickly lunging towards Gintoki. Before Gintoki can react Oboro strikes with powerful force, his hand slamming against Gintoki's chest. Gintoki flies back, slamming into the ground in a fit of coughing blood.

Oboro laughs. "See Shiroyasha? Isn't it powerful?" His eyes lit up. "Just one more blow can stop your heart. What do you say Shiroyasha?" Oboro asks, walking over to where Gintoki lay. He lifts his hand up again. "You ready?" Oboro waits for one more beat, before slamming his palm down again on Gintoki's chest. Suddenly Oboro's smile drops, eyes widening. "What…?"

Gintoki exhales slowly. "Damn… that hurt." Gintoki squeezes Oboro's hand slightly. "You may have broken something."

"You…?" Is all Oboro manages to say as Gintoki lashes out with his other fist, connecting with Oboro's jaw, sending him flying. Oboro lands with a loud thud a few feet away, crying out.

Gintoki gets up slowly with a groan. "Damn, that did get better." Gintoki rolls his neck to the side, cracking it. "Maybe I should have done a training arc too…"

Oboro stands quickly. "How the hell? You… You should be paralyzed!"

Gintoki raises his eyebrow. "Damn, weren't you calmer and collected when we last fought? You sound like it's your time of the month."

Oboro ignores Gintoki, whispering quietly. "That's impossible… How…?" Oboro chuckles slightly then develops into a hysterical fit of laughter.

"Uh, I think you lost it…" Gintoki mutters, taking his bokutou from his belt.

Suddenly, Oboro stops laughing, standing up straighter he looks at Gintoki his face calm. "I believe what Nobume said about you was true, Shiroyasha."

Gintoki stares at him incredulous. "You're freakin bipolar."

"I really should have expected it, but once again I underestimated you Shiroyasha." Oboro says. He reaches behind him, pulling out a blade from a sheath. Oboro smiles slightly, lunging forward, swinging the blade.

Gintoki blocks it with his bokutou, quickly counterattacking.

Oboro jumps back slightly, driving his knife forward again, but aiming lower to Gintoki's abdomen.

Gintoki quickly jumps over Oboro, landing behind him. Before Gintoki could take a breath, Oboro was on him again, swinging the blade around in a way that almost seemed crazy.

Gintoki quickly dodges all the attempts. Oboro swings one more time. This time Gintoki ducks and shoulder rolls past Oboro. Gintoki rises up turning towards Oboro again, but is too slow. Blood erupts as the knife enters Gintoki's chest. He coughs, blood splattering onto Oboro's face.

Oboro's eyes widen, grinning broadly as slick blood pours over his hand. "Well, seems like it's over Shiroyasha."

Gintoki coughs again as blood rises back up in his throat. He smirks. "Yeah… Seems like it is…"

Oboro smiles. "With this my duty is only partially fulfilled."

"Really…?" Gintoki mutters. "What is your duty?"

Oboro tilts his head, his eyes bright. "My duty is to kill all of Yoshida Shouyou's students." Oboro chuckles. "Now that you're out of the way it will be a much easier task to get the other two."

Gintoki's silent for a minute before he whispers. "Two?" Oboro raises an eyebrow. "You said two right?" Gintoki grits his teeth, raising his head to glare murderously. "You forgot one you bastard!" Oboro's eyes widen, he releases the handle of the knife to back away, but Gintoki grabs his wrist, pulling him forward. Gintoki slams his forehead against Oboro's. Oboro's head snaps back, but Gintoki doesn't let go of Oboro's wrist. "Sakamoto Tatsuma; the biggest idiot alive. Remember that name. Cause' I don't know what's beyond this life."

Oboro's eyes widen as he sees what's in Gintoki's hand. Before Oboro can react Gintoki releases his wrist, swinging sideways beside Oboro. Gintoki grips the object in his hand, plunging it deep into the back of Oboro's neck.

The only sound Oboro can make is a slight gasp as his whole body gives out, crumbling to the ground.

Gintoki lets out a shortened gasp of breath as his throat fill back up with blood. He coughs a couple times, clearing his throat. Gintoki glances over at Oboro, the needle sticking out of his neck. "Guess I hit the right spot…" He mutters. Gintoki smiles slightly, his eyes clouding over. "Don't know if you're still listening… but it seems that you were right. It is over. For both of us." Gintoki takes one more shortened breath before falling forward, his vision going black.

"After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box.

Authors Note: Hopefully you read my warning. This is sad… But I will try to work hard!

Oboro's craziness is probably intentional, probably not… Muwhahahaha! Until next chapter!