In my opinion, it is advised that readers read this chapter in company of these soundtracks. After all, I wrote all my action scenes with these music
-battle for righteousness
-Everyone wants to rule the world
-Battle Cry (Imagine Dragons)
-Tenth Dimension: for Justice
-Machine Gun (16-bit Remix)
-Brand X Music - Extortion
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Chapter 52: Christmas Day
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Previously:
Rito closed his eyes as he felt those familiar soft lips pressed against his. He closed his eyes in pleasure, but also felt a sting in his lower abdomen, where his darkness tattoo resided. Opening his eyes a few moments after, the girl before him was no longer the normal Konjiki no Yami, instead she had black horns and matching strips that she called clothing on her, her fingers, or claws, shiner than ever. Her forearms wrapped in thick black bandages.
"Ja ne, dar-ling." She sung in a happy tone as she pecked him on the cheek once more, before disappearing in a shade, leaving behind nothing but pitch black particles.
Rito attention was then drawn to the battlefield before- or rather, below him as he bullet dived through the air, his hands by his side.
Here I come, Mikan!
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Chapter 52: Christmas Day
Like a meteor from the skies, Yuuki Rito dived downwards with his hands on his sides, towards the junkyard below. During mid-dive, an orange flame seemingly enveloped his entire body, but it didn't seem to have an effect on the earthling boy.
The alien mercenaries and guards all stood in shock and awe at the unknown projectile. Their weapons raised out of fear.
"Wh-what is that?" One unnamed shark alien stuttered, clenching his double edged axe in fear with his sweaty palms.
"I-is that a pe-person?" Another boar headed guard spoke in the same fashion. The people could feel the intensity of the heat as the boy came closer and closer to the ground.
"Crap-" Just as a particular scale skinned guard was about to run away, the ball of fire impacted onto the rubbish earth below with a great boom as rubbish bits and stones were seen flying around. A thick ring of fire exploded outwards of the boy, incinerating all those around him into ashes. Those who were still alive stood firm from a distance, their weapons drawn at the kneeling assassin.
"Get him!" The guards cheered on as they all ran forward and down the newly created crater and met the Rito.
In Rito's hand was a pink and black device that the genius inventor called the almighty tool. He held onto the obscure handle and slammed the button at the bottom of it with his other hand. Fortunately for him, the boy held the hilt outwards as the black wings retracted without warning, and at the same time, a silver blade shot out of the hilt, forming a shiny edged sword. The blade had a serrated edge and was pitch black in colour, not unlike the hilt itself. The only exception from the trend would be the blue energy that snaked along the sword, seeming enchanting it. The boy dashed towards his enemies, both hands behind his back.
He ran and jumped at the first two that he met, right in the middle of them. Instantly their throats were sliced from the sword and his left hidden blade, which retracted upon use. The Rito did no slow his momentum as he found himself surrounded by aliens, each with their weapons swinging at him. Skilfully he whipped the sword around his head, deflecting the spears and swords. Upon full swing, the blade slashed across an enemy's neck, removing the head from its body.
He was then met my more lizard looking aliens with spears, to which he showed evident annoyance to. The one on the left thrusted his spear forward in an attempt to stab the boy's stomach. But an attempt was all it was as Rito brought his left foot back and simultaneously grabbed the spear with his left hand. He swiftly brought his sword in an upswing, which was then followed by a powerful downswing, chopping the stick into three pieces in moments. He then moved forward and shoulder bashed the lizard, sending him meters back, crashing into some guards as they fell backwards. The remaining lizard spearman tried another approach as he ran forward, swing his spear single-handedly around his head. Rito followed his examples and ran forward, but just as the spear head touched his neck, he bended and leaned backwards. His legs reached the guard's hip in a scissor position as Rito turned his body on the ground, tackling the guard and at the same time, getting up. He stood over the fallen guard and whipped his sword mercilessly on his face. Then with a final stab, the sword was left standing on a head.
Rito then pulled the blade out from the now unrecognizable piece of flesh and gave it a swift swing, cleaning the blood from the blade face.
"Damn you!" Some snake headed soldiers shouted as four ran forward, pulling small knives from their boots and pockets. Rito ran forward, throwing his sword high into the sky in the process and reached for two thin, but full sized knives from the linings of his hood, holding them, one in each hand. He gave them a couple of spins as he was met with quick knife attacks from all directions.
Noticing a blade coming horizontally from his right hand side, he turned to his right and intercepted the blade with his own. The assassin then flipped his left blade into a reverse grip and stabbed it into the alien's wrist, the one that Rito blocked. He then pushed forward as Rito's knife ripped the man's arm open, from wrist to biceps. The snake soldier hissed in pain, but it didn't last long as Rito pulled the knife from the man's biceps and promptly stabbed it multiple times into his head and chest region. Blood flew everywhere as the snake fell down, dead.
Another mercenary decided to throw multiple knives at the boy, who dodged and deflected them systematically. Those that he dodged carelessly hit other soldiers behind him. Rito then threw both his knives at the knife thrower, hitting him square in the face and the groin area. Having no weapons in his hands, the other guards got confident as they dashed towards with swords, fists, and axes.
He first met a stab towards his chest, to which he pulled away with his right hand, he countered with a repeated and unrelenting punch to the head, and the soldier was down, his head hanging loosely from his neck. Another went for a roundhouse kick behind him. The leg smashed onto the boy's left side, but Rito caught his shin on instinct from behind and jerked to his left, causing the unnamed guard to tumble down. He then ran past the guard and met his other opponents, stepping harshly onto the guard's face as he did so.
Three horned opponent with sword charged at Rito's position. The trio of aliens swung their swords downwards at once, each aiming for his head. Rito, still keeping his eagle vision on, saw all of this in slow motion as he counteracted it with his own defences. He swiftly grabbed the hand from his left, eccentrically controlling the sword, he then swung it up upwards in a circle, deflecting the middle sword with the left one. At the same time, he brought his right leg up in a front kick, the tip of his shoe hit the remaining sword's hilt as it flew and spun away. Rito then took the opportunity and followed smoothly with a kick the man's right in the chest, sending him meters backwards. The hooded assassin then hastily dispatched the remaining two, in such a way that each had their neck impaled by their own swords.
I don't have time for this! He warned inside his head as he seeming teleported to another region of the field. He then formed two fists and slammed both of them down onto the earth below. The earth met his hands in shockwaves as people lost balance. Some even fell onto the ground.
As waves of soldiers recovered and charged at the boy, so too did he to them. Only he jumped at the last second and ascended up into the air. He let his sword go during ascension and tornado kicked it at the hilt. As a result, the sword sped through the air and was launched straight down at an angle and through the body of an unnamed guard. With nothing in his hands, he flicked his wrist as his hidden blades shot out from under his wrist, giving a loud ringing noise. He landed on a body, both his blades plunged into its chest. Surrounded by enemies, he retracted his wrist blades and unhooked two rope darts from his belt loops. Wasting no time, he moved and spun in a savage manner, whilst letting go of the darts, and held on to the ropes' end. The two rope darts were swing in different directions and in different rates, similar to that of two separate wheels. He constantly turned his body as he did so, as unobservant enemies were sliced and torn apart by the rapid strikes. As time spent with the darts increased so too did the body count. When Rito finally stopped, a circle had been created between the boy and the aliens. A circle filled with torn bodies and blood. However, the circle of dead bodies eventually disappeared as more and more enemies approached him from all angles.
I really don't have time for them! I have to find Mikan! He said to himself as he pulled his sword from the skull of an unmoving body.
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(With Yami…)
High upon the ashy and grew skies was Konjiki no Yami, only that she wasn't the usual Yami, but instead took over by the Darkness within her. Her two black wings were spread out wide as she glided towards the rail gun, which was built right next to the endless canyon that ripped through the planet. She slapped both her hands together and begun her transformation. Her arms then seemingly melted into a silvery liquid, which then swiftly reformed into one massive blade, one extremely disproportional to the girl's petite size.
"Take this!" The possess Yami shouted and with a great flap of her black wings, she plummeted down onto the structure, her blade arm around her shoulder, ready for a swing.
The blade cut through the air with a horrible screech and met the rail gun. But just as it was about to impact the construction, a blinding golden light appeared before the rail gun, shielding it from her attack. The shield of energy crackled with golden light and stood firmly around the gun. The entire area was then lit up in gold due to the excessive light the barrier was giving off.
Yami's attack proved useless and felt the rebound on her arms as she bounced back into the sky, her arms now returned to their original form. She shook off the pain in her arms as her chaotic red eyes fixated on the structure, the first to ever block her attacks.
"This is going to be bothersome," She huffed to herself. But suddenly, she felt small sharp objects pelleted the span of her feathery wings as she looked behind her. At the foot of the rail gun stood soldiers and other aliens, each with bows, rifles, and short weapons of different kind. "But THIS is going to be fun!" She screamed out as the golden hair behind her back seemed to wriggle to life. The girl dived down and met the unfortunate souls.
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(With the Devilukean Princesses)
Above the graveyard that Rito called a crater were three sisters, each with pink hair and in their dresses. Their anti-gravitational wings activated as they were suspended in the air, looking upon the enemies below.
"It's Rito!" Lala cried out as she forced herself to look at the massacre below her that was the handiwork of her fiancé.
Was that…..really Rito?" Nana thought in slight fear as she turned to her big sister "Onee-sama, set up the signal and call Haruna-san! Momo and I will take care of the baddies for Rito." An especially flat chested Devilukean called out as she gave her twin a nod.
"Let's do this, Nana." Momo said as the now slitted eyed twins dashed downwards, descending onto the battlefield. The two simultaneously took their D-dials from their pockets and flipped it open, pressing a series of buttons.
"Cannon Flower, let's go!" Momo cried out as multiple giant purple flowers the size of a basketball post stem from the ground below, all surrounding Rito in a defensive circle, thoroughly surprising him. The mere introduction of the gigantic plant live threw a portion of their enemies below off balance. The flowers, upon growing, began moving on its own, they faced the guards on the ground and fired countless seeds the size of a fist. The seeds travelled at blinding speed and shot at the unsuspecting aliens mercilessly, shooting holes in their chests and stomachs.
"You too, Gii-chan, Drasuke!" Nana cried out as she whistled with two fingers in her mouth. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen upon the summoning.
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(With Rito…)
Rito was about to meet another wave of unimportant enemies when giant beanstalks and purple roses sprouted and grew from the rubbish ground around him in an semi-circle, shielding him from the incoming horde of creatures. The flowers shot seeds and the beanstalk wriggled and whipped about before him, occupying the aliens as they thrown about. With his front protected, he turned around and readied his sword.
But as his foes approached, so too did two increasingly large shadows above him. Instinctively, he stepped backwards, out of the shadow's range. The two shadows became as dark as they could as two unworldly beasts came crashing down onto the earth, knocking bits of garbage and materials around. The entire ground shook as Rito's eyes widened at the creatures before him.
Towards his left was a house sized boar. It was covered in brown fur, and had black Mohawk styled hair running down his back. It had full red eyes and a huge snout, which was raised over its gaping mouth, which was filled with teeth meters in length. It gave menacing snorting sounds and drooled. At the same time, next to the boar, otherwise known as 'Gii-chan', was another fearsome creature of the same proportions.
It was a dragon. The not-so-mythical creature was covered with shiny silver scales, again with a streamline of reinforced hardened scales running down its back. The toes on its hind legs were pitch black, similar to its eyes and ridiculously small wings, which sat on its back. Like a T-rex, his front, or arms, were miniature compare to its counterpart. It stood firmly in front of Rito and gave a terrifying roar, bearing its huge sharp teeth. Blue fire shot out of its mouth as a result of the roar, lighting some of the enemies on fire.
For a moment the boy just stood there, a dumbfounded expression on his face under his hood. "Na-Nani?"
"Rito!" He heard his name called out from above as he looked upwards. His eyes widened at the sight of the three Devilukeans.
"We'll take care of this! Go!" Momo shouted as she pressed more buttons on her D-dial, following Nana's example.
"Hai-" But just as he was about to dash off, another voice called out to him.
"Rito!" Lala shouted from above.
Rito looked up and caught an ear piece in his palm. He held it up for a moment, acknowledging the gift, then placed it onto his right ear.
"Right." Rito whispered to himself as he gave the three sisters one last look, then turned forward. The hooded assassin hopped onto Drasuke and crouched down. Blue lightning began crackling around his body as he trembled with energy. Then with a massive push of his left leg, he launched off the rough back of the silver dragon high into the sky, towards the direction of the Rail Gun.
"Good luck, Rito!" He heard the message through the ear piece.
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(With Azenda…)
On a soft hill RIGHT beside the gap of the planet, there laid a flat square of land, constructed of stone. Ominous torches glowing blue fire were situated around the corners as posts, and in the middle was an altar in the form of a stone bed. And there laid the Brown haired girl. She was unconscious, and was protected by a golden force field of light, which surrounded the top of the bed. Sitting on the girl's stomach and in her hands, was the mysterious apple, which zoned off symmetrical lines of golden ray.
Azenda walked towards the edge of the stone platform and looked towards her horizon. The scene before her was loud, the air filled with ashes, screams and animalistic roars. She sneered at the sight.
"All pathetic….No matter, by the end of today, a new age will begin!" She said to herself as she grabbed onto her black whip, which slithered in a coil by her waist. All of a sudden, she crouched down and quickly pushed backwards, over and onto the other side of the altar, skidding a few meters backwards and coming to a stop. She stood up warily as her eyes widened slightly with surprise. "It's been exactly one year, hasn't it, Yuuki Rito." She said aloud.
"You…" The newcomer growled menacingly as he pulled his white hood down with one hand, revealing his evidently angered face and wild orange hair, which flowed harshly in the wind. Rito's eyes then diverted to something closer to him, to the stone altar, where the Apple and his dear sister laid.
"Mikan!" He shouted as he took a step forward, but immediately halted as the whip wielding assassin appeared a great few meters before him, in between the siblings.
"Sorry Yuuki Rito, but you can't have her back just yet." The assassin said with a devious smile.
Rito growled inwardly as he gritted his teeth and glared daggers at the woman, who returned the stare with eyes filled with just as much hate. However, those metaphoric daggers were metaphoric no more as Rito spun around on the spot, drawing small hidden around his body. Upon one full revolution, tens of small sharp projectiles were launched through the air, all bearing down at Azenda at neck breaking speed.
But Azenda gave a hidden smirk as she moved around co-ordinately, dodging the lethal knives. She expertly caught one of the knives with her left hand and grabbed her black whip with her right hand. She then whipped her weapon around and over her head as it caught a blade in mid-air by coiling the tip around the tiny handle. She spun her body as she launched the two blades that she caught back to its owner, who by then was already dashing at her.
Rito upon mid-dash, saw the two small knives shooting at him in slow motion as his body reacted on instinct. He hopped up and corkscrewed through the air, narrowly avoiding a knife which sailed past in between his legs and slapped the remaining one away with one hand.
He's fast. Azenda said to herself as she sidestepped in order to avoid Rito, who was spiralling in mid-air. But unlucky for her, as she was about to move entirely away, the tip of Rito's hidden blade sliced Azenda's arm, leaving a medium sized gash. She ducked down as Rito regained composure and landed with a reverse spin kick, his heel just flew past over her head. The two now faced each other in close combat.
Rito activated both his dual wrist blades and begun his attacks, spinning and slashing forward. He begun by thrusting his left blade forward. But to his surprise, his enemy dropped her whip and slapped his forearm inwards. He followed the momentum and spun clockwise, in hopes of catching her off guard with his right one. But once again, Azenda blocked his impending, this time with her left hand. Then boy then crouched down and spun the opposite direction, with one leg sticking out. Azenda jumped up on instinct and prepared for a frontal attack. However, she did not expect him to spun again as she was tripped off her feet, falling backwards. The female assassin expertly regained balance off mid-air as she used her hands to support her body, bending both her legs up in the process.
Just as Rito was about to perform an electricity infused punch, Azenda pushed off her hands, forcing her legs to swipe forward, knocking his electrified fist downwards and kicking him on the chest, sending him stumbling backwards by a few meters. She got up, but, unlike Rito, dropped down to one knee. She looked at her left leg, which crackled with neon electricity. She winced in pain.
Noticing that there was now a gap in between them, Azenda reached out a hand onto the ground before her, where she dropped her whip, and gave a hiss. Immediately the whip came to life as it wriggled and snaked back to its master's hand. Rito recognised what she was about to do and unlooked a single ended rope darts from his belt loops, which, surprise surprise, ends with a blade on one.
"Die! Yuuki Rito!" Azenda screamed as she brought her whip into a horizontal swipe, from right to left, in an attempt to chop his head clean off. But much to her surprise. Rito grabbed on to one end of the rope and swung it around furiously, but expertly, throwing portions of the rope around and under his arms and legs, even his neck. As a result, a seemingly grey force field of wind surrounded the boy as her attack was deflected with a ringing PING! Sound.
"You cannot hope to match me, Earthling!" Azenda the Tyrant shouted in anger as she also began her barrage of whips movements which included a series of aerial spins. The two fields of whips clashed together as clings and clangs echoes through the air. But because of Azenda's overall experience in this genre of weapons, Rito soon found himself moving backwards defensively as he swung his rope dart slower and slower, desperately trying to deflect the whip head.
I need to be faster! Rito said inside his mind as he narrowly dodged an angular slice of the whip. With a swift spin kick, he knocked the incoming whip away with his foot, momentarily disorienting his foe. He grabbed another dart from his belt and began spinning it with conjunction with the other rope dart. It was like as if a protective wheel is protecting the boy against the whip attacks.
As he spun the dual darts, he began to move forward courageously, attempting to whip her head off. Azenda slowly found herself inching backwards step by step. She growled as she flung her whip around her neck and spun her body around. The whip launched off her neck and swiped at Rito's face horizontally. Rito let go of one of the rope's end, causing the blade to dart towards the unsuspecting woman. The small blade fully dug into Azenda's right shoulder as she involuntarily let go her whip, which dropped on the ground and wriggled on the spot, as if in pain. Rito sized the chance and whipped his remaining rope dart at the staggering woman, who knew better this time.
"Not this time." She growled as she hopped up and performed a roundhouse kick. Her foot impacted the side of the knife, shattering it to pieces.
Suddenly, he felt something slither around his body. Snapping down he could see the black snake that was the whip slid up to his neck and coiled itself. Tight.
He gasped for breath as he stumbled backwards, his face progressive reddened as he saw his enemy running forward towards him, readying for a punch.
No, this will not be the end! Rito cried out to himself frantically as he held his breath. He pulled on the whip that was around his neck with his left hand, and raised his right hand in defence, wrist blade activated. His body then began sizzling with electricity.
Without warning. A thundering bang rumbled through his entire world as Azenda, who was meters away from the boy, stumbled and crashed sideways onto the ground, but not before rolling and slamming onto one of the torch posts. A linear trail of destruction followed the now fallen assassin. Rito, not caring what just happened, retracted his blade and pulled on the strangling whip with both his hands. He failed to realise the blood and hole that embedded into the stone floor where Azenda stood.
"haaa!" He shouted in might as he managed to pull the whip off his now slightly reddened neck. He held the wriggling whip before him with two hands, looking at it with eyes of disgust. With another cry, he ripped the whip from the middle, splicing the whip in half, top to bottom. He then threw the two strips of weapon into the air and activated his hidden blades and with a few spins and slices, ripped the whip into literal shreds.
With nobody in standing between him and the stone altar, he ran forward and leaned onto the stone bed surrounded by a hemi-sphere of energy. "Mikan!" He shouted and slammed both his palms onto the shield, which rippled upon his touch.
"There's nothing you can possibly do, Yuuki Rito! .Won!" A voice announced around her. The earthling turned around as his eyes widened, seeing a dirty Azenda standing up, holding onto the torch post for support. He noticed that left leg had a sizable hole through it.
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(Minutes ago…)
In an entirely different part of the Universe, colonies of asteroids floated peacefully around the endless plane of nothingness. But on a particularly large comet was a lone figure.
The twenty three year old hitman laid down flat on the grey rock. Adorned on him usual black overcoat, covering his black collar up from view. He had messy black hair, which complemented his overall state of dress. He laid on the flat surface of the rock, in front of him was a sniper rifle. It too was pitch black in design and was then length of the man himself, but oddly shined with allurement. The gun also laid before him face, supported by a silver bipod.
Wordlessly he gave a small sigh and looked through the scope. His normal yellow eyes then morphed into a more cat like appearance. His now slitted right eye seemed magnified through the scope. He placed his left hand on the butt of the rifle and his right hand on the trigger. He then cleared his throat as he readjusted his firearm.
From three galaxies away…can I make it? Black asked himself stayed in his position. From his point of view, the view through his scope consisted of distant blinking of stars and nothing else. He then gave a chilling breath as his entire body was engulfed in white flames. His eyes were fixed onto the distance. A rather small wormhole was then generated at the end of the gun's barrel. His finger on the trigger.
Now or never. He said to himself as he pulled the trigger. A black bullet surrounded by white flames shot out of the barrel at impossible speed and into the wormhole, which closed up afterwards. Clouds of smoke emitted from his gun, shrouded the scope. A bullet shell dropped beside him with a soundless clang. He IS in space, after all.
But Black saw through the smoke. And ever so softly, he gave a smirk.
This one's for free, friend Yuuki Rito. You're welcome.
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(Back with Rito…)
"Mikan! Wake up! Please!" he shouted as he slammed his fist down onto the golden shield of energy, which rippled like water, but yet retained its structure.
"Do not interfere!" Azenda shouted as she dashed forward with haste, despite her gun wound. Rito turned around and immediately hopped backwards, using the top of the shield as support, avoiding the potentially deadly kick. Azenda did a side flip over the bed and attempted another downward kick. Rito stepped back and allowed the leg to hit his arm as she landed. Azenda then moved in proactively for a left hook. Rito simply waited for the fist to come close as he prepared to counter. But to his surprise, just as he thought he dodged the fist. A small silver blade shot out from the top of her knuckles and cut his face, leaving a small cut on his cheek. He blinked in surprise he instinctively as he activated his hidden blades and took a few steps backwards, sinking into a low stance, one hand near his chest, and another outstretched, both hidden blades activated.
"Within a couple minutes now…" Azenda sneered as she spat out blood. "Everything will be ready."
"Over my dead body." Rito countered verbally as the two rushed towards each other, meeting in the centre.
The orange haired boy thrusted his right blade forward, which was deflected by Azenda's left one. The woman then returned the favour, pushing her right hand forward towards his chest. Rito then moved both his arms in an inward to outward circle as he knocked both her arms out of the way. He then plunged both his blades towards her neck at once. But she knew better and ducked down. She rapidly stood back up and brought both her blades into an upward thrust. Rito immediately step back and performed a mid-air roundhouse kick, knocking Azenda's arms to her right. But the female assassin followed through and spun around, a blade arm outstretched. However, Rito had already predicted this move, in slow motion.
He retracted both his blades and elbowed the incoming forearm with his, well… left elbow. He then promptly did a low sidekick on the back of her kneecap, to which she knelt down to. Rito jumped and spun so that he was facing away from his opponent and back kicked her back, sending her skidding away, crashing onto a random pile of rubbish off the stone platform. Wasting no time, he approached the bed and hammered on the shield with both hands.
"Mikan! Please wake up!" He shouted at the unconscious girl as his fists smashed into the energy shield. He was literally a meter away from his little sister, blocked by a thin shell of golden light. So close yet so far.
"MIKAN!" With a loud cry, he used all his energy he had within him and punched downwards. Ripples on the shell then slowly turned to cracks. The shell then exploded in rays of light, blinding everyone.
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(Within subconsciousness…)
It a plane of infinite darkness, the grey clouds from beneath their feet and above their head rumbled and crackled with yellow lightning.
"Rito…" A crouching girl sobbed "where are you…"
"Mikan!" she heard a voice shout from her left as she raised a hand to rub her eyes. But her hand never met her face as it was pulled by someone. Her teary eyes widened as the surroundings immediately flickered into an infinite plane of whiteness, as far as the eye can see.
"Ri-Rito?" She stuttered in disbelief as she was brought into a hug. "Is this….Ri….to…"
"Hai."
"Rito!" She cried out as she hugged the boy before her tightly and rubbed her eyes on his shoulders. "Onii-chan!"
"I told you I would come." He whispered into her brown hair. "I'm sorry for being late though, Mikan." He returned the hug, tears threatening to come out.
"Mm, daijobu." She whispered back, albeit weakly.
"Let's go home, Mikan."
"Mm!"
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(Earth, around 5:30 pm)
The hallway of the Sainan High School was deserted. It was to be expected at this hour. After all, a magical Kyouko concert was on. But remaining in the school on the snowy evening was the class representative, the student council president, and the Kendo team captain. The three gathered in the classroom 2-A, having finished their afterschool duties. The three girls each had a scarfs and an extra jacket on them. Though it was the beginning of their school holiday, their hearts were heavy, filled with concern and worry.
"It's today." A short blue haired girl said as she rubbed the chalkboard of its impurities.
"Hai." The kendo girl agreed, her hands fidgeting around her brown kendo blade.
"…" The cat loving Student council president stayed silent in her seat, she breathed out loudly upon completion of the school documents. Yuuki-kun….I hope you are safe…
Unanticipatedly, vibrations could be heard from haruna's school skirt as the three jolted in suprise. She frantically took her phone out and flipped it open, her eyes widened at the screen.
"Lala-san!" She exclaimed as she pressed a green button and placed the phone against her ear. "Lala-san?"
"Wha- ye-yeah I have it with me." Sairenji replied, looking at the light blue bracelet on her other arm. "N-now?- Hai! I understand!" She said and hung up, shoving the phone deep into her pocket. Kotegawa stood up from her seat, her hands on the table before her. Kujou-sempai stood up from the table as all three girls gave each other a hardy look. "Yuuki-kun…"
"No time to waste!" Rin shouted as she held Haruna by the hand and dragged her out of the classroom, with Yui close in pursuit.
"It's not safe to run in the hallway." Was what Kotegawa wanted to say on instinct, but she knew better. "WH-where are we going?!" Yui asked in-between huffs.
"Let's head up to the school roof!" Haruna said as the three reached to the end of the hallway and ran up the flights of stairs.
Upon reaching the top of the stairs, a chain locked door stood in their path.
"Kaichou, do you have the keys?" Sairenji asked agitatedly.
"I…I left them in the classroom…" She mumbled.
"Never mind that!" Rin shouted as she held her kendo sword high, then brought it down with strength, smashing the chains into pieces. She then tackled the double doors, slamming them open as the three stumbled onto the empty school roof. The roof was spacious, but covered by an uneven sheet of snow, and was surrounded by wire fences which stretched meters high. Off the distance, loud chants and lights could be heard from the concert. The three ran to the edge of roof.
Haruna fumbled about and took the light blue brace let off of her wrist. She then pressed a pink button on the bracelet, which shone and enlarged into a hula-hoop, namely, Gone-Gone-Hoop-kun. She breathed in the chilling air and gripped onto the hoop tightly. She turned to Rin and Yui, who looked back with eyes filled with equal anticipation. The three gave a nod amongst themselves.
Haruna then threw the hoop styled invention high up into the air, way past the metal fence, into the sunset sky.
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(At the same time, with Rito…)
A metallic clang! Sound was heard as the Yuuki siblings and Azenda looked towards their middle. Their eyes widened, but Mikan did so out of fear as she hugged Rito even tighter, if that's possible.
"Rito….it's that…..thing." She mumbled weakly her eyes battled to stay open. "It took me away…."
"MINE!" Azenda shouted in greed as she stood up and limped towards the golden sphere embedded on the stone floor, drips of blood followed her trail as she got closer and closer to the apple. She knelt on her knees before the apple and took it with two hands. She could felt the intense heat that emitted off the Apple as it lit up.
But just as Azenda was about to stand up. The sky lit up in gold as all eyes diverted to the calamity behind them all.
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(Not too far away…)
From not too far away was the rail gun, pitch black and high and mighty. Its golden shield of energy lit up the sky like a lighthouse in the night.
"Yami! NOW!" She recognised her love interest's voice as she casually pushed a random alien body off her arm, which was in the form of a blade.
"Right!" She sung to herself as with the flap of her wings, she whizzed up high into the sky. Her hair behind her twisted and grew, transforming themselves into a tremendous scythe. The Darkness possessed girl gripped her scythe with both hands and plummeted straight down from the gloomy sky.
Once again, her Trans weapon smashed onto the shield. But unlike last time, the armour of light shattered like glass, pieces of golden shards crumbled onto the ground, destroying absolutely everything. But Yami's attack did not stop there. The scythe tore through the Rail Gun from top to bottom, ripping it straight through the middle. Electrical sparks and fire explosions littered the entire structure as Yami continued her descent.
/
/
(Back on Planet Kild…)
"No…." She trailed off in shock as the entire ground shook, like an earthquake. Azenda could not retain her balance and fell down once again, but carelessly let go of the Apple as it bounced on the ground once, then rolled fowards the edge of the canyon. With another quake, the Rail Gun was seen exploding from a distancing as the earth below their feet cracked and crumbled. Black debris and stones fell from the sky like rain. Rito held onto Mikan.
"Hold on no matter what, Mikan!" He ordered as he ran towards the endless cliff and with a great leap, he jumped off and into the darkness, in pursuit of the falling Apple and Azenda.
The three bodies found themselves delving into the centre of the planet, via the split between the two hemispheres. Either sides of the canyon was filled with jagged rocks and protruding garbage, but they were hardly visible as the Canyon was almost pitch black. Rito held his near unconscious sister closely as they fell through the air. Wind whipped their hair backwards. From Rito's eyes, he could make out the red-figure of Azenda below, reaching out for the golden ball of light.
Rito then wrapped his arms around the frail girl and took off a certain light blue bracelet off his wrist. He clenched it with his fingers as it glowed, enlarging into a hoop. The boy then tucked his hands by his side whist Mikan held onto his body. The two eventually caught up…or down to Azenda.
"Give up already!" Rito shouted against the wind as he tackled the woman, who was knocked onto the side of the canyon, skidding on jagged rocks, but she soon recovered caught up. "Why won't you die!"
"I will succeed!" She screamed as she reached for the apple, which was only meters away from her.
I have to do it now! Rito yelled to himself as he raised his right hand outwards. He then threw the hoop downwards, which spin and flipped past both Azenda and the sphere. As if organic, Gone-Gone-Hoop-kun suddenly hovered in the air into a standstill as the area within the hoop glowed with a rainbow spread. Particles of snow then began flowing out of the hoop. The boy gritted his teeth as the both the assassin crashed and vanished into the hoop, along with the apple of Eden.
"Here we go." He whispered to himself as he embraced his sibling and together, they dropped into the hoop below.
/
/
(With the schoolgirls…)
As if in slow motion, the Sainan High girls watched as the hoop flew up, lighting up in rainbow. They gasped in pure shock as a petite ball of fire whizzed out of the hoop, a trail of grey smoke following. But that trail of smoke was broken as a woman with slightly charred red strips of clothing also flew out. A woman with golden eyes and light blue hair. She too was flung out in the same fashion.
The girls were about to comment when a third figure, or should I say two figures, appeared out of the hoop. All space travellers fell from the setting sky at an angle as they scraped onto the top of the school fence, and towards a park in the distance. The airborne hoop then crackled with lightning and exploded shortly after.
"Was that…." Rin stuttered in shock, unable to finish her question.
"Let's go!" Haruna shouted urgently as she ran for the stairs. You're back, Yuuki-kun! You're back! She inwardly cried in joy.
/
/
(Sainan Public Park…)
The lonely park was, like always, deserted. Freckles of white snow continued to rain endlessly from the setting yet cloudy sky. Rays of golden sun shone through the gaps in the grey clouds. The ever so green grass and the concrete walk paths were now covered with sheets of uneven white. The street lights, being the main source of light in the area, flickered ominously. The snow-covered trees in the area swayed against the wind.
Then suddenly, a small golden globe crashed into the ground with a loud clang!, as did Azenda, who smashed into a tree fell into the soft snow, but created a crater in the ground nonetheless, melting away the snow around her. And then came the Yuuki Siblings.
Rito hugged Mikan and turned so that his back was facing the ground, protecting his precious relative from everything below. Within seconds, he came in contact with the unforgiving snow, sliding and rolling for a while before stopping and dented a street lamp.
"Ugh…" Azenda groaned as she laid flat on her back, she could feel the snow falling into her face. With a few more moans of pain, she pushed her upper body off the ground with her elbows and looked towards her only object of interest, the apple, which fell behind the siblings.
Rito slowly opened his eyes, regaining consciousness as he breathe in, hard. He regretted it later on as a chill ran down his spine. He found himself in a sitting position, his back leaning against a dented street lamp, which snapped in half. And leaning on his front was none other than the girl, in nothing but her scanty black dress. From Rito's point of view, she appeared to be in no harm.
"Mi-Mikan…" was his first word as he took his slightly bloody hoodie jacket off, and laid it on the snowy ground. He then gently laid Mikan onto the jacket, which seemed surprisingly warm, for some reason. Rito did not care about anything else, but the girl, to whom he knelt next to.
"Mikan… wake up, please!" The jacketless boy begged as he nudged her body a few times, checking her vitals.
"Yuuki-kun!" he heard his name called by a trio of girls towards the entrance of the park. But he did not care, not one bit.
"When the sun….goes down….the apple will detonate…..weather you like it…..or not….Yuuki Rito….." From halfway across the park, Azenda struggled to utter those words as she stood up in pain. Seeing a blue eyed and haired girl now in the scene, the whip wielding assassin pulled out a knife from the strap on her back and threw it. The blade travelled across the air, slicing delicate snow droplets in half as it sped towards a startled Sairenji.
"Haruna-san!" Rin bravely stepped forward before Haruna and raised her kendo sword. She was about to deflect the knife away when a towering figure stood before them, blocking the knife with his own blade.
"Zastin-san!" Haruna cried out in surprise.
"Stay down!" Rito's voice boomed with authority as a blade struck through Azenda's shoulder. She flew backwards and dropped onto the floor, withering in pain. The snow gathered around her began turning red.
"R-Rito…" Mikan uttered weakly, softly opening her eyes.
"Mikan!" Rito's head snapped to the girl beside her, who coughed for a few moments.
Seeing the woman temporarily down, the three earthling girls and Zastin all rushed to Rito.
Abruptly, a black hole near the broken lamp post materialized as the Devilukean sisters and a now normal but near unconscious Yami was flung out. The wormhole disappeared shortly after.
"Guys!" Haruna shouted as the newcomers got up and slowly headed towards Yuuki Siblings.
/
/
(Rito and Mikan…)
"I-it's-" Mikan began, but was cut by Rito.
"it's cold I know, I'm sorry…. You'll be out of here in-"
"Christmas." Mikan finished unexpectedly, causing everyone else to freeze, but not from the snow. Older Golden brown eyes met younger Golden Brown eyes as the apple sitting beside the two began zoning off rays of light.
"Gome….nasai…Rito…." She stuttered as tears threatened to flow from the corner of her eyes. "Gome….nasai….."
"Everything's alright-" Rito tried to comfort the girl, lightly brushing the brown hair from her face.
"If the sun…goes down….this world….will…..go boom….." Mikan then winced in pain as she lifted a weak hand. Rito held her freezing hand with his warm ones. "I can't….let that…..happen." she finished and wheezed out. "I…..can't!"
"Wh-what are you….saying….." He asked worriedly. Although he already half predicted the answer to come.
"Rito…no….Onii-chan." She said, causing Rito's eyes to widen.
"When I'm not here…..remember….you have take care of….the house…..to wash the dishes…don't let it clog the sink….also…..always clean you room…..I always had to clean it for you… and don't forget to take out the garbage…...every week….."
"Wh-Why are you- Don't talk like that Mikan…." Rito gripped her hand tighter. "You….you still haven't met my new friends yet…..yeah! Yeah…I'll introduce them to you now. There's Haruna-chan, Lala, Nana and Momo. There's also Kotegawa, Kujou-sempai. I've also met R-Run and Magical Kyouko…. There's also….Yami….and Oshizu the ghost…I've also met Mikado-sensei and Tearju Lunatique and….and…" He could not contain it anymore as he closed his eyes, letting tears roll down his cheeks. But he soon felt a cold hand cupping his face.
"I'm glad…..I'm glad…you can finally…..talk to girls….." Mikan said weakly as a tiny trickle of blood began dripping from the corner of her mouth. The comment made Rito chuckle sadly.
"And remember…don't skip breakfast…and to water the plants…..in the garden…or else…..they'll wilt….." She then paused for a moment and winced in pain, but then continued. "Study hard at school…..and don't forget to bring you bento….also….make sure to wear….enough clothes….when you go out…..…. And…vacuum the house…once a while….And be sure to eat your vegetables….everyday…..otherwise….your sister…..will be…..very cross….."
"Pl-please don't talk like that….you can't go! Not when I've just found you!" Rito pressed on desperately. "Yeah…..what about…..that's right…what about the Christmas party that you always wanted?! W-We can have one….just the two of us…we can decorate the Christmas tree…we can give each other presents….and…..and…..did you forget our promise?" Rito asked frantically at the girl. From Rito's eagle vision, he could sense her aura, slowly dimming. Darker and darker and darker.
"Gomen ne…Rito…..looks like I can't keep my promise….. I'm sorry…" Her aura then became dimmer and dimmer, until it was just a small spark. And at the same time, the apple grew brighter and brighter.
"Y-you can't go! I….I won't allow it!" He shouted childishly, but determinedly. "As your Nii-san, I absolutely….won't allow it! I'll…..I'll do anything! I know! I'll bring Mikado –sensei here, she's a nurse… no there's not enough time….. I will travels worlds…..I'll hurt, I'll kill….I'll do anything…..for you…." He failed to contain himself as he wept loudly. "Just please! Don't go!"
"Rito," with her last ounce of strength, she called out. "Did you know…..what I wished for…..last year…Christmas?" Rito heard her question as he softly shook his head.
"I wished….I wished to always be…..with Onii-chan. Forever and ever…."
"Forever and ever…." Rito repeated as Mikan pulled his head, causing him to lean in, their foreheads touching. "Wh-why?" He whispered.
"Because,"
"I love you…."
The orange haired boy looked at her in the eye, but found himself unable to do so as he felt a pair of soft yet cold lips pressed onto his own for a full half minute. He froze in shock as he felt something grabbed his left forearm, causing his hidden blade to shot out uncontrollably. His entire world froze like ice as he felt his arm being pulled forward. He could feel the familiar stabbing noise as his wrist blade plunged into something. Something soft, like flesh.
It was then when the sun had completely set, vanished from the distance. All that remained was darkness of the night.
/
/
The kiss then gently broke apart as Mikan fell backwards onto his hoodie jacket, her aura completely disappeared, Leaving Rito sitting on the ground, slumping over beside the girl. His face showed nothing but shock as confusion. Seeing the peaceful smile on Mikan's face as she laid still, her eyes closed, forever. It numbed his heart.
It broke him.
The apple then stopped glowing and instead dimmed. And at the same time, Mikan's body ever so slowly dissolved into little golden particles, which evaporated and glittered past Rito's blank face, before twinkling and slowly disappeared into the snowy night sky.
For a short while, everyone was rooted on their position. Nobody moved, nobody talked, nothing made a sound. The sheet of silence covered the world.
/
/
Slowly, Rito shakily looked down onto his hands. He first looked at his right hand, which he saw small traces of blood. He then unsteadily turned his head towards his left hand, and all he could see was a blade protruding from his wrist, red coated the blade like paint.
It was then, amongst the soft snowy sky, a white feather softly cascaded down onto the earth before the frozen boy. Rito just knelt there on the spot, his orange hair shadowing his eyes. He was not sure how to react, unable to. Past memories began pouring into his head as he shakily brought his right hand onto his left forearm. His roughly pushed his left hand, tearing the straps of his left blade off his arm. The wrist blade dropped onto the snow, beside the feather, which stained with blood.
"…" The others watched silently as he slowly stood up, pushing off the broken lamp post with both his hands. He looked down onto himself, small cuts and tears littered his tattered red shirt and jeans. The girls looked on, unable to search for a word to say.
"Ri-Rito-dono?" The Devilukean royal swordsman asked worriedly as he approached the boy, and placed a hand on his shaking shoulders.
"Don't….Don't touch me….." But to everyone's utmost surprise, he slapped it off harshly, knocking Zastin's hand away as he stumbled backwards. Everyone now had a clear view of the shaking boy's eyes.
They were glassy golden brown ones, one's that were hollow, one's that were deep, ones that scared people. They were void of any emotion. Yami's eyes widened in shock.
His eyes….. Are like mine… The golden haired assassin looked long and hard into Rito's blank ones.
The boy trekked slowly through the deep snow, dragging his legs along as he left a trail behind him. His breath heavy, almost like pants. And although he tripped once or twice, he stood back up and kept walking through the snow. With a deliberate flick of his right wrist and arm, his remaining hidden blade shot out audibly, it's blade face reflected of one Azenda, who struggled to crawl away in the cold, freezing snow.
Upon reaching the woman, he stood above her, his shadow dominating over her body as Rito reached forward and flipped her over with his left hand. His legs then gave away as he dropped, now sitting on the stomach of the murderer. He panted loudly, steam coming off his mouth, and into the cold sky.
And for a few moments, he just sat there, gazing into the golden eyes of the woman with his empty ones.
"S-stay away! You monster-" She shouted in fright, but was interrupted as a hand wrapped around her neck unforgivingly, her shouts reduced to short gasps as her limps flailed about. Rito then slowly lifted his right arm, cocking his hand backwards, blade tip pointing downwards.
"You…" And with that remark, he plunged his right blade into her face, right in her left eye. He could feel the blade piercing her soft eye, then past the skull with sickening cracks, and finally resting inside her brain. He took a moment to…..appreciate the feeling as he plucked his blade out, with the aid of his left hand.
"Where…..is she…" He softly chanted as he stabbed his wrist blade multiple times into her neck and head. He then punched her repeatedly with his other hand. "You…..took everything….." He chanted in between punches and stabs. He leaned in and looked at her face, at her misconfigured and bloody face, and cried out. "WHERE IS SHE?!"
But hearing no reply from the dead body. He then repeated the process while chanting. "Help me find her! Where is she! Where is she?! ANSWER ME! NOW!" and so the mindless beating went on. "ANSWER ME!"
/
/
"Yuuki…..kun?" The others couldn't bear to watch the violent scene before them as they covered their ears and turned away.
"Yuuki Rito…." Yami stuttered as she looked down. I…
He's lost it… Zastin thought as he rushed forward to the boy and hugged him by the waist, pulling him up from the corpse. "Rito-dono, I beg you, please stop!" He pleaded to the boy, who merely laid on the snow and looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his face as his world turned black.
/
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That night, everyone stayed over at Mikado-sensei's clinic. With the help of Oshizu and the universal doctor, an injured Rito now laid peacefully on the bed, soundly asleep. The others sat on the chairs, each with aching hearts and tearful eyes, thinking about how to approach the boy tomorrow. Waiting to comfort him.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: THERE WE HAVE IT, THE TRAGIC ENDING OF THE LONE EAGLE. NOW I KNOW A LOT OF YOU WILL BE UNSATISFIED WITH THIS ENDING, SOME OF YOU MIGHT EVEN HATE IT. BUT I HAVE LITTLE TO NO EXPERIENCE IN WRITING THESE BEFORE, OR FANFICTION. SO I HOPE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND.
FOR THOSE WHO HATED THIS ENDING, I PROMISE A HAPPY ENDING WILL COME OUT SOON.
REVIEWS NOW WILL BE MOST APPRECIATED.
CRITICISMS TOO.
