13: Dark Awakening

Scaling building after building, the assassin reborn knew of only one course of action that would quench his thirst… Finally feeling a sense of joy from his victory over his other half, he sought to finish the task originally set before him so many years ago.

Hand and foot upon a drainpipe, the agile assassin leapt towards the opposite rooftop, landing neatly upon the sole of his left foot, counterbalancing his weight with other his foot tucked up his leg. Speeding upon the shingles, he leapt once more towards the housing of his query, each step steadily fueling his urge for death.

Little does the young one know what shall befall her, for I shall arrive in the shadows and depart in her wake…

* * *

Sleeping soundly in her bed sat the innocent feline zoanthrope, dreaming of a day when both she and the one she sought would finally depart from the shadows and enter into the light she enjoyed so immensely. A smile formed upon her delicate face as she rotated her body to the same position as in her dream. Sighing delightfully, she saw the bright smile of her beloved friend shine before her, its radiance that of nothing she had ever seen before.

Ahhh.. This is what I've been waiting for…

"Why did you wait so long to open up to me Kenji? You've got a beautiful smile, you should show it more often!!"

Giving the boy a playful shove on the shoulder, he returned the action and laughed in the process, another sight she had never seen of him. Seeing the half peeved, half-playful look upon her face, the boy ran in humorous fear, looking back only to find her pounce upon his back, both landing upon the soft grass of the morn.

Still laughing minutes after, Kenji suddenly turned his head, cobalt hair shining in the morning light, and looked deep within her eyes, as if searching for the right words to say. Searching his face for answers, she noticed his lips open partially, his Adam's apple slowly moving upwards as the vibrations gave voice to his thoughts.

"Yes? What is it Kenji?"

"Uriko…. I-"

"Yes? You what?"

'I….'

Suddenly the vision faded, returning to the black from which the entire ordeal had originated from, returning her back to the reality she didn't want to face. Rushing up from the sprawled position she was once in- the same she had enjoyed as she awaited the boy's thought- she felt not only sweat drip down her face, but a cool night breeze edge through an open window.

Oooooooo…. What were you going to say to me Kenji? I wish it hadn't ended like that… Bowing her head in disappointment, she shivered a bit, though in nestled in her heavy comforter. Did I really leave the window open that much? She wondered, one eyebrow quirked in honest question. I don't usually leave them open that much…

* * *

Standing upon a thick branch, the lone soul found itself slightly shaken, as his plan had almost met disaster. I mustn't move so hastily… Damn! It has been far too long since I have been in this pursuit. Damn that foolish boy! He has kept me silent for far too long!

Bringing his frame together, legs balancing agilely upon the branch, arms drawn to chest, index fingers pointing upward, the assassin pondered as to the proper way of reformatting his plan. For long moments the warrior sat silent, eyes unfocused as he viewed his plan before his eyes.

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What if I wait until she is in slumber and sneak in, descending upon his light frame with a quick jerk to her upper vertebrae?

Viewing the scene, he saw her acute ears pricking at his intrusion, finding his stealth in jeopardy. Though he was sure that his power could overwhelm her, as she would surely be curious than ready for battle, he could complete the job.

No. I trust in honor, and though that would complete the job without anyone else's knowledge, I could not live with the knowledge that my mission was a failure…

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But what if I try….

He viewed himself entering unheard, her ears not tracing his movement. Sneaking towards her he would delicately break her Zyphoid Process, puncturing her heart or lungs, causing internal bleeding with no recourse for remedy.

That would work also, but she would feel the pressure as it would be harder to break the small bone with her now prevalent adolescent form. I also do not have knowledge of the innards of her space, and some foolish action could cause her to rouse from slumber, thus ending my task once again. Damn the state the world is in now!!

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Curse the world! I cannot complete my job as assigned to me so long ago with all the years that have passed… There would be no honor in the simple job, no pride in my task. But I shall try to the best of my ability, for I will still be the only one to have knowledge of my faults…

Returning his vision to its proper dimension, he let his arms give way to gravity. Exhaling a sigh to relieve tension, he internally relaxed his muscles; a skill he had learned early in his training.

With his heartbeat at the appropriate level (fairly low as compared to average resting heart rate) he silently entered the room, taking precision care in leaving no sound upon his entry. Upon entering, though, he found that in all his time in planning, he had not accounted for her position in the room; thinking she would have succumbed to exhaustion.

He had not accounted for her to enter the room at the exact moment of his entry. New emotions flooded his mind. What is this I feel? My heart will not slow to my actions… Strange.

"Kenji?" a voice asked.

Looking around the room for the owner of the disembodied voice, he noticed her standing hunched over, as if in shock or disbelief that he would enter her household uninvited.

"What are you doing here so late?" She asked shrilly, her voice laced with what sounded to be a mixture of fear and joy.

"I am merely here to see you." Was his response, trying to sound like the boy he had overrun when his mindset had become dominant.

"Oh yea? That doesn't sound much like the Kenji I know…" She answered, clearly doubting his charade. "The Kenji I know would never come over to my house like this, especially this late at night." Stepping towards him, she leaned on the balls of her feet, staring into his cold eyes, searching for the real reason behind his mysterious visit.

"Do you not trust the answer I have given you? Is it not suitable to your taste?" He asked, his efforts at convincing her failing with every sentence. This is getting me nowhere. I must take action immediately or she will surely get hold of my intentions.

Closing the distance between them, the young assassin gently pushed down on her shoulders, bringing her down to proper height. A look of confusion suddenly doused her features, for she knew not of what he had planned.

He read her face quickly, knowing that she would soon question him once more, seeking his answer as to why he had appeared. Lowering his face to hers, he slowly grasped her neck, her features turning from confusion to shock, her eyes widening as his hold tightened.

"I am here for one reason: To end your pitiful life as I was once instructed to do so many years ago." He stated, his brow arched downward, his eyes cold as ice, his grip now choking the feline.

"K…Ken……..ji?" She managed to choke, her face turning from the flush red of embarrassment now turning pale.

"Kenji? No, that fool is safely locked away deep within his own mind. He has succumbed to me. You should know who I am very well." His face twisted into a malicious grin, enjoying the fear that she displayed.

Though she displayed signs of giving in to her body's lack of oxygen and going unconscious the dark warrior was not expecting what she did.

Lifting her arm with the remaining strength she had in possession, she released a furious slap upon his right cheek, causing him to drop his hold on her neck and rear back in sudden pain. Blood dripped from a thin cut lying near under his right eye. Looking down in shock, the assassin noticed that she had used her remaining strength to morph her left hand into a paw and struck him while his guard was dropped.

Fuming with anger, the mole took the few steps to close the distance once more, raising his hand to strike her in the same manner she had him. As his hand swooped down, it was caught in her hand, the quick and crafty feline not wishing harm to befall her again.

"I remember you know…. Your B.. Bak…" Looking towards the floor, she spat his name. "Bakuryu…"

"Ah yes, now you remember who I-" A swift slap broke his sentence, causing him to glare at her with ire; hate boiling in his heart, his eyes aflame with anger. "You dare to hit me so? So confident you are in your abilities.. Heh… hehe…. Heha hahahaha haaaahaaaahaaahaaaaaa!!" He began to laugh uncontrollably, unable to contain his hilarity at her actions.

She merely glared at him with the same deathly look he had given her moments before. How could you have given in to this… this hideous animal, Kenji? She silently prayed that she would be able to bring back the person she held so dear to her heart, the person she wished to help open up to the world.

Taking advantage of letting his guard down once again from his mysterious humor, she proceeded to push his lightweight towards the window he had originally entered in from. He noticed her force at her first touch, but took no heed to her moves. However, the force she had exerted was enough to send him to the brim of the window, his formerly balanced body now teetering on the edge of window. With a quick jab to the chest with both open palms, she managed to shove the young boy clear through the window, the glass shattering, its shards reflecting the pale moonlight that illuminated the night. As he edged ever-closer to impact with the soft grass, she noticed his arm outstretched, a look of shock developed upon his features.

Ooooooooh shit! I hope that fall doesn't kill him!! She was about to crawl out of the window, her small hands feeling the small, rough jagged pieces of glass jabbing at her un-calloused palms. Wha…..? Before she turned, she saw a faint glow surround his body, the familiar aura surfacing to her mind. Noooo……

As he fell to the ground, which seemed to last an eternity in her eyes, and in his also she could imagine, brown fur encompassed his form, sprouting from the pores of his body, extending the epidermal layer that had already been in place.

And as he transformed, a small smirk played over his face, an evil glint shining through his eyes, viewable even from the height she was elevated at. As he twisted his body towards the ground in what appeared to be a dive, large iridescent claws strode forth from his frail hands. As he dove into the firm ground, a small mound of dirt formed around the rim, showing the port he had entered from.

Standing motionless, the feline stared into the cold night, wondering how the boy she once cared for could turn so evil, his horrid laugh still echoing throughout her mind. Heh… hehe…. Heha hahahaha haaaahaaaahaaahaaaaaa!! A faint silhouette gliding through the night sky arose her senses, bringing her back into reality. How could you Kenji? How could you give in to Bakuryu again? We worked so long and hard to bring you into a normal life… Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she knew they would become reddened and swollen fairly soon. Holding her arm into the night, shards of the window falling towards the ground, she feebily tried to bring back the one she loved so dear, tried to bring him back into the world that held his very existence in awkward care. Ken……. Not being able to finish her thought, she lowered her head towards the windowsill, her hair gently blowing in the cool night's breeze, finding herself at the mercy of her emotions.

All that remained of the boy she once knew floated towards her bowed head; a small, shredded piece of his scarf, the only remnant of the boy she was determined to bring back…