Author's Note: This is hard and might not make sense, but things must end
eventually........
Note: a nagitana is like...hmm, how can i describe it...a very long blade,
curved almost-ish on with a hilt.
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The Night Life - Round 21: The End
Raw power seemed to pour out from Misao's body, darkened ebony with the rage she/he felt at Tomoe, who merely watched with a smirk on her plum colored lips.
She didn't seem phased by Misao's immense display of power whereas the other
onlookers were almost shaken at the sight.
"Aoshi, her rage is causing her powers to become too chaotic! We have to do
something!" Tokio cried out, as a sudden gust of wind blew throughout the area.
Aoshi looked to Misao, understanding what Tokio meant.
The power Misao was displaying....just as she could be male or female, her
powers could be either harmonic or chaotic...and that's when Aoshi realized it.
Her gender of choice was connected to the spectrum of her power. In a male form Misao's power was...rough, undefined, chaotic...It was the negative. Strange
that in Asian philosophy the male form was positive and the female was negative.
Misao appeared to be the opposite.
Tokio said she could choose...perhaps Misao needed to reconcile the male side
with the female to keep balance..
"Misao!" he yelled out, moving slowly towards her.
"Aoshi, be careful!" Kenshin yelled out as Aoshi moved towards her, feeling her power shake through him.
"Yes run to your precious lover, Shinomori....as always." Tomoe said smugly.
He ignored Tomoe, continuing towards Misao.
"Misao, please stop! Your powers are growing too chaotic..."
She/he merely gave him a side-glance, her eyes almost an eerie violet as her/his
face was scowling.
"Aoshi...stay back...this bitch must be obliterated for good."
"Misao! You...you must make peace with both sides! You must calm down!" he
yelled, and was suddenly thrown back away from her/him as Misao's power continued to grow.
"Misao-chan! PLEASE STOP!" Kaoru yelled out desperately.
"She won't listen...she's too angry from the past...Aoshi! You're the only one
who can reach Misao...please keep trying!" Tokio said, on the verge of tears as Saitoh helped her stand, silently watching.
Aoshi stumbled to his feet, walking determinedly towards Misao...feeling her
power hit him and he felt like he would burn up...
And he pushed through it, grabbed her and wrapping his arms around her waist as the wind died and Misao's eyes widened.
"Misao...please...I can't lose you again...I love you...in every life and every
moment of my existence..."
The power faded down and Aoshi felt Misao change...
She was female again.
The wings pressed against his chest seemed to fold under as he felt her soft
hands move onto his.
"Aoshi..." her soft voice murmured.
She turned in his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck and quickly
pressed her lips to his.
Tomoe's smile turned vicious and she took the opportunity to strike- sending a
blast of her dark energy, a corrupted piece of her soul, towards the two lovers.
Misao pushed Aoshi away from her as a violet-blue light surrounded her,
blocking out Tomoe's attack as the light formed a translucent shield around Misao.
Aoshi watched, as did the others, as Misao closed her eyes and her hair floated
about out of the braid as her clothes changed....turning into a beautiful violet and blue silk kimono that seemed to shimmer ethereally...the bow on the obi seemed to be made of light...pale blue light.
Misao's eyes opened...and they glowed blue.
"She...." Kaoru began.
Tokio felt it, a psychic knowledge of what was occurring, the memories of the bloodline...one of her many gifts of her dual existence as a vampire aristocrat and a spiritualist.
"Misao is embracing...both her sides...both natures...she's balancing her powers."
"Tokio-san?" Kaoru asked.
"She really had become the chosen one..."
They watched as Misao extended her shield to include Tomoe, who looked as if she was trying to remain smug and calm.
"What is she doing?" Saitoh asked.
"She's protecting us...she's going to unleash a tremendous amount of power..."
"Misao..." Aoshi muttered, watching as her wings seemed to burst with a thousand glossy ebony feathers...she looked like a dark angel...
His beautiful Misao.
"Now Tomoe...your treachery ends...." Misao said, her voice calm and neutral.
"We'll see about that little girl!" Tomoe snarled, attacking at Misao with her powers.
The powers Tomoe launched seemed to be reflected off of Misao as she closed her eyes, holding out her hands as blue-violet energy appeared....forming
something....
A weapon of pure energy, shaped like a nagitana.
Sano and Megumi watched from above, and Megumi's maroon eye's wavered.
"She's going to risk everything on this."
Sanosuke's eyes softened and closed.
"I know...what happens now is her choice."
"I will not be defeated by you!!! I will kill for good!" Tomoe screamed, her eyes turning completely blood red as she lunged at Misao, her hands becoming claws with razor sharp nails as they collided with the nagitana of energy, and Misao's expression never wavered.
"You're existence ends, Tomoe. Join your beloved brother in nothingness." Misao said, her voice echoing as she lifted her blade, and with every shred of power and energy she held within her she struck, and the space within the shield exploded with power, blocking out both Misao and Tomoe's image.
"Misao-chan!" Kaoru called out, blinking.
The shield exploded, light pouring out and trapping them all...until everything went dark.
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Aoshi blinked, opening his eyes. They were surrounded by darkness, and everyone stood looking around.
"Where are we?" Kenshin asked softly, holding Kaoru's hands.
A pulsing gold light caught their attention as they looked to the source.
Tokio was floating, Megumi and Sanosuke flanked on her sides.
Tokio was glowing a golden color, her hair gold and when her eyes opened they were pure gold.
Saitoh looked up at his lover in awe. When had she disappeared from his side?
Pulling out a cigarette he lit it. He knew what happened next would require a smoke. An ominous feel was in the air.
"Where's Misao?" Aoshi asked, looking around and then at Tokio.
"The one known as Makimachi Misao embraced her destiny and gave everything she was to stop Yukishirou Tomoe."
"Everything...she was? Where is she?!" Kaoru cried out frantically.
Tokio closed her eyes and held her hands out as a blue-violet light that resembled a bright star, floated to her hands.
"Misao became a vessel of power, a power only she could channel as the Chosen One. The husk that was her body gave way to the power. This is what remains of
Makimachi Misao...the essence of her heart and soul." Tokio said, the light in her hands pulsing.
Aoshi's eyes widened and he fell to his knees.
Pain filled him, an anguish so deep, one he had not felt since her first death so long ago. Wetness filled his vision, blurring it, and he was aware of someone screaming.
It took him minutes to realize it was him.
He felt hands on his shoulder and looked up. Sanosuke and Megumi were standing him up, like angels helping a lost soul to his feet.
"Why....why did this happen? What was it all for if she's gone?" he asked, his voice despaired.
"She isn't completely gone, Aoshi-san." Megumi began.
"The choice is up to her now." Sanosuke added.
"Choice?"
"The last choice, her last act as the Chosen One...she sacrificed everything she was to restore the balance, and now she must decide...to ascend to a higher plane of existence....or to be restored to a mortal life."
"Misao...I want to see her again...how can I reach her? Tell me, please." He asked, his voice breaking.
Tokio looked down at the light in her hands, and smiled softly.
"She can hear you, Shinomori Aoshi, and she has made her choice. The taint of the Yukishirou has been cleansed."
The light left Tokio's hands, floating to Aoshi who looked at it in awe before reaching out to touch it. Light blinded him, and when he opened his eyes again
Misao was in his arms, in her normal clothing....asleep.
He held her close, tears spilling down his cheeks.
"Thank goodness." he whispered, pressing a kiss against her forehead.
The golden glow faded from Tokio, and darkness melted away revealing the spot where they were in the forest. With Misao in arms and their friends at his side,
Aoshi began walking towards the city as the others followed. As they reached a clearing that looked over the city, Aoshi stopped, feeling Misao shift in his arms.
"Aoshi?" she asked, blinking and opening her eyes.
He looked down at her, smiling softly.
"Thank you, Misao. For saving us, for returning to me."
She smiled weakly, winking.
"No problem."
She looked over the city, as the pale lavender gave way to orange and red...
For the first time in decades, Aoshi watched the sun rise.
A slight tingle on his neck startled him, and if he could see it, the faint bite mark of fangs smoked away.
He looked at Misao, who smiled more brightly at him.
"Isn't it beautiful?" she voiced, looking at the sunrise.
He closed his eyes, his throat clenching with emotion.
"Aa...perfect." he murmured, holding her closer as they looked at the rising sun.
Kenshin turned to Saitoh, his violet gaze questioning.
"Saitoh, you're still the same, aren't you?" he asked softly.
Saitoh nodded, crushing out his cigarette.
"It's not so bad being a werewolf, now I really am a wolf of Mibu. Besides, I have my mate, that's enough for me. I never had it that badly anyways, I at least could walk in the day."
Kenshin smiled and made a nervous 'hai hai'.
Sanosuke and Megumi folded their wings, causing them to disappear.
"Well you guys, it's been fun. Let's not do this again." Sanosuke began.
"Are you leaving?" Kaoru asked.
"We have to check in, let our bosses know what happened and all that. Don't worry, we'll be back to celebrate later. I owe Misao-chan here a drink or two."
Misao sighed, giving a thumbs up, and looked over at the city, the sun now in the sky.
It was indeed a new day for them all.
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Thats it folks. It's a wrap. I'm going to lay down.