Chapter 8: Darkness

"K…Kyo…" Jenny said weakly as her eyes adjusted. "H…help…help me…"

Kyo stood looking at his newly revived girlfriend for a few moments. He looked at her beautiful eyes, her blue metallic body, and saw into her soul. Her vibrant, joyful soul that was currently not showing in the expression on her face. "Jen, it's me. I'm Kyo. I'm here for you. I brought you back. You died in my arms but I managed to save your soul."

"…" She said nothing for a few seconds. "I…I…remember now. You told me…that you would avenge me…but…what happened to you…?"

Kyo looked away in shame and held his head low. "I'm sorry, my beloved. But after you died…I couldn't control the rage I felt. I destroyed Death. I incinerated him so that not even ashes were left. Because of my actions, I was forced to become Death and accept all his responsibilities. But I am still Kyo, the one who brought light to your life. The one you met on that summer day as you were about to kill yourself, the one who promised to protect you from all harm."

Jenny looked at him and started to cry. The clear, beautiful pearls that were her tears dropped onto his cloak as she tried to keep her eyes open and focused on her lover, but failed. "Kyo…I love you…when I died…it was so dark and lonely…I ran and ran but there was only darkness…darkness and no friends…no family…no you."

Kyo thought for a moment. "So, that's what it was like. I'm so sorry, from the pit of my soul. I didn't wanna leave you alone. After I became Death, I studied the magic that I would be able to use. I came upon the art of revival, and studied it until I mastered it. I'm sorry I left you. I'm just…" Kyo had run out of things to say, and changed the subject. "Can you move at all?"

"…No, I'm trying to move my arms and legs, but none of them will move. I hardly have any strength left to talk…"

"Please, if you're that weak, don't try…you're only overexerting yourself. Just try to get some rest."

"No…not yet. I want you to tell me…exactly what happened after…I died."

Kyo looked into her eyes, deeply. The endless pools of beauty that were her gentle eyes betrayed nothing. Sighing, Kyo set her upon the ground and laid next to her. He explained everything, from the trial to the inhabitants of Earth's situation. Some of the things he said made her laugh. Some put her into absolute silence. He did omit the fact that he used the souls of dead people to bring her back. It was the same old Jenny that he talked to, the one who had brought so much happiness into his life. Before he knew it, an hour had passed, and Kyo decided that it was time to wash Jenny. "Jenny, all this time, I've been making sure your body is in good condition so that you'd be happy with me once you came back."

She frowned at this, and said, "Why would I be unhappy? You know that nothing you do could ever make me angry."

He responded only with a small smile, and picked her up. "I've been washing you in a small spring nearby the clearing where I've been sleeping," he said.

When they reached it, Jenny's eyes lit up. This was truly a marvelous sight. A tiny island was in the middle of the pool of crisp, warm water. Kyo laid her in the water and waited for a few moments. Suddenly, he heard something. There was someone else in the woods besides them.

"Jenny, listen to me," Kyo said very seriously. "I have to go inspect what's going on. I'm gonna leave you somewhere safe, and if for some reason you regain your strength, DO NOT LEAVE THAT SPOT. Do you understand?"

She started to feel frightened. "Y-yeah, sure." Jenny's voice was trembling. Kyo put her inside of a hollowed out tree on the center of the tiny island. "I'll be back," he said to her, and took off.

Kyo walked around the forest with his scythe in hand. "Who's there? Come on out and show yourself," he called out loudly. The clearing where the Deko circle was was empty. He walked into the center and looked about himself. He could hear a disturbing laugh.

"He he he he heh!"

"Who's there?"

"HA HA HA HA HA!" The cackling came from behind Kyo. He turned around and saw a figure dressed in red, much like a shinobi.

"Who are you?" Kyo inquired.

"Man, you are one pathetic fool," the man said dully. Kyo thought the guy sounded much like himself. "Thinking you can get away with bringing some totally worthless chick back to life." He brandished a sword upside down. "Heh."

Kyo felt his anger building. "Leave Jenny out of this, you bastard. If you lay even one hair on her, I'll tear you apart. Now, I'm only gonna ask you one more time. Who the hell are you and why are you here?"

"Buddy…" the man said sarcastically, "I AIN'T GOT A NAME!!" He disappeared and reappeared right behind Kyo, taking a swipe. Kyo barely dodged the attack, and responded with a scythe swipe. The man dodged easily. "I know everything you know!" He said rudely. "Remember what Arteas told you about revival?"

Kyo suddenly remembered. "Bringing back the soul of someone draws out the dark side of the person who…wait! How did you…when did I have a dark side?!"

The man looked at him and laughed. "Man, you are one endless source of fun. Remember when you went off to fight Death and your eyes turned red? You just were boiling to the top! You swore at him, crushed his neck and blew him apart! You enjoyed it, didn't you?"

Kyo remembered it all. His eyes had turned red. He did boil over and had lost it. His rage was uncontrollable, and he ruthlessly slaughtered Death. "So that means…" Kyo started, at a loss for words.

"That's right, buddy!" the man said excitedly. He tore off his mask, and revealed Kyo's exact same face, only with red eyes of madness. "I am you."

Kyo couldn't believe him. "…SHUT UP!!" he shouted, charging at his dark side. He took a swipe and managed to make a gash across the ninja's torso.

"CRAP, THAT HURT!" he yelled, rushing towards Kyo. He plowed into him and pinned him against a tree, punching him in the face madly. "Rule number 1: DON'T HIT ME OR YOU'LL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE!" he screamed like a daft little monkey. He took one final punch that sent Kyo through the next five trees behind him.

"GACK!" Kyo blurted out as he smacked into the tree against his back. He got up and began racing toward his dark self, and the two began a furious combo of katana and scythe swipes, each one blocking the other's attacks. After the clash ended, they interlocked blades. Kyo had the upper hand.

"So, you think you're big, hotshot?" he asked angrily. "Well then, maybe you'll like the way it feels when a blade gets rammed through your stomach!" Kyo knocked his dark side away and darted in for the kill, when the ninja disappeared. He quickly reappeared on a tree.

"Fun playing with you big guy!" he sniggered. He swung his katana with so much force at the air above him that a black hole opened up. "Don't worry, I'll be back to play again soon! HA HA HA HA!!" With that closing statement, he jumped into the hole and retreated, while Kyo stood on the Deko circle, staring at where the darkness inside of him stood just a moment ago.