Thank you everyone for your favs xD This is my first serious story, so I'll try not to let anyone down... Please R&R. I love advice, so if I mess something up, feel free to point it out.

I own nothing...sadly...except for Arashi-chan.....yh, I made him up.

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Mission 2

When I opened my door the next morning Li Shen Shung was in the process of walking by. He stopped and turned to look at me, a strange expression on his face before he broke into a smile.

"Good morning Arashi-san," he said. "How was the first night?"

"Once I actually got home it was decent enough. I may have to buy a futon though, now that I think about it," I replied easily.

"Ah. I see. Were you out late Arashi-san?"

"Yeah. Fell asleep at the park…Man I was tired." The expression on Li's face was hard to read. He was staring at the bandage I had wrapped around my right arm, then he turned his gaze to the plaster on my face."

"Were you in an accident? Are you alright?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, I'm fine. Can you believe I fell asleep with a knife in my hand? One minute I'm digging the dirt out from under my nails, the next I'm waking up covered in cuts and scrapes." I grinned in what some would call a sheepish way and Li responded with what others would call a look polite people use when they're slightly disgusted.

I laughed, the humour strange on my tongue. "I'm just fine now though!"

"Heh…," Li nodded. "Well…," he said, glancing at the sky.

"Work. See ya then Li-san." He nodded graciously and left once again. When I was sure he was gone I pulled my mask up over my mouth and nose and made off to start my day.

***

To most people the strange gusts of wind or sudden stillnesses in the air were described as a random change in weather, but to the other people, the ones who died that day, and the next and the entire month following, the unexplained occurrences were anything but random weather. When the contractors got involved and they started to notice the small circles carved into every crime scene they confirmed their suspicions that a contractor was responsible.

When the month was finally worn so was I. All my work had, so far, amounted to almost nothing. There had still been no sign of The Reaper and I was growing impatient. As I mulled over what to do next in my mind I also let myself enjoy the cool, city, night air. I sat high up on the top of one of the many skyscrapers. Getting there hadn't been a problem, not with my power being that I could manipulate air in almost any way.

The night seemed calm, the remains of a fresh rain still rested on the city. I took the air deep into my lungs, it seemed so much more pure up here…or maybe I was making it that way. The air caught in my throat as I suddenly felt a chill fly down my spine. I turned quickly to see what looked like a small observer spirit disappearing from a puddle behind me.

I jumped to my feet, but he was already there before me, brandishing his double bladed knife in an eerily fluid way. I bent backwards until my head was nearly level with my ankles and I quickly let my foot snap forward as I balanced myself on the heels of my hands. He was quick however and was able to evade my counter attack, leaning back ever so slightly before moving immediately back into the offence.

I grinned, though my mask hid my face nearly as well as his did and I professionally let myself fall, pushing off from the edge of the building with my palms. As I plummeted the adrenaline that coursed through me was overwhelming. I almost cried out in excitement, but no. Getting worked up was hasty and stupid. If I wanted to accomplish my goal I would have to act rationally, like any contractor should.

He made his way down the building almost as fast as I had, though where I used the air around me as a cushion he let some sort of grappling wire fly and swung himself back onto the ground. I didn't wait for him; instead I took off, heading to the perfect place…

I had found it a week or so back, an old abandoned warehouse, resting just on the waterfront. It was wide and empty, with high beams spread across the ceiling. Against the walls were forgotten pieces of equipment, and crates lay strewn everywhere. Half of the roof was missing, making for a perfect entry way. If I could choose any one place to face The Black Reaper, that warehouse was definitely it. So I led him there.

It was a struggle losing him enough that I could arrive there first. He was fast. Even with the help of the wind, pushing him back he was able to keep up with me. As excited as I felt, which I shouldn't have in the first place, I knew that if I wanted to get my answers I would first have to defeat him. That was a new challenge all together.

I leapt into the air and positioned my hands downwards. With a blast of air I went soaring up onto the roof of the warehouse. His grappling wire flew right past me and hooked onto the warehouse just as I landed. I didn't hesitate as he proceeded upwards. I jumped from the roof and landed inside, my mind already three steps ahead of me. When he entered I was already well hidden and there was no water around for his doll to find me with.

The Reaper was tense, his knife in hand as he pivoted slowly, observing the area around him. It was inventible that we would have to fight. After all the mess I'd caused in the past few weeks I was trouble and he had been sent after me to finish me for good. Of course, Reaper or not, I wouldn't let him get that far. Still, maybe I could get him to talk a bit before he tried to murder me…

"I've finally drawn you out," I said in a casual voice. "I thought I was going to have to do something rash, like blow something up. They finally sent you." He was still, listening to my words, but he wasn't foolish enough to act right away. One of my many talents was throwing my voice. Easy enough for me. To him it sounded as if I were all around him at once. The echo of the empty warehouse aided me as well.

"What are you after," he asked in a soft, low voice. I could tell that he was getting close to locating me and when he did I would want to be ready.

"Strangely enough I only want what everyone is searching for," I replied. I didn't know why I had the urge to toy with him. The most reasonable thing to do would be to tell him what I wanted and whether or not he answered me, act accordingly. Whatever that meant. When I thought about it, maybe I just really wanted to see what he was capable of. I was only waiting for him to show me.

"What would that be?" You could always tell that a man with a soft voice was more dangerous than one who shouted when he was out for blood. One who could control himself was calculating, rational, serious. His voice was almost a whisper.

"Answers." As soon as the word had left my tongue he was suddenly right in front of me. I sent him back with a gust of conjured wind. I had been prepared, but that didn't surprise him. We were both on a higher level than your average contractor and we could both tell that about each other. Fighting with him was like a dream.

It was as if we could sense the other's moves just before he attacked, like we were performing a dance that had been practiced, revised. I moved forward, a glove of condensed air around my fist and he leaned back, somehow twisting his body to swing his leg around low to the ground. I jumped over it and let the air take me towards the starry sky overhead. He swiftly moved back until he was under the roof again, and then shot his wire upwards. This time however I was able to break the consistent flow of our battle dance.

I sent a wave of wind hurtling towards his wire, causing it to fly back, jerking his arm and catching him off guard. As he tried to regain his balance I moved forward as quickly as I could and raised my hand to knock the very breath out of him. Then…

His hand was at my throat. I was frozen in an offensive position, not daring to move even one muscle. He had anticipated this. I was the one who had been fooled. I could already feel the deadly current thrumming through his glove, under his skin. I had about a tenth of a second to react before I felt the initial jolt that would have meant my death, but I had acted quick enough. He released me and clutched at his throat as my trap came into action. I could still feel the electricity that had entered me for so brief a moment that any time more than what I had acted on would have been fatal.

I moved backwards slowly as he jerked, trying to reach me, but the barrier around him was strong and the space inside was completely devoid of air. The sphere of wind that encircled him whipped furiously, causing the warehouse to nearly tremble from the sheer force. I watched as The Black Reaper lost his footing and collapsed, desperately trying to breathe, to move. I felt tired. My mood had darkened considerably. I had no intention of killing him, but he was no use to me unconscious and I really didn't want to bother with the trouble of capturing him, then trying to hold him captive. I could already tell that I would fail at trying to do something so foolish.

I sighed and let the barrier drop. The Black Reaper was still, his head was turned to the side and it almost seemed as if the black holes in his mask were glaring at me. What idiotic thoughts. He was unconscious.

"Good job Reaper. You won this one, whether it seems it right now or not. I guess we'll settle this next time. Bye." As I turned around I noticed a pair of bright, silted purple eyes staring at me from the shadows. I paused, momentarily disturbed.

"You're going to leave him?" A deep voice resonated from the darkness. Oddly enough it seemed to emit from the same place the eyes sat, glowing at me.

"Yes. I still need him," I responded as if nothing were out of the ordinary. The disembodied voice chuckled.

"Wait till Haung heres this…" I stood in the silence for another moment before continuing my departure out a door that was rusted shut (until I blew it apart). When I took a minute to stop and look out over the water I felt something like…what did it matter…? I bent down, my knife in hand and began to carve a circle into the rough stone under my feet.

***

The next morning as I left to go into the city I noticed the light's out in Li Shen Shung's home. I supposed maybe the innocent student was one for all nighters.