Chapter 9: Misery Loves Company: Parking Lot Scuffle

A/N: I'm sorry for the long hiatus, so therefore I uploaded two chapters. Also, forgive me if you find fault in this chapter, battles go by really fast when I write them.

Barely a whisper escaped the lips of the respective fighters as they all faced each other, battle stances engaged, facing each other. Daring each other with their eyes to make the first move.

Kazuki and Shido were the first to respond, as they both semi consciously leaped at Ban, with Kazuki's thread hoping to ensnare Ban, while Shido, with his Tiger's Paw Imitation already initiated, hoped to impale Ban.

Ban, however, as if already predicted this maneuver, leaped back gracefully, just to come face to face with an enraged Ginji. Ginji shot his electric fist right at Ban's calm face. Ban instantly countered with his right hand. "Snake Bite!" His right hand clenched tightly onto the side of Ginji's face, and drove him headfirst into the cement.

As soon as this maneuver was finished, Shido's extended claws stabbed at the air as Ban slipped backwards to prevent his nose from being sheared off. As Shido slipped by Ban and Ban righted himself, both of Ginij's arms snaked forward. Tightly clamping onto both of the Jagan Wielder's and the Beastmaster's ankles, the air crackled with the buildup of static.

Currents of heavy voltage ran through both of the men's body as they screamed from the quick jolting pain. But this torture did not last long. Seeing his opportunity, the cold calculating Kazuki weaved his threads around the three, drawing them apart. He followed up this action by crashing them into the wall restricting their movements.

With a tugging motion, the Koto strings dug deep into the flesh of his opponents, ripping through their clothes and drawing blood. Shido was the first to respond to this chilling technique, as he exploded into an array of rats. These blood thirsty rats, upon impact with the floor, turn their sights on Kazuki and proceeded to tear apart the man clasping the melodically sounding bells.

However the oncoming onslaught of rodents did little to faze Kazuki. With a few more gracefully elegant flowing movements of the arms, the rats ran straight at him, only to be torn and lashed at by the threads of Kazuki's Thread Barrier. As the relentless rats continued to be shred by the strings, Shido took the initiative.

"Witness the beast mimicry skills of us Maryuudos! The wonders of Shadow Haze!" Shido's shrieking voice cut through the sky as Kazuki glanced up, only to see Shido, in his Monkey Imitation, leap down at him, fangs and claws bared. However Shido's fangs and claws had little effect at the erected Thread Barrier.

Jumping back from the flailing strings, and not missing a beat, Shido shifted once more. "Hundred Beast Imitations, Land Dragon Imitation!" With a quick pounce Shido crashed into the concrete floor, diving through its rocky structure. Then Shido proceeded burst from the ground like a loaded spring, catching Kazuki unaware. With a loaded fist connecting to Kazuki's chin, Kazuki was smashed out of his barrier.

"Cat Imitation!" With his pupils closing into slits and his nails lengthening into claws, Shido leaped forward hoping to ensnare his prey. While this scuffle continued, Ban was struggling to free himself from his containment, resulting in more wounds. Ginji however, merely erupted in rivers of electricity as he melted off the strings.

While Shido and Kazuki danced in an array of weaves and slashes, Ginji approached them with great haste. Before either of the previous Four Kings could react, Ginji plowed both of his gloved fists into their stomachs. As several currents of electricity snaked throughout their body, Kazuki and Shido felt their bodies fall to the floor lifeless as their sight blurred into darkness.

Turing around, Ginji noticed his final target. The Jagan Wielder, the ever arrogant Midou Ban, who was, as of the late, still tied and thrashing. Ginji's shoes snapped off from the cement as he rocketed forward, the air crackling from his blue sparks.

With a giant leap, Ginji swung one of his gloved fists around and clasped Ban around the throat, ripping him from the threads and slamming him against the wall. Allowing one last action before his defeat, Ban's starry blue eyes made contact Ginji's dull brown orbs. Without taking a single regard at Ban's last defiant action, Ginji unleashed the torrent of sparks into Ban, causing him to shake. As Ginji continued to pump electricity into Ban, Ban's body starts to flail in seizures. Using both of his hands Ginji slowly squeezes the life from his body. With one final spasm, Ban stops lifelessly as hazy smoke rises from his slack jawed mouth.

At the final realization of his actions, Ginji finally snaps back. Dropping to his knees, his cold brown eyes regained their valor, only for them to widen in shock at the aftermath of the fight. Smoking bodies were lifeless all around him on the concrete. Recognizing the bodies of his comrades behind him and his only partner in front of him, Ginji starts to shake uncontrollably.

All throughout him his mind tries to piece together the day's previous events. First there was the wordless rejection he had suffered at the hands of his beloved one. Then in a moment of depression, he had reverted his hated other self, the Raitei. Now it was over, all over. He couldn't win his love's heart, and his friends were gone, by his own hands. Sharp tears lined his eyes as sadness coursed throughout his body, just like blood does through his veins.

Ginji was in shock, silent small tears trailed down his face, hitting the floor, glistening as diamonds in the afternoon sun. He couldn't hold it back anymore as a small erupting scream tore out from his throat, cutting across the bright blue day above him. Electricity started to swirl around him like a storm as spark zapped the floor causing rivulets of electricity. And no matter how hard Ginji tried to forget, his mind went back to the cold dark hell before him.