Chapter 17: Escape! Part IV
Ikuto tried calling Utau a countless number of times, but
to no avail.
Beep.
"We're sorry. The number you have dialed is temporarily unavailable or out of service. Please try again later."
Ikuto slammed his cell shut.
"Strange. Why isn't Utau answering? That's unlike her."
The wind blew against the trees, the leaves shook violently, as if laughing at him shamelessly. But to Ikuto, it meant something entirely different: danger.
Poof.
His cat-like features appeared. His tail swooshed with the wind, his ears heard something coming towards him. Suddenly, the strange movement stopped. Something didn't feel right. Almost as if something was waiting for him to come closer.
Ikuto leaped from tree to tree at lightning speed, following the scent that he picked up earlier.
Whoosh.
Out of nowhere a dagger flew straight towards him, which he easily dodged. When he landed on the ground, he saw a purple-haired girl in gothic lolita attire. The girl giggled.
"I've been waiting for you for quite some time now, Black Cat."
He smirked. 'Purple hair, huh? Looks very familiar to Him.' He straightened himself, brushing off leaves in his clothes and hair. He glared at the girl.
"You must be one of those Gatekeepers that He sent to capture me."
Nadeshiko giggled and turned around to face him.
"Indeed, it is so. Now, why don't you be a good kitty," Her umbrella morphed into a naginata. "AND COME TO ME!!"
"Who'd want to with that depraved personality of yours?"
"I'M GONNA CHOP YOU INTO MINCEMEAT!"
She charged at him, lunging forward and swinging her naginata madly. He smirked, as he dodged her attacks at him with ease. He kicked her weapon out of her hands, leaped into the air and fired a cat claw mirage.
Sizzle.
Crack. Crack.
Nadeshiko appeared behind the smoke, her naginata reverted back to her umbrella that spun around her rapidly, shielding her. Her wounds were instantly healed as her umbrella stopped spinning. She smiled, and opened her palm. Faint blue light glowed around her palm, emitting a strong energy force.
"I believe this is yours, Black Cat."
She directed her palm at him, from the blue light, his attack reappeared and shot back at him.
Poof.
His violin appeared, and he played a quick slow tune. A barrier formed around him, protecting him from the reflected attack which disappeared. He played faster, absorbing the barrier and combining it with his own energy force. A huge white panther appeared. Ikuto played a quick beat, signaling it to attack Nadeshiko. Nadeshiko could see through the mirage and morphed the umbrella into a sword. She slashed at the panther, causing it to break into six fragments. These six fragments floated into the air and headed straight towards Ikuto, who reflected it back with a quick flick of his violin bow. They stabbed into Nadeshiko and disappeared, leaving her with bloody gash wounds.
Ikuto approached cautiously, not bothering to lower his forcefield barrier.
Crackle. Crackle.
Zap. Zap. Zap.
Ikuto fell for Nadeshiko's well built hidden trap. He let out a groan and fell to his knees. Nadeshiko got up and smiled.
"I didn't think you would fall for such a trap so easily. Has the human girl contaminated your mind and your pride?"
He shrugged it off.
"I see. Well if that's the case, then I'm afraid we have something in store for you. You see, your beloved human has now fallen into our hands. So now is the time to be a good kitty and come with me."
He smirked.
"Not on my life."
He destroyed the trap and jumped into the air, sending freezing projectiles at Nadeshiko.
Bang.
Sizzle.
The smoke disappeared, revealing a frozen statue of Nadeshiko. Ikuto, being the cautious person he is, morphed his violin into a death scythe. But this death scythe was a bit different. It was black and glowed a purple hue, it was the death scythe of the First Shinigami. No one knew of their name, only that this person was a female.
Legend has it that she was the First Shinigami ever to venture into the Underworld, thus becoming ruler. She was also the fiancée of Fujisaki Nagihiko, but when she came to Earth to fulfill a certain duty, she came across a human man, and instantly fell in love with him. However, their love was short-lived, as Nagihiko was angered by what she had done, he ordered the death of her human lover, and banished her from the Underworld. Her punishment was to guide souls, both lost and captured, to the Underworld forever. Her weapon was a legendary death scythe that was preserved only for her, but she usually lent it to others in need; specifically those who fell in love with humans to protect them. With her banishment, Nagihiko became Lord of Shinigami and ruler of the Underworld. Nagihiko change the Sacred Laws, in which he forbade shinigami to love humans.
Swoosh.
Ikuto brandished the scythe, a dark purple ray shot out at the frozen Nadeshiko, destroying it. Not only did it do that, but it revealed where the real Nadeshiko was hiding. The bright light from the scythe blinding her temporarily.
Fwoosh.
"Geh!" She tried to shield her eyes but to no avail. "My eyes are burning! Get that contraption away from me!"
Nadeshiko's guard was down and she was left defenseless and her abilities rendered useless. Within one second, Ikuto flew down at lightning speed and slashed at Nadeshiko, solidifying her in ice.
Crack. Crack.
Fwoosh.
Within two seconds, her solidified figure broke into thousands of pieces on the ground before disappearing. Ikuto brandished the scythe once more, to see where Amu was kept saw an image of a tormented Amu in the castle's dungeon cell. 'Must have been the other Gatekeeper's doing, I have to think of a way to bring out of the illusion and break the spell before it's too late.' He was about to enter through the vision when he was stopped by a voice that emitted from the scythe.
"In order to get through the dungeons, you must show the guards this scythe. Then, they should let you pass without hesitation."
Remembering the voice's word of advice, Ikuto stepped into the vision, slowly warping to the Underworld.
"Don't worry, Amu. I'll rescue you now."
Gosu: Sorry guys, but this story's gonna be on hold since I collapsed two days ago and still have yet to see a doctor. See you soon hopefully!
