A/N: Akira has one foot on each side of the bridge between Life and Death. She must confront past events, good and bad, to face a trail that awaits her at the end of the road. What will the outcome of her judgment be?
Also, little update, look back at the previous chapter. I had a scene that was going to be added into this chapter but I decided to have it included in the previous chapter.
Chapter 61: The Will to Live
In the real world, Plumette stares at Akira with great concern.
Hours have passed since the doctors took her away for another examination. The tests showed she's showing no signs of close recovery or awakening. They even begin to wonder if she will ever be healed, and that Elizabeth is doing nothing but wasting away her hard-earned money for life support on someone who no longer carries life. Plumette was upset to hear the news, even worried for her young mistress Selena.
But that's not the reason for her concerns about Akira.
The doctors burst right in, and it alerts Plumette. "Oh thank goodness, you have arrived."
"What's the status of the patient?" The head doctor asks.
They all take a look at Akira. The beeping of the heart monitor has increased, somewhere above average. But at the same time, Akira is panting heavily and sweating, while also making sounds of painful groans.
"I don't know what's happening. She started sweating and panting like this, and her heart rate suddenly spiked." Plumette says. The doctors get a close look at Akira. "It's like she's having a nightmare."
"Her body is still too weak and injured to handle this much stressful pressure." The head doctor says. "If she doesn't calm down soon, she could die of shock." Hear that causes Plumette to gasp. "Get her to the emergency room, stat!"
In the Dream, Patrick stares down at Akira with a snarl breathing. Akira only stands frozen with fear. Her hands shaking, making it hard to keep her Katana steady. In the blink of an eye, Patrick vanishes and instantly reappears right in front of Akira to deliver a Shadow Slash with his claws. The strike knocks Akira back. She crashes against the doors, and the second she does, the whole scenery shatters like glass. Even the Grimm Patrick vanishes into dust of the broken world. Akira falls into the endless void. What would have felt like an eternity, she finally hits the ground in a fiery scene.
Akira just lays on the ground, surrounded by intense flames that trap her from within. As Akiratries to stand up, she suddenly feels a searing pain in her body. When she feels it, she then looks at her hand to see it's covered with blood. She then looks down at her body to find massive claw marks on her chest and stomach. Seeing this, her heart pounds like crazy, and her hand shakes. "What's the matter?" The figure asks, approaching her from behind. "Having a sudden fear of death? Life flashing before your eyes?" Akira doesn't say anything. The dread feeling of fear overwhelms her. Immense pain suddenly burns within her chest. Akira grabs her heart, drilling her fingers into her chest. "Your body in the real world is starting to catch up to your mental lobe. You won't last long, and soon you'll belong to me."
Akira tries her best to fight against the fear and the pain turn response to her mystery guest. "Belong...To..." Akira summons the strength to look right at it. "Who...Who are...you?"
"You still haven't figured it out? Perhaps this should shed some light. The figure removes its hood. Even dazed and blurry, Akira can still see its face. Or her face she should say. The figure is wearing Akira's own face, only her hair is deathly white and her skin is ghostly white with eyes even more red like blood that's on fire with black veins on her face.
"You're...me?" Akira asks.
"Wrong. I am Death!" Death says, its voice echoing in the end which also sends a chill down Akira's spine. "And I don't mean it in any fancy way you humans and Faunus put it, other than one word: I am LITERALLY Death. Straight up!" Death pulls out its staff, which then turns into a scythe as the blade pops out of it. "And I have come for you, Akira Rhysenshi. You threw your own life away just to save a human." Akira tries to speak but the pain overwhelms her. Death approaches with its scythe over Akira's throat. "And yet, you have proven that you are just like every other Faunus: Malevolent towards humanity."
Death draws its scythe back. Akira is powerless to fight back against him. But she doesn't fight it. Instead, she closes her eyes and puts on a stern face. Ready to accept her fate. Time stands still as Akira gathers her final thoughts, wishing to give her own time their final goodbyes.
Until...
'Mistress Akira.' Akira's eyes shot wide open. She finds herself in an endless void. There's nothing but a single spotlight in front of her. Plumette stands beside a hospital bed, which contains Akira who is suffering from her life-and-death nightmare. Plumette holds onto Akira's hand. "You've got to hold on. Think of your family, your friends. Think of Mistress Selena. You may not know this, but she has spent all of her time staying by your side. She cried for you. Prayed for you. Even though it seemed impossible, she never gave up on the hope you would awaken. That you will return to her side once more. She may not be here by your side anymore, but I know she is still thinking of you, keeping that faith alive."
Akira is speechless. Even though this world is nothing but a dream, there is no denying that what she is seeing before her is all real. An event that is happening in the real world. Akira just stands frozen as she watches the event before her fading away. All alone in the void, Akira looks down at her hand. The one that was held by Selena.
In a single moment, A memory flashed into Akira's mind: Selena and Marlene holding onto her hand, praying. Even though Akira has no memory of it, her body certainly remembers her. Taking it all deep, Akira slowly closes her hand.
That is when Death makes it strike, swinging its scythe to end Akira's life. Claiming her soul. Her death.
Bang!
The blow is made, and Death is astonished. "What?" Akira is still looking down as if really to accept her defeat. However, her hand is holding out her sword, blocking Death's attack. Akira's hand shakes, but not from fear, from holding back Death's Attack. As Death stares astonished at Akira, Akira's body starts to glow in Chi Energy.
Akira starts standing up, having no effect from the grave wound on her body. She starts pushing Death back, all while the wound on her body starts vanishing. The moment her body fully heals, Akira throws all her strength into repeling Death. Death can hardly believe it. Akira was powerless against it, and now she is suddenly fighting back with her newfound strength.
Akira holds her katana in front, making her fighting stance. This only makes Death laugh. "You're going to right me? I have faced countless souls over the eons, and not a single one has escaped me."
"What you say may be true, but I will not back down. As a warrior, A Huntress, a Samuari, I will fight for my life." Akira draws her Katana back, positioned ready to strike. "Even you."
Death chuckles as it wields its scythe. "This is going to be fun." Death charges towards Akira, and Akira does the same to it. The both of them clash in the middle of the flame pit. Death's strength overpowers Akira and it knocks her back. Akira braces herself to prevent from sliding back into the wall of fire. Akira then loads her Katana with lightning dust.
Death comes charging towards Akira as she draws her sword back, loaded with wind dust and charged up with a little Chi Energy. "Sixth Sword Form: Whirlwind." Akira unleashes a tornado wave of chi energy toward Death. Death so easily avoids the incoming winds. It swings its Scythe at Akira, who manages to dodge it in time.
Akira and Death battle each other, delivering several strikes, either dodging or blocking their incoming blows. In the final blow, Death sweeps Akira off her feet, having her pinned down with its scythe. Akira blocks the blow with her Kanata. She groans through her teeth as she tries to push Death off of her. Death smiles deviously as it pushes further to collect Akira's Soul.
Akira then sets her sword to be loaded with Gravity Dust. The dust-enhanced Katana pulses with energy enough to help Akira repel Death off of her. Akira gets back on her feet, raising the Katana overhead. "Seventh Sword Form: Dark Moon!" Akira slams her Katana on the ground with full force causing the blade to unleash a massive amount of gravitational energy that shakes and breaks the very ground in front. Death attempts to block the incoming wave with its scythe. It successfully blocks the damage but the energies knock it back.
After a quick recovery, Death chuckles. "Oh, now it's getting interesting." Death's eyes glow in burning red as it channels dark magic through its scythe. Akira becomes astonished. She can feel the immense power of Death's weapon. But she doesn't falter.
Death charges in swinging its scythe. Akira blocks the attack but the force of it is stronger than she expected. Death moves faster and stronger than its done before, Akira can't even get a moment's break to fight back. All she can do is block and dodge, each doing only little effect. Akira takes cuts and blows, some that even manage to pierce through her Aura.
For Death's final attack, Akira blocks with her Katana with some Chi Energy. But the blow was the strength Death could muster, and it knocked Akira back pretty far and hard. Akira lands on the other end of the pit close to the firewall. Akira takes the moment to gather her energy but comes to a surprise when she hears metal piercing the ground. She looks to see her Katana or rather the blade of it, pierced to the ground. She looks at her Katana to see the blade had broken off of the hilt.
Seeing this flashes the memory of the moment when she fought Patrick. She tried blocking his Shadow Claw attack with her Ultimate Sword Form: Heaven's Blade, and it broke the blade right off in the end. "Tsk. Tsk. Tsk." Death walks towards Akira. "Well, isn't this ironic." Akira looks down at her broken weapon, then back at Death. She's defenseless against him. As she stares at her broken weapon, her courage strengths, and looks at Death with no fear. "Oh? You seem pretty confident." Akira says nothing, only maintaining that stern expression. "Nothing to say?"
Akira slowly moves her body as she takes deep slow breaths, focusing her energy. Death only stands and observes to see what it is Akira is plotting. As Akira performs her Tai-chi, her Aura glows brightly. In the end, she stands firm and still, holding what remains of her broken weapon in the air.
"Origin Sword Form:" Akira lowers the hilt to her level. As she stands firm, Akira's Chi starts transferring to her broken weapon. Once fully charged, it then creates a whole new blade out of pure energy. Then she positions herself to hold her blade on her side, ready to strike and shifts her feet.
Seeing Akira just standing there doing nothing, Death only laughs. "Do you think you can defeat me with that new toy? Oh, you've asked for it."
Death draws its scythe back. Charging it up with so much powerful dark energy, the very ground trembles and cracks. Akira keeps her body still as she focuses. She can feel the world around her slowing down, the sounds of crackling flames turning deaf to her ears, both regular and fox.
Once fully charged, Death lets out a shout as it charges towards Akira at incredible speed. Death delivers it's most deathly strike at Akira, and that's when Akira unleashes hers:
"ZANTETSUKEN!"
Both weapons clash, unleashing a powerful force that would split the world in two. Akira grins her teeth and groans as she holds Death back with all her strength. Death deviously smiles as it pushes with all its might against her.
Akira can feel her strength faltering. Akira breathes heavily as her hands shake from the overwhelming force.
She then closes her eyes, and the memories of everything that's happened in the past year begin to flow:
Meeting Patrick in the airship.
Pairing up with Selena in the Emerald Forest.
The Auditorium where Team PASM is made.
The Dorm room where they have moments together: such as setting up rooms, Selena revealing her true identity to them, the evening when Selena was recovering from Gaia's attempted abuse
Out on a mission with her team and Instructor Mashika.
The night of Halloween.
The mansion of Selena's mother on Christmas.
The New Year Countdown concert.
Valentines Day.
Prom Night.
The last mission where she rescued the ruthless jokester Evan.
And the last memory: When Team PASM won their first match in the Vytal Tournament.
The love and joy of those memories flows through Akira's body, and with a prideful, stern expression of her face, Akira let's out a loud shout. The strength within her heightens to the point where it's Death's arms that are shaking from the overwhelming force.
"WHAT?!" Death shouts, astonished with dissatisfaction.
Death pours every ounce of power it has onto Akira's force, but it is no use. Akira's Zantetsuken attack cuts right through, unleashing a pulse of massive chi energy that shatters Death's Scythe and knocks Death back in the process.
Death crashes onto the floor close to the other side of the firewall. Its broken scythe crashing right in front of it. Death lays there for a show while, trying to gather its strength and energy. When Death looks up, it sees Akira is looking down at it, her Katana, freshly restored, pointed at it.
"I know I can never defeat you, Death. But I will never stop fighting you." Akira then sheathes her weapon. "Because I have a reason to live, and it's the exact reason why I choose to sacrifice my life. My team may be full of humans, but that doesn't matter to me. They are good people who count on me just as much as I can count on them. We all shared many things: Joy. Love. Sadness. Pain." Akira plants a hand on her chest. "I am honored to have these people as my team. As my friends. My family...And I'm going back to the real world to stand beside them. Even if I have to face you a thousand times."
Death softly growls as it stares at Akira with a stern expression. It gets back on its feet, not taking its eyes off of her. Death expects Akira to flinch from her words. But she stands there full of pride.
That's when Death chuckles. This leaves Akira confused until it speaks. "You are not like any of the Faunus I've ever faced, young one. I have faced countless Faunus over the eons. Each one of them burns with their 'reasons' to keep living: Rage. Justice. Vengeance. But you are the first ever to want to go back with the reason of love for humans. I think I now understand why you did what you did with that young human girl."
Death then turns around, facing the firewall. It puts its hood on. "Live your life, Akira Rhysenshi. Live it well."
Death walks through the flames, vanishing as the fire engulfs it. The moment it vanishes, the fire has disappeared, and Akira finds herself returned to the void of nothingness. Akira looks around. She knows she's standing on solid ground even though there's nothing beneath her feet. Suddenly, a cherry blossom petal comes into her vision. She sees it fall onto her hand. Akira turns and is astonished.
Behind her is a small island. It's not so much as an island, just a circular ground of grass in a large spotlight of light with a Cherry Blossom Tree at its center. Akira approaches the tree, looking up at it as she stares at the cherry blossoms shining in the raining light of the endless darkness.
"End of the road, huh? I know I've won my life back, but I guess my body in the real world must still be too injured for my spirit to return." Akira looks at the petal in her hand. As she thinks, she slowly closes it in her palm. "Hmm...Well, guess I have no other choice."
Akira positions herself at the base of the tree. She stands facing against it, moving to a sitting position, resting her Katana on the ground just in front of her.
And begins her meditation.
Back in the real world, the week is finally over.
Airships make their landing at Beacon Academy. Soundless students and their professors leave the ships and make their way toward Beacon Academy. Teams CPER, SHDW, and PASM make their way towards Beacon.
"That was a paw-some camping experience." Clawdia says as she stretches her arms.
"Easy for you to say." Marlene says. "You didn't get skunked. And had to take an outdoor bath in tomato juice."
"Just be glad no Grimm came along." Patrick then throws a mean glare at Peter. "Or some idiot perv peeping on us!"
"Whoa, take it easy man. I'll admit I would be tempted but I wouldn't do that to a friend." Peter says.
"Doubtful." Patrick says.
"Oh, you've made it back." the three teams stop to see Rin approaching them. "I hope your second-year expedition went well."
"More or less." Patrick tells her.
Rin giggles a little. "Patrick, Sherry, Marlene, Professor Ozpin wishes to see you in the training grounds."
"I wonder what about?" Selena says.
"Maybe Akira's back." Marlene says though nobody thinks that's true. "Well, let's go see."
"Yeah, we'll come along as well." Clawdia says.
Team PASM and CPER make their way to the training grounds. They all arrive at the training grounds where they find Ozpin alongside Mashika and Marina. Ozpin greets them, though he is surprised to see CPER being here.
"Miss Clawdia, you didn't need to come here. I only ask for Mister Patrick and his team." Ozpin says.
"Well, we figured we would come along and support them." Peter says.
"Hmm...Very well." Ozpin turns his attention to Patrick, Selena, and Marlene. "Now, I have summoned you here to discuss the vacant position in your team." The three of them look at Ozpin in a mixture of astonishment and sorrow. "I am well aware of the situation with your teammate, Miss Akira. However, while you are waiting for your friend to make a full recovery, I cannot allow you to further attend Beacon Academy with just the three of you. So I have taken the liberty of finding you a temporary replacement until Miss Akira returns."
Patrick, Selena, and Marlene exchange looks. They don't say anything, but they all know they're all thinking the same thing: That this new change is not going to be easy. Especially for Selena.
Ozpin then moves aside, revealing their newest member. A young pretty girl with long blue hair. She carries a Gun-Lance on her back while also wearing Dust-loaded knuckles. The girl looks really nervous, shy even.
"Team PASM, meet your newest member: Aria Stars." Ozpin says.
Meanwhile, Sakuya is walking down the hallways with her team. They arrive at their dorm. Once they do, they only stand in front with Sakuya taking the lead. She looks at both sides of the hallway. Once it's clear, she knocks on the door in a certain way. First 3 times, then twice, then three more times, then a long pause followed by one more knock.
That's when the door opens with a Shadow Tread Ninja answering. "Chief Sakuya."
"Is the deed done, brother?" Sakuya asks.
The ninja nods. "Indeed. The room is completely soundproof, and we've had shades to the window that completely block off visibility."
"Excellent. Return to base." Sakuya says.
The ninja salutes. "Yes, Chief Sakuya."
The ninja makes its escape out the window. Sakuya and Team SHDW walk inside, with Sakuya closing and locking the door behind them. "All right. It's time to report in. Brother Wallace?"
Wallace takes out a holofilm device. He sets it in the middle of the room. Donnie closes the window and sets the shades. Hikari dims the lights. Once everything's set, they all gather around the device. Sakuya turns it on, and a hologram of Headmaster Theodore appears.
Sakuya and her team kneel before his image. "Master Theodore."
"Sakuya and the Shadow Tread." Theodore says. "What's the status of your mission?"
"We have infiltrated Beacon Academy, undercover as Vacuo's Transfer Team, Team SHDW, and have successfully passed the Second-Year Expedition Exam." Sakuya says.
"And what of Ozpin? Does he suspect anything?" Theodore asks.
"No. The only one who suspects us is the target." Sakuya says.
"This could be troublesome, but expected nonetheless. He is the Shadow Hunter after all." Theodore says. "So long as Ozpin doesn't release the true purpose of your mission here in Beacon, we should be safe. As for the Shadow Hunter: try to befriend him to draw away his suspicions, but keep your distance." Theodore looks around at the rest of Sakuya's team. "Ozpin believes that this Grimm Hybrid could turn the tide of war against The Big One. But he is a reckless fool."
"With all due respect, Theodore sir, I have seen what Patrick has done when he fought against the Big One herself, and I think..." Sakuya is quickly interrupted.
"I am aware of what you have reported, Sakuya. But that doesn't mean he can be trusted. And who can even say that Salem won't take control over him again." Sakuya doesn't say anything, and Theodore continues. "Now then, continue on with your mission. Keep a close eye on the target. If you see them going full-on Grimm once more: Eliminate him. We cannot allow The Big One to succeed in acquiring the relic."
Sakuya bows her head. "As you wish, Master Theodore."