The Valley of The End {Yami vs Lunar Knights}

[Kodoku Itami]

Both of their movements were graceful, fluid, dance-like.

Itami brought his blade around and parried away Rin's initial strike, charging up his Chidori Katana in his free hand, he channeled a second Chidori into his Sword of Kusanagi. Immediately, he charged into combat, moving at speeds that most would struggle to comprehend, the occasional flash of blue energy where his blades would clash with hers.

Re-appearing he skidded across the water to a halt, before raising his blades in a defensive stance. "Don't you find the scenery perfect, Rin?" He asked with a smirk "Two of history's greatest warriors clashed here and forged this valley, and now here we are, fighting in the scars of their fight."

[Rin Tezuka]

Skidding back along the water, I lower my blades completely, tips just dipping into the crystal blue. She listened to his words carefully, then nodded. "I think some old guy told me once... that history repeats itself. But it doesn't matter to me... They have nothing to do with this. It's just you. And it's just me." I sigh, the blades in my hand vanishing. After the sigh, I begin panting. I was getting tired. Even after all the training with Blindfold, I still was getting tired.

I needed to end it soon. But I need him to see that he's wrong. Why couldn't he just see it? Or... was I wrong? Was I the one who was wrong? Was revenge really good? I take a deep breath. "No.." I mumble. It was to myself. "Why can't you just see?! Why don't you understand?!" Reinforcing the cracking metal in my knuckles, and adding extra metal. "I'm ending this fight now. And maybe you can wake up!" The glowing in my eyes reaches a full light. Not from Ryn's power, but my own will.

I stagger forward and sway as I begin my run, arms behind me like Blindfold does. And it bursts into a full sprint. I pull back the slightly-heavier fist and jump the rest of the distance, and spin around, jerking fast because of the weight as my fists heads straight for Itami.

Just... please stray off this bad path...

[Kodoku Itami]

"It's you who doesn't understand..." Itami said as his sword seemingly slipped up his sleeve as if it had never even existed. "I wish that I could let you live, but until you understand... I can't..." The black markings across Itami's skin spread even further across his body as he started sprinting towards Rin, arms held out behind him almost casually. His skin turned a dark grey as all the tribal shapes interlinked, his hair started to grow outwards, pale blue in colour, and a black diamond shape formed across the bridge on his nose and two bulges became evident in his back.

Itami flung off the Yami Cloak that he was wearing, revealing that beneath he had removed his shirt. Suddenly, two hand shaped wings burst forth from his back whilst Itami gritted his teeth against the pain. Leaping up towards Rin with a flap of his wings, he drew a fist back and swung.

I can't... I walk the path of Yami... I wish you'd understand...

[Rin Tezuka]

The two punches connect.

I can't... I walk the path of Yami... I wish you'd understand...

After hearing that, I realize that my body was already flying through the air. I'd heard it. His emotions. And the sight of what he is now... he'd given in. The dark of revenge had consumed him. But the voice... It was soft. Like it wanted me to get it. To understand.

The next thing I knew, my back was in huge pain. My contact with the wall had created a crater, about five feet in, and dome-shaped. I fell forward on my hands and knees, panting with pain. "I wish I could actually understand..." Wrinkling my face in pain, I rise like a zombie to my feet.
Ryn... It's ending here. Plea--
Rin. It's fine. You've done your best. Do what you can.

All of me began glowing in a grey light. "KODOKU ITAMI!" The light around me explodes, and in around me is a dying grey light. Gently falling to the ground, I've encased myself in a new armor. "Let's just finish! Whoever's will is the strongest will be the winner!"

[Kodoku Itami]

Itami's hand like wings grasped the side of his crater. Pulling himself out, he teetered on the edge of the wall, a dark grin spreading across his face as he gave a nod. "It shall be as it shall be." He said, holding out his left palm. Although it didn't quite seem the time, he felt the need to explain what was going to happen now, what he was about to do.

"Rin-chan..." He said, using honourifics, something he'd even dropped now for Kurai. "Kurai taught me the Chidori... As a blade to protect my friends..." As if on cue, the blue energy of the Chidori started to spark in his hand. "But that wasn't enough... It wouldn't get me my revenge, I needed something more..." He frowned almost sadly at this fact. "The Kodoku have always been proficient in fire... I was the one who taught Kurai how to use it... He always said it was difficult, no, impossible to infuse another element into the Chidori, because it's lightning based..."

He raised his right arm, a fireball burning away within his palm, highlighting the red of his eyes. "But he was wrong..." He brought his two hands together, the lightning and the fire merging. "Using my will, my strength, my anger, my hatred... I have formed this..." He raised his hands, a burning red and white fireball smoldered within, red bolts of electricity and the occasional lick of flame leaped from the attack before grounding or spluttering out into embers.

[Rin Tezuka]

"Itami... Imagine just how much stronger you would be... if you'd forget that hatred." Though he couldn't see, I smiled. I hold out the mechanical arm in front of me. "I'll create a technique, then. Right now."

At the end of the palm, almost instantly, the Lunar Rasengan took shape. "Ryn!" I call out loud, the face of the armor vanishing. The eyes that were once green, and it feels so long ago, now were a pure silver light. The Lunar Rasengan began glowing the same grey. The glove of the armor cracking off and thinning, fusing with the Rasengan.

Bits of blade spun in the grey ball, like something caught in a whirlpool. "This power was made from our bond! From the need to show you..." I don't finish that sentence. "This is my Rin-Ryn Style: Lunar Razergan!"

And in one swift movement, I leap off of the wreck in the wall. The razor-thin wings gave me a good glide as I charged across the chasm at him. "IITAAAMIIII!" I scream his name. This would decide it...

[Kodoku Itami]

Itami chuckled at her ingenuity. "Prepare for the Nensho Chidori!"

He burst from the crater, his Burning Chidori smoldering in his palm as he did so, his wings flapping as he bomb-burst out towards Rin. This was it, it seems... The two great powers meet, was this good versus evil? No, surely not, this went beyond the simple black and white. These were two non-descript shades of grey launching towards one another in a fateful clash.

"RIIIIIIIN!" He roared back as he thrust his Nensho Chidori towards her Lunar Razergan.

[Rin Tezuka]

I slam the attack into his Nensho Chidori. Then they met... The energies were... balanced. I try to push the attack more, but it didn't do anything. I couldn't.

The attacks formed a light. It was both red and grey. And it began expanding. I look into his eyes, softening my glare. It was one of sympathy. Not something I knew well, but.. I knew what it was like to be alone. I close my eyes as the light encased us.

And when I opened them, it was completely white. I couldn't see any corners that would tell if there were walls or a ceiling, or even a floor. And... I didn't see him. But Itami was behind me. This place felt warm, but also cold. It was like... this was our friendship. "You still haven't opened your eyes, Itami..."

[Kodoku Itami]

Itami was stood in the light, his back to Rin's. He was looking down towards his feet with his eyes closed.

"You still haven't opened your eyes, Itami..."

She used his name, again. Not Trench Coat. That was weird, odd... He couldn't decide if he liked it, at least not his full name...

He finally opened his eyes, they were back to his normal Onyx Black, his skin and body were back to normal, but he wasn't wearing the Yami Cloak still. He looked up, out, ahead. "Don't call me that..." He said, the warmth was there, but he still felt cold... Like it was eminating from him, that cold... He remembered the dark purple entity and it all made sense.

"Tami... That's what Kurai always called me... Itami means pain..." He sighed. "Tami doesn't mean anything, Kurai must have thought it would change something..."

[Rin Tezuka]

I look straight ahead, and listen to his words. And then I shake my head with a smile. "But you're not 'nothing.' You're something, alright. Besides... I think Trench Coat will work just fine, right?" A light "heh" escapes me as I sigh. I couldn't tell what the sigh was for. Was I upset? Or glad? I hated talking. It bores me. But strangely, right now felt perfect for it.

And that was when I realized that my armor had vanished, too. I was just in my regular clothes... And I couldn't feel Ryn in here, either. It was just Itami and I. "...What are you going to do now?"

[Kodoku Itami]

"Go. Leave." He replied almost solemnly with a sigh as he looked down at his feet again. Why did he feel like he did? Why was he so sad? Was this supposed to happen?

"I was being serious when I said what I did... I need to sever those ties, Rin... I can't be free when I'm so tied down to everything..."

He tilted his head back, so that it rested against hers.

"It was horrible... Seeing them there... They were laid like no living being can..."

[Rin Tezuka]

I sigh, feeling relaxed as our heads touch. I felt comfortable like that. "I still don't understand you, Trench Coat. But... maybe I'm not supposed to. Maybe people shouldn't always understand each other. I mean, I've never understood anything. Or even wanted to.. But it's different with you. I don't understand that, either..."

I let a long period of silence pass. "I wish you could change your mind." More silence.

"Am I ever going to see you again.... Tami?"

[Kodoku Itami]

Would she? Did he believe that she would? If he didn't... Should he say so? Would it be right of him to say that she would when she wouldn't? Was it right of him to fell her with such hope? 

The most important question dawned on him.

Why did he care so much?

"You walk the path of Light, Hikari..." 

He could feel his vision clouding, it wasn't from overuse of his powers, or from blood in his eyes. This was something else.

"Where Hikari goes... Yami follows, Rin..." 

The tear rolled down his cheek, but he didn't look sad, or happy, or anything. Just confused. His shoulders didn't heave wit sobs, nor did he wail, just the lone tear rolled down his cheek before running down his hair, and into Rin's.

"That's where I'll always be..."

His voice didn't falter, but a second tear followed the first, on the opposite side of his face.

"I'll always be behind you... I'll be your shadow... I'll watch over you..."

He shuffled back slightly, the heels of his sandalled feet touching against Rin's, the small of his back pressed against hers. She was warm, whereas he was cold, but he had to be. He couldn't be warm where he was going.

"I'll protect you, Rin..."

[Rin Tezuka]

Normally, I'd have said something like "you don't need to protect me" or "good luck trying." But this time I had nothing to say. I felt both hollow and filled. Warm and cold. Water and fire. Touchable and intangible. Here and not.

And then I lower my head in a smile. "Alright. Protect me. But if you go wherever I do, I expect you to answer when I talk to you." I knew he wasn't being exact. I knew he wasn't saying he'd follow me everywhere. But it was easier to make light of it.

"I just hope you can make sure you're on the right path... Whatever you do, try and be happy... and if I can..." The white of the area around us flashed, so I couldn't even see myself. The connection was ending.

...I still want to be your friend...

[Kodoku Itami]

...You will be...

Itami gasped for air as his head broke the surface of the water. His features were back to normal, save for the two nasty red welts where his wings had been. No doubt they'd become scars that were torn everytime he used his wings. Would he even ever get them again?

He dragged himself and the weight that he was carrying up onto the shore. It was Rin. He couldn't explain what had happened, they'd obviously both fallen unconscious after their attacks met, but then they'd seemed to share each others thoughts for a while, as if they were one being. Finally getting her safely onto shore, he collapsed onto his hands and knees, his face hovering above hers. 

"I'm supposed to kill you..." He thought as he looked down at her peaceful expression. "I need to kill you..." 

He reached into his trouser pocket, and pulled out a piece of blue fabric. Tying it around the hilt of his sword, he leaned down, the water from his hair, dripping onto Rin's face, mixed with the tears from his cheeks. Leaning closer, he placed one small kiss upon her forehead, before standing up and gripping his sword.

"You're my only friend... My best friend... Goodbye, Rin-sama..."

He raised the sword, before stabbing it down with a thud. With that, he turned and left...

Landing on the statue opposite the Lunar Knights, his cloak had returned. "Alvaro." He said, his voice laced with authority. "We're leaving." Without even waiting for his partner, he disappeared.

Down on the shore, a sword stuck up through the sand, the flat of the blade facing Rin Tezuka. Around the hilt, was tied a piece of blue fabric with a metal plate, the plate was etched with the Horo Clan insignia, it was what Kodoku Itami had worn when he was training under his Sensei.

Goodbye, Rin-sama. Until the day your shadow is needed.