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Mithrigil
RTT--Scarlett Welles
Posts: 101
(6/21/02 7:47:32 am)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Switch: It could have otherwise been Twitchy or Bitchy. I think it was a VERY good call.
Guess who Ms. Sexual Repression USA is playing in RTT?

Isn't the irony lovely?
Some things money can't buy. For everything else, there's Mithrigil.
(this links to LT)
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Baka
Wind Seer
Posts: 186
(6/21/02 1:02:17 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Whoa! I won something! Thanks for that folks - I wanted to try and do something a little different with Ivan, and Kyo gave me the perfect opportunity. Yay!
And here, in the style of my intro - ie SHORT - is my ending
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"So Ivan... are you ready?"
The Adept looked around slowly. "Yes.. yes, I think I am."
"And what gift would you like?"
Ivan pursed his lips, then scratched his head. "I.. I don't know. You know, I don't think I want anything."
The host gave him a strange look. "Come on - I can give you anything you want."
A grin flashed across Ivan's face. "I have everything I want. Just send me home."
"You sure?"
"Yep."
"No goodbyes?"
"I've... already said them. Not to anyone in particular... but I think.. I think I've let everyone know. Telepathy... Empathy... my mental powers have improved a lot."
The host let out a laugh. "Shoulda guessed. Are you ready?"
"Ye - no! Wait one minute.. I have one thing to do."
Ivan ran over to a solitary figure, sitting in the shadows silently.
"Um... I'd just like to do one thing before I go."
There was no response - so he did it anyway - silently. The only sign was a slight widening of the figure's eyes. Ivan turned and returned to the host. A few words were spoken, and the Adept vanished.
And in the corner, slowly, Ramirez began to laugh...

Baka // Wind Seer // Salva Nos
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Kellios
RTT: Aeris Gainsborough
Posts: 98
(6/21/02 4:22:52 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Dareon: That's a problem. Considering that's my name, it's really no big deal
*snickers* I like those, Mith
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"I'll come back when it's all over"~~Aeris Gainsborough |
Soujiro Seta
RTT :: Kaze
Posts: 57
(6/21/02 4:23:01 pm)
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The last of it...
And now, in the style of MY intro, something long and drawn out! One last bit I have to tell, one last part in this play to write. For stories last long, and many there are yet to be told. Therefore, let us return, one last time…
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Like the Clouds, Like the Wind
Kaze grasped the bullets that the newborn god held out toward him. He knew no honor; he knew no shame. He would accept all the power he was given. Power was what had kept him alive far beyond his due. He nodded to the host, placing the precious colors in three adjacent spots in his bullet-holding belt. It was doubtful that those colors could be found in the myriad sands of the Inner World.
The soil had carried him thus far, through the turbulence and war, hatred and strife. The soil would see him on his journey – his only companion, his only strength. Strength, he knew, he could not pass to others or use to aid once he had departed. But depart he must; the bells of the Inner World were tolling for him; his purpose as dictated by the golden gun upon his right arm was not complete. Toil and torment awaited him, solitude and silence forever by his side.
Yet even as he had tried to keep everyone out of his affairs, his words – or lack thereof – had impressed themselves upon a few. And for those, he had something. It was a perfunctory token, not of any real use or power to them, but perhaps in the most unlikely of circumstances, its presence would remind them of their trials; to give them strength. None of them would likely find it before they had all parted ways; he had been most deft about his furtive giving.
To Ryo Hazuki, a soil bullet of Ice Blue. He had fought against the unyielding cold and survived; learning what true cold was. In him was something of a kindred; a man on a quest of vengeance. But vengeance, as Kaze had come to know, must always be as unyielding and perfect as ice, lest outbursts lead to mistakes. With that color, Ice Blue, the young martial artist might one day remember, when he faced his father’s killer, to steel his heart against that which would make him no different than the killer himself. The one that freezes everything…Ice Blue…
To Vivi, one who believed he would help them by faith alone, a soil bullet of Mother Black. Unlike several of the darker bullets, Mother Black bore no evil aura. It stood solely for the froth of creation not yet given form, a darkness representing the potential for possibly anything. Vivi, the artificial child as real as any little boy – born from darkness though he may have been, he had the same potential still. Mother Black…darkness does not harbor evil except when both together reside in the minds of the corrupt. The boy would need this truth to understand the complexity of life’s meaning and his own identity. Origin of all…Mother Black…
And lastly, one he was oddly proud to have slipped into the pocket of the Arcadian sky pirate, a shining Auto Silver. Gilder; a man whose name suggested a shiny exterior concealing a less valuable inside, defied his name with his life. His eyes had betrayed a longing for something, anything solid in the world to be able to confide his hopes and doubts in. A man who was not as simple as he would have had others believe. All that glittered was not gold; only a man’s character held true worth in the universal scheme. Gilder; a man who glittered not only on the surface. The light that pierces eternity…Auto Silver…
Turning, he looked over the room one last time, where participants of all sorts were letting loose with a little relaxation. There were some whose visages he recalled and others who were unfamiliar to him. Some would return to worlds that had triumphed over darkness…some would return to worlds where darkness threatened to swallow everything. Each had a world and scenario as unique and different as they themselves, but they were all there now, in that place. That was one common thing each could claim; the set of experiences they had lived through over the course of the tourney. That is correct with what I know; new gods are born through suffering and pain. This god…can he achieve benevolence? But that is not my place to judge…
There was a door marked with an ‘EXIT’ sign; he remembered that the sight of such a thing was not unfamiliar to him, though he couldn’t remember where he had seen it before. That was the door that existed as more than just a door; a portal to deliver each person back from whence they had come. Everyone, before sunrise, would go through that door; return to where they were supposed to be. He had considered the host’s gift of an offer, but there was no request which could be classified as ‘minor’ that could assuage his mission, and he had already received the bullets beside. But that was the way it should be; leaving without parting words, just a wind blowing through. A black wind, which few knew and fewer should remember. In truth, he did not deserve being remembered – all memories of a man who had sold his humanity for power would be no more than a somber reminder of the greed and pettiness of mortal beings. That was the truth in his own life; he had given everything – no, more than everything – for great power. And what would he do with that power? He would take his revenge. He would see the end of White Cloud, he would lay waste to the mighty Gaudium Fortress, and he would stop the Count from amassing the power of Omega. Benevolent? Pah…he was doing it for himself more than any other person. In the end, it was all about him. Maybe he feared death; feared something he sat on the threshold of daily. Live as long as possible, survive for any reason – those were goals to him. The saddest thing was that he didn’t regret it. He didn’t remember enough of what he had lost to be able to regret it.
His left hand reached to push open the exit door, but he felt a pull, a tug on the fringe of his cape. Turning his head, he saw a familiar sight; the form of the red-robed child mage, Vivi. He waited, staring at his former teammate.
“M…mister Kaze?” The young wizard’s pale yellow eyes seemed far away, as if he were looking through the gunman at something far beyond him. “I wanna…uh…thank you. For helping us, you see.” He wrung his gloved hands as he continued to talk. “Maybe you thought that you really weren’t around to help Ivan and I, but we don’t think so. We know you helped us, even though we couldn’t see you sometimes. I think y…you’ve got a kind heart, mister Kaze. Thanks for protecting us.” Vivi gave a curt bow, the tip of his steeple hat flopping downward as he bent forward.
Kaze kept staring at the red mage, absorbing the words, perhaps weighing if they meant anything in the grand scheme of things. After what seemed like a great stillness, the tall gunman bent down on one knee to look straight into Vivi’s face.
“Your spirit is just.” He spoke in his normal tone, soft and near-monotone. “Only, never let yourself become…like me.” The young mage eyed him in a puzzled expression. “That is to say, keep your priorities in order. Seek not power for power’s sake, nor aspire to pass judgment like a deity, or to give in to personal weakness.”
“But mister Kaze…Ivan said you do all those things…” Vivi wrung his hands again, realizing only after the words left his mouth that they might be taken in a harsh manner.
“I know.” Kaze nodded his head once, slowly. “For me, it is too late. You, however, can choose not to be like me.” At close range, Vivi could see both of Kaze’s aquamarine blue eyes, one shaded through a tinted lens. It was a wistful glance, a glance that saw more of memories than of visible sights. “My time is here. I hear the call, and I must return to the Inner World.” Rising up quickly, he reached out and pushed the left door open with his hand, walking out as if it were just an ordinary street that would meet him; as if ‘returning’ meant going to a warm house situated a couple blocks away.
Ivan said so…he said that Kaze’s mind was like a dark cave. There were things there, but no one could see what they were. But as long as they were there, perhaps he can remember someday. Maybe he’ll remember the man he was. But perhaps…if he were to remember now, his heart would make him unable to do the job he has to do. After his work his finished, I hope he can remember. It must be sad to remember so little about yourself…but maybe for him, it was more sad to have to remember it all. Vivi started to walk away from the exit, back to the limelight of the party. He didn’t want to go, not yet. It was a moment that he wanted to make last as long as he could – being together with all the people, simply enjoying some good fun. That was how things were supposed to be.
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A strong breeze whipped the sea of the Inner World against the rocky bluffs of the shoreline, breaking the outline of the setting sun in the waters. The sea was one of those things that must be the same on almost every world – expansive, deep, and not altogether fathomable. And yet, at the same time, the sea was merely the same struggle for survival on land, repackaged in a liquid environment. But the sea was ageless, and looking at it brought Kaze a sense of rest and peace, the first time he’d had that sensation since the night he had been summoned to that fateful tournament. The churning, peaceful sea.
As he looked on, he could see the top of a seagoing vessel peek above the surface of the water, heading out from a cavern beneath the cliffs. They were there, in that vessel. Ai…Yuu…Lisa…those he had protected when their paths crossed. Perhaps they needed him. It felt a bit odd to consider someone depending on him, as if his Demon Gun was turned toward a purpose more benevolent than his own ends.
That’s it…you’re starting to get the idea, Black Wind…
His face squinted as he looked into the waves, tinted fiery orange by the setting of the sun. He was there; he had returned to the place not quite his home. And yet, it felt just a little bit like home, like there would be at least three people to whom his return mattered. Of course, there was always the likelihood that it didn’t matter to them at all, but maybe, just maybe, it did. And he nodded his head, as if accepting that possibility.
He was called Kuroki Kaze, the Black Wind, summoner and gunman. And the wind would blow forever, until its mission was complete, to the ends of all earths. Once again, he looked down at where a right hand should have been, a golden pod resting motionless in its place. That was his mission – his hate, his love, his weakness, his strength…his life. He had chosen the soil.
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Masquerade…
Paper faces on parade…masquerade…
Hide your face so the world can never find you…
~FIN~
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Thanks, everyone, for enjoying the story. As always, it's been a pleasure to participate. I'll see the majority of you again in RT3, so until then, it's Random Insanity time.
Soil! My strength!
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Shizuyoko
RTT::Laguna Loire
Posts: 144
(6/22/02 7:24:15 pm)
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Exit Laguna, Stage Left
Laguna slammed back the last of his Marlboro Special and then set the glass down onto the bar slowly, gently, with the infinite care to which he had always been predisposed. He turned the glass with precision so that it rested within a particular space perceived only by him. Rapid music and random laughter sounded behind the lean man as he raised one hand to push back a strand of black hair. Another minor adjustment to the glass and then a smile ghosted over his lips.
He turned his back to the bar and surveyed the contestants surrounding him. His eyes settled on Scarlett for a brief moment and the intangible smile crossed his lips again. He bit his lower lip to tame the expression and looked down at the floor for a brief moment.
Laguna pushed himself off the bar and walked toward the large door marked “EXIT”. The little mage Vivi was having an intense conversation with his dark teammate. Laguna detoured around them and paused before the door, dreaming of future and past both.
“Any regrets?”
Laguna looked over his shoulder at the winged draconian man, his blue eyes glinting in the darkness. He broke the stare to look at his boots and scratch the back of his head. He looked up and met the other’s gaze once more. And shook his head.
“No,” he said simply.
What was the point of traveling the patterns and living if one wasn’t going to experience all that there was to know? Even loneliness and pain was something to be savored in the end, if only because they made their opposites shine with a greater vigor. It was all clear to Laguna then, with a clarity that cut and made him gasp. His eyes slid to the red dress and then returned to meet the blue-skinned man’s gaze.
“No,” he said again, more firmly, “It was worth every effort.” A pause, and then he continued, “Thank you for the experience.”
The draconian man smirked cynically but Laguna didn’t see it. His gaze had returned to the door. The words of a famous poet came to mind, and he mouthed them silently.
No one travels
Along this way but I,
This autumn evening.
Laguna turned on his heel smoothly, facing the packed room to tip a non-existent hat. He completd the turn and stiff-armed the large door open, striding out without a backward glance.
It was time to go home.

"Like a pale dream the gap between today and tomorrow troubles me" |
The Virtual Cat
RTT::Yoshi
Posts: 39
(6/22/02 10:10:49 pm)
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Yoshi has left the building.
Back on the subject of adding Y's to everyone's name, why did noone try to add one to mine?
Thinks...
Virtually?
Catty?
Ah. Now I see...
---
"So did that chemical work as you expected?"
Yoshi was startled. He turned around to see the host. "Yes. Yes. It did," he replied.
(H) "You seem disappointed. Did you expect to win?"
(Y) "No, no. That's not it. I made it farther than I ever expected to. It's just, now that I know it works, I hope Dinosaur Island is never in a situation where it needs to be used."
(H) "I see..."
(Y) "My race really does love peace. But we know better than to think that everyone else does. We have to be realistic."
(H) "That makes perfect sense. I'll tell you what. Your reward for competing will be that Dinosaur Island won't have to use Koopanium* for a very long time."
(Y) "Thank you. I would very much appreciate that."
(H) "When you are ready to leave, there is a big green pipe outside the door. You know what to do." **
(Y) "Thanks. This is an experience I won't soon forget."
With that Yoshi walked out of the bar and jumped down the pipe.
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Yoshi once again found himself engulfed in a bright light. When the light faded, he once again found himself standing in front of the CIRF (Chocolate Island Research Facility*). He then noticed that not a minute had passed since he had left. He went back inside the CIRF to replace the small bottle.
And then he went home.
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* Read my intro!
** If you didn't see that coming, I'm going to smack you upside the head...
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AsylumXKP: It was fun doing battle with you. I hope to see you in the next tounament.
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I am .

Yes. I do see the typo. No. I'm not going to change it.

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TenshiKain
RTT :: Ramirez
Posts: 61
(6/23/02 2:03:39 am)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Dry-sama, I am so, SO sorry. o_o;;; It seems other writing projects have shown their ugly (well, in Kid's case, pretty) faces, so that's why I've been taking so long. I know, it's petty, but you try putting up with guys in pointy hats and rabid moogles clamoring for your blood if you don't have that next section of Chrono Cross fanfic up. <=D
I have started to work on my next duel segment, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish. I THINK I will, and if we have a bigass duel, then I can post my end piece. Until then, though, I can only hope to keep my promise.
If not, come RT3, let's you and me have it out in the tourney itself. ^_-
- TK
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Sponsoring Ramirez, Skies of Arcadia, Team Two-On-One. |
Darkken
RTT - Yamazaki Shinnosuke
Posts: 34
(6/23/02 4:18:34 pm)
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Yamazaki Shinnosuke Finale I - To Be Free of the Dream
And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the stunning conclusion to the story of Yamazaki Shinnosuke.
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Finale - To Be Free of the Dream
Yamazaki still could not believe that he still lived. He had ripped off the bracer. The boy priest had shot a bullet through his heart, and right there, he had died. His shadow had moved to fight with the man with the silver sword, and both had been grievously hurt in the battle. After the battle, he had embraced the darkness, thought that he had disappeared...
And yet, now, he was still alive.
Was it the power of the "Hangon no Jutsu"? The power of anti-life that he, according to the memories he had gathered, had taken upon himself? Yamazaki was not sure. In a place such as this, he was not sure that such a trick could have worked.
It was probably that dragon who had revived him. In fact, as he thought further, it made even more sense. In time, Yamazaki had begun to appreciate the big picture. He remembered but little, and he could not tell which memories were shadows of his own mind, and what were true. Regardless, he had started to understand more, and realize why his mind was in such turmoil. The clearest thing he remembered were his dreams of Kazuma and Ayame... but he remembered other things, too. Especially Aoi Satan.
He could not remember the dragonboy summoning him to the tournament, however except as a faint dream. Yamazaki knew that the "Hangon no Jutsu" had made him unable to die. Therefore, it now seemed likely to him that the dragon had merely gathered the remaining, furious sparks of his soul that lingered in a shadowy body in the borders of the existing world, thus allowing him to take shape again.
And that is how it all begun. My spirit, still in shock, could only remember the things that were closest to my heart - my sorrow for Katsuma and my love for Ayame. In time became other things...
Aoi Satan.
And now, the tournament was over. The other contestants were starting to leave. He had watched the boy priest leave from the shadows. He had not looked happy. No doubt he was still suffering from his inability to protect that girl. Yamazaki did not regret the lesson he had given him, but all the same, in his mind, he wished him all the best. He no longer bore him any ill will. He had chosen to live his life for others. It was not a bad choise, and a choise Yamazaki could no longer make.
His two unlucky teammates had also left, Yamazaki noted. The two of them, he was sure, had expected to lose their heads as they were reunited. But this once, Yamazaki simply did not care enough to relieving them from the weights of their heads. Pathetic, worthless animals though they might be, they'd gone a long way together, regardless of how much Yamazaki had despised the idea. And as they now left, Yamazaki was certain that he'd never meet them again. And that was enough for him.
He had considered paying a visit to Ramirez, as well, but he didn't think their meeting would be very joyous. They'd fought twice, and they had been great battles. But he felt no desire to fight again with the silver-haired swordsman. From his shadows, he had seen but glimpses of the glory he had attained, as well as the sorrows and terrors he had faced. As for him... yes, Yamazaki was different, too. They no longer were the two men who had fought only days ago. What business, indeed, did he have with the Silvite swordsman?
And then, as he looked up, the silverhaired swordsman stood there in his path. Out of habit, Yamazaki began to study him again, noticing how he carried two blades. He wondered why? Much had clearly happened in the time he had spent in the darkness. Yamazaki regretted that - it would have been interesting to see the other battles of the other brilliant swordsman.
Yamazaki considered walking past him in the shadows, but something in him made him choose against that. Perhaps he felt as though the fellow swordmaster had grown, somehow. Perhaps he, too, had learned something...
Perhaps this is fate.
The two faced each other, but this time, neither seemed to want to fight. Both knew that it was over. They had fought twice, and neither had won. They had earned each others' respect as swordsmen, and that was all there was. But still, Yamazaki could not think of anything to say. They had already said everything they had to say with their swords. One had disappeared into darkness, one had gone on, and this was but a chance meeting that would remain meaningless. Yamazaki could not think of anything that had been left unsaid to the brilliant Silvite swordsman. And yet...
In fighting you, Ramirez, I discovered myself again. In fighting you, I both found the way to revive the devil that sleeps within me, and the power to control that devil now. And for that...
"Arigato", Yamazaki said simply. And then he turned around and walked away, leaving the silverhaired swordsman to ponder the meaning of his thanksgiving and farewell.
Yamazaki looked at the door with the 'EXIT' sign. Yamazaki thought back to everything that had happened during the tournament. His battles, his massacres... his death. It was a reflection of his life as a human. As before, Yamazaki had given in to his desires. Though he still could not feel regret for all the lives he had taken, he felt clearly how he had failed in controlling himself.
Where did I go wrong? Or did I go wrong? Perhaps, then, it was all predestined to be a part of me. Or.. no, not predestined. Certainly I had other paths to choose. But had I chosen differently... would the end result have been better?
The host stood there. The dragon who had become god - Yamazaki looked intensely into his eyes. Neither had any words for the other. Yamazaki wondered if he detected a hint of sadness in the eyes of the dragon. Surely, it was only his mistake... what would the dragon care for the life of a creature such as he? And yet, if it indeed had been he who had revived him...
That no longer is in my hands.
As he turned his gaze away, Yamazaki slightly frowned at the imperneable eyes of the dragon. Whatever response they had given him, he was sure, were given to him for a reason. But why would the dragon bother to play such a game with him? Perhaps the dragon still wondered whether this puny human would have the gall to go against him for a second time? Yamazaki wasn't sure. Regardless, he had no desire to do such a thing. He held no love for the creature, but still, fighting him would be foolish.
Yamazaki's eyes still lingered on the dragon. He had not even considered the thought of the gift the dragon had offered - there was only one thing he now wished, and that was something he had the power to grant himself. The dragon smiled slightly. Surely, as a god, he already knew Yamazaki's decision. And, to be sure, he would not stop him.
Turning around, Yamazaki stepped through the gate.
-----
This place... is this... home?
In front of him were great, green fields, surrounded by great cherry trees. Yamazaki saw petals of cherry in the air - it was spring. For a moment, he let the hair blow through his silver hair, looking down at the field. This was his world, and for the first time in a long time, he felt somewhat content. For what it counted, this was where he belonged. Smiling bitterly, however, he realized that his time here would be short. To embrace this beauty surrounding him was foolish, but perhaps... perhaps it was the last thing he could do.
In the middle of the luxurious landscape was a very familiar house. It was not very large, but it was beautiful and well-crafted. It belonged to Yamazaki, of course - it had belonged to his family for generations. It was there, Yamazaki remembered, where he had lived for - How long? Months? Years? - after the shock of the loss of his comrades. This place...
Did it all begin here? Or will it all end here?
Yamazaki smiled bitterly, as he realized that the answer could be neither, or even both. Having taken upon himself the curse of the Hangon no Jutsu, Yamazaki knew that he could no longer live the life of an ordinary human. He had learned his preordained fate, but he did not know how much of it he had fulfilled already. In his heart, he knew, however, that it did not matter. His destiny had brought him through the tournament, and in that tournament, he had begun to see again. Were his visions mere dreams of the future? Or were they memories of the past? Yamazaki could no longer tell. All he knew that there was only one way to repent for his sins and prevent future tragedies, as well as to take control of his own life for the last time.
Yamazaki walked into one of the well-decorated rooms, looking for a very special cabinet where he had stored everything that he would once need.
------
Yamazaki stood tall, with both of his swords sheathed by his side. He did not recognize the place. Looking around, he realized it was a large room of some sort, with wooden walls, ceiling and floor. There were closed doors on each side, and there was a great curtain on the right side. There were wooden ladders and other stage items around the floor.
Suddenly, Yamazaki realized where he was, and laughed as he realized that this was nothing else than the Great Imperial Theatre... the cover, base and secret training ground of the Hana-Gumi, the unit Sakura belonged to. This location could only mean one thing...
On the other side of the hall stood Aoi Satan. It could have been a reflection of himself, but instantly, Yamazaki realized it wasn't. So foreign was the scowl on the face, so terrible was the gleam that seemed to surround his entire body. Yamazaki knew that he, himself, was terrible. But he was not a devil. Not like this. In the devil's hand was an unsheathed blade. Yamazaki could see his opponent's intention. Obviously, the only way out was battle. Raising the blade, the devil spoke. "I am Aoi Satan. You will belong to me."
Yamazaki stared at him, without drawing out his sword. He only watched the form that he knew he would one day take... or, alternatively, the form that already was within him, a form that he was trying to deny.
A long time ago, I was a samurai. But in my arrogance, I allowed myself to slip from that path. I allowed myself to become a devil. In doing so, I lost my grip of the true spirit of the sword I wielded.
Aoi Satan screamed and charged with his katana behind him. Yamazaki walked towards him slowly, trying to decipher the point he would attack to from his movements. Yamazaki started accelerating, and then, they were inside the striking range. Aoi Satan spun around, taking the blade from his side to the other and into a powerful thrust. Yamazaki skillfuly evaded it by leaping to the air. Aoi Satan raised his head to watch as Yamazaki turned around in the air, and as he flew past him, he drew his sword and slashed towards the devil's head with it. Aoi Satan spun quickly to the side, evading the blow, while raising his sword to slash the point where Yamazaki would land. As the blow was about to meet his left shoulder, Yamazaki responded by pushing his scabbard up with his left hand to block the strike, while at the same time turning and striking a powerful vertical cut towards his opponent's throat. Aoi Satan jumped backwards, evading the blow by centimetres. The whole sequence of strikes had taken but a few seconds.
Aoi Satan grinned. "You know you can't resist me. You've seen it, haven't you? The fate that expects you... the fate that expects us." He moved again, slashing quick, accurate blows. Yamazaki could see, however, that this time, he meant not to kill, but rather, only keep him at bay. Yamazaki dodged the strikes easily, and then moved his sword to block, so that they were face-to-face, their swords locked together.
Yamazaki smiled coldly. "Indeed I have, devil", he said, pushing harder, trying to break his opponent's stance, "and for what it counts, I did not plan dying like that." He pushed, stepped backwards, pushed again, and the devil followed his moves in perfect accordance.
The devil laughed. "If that's the case... you will realize that becoming me" - The devil pushed, and Yamazaki pushed back - "is the only way out!" Yamazaki's eyes widened in shock, and suddenly, he realized that he was flying through the air at the power of his opponent's push. He struck the ground, but he did not even feel the pain, in the shock of his opponent's words... which something deep in his mind made him realize true.
-----
Yamazaki walked through the house, carrying several items he knew he would need. Soon he reached his destination, a spot on the garden of the house. The spot he knew was, by far, the most peaceful and beautiful, located in the middle of the neverchanging rock garden. He allowed himself a glimpse of the bonsai trees close by, and then went to his own room to change his clothes to white. It was a meaningless gesture, he knew, as there was no one else living here - indeed, no one would be there to witness this ritual, either. He did it for himself, Yamazaki realized. Perhaps this once, he wanted to do everything as was meant to.
It's the last thing I can do in this mortal world...
-----
Yamazaki's eyes fixated on his enemy, who neared him with astounding speed. His body was still numb from the fall, but his senses were sharp as always.
To be a true warrior... I had forgotten what it meant. It's strange, isn't it? The more I remembered about myself, as I fought my way in the tournament, the more I lost my grip of all that I ever wanted to be. But why? Why?
Yamazaki quickly rose, surprising even the devil with his swiftness as he lunged at him. He slashed with his sword, spun, and kicked his opponent in the stomach. His opponent allowed himself to fall backwards, a wise move as Yamazaki's blade slashed over his head. He rolled backwards, dodging a second strike, and leaped forwards for a great overhead strike.Yamazaki stepped to the left and slashed at the same time, but once again as if by miracle, the devil managed to turn his sword enough to block the strike with the hilt. He pushed quickly, and Yamazaki was out of balance. Aoi Satan spun around to the left to slash, but now Yamazaki fell backwards, avoiding a strike that would have likely cut him in half. Coming back to his feet, he raised his sword, panting slightly. The battle was starting to get exhausting to both of them.
The devil chuckled. "Don't try to deny it. All those things you and I did... you did them because it's in your blood. You were born to be me." He jumped into the air, coming down in a spinning stab. The Akuma Ken, Yamazaki realized, and jumped upwards to face it with his katana. As the devil's sword met Yamazaki's, the devil only grinned. Taking his other hand to the blade, he pushed, and suddenly, the blade was again aimed at Yamazaki's throat. He couldn't block with the katana -
In that second, Yamazaki drew his wakizashi, and in the last second, he brought it to block the blade, catching his opponent's sword in a cross. As the two landed, Yamazaki pushed onwards, managing to push his opponent's swords up. And once more, he threw him backwards, crouched to kick him in the stomach, and slashed with both of his swords instantly afterwards in a spin. He saw blood spurt in the air.
The devil was thrown against a ladder, making him collapse. His breathing was getting harder, with two cuts across his chest. And yet, he only laughed, as he rose, acting as though he were unharmed. "Well?" he asked. "Why don't you say something to defend yourself? Your sins as 'me' are eternal. You're nothing like that boy priest. Why, you don't even know the meaning of remorse!"
Suddenly, the devil jumped on the ladder. Kicking the wall, he made the ladder begin to fall towards Yamazaki. Yamazaki jumped backwards, but only then saw the cleverness of the devil's trick. Jumping from the falling ladder, he came down at Yamazaki with the momentum of both his jump and the greater height. Yamazaki raised his swords to block the strike between the blades, and the strength of the blow threw him on his knees. And suddenly, he saw a flash of steel move towards his stomach. He jumped backwards as quickly as possible, and suddenly, he saw his own blood spurt. Aoi Satan smiled cruelly. He, too, had drawn his wakizashi, and blood fell down in drops from its tip.
"You really don't understand, do you, Yamazaki", the demon said, lifting the fallen ladder. "No matter what you do, you will always become me." He flew into motion, orchestrating the strikes of both of his swords skillfuly and carefully. It was like the net of a spider, Yamazaki saw, and he was the butterfly to be caught into it. But this butterfly had wings like razors, he thought, forcing himself to stop the movement of his opponent's swords for a moment by moving into a lightning-fast lunging stab. As predicted, his opponent's two swords caught both blades with ease, and once more, they were face-to-face in a test of strength.
"Whether you try to destroy that which is evil, or save that which you love... for both, you need power. And it is the very search for power that brought you to me", the devil chuckled. He attempted to move to the side in order to let Yamazaki's strength throw him to the ground, but he was prepared, and instead, mimiced the action perfectly, striking at the same time. The flat of Yamazaki's wakizashi touched the devil's ear, as he blocked the strike in the last second. "When you have power, all ideals become secondary to that power!" The devil began a new assault, beginning with a kick, another kick, and a powerful lunge with both swords extended. Yamazaki managed to step to the side, avoinding being skewered. Yamazaki's back hit a set piece, and crouched, just in time to see his opponent's sword brush over him, halving the coulisse. Yamazaki moved quickly away to a more suitable battleground.
"Without power, all the ideals that you love are..." Aoi Satan jumped at him, hit the ground, rolled, slashed with both swords at the same time, forcing Yamazaki to jump. As he came down, katana pushed towards his opponent in a stab, wakizashi over his head, preparing to slash. But the devil was prepared. Raising from the ground, he jumped off from the way of his opponent's stab underneath him to a blind spot. As Yamazaki turned in the air, so as to not allow himself open, his opponent already charged at him, swords slashing widely, prepared to take his head off. Even as his strikes connected with Yamazaki's swords, the swordsman hit the ground painfully, and rolled quickly away from the way of his opponent's swords, capable of avoiding them, but incapable to avoid the end of his sentence...
"...meaningless!"
-----
Now wearing a pure-white kimono, Yamazaki set on his knees to the ground. On his side were the items he had brought with him. He concentrated and eased up both at the same time, forcing his mind into a condition of pleasant serenity. His every move was dictated by age-old tradition, and he knew it. And the next move, according to that tradition...
He picked up a bottle of sake from his side.
-----
Yamazaki jumped up again, clutching both of his swords. His opponent was throwing him around like a rag-doll, but much more than that, he was hurt by his words. The more he despised them, the more he knew them to be true.
Chivalry... selflessness... servitude. I once carried such ideals with pride. But I can never do it again... not I. There is no longer anything in this world for me to believe in. But...
"Even if there is nothing for me to believe in, devil" - Yamazaki slashed with his katana from the right, while cutting from above with his wakizashi, forcing his enemy backwards with this deadly cross strike - "I will not allow my life to be so little as to succumb to the charms of something like you!" He finished in a double stab, scratching the devil's side with his katana. The devil moved backwards, still smiling horribly.
"Then why did you kill all those people? All those innocent people? For self defense? Don't be ridiculous." The devil flew into motion again, he, too, cutting with both swords. Yamazaki could only dance backwards, fending the two swords off with his own. And then, the two kicked, and in the midst of the swirling blades, their legs crossed. Yamazaki dodged a slash, and suddenly, as the two figures stood still for a moment, their blades apart, he spoke.
"I did it", Yamazaki said behind clenched teeth, "because I wanted to see if I could become the perfect killer." Yamazaki let out a kiai, springing into motion again, slashing from above with his katana. The devil crossed his hands and his swords, so that the hilts of his swords were also crossed. And between them, he caught his opponent's katana. And before Yamazaki could strike with the wakizashi, the devil had already kicked him squarely in the face, making him fall back. As the pressure on the two hilts disappeared, he stroke with both swords. Yamazaki felt the other sword brush past him, and then the other hit, drawing blood. Yamazaki clenched his jaws, he knew the wound wasn't serious.
"Is that so? And is that a motive worthy of a true swordsman?" the devil taunted. He charged again at Yamazaki, who responded by striking from the side with both swords. The devil managed to block both with his katana, and then raised his wakizashi for a strike. Yamazaki simultaneously pushed with his katana and drew with his wakizashi, so that the short sword was free. He stroke with it so hard that both of them lost grip of the short swords. And still, Yamazaki continued pushing onwards with his katana, and neither of them could see or care what happened to the short swords.
No, I do not feel sorrow or regret for anything I did. For it was all predestined to be. What little choise I had I lost as I died for the first time. But still...
Yamazaki charged forwards, letting his blade touch the ground so as to give it additional momentum as he drew it upwards. The devil leaped into the air as a response. Yamazaki's blade let out sparks as he drew it upwards in a mightly slash to stop the blade of the devil, coming down with the speed of a bullet as the devil stroke. As the swords of the devil and the swordsman crossed again, their voices were united in a single shout:
"I NEVER WANT TO BE LIKE YOU!"
-----
Yamazaki took the bottle of sake, and poured himself a cup. He looked at it calmly. The liquid was like any other, and yet, it was to be the last thing he would ever drink.
He raised the cup to his lips. He sipped from it, savouring its fine taste. The liquid filled him, and he knew, in that moment, that as his final moments came to pass, he would go to the netherworld without a second thought. Having drank half of the cup, he closed his eyes, and sipped again, this time emptying it.
-----
-The face of Aoi Satan. Truly, it was the visage of the devil itself. Lined with hatred, eyes burning with immeasurable rage. Its voice was but a whisper, but a terrible one. "The lives we have taken... they had... no meaning."
Yamazaki looked at him intensely, as he took a step to the side, and slashed again. Once again, Aoi Satan moved aside skilfully, striking from below with his katana, so that the two blades met, both warriors escaping unharmed. The devil attacked this time, his legs propelling him into a mighty charge, his right hand, holding the sword, rising above his head. Yamazaki held his sword on the left side of his head, the blade pointing upwards, and then, propelling it with his left hand, he whirled it down to his side while stepping forwards, and slashed up-left. The devil struck down at the same time, and as Yamazaki's blade cut open his kimono, his sword cut off one of Yamazaki's silver locks.
Aoi Satan laughed. "You, of all people, should understand my pain and my hatred! Are we not the same? Only you, you do not wish to admit it. Admit that everything was taken away from us. Witness the wheel of fate that drags us along through this meaningless world!"
"Truly, I have died and gone to hell! And I have come back! And you, you - you are the only one who will face the same as I will. You will learn why I spin against the wheel of fate! You will learn why for us the only choise is to become devils! And you will become..." He jumped to the heights towards the ceiling, holding his sword with his right hand. Yamazaki leaped as well, holding his katana with both hands, holding it so as to run through his opponent-
"ME!" the devil screamed, suddenly striking with his other hand. To his horror, Yamazaki saw a flash, and realized that somehow, the devil had already reclaimed his other sword! The wakizashi missed Yamazaki's head by centimetres, while the katana stopped Yamazaki's stab, and the two began to fall backwards, the devil's katana guiding Yamazaki's sword away, the wakizashi preparing to pierce Yamazaki the moment they landed. Yamazaki pulled out the scabbard of his katana and struck it to the shoulder of his opponent. In that second, when the hand holding the wakizashi wavered, he spun in the air, kicking the hand holding the blade. The wakizashi flew out of the devil's hand, as Yamazaki hit the ground back first, but still capable of kicking his opponent off as he landed on him. The devil hit the ground painfully, and Yamazaki was up again. Yamazaki attacked, holding his katana with both hands, and the devil did the same. But such a simple attack would not decide this match, except perhaps by chance or trickery.
-----
Yamazaki put the bottle of sake and haiku away. In their place, he took a table-like board from his side, as well as a piece of fine paper, a brush, and ink. Without hurry, perfectly harmonously, he set these as tradition ordained. Surrounded by nothing but silence, Yamazaki's hand picked the brush, and with precise, swift strokes, he wrote down his jisei.
In life I caused pain
And misery to others
Yamazaki’s brush stopped for a second. His face remained perfectly calm, there was not even a flicker on his face. His hand remained steady... but he did not continue writing.
-----
Whoa. I didn't know there was a message length limit on these boards. Well, you learn something new every day, don't you?
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Darkken - Yamazaki Shinnosuke - Rurouni Taikai Tactics

"Hear me... If you hate that which is evil, the greater that hatred may be... the more your own evil inside you will awaken!" |
Darkken
RTT - Yamazaki Shinnosuke
Posts: 35
(6/23/02 4:22:42 pm)
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Yamazaki Shinnosuke Finale II - The Dance With The Devil
Finale - Part II - The Dance With the Devil
Yamazaki and Aoi Satan parted again. For all their power, they seemed to be evenly matched, and incapable of severely wounding each other. Aoi Satan sheathed both of his swords, but did not assume the stance for iaijutsu as Yamazaki had thought. Instead, he drew the sheathed katana out of the belt, putting it to his right side. Then, he crouched into a reversed iaijutsu stance, preparing to draw with his left hand. Yamazaki recognized the move instantly.
The Aitou.
Yamazaki knew this technique, of course, and was surprised that his opponent was using it. It was the technique of first disarming or distracting the opponent with a powerful left-handed iaijutsu with the katana, and then, while the opponent was off guard, finishing him by drawing the wakizashi. It was a powerful techinque, and due to its simplicity, easy to adapt. Yamazaki remembered having included a jump to it in his battle with Ramirez. And yet... half of the power of the Aitou - Koutou Mukei lied in surprise. Aoi Satan knew it just as well as he did, and therefore, Yamazaki knew for certain that there would be more against him than just the ordinary Aitou.
How will he modify the Aitou?
Yamazaki walked backwards, and picked up his wakizashi. He sheathed it, and then he, too, put his katana to the other side. Against the Aitou, Yamazaki figured, his best defense would be another Aitou. Who would modify the technique better would emerge victorious. Yamazaki began to compare his choises. Would it be wiser of him to take the initiative, or wait for the devil's move and then react to it? The choises of maneuvers would be endless, and this once, Yamazaki knew that he could not read his opponent's move.
"You never want to be like me, you said? We will see very soon. With our Aitou, I will test you. If, indeed, you can stand without the power of a devil... you just might survive. If not..." the devil let his words linger.
Yamazaki crouched, preparing for his deadliest iaijutsu. "You're one to talk. I will show you just how much it is a mistake to underestimate me, devil. If you, indeed, are me" - Yamazaki smiled slightly - "then I know that when I run you through with my sword... you will die!"
The devil's smile flickered at his words. The two watched each other, calm, relaxed, waiting for the other to act. In this game, when both knew the other's trump card, but when both could change it at will, a split second would make the difference between victory and failure. Yamazaki smiled slightly. For the first time during their match, he was starting to enjoy it. The tension, the unmoving eyes, the unmoving hands. It was this kind of fight that he liked. Not street fights, not massacres, but one man against one man.
And then, Yamazaki's left foot struck the ground, pushing him into motion. "Ikuzo!" he shouted, accelerating into a lunge towards his opponent. His opponent did the very same, and the two neared each other with blinding speed-
How will he adapt the Aitou?
And suddenly, Yamazaki saw it. At the feet of his opponent, the fallen ladder. How foolish of me, Yamazaki thought, to not have seen it! Aoi Satan jumped on the first, extended step, and the ladder sprang up. Yamazaki had to stop his charge in order to dodge it. The ladder missed him by a long shot, but at the same time, Yamazaki had lost precious time, precious momentum, precious energy. It was hardly over, though. As the ladder sprang up, Aoi Satan run upwards himself, reaching the top with amazing speed. Yamazaki considered whether he should try to cut the ladder, but then, his opponent was already on top of it.
And in that moment, Aoi Satan jumped. He jumped on a chandelier hanging from the ceiling, while at the same time, kicking the ladder, moving it enough so that it would again fall. And again, Yamazaki had to dodge the ladder, this time only by a hair. The ladder struck the wall, and suddenly, propelled back, this time, Yamazaki could not evade it. It fell on him, catching Yamazaki from the waist, so that he couldn't move without dragging the ladder around.
Meanwhile, the chandelier on which Aoi Satan stood broke, and fell down. Aoi Satan turned in the air, preparing to draw the katana. Yamazaki was a sitting duck, incapable of moving properly, held down by the ladder. As he fell towards him, Yamazaki reached for his wakizashi.
The wakizashi? The devil smiled evilly. Was his opponent so foolish as to draw his wakizashi first? He was closing his opponent with great speed, and the weight and speed of his katana were such, that the wakizashi alone couldn't properly block it - and on a close range, the wakizashi would be, by far, the most potent weapon, as the katana's size would make it useless against the smaller weapon. This was, clearly, the mistake Aoi Satan had been waiting for. "Shin'e!" he shouted, raising his katana for a slash-
And suddenly, as Yamazaki drew his shorter sword, something flew, spinning, towards his face. The wakizashi? Had he thrown it? The devil moved his head, and the sword spun past. What a foolish move. With just one sword against the Aitou, he didn't have a chance. He laughed as he fell, preparing for the first slash-
It was then that Aoi Satan noticed that his opponent still had the wakizashi in his hand.
"-what-"
And then, he drew his other hand back. And as Aoi Satan felt something hard hit the back of his head, he finally realized the mistake of his judgement. Distracted, he fell downwards, and suddenly, the object appeared to his sight. The saya. Using the scabbard, and the long ribbon usually tied around it, Yamazaki had pulled it back to strike him! The saya was next to him, and underneath awaited Yamazaki. But, Aoi Satan thought, even this wouldn't change anything, as he was still trapped-
But Yamazaki Shinnosuke was not out of tricks yet.
With a magnificent turn, he brought the ladder to point upwards, and suddenly, it was Aoi Satan who had to be careful so as to not be skewered by it. He skilfully redirected his slash so that it would cut the ladder apart. Yamazaki reacted, skilfully jumping away at the very moment he was free from the ladder. Quickly he reached for one of the halves, spun, grabbed it and struck with it at the same time, hitting Aoi Satan in the stomach. Aoi Satan stood back, grabbing the piece, and pulled it out of Yamazaki's hands. He let go, knowing that at that point, it was better for him to stand back. He drew with his left hand, and the saya moved back to his hand.
And suddenly, Aoi Satan was once more above him. He had struck the half of the of the ladder to the ground and jumped using the half to push himself higher. As it reached the top of its arc, he let go, his legs moving on one of the halved steps, and then, he jumped upwards. Yamazaki moved to the side, the halved ladder fell to the ground next to him.
As the devil fell once more towards him, Yamazaki raised both of his swords. "Let me tell you, devil", Yamazaki shouted, stroke with the katana, at the same time, throwing the scabbard of the wakizashi towards his opponent again. "There is one thing greater than love, hate, or ideal, greater even than the desire of strength" - His opponent moved his wakizashi so that the blade blocked Yamazaki's sword and the handguard deflected the scabbard - "and that is" - the devil stroke with the katana, and Yamazaki blocked with his wakizashi. Both held the swords at their sides, locked on each other, the way between them was free.
Yamazaki knew the next part - using whatever there was to use. As before, he knew his opponent would kick. And so he did. Raising his leg from between the swords, holding his opponent's blades at bay from both sides, he prepared to kick his opponent in the face. But Yamazaki had seen it coming. The momentum of his opponent was his downfall. Yamazaki crouched backwards, so that he began to drop towards the floor himself, releasing his oponent's swords, and at the same time, raised his own leg from behind. As his opponent fell towards him due to his own strength, Yamazaki bent his leg, suddenly felt his opponent's stomach touch it, and in the same moment, as his back touched the floor, he kicked-
And his opponent flew over him in a wide circle, Yamazaki rolled back to his feet, turned around, and once again sent the saiya through the air. "The spirit of the sword!" he shouted, following the saiya with a two-sword stab. The devil retreated, blocked the saiya with his wakizashi, the katana with his katana, but this time, no matter how hard he tried, he could not find a way to deflect the wakizashi. He tried to dodge, but even so, the blade cut a wound to his side. Yamazaki leaped up as the devil stroke back, and suddenly, Yamazaki, too, saw a saya flying towards him. In the air, he could not hope to dodge, and so, he blocked it by swinging his own wakizashi saya towards it. The two saya sheathes were stuck, the two warriors pulled their own, still holding both of their swords. The distance between them was not more than six metres.
Yamazaki circled, moving back and forth, trying to find a suitable spot to strike. His opponent followed his movements, drawing from the line connecting them through the sayas. And then, as the devil took a step towards him, Yamazaki saw his chance, lunging towards his opponent, extending his sword into a stab right beside the sayas. The devil grinned evilly. "I can play this game, too. After all... I AM you." And then he kicked, catching Yamazaki by surprise, blocking his katana slash. Quickly the devil moved himself, pushing both sayas towards Yamazaki, who could only throw himself on the ground to avoid them. But Aoi Satan would not fall for this trick twice. Instead of kicking, he fell on his opponent, striking his knee on his stomach. The two pushed with their swords, katana against wakizashi, wakizashi against katana, Aoi Satan above, Yamazaki below. Grinning, Aoi Satan struck his knee against his opponent's stomach again, Yamazaki letting out a wheeze as air left his lungs. Aoi Satan pushed, harder and harder, slowly pushing his opponent's hands to the ground. He grinned more and more, knowing that there was nothing that his opponent could do. Yamazaki stared into those burning eyes, knowing that he couldn't match with his strength. The devil pushed, and suddenly, Yamazaki's katana was on the ground. His opponent laughed, sure of his victory.
Not so fast, devil.
Yamazaki struck his right elbow on his opponent's katana saya, and Aoi Satan recoiled towards him in shock as the tip of the saya hit the back of his head. And then, Yamazaki pushed up, throwing the devil off of him. The devil quickly moved to his knees, and suddenly, Yamazaki saw something flying towards him again. He laid low, as the katana sheathe spun over his head. The saya quickly returned, just as he had expected, but still Yamazaki only managed to dodge it by a hair. Pulling his own katana scabbard, he sent it flying towards his opponent, and then, four sheathes swirled in the air as the two moved back and forth.
It was almost blinding, the speed of the whirling scabbards. They could easily dictate the velocity and the range by how much of the ribbon they would hold in their hands. Moving through the battlefield, they hardly even noticed as the whirling weapons lay carnage upon the stage. Aoi Satan moved onwards, slashing one of the sayas with his sword, and Yamazaki took steps backward. Yamazaki began to understand what his opponent was aiming for. Behind him, he understood, was the great curtain. If his back was against it, he would be in serious trouble indeed, and his opponent knew it. Suddenly, the two katana sayas clashed into each other before them, and Yamazaki jumped. Slashing the curtain, he came down, pulling two long ribbons of it, weighted by the metal hooks that held the curtain in place. He ran towards his opponent, threw off the ribbons, spinning them around alongside with the sayas. The devil spun, short sheathe blocking long sheathe, katana cutting one of the ribbons, long sheathe blocking short sheathe, wakizashi ringing as the hook caught it.
Yamazaki charged, pulling the ribbon with which he had caught the wakizashi with all of his might. His opponent swung both sayas at him, but Yamazaki crouched, the two flew over his head. Extending his katana for a stab, drawing with his right hand holding the wakizashi, Yamazaki stroke towards his opponent. He raised his katana to block the two incoming sayas, and suddenly, his opponent's katana was flying towards his neck. He moved his wakizashi for a block, but in that moment, Yamazaki drew from the ribbon. His opponent could not block, only move his head, and blood spurted in the air as the katana grazed his opponent's neck.Yamazaki kicked, determined to use this chance, but as by miracle, his opponent had managed to dodge, and slashed back with his katana. Yamazaki dodged, but the strap holding the ribbon was cut off, and his opponent's wakizashi was free again.
They stroke, kicked, spun, kicked, the scabbards flying around them, striking down lamps, furniture, anything. A step to the left, a step to the right, slash with both swords, block, a stab, a step to the left in evasion, slightly rising the wakizashi to block the incoming saya with the hilt, a spinning kick ending with a double stab. They danced back and forth, and yet, so perfectly they knew each other's moves, so perfectly they mirrored each other, that there could be no winner. Both slashed with both swords, the swords stopped each other, raised their legs in kick, crossing, feet nearly touching each others' heads, the sayas flew, hit each other. And then-
As though out of common agreement, the two warriors stopped. The scabbards fell to the floor next to them, they laid their swords low. And then, both picked up their sayas, and returned them to the obi. Though wounds were inflicted, neither one was winning yet. But both were tiring, and both knew that the match would soon reach its climax. And now, the winner would be the one who could break the cycle of anticipating and reacting.
-----
Yamazaki looked at the paper, looked at the words he had written. He had thought of the poem already, but now, he was unsure of how to continue it. But, he reminded himself, poetry was to be written at whim, not planned. And then, as though he had never stopped, he wrote the next lines, as his heart dictated.
In death shall I find
Emptiness, peace or shadows?
Yamazaki stopped again, before he continued. The next lines would be his last...
-----
Yamazaki stood there, in no particular stance. His swords were sheathed as though for the Aitou, but he had not assumed the left iaijutsu stance. And then, he spoke aloud - "Aitou - Koutou Mukei! Second form!" Still, even after having announced his technique, he held no stance, just stood there, his hands almost limp at his sides, legs in a position that would allow him to charge with either leg.
The devil still held both the saya and the swords in both hands. He knew that his opponent was more than capable of defending against any form of the Aitou he could put against him - and so would his pwm defense last against his. So what was he planning? The devil could not understand. The Aitou did not have a set second stance, but rather, relied on its user to adapt it for the situation.
What are you planning, my other self?
And then, Yamazaki charged at him, holding both hands at his side. Suddenly Aoi Satan realized his peril. Instead of starting with pulling the right sword with the left, as normal, Yamazaki would draw both swords simultaneously, left sword with left hand and right sword with right hand, using reverse grips, thus sending both sayas into flight simultaneously! But if I can only dodge them, he will be left exposed, because with his reverse grip is unsuitable for a quick second slash!
He took a step backwards, managing to dodge the two sayas spinning past him. Yamazaki followed him, charging, but regardless, he could not reach him in time, and his slashes swept past him, leaving him exposed. Aoi Satan kicked, Yamazaki responded similarily, struck from above, and Yamazaki, with his reversed grips, raised his hands, crossing the blades, blocking the strike of the katana with his swords. But his stance was not strong enough, and his opponent kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying backwards.
I DID IT! NOW YOU DIE!"
Yamazaki's hands crossed across his waist, as if to cover himself. And suddenly, he smiled. "Aitou - Koutou Mukei! THIRD FORM!"
And in the second Yamazaki's swords brushed past him, the moment Aoi Satan raised his blade to strike him, he understood the true ingenuinety of Yamazaki's techniques. Fool! He thought to himself, as he felt something hard hit his feet, making him lose balance and fall on his back. Yamazaki must have seen that his strikes would miss, and so, the move of his hands when he blocked or when he covered his stomach had not been for that purpose. but rather, to control the sayas behind his opponent! And so, he had pulled the sayas backwards, so that they would be tied to each other and hit his legs, making him collapse. And now, he was on his back, as his opponent approached, prepared for a powerful cross slash. "Aitou - Koutou Mukei! FINAL FORM!"
He raised his swords, to block the strikes. He could still win! As he wielded both the saya and the sword in both hands, his strikes had much more momentum! Yamazaki's reverse grip was stronger for a strike from the side of the hand, but the return strikes, when the left hand had to strike from the right, and the right from the left, would be much weaker! It could not possibly break his defense-
And suddenly, he felt the tips of Yamazaki's blades penetrate his shoulders.
Aoi Satan suddenly realized his folly. The Japanese sword was curved! Yamazaki could not turn the blade around in his hand, as he wielded it with a reverse grip - but that was his whole plan! He knew he could not possibly break his opponent's defense - and so, using the curved nature of the blade, he had chosen, not go through his defense, but rather, around it, by striking his swords with the blunt edges!
For a second, Aoi Satan let the pressure he put on his swords falter due to the pain. And in that second, Yamazaki grinned evilly, and suddenly, kicked his opponent in the stomach, and at the same time, pushed the blades through. Hearing the scream of pain, he laughed. "So... only human, after all?"
The answer of his opponent could not have been more surprising. Suddenly, he could almost feel his opponent's willpower. Almost like in an explosion, it sent forward. "I AM AOI SATAN!" the devil screamed, suddenly raising to attack with even greater ferocity than before. The sayas flew through the air, the swords collided, as the devil pushed him backwards. And then, they were once again holding blade against blade, and his opponent pushed. In terror and amazement, Yamazaki flew through the air.
As his opponent neared him, he was a beautiful young woman above him, like a spirit. She was wearing a pink-ish flower kimono and fire-red hakama, her black hair was beautifully tied to the back in a red ribbon. On the blue belt was a well-decorated katana. Her face was round, her eyes were large, but dark, bearing a certain calm, but determined quality. And suddenly, Yamazaki recognized her. She was...
Sakura!
Behind his opponent, with the girl, Yamazaki saw other people standing, all dressed in green uniforms. And Yamazaki knew them as well. Yoneda. Kazuma. And... Ayame.
What are they doing here? Did they come to haunt me? No... to remind me? To let me remember?
The devil stroke again, but with new willpower, Yamazaki blocked the blades and pushed him away. Yamazaki stroke again, forcing his opponent to retreat. And then, their swords collided again, both holding their blades in a cross. They stepped back and forth, trying to break each other's balance. And then Yamazaki pushed up. Their katanas crossed, and then, with all his might, he slashed with his wakizashi. In a mightly clash, he saw both blades break to pieces, the blow sending his opponent flying backwards...
In that second, he felt the devil's blade cut his belly.
-----
The brush touched the paper again, as it drew the last lines on it, finishing the poem.
Beginning, end or a dream
Destiny stands uncertain
Yamazaki put away the brush and the piece of paper, as well as the small table he had written it on. He closed his eyes for a second, not because he did not have the willpower to finish this ceremony, but rather, to savour the tension of this crucial moment. And then he opened them again, and looked to his side.
And so, he picked up the final instrument.
The tanto.
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Rising from the ground, apparently completely ignoring his wounds, Aoi Satan smiled his grin of a devil. "Perfect. What's the point of an act such as this, if there's no audience?" Yamazaki rose as well, breathing hard, but all the same, determined to fight again.
It must have been my mind who summoned her. Summoned her spirit here, as a reminder of why I fight...
Yamazaki knew that the slash across his stomach was severe. Besides that, he had received several minor cuts. The wounds ached, and he could feel the loss of blood starting to weaken him. But, looking at his opponent, he knew that his grin was only a facade. His opponent had received deep cuts through both of his shoulders from Yamazaki's final Aitou, and had received two cuts across his chest, as well.
"Well, let's keep this simple. One sword against one sword. One draw against one draw. We've come so far, that the next strike will most certainly settle it. What do you say?"
Yamazaki watched his opponent, and then nodded. He looked at the ghostly figures of his comrades, and then, put his eyes back on his opponent.
"I cannot lose”, Yamazaki thought, ”I cannot lose, because - because..."
I cannot lose because of all they’ve done to me.
Two men, both of whose hands reach for the hilts of their swords. Both were in the stance for an iaijutsu strike. Normally, such an attack would have meant nothing. But both of them were wounded, neither of them could use their full power. Both were exhausted. In this state, a clash like this would probably mean immediate death to the other. Yamazaki looked at his opponent harder, but in his eyes, he saw Sakura, Kazuma, Yoneda, Ayame. Suddenly, he shouted his thoughts aloud. "I cannot lose because Kazuma sacrificed his life for me, because Sakura fought to protect the world from me, because Ayame waits for me!"
Hearing that, the devil only laughed. "Ayame? AYAME?" his laughter boomed. "Such words of a hypocrite!" He laughed again, and then spoke, finally managing to calm down enough to speak his words to the You still don't remember... remember it all! Yamazaki, REMEMBER!"
And Yamazaki remembered. Remembered Ayame, dying beneath his feet, slain because he, himself, had charmed her so as to fight with Sakura and her comrades. Yamazaki remembered how he had manipulated, abused and thrown away the ony woman he had ever loved. Remembered the final blow to his soul, the last cruel trick of fate. HE was the one who had killed Ayame. And Ayame had been forced to sacrifice his soul, been forced to give up his humanity to become an angel, so as to prevent him, the devil, from destroying everything in his rage. And suddenly he knew. He knew why he was a devil, and not an angel, he knew why it had all happened. And he knew how to end it.
Now I realize, Aoi Satan. In order to defy our fate, you were prepared to die a thousand deaths. You were prepared to kill a thousand innocents. You would even have the woman we loved die, so that you could have her, even for just a moment more. However, even doing so, you only caused more pain. And that's why it has to end here. That's why...
Pushing himself into motion, Yamazaki raised his voice to a shout-
"I WILL LIVE!"
And in that moment, the two figures stroke for the last time, their arms, their legs, their hands moving in perfect unison, as both unsheathed their blades for an iaijutsu blow, the blades met with a deafening clang before them-
-----
- Yamazaki held the tanto in his hands, his face hard and cold as though he were dead already. He raised it, ready to push it down-
-----
- a hail of blood flying through the air, spraying the ground, spraying the walls. A half of a broken blade, spinning through the air, striking the wall, a corpse collapsing.
- A severed head falling to the ground -
-thump-
- Bouncing, rolling -
-thump-
- bouncing, blood pouring down from the open, gaping mouth -
-thump-
- finally stopping its bouncing, continuing to roll for a few seconds, and then stopped, face upwards, showing its blank expression. The eyes stared into eternity, seeing nothing. The mouth was wide open, the blood stoped flowing, but the cheeks remained bloody.
Aoi Satan stood unharmed, his katana stained with blood. In midst of the ghosts of his comrades lay the headless corpse of Yamazaki Shinnosuke, died a death without honor.
"YAMAZAKI!" It was Sakura's voice, but Yamazaki could not hear him, for he was already dead. Aoi Satan laughed again, harder than before, brandishing the bloody katana. His laughter grew stronger and stronger, until it seemed to have a life of its own. The laughter, enhanced by the intricate acoustics of the stage, became a roar, like the sound of fire burning. He laughed harder and harder, and raised his sword-
----
-Yamazaki pushed the tanto deep into his stomach, cutting open his abdomen. Blood stained the white kimono, spilling on the ground of the garden. His face was twisted now, not of the pain that he felt, but rather, of the vision that he had seen in his last moments. He knew now, he knew now how it had happened, how it would come to happen. He did not move, only watched the blood soak the kimono, only watched the pool on the ground grow larger. The pain grew, but much greater was the pain and terror that was within his heart as the power of the devil grew within once more... and the terror that he felt as he welcomed that power.
Suddenly, he laughed for the last time. He laughed a terrible, terrible laughter, and with the strength of a madman, pulled out the tanto. With a tanto stained by his own blood in his hands, he laughed, laughed terribly, laughed so hard that blood spurted up from his throat and out of his mouth, and even then, he did not stop, only laughed. And it was not the laughter of the devil, nor the laughter of a man, but that of both - the laughter of a terrible evil, knowing its victory, and the laughter of something that had once been a great good, knowing its defeat.
I will die and I will go to hell, but the hatred within my heart will never die, it will live on forever!
And then, the laughter stopped. Yamazaki pushed the tanto into himself again, this time slashing up, so that there was a cross in his flesh. His vision began to fade as his innards began to spill out. But even as he fell forward, a slight flicker of a smile came to his lips. A slight smile, not the grin of death or the sarcastic, mockful sneer that were so typical of him, but a true, genuine smile. He smiled for the first and the last time, and then he collapsed to the ground as life left his body.
My hatred... my love... my... life... my...
... sword -
And there he lay, cherry petals falling to the pool of his own blood in which he lay, his eyes closed, his mouth slightly open.
Yamazaki Shinnosuke had died the death of a warrior.
-----
And now, I bid farewell to Yamazaki Shinnosuke. And boy, was that exhausting... it definitely did take quite a while to write. It's probably longer than the rest of my entries for the game combined. Why, it might even compare to TenshiKain's gigantic intros... but after all of my slip-ups during the game, and otherwise messing Yamazaki up big time, the least I can do for him is to write a decent ending, right?
------
Darkken - Yamazaki Shinnosuke - Rurouni Taikai Tactics

"Hear me... If you hate that which is evil, the greater that hatred may be... the more your own evil inside you will awaken!" Edited by: Darkken at: 6/23/02 4:31:13 pm
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Dry31
RTT: Garai
Posts: 137
(6/23/02 5:08:10 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
I understand.
~dry31~
(Pay no attention to any of the above.)
Luna: The PLACE
http://pub88.ezboard.com/bluna83999
---
 Other teams may have snazzy quotes...but actions speak louder than words. *Falls down.* |
AsylumXKP
RTT::Conker
Posts: 89
(6/23/02 11:59:34 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Wow. That was one hell of an ending. Almost makes me sorry I used you for comic relief! I'm also going to go back and edit my story line for "The Game got Switched" so it better matches yours. Hope to see you in RT3! (Just try not to kill me, thanks :P)
"Oh yeah, I'm gonna get tanked tonight!"
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Dareon
Mister Mage Mon
Posts: 106
(6/24/02 2:44:03 am)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
O_o
o_O
@_0
0_@
...Wow.
Note to self: Work on descriptions. Most of my writing, as you've seen, consists of adjectives and synonyms.
You know, the DQD worked out very well. Every comic team needs a straight man. Otherwise you just get Seinfeld. Four funnymen and no straight lines. I still fall over laughing at the "DEATH AND MISERY TO YOUR GLOWSTICKS!" line. XD
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Bugenhagen
New Age Retro Hippie
Posts: 1038
(6/24/02 7:14:16 am)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Wow. Very, very nice. Incredible, even.
The only word to describe it is 'goobley'.
Although that's not a word.
*sob* Why did he have to die? *sniff* WHYYYYYYY??? *cries*
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Darkken
RTT - Yamazaki Shinnosuke
Posts: 36
(6/24/02 3:45:27 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Aww, thank-you for the praises and comments. I always appreciate. ^_^
AsylumXKP - Don't worry about it. I don't mind at all when people have a little fun with my characters, even if the characers are serious. I mean, that's what I actually intended to do in the start, and then later decided to scrap it in favour of more angst and seriousness. Besides, your bloodthirsty, crazy and thoroughly wicked portrayal of Yamazaki is, in fact, a lot closer than mine to what he really IS in the games. I pretty much invented the personality Yamazaki had in the tournament myself. ^_^
But, see you all in Rurouni Taikai III... I hope. I mean, with my luck, I'm going to miss the last day again. After all, I already know that a vicious demigod is out to get me, cruelly twisting the planes of reality to set RT dates on days on which I MUST be away. ^_^
------
Darkken - Yamazaki Shinnosuke - Rurouni Taikai Tactics

"Hear me... If you hate that which is evil, the greater that hatred may be... the more your own evil inside you will awaken!" |
Dry31
RTT: Garai
Posts: 138
(6/24/02 3:51:04 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Quote: After all, I already know that a vicious demigod is out to get me, cruelly twisting the planes of reality to set RT dates on days on which I MUST be away.
Hmm...a demigod? Maybe it's Krizak's char...
~dry31~
(Pay no attention to any of the above.)
Luna: The PLACE
http://pub88.ezboard.com/bluna83999
---
 Other teams may have snazzy quotes...but actions speak louder than words. *Falls down.* |
Kellios
RTT: Aeris Gainsborough
Posts: 100
(6/24/02 4:53:50 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Yeesh, Darkken, you win the:
Tenshi Kain Award For Longest Post
XDD Seriously, excellent writing there. You better be around for RT3 ^^
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"I'll come back when it's all over"~~Aeris Gainsborough |
Mintaka
RTT: Lise
Posts: 150
(6/24/02 5:31:13 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
*looks around* Darkken, you'd better be there, or... uh...
*sees everyone looking at ehr*
Dammit! *hides*
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daigohji
RTT: Ryo Hazuki
Posts: 55
(6/24/02 6:23:16 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Kriz, is there an actual ending to the over-story or are you just going to leave it open?
and...Laggy Daggy?! *shoots Pithy Mithy* :P
Hmm, how to end Ryo's story...? I know, but this will only be funny to the, perhaps, two other people here who've played Shenmue.
- - - - - -
"It's time to go now" the Host told Ryo.
"I see" Ryo said.
"Choose your reward" the Host continued, holding out two handfuls of capsule toys.
"This" Ryo picked out a Shadow the Hedgehog toy.
"Well, I guess this is goodbye"
"I see" Ryo said. And so it was.
- - - - - -
...I was wrong. No one will find that funny. >:D
Shadow :: Lise :: Ryo
We are Thrill Seekers
"Have you seen a black car?"
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Dry31
RTT: Garai
Posts: 139
(6/25/02 10:23:21 am)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Sure enough. No one found that funny.
~dry31~
(Pay no attention to any of the above.)
Luna: The PLACE
http://pub88.ezboard.com/bluna83999
---
 Other teams may have snazzy quotes...but actions speak louder than words. *Falls down.* |
AsylumXKP
RTT::Conker
Posts: 92
(6/25/02 2:39:30 pm)
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Re: Rurouni Taikai Tactics - Bonus Round
Dry31 put it bluntly, but he's correct. I'll help you on this one, I've played Shenmue before. A little brainstorming here:
1) Something to do with forklifts? (Was his job)
2) That stupid lottery thing at the shop?
3) Learning a new move? (Forward, Down, Down-Forward Punch! SHORUKEN! Wait, wrong franchise. A Virtua Fighter move might work though.)
4) The guy from Space Harrier™ givng Ryo a brief and cheesy congratulations?
5) A box full of "Chibi RTT Fighters" toys, and have Ryo comment on some of them? ("Chibi Link? Ugh, that speedo hurts my eyes!")
I just don't want to see so much potential sent down the toilet!
"Oh yeah, I'm gonna get tanked tonight!"
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