Andromeda

The Inner Man – Episode 27 – Ultimatum

Kohana dusted herself off barely able to feel the touch of her fingers. She gripped her rod tightly as she saw the two men pass by the doorway. Her eyes widened quickly when she saw who it was. It was those two from before. They were the ones with that Scarred Man that was after Chiko. But they did not seem to see her as they ran past the door. Kohana slowly walked away from the sight of the door to the opposite wall of the classroom.

"What is it, Kitsune?" Shisa said. Kitsune had stopped suddenly looking back behind him. There were several men coming after them still, but Shisa shot them down as Kitsune stood there. Shisa walked up to him touching his shoulder trying to get a response out of him.

"I saw something, familiar, I think."

"Familiar?"

Kitsune looked around the hall trying to figure out what it was. He started to walk slowly through hallway search the rooms to confirm what his mind was telling him. Shisa followed up behind him confused, but not questioning him. "There was something I saw. It was only for a second, but I know it was important."

"Let's look around the classrooms, probably where you saw it."

"Yeah…" They threw open the doors looking through the rooms while Kohana hid in the corner hoping that they would not find her. She knew her own weakness. She only needed to buy time enough. The sounds of them coming closer again worried her. They had spotted her and were coming back she knew. Her hand tightened its grasp on the rod preparing for the fight that was to come.

Kitsune and Shisa approached the room where Kohana was hiding and threw the door open completely. They looked around quickly seeing Kohana standing up in the corner looking brave. The two stepped into the classroom together looking across at her. Kitsune drew out his sword letting the light from outside glow across the blade. Shisa took another step away with his gun in hand.

"So we've found you at last Chiko Toyozama," Kitsune said.

Kohana put her rod up in front of her preparing herself. She watched the two of them with uncertainty. There was enough in her for a little more, but these two were far better than the endless mobs that she had been holding off before. She could not hold herself back against him and hope to survive.

"You look different from the last time," Shisa said smirking to himself. "Killing children is not something I enjoy, but seeing as you aren't then I shouldn't have to hold back."

"Don't get cocky, Shisa. He's not to be underestimated."

"I know."

'Let me fight them, Kohana.'

'No, you need to rest. I'm not completely out of tricks just yet.' Kohana walked forward a step as the two took a step as well. The classroom filled the void before them as the empty quiet filled the room. Most of the fighting that had made the school unbearably loud was gone now. The syndicate hit men were all, but dead now. The few that remained were being distracted somewhere else now with the faint distant gunfire. The school was empty now with nothing to come between them anymore.

Kitsune walked along the aisle of desks towards Kohana while Shisa kept his distance walking towards to the windows. Kohana looked around at them trying to keep them both in her sight. Neither of them was making a quick move, she delayed with them as much as she could. She held her rod firmly in her hand waiting to see what move they would make against her. Each moment passed slower as being squeezed out.

It was a bullet that shattered the pause as Shisa fired at Kohana forcing her to bring down her hearts again deflecting the bullet out the window. When she was turned for the moment Kitsune leapt forward at her slashing down at her exposed body. However, Kohana raised up her rod to block the blade in the moment before it cut her. She could feel her rod vibrating from the impact stinging her hands to hold her ground. Kitsune backed off from her as she heard another bullet being fired from another direction forcing her to move the hearts to intercept. As she diverted her concentration Kitsune struck again forcing her to jump out of the way sliding across the ground into the center of the room.

Kohana slid her back into a desk as she turned around to find Kitsune above her swinging down with his katana. She quickly raised her hand up bringing the hearts around in front of her to block the strike. The force from the impact sent hearts flying across her face broken from her concentration. Kitsune struggled against the barrier she created trying to force his way through it, hearts slowly falling away. She could see the blade now glowing through the gaps forming. Shisa appeared behind her at the end of the classroom firing once more at her. Kohana was forced to spread the hearts thin to stop the bullet deflecting it into a desk. The katana pierced through the hearts colliding with her rod again sparking as it scraped across the metal.

The two struggled pressing against each other with their weapons. Kohana was losing the contest feeling the weakening of her muscles. She forced herself free from the battle and away from the center to the windows. Once she arrived she turned the rod into a whip that she latched onto the lights on the ceiling with pulling on them. The sparks and debris fell down where she had been fighting with Kitsune. Kitsune escaped through the dust straight towards her. She ducked out of the away as his swing cut through the window metal. His blade came to stop in the cement wall sending small pebbles falling down onto her Kohana's head as she looked up. Kitsune did not bother to pull his sword out kicking Kohana in the stomach before she could form enough hearts to block. Her barrier burst to the wind as she slid across the floor against the teacher's desk. Shisa fired at her again several times now her hearts barely blocking the first few bullets while she took cover behind the desk.

Kitsune removed his blade from the window as Shisa reloaded his gun. Both of them looked down to the corner where Kohana was hiding. Kohana was breathing heavy trying to gain the moment to recover herself a little. The coordinated attack of the two was overcoming her far more quickly than she imagined. She was running out of time and tricks. There was almost nothing left in her and she still needed a little bit longer. She needed hold on just enough, it would not be very much longer for her.

"You're not too bad for a celebrity," Shisa said approaching.

"You won't last much longer the way you're going," Kitsune said. "You're too tired, no concentration."

Kohana listened to their voices getting closer trying to gauge their distance. "Fighting hundreds will do that. You must be tired as well."

"When fighting so many the wise warrior conserves his energy."

"Yes, I would agree," Kohana said gathering up her last amounts of strength. She focused the hearts into a ball at the tip of her rod. While still using the cover of the desk as they approached she laid back facing the desk. "There is no need to conserve anymore in this fight!" Kitsune and Shisa were approaching the desk when Kohana released the ball of hearts that were spinning around violently. The hearts burst towards the desk in a stream that crashed upon the wooden desk like waves sending it screaming across the floor. Kitsune and Shisa did not have enough time to react as the desk crushed into their legs sending them across the room and against the wall.

Kohana stood up heavily breathing and bent over barely holding her rod in her hands anymore. She looked at them and the trail of hearts that spread across the classroom. Shisa pushed against the desk breaking himself free from the grip limping a little from the bruises across his upper thigh. Kitsune gripped his sword's hilt tightly leaping to the top of the table. Kohana coughed for air disappointed that she had not even slowed them down enough.

"That is your limit," Kitsune said jumping down from the desk.

Kohana could only agree with him quietly as they approached her knowing that she did not have anything left to fight with. Kitsune raised up his hand bringing the back of his hand across her face. Kohana flew across the room colliding against the desks where she came to rest on top the last one. She could not feel her body anymore. A cold, wet drip from her mouth woke her senses to the realization of her weakness. Kohana tried to get up as they pushed desks aside, but she could barely cough to clear her mouth of the blood. Kitsune cut the legs of the table on one side causing her to side down into his foot that sent her into the air and through the door of the classroom. Kohana came to a stop upon the bodies of the dead with only the thin paper of the door between them. Shisa fired from his gun once more, but Kohana slid down on the door narrowly missing a bullet through her head.
'I'm sorry, Chiko. This is all I can do…'

Kitsune approached Kohana with his sword raised up high to stab her. Shisa stood at the doorway waiting for the moment to be finished and their first task to be complete. There was a sense of relief to know that it was finally over and what they had originally come to Osaka was about to be complete. It had been a trial for them, more than he was expecting, but it was finally over now. However, their life was over as well. The syndicate would not accept them back for this betrayal. They had nothing left once this was ended. He wondered what he would do knowing that he would live the rest of his life a hunted man.

'It's alright. You did great. I'll take over now,' Chiko said to Kohana laying her to rest on a bed. Chiko walked away to the door seeing a bright light waiting for him. Kohana coughed calling to him before he opened the door.
'I left you with a gift…I know you will know what to do with it…'

'Thanks…' Chiko threw the door open and opened his eyes drawing up a mist quickly as the sword came down upon him. The mist blocked the sword just in time to Kitsune's surprise. "It my turn NOW!" Purple waves of mist burst from Chiko knocking Kitsune backwards through the doorway with Shisa. The mist formed around Chiko altering his clothes to black and materializing a sword in his hands. Chiko narrowed his eyes as he looked into the classroom at the two lying in a state of shock.

Chiko stood up feeling his body for a moment. He could feel every muscle tighten and his hand around the hilt of his sword. There was even the stinging of blood from his lip. He could feel his body completely, it was back the way he remembered it. The feeling was returned, as was his strength. 'Amazing, how it this possible? I know for a fact that when you took over you were struggling with the body. But now its completely healed.'

'My gift to you. I knew that you needed to fight, so while I was fighting the entire time I was splitting my concentration. I was slowly using my ability to heal on our body knowing that you would need it more than me.'

'Thanks, you really thought this out. I won't waste the second chance that you gave me.' Chiko stepped forward as the purple mist continued to emanate from his body. The force of the mist was pushing the bodies of death away from him. He was creating his own wind that kicked up dust. Chiko walked into the room as Kitsune and Shisa were recovering themselves. The two stood up to face the renewed Chiko staring them down from his rage filled eyes.

"You're back now I see," Kitsune said.

"What sort of abomination are you?" Shisa said.

"I'm the one that will kill you!" Chiko said increasing the mist around him throwing desks around the room clearing the room from where Kitsune and Shisa stood.

"Big words from a little kid," Shisa said pointing his gun at Chiko.

"What was it that we saw before?" Kitsune said. "You're completely recovered. Not even breathing hard."

"My inner self, we'll leave it at that." Chiko gripped his sword tightly swinging it at the two of them releasing a wave from the tip. Kitsune and Shisa dodged to the floor avoiding the wave that ate through the wall behind them before dissipating. They looked up from the ground knowing that this was a completely different fight now. Chiko threw his arm out directing the mist into a talon that took hold of Shisa's gun. He ripped the gun out of his hand throwing it out of the window. Shisa stood up defensive as Kitsune gripped his katana's hilt tightly.

Kitsune charged at Chiko as Chiko charged as well clashing their swords together. In spite of the height difference Chiko held his own against Kitsune's strike. Kitsune swung across at Chiko's stomach, but he avoided him countering with a thrust up coming from underneath his blade. Kitsune flipped away coming to a stop on the floor as Chiko threw another wave from his sword at him forcing him to roll away. Chiko ran to meet Kitsune swinging down at where he would be in a moment. Kitsune barely saw Chiko to block the strike. The two swords sparked protesting across the sharpened blades. Chiko's sword spread a dark purple mist across Kitsune's blade that started to come across his hand. Kitsune quickly spun his leg around forcing Chiko to jump out of the way.

Chiko formed a mist around the backside of him as bullets rained through the wall outside of the classroom. The bullets fell harmlessly to the ground as Kitsune came down striking with his sword again forcing Chiko to block the attack. The two parried each other attacks swinging their swords to break through the defense getting nowhere. Chiko was feeling the sweat building across his face as the fight went on further. He had never been in such a long fight before as it continued to drag on. They were not backing down either even against him. Shisa continued sneak attacks when there was an opening barely giving Chiko the time to recover for Kitsune's strike. He had seen the same thing happen with Kohana. The coordinated attacks were making it difficult to fight just one of them. He was not able to move quickly enough to put an offense together before one of them was attacking him again. They were cornering him even with his renewed strength. If this continued to drag on he would only wear himself out and they did not seem to be getting tired. But they were professionals as Chiko realized.

Kitsune struck at him again with Shisa firing on him. The mist blocked the bullets coming from Shisa, but Chiko's defense was weakened. The katana forced his sword down cutting in his shoulder releasing blood. Chiko threw himself out of the way regaining his position with Kitsune standing at a distance from him. Shisa was already firing on him again using the guns lying unused in the hall pulled from the dead. The mist drew up again blocking the bullets and Chiko charged through the mist. Kitsune did not see Chiko until he burst through the mist sword horizontal to strike across his stomach. Kitsune brought his sword down in time to block the blow, but not enough against the force. Chiko pushed against him continuing on past him loosening his wrist so that Kitsune pushed the sword asided. Chiko raked his sword through Kitsune's side as he passed by towards Shisa.

Shisa brought the weapon that he was holding in his hand to block Chiko's strike. Chiko pushed against Shisa as he spread the mist out from the sword across the weapon. It quickly enveloped the gun forcing Shisa to back away. Chiko narrowed his eyes charging towards Shisa who drew out a metal rod no longer tham his hand from his coat. He then threw it outward extending the metal rod into long pole. Shisa brought the staff across him to block the sword strike. He rotated the staff around pushing Chiko's sword downward as Shisa brought the end of the staff down on Chiko's shoulder.

Chiko coughed through the pain vibrating through his shoulder as he fell against the wall for a moment. Shisa thrust the staff at Chiko's face making him dodge out of the way. Kitsune entered the hallway as well now charging at Chiko who was off guard. He thrust in at Chiko catching the edge of his skirt when Chiko blocked the sword. Chiko retreated against the wall as the two came closer from both sides. They maintained their offensive against Chiko as he tried to block their attacks. The fight entered another classroom allowing Chiko to make use of the desks to distance himself from one to fight the other. However, the fight continued to go against him as he was being pushed into a corner.

'This is going nowhere. I can't get enough time to do anything. They are just too quick to take advantage.' Chiko blocked another of Kitsune's strikes as Shisa knocked him off his feet with his staff. Kitsune thrust his sword down, but Chiko rolled out of the way taking a swing at Kitsune's legs. Kitsune used his sword to flip up over landing safely and pulled his sword up out of the ground at Chiko sending pieces of tile at him. The mist covered his body as Shisa's staff dispersed it with a swing and striking with the other end. 'How am I supposed to fight two enemies…'

'With two minds!' Kohana said suddenly.
'What are you talking about?'

'I'll help you.'

'But you aren't recovered to fight.'

'I don't have to be it will only be for a brief moment, enough to give you a second pair of eyes. So that you can have two fighting.'

'I don't know, sounds risky.'

'If we do nothing, we'll lose.'

'Yeah…' Chiko said thinking to himself for a moment. It was going to be difficult, but if they actually did pull it off it would even up the fight. There was no other way for him; he already could see this ending badly for him if it continued. 'Nothing to lose at this point…'
'Right!'

Chiko stood up from the latest round of beatings he was taking. It was going to be now or never for them. He clinched his sword with both hands as they came charging at him. Kohana could see Kitsune coming in and took over their right hand forming a heart shield that blocked Kitsune's attack changing Chiko's clothing white and red for a moment. It pushed Kitsune back and Chiko charged at Shisa completely focused on him striking against the staff. He pushed against Shisa drawing the mist together forcing Shisa backwards through the door into the hallway. Kohana formed up her hearts blocking Kitsune's strike as Chiko was about to turn.
'I got him, don't worry!' 'Right!'

Kohana pushed Kitsune back with her hearts again. Chiko took back control his clothes returning to black as he leapt into the air at Shisa who rolled out of the way. Chiko's sword pierced the door and the body underneath it. Chiko removed his sword as Shisa threw the door at Chiko. Mist formed around the sword as Chiko held up the sword splitting the door in two falling to the sides of the hall. Shisa charged at him, but Chiko knocked the staff to the aside striking across Shisa's arm, but unable to go deep as Kohana changed them back. She formed hearts over their side as Kitsune struck at them. She pushed him back as they came back to the ground sliding to their half of the hall. Shisa and Kitsune gathered on their half staring at them. Chiko changed back to black as he looked narrowly at them.

"He's different than before," Shisa said.

"Yes, more focused. I'd swear as though he has two minds," Kitsune said breathing heavily.

"He really is some sort of freak. The way he fights you wouldn't think he was a celebrity."

"Survival forces you to become something other than yourself."

"You admiring him?"

"Possibly…"

"Tch…I'll never understand you."

Kitsune and Shisa charged forward as well as Chiko blocking Kitsune's sword with hearts as he thrust toward Shisa. His sword clashed with the staff again pushing Shisa back. Shisa brought the staff around to strike his shoulder when Kohana formed hearts over to block the impact. Chiko's clothes altered again and Kitsune struck at his back when dense mist formed halting the blade.

They continued back and forth Chiko maintaining his ground against the two of them. He pressed an advantage against Shisa, but Kitsune was always quick to stop him before much could be done. The three remained in a stalemate with no one holding an upper hand for long. Chiko was able to fend off Kitsune's repeated assaults thanks to Kohana, but it was still not getting them anyway. At this point it was going to be strength of endurance and wills of who would last. They were all becoming fatigued, but refused to give the fight up to the other. Chiko's clothes were constantly changing colors back and forth between their transformations. The changes coming faster as they adapted to each other releasing control just when it was necessary. It was almost an extension of each other another half that was part of them rather than divided.
'They're stubborn…' Chiko said.

'Yes, we aren't making progress,' Kohana said.

Their clothes continued to flash back and forth when they landed to catch a breath. The pause in the fighting Chiko should have had control, but he could not stop the clothes from changing back. They were no longer remaining black for him, but not the white and red for Kohana either as they changed again. It seemed as though they had a mind of their own beyond their control.
'What's going on?' Chiko said looking at his body.

'I don't know.'

Their body suddenly burst releasing the mist and hearts that were around them away. It cleared the surrounding area of the hallway and cracked the wall. Blinding light surrounded Chiko until it filled the hall completely. The walls began to shake as Kitsune and Shisa tried to cover themselves for whatever was going to happen next.

"What's going on now?" Shisa shouted.

"I don't know," Kitsune said. "This is unlike anything I've seen before."

'What's going on?' Chiko said just as confused.

'I have this strange feeling…' Kohana said fading away.

'Kohana? Kohana! Answer me!' Chiko began to feel strangely as well as darkness over took him. The light continued to until the classrooms were shining through letting it out the windows. At the center Chiko's body changed. Their clothes ripped away from their body. Replacing the clothes came new ones, gray in color over their body. First came a long skirt barely reaching their knees followed by a blouse. Overtheir blouse a belt pulled in the loose end at their waist along with two more belts. White gloves formed around their hands strapped in by several more belts. Black shoes came next shined and a strap around the ankle as belts formed again. A red scarf drew around their neck blowing around their body at length. Black belts formed about their hair pulling it back into a ponytail. Finally, a long sword the length of their entire body formed in front of them falling to the ground.

The light had faded away revealing the newly changing Chiko and Kohana to Kitsune and Shisa to their surprise. The change was completely different from the last two forms that they had seen. Chiko and Kohana's eyes were still closed standing calmly before the massive sword.

"What is going on?" Shisa said.

"What fantasy have we entered?" Kitsune said in disbelief.

"We've entered fantasy a long time ago…" Shisa said.

"I don't like the look of this, I can feel something has changed. Even more so than the last time."

They opened their eyes looking down through the hall at their two targets. The sword divided their vision seeing Shisa on the left and Kitsune on the right. "This is over," Chiko and Kohana said. Kitsune and Shisa prepared themselves for whatever was to come next. However, they were already behind the two of them, disappeared seemingly. The sword was still sitting in the floor. They grabbed Kitsune and Shisa each in one hand by their coats and threw them backwards through the hallway. Neither of them knew what happened until it was already finished, barely seeing the glimpse of the child. They returned back to the sword picking it up from the ground holding it in one hand outward.

"Such speed…and strength…" Kitsune said slowly pulling himself back up.

"Definitely don't like this…" Shisa said. "To be done in by a child."

"Regrettable, but satisfying somehow."

"Tch!" They stood up gripping their weapons tightly to prepare for the next assault.

"First release!" Chiko and Kohana said as the belts along their left hand came undone. The sword in the hand glowed brightly the color of white as they charged forward at blinding speeds. They swung the sword wide going through the walls unstopped smashing Shisa's staff in pieces as it cut through him as well following through to Kitsune. The massive blade cut Kitsune's katana in half and continued through him spraying blood through the hall. Shisa and Kitsune collapsed backwards left with deep wounds across their chests as their last breaths escaped their mouths.

'Its over now,' Kohana said.

'Yes, finally over,' Chiko said. Their minds and bodies divided separating as the transformation faded away. Chiko was returned to his school uniform exhausted from the fight. He could feel the stinging sensation through his muscles as they protested him still standing. Chiko collapsed to the ground resting on his knees closing his eyes for a moment. "Mashiro…"

'Chiko…you better be safe…' Mashiro fired another shot at the Scarred Man only to miss and hit one of the men that was attacking him instead. The Scarred Man had not had any better luck than him in finding his target. There were still a small number of men left that were all focused on attacking them. It had become clear to Mashiro at this point from witnessing the Scarred Man fighting with the men as well that he was not in charge. Mashiro did not know what had happened or if these men were even part of the same syndicate, but they were trying to kill the Scarred Man. However, he knew that would not be possible for these men, they were too weak and unskilled. They were mere ants to the Scarred Man and it showed. The Scarred Man had no injuries on him in spite of fighting for more than an hour now; he did not even seem to be exhausted. It was as though they were not even a challenge for him. The same was for Mashiro, but he was diverting his focus at times.

Mashiro kicked two men down the stairs at the Scarred Man firing over their bodies at him. He promptly placed someone in the bullet's path. The Scarred Man fired around the now dead man at Mashiro before releasing his shield. They were quick to change their attention back to those that were closer and firing at them. Mashiro was forced to take cover at the stairwell firing over top of the railing. The Scarred Man had a similar thought. As they finished their clips their eyes met again seeing an opening only to realize their guns were empty. They quickly reloaded their guns only to find that they had to focus back on the more pressing enemy, both knew that they were not dying anytime soon.

Their guns rang out through the hall dropping several more men to the floor as a gap was created allowing them switch back towards each other. They fired at each other only to use a body nearby to take the bullet. Both kept the body over them firing around it trying to get a shot in, but narrowly missing. Then they were forced again to change their attention. They fired off surround more rounds dropping those nearby again. Weapons turned back on each other as they looked without pulling the trigger.

"Temporary truce?" Mashiro said looking over the sights on his gun.

"Until these are dead."

"Agreed."

"They are only going to be in our way."

Mashiro nodded to him getting up from the stairs pulling a weapon off of one of the dead. It was another handgun, though a little larger than the one he had. He fired it finding that the accuracy was poor. 'It'll have to do.' Mashiro ran down the hall looking around for anyone firing his gun removing obstacles. The Scarred Man moved through the first floor killing anyone that moved. As he got near the end he heard another fight realizing that it was Kitsune and Shisa. He turned around leaving it to them.

Three men came out of the main entrance of the school at the Scarred Man firing wildly. They took out the plaster of the walls while the Scarred Man fired out in the open killing the three quickly. Mashiro returned back to the stairs finding several coming down from the roof. He quickly took them out with his two guns. The school felt quiet for once, the shooting had died out and the footsteps were gone. Mashiro walked back to the stairs where he found the Scarred Man waiting at the bottom for him. The two stared at each other in agreement.

Mashiro spun the gun that he picked off the dead body around holding the barrel in his palm. The Scarred Man held his gun at his side as Mashiro did with his own gun. Mashiro tossed the second gun into the air suddenly. It floated through the air over the banister of the second floor. Mashiro looked past the gun at the Scarred Man looking back. He narrowed his eyes tightening his muscles as the gun hung in the air a little longer. 'No holding back…' Mashiro's gaze was cut for a moment by the gun falling in his view. He watched the Scarred Man as he waited, both waiting.

The gun hit the floor with a loud indelicate crash signaling the two to begin. Mashiro fired once, as did the Scarred Man, before moving immediately. The two exchanged a couple rounds from the distance of the stairs before Mashiro leapt on top of the railing sliding down throwing his knife at the Scarred Man from his free hand. The Scarred Man took the chance to fire at him after he lowered his shoulder to avoid the knife. Mashiro leapt up from the railing after he threw the knife letting the bullet hit the wood railing splintering it. While in the air Mashiro threw a second knife as the Scarred Man moved. He pulled in his finger to pull back the first knife he threw drawing it at the Scarred Man as well. The Scarred Man flipped his body around rotating to avoid the two knives. Mashiro retracted the knives back as they recovered their positions on the first floor.

The Scarred Man fired on Mashiro as he came to rest forcing him back into the air. Mashiro fired from where he was in his flip to keep the Scarred Man moving. He landed on the ground throwing up a body to take a bullet from the Scarred Man. Mashiro found himself in the hallway facing the Scarred Man at the stairs knowing that their guns were empty now. They tossed them aside and charged at each other the Scarred Man kicking up a body at Mashiro. Mashiro jumped over the body as it came flying at him with the Scarred Man sliding underneath trying to catch him. Mashiro threw out two of his knives wrapping them around the body pulling on the wires. He spun the body around him once as the Scarred Man got up sending it back at him even faster.

The Scarred Man ducked out of the way of the body. Once the body was removed from their vision they had guns in their hands again firing at one another in the hallway. Neither had room to maneuver barely avoiding getting hit until they both crashed sideways through sliding doors of a classroom. As they fell to the floor both continued to fire. Even while they were sliding on the door they still fired. Bullets ripped their clothes and flesh alike leaving small cuts. As their guns smoked empty they lie on the ground crimson softly dripping down their clothes. Only injuries to limbs, nothing that was going to stop them yet.

Guns hit the tiled floor as they jumped up kicking desks at each other. Mashiro picked up a chair flinging at him as the Scarred Man sent a shelf from the back at Mashiro. Hidden in the shadow of the shelf came scissors forcing Mashiro down to the ground, but he took a pair in his already injured upper shoulder. He fell to the ground throwing out a knife from his uninjured arm under the desks. The knife sliced through the lower leg of the Scarred Man. Mashiro ripped out the scissors from his arm trailing blood with it.

Mashiro stood up dripping blood from his shoulder as he saw the Scarred Man leaping through the air at him. He quickly flipped a chair over with his leg and threw it up intercepting the Scarred Man in his kick. The Scarred Man was forced to kick the chair out of the way as Mashiro ran up on the desk to meet him with his fist. Mashiro's fist ran through the Scarred Man's stomach. However, the Scarred Man had grabbed onto the bars that ran across for the ceiling using it as leverage to bring his leg back around after kicking the chair. His leg hit Mashiro in the head sending him across the desks to the windows before his fist's full impact was made.

The Scarred Man landed on the desk below him when it suddenly shifted knocking him off balance. Mashiro kicked it again angling it so that he could throw his knives at the Scarred Man. He released three knives from his hands as the Scarred Man began to fall. The Scarred Man quickly pushed his hand against the desk he was standing on rotating him enough that the knives only dug in this arms rather than his chest. Mashiro pulled them back as the Scarred Man fell to the floor rolling under the desk.

Mashiro took a moment at the window ledge to rest holding his shoulder to see how deep the wound was. It was bleeding slowly, but had already soaked most of his sleeve. "Why'd you attack during school?" Mashiro said suddenly. "It doesn't sit right."

"Time had run out."

"Still doesn't justify getting innocents involved."

"It didn't matter anymore. But you and I are not here for idle talk."

"Right…" Mashiro stood up as he heard something under the tables. He jumped up to the desk seeing that it was only a book, but the Scarred Man fired a new gun at him. Mashiro was not able to avoid getting hit taking a bullet in his other arm and his leg. He fell backwards collapsing roughly through the chairs and desks to the ground as another bullet ripped through his side cracking a rib. Mashiro immediately kicked a desk over putting it between him and the Scarred Man. He could hear bullets cracking the wood.

Mashiro limped up biting through the pain as he saw the Scarred Man getting up pointing the gun at him. He quickly threw several of his knives at him from one hand, but the Scarred Man avoided them firing again. Mashiro allowed himself to fall over as the bullets ate through the plaster. The knives found their target in several books stacked in the corner on a shelf behind the teacher's desks. Mashiro pulled on the knives watching through a pained eye at they smacked into the Scarred Man's head surprising him. He dropped the gun and Mashiro released the wires from his hand leaping towards the Scarred Man. He brought two more knives out in his hand as he leapt at him.

The Scarred Man could not avoid Mashiro quickly enough taking the full assault with the knives stabbing into his ribs. He coughed up blood across Mashiro's face as he forced him off. The Scarred Man pulled the knives out dropping them to the floor, blood dripping down his clothes now. Mashiro charged at him again at full sprint take him into the air and through the window and painfully against the metal divide. The two rolled onto the cement playground separated, blood trailing thinly.

The Scarred Man came to a stop sooner, as Mashiro was tossed off. They both rose up on one knee looking at each other. The two charged at each other not even feeling their injuries, as blood trailed like tears off them. Mashiro landed a punch to the Scarred Man's face as a fist through the ribs made him cough blood. They barely staggered from the impacts continuing through with their next hits. Mashiro received kicks to his weakened ribs and leg, as well as his face. The Scarred Man felt the pain through his cut up arm and hits to his leg. Neither budged nor back down as they were barely trying to counter or block attacks now. They were just savagely beating at each other.

A solid kick that connected to Mashiro's legs sent him off the ground followed by spin kick in the stomach. However, Mashiro threw out knives that were still in his other hand wrapping them around the Scarred Man's wounded arm. He took him across the playground scrapping over the cement coming to a landing. Mashiro pulled himself up first once they stopped moving and started to sway a bit back and forth. He charged towards the Scarred Man bringing up his leg to kick him in the head as he was getting up. The Scarred Man blocked him with his arm pushing it away. He picked up a large gun off the corpse lying nearby swinging it down at Mashiro, who was recovering. Mashiro rolled over avoiding getting hit by the butt of the gun. As Mashiro rolled over a body he picked up a gun similar to the one the Scarred Man was wielding. He blocked the next swing from the Scarred Man and countered.

The two danced around the corpses in the playground swinging the guns around like swords. There were a few hits that broke through cracking ribs, but they continued to swing. Neither refused to stop. Mashiro thrust with gun unbalancing the Scarred Man for a moment that he tried to bring up his leg to kick him. However, the Scarred Man was quick to counter with his leg. They blocked each other with their leg while continuing to swing the guns. The danced continued until Mashiro became backed towards the school.

The Scarred Man thrust with full force against Mashiro knocking him off his feet and through the windows of the same classroom they had exited previously. Mashiro's back broke through the glass taking a few pieces that dug in with him. He rolled over the desks falling to the ground starting to open fire through the windows with the gun. The bullets quickly removed the remaining glass and ripping through the metal frames. The Scarred Man took cover out of range before he took too many bullets to his body. Only a couple had pierced his body, causing his sides to bleed further. Once the hail finished from inside the classroom the Scarred Man returned fire emptying his gun into the classroom. Desks and chairs splintered and sparked leaving nothing untouched. Mashiro took another bullet to his leg when the firing finally came to an end.

Mashiro ground his teeth through the pain as he stood watching the Scarred Man leaping through the window with the sun at his back. Mashiro used his good leg to counter him throwing him against the opposite wall. He fell back against the desk breathing heavily as the Scarred Man started to move again. "Are you still wanting to kill Chiko? After all of this?"

"That is secondary now."

"What was so important to kill him?"

"Honor…"

"That can't be the reason the entire syndicate wants him dead."

"That is my reason. Their reason no longer matters."

"What is their reason?"

"That will go with me when that time comes."

"Loyal to the end…"

"Honor. I have my own code."

Blood dripped down Mashiro's eyebrow slowly from his recent wound. The Scarred Man's cheek and forehead were bleeding as well. Most of their clothes were stained at this point, no longer black. Mashiro wiped his brow and cleared this mouth of blood. His breathing was still heavy and the pain was beginning to return through his body. 'Time to numb the pain with more…' He stood up from his resting spot crosses stares with the Scarred Man.

Mashiro picked up a broken piece of the desk and threw it at the Scarred Man. The Scarred Man ducked and attempted to return with something when he saw the gleam of knives again coming at up. He dodged the strike letting the blades pierce the wall. The Scarred Man threw pieces off the counter to distract Mashiro. Mashiro slid under the remaining desk avoiding the debris grabbing the Scarred Man's leg from around the desk as he leapt forward. Mashiro pulled on his leg throwing him against the chairs. The Scarred Man countered with a kick to his face knocking him up with the desk. Mashiro fell over the desk into the debris of the remains as the Scarred Man charged after him.

The Scarred Man grabbed the wire of one of Mashiro's knives stuck in the wall pulling it free. He grabbed the knife while still in motion toward Mashiro thrusting in at Mashiro. Mashiro was forced to block with his arms getting cut deep by his knife, spraying blood. Before the Scarred Man got away from Mashiro he reached up and grabbed him by his shirt smashing his forehead into the Scarred Man's forehead. He rammed his head against his repeatedly until they started to bleed and nausea loosened his grip. The two stumbled backwards falling over the destroyed classroom furniture.

Mashiro could barely feel anything at the moment. His head was spinning and his face was too bloody for him to see clearly. His legs felt too weak to move anymore and his ribs were pressing against his lungs making it difficult to breath. Mashiro tried to stand, but failed falling back down. He heard noises from the opposite side of the room of the Scarred Man.

The Scarred Man eyes were blurred having trouble focusing. His heart was pounding and his chest continued to feel pressure. Blood was covering half of his face over the scar. His muscles were having trouble responding to him as he fell over to the ground trying to get up. A second attempt, he had found the strength to stand weakly looking over at Mashiro still trying to stand. He walked over to the wall slowly leaning against it as he ripped down a knife.

Mashiro watched the Scarred Man stumbling through the room giving him the determination to stand back up. Mashiro leaned at the doorway pulling the knife out of his arm. The blood dripped from its blade ready to find flesh again. The Scarred Man slowly approached Mashiro swinging at him wide, but missing. Mashiro fell backwards through the doorway into the hall trying to dodge. His heart began speeding up again harder and the pain was falling away. He walked a little more straight as the Scarred Man entered the hall. Mashiro wiped away the blood again. His hand tightened around the knife as they stood off in the hall.

"Let's end it…" Mashiro said.

The Scarred Man and Mashiro tensed their muscles getting into an attack stance. They narrowed their eyes watching the slightest movement and biting through the returning pain. Blood began to drip again interrupting their vision, but went ignored. Mashiro's blade dripped tears of blood signaling their charge. The two sprinted at each other knives in hand outstretch to strike calling upon all their remaining reserves to deliver a final blow. The two met, their blades piercing deep into their bodies.

Mashiro collapsed to the ground in a pool of blood as the Scarred Man stood a moment longer. "Chiko…" Mashiro's said, his voice barely escaping his lips. The Scarred Man fell to the floor shortly after emptying his own blood across the floor. Neither was moving anymore.

'Chiko…' The sound of Mashiro's voice entered through Chiko's unconscious mind. 'Chiko…' The sound played again and again slowly waking him. Chiko slowly opened his eyes blinking to readjust to the hall. There were bodies everywhere in his sight. However, his eyes suddenly saw a familiar shape among them. Chiko used his hands to pull himself up the wall to return to his weakened feet. He walked through the hall coming closer to what he hoped was not Mashiro. 'It can't be…no its not him. Its just my imagination.'

Chiko tripped over a body not looking sliding across the floor with Mashiro still out of reach. He saw Mashiro's body unmoving and bloody. Panic poured through his mind causing him to crawl over the next bodies to reach Mashiro. His eyes began to water up with tears as his heart sank in realization. His mind worked faster than his body paralyzing him from moving. He was just out of arms reached in disbelief at Mashiro's still body. There was so much blood poured across the floor soaking Chiko's school uniform.

"Mashiro…no…please no…" Chiko said pulling himself by his elbows up to Mashiro. He managed to get close enough to Mashiro touch his hand hoping to feel a pulse. His hand felt cold to his touch causing his eyes to widen in fear. "It can't…this is not how its supposed to be…you can't leave me alone!" Tears fell down his cheeks with his hopes fading. Chiko pulled himself up closer to Mashiro resting his head on his lap. He was too small to do much more for Mashiro. Chiko noticed the knife that was stuck in his chest where it was bleeding the most and removed it. Blood began to flow even faster now forcing him to scramble to find something to cover it up. Chiko found a clean part of a shirt from one of the bodies and ripped it up pressing it against the wound. There were so many places that he was bleeding from that Chiko did not know if he was being helpful or if it was too late. His heart was pounding, racing telling him that he was not too late while his mind was trying to think rationally.

The bundle of cloth was getting soaked through completely. Chiko began to panic outright again trying to ignore all of the signs. He did not know what to do for him anymore and he needed help. "Someone! Anyone! Is there anyone here? I need help! S-s-someone please! P-please, h-he needs help!" Chiko kept choking on the words. He wanted to look around and see if there was a teacher still around, but he was afraid to leave Mashiro alone. "Please! Help!" Chiko began to cry more through his words as despair crawled over him.

Chiko decided suddenly to try himself. He stood up trying to feel his legs again, but his body was still exhausted from the fight. His legs collapsed under him before he could even attempt to pull on Mashiro's body. Chiko shook through his tears and tried again locking his knees. He grabbed Mashiro with his tiny hands by the edge of his coat. As he began to pull his hands slipped causing him to fall over and trip. The entire hallway was filled with the dead and he did not want Mashiro to join them. Chiko scrambled over to Mashiro again pulling at his clothes trying to get him over the bodies that lay in the hall. "Come on! This isn't it for you! Y-you can't be dead…you can't be…" Chiko strained against Mashiro's heavy body as his own body protested wanting to rest. "P-please…"

Chiko pulled at Mashiro when he heard a sound down the hallway. There was a moment of fear thinking that it was another one of the hit men coming to finish them off. It was quickly melted away with hope that it was someone that could help him. His mixed emotions left him waiting to see who it was. The sounds came louder and closer. Chiko prayed that it was someone that could help. A shadowed figure appeared finally in his sight at a distance, his mind too tired to focus. The poorly lit hallway could not reveal who it was until they were almost on top of him. Light from a classroom bleed across the figure showing it to be the Doctor.

"Doc! What are you doing here? No, never mind! Mashiro needs help badly!"

"What, but I…" Chiko grabbed the Doctor by his buttoned up shirt and pulled him down to ground around all of the dead placing him in front of Mashiro. "Oh my…lets get him to the classroom." The Doctor picked up Mashiro with Chiko following behind him holding on to the Doctor's lab coat tails. "I don't know…I may be too late."

"Don't speak! Just get busy!"

"Uh, yeah. Of course…" The Doctor examined Mashiro's body quickly pulling out medical supplies to treat all of the numerous cuts and wounds he had. Chiko rested in one of the chairs watching and waiting, hoping that Mashiro would be alright. His body gave out on him again making it difficult to stay awake. Chiko passed out on the desk while the Doctor continued to work. After an hour had passed the Doctor woke Chiko with his work complete.

"I…fell asleep…" Chiko said slowly. Then he stood up quickly reacting to his initial thought. "Mashiro!?"

"He's a lucky man."

"Then he's going to live?"

"Yes, stubborn individual. With how much blood he lost he should have died."

"Sorry to inconvenience you…" Mashiro said waking up from the desk.

"Mashiro!" Chiko said relieved.

"Hey…didn't mean to make you worry like that."

"I'm just glad you're alive."

"But the school is a mess…" the Doctor said looking around.

"Yeah…"

"Let's get him out of here, I need to finish his treatment at the house." Mashiro stood up on his own with a little help from the Doctor as Chiko leaned against Mashiro walking out of the entrance of the school. The entire field was filled with bodies as though it was a battlefield in a war. They walked out of the school grounds slowly with relief that it was finally over when two figures appeared out of the shadows of a tree.

"Congratulations," Mr. Winter said stepping out of the shadow.

"You…" Mashiro said coughing as he strained against the Doctor.

"I didn't come to fight you. Just pay my respects to you for a fine job."

"And you as well little miss," Mr. Autumn said bowing politely as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Who are you?" Chiko said.

"I'm Mr. Autumn, the real Mr. Autumn," he said with a smirk.

"Wha…?"

"Congratulations on a beautiful fight. We shall meet again I imagine," Mr. Winter said fading into the shadows with Mr. Autumn. They completely disappeared from sight leaving the three confused. "Make sure that you keep the little safe!" Mr. Winter's voice said from the distance his location completely disguised.

"What was that all about?" Chiko said.

"I don't know," Mashiro said, "But I don't like it."

They returned home allowing Mashiro to be fully treated for his injuries with nanomachines. Mashiro laid in the living room where he felt more comfortable than the Doctor's lab. The Doctor treated him while telling him about what he had found about The Awaking Dragons. The revelation shocked him feeling the full impact of what they were doing and seeing the lines that connected everything together. It all made sense to him now.

Mashiro tensed his hand in anger at what they were planning. It would be completed soon too, if the Doctor was accurate about what he had found. He had to do something. "The nanomachine treatment is finished, right doc?"

"Well yeah, but you shouldn't move around too much."

"Thanks, and sorry for this."

"Huh-"

Mashiro punched the Doctor in the stomach knocking him out instantly. He let him fall on the couch as he stood up putting his coat back on. Chiko was standing in front of him blocking his way.

"Mashiro! What you do that for?"

Mashiro quickly punched Chiko in the stomach as well hard enough that his hand hurt, but it knocked him out as well. He picked up Chiko and placed him on the couch to rest. Afterward Mashiro walked up to his room grabbing another gun and walked to the attic. The pain was gone and he could feel his body again, but for this he would not need to be at full strength. Mashiro entered the Doctor's lab where he went to the sub space portal that the Doctor had used before. He had been shown it by the Doctor earlier and worked the computer to set the target for Tokyo.

A short twenty minutes later Mashiro was driving through the streets of Tokyo in a stolen car. He came to stop at the front of The Awaking Dragon's main building, information gathered by the Doctor. There were a few guards at the entrance, but he did not care. Mashiro stepped out of the car and walked towards them slowly. The men approached him looking to stop him, but Mashiro pulled out his gun shooting them in the head quickly. The guards dropped the marble steps as Mashiro walked on.

He pushed the door open seeing several more men running at him with weapons drawn already alerted. Mashiro continued through firing his gun coldly at them dropping them individually before they could get a shot off. His gun casually reloaded as several more men came running out of a nearby room. The men were sleeping on the floor in pools of blood before their weapons were drawn. Mashiro's eyes were empty and cold walking through the hall. He kicked the door open finding two guards at the far end of the narrow hall. Both were dead before they realized what was happening.

Mashiro used one of the guards' bodies and kicked through him breaking the locked door. The attendant came rushing to the door in surprise finding a bullet between his eyes. Mashiro entered the darkened room grandiose in scale in spite of its emptiness for only holding five aging men.

"What's the meaning of this?" the center Superior said.

Mashiro walked in front of them holding his gun up at them. "I come to deliver you a message."

"What message?"

"You will cease your hunting of Chiko Toyozama and myself."

"Why would we that? You can't order us to do anything!"

"I can kill the five of you right now without even trying. Your assassin is dead at my hand and I know what you are planning." They remained quiet listening, grudgingly, to him. "I know that you have been working behind the scenes in the government, building dummy organizations. You have been using real government officials and bribes to earn your way into the system. You are making yourself part of the system without the government even realizing that they are funding a criminal organization. Section Three was simply a front filled with people like me ran by a corrupt government official. You've manage to get yourself into half of the government and with the destruction of the Section Three building, you are actually forcing legislation to be pass that creates more organizations for you. Soon you will be running the government from the shadows."

"And now you're a dead man. Knowing that you can't leave this building alive."

"I will leave, because you're going to let me."

"Why would we let you leave?"

"Because I have the man from Section Three you are looking for, the doctor in charge of the cloning facility. He's already set all of this information in a package on the net to be spread to everyone in the media from Japan to Europe and the rest world as well as the prime minister. And trust me when I say, I can leak it all before you even think about doing anything to me. You should be familiar with the man's abilities." Mashiro tossed a data storage device at the Superiors. "This can confirm everything I know."

"What do you want?"

"End the kill order of Chiko Toyozama, the Doctor and myself…"

"Out of the question-" the Superior on the far left said.

Mashiro pulled the trigger killing the one that disagreed without a thought. "There is no negotiating here. In exchange for that, I will not release what I know. I have no interest in what happens to Tokyo or Japan for that matter. The government is already corrupt as it is and I can't change that. I don't care what you do with it."

"How can we trust you?" the center Superior said.

"Honor. My only interest is having a peaceful life. You don't come after us and I won't come after you."

"…Very well…"

"Oh and, one other thing. You will be donating a large sum of money to repair the Noyai Elementary School out of the kindness of your hearts," Mashiro said smirking.

"…Fine…"

"Agreed then. And remember that if you ever go back on your word I will hunt you down and make sure each and every one of you dies in a most painful fashion before your last breath is exhaled. I will tear down everything you created and destroy you." Mashiro walked out of the Superior's room afterwards.

After that night many things changed for Chiko and Mashiro. The Awaking Dragons held to their word, so far, and had not sent assassins after them. Chiko's school received a mysterious donation from a wealthy recluse that no one had heard of or even seen. But the money was enough to get the school repaired. All of the students had to attend classes at a nearby school until the repairs are completed. It is supposed to be ready after the summer break. All of the students made it out of the school safely. There were a number of injuries, but surprisingly no one had died, except all of the men from the syndicate.

On the subject of the men, they mysterious disappeared in a single night. Though also mysterious was the strange virus that immobilized the entire police force from responding to the school incident. Some speculate that if the police had arrived the situation could have created untold causalities. No one has made a claim to the attack, but rumors on the net say that a hacker by the name of "D" was responsible. When the police did arrive there was no evidence left for them to determine what happened. Even with all of the testimony from the witnesses the case remains cold without leads.

Weeks after the incident in Osaka at the school a large attack was made on The Awaking Dragons that was linked back to a syndicate in Osaka. Since the attack The Awaking Dragons have faced numerous attacks on their Tokyo territory from new syndicates appearing and olds ones trying to lay claim. In all of the turmoil and rumors of one of the Superiors being dead The Awaking Dragons have been forced to scrap their plans. The syndicate continues to fall into decay; Tokyo has become a violent place again at night.

The Doctor remains with Chiko and Mashiro in their house in Osaka. He continues to make inventions that annoy Mashiro and dresses for Chiko. Chiko lives the peaceful life that Mashiro wanted trying to learn to live life as an eight-year girl. He is still easily frustrated brushing his hair leaving Mashiro to patch up holes in the wall. Nobu and Chiko remain in an uneasy friendship with the eyes of their peers always watching them. His classmates keep what they saw that day a secret, but still do not realize who he really is. Hakuro and Chiko still argue frequently during class and Mrs. Shimasuke is seen disciplining them often.

The sun had almost hidden itself behind the hills from the view of the playground. Chiko and Mashiro sat on the wall over looking the city below.

"Peace at last," Mashiro said.

"Yes, but living is still another story."

"We'll just take it one step at a time…"

(Author's Note: This is the end of The Inner Man series. At least it is the end that I had originally planned. Since working on this I have introduced more elements and pieces that I have been tempted to play with in a second series. However, I am planning on moving on to other projects for the time being. But if you really love this and want to see more please review me and let me know. If the demand is high enough I will pick it back up and continue the further adventures of Chiko and Mashiro.

On a side note, this is actually my first attempt at comedy. I have never done a full out comedy before, and though this is not completely a straight comedy there were a lot of comedic episodes. It was an experiment for me to see if I could write and do comedy. For my next series I will be exploring romance, which I have not written before either. So be on the look out for my next manga/anime series Flesh is for Gods.

Thank you to everyone that has read my story and especially to those that have reviewed and given my feedback. I hoped that you enjoyed this as much I did.)