Vigilante

“That was…cool,” Sheru said, now out of breath for how long she’d held it during Donburi’s heroic display.

Together, both Xiomazu and Sheru helped Donburi to his feet, and fled the flooding hotel with the agents.

Outside the Aquarium Hotel stood a skyscraper several blocks away. Atop it was a large decorative orange akin to other giant fake foods mounted across buildings throughout Kanto, advertising 24/7 food markets.

Nightfall was a perfect backdrop that helped portray a day worth remembering amongst countless other mundane winters.

Two blimps flew overhead, with each containing screens broadcasting sporting events at the late hour.

Beneath the building on the streets was a nightlife aplenty. Joining the party were singers from around the world, with a musical venue on every block boasting every genre of song and language, there was something for everyone’s tastes and types even at such a late hour.

However, tonight a new attraction will be the talk of the evening, and many more to come for all of Japan’s Kanto region, as well as the rest of Japan.

Overlooking the hotel, and standing above the orange, was Shinobi, cloaked from head to toe as usual. He watched with great interest as Donburi, Sheru, and Xiomazu arrived outside.

“Fascinating…” he said to himself.

Then he reached inside his cloak, and pressed a button with a resounding beep.

The Aquarium Hotel was consumed in flames and smoke, as the structure gave away to an explosion.

Donburi turned back just as his 3 agents, Aina, Ro, and Kaeda, all unable to escape in time, and each were crushed beneath the falling weight inside the building.

Immediately Donburi scrambled to the wreckage, digging away blocks with his bare hands.

Though Xiomazu stood behind, Sheru joined her mentor, and attempted to pull him away, though he resisted.

“Donburi!” she said with a final tug, causing him to snap out of his frantic trance. “They’re dead.”

“Fuck,” Donburi said as he tossed one final piece of wreckage over his shoulder.

“They didn’t deserve this shit…”

“Akuma must have made it out at least. She’s fast, faster than any of us.” Sheru turned around looking for support, connecting with Xiomazu.

“Right?”

“Yeah,” he tried to say with confidence, though it was obvious he was hesitant.

Akuma had gone alone to find both the chef and owner. The odds of her making it out were less than slim.

“Just how many people died inside that hotel now?” was all he could think about.

From behind him came a noise.

He turned around to see Shinobi standing there, several odd feet away.

A spotlight from one of the blimps above came down atop Shinobi, emanating his posture, though still not revealing his face.

There he was. Without anybody to hide behind.

Xiomazu reached to his left side, and withdrew the katana that Akuma had given him long ago at the Daydream Nightclub.

No longer did his arms shake, but rather they now were solid.

“You’re outnumbered! Xiomazu shouted, attempting to disway Shinobi.

“Prediction intimidation. He knows I’m stating the obvious, but if I can force him to think about something else for just a second, then-”

“HEY!” Xiomazu shouted, as Shinobi had swiftly reached into his cloak and retrieved a pistol.

Both Donburi and Sheru were alert, having joined Xiomazu slowly.

“Fellow Daimyo, and I don’t particularly know who you two are, but I wish you good pleasantries as well this evening! Please, can’t we come to some sort of vocal exchange for once without crude reactions?” Shinobi said, casually waving the gun around in his hand.

Donburi stepped ahead of Xiomazu.

He held out both hands, and in each a green glow materialized metal tonfa batons with a handle gripped tightly. The rice bowl necklace around him began to radiate.

Donburi kicked back a foot, and struck a fixed pose with his handheld weaponry.

“And here I was expecting a generous preview towards your next vocal arrangement, Donburi. I’m much accustomed to Akuma’s hastey spite, so pardon me when your usual amusing psyche is absent. It leaves me conflicted.”

Shinobi pointed his gun outwards after saying this.

Sheru repeated as Xiomazu did, only retrieving the katana from her right side.

“Frankley I find this deficiency of communication rather unfortunate. Won’t someone humor my curiosity and partake in humble speech?”

Shinobi raised his head as Xiomazu stepped ahead of Donburi.

“Why are you doing this?” Xiomazu asked.

“Finally! First and foremost, I must extend my gratitude, for you see many individuals choose to judge my position, but none allow my explanation!” Shinobi pressed his free hand against his chest.

“My name is Shinobi. Most of our identities have been rendered to nothing more than codenames, however I do find the courtesy of proper exchange to be necessary. Who might you be?”

“Put your gun down, and we can talk,” Xiomazu insisted, gripping his sword tighter.

“Such treacherous waters you tread, and yet not an inkling of fear from you. It seems Akuma has taught you well. Unfortunately I cannot holster my weapon, as it is the only thing preventing Donburi from killing me. I hope you understand my predicament,” Shinobi said, twirling his gun around.

“Wait, you said you didn’t know who me and her were,” Xiomazu had indicated Sheru. “Why do you think Akuma is my mentor?”

“Your names I simply don’t know. We haven’t had such fine moments such as these to mingle, though you and I have met once before during Daimyo Tsunami’s…game. Girl, who might you be?” Shinobi asked, pointing the gun at Sheru.

Sheru gave no reply, staying as silent as Donburi, and frozen with concentration.

“See? Such arrogance of youth. As for you, your mentor, Akuma, once told me she had a student. It’s only safe to assume, based on your mannerisms, that you are under her tutelage.”

Xiomazu was astonished. There was no way Akuma would talk with anybody like Shinobi.

“Prove it!” Xiomazu shouted, taking another step forward, then two more afterwards.

He was aware of the distance closing between the two, while still trying to keep his wits about. There was still a yearning for information. Information for all the things Akuma hadn’t yet explained.

Deep down, Xiomazu also believed it was impossible, and that Shinobi had been bluffing the entire time.

“As much excitement as it would bring me personally, I believe it’s best if we let her show us. That is what you want, right, Xion Mizuno?”

As Shinobi finished saying this, Xiomazu had felt a twitch in his arm, though it was only momentarily. It was as if his emotions were so repressed that his body physically needed to exhibit a sign of his discomfort.

How did Shinobi know his old name?

“Oh, my apologies! A part of me retains the memory of who you once were. She should be here any moment to properly clarify.”

Out from the burning remnants of the hotel leapt out a figure from overhead as smoke trailed behind them. They landed directly in front of Shinobi, kneeling momentarily before standing up.

Akuma had arrived, now masked once more. 

There was still a missing portion, having not been repaired since Tsunami's attack.

Yet what was supposed to be a relieving feeling had become unsettling, as Akuma had clutched two decapitated heads in her hand, still fresh and dripping. These belonged to the chef and hotel owner.

She tossed them to the side, causing them to roll for a bit.

“I’ve done what you asked, and disposed of any loose ends,” she said to Shinobi.

“Splendid work as always, Akuma. Now, to my side,” Shinobi said.

She did as told, standing next to Shinobi’s side.

Sheru fell down to her knees.

“Akuma…” she struggled to say. “Is this some kind of sick joke?”

“I’m afraid there is no joke to be told here,” Akuma said back plainly.

“Then…then what are you doing w-WITH HIM!?” Sheru shouted back.

Akuma said nothing in return.

Sheru got up, and ran to Donburi’s side.

“Oh, this is an effect of the yokai’s spirit in my system, right?!” she claimed, though Donburi said nothing back.

“You told me there was a side effect from my abilities gained through my training. This…this must all be a hallucination, right Donburi?” she pleaded, with tears beginning to soak against his clothing.

“Sheru, stand behind me,” Donburi finally spoke up. “Xiomazu get your ass back here as well.”

“No…no, Akuma won’t hurt us!” Sheru insisted, tugging him, though Donburi shoved her aside.

“Xiomazu!” Donburi said again.

Xiomazu still stood a distance between Donburi and Shinobi.

“I want to know what’s going on!” Xiomazu said as sternly as he could.

He held out the tip of his sword, threatening Akuma with it from where he stood.

“Tsk Tsk. And here I was beginning to admire your composure. Akuma, if you would…” Shinobi said as he slowly stepped towards Xiomazu, while Akuma followed with.

Donburi motioned.

“Wait,” Xiomazu instructed back to Donburi with a hand held up. “Let them come. I can defend myself if they try anything.”

But Xiomazu knew what he said was a lie. For how much he had learned, there was still much to learn if he had any chance of measuring up against Akuma or Shinobi, especially together.

Even still, he stood firmly as the two came closer, until finally he and Shinobi were only a foot apart.

“If you lunge forward, will you be fast enough to kill me before Akuma kills you?” Shinobi asked, as if he’d read Xiomazu’s mind.

“I’m not afraid to try, even knowing my odds,” Xiomazu said back.

“Ah. How thoughtful to know just how much you despise me. What crimes have I committed against you to invoke such hatred?” Shinobi then asked.

“I know, or at least used to believe Akuma hated you. You leave a trail of fear wherever you go, but to be honest with you, I hated your guts the moment you killed Saeko Nagata," Xiomazu said.

“Before you fled with Tsunami many months ago, you said no innocents. You talk as if you are blameless and without sin, and yet that moment does not haunt you? An innocent, funny, and smart girl, now gone from this world.”

“So I want you to remember that. Even if I die here today without a proper resolution for her death, I want you to think about Saeko Nagata. When you wake, when you sleep. When you die.”

Xiomazu stood silently as Shinobi gathered his thoughts.

Shinobi seemed taken aback by this.

At any moment Xiomazu expected conflict, whether through another spectacle from Donburi, or a swift and painless death that Akuma would deliver.

Maybe Shinobi would impale him with a kunai, like with Saeko.

He looked at Akuma. The cracked structure of her mask told a tale itself, while one eye looked back, the other was concealed.

He no longer regarded her as his mentor, for she was siding with a man she once described as wretched.

“Whatever they tell you, don’t listen to them!” Donburi yelled suddenly.

“He must have Akuma brainwashed, or something, cause she ain’t in her right mind!”

Paying no mind to Xiomazu, or Donburi, Akuma stood silently.

“Since the moment I’ve become Shinobi, every breath I’ve ever taken has been filled with remorse. Not a second goes by where I don’t think about the faces of the lives I’ve taken. I’ve memorized them all.”

“You may think that’s an atrocious lie, and I would not mind. Parts of me believe this path I’ve taken is wrong and unjust, but I must stay on my course even if it means the world will try everything it can to stop me. Even if parts of me resists, and cry and cringe at my actions, I must persist.”

“For what I seek is beneficial to us all as the greater good. I grow impatient with the setbacks, and fear my hourglass runs dry. At any moment, I will lack the conviction I once had, which is why I implore you..”

Shinobi reached into his cloak, and held a kunai.

“Join us…” Shinobi said softly, offering it outward.

Just who was this man?

What was his plan?

How did he know Xiomazu’s old name?

Why was Akuma now aligned with him?

Would Xiomazu join him?

All questions have answers.