In Which There Is Payback

Like a Soul King
"...Alright, where are we going?" Momoiro questioned, as Kasumi grasped her hand tightly; keeping a glance firmly ahead, focusing on what the destination was.

"...Just a little further. There's somebody who should help- big time." Kasumi responded firmly; no longer filled with biting sarcasm and wit. All the while, Kachihi stared at his hands in pain, thinking about how to get revenge upon Kyogi.

"...We'here." Reaching a bar, the group noticed a certain young man. This person was a seemingly young man with a "bishōnen" appearance. He had messy light-blonde, messy hair that was tied into a long braid. His emerald eyes sparkled in a similar manner to a stream. Kachihi recognized that face. However, the atmosphere was quite different from when he had met him; at least this time, he didn't look hostile.

Approaching the man gingerly, Kasumi placed his hand upon Kazuma's arm, inquiring, "...Soul King, right now, there is a man who is a destructive pest that tears apart your gardens, destroying your most precious flower minute by minute. I implore you to execute him." Kasumi softly asked with a smile upon his face.

"That would be a gardener's work. Or, Kasumi, do you dare imply that my Full Throttle is nothing more than a gardener's shovel?" Kazuma smirked. Certainly, there was some kind of prose going on between them; Kasumi considered it only natural to talk to such a mighty figure in the most elegant way possible.

"While no one is implying that, I will outright state you are a lazy, good for nothing lump of a man, Kazuma Nagareboshi." Gunshin berated the man, folding his arms and staring away from him in a very womanly fashion.

"...I shall have you know, that as I was ressurected, I can only step in at critical times. Suffice to say, this is not one of those times, no matter how much I want to." Kazuma responded in an unfazed manner.

"...How does that even work?" Kachihi responded.

"...Luckily for you, I am an endless barrel of exposition. ...In simple terms, I'm somebody who witnesses all the possiblities that occur in Soul Society from all the time loops that happened because of that idiot fucking up time. Unfortunately becoming an observer means I need to abide by the title and can't take action in most situations- so sorry, I can't help you here." Kazuma put it in layman's terms.

"So, you, the Soul King, the creator of several powerful races, cannot raise his blade to do anything?" Gunshin asked, his voice dripping with both irritation and sarcasm.

"...Well, I most certainly was not an observer when I create those races. Blame the whole revival thing. Most people who are brought back from the dead become observers. However, I'm working on a way to subvert my ties to that role." Kazuma retorted, before pressuring, "Sorry, go. Go, go on. Shoo. I need not waste my time no longer."

"I do think we're barking up the wrong tree." Gunshin sighed. "Kazuma here is about as useless as a nail without a blunt object to press it in..."

"Hey, not my fault. I thought the pissed off guy with the nuke would help, honestly." Kasumi remarked. "Don't blame me."

Kachihi clicked his teeth in exasperation. "...Let's find somebody else, okay? This isn't helping."

"Like who?" Gunshin asked, irritated with Kazuma's lack of doing anything.

Leaving the Soul King, Kasumi responded with his iconic snark, "...Well, I do believe we're all aware of somebody who will be less than pleased to hear of this."

"...Problem is, where the hell is he?" Kachihi remarked; he had to restain himself from picking at his horribly scarred hands. However, hearing a faint grumbling noise, Kachihi found it unmistakable; that was Zakura's stomach, really. Without hesitation, Kachihi rushed forward, greeting a young man who bore the appearance of a young, very feminine male with a petite and slender frame, much like a woman's, and light brown eyes. He had light pink hair which reached down to his waist, and was tied up in a simple braid, and had two bangs going down to his chin. He wore the most simple of apparel; a red sleeveless t-shirt and baggy azure jeans; Zakura Terui.

Slowly, the group approached Zakura, gossiping amongst themselves, bickering, "...Uhm, who should tell him?" All the while, Zakura had that endearing goofy look about him as usual, blissfully unaware of what was occurring.

Aoi nudged her father forward, as if volunteering him.

"Well, it seems we have our volunteer." Gunshin smirked.

Kachihi sighed while scratching his head, "...Uhm, hi." Zakura looked somewhat surprised.

"...Hm? No, how's it been, Kachihi? Is Yuuki okay?" At that question, the group became completely silent.

"...She has a new boyfriend."

"...And?" Zakura seemed to be happy for Yuuki.

"...He's...let's put it nicely, a fuckstick." Kachihi held out his hands. "...He beats her nightly, he shoved my hands in the boiler, and he nearly killed us all." The chill in the air became colder as Zakura's eyes sharpened, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.

"...Excuse me." Without any further hesitation, Zakura Terui dissapeared in a flash.

"Gonna die." Aoi said confidently. The girl was a regular 8-Ball.

Kyogi scowled at the person he threw down, running his fingers across her delicate skin; causing her chin to jump as she winced. The fingers, violating her as they crawled from her neck to her chest, were a sign of the start. Kyogi roughly pushed Yuuki's body down, as a spasm ran through her. The man laughed from the bottom of his heart and reached out for her clothes, ripping her clothes off, as if tearing her apart. "S…Stop…!" Yuuki winced; irked by such defiance, Kyogi slammed his fist right into Yuuki's face.

"Know your place! You have no right to disobey me!" Kyogi continued to punch Yuuki as if he had gone mad; who didn't fight back out of fear, allowing Kyogi to beat her to a bloody pulp. Nevertheless, Yuuki's eyes displayed great determination, cursing the man on top of her. As Yuuki was about to give up, the wall behind the two was utterly demolished in an instant, as Kyogi was sent careening into the next wall by an unseen force.

As the dust settled, a familiar figure held Yuuki in their arms; a young, very feminine male with a petite and slender frame, much like a woman's, and light brown eyes. He had light pink hair which reached down to his waist, and was tied up in a simple braid, and had two bangs going down to his chin. He wore the most simple of apparel; a red sleeveless t-shirt and baggy azure jeans. His eyes were full of anger and determination as Yuuki couldn't believe what was happening. Kyogi stood to his feet, snarling at the foe in front of him. "…Damn you! Who are you!?"

"…Zakura Terui. Somebody you shouldn't have angered."

"Grandpa is really angry..." Aoi stated the obvious as they walked into the house through the hole Gunshin had created earlier. "Gonna die..."

"Who's going to die?" Rika asked, worried.

"A person." Aoi replied unhelpfully.

Kachihi clicked his tongue in exasperation. "...Zakura is almost as strong as Nika, when you think about it. There is no way Kyogi stands a chance."

Kasumi struck Kachihi in the chest, remarking, "...Just hurry up, can you?"

Power of the Emperor
As Kyogi rushed forward, Zakura swung his right hand up. With a dull sensation, his right hand punched Kyogi in the face, causing Kyogi to be knocked away, now squirming around atop the desk. "Ah? Ow… Haha… What the fuck? Now you've done it!" The raven haired man laughed insanely as he crouched on the ground like a bird about to grow wings.

Kyogi charged toward Zakura; his blade was aimed straight for Zakura's face, who avoided it effortlessly just by swinging his head to the side, before clenching his left fist. He moved in toward Kyogi to counter his foe's missed attack, his fist plowed into Kyogi's face. He moved his blade back and forth, swinging it around, but Kyogi never once grazed his skin. Zakura slipped past Kyogi's blade and pulverized Kyogi's face with his fists again and again. "Dammit, what!? What's with those weird movements!? You're not an eel, so quit wriggling around like that and stay put!"

Kyogi tried to grab the fist that was stabbing in at his face, but the smooth movements of Zakura's hands prevented him from doing so as Zakura danced him around with precise footing, possessing not even a care in the world. Quickly, Kyogi charged crimson energy upon Seikūga, before swinging it forward and releasing it in the form of a crimson wave of energy—or so he would have, if Zakura had not let him. In order to stop that attack that he had predicted was coming, Zakura's left fist slammed into Kyogi's face.

Kyogi was forcefully knocked to the ground and he manipulated the floorboards knocked up by his own body using his crimson energy to send a blast of wood at Zakura upper body. But it did not hit. Zakura had predicted that attack too, and he had managed to avoid it by crouching down like he was about to start crawling along the ground. The punches Zakura was throwing did not have his weight behind them. They were diversionary punches that put more strength into pulling back than in the punch itself. "Damn you! You miserable little runt!" Kyogi screamed recklessly with his blade being swung around after having received Zakura's fists to his face again and again.

Despite Zakura's fists striking him, Kyogi recklessly swung his blade about in an attempt to chase after Zakura who was keeping away. He looked just like a child being teased by an adult; Kyogi knew that better than anyone and he could not stand it, a creaking sound resounded throughout the air as an unknown pain that felt like it was crushing his nose further affected Kyogi's concentration. "Fuck!" As Kyogi roared, the ground at his feet exploded in a surge of crimson energy. His body flew toward Zakura like a bullet. He had manipulated the shock of his heel hitting the ground. He had used the Crimson Sovereign's scarlet energy to triple his movement speed.

"Why the FUCK can't I hit you!?" Even with that supersonic speed, Kyogi Toushi could not reach Zakura Terui. His attacks were easily avoided as long as they could be predicted. It was the same as how a blade was a deadly weapon, but it posed no threat if it was being grasped by a small child. The fight was more or less over. The damage from Zakura's devastating blows had piled up and Kyogi's legs gave out. In the instant that strength left Kyogi's knees, Zakura struck his face with a devastating punch that absolutely pulverized him. For that absolute strike, he rotated his hips to put his weight into it and knocked Kyogi's body to the ground where it rolled around somewhat.

"Haa…haa…" Kyogi lifted his upper body and looked forward; but when he saw Zakura Terui slowly approaching; scarlet and azure manifesting in his hands, he starting using his hands to drag himself backwards. Zakura raised his arms to the skies, materializing his twin blades of flame and ice, clashing them together resolutely and bringing them to his sides. Kyogi, for the first time, heard Zakura's voice; a severely angered tone left his lips. "You…I won't forgive you for this. These people took you into their home with open arms, and cared for you as if you were one of their own." Zakura's aura flared up around him, manifesting in the visage of a crimson dragon. "They cared for you so much…! And look at what you repaid them with!" Zakura gritted his teeth. "Why do people like them need to act as your prey!?"

Kyogi froze in place, but Zakura did not stop. "No!" Kyogi shook his head. He did not know what it was to lose. He had never once lost in his life, so he did not have the slightest bit of resistance to losing. He had never even had to think of the possibility of losing before. But even so, Zakura did not stop. The night wind blew on Zakura's bangs making them wave like a cherry blossom fluttering in the wind. Zakura mustered up every last ounce of strength remaining in his body and sank down as if he were swinging his head down. His blades passed above his head. Kyogi's heart had frozen at having his methods of defenses suppressed. Zakura gave a ferocious, demonic smile while they were at such extreme close range that they were almost touching. An instant later, Zakura Terui's right blade plowed into Kyogi Toushi's face. His body was forcefully knocked through the window and onto the gravel where he rolled around with his arms and legs roughly strewn about. There was no need to express confirmation that Kyogi Toushi was dead.

Gunshin watched all this without batting an eye. As a Tenjōgekido, he should be able to match Nika. And to see someone not of their species defeat someone who had outclassed him... emotions certainly were a factor in one's power.

"Dead..." Aoi confirmed. And naturally, she was right.

Zakura's eyes widened at the destruction he had caused; he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't kill another being...However, Kyogi Toushi had deserved it, without a doubt. Withdrawing his twin blades, Zakura wandered over to Yuuki, holding her bruised figure in his arms. "...I'm so sorry. I wish I knew earlier so I could prevent this as soon as possible."

"...Why, why did you return?" Yuuki questioned hesitantly.

"...I won't stand for anyone I care about being harmed, got it?" At such a declaration, Yuuki wrapped her arms around Zakura's body, sobbing into his chest silently.

"Grandpa's not bad..." Aoi murmured, her face a light pink. "Momoirio and I just...like each other..."

Gunshin chuckled. "That's rich. It seems the damage is already done, so there is no real reason to get rid of Zakura."

Zakura cackled evilly. "Now, everyhing you own is tainted by me!" Sighing, he continued in a serious tone, "Like me or not, it's honestly not bad, all of us together. I mean, we all still love each other regardless, right?" He stretched out his arms, pulling the group into a group hug.

"Don't count me in this." Gunshin backed off as if burned. "Let me give Fumiko his body back, last think I want is to be in on any of this." He closed his eyes, which fluttered as if he was in REM sleep, and they opened.

"What did I miss?" Fumiko asked, curiously. "Is the douche dead? When I can I have my 300 kan?"

Zakura appeared rather baffled by such an occurance, though he eventually chalked it up to a split personality. "...Oh, by the way, I think you may need to be sent to an asylum...Just kidding! Anyways, I'm glad we're all back together. No more complaining, got it? Now you know, there could always be worse."

"Yes, you could be a serial rapist pedophile terrorist Jehovah's Witness." Rika snarked.

Zakura scratched his head. "...You're right. Anyways, let's not get into this further. Now, let's leave this be, shall we?"

END