Eminence in shadow - Not Shadow

Alpha

"You dodged ...." i remarked, watching her run on the side of the train with her eyes trained on me - accessing me as an opponent.

"Well, that makes sense." I finished, retaliating with a flick of my threads towards her on the offense.

She barely managed to deflect it, hissing in anger while hopping away with a clink.

I followed, attacking vigourously with a furious onslaught of lancing threads from multiple directions.

She admirably kept up, deflecting them away - sparks flying into the air as i pushed her back.

I smiled whilst she tried different approaches, going for an overhead aerial attack, flickering to my peripherals; all trying to gain a definite advantage for a decisive blow.

I frowned, taking in her pensive expression as i pushed her further back - the two of us attacking and deflecting vigourously.

What is going on through that pretty head of yours ?

She gasped in shock, her eyes opening wide in recognition, breaking the exchange and jumping a few feet away.

"Why ?" She exasperatedly asked.

"Why !?"

"How could you do this !?"

"Shadow !?" She pleadingly called out.

I closed my eyes, mentally cursing myself and all of this existence for not preparing for such an outcome and choosing a very perceptive second in command.

Now time for some damage control.

"Shadow .... ?" I amusingly inquired with a smile, brandishing my threads at the ready.

She peered at me intently, sweat dripping down her cheek as she concentrated hard, trying to ascertain if she had miscalculated or was wrong in someway.

She groaned, shaking her head vigourously to shrug off her doubt - shifting the tip of her blade to the side in submission.

"I know it is you." She said, gazing at me intently, pleading for me to answer.

"I've had my suspicions when Delta came back alive."

"Supposedly saved by "shadow"." She added, stressing on my moniker.

"The fact that you are still alive already roused my suspicions further." She continued.

I peered at her silently, impressed by her perceptive and analytical skills.

"Now you're displaying such a level of skill !?" She incredulously remarked.

I smirked, understanding that she had me on cue and there was need for a different strategy.

"I have forsaken that name." I said, dropping the persona and validating her suspicions.

"Now i am called John smith." I stated, playing another act as i flicked my threads in the theatrical antics of a performer.

"What ?" She wearily exclaimed, recoiling in shock and suprise.

"What have you ...."

She kept silent for a while, silently analysing me and struggling to contain her frantic emotions.

"Why ?" She asked again.

"I want to support you. To understand you !" She offered.

"I want to be there for the man who saved my life !"

"For you .... , if i were to serve you, i would ...., but you .... does this mean ..."
She rambled onwards as i listened silently.

"-You don't need me anymore .... ?"

I closed my eyes when i had finished digesting her statements and was sure she was done - steeling my heart for what needs to be said.

"One it's all over then you'll understand." I calmly replied.

"You'll know this was the best choice."

She lightly scoffed at my reply.

Did she perhaps not understand me ?

"I won't be like this you know." She audibly mused - more to herself than to me as she gingerly grasped her blade tightly.

Did she perhaps think ....

"I WON'T KEEP DRAGGING YOU DOWN !!" She esctatically proclaimed, opening her eyes and revealing blue azure slit pupils.

That i was underestimating her !?

She flinched as my threads entangled her tightly - in an eerie recreation of the previous finisher i had used against Delta.

I was partly offended that she would think so little of herself and decided to show her just how capable she really is.

She escaped its embrace by burning a flamy blue; dissipating into flames.

I raised an eyebrow at the new technique and smiled in approval as she reappeared above me with a similar technique - her sword posed upwards to strike.

I flicked my fingers, sending my threads after her to check her approach.

I smiled further when she phased right through them, getting dangerously close to completing her motion.

I'll let her have this one, i decided - she had earned it.

Blood spurted into the air, her blade lightly grazing me in the shoulder as she dashed through; completing her attack.

Shock appeared on her features; struggling to comprehend that she had managed to land a hit on me - something she viewed as an impossibility.

She scoffed sadly, understanding what i was trying to do as she deflected another one of my attack deftly.

"I CAN SUPPORT YOU TOO !" she continued, trying another aerial attack with her new technique.

"I SWEAR IT !" She desperately promised, lancing at me with another thrust.

She flinched just as i grasped the blade tightly with my palm; holding it in place - blood spurting into the air as it broke the skin.

'That wasn't what this is about' i wanted to say. But settled on analysing, commenting and evaluating her new technique.

"Mistform ... eh." I remarked.

"But you still need to solidify before you can land any actual attack."

"So yeah, the enemy attacks won't hit you, you could just dodge for that." I continued as she gazed at me in astonishment - partially in awe at my skill and accurate deduction.

"NOT ENOUGH RISK FOR RETURN !" I stated; giving my final evaluation as a flung her away.

"Oh ... but when you're all mist, you can fly.
So that may come in handy." I complimented as she used the technique again.

The sky blazed blue, spinning in a vortex of blue flames as she reappeared with a yell, brandishing an energy enhanced sword for what i assumed to be a final attack.

"But mist is lacking in mass." I ultimately stated, readjusting my footing for better leverage as she approached.

"LIGHTWEIGHT !!" I retorted, palming her in the chest with psychic blast that checked her approach with a pulse.

I flinched as she gasped in shock, gazing at me with a hurt expression; my words undoubtedly doing more damage to her than my attack ever could.

She flew into the air, the fight lost in her;  her arm held astreched towards me in apology.

I turned away and focused my mind on the task at hand as she fell off the train - not even waiting to observe her descent.

She opened her mouth and wailed; attempting to say something before i zoomed away.

I closed my eyes as i heard the sounds of the light groans, grunts and thuds that followed while she clattered to the floor.

I'll make it up to her too, i resolved.

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