Akame Ga Kill! - The Bitter Duology *Ongoing*

Chapter 38

The time it took to exit the force field was surprisingly short. As they landed on the ground, Mine immediately let go and stepped backward.

"I wouldn't let go just yet," Riyudo said. They were still a few feet above the ground when Mine had let go.

"Why not?"

Riyudo stood in a seemingly awkward position. Mine looked at him curiously, then understood at the shadow touched the ground. The shadow was slanted when it flattened against the ground, making Mine lose her balance and fall foward into Riyudo once more.

"Thanks," she scoffed as Riyudo caught her and helped her stand up.

"Of course," he said, his flirtatious smile flashing at her. Mine didn't understand why but seeing him smile made her angry.

Run was barely conscious as he laid on the ground. His blond hair was matted down by his blood. He stared up at the sky, his breathing haggard.

"I'm sorry you have to see me like this," he managed to croak.

Riyudo shrugged.

"Yeah, me too. I wanted to be the one to destroy you, not have Mother Nature do all the work for me."

Angered by the comment, Mine raced over toward the boy and grabbed his collar.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she screamed in his face. "You're father is dying before your eyes and all you have to say is that you wished you were the one to do that to him?!"

The girl punched Riyudo's cheekbone, knocking him backward. He rubbed his cheek, then looked back up at Mine. He was smiling.

"Is that all you got?" he asked, a chuckle coming out. Mine stared at him, puzzled.

"Are you crazy?"

"Yes! I am crazy! Everywhere I go, I have always been only the mere shadow of my father. He's always been so great! He was the best teacher in the village, and everyone loved him. In fact, he was always so busy, it was like he was never home. He neglected everything at home, including me! So who killed all the kids in school? I did, and I am damn proud of it."

Mine clenched her fists. She stepped forward to punch Riyudo again when she got interrupted.

"Stop please," Run whispered.

The man managed to lift himself up, despite all the pain. He leaned on his right side. The blood seemed to stop flowing out of him, but much of his blood had already been lost. His skin was much paler and he looked weaker.

"Oh, recovered already Dad?"

Run stared into his son's eyes. He spread his wings, the white feathers covered in his blood. Riyudo grinned, his shadow slipping from under him.

"No!" Mine yelled. She knew that Run wouldn't win. She reached to wield Pumpkin when Run held up his hand.

"Mine, no. This is my battle."

Reluctantly, Mine left Pumpkin in it's case.

"Fine, but take this then," she called, tossing him Tatusmi's old sword.

"My swordsmanship isn't that great, but I'll take it," he said, grasping the sword's handle tightly.

The two males stared at each other intensely. Run had gone up in the air, his wings glowing and the blood no longer there. Riyudo was grounded, his shadow surrounding him.

The air was tense. Riyudo was first to attack, his shadow moving swiftly through the air. Run blocked it with a ray of light. The shadow coward, then split to attack Run again. Using his wings that now appeared to be blue flames, he protected his body from the attacks. When they ceased, Run attacked with his wings, only a few slightly scathing Riyudo.

"Is that all you got old man?"

A bead of sweat appeared on Run's temple. He was slightly out of breath, and the glow of his wings were dimmer.

"Look, Riyudo," Run yelled as he avoided his son's attacks. "I don't want to hurt you."

"But I do want to hurt you," Riyudo replied, his shadow heading straight for Run. The attack was distorted and the shadow went a different direction.

"Please don't make me."

"You shouldn't have left me and Mom!"

"You're mother didn't even love you!"

"Lies! Mom loved me more than you ever did."

The boy sent an attack that lodged into Run's injured shoulder. The father didn't not flinch, but rather looked at Riyudo with hurt eyes.

"You think your mother cared about your well being?"

"At least she stayed by my side!"

"She wanted you dead!"

The two were arguing, their attacks growing more aggressive with each word. Mine couldn't move from the powerful aura being given off by each of them.

"How would you know? You were never there!"

Run swiftly flew down. Riyudo held up his shadow in defense, but Run managed to drive Tatsumi's sword up to his son's chest as he got rid of his wings. The tip was right on where his heart should be. Riyudo, in return, had his shadow pointed to the exact same place on Run, except it was on his back.

"You think I never cared? Look at the mark on your chest."

There was a scar left from when an older kid had cornered him and stabbed him. It didn't go it too far.

"Okay, well it could've been avoided if you were there."

"I was there!" Run exclaimed. With his other arm, he showed Riyudo a large scar that had to be repaired with stitches.

"I stood in the way of the knife for you, because you would've been killed!"

"Well you should've been there since the beginning."

"Your mother was there!"

Suddenly, Riyudo remembered what had happened. It was when he was 5. The kids made fun of him for being small and told him that he didn't belong there in the streets.

"Hey Pipsqueak. You wanna play with us?" a tall boy asked.

"Um, sure!" Riyudo answered happily. He didn't understand the situation at the time.

The boy had grinned at his friends. He twirled a knife around his fingers.

"You heard him boys. Get him."

Before Riyudo could do anything, the other boys were beating him up. He could see his mother standing nearby, and he called out for help.

"Mama! Mama! Help me Mama!" he cried.

The woman did not do anything. She stood there, grinning. Beside her was some hunky man that was not his father.

"Mama?"

"Ha! Look at this baby, calling out for his Mama."

The boy that got Riyudo caught up in the situation twirled his knife. Then he grabbed it and walked towards Riyudo, the knife pointed toward him.

"Mama!" Riyudo screamed.

Just then Run had slipped between Riyudo and the knife, the blade going through the man and lightly scaring Riyudo. Off in the shadows, his mother had disappeared, scowling as she left.

The memory had caused Riyudo to let his guard down. A single tear had managed to be shed, and he had let go of his shadow.

"You... You were there for me... And I hated you all this time only for you to... to feel the complete opposite...."

Run smiled, then let the blade slide through Riyudo's heart. The boy smiled too, but it was a new smile. It looked sincere.

"Arigatou..."

As Riyudo grew limp in Run's arms, his father hugged his body.

"Don't worry, I'll be joining you soon," Run whispered. He let go of the body, gently pulling the blade out of his son's chest. A huge shadow swept over Riyudo's body, making it disappear.