A streak of lightning flashes among the pitch black clouds, brightening the scene below for a fraction of a second. Two individuals stand facing each other, sheets of rain obscuring them from the rest of the world. One, a small girl wrapped in blue, draws her katana and points it toward the other, a boy swathed in black. He flinches as the lightning flashes once more, revealing the girl’s blood red eyes. He takes a step towards the girl, arms raised away from his weapon. She doesn’t respond, so he takes another. And another. As he gets closer, much to his dismay, her eyes deepen into a much darker red, almost appearing black in color. The boy eventually stands in front of the girl, tears in his dark eyes. He leans forward, arms raised, and attempts to envelop her within them.
Soki: “Leona…”
Leo jumps back and slashes at Soki, drawing the blade across his cheek. Her eyes widen in shock as the gash begins bleeding, but she quickly snaps out of it. She presses the katana against Soki’s chest and nods down at the sword at his hip.
Leo: “Draw your sword and fight me, you fool…”
Soki smiles down at Leo and lightly pushes the blade away from his body. He takes a step towards her and places his hand lovingly on her cheek.
Soki: “I refuse to draw it on my partner.”
Leo stares at Soki with disgust and yanks away from his touch. She flicks her wrist, causing her sword to fly through the air and connect with his hand. She shivers as she applies more force, making the blade cut through flesh and bone. Soki grunts in pain, teeth biting down onto his bottom lip to prevent a scream from escaping his mouth as his hand falls to the wet ground below. Leo winces at the audible thud and turns away from Soki, trying to send the tears and vomit back. She counts softly to herself and nearly jumps out of her skin when Soki’s remaining hand lands delicately on her shoulder. She jumps away and slashes at him once more, dragging the sword across his chest. Her eyes widen as blood seeps from the new gash, but she tries to erase the concern with rage.
Leo: “I’m not your partner, damn it! Not anymore! Not after what you did!”
Soki: “Your mother is lying to you, Leona. And you know it…”
Leo: “Shut up you, filthy liar! Why would I believe you over her?!”
Leo sheaths her blade and rushes behind Soki, ramming her leg across the back of his knees. He cries out in shock and collapses to the ground, eyes full of both pride and sadness.
Soki: ”So finally got me… You’ve progressed so far-”
Leo: “Shut up!!!”
Leo yanks her blade from its sheath and holds it against Soki’s jugular. He tries to push himself away from the blade using his hand and stub, but one of the school buildings materializes out of the rain behind him, blocking off any exit.
Soki: “Fine… You know what? I see that talking to you won’t work… So-”
Leo presses the blade harder against Soki’s pale flesh, drawing a stream of blood from his neck.
Leo: “Draw… Your… SWORD!!!”
Soki: “No…I still refuse to do so against you, Leona…”
Soki reaches for the blade at his side and Leo smirks down at him, taking a step back to give him access to the sword.
Leo: “You really are a liar… Going for your weapon after all your talk. You really do disgust-”
Leo’s mouth widens in shock as Soki unties the knot connecting his sheathed katana to his side. Taking his remaining hand, he tosses it out of arm’s reach and then turns to glance at Leo. He smiles up at her, eyes full of love and forgiveness.
Soki: “I love you, Leona. I always will. If you do wish to kill me, I will grant you that wish.”
Leo: “Goodbye, Yozakura…”
Leo moves the katana tip to Soki’s chest and forces her weight against the butt of the blade. The metal slowly and forcefully enters Soki’s flesh, crunching bone and ripping tendon on its way to through his chest. Soki bites his lip hard enough to draw blood as the katana enters his heart. Tears begin pouring from Soki’s eyes as he looks up at Leo.
Soki: “… I… Love… You… My… Little… Lion…”
Leo’s eyes widen in shock at the nickname and her eyes slowly morph from their deep red to a blue deeper than any ocean. She collapses to the ground beside Soki and places her hands on his cooling cheeks.
Leo: “Soki… Oh please… Soki!!! I’m sorry!!! Please don’t go!! I… Please…”
Soki glances up at Leo and smiles weakly, light quickly leaving his eyes. Leo’s tears become heavier, blurring the body in front of her into a dark smudge. She curls up against Soki’s body and begins sobbing, shoulders shaking and thoughts racing.
Leo: ‘What have I done….I killed him… I killed my partner…What if he was right?! No… I can’t let my love for him…No… I can’t say I loved him… I just killed him! And he still loved me in the end! What the hell do I do now!?’
Leo looks up at Soki’s smiling face and she hesitantly reaches towards his eyes. She delicately rests her fingers on his eyelids and shuts
