("souls.")
"…"
"…"
… ("BZZZZT") …
!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The air erupts in the area as Xavier throws a hard right!!!!!
("AAAAH!!!!")
("AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!")
The people in the crowd exclaim as they are pushed slightly aback by the sudden burst of pressure!!!!
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"Heh."
The brash voice scoffs from inside the forming dust cloud as the dust begins to settle slow!!!
"Huh?"
Xavier responds shook
"HUH?!?!"
He shouts at the realization that his punch was tanked!!!!
"X-Xavi??"
Rin mumbles when she notices his silhouette…
"XAVI!!!!"
She shouts at the realization
"Hm?"
The man exclaims at her shout.
Turning to her and then to Xavier
"Oh…"
He says snarky as the dust finally settles
"Well if it isn't the boyfriend…"
He says smirking and tightening his grip on Xavier's fist.
"ACK!"
Xavier exclaims at the pain
"I knew there was something going on between the two of you but to think…"
He says cheekily standing up
"But to think your choice of men would be so…"
"AAAAH!!!!"
The man says gripping harder prompting Xavier to fall to his knees
"XAVI!!!!!"
A worried Rin shouts
"So shallow…."
The brash voice continues
"I wonder…"
"Did you really think you could take us all on just because you know a little souls…"
He says curiously
"Well news flash kiddo."
He says smirking
"That's pretty much common practice around here."
"AAAAH!!!"
He says seriously before forcing Xavier down on all fours with only the grip on his fist.
"XAVI!!!!!!"
Rin shouts!
"mhm."
"Get him."
The man says to the two other guys that leave Rin and flank him.
"XAVI NO!!!!!"
Rin shouts as she watches the men rush him
"Huh… HUH!!!!"
"AAAAHHHH!!!!!"
Xavier exclaims trying to get in a stance before shouting as the man tightens his grip once more forcing him back down!
"XAVI!!!!!!"
Rin's shouts echo the area as Xavier gets hounded by the men.
The man finally let's go of Xavier's fist when the other two arrive.
And in an instant Xavier is hounded by blows and kicks to the body
"AH!!!!"
"URGHH!!!!"
"AAAAACK!!!!!"
Xavier can be heard exclaiming in pain as he is beaten down mercilessly.
"How did it come to this…"
He thinks, curling into a ball to minimize the damage
"XAVI!!!"
Rin shouts!
"Why did it have to come to this…"
Xavier thinks
"XAVI!!!!!!!""
Rin continues to shout!
"Wasn't I supposed to be strong enough to protect those I care about now."
Xavier thinks
"SOMEBODY!!!!!"
Rin calls!
"Shouldn't I be able to protect them now???"
Xavier thinks
"ANYBODY!!!!!!!"
Rin continues to call!
"Shouldn't I be able to… "
"To protect her…"
Xavier thinks
"HELP!!!!!!!!!!"
Rin cries!!!
"I see…."
"So nothing's changed…"
Xavier thinks as his eyes close ever so slowly
Maybe this is for the best.
Life is just cruel.
There's nothing more to it…
Perhaps the only thing that was ever real was the pain that existed in its plainest….
The pain that had become a staple of his daily life.
Yeah.
He had deluded himself once more, thinking he was stronger now.
And the world had decided it time to humble him.
He should take his punishment for all the people who died in his stead.
For all the suffering that happened because of him.
Because at his core…
The only thing he knew for sure was that he was nothing more than a burden to others.
Sorry.
Sorry mom, father, Lucy…
Uncle Jerry….
I guess I wasn't all that worth dying for…
But don't worry.
I'll be there soon….
I'll be there with you all.
Soon.
"…"
S-So…..
So don't….
So you don't need to worry any….
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!XAVI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"…"
-silence-
"…"
Rin's shout echoes The Beneath.
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"….Rin…."
Xavier thinks opening his eyes ever so slowly
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!XAVI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
She shouts bawling her eyes out.
And as his eyes peel open ever so slowly the first thing that catches his eyes.
The first thing that comes to sight is.
Is Rin….
Held down by the man once more…..
Tears flowing down her face.
Screaming her lungs out.
But not for herself…
She's screaming her lungs out and crying for… him.
Despite it all.
Despite all that's happening to her.
She screams for him.
She cries for him.
Her pain right this moment…
Her energy and her tears are all for him….
Him.
"....Rin….…"
Xavier thinks
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"What am I doing…."
("….")
"After everything that's happened to me what am I doing on the ground."
("…bzzt….")
"You selfish bastard! Who the hell told you you're allowed to die!!!"
("…bzzt….")
"This life you were given isn't yours to give away!!!"
("…bzzt….")
"That's right you can't die until you've paid for your crimes!!!!"
("…bzzt….")
"Who cares if you're weak?!? To hell with that!!!!"
("…bzzt….")
"Someone I care about is about to get hurt because of me."
("…bzzt…")
"I can't. I won't! Let something like this happen ever again."
("…bzzt…")
"Either I save Rin or I save Rin!!"
("…bzzt…")
"There's no two ways about it!"
("…bzzt…")
"Yeah… So one more time."
"…"
"Let's change that attitude of ours for good!"
"…"
"…"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOOOOMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The air around Xavier erupts as the men are pushed back!!!
"WHOA."
"WHOOOOAAAAAA"
The crowd and the men are pushed back in tandem!
Some of the crowd members even falling to the ground!!!
"What the…"
The man holding Rin turns round confused at the sudden burst of pressure!
"…."
"Hey!"
Xavier shouts from within the dust cloud
"If you think you can just do as you please around here then you've got another thing coming."
He says his voice teeming with rage
"Why that little."
The man thinks
"Ofcourse I can."
The man begins
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Now don't think you're hot shit just because you can blow a little air kid we can all do that."
He says ticked off and standing up
"…"
"Oh yeah??"
Xavier says sarcastically as the dust begins to settle once more
"Well why don't you show me."
He says smiling psychotically with his head tilted.
"Why this little…."
The man says starting for him now mad.
"Craig, Darue."
The man shouts on his way forward
"Get your asses off the ground! It's time we end this little runt."
He says to the two men that had been beating Xavier as he continues toward him
"…."
"Keep calm Xavier."
Xavier thinks
"As long as I stick to the basics of what Uncle Jerry taught me I can't lose."
He thinks
"At least that's what I'd like to think…."
He thinks
"At the rate we're going I'll just end up being beaten up by him again."
He thinks
"He's not using any souls or anything so I should be able to win if I can only find an opening…"
He thinks
"Win…."
"…"
"No I just need to make sure Rin gets out safe."
He thinks
"…"
"No this can't be where I die either."
He thinks staring up and at the inner domes of The Beneath
"…"
-silence-
"..."
"Hey kid."
The man says now standing right in front of him
"Yeah…"
Xavier responds smugly
"I was just going to leave you with a beating but you sure know how to get yourself in deep trouble."
He says
"That so…"
Xavier responds mockingly
"Pft…"
"AHAHAHHAAHA"
The man laughs before putting an arm on his shoulder
"…"
"First."
The man begins
"First am going to have my boys here beat you till no one can recognize that little mug of yours."
He says
"After that I'll carve out all your limbs and organs and sell them over at Jimbo's for parts."
He says
"And do you know what am going to do next…"
He says
"Then I'll do the same to that little girlfriend of yours and her whore mother."
He says smiling maniacally as Xavier clenches his fists in anger and fright
"Well…"
"Well not before I have a taste of them both."
The man says licking his lips disgustingly
"HM."
"Craig, Darue get this lump of meat out of my sight."
He says heading back to Rin as the men approach
"RIN!"
Xavier thinks in worry watching her shiver in worry, her tears now dry on her face
"No what am I thinking."
He thinks stopping himself
"The only way we can get out of this is if I find an opening."
He thinks
"Hey Craig!"
Darue shouts
("…An opening...")
Xavier thinks getting into a trance
"Yeah Darue!"
Craig responds
("…An opening...")
He thinks…
"Let have fun with this."
Darue says
("…An opening...")
He thinks…
"Sure thing."
Craig responds
("…An opening...")
Xavier thinks…
"He's started to piss me off too anyway!!"
Craig responds
…. "!!!!!An opening!!!!!" …..
("!!!!!!!!!!SOULS!!!!!!!!!!!")
The pair shout in tandem as they rush Xavier!!!
But something is…
Something is different!
The air, the aura, the feel of the battle itself seems to have changed!!
And just as Craig is about to land the first blow….
!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!
"XAVI!!!!!!"
"Heh."
Rin shouts as the man smirks in delight.
"Looks like this is it for your little boyfriend."
The man says proudly
"…"
-silence-
"…"
"DARUE!!!!!"
Craig shouts?!?!!
!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!
"ACK!!!!!!!"
Craig exclaims as his body suddenly flies out the dust cloud before bouncing off the ground and into a trailer of cabbages!!!
"Wha-WHAT The."
The man shouts in shock when he notices Craig
!!!!!!!!!...BZZZZZ….!!!!!!
Suddenly,
A buzzing sound can be heard as all the dust and wind are suddenly pulled toward Xavier!!!
"Wha- WHAT'S GOING ON!!!!"
The man shouts confused
"CRAIG, DARU--"
"I can see it."
The man begins to say before he is cut off by Xavier's calm voice!
"Wha-WHA--"
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"ACK!!!!!!!"
The man exclaims in pains as in an instant! He is punched square in the nose and sent flying!!!!
!!!!!!BAM!!!!!!
The initial sound, loud! As he slams into the ground before being dragged by the force of the blow leaving a rut in his trail!!!!
"I said I can see it."
Xavier says calmly, standing next to Rin
"Xavi?"
Rin calls out in shock at what just happened.
"I can see it."
Xavier says.
"Xavi…"
"…"
"Wha-what can you see…"
Rin says softly staring deep into his eyes
"I can see…"
"An opening."
Xavier says softly
In that moment Rin noticed one thing different about Xavier.
For someone who had lived in the beneath most of her life the tattoos that represent souls were nothing new to her but those eyes…
Those eyes mesmerising eyes that now glowed a darker crimson red.
And that pupil that was now seemingly split into two rings, both perfectly round!
What were those eyes!!!
"Xavi…."
"…"
"…"
(Crowd mumbles)
("Did you see that")
(Crowd mumbles)
("All this for a little girl")
(Crowd mumbles)
("That punch was epic though!!!")
(Crowd mumbles)
("Tsk. I've seen better")
"…"
"Hm."
A quirky brash voice exclaims excitedly from the crowd, as a smirking hooded man's attention is drawn to the fight!!!
"…"
"…"
-To Be Continued-