Future-Shock: Prelude

Trudging through the dense vegetation, marshy soil beneath as the earth seemed to be blanketed by a strange haze. Despite the marshy waters remaining still, the area was far from peaceful as animals and creatures of all kinds began to gather deep within the mass of bamboo stalks and thick wetland trees native to this unknown and remote island. There was a man whom walked through these waters...but no ripples were sent out. He approached and passed all manner of beast, however they did not flee from him nor turn to make prey of him. The young one following in tow, however was not so fortunate. As the young one walked with the white haori samurai, the waters rippled and beasts looked with extreme discomfort at the human as it approached with the moonlight devil.

  "Sensei, can you teach me to move as you do? You walk through water without causing ripples...." The young man asked as he followed, looking hesitantly as the narrowing eyes of a particularly malicious looking panda bear squinted at him. "a-and the creatures here seem to be blind to this samurai technique." he pointed out, voice tremoring with a second of fear slipping from him. As this was spoken, the samurai stopped a moment with a heavy sigh. The dense fog was sliced in the distance by a sharp moonlight, a beam touching the earth like a celestial beacon.

  "The art to moving as I have, and doing as I do is not of a mastery of The Way. Nor is it a principle of the wind, the rain or thunder." The white-coated and silver haired samurai said, his objective clear in his mind, causing him to silence a moment. In the future there would be a day when the world would come to an end. The wind honored him with whispers, but alone there would be nothing even he could do. He would need the power of The Storm, and the power of Death to work under the ordinance of The Wind. To change the future...as he had so many times before. He still felt a sense of grief, knowing that as much as he was changing the future by doing as his prophetic visions had told him....he would never live to see what he had done. The difference he had made. The lives he would save.

 "Sensei...then how is it that you can walk in water with no ripples? Walk beside beasts whom do not attack you nor fear you?" The student asked. Tsukiyomi's eyes shut and he steadied himself. It was amazing how often the spirit of wind worked. The breath that left the mouths of others...the kind words and gestures...simple questions that reminded and humbled Tuskiyomi. This question reminded him exactly how it was he was able to do this. To walk with beasts. To walk in water without disturbing it. In asking this question, Tuskiyomi was reminded the very answer; and in remembering it he was able to let go of his temporary grief.

 "The secret to moving in water without disturbing it...to move with the creatures without being disturbed...to walk with the wind and carry on through the rain. The secret is not an art of the sword...but an art of the soul. To move in water without disturbing it and to move with these creatures is only achieved when one is truly at peace with themselves. For how can we hope to move with water undisturbed if we cannot even keep ourselves at peace? How can we hope to be the example of calm with these creatures if we cannot reign in our own primal souls? To move as I do is not to move with purpose... it is to move with acceptance. Acceptance of myself. Acceptance of all around me." With that Tsukiyomi moved again, and the waters still remained undisturbed as he walked. His treading became faster as he came very close to his destination... and once he was there he stood in the center of the moonlight.

 A steady hand drew Yūdō-tō from it's sheath with a slow metallic grinding. With a flourish and a flick of the wrist there was a metallic ping that echoed before Tsukiyomi brought his balde back to his own person, twirling the katana in hand before driving it into the ground. Then...

all was silent.

     Piericng eyes to the heavens as the straw hat cast a shadow over the face of the masked Spirit incarnate. Shi Ryurou, the Spirit of Death and the embers of the last hope stood with watchful eyes and open ears, anxiously awaiting word from his ally and friend whom was meditating vigilantly. Unmoving, a sentinel of patience and virtue as he awaited a sign of any kind from the Spirits he had once existed with, the beings he once held as mortal enemies...and before that as siblings. The only sign he received however was a single drop from the cloudless sky. A single droplet of moisture from the heavens to splash upon his mask and roll down the cheek.

 "Nakataki..."
"Ryurou!" The all too familiar voice spoke with what seemed to be a sense of urgency. As Shi turned he had come to see the very sight they had been awaiting to see. The ever strange glowing Katana. This thing was of a vision bestowed upon Rai by The Spirits, and immediately Shi was able to lead him here, where they would wait for it to appear. Shi walked silently in his armor, looking to the weapon of the vision, immediately his eyes narrowed and he swallowed, as if he had seen this weapon once before. "This is the blade. Now all we need is to-" Rai began though his eyes turned to Shi, whom had made the swift movement of turning his head behind him, as if hearing something. Focusing for a moment, Rai began to feel a dark presence. "-run..."

 No sooner had he said this did Shi Ryurou vanish from sight. Rai quickly drew his blade, the Katana of the first rain. As he turned to strike at one of his previously invisible foes, he found himself facing a rather large humanoid figure with silver-grey finishing, over it's mechanical confines. The creature walked almost silently as it's hands opened. From it's palms shot two spikes that it quickly grabbed hold of before looking at Rai with it's narrowing glowing eyes.  It's intention was rather clear.

 "Great One, aid me this day in washing the stain of Evil from this world. Grant me the Wisdom of your Wind, the Might of your Thunder and the Purity of your Rain." Rai said to himself as he held the katana of the first rain in a defensive manner. The mechanical creature seemed to be amused by this. "I am Rai Nagataki, The Spirit of the Storm. I have felt the great evil seeded in this land, and it is my duty to cleanse the world of it. I now ask with the Wind in my words that you renounce Evil and return to the path of righteousness. If you refuse I will have no choice but to bring the Might of Thunder upon you. Do you concede?" Rai beseeched the creature, still uncertain if it were even human. The creature's eyes scanned over him, shifting left and right, as if reading him. The creature simply flourished it's spikes before electricity crackled through them.

  "Righteousness within corruption." It said, it's voice deep ad honestly quite stereotypical of an evil mastermind, it's mechanical growls and chuckles in tandem as it crouched down and leapt through the air. Rai twisted his Katana, lowering his won knees and bringing the sharp edge of the blade up, the tip of the blade ready to thrust forward into the wicked machine. As the machine came barreling forward, Rai pushed his blade forth, the creature countering by using a spike to guide the blade off to the side. Following through with the guidance, the storm samurai moved as fluid as water sliding off to the side and turning into an about face and slicing the machine down the back. Sparks were produced as the metal slid down the metallic skin of the spike-wielding warrior as it ducked forwards into a somersault and then turned, throwing a spike towards Rai.

  A simple matter as Rai moved to retaliate and simply deflect the forced projectile. Unfortunately, once the projectile closed in on its target, it did something rather unexpected. The projectile had four pieces unfold from the sides of it, each one glowing a different color as it began to spin at incredible velocities. Before it could reach Rai it was intercepted, Shi's advanced technique allowing him to step as fast as light, equally paralleled as if in shadow. Shi positioned himself between Rai and the spike, spinning his blade in a rotational motion that was equally if not more-so quickly rotating than the spike itself. When the spike clashed with the blade and bounced off, arching backwards in the air only to be caught by another mad-dash by the mechanical man. Shi in perfect harmony ducked to a knee as Rai stepped forward, using Shi's shoulder as a step to bound off of him and fly through the air at the incoming foe.  

  In mid air the mechanical hunter put it's and down into the ground as it's legs flew up over head, allowing his heal to slam down on the tip to Rai's blade, driving it to the ground as his other foot planted itself in the back of Rai's head, sending him crashing into the ground as he pulled his hand out of the soil. No sooner had the mechanical being planted it's other foot on the ground had Shi rushed in, his own katana making sparks as it causes a small scuff here and there, even when his katana hadn't actually made contact. The being brought up it's first spike and stepped forward to thrust when Rai took hold of the mech's ankles and rolled, pulling the thing to the ground. As they rolled the machine released one spike and gripped Rai's collar before using the momentum to push and propell him off, sending him up into the air a little before he crashed back onto the ground, rolling right back to the ready. Ryurou would bring forth his skills one more using the ability to of the shadows to step and collect Rai's sword...but as soon as Shi vanished the mech made a very quick movement very simple. A slash to thin air. Shi arrived at Rai's side, the katana handed to him with a little grunt. Rai received the blade once more and looked to see Shi's hand immediately go to cover a segemtn of his armor, which had been entirely sliced off, fresh blood oozing from the flesh of the mortal coil. To damage Shi was an impressive feat, for anything to damage him for that matter.

   Rai's vision returned to the mech which was now smiling as it saw the revelation on Shi and Rai's face of just how dangerous this foe was. No words were needed any longer. They both simply knew that the sword in the ground was their primary objective. Without hesitation Shi removed his hand from his wound and dashed forward, Rai directly at his side as they approached their foe. The mech chuckled, truly amused it would seem as it raised a hand up, the spike it had forsaken returning to his palm, as if pulled by telekinetic ability. Shi's first strike was a very clear overhead chop,which was blocked by the mech's own spike, bringing it up horizontally to intercept the blow. While intercepted, however,  two essences of spirit blades knicked and scuffed the plating around the mech's throat, though doing no obvious damage. Meanwhile Rai moved, his motions fluid and clear as water as he seemed to almost dance to the side and bring his own blade across. The mech stepped in, towards Ryurou, twisting under it's own arm to bring a vertical spike down to stop the storm spirit's katana. With both katanas intercepted and the mech locked with his back into Ryurou and his side to Rai, he ducked once more and dove off to the side, Rai and Shi's katanas following through and bouncing off one and other and, actually falling right into a new position of attack. The skill and experience of brotherhood was clearly to the advantage of Shi and Rai. Sadly, experience and brotherhood do not always defeat strength and skill.

  Rai charged at the fore front in the second assault, katana from down low spearing upwards in a rather unconventional fashion, meanwhile Shi utilized the shadow step in order to reappear besides the mech and used his own katana to attempt and strike at the mech's off-hand shoulder. In order to respond, the mech turned his off hand in order to defend from Rai, swiping up to the side in hopes to add to Rai's force but redirect it a little more upward, hoping to stagger Rai and utterly derail the attack. Meanwhile his dominant hand's spike came over his the same shoulder and created a diagonal block to his now-exposed back. Rai was still with his blade slightly in air as he calmly and collectively flowed to a different stance, and trusting Shi to keep him from harm. With Shi blocked the mech lowered itself into a squat, small flames appearing from it's ankles and turning to opposite directions of forward and backwards. In an instant the flames increased and the mech had propelled like a rocket in a three hundred and sixty degree turn, his dominant hand went from blocking to a low blow thrust, while Shi was actually forced back off his feet and onto his back.

  Rai closed his eyes and slid off to the side, trusting in his own instincts to keep him alive. The spike came up and tore through Rai's sleeve and causing blood to stain the metal, a rather nicely sized gash present on his shoulder. Rai focused his priority and slashed down at the machine's off hand shoulder, trading an equal blow with it and sliding the katana down into it before pulling out some slight mechanical wiring as sparks gave off. Rai's eyes fixated as he moved to make another attack, but the mech's thrusters reoriented to the ground and gave a rocket-propelled knee into Rai's chin. Shi had already begun his charge as he came to do battle with the mech, his blade and secret arts in the works as small little spirit wounds inflicted upon the creature as blade met spikes and metal plating. Rai, on the other hand made himself scarce, leaving the brutish machine to believe he had been dealt with for the moment. A side swing by Shi was met by a flourished spike to deflect the blows followed by an overhead bludgeoning by the off-hand, cracking into Shi's mask and even breaking off several pieces and further continuing to crack it. With Shi's head still reorienting himself the mech reached out with one spike and drove it into Shi's abdomen, just under the ribs and angled directly up at twelve degrees, forcing breathing to become a discomfort from this moment on. Shi let out a yelp before hacking his own blade at the same wound Rai had inflicted, though Shi's blade was not the same as Rai...and because of the very nature of the Spirit of Death...he could not harm the robotic creature nearly as much as it had harmed him. The mech laughed as it twisted the spike, the same folds that had been present before now opening inside him, pushing muscle flesh and sinew aside to make room and cause electro socks of pain. Then, the mech actually lifted Ryurou from the ground, his feet dangling as he dropped his katana in order to use his strength to try and push himself off of the spike.

 "You cannot be allowed to stop us. The Progenitor is so close to ending the struggle. Ending The Blight. You cannot be allowed to undo it. Not when you can be so uncertain that you can prevent it." It said, sounding rather condescending of Shi and slightly smug as to the position it was in. Shi made a grunting noise as he tried in futility to push himself from the spike. The mech only began to chuckle as he realized the grunting noise was nothing more than Shi chuckling. "Death laughing in the face of Death...poetic justice there. But not exactly comedy. What are you laughing at?"

  "You say how you can't let us succeed; can't let us stop you. But you let one of us just walk away with the key to it." He said with a chuckle, the mech turned to look, finding that the katana that had been in the ground was no longer there, and Rai was nowhere to be found. Instantly the mech was enraged, genuine hatred and anger flowing through him like a terrible Star Wars reference. He looked back to Shi with a visible scowl, the other spike coming up and being driven right through Shi's chest, piercing a lung and then the mech kicked him off of both spikes, tearing an entire portion out of Shi's abdomen. as the one spike was still opened. Backing up a few steps the mech's flames kicked on again and propelled him into the air, his eyes scanning for Rai, whom had already reached his destination.

  Rai had managed to reach the destination, a temple that was constructed many years after the era of Tsukiyomi's disappearance. This was the place where the katana, Yūdō-tō was needed to be. Rai was quite shocked to see the mech land in the entrance however, blocking his escape from the room. Instantly Rai thrust the sword into the center of the room and turned, clearing his mind once more and preparing himself for the combat to come. The mech stepped forward with a strange confidence and determination, not even having a stance. Rai simply kept to his focus and struck, movements still fluid and elegant. His katana worked in and made contact with the first spike, which the mech brought up in attempts to block, then drove into his chest plate, sliding out with sparks. Turning the mech became savage, thrusting one spike after the other, with nothing that the intent to turn the storm spirit into Swiss cheese. Rai smoothly and gracefully evaded each, even snapping his blade forward in short and quick little whacks, like a snake rapidly firing out.  Each one annoying the creature more than the next. The rage of the mech was not as effective as the calm fluid movements of the righteous spirit, and eventually after a few minutes of back and forth with no avail on it's part, the Mech propelled itself backwards and out the door. From it's shoulder a small trough-looking thing pointed out, as if ready to lob.
 
  "If I can't just kill you...I'll kill you, the blade and the entire site." It said as fire shot out of it's back, it's metal plating falling off as a cylindrical device lobbed through the air and went right for the temple. With a torrent of hellfire and purple-blue energies the entire temple came falling down, and smoke filled the area. The mech snorted with a nod, seemingly satisfied with itself as it watched the remnants of the spirit of the storm devoured by fire. The spirit of Death and the Spirit of the Storm. Both targets neutralized. Just as he was designed to do. Though a voice coming from the area behind him caused his eyes to open and rage to fill within him again.

 "...I turn my gaze." The voice was none other than the pesky spirit of Death. How? More importantly why? The knife in his hand...bloody and his eyes with a gash upon them. A self inflicted wound. Instantly video recordings played in the mech's hud before seeing this tactic before. Against Elena Vexus in the country of Madagascar. Shi Ryurou, the spirit of Death is able to turn his gaze from one, and spare their lives by protecting them by a force of power draconian looking armor.  "Turn around. You only get to see this once." Shi said, spitting blood out. Instantly the wind picked up, lightning cracked in the sky and storm clouds seemed to appear from nowhere, rain instantly falling in such mass that it immediately began to quench the flames. The robotic man turned to see a golden and orange yellow energy in the shape of a dragon, mostly translucent mist-outlined energy. With a single swipe of the katana, the rain doused all flames and the sole sources of light in the blackened area was the moonlight which pierced the storm clouds to illuminate the weapon of Tsukiyomi, and Rai as Shi's supernatural armor shielded him. Rai's head lifted and with a sigh he stood there...and then he was gone. The machine moved backwards when he saw Rai appear right in front of him, but as he did so the only thing he did was fall in half. His speed was beyond that of any human. Shi staggered forward a little and looked at the machine from the other angle as Rai looked at him from where he stood.

 "We have succeeded..." Rai said.

 "B-but you. Your lungs. I know I hit them." The machine said as it looked to Shi, whom simply scoffed.

 "Death doesn't breath." He said, and while it was a total lie it was probably best to say "Death doesn't need to breathe". His intent and what he said in fact crossed a bit as he began to move towards the temple remains, the katana and the flooring of it still in tact. In a moment, Shi's supernatural essence would fade from Rai, and the storm would carry on. Shi and Rai watched as the rain poured down and lighting flashed.

 "Now...what?" Rai asked a flash of lightning in the far distance was seen. The brightness ran over the sky, so far away that on this remote island they could see it's light when it struck from continents away.

  "Now...we wait. We wait and we hope the words of the wind can help us reveal our doom to the chosen. That they may help us change the world by wind...lest the world end in storm."

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody else in America