Act XVIX: Setting It Up To Be Torn Down
     Naitsuu stares at the sky. He has found a spot alone, finally. He has been busy with the
people trying to set him up as the new emperor. He has barely had any time to himself since he
flew the M class. He sits, back against the M class still settled where the palace use to be. He
stares up as the first stars appear after sundown. He remembers when he was a child how and
Akari had watched the same setting. He also remembered how he had always hoped to go up
there. Now that he had, and had done much more, he seemed rather pleased with himself.
     He closes his eyes and lets the last bit of warmth from the sun caress his face. With eyes
still closed, he feels a sudden coldness. He opens his eyes to find that he is in the shadow of a
dark figure.
     "Rakushoda." Naitsuu comments to himself.
     "I seek the ultimate peacekeeping effort, by destroying the man who destroyed an
empire."
     Naitsuu stands face to face with Rakushoda.
     "Do you know how unethical your methods are?" he asks.
     "Violent Pacification is the only way to make the people see."
     "You cause terror to the many, for what?"
     "So in the future, the people are in peace."
     "No, so that in the future, the people still live in terror."
     You wanted to avenge your father. Well, here's your chance."
     Rakushoda draws out his katana and places the tip at Naitsuu's throat and says, "But I am
not letting you borrow a sword of mine this time. I guess your life is over."
     "I think not," Naitsuu says as he grabs Rakushoda's second sword and sidesteps away
from him.
     "Swift you are, but fast enough?" Rakushoda questions.
     Naitsuu feels the same way he did when he held the sword last time. Simply that he is not
use to the weight of it, thanks to only training with wooden swords. Soon, thoughts of his father
makes Naitsuu feel strong enough to wield the heaviest sword.
     The two charge aggressively at each other. Their blades make an X and they stare each
other in the face. Rakushoda overpowers Naitsuu and tosses him back a few steps. Rakushoda
pulls out his tanto, prepared to fight with both. Naitsuu runs forward, swinging the blade from
side to side. He forcefully strikes the tanto, knocking it out of Rakushoda's hand. Rakushoda
grabs his katana with both hands to block Naitsuu's next attack.
     "Forceful one, aren't you?" Rakushoda comments.
     This time, Naitsuu overpowers Rakushoda, sending him sprawling to the ground,
dropping his katana. Naitsuu goes in for the kill, but while sitting, Rakushoda pulls out a pair of
nunchakus and blocks Naitsuu with the chain. Naitsuu pulls his blade back and tries to swipe
from the side, but Rakushoda jumps to his feet and blocks with the nunchakus again.
     Rakushoda wraps the nunchakus around the blade attempting to disarm Naitsuu, but
Naitsuu pulls up hard and rips the pair of nunchakus out of Rakushoda's hands.
     Rakushoda is starting to get upset at being unable to go up against Naitsuu's fury. HE
pulls out his second pair of nunchakus and twirls them at his right side. The two stare at each
other. Rakushoda continues twirling, and Naitsuu holds his blade in front of him.
     Naitsuu moves forward and slams the blade hard against Rakushoda's nunchakus that he
has brought up to block again with. Naitsuu keeps putting more and more pressure against the
nunchakus' chain. Rakushoda is having a hard time holding up against it. The chain finally gives
in under the pressure and snaps. Rakushoda does a back flip and tosses his shaken at Naitsuu.
Naitsuu smacks it away with his blade.
     Naitsuu charges at Rakushoda with the sword, Each cut he makes is dodged by
Rakushoda who does various leaps and rolls. Every once in awhile tossing a shuriken at Naitsuu,
who manages to block each one with his sword.
     Soon Naitsuu is still holding his blade in front of him. Rakushoda is on his feet, but
hunched down. Rakushoda pulls out the naginata from his back and attempts to run Naitsuu
through. Naitsuu sidesteps and slams the blade of his sword through the hardwood of the
naginata, splintering it, and causing the naginata's blade to fall out. Rakushoda falls to his side
from the force and rolls back to his feet.
     "Okay, so you have caused me to go through all my weapons," Rakushoda says. "Go
ahead and finish me off. Run me through."
     Naitsuu tosses the blade aside and says, "That is now how I fight."
     Naitsuu takes a fighting stance against Rakushoda. Rakushoda runs towards Naitsuu.
Rakushoda blends with Rakushoda and gets behind him. Rakushoda is pushed to the grund, but
he rolls and is back on his feet quickly.
     "You are good," Rakushoda comments. "But not enough for this."
     Rakushoda runs towards Naitsuu and tosses blinding powder in his face. Naitsuu
momentarily tries to wipe it our of his eyes, but he is temporarily blinded. He turns in the general
direction of Rakushoda.
     "See?" Rakushoda questions. "Now thanks to that you will not be good enough for this."
     Naitsuu remembers back to Kenji's training and of how Kenji so often could reverse
Naitsuu's attack without even seeing him.
     Naitsuu comments, "Oh, but I am good enough for this."
     Rakushoda ignores the comment and charges towards Naitsuu who once again reverses it
and tosses Rakushoda to the ground. Angrily, Rakushoda gets upa nd tries again. And again he is
tossed to the ground.
     Rakushoda lets out a little laugh as he reaches into his black gi and pulls out a pair of
handclaws. He charges Naitsuu one more time. He attempts to slam Naitsuu's neck, but Naitsuu
grabs Rakushoda's wrist and wrenches his arm behind his back.
     Naitsuu then proceeds to slam the handclaws that Rakushoda is wearing into
Rakushoda's neck and tears them down through his chest, the same way his father did with a
sword to Rakushoda so long ago.
     The fragmented metal of the device in Rakushoda shreds his internal organs. Almost as if
he had been disemboweled, his innards spill out upon the ground. With his last words,
Rakushoda says to Naitsuu, "I guess you were good enough. Keep the peace."
     In his death, Naitsuu recognizes Rakushoda's true nature. Though slightly mutated, his
purpose was only to keep the peace. Still, Naitsuu feels no remorse for the killer of his father. It
is at that moment that Akari comes around the corner of the ship to find Naitsuu staring with his
recovering vision at the remains of Rakushoda.
     "Naitsuu! What has happened!?" she asks.
     "My father has been avenged. The peace has been kept."
     Akari does not understand what he is saying.
     "Are you okay?"
     "Yes," Naitsuu answers. He looks into her eyes and says, "I don't want us ever to be
apart, Akari."
     She looks at him with only slight question on her face.
     Naitsuu continues, "I know this may not be the ideal place for this, but..." They both
stare into each other's eyes once again. "Akari, will you marry me?"
     Immense joy fills Akari's face, "Yes! Definitely! I will be yours forever."
     They hug each other and kiss multiple times. Arms around each other's waist they head
back to a ship waiting for departure to Europa, where the new empire will be centered.
     The ship takes off and they soon arrive in Europa. Naitsuu and his bride to be are
escorted into a big chamber full of former resistance officers and others who have played a big
part in the revolt. Souro announces as Naitsuu enters, "Ladies and gentlemen, your new
emperor."
     The crowd claps as Naitsuu takes a seat near where the podium is set up.
     Souro continues, "I have little doubt that the son of Tenkei Hachimonguu will have
trouble setting up a peaceful and prosperous empire."
     The crowd applauds again. The festivities continue for a short while after, and then the
people retire for the evening. The next day will begin the tough setup process of the new empire.
Naitsuu and Akari join their friends Munenori, Aritsune, and the haburi kedemonos.
     "Hi!" Aritsune shouts as they enter the lobby of where the group is staying.
     "Hello everyone," Naitsuu greets with his arm around Akari's shoulder. "I suppose we
have one big announcement before we all go to bed tonight."
     "And what's that?" Aritsune questions.
     "Akari and I are now engaged to be married."
     "Wow!" Aritsune and Munenori exclaim together.
     "When?" Aritsune asks.
     "There is no set date yet," Akari answers. "But be sure that you are both invited."
     Aritsune and Munenori continue their congratulations. Akari tells Naitsuu that she wants
to talk a little longer with Aritsune. With her permission, Naitsuu decides to go straight to bed.
     He enters his room, turns a small lamp on and takes off the top part of his gi. He stretches
his arms out and lets out a big yawn while walking to the closet to find his nightclothes. He fins
an unwanted surprise in the closet for him.
     Suddenly, a black blade rips out from behind the clothing impaling Naitsuu. Naitsuu
takes a few steps back drawing out his attacker, the ninja from when he went after the Ankh
ship.
     "I must fulfill my duties as an assassin," the ninja says coldly.
     The ninja proceeds to rip forcefully upwards, pulling his sword out at Naitsuu's neck.
Blood sprays out along the bed sheets and window curtains. Naitsuu falls on his back. He
watches as the ninja opens the window and exits through it. He stares at the beige ceiling
wondering why this has to happen now. Just as things were getting settled. Just as he had found
his love, avenged his father, and achieved his destiny. In one foul swoop, taken away from him.
He can not fight death as it clouds his eyes. He only wishes he could see Akari one last time.
Tired, he closes his eyes and seeps away into darkness.