*It was time. Her information told her that tonight would be the best time to exact revenge on that traitor, Yoshida. Gillian made sure she was dressed comfortably, since flexibility would be crucial for proper bladework. She tied her long blond hair back in a loose ponytail, and attached the pin given to her by Uncle Ray to the front of her shirt. If Yoshida favored the katana, she should make sure to bring one of her own. Fortunately, she had the perfect weapon. It had been given to her when she was still a girl by her sensei. The polished blade shone silver in the moonlight filtering in through her window, and the kanji on the blade read "Angel". Checking her gear, she left the safehouse and headed out on her mission.
Unable to remember the last time she felt this nervous, she paused and willed herself to be calm again. Haste had already cost her dearly before, she would not let it happen twice. When her mind had settled, she set out again, the barest hint of a smile playing across her lips.*
---
Nakamura was dead. Somehow, Yoshida knew that before he even arrived in Baton Rouge. He knew exactly who had killed the man, as well, and expected someone to come for him. Fate, it seemed, had finaly loosed her hounds on him. He decided to face it head on, reguardless of the consquences, reguardless of the outcome. He may have been a traitor, but he still had his personal honor to maintain.
He sat, with his legs crossed, behind the old abandoned bar that he was supposed to meet Nakamura at. He was dressed in pliable combat boots, a solid black neatly pressed pair of slacks, and a tight fitting t-shirt. His blade was placed across his legs, his hand resting on the handle. He was centering himself, clearing his mind for the unescapable battle that was yet to come. Who would it be? Surely not Raymond himself. The old man would send an unknown after him, as an insult. Though, Yoshida believed that was justifiable. After all, he had killed Raymond's sworn blade brother, his own father, as a way of showing his alliegance to the Syndicate.
Silently, he waited, waited for whatever was to come from the dark to devour his soul.
---
*The bar hadn't been hard to find. In fact, it was much easier than Gillian expected. It smelled of one of two things. Either this was a trap, and Yoshida knew what was coming or Yoshida had just given up and was waiting to die. As nice as the latter would be, Gillian placed her bet on the former. Finally, she spotted him, the odd figure perched just outside the streetlight's yellowish glow. Her hand went instinctively to her blade, and she centered herself once more.
When it was finished, she felt calm, prepared, and stepped forward to where Yoshida could see her. Her words were calm, almost as if she was ordering dinner rather than challenging him to a duel to the death.* Tatsuji Yoshida, prepare to die.
---
*The bar hadn't been hard to find. In fact, it was much easier than Gillian expected. It smelled of one of two things. Either this was a trap, and Yoshida knew what was coming or Yoshida had just given up and was waiting to die. As nice as the latter would be, Gillian placed her bet on the former. Finally, she spotted him, the odd figure perched just outside the streetlight's yellowish glow. Her hand went instinctively to her blade, and she centered herself once more.
When it was finished, she felt calm, prepared, and stepped forward to where Yoshida could see her. Her words were calm, almost as if she was ordering dinner rather than challenging him to a duel to the death.* Tatsuji Yoshida, prepare to die.
----
He opened his eyes slowly, never even flinxhing a muscle yet. Then, he spoke, his word slow, exact, and seemingly practiced, but clear english, "So, you have come for me, o' Angel of Death? I have wondered what guise you would take. Fate is a cruel mistress, deeming me unworthy of death by the hand of a man. Come then, Woman of Hell, let us dance to our own blood."
With that, in one quick motion, Yoshida luanched himself up to his feet with only his leg power and drew his blade, instantly going into a straight run for her. The tip of his katana was low to the ground and trailing behind him, as he grasped the hilt in both hands. His eyes were locked onto hers and no fear of death was there, no fear of pain.
----
*Her eyes narrowed only slightly at his 'you're just a woman crack' and her smile grew. Within her mind, she was counting down the seconds as he dashed toward her. Three...two...one! Launching herself in the air, she leapt forward, and thrust her blade downward into where she calculated he would be. If they were going to battle, she would not simply wait to be attacked, but strike first.*
----
His reflexes were incredible, his speed undeniably remarkable. In an instant, he canged his direction, seemingly swinging his momentum into his next move. Yoshida slammed on the brakes and stepped to the left in one motion, bringing his blade up to lock with her own. His intention was to apply enough pressure on his block to hold her blade for just a moment. He looked into her eyes then, a grin creasing his lips, and he spoke quickly, " Formidable, Devil. Now let's see you dance."
With that he spun out of the lock, turning and coming in low, his blade sweeping at the ground for her feet.
----
*Thrusting her weight to the left, she dodged his blade and rolled upon the ground. With catlike reflexes, she rose to her feet almost instantly, blade in front of her. Dark cold eyes greeted his, but there was something else there, the faintest hint of pleasure. It had been a while since she had fought an opponent whose bladework gave her a challenge.* I can dance with the best of them, kokuzoku (traitor). *Then, she spun on her heel, slashing at his midsection.*
----
He moved with grace, fluidly coming up to his a standing position from his sweepng blow. To her next move, he brought his blade up into hers with a bit forced behind it, for deflection, as he took two quick skipping steps backwards. He kept grinning as e launced himself into his next attack, swinging his katana in repeated X paterns as he quickly advanced towards her.
The time for words was over. Now, there was nothing but the battle. The Devil Woman's words didn't even dent his armor of pride.
----
*She didn't move back when he pushed against her. The tempo, the mood, the -feel- of the battle itself has changed. Now, it was on. She dropped to a crouch and caught her blade against Yoshida's oncoming attack. There they stood, pushing, testing, as she aimed her booted heel directly at his kneecap.*
----
Yoshida was impressed by her movements, the way she intercepted his attacks. Indeed, this woman was good and death by her hands held honor. When her kick came, he simply jumped back, just out of range, and swung a wide quick strike for her abdomen. He was sure of himself, that much was evident, as the grin stayed in place on his lips.
He didn't know how much longer this dance was going to last. Soon, a strke was bound to hit it's mark and first blood would be drawn.
----
*His blade was too close for her to do much but dodge, and she only just barely did that. Yoshida's blade slashed through her jacket, revealing her white blouse thankfully unscathed. She rolled backward to a crouching position. With her right foot, she attempted to knock his feet from under him, while she thrust upward with her blade. With luck, one of the two attacks would be successful.*
----
Her kick missed as he once again expertly stepped to the side, but the stab cuaght him jut below the ribcage. No howl of pain, only the slightest change in expression. He took this chance to flip his katana up and bring it stabbing down at her shoulder, further pushing himself down on her blade. This, though further wounding himself, gave him the chance to land a blow.
----
*Yoshida's blade pegged Gillian directly in the shoulder and dug a ragged gash down her arm. She gritted her teeth against the pain and wrenched her body to the side in an attempt to slice the blade across Yoshida's torso.*
----
Indeed, she did rip her blade out him, causing the blood to spray out in a wide arch, possibly onto her. In turn, as if he had the same idea, Yoshida went the opposite direction and ripped his blade out of her shoulder the same exact way that she had wounded him.
He stumbled on further and gritted his teeth, clenching them tight against the pain. Blood covered his side and ran down is leg, but he brought his katana up over his head, setting his stance for his next attack. Now, he waited. This was the game, the way of the dance of death.
----
*Her face looked as though she was crying red tears, and one sleeve of her shirt was turning a nice shade of crimson. She wondered if Yoshida was standing solely by the force of his own will, because she could already feel her arm beginning to weaken. The sooner she could end this fight, the better. She took two steps forward, and moved her blade to her good hand. With what could only be described as a smirk on her face, she waggled her fingers at Yoshida as if daring him to strike first.*
----
He spoke quickly as blood started to trail a tiny path from the corner of his mouth, down to is chin, "Formidable, Devil. This ends soon. Come, o' Death, and see what hell I am." Then, he launched himself, with blinding speed for a wounded man, into a clean exact swipe for her stomach. His momentum would carry him past her, if the strike hit it's target or not.
----
*Gillian took a step to the side, but she just wasn't fast enough. Yoshida's blade sliced a thin line across her stomach. But, she was also quick, and raised her blade high above her head, slamming it downward toward Yoshida's retreating back. Her arm erupted in pain, and she hoped that Uncle Ray was enjoying the show for what it was costing her.*
----
Her slash caught him square and cut a deep wound across his back. His arms went out to the side and tensed as he stumbled onward, but he never dropped his blade. He knew that he was done, now, knew there was no way he was going to best this one with such wounds inflicted upon him.
Slowly, he settled down to his knees and turned his sword under handed. He lay it on the ground beside him and pulled out a tanto short blade. He spoke, though his words where slurred with blood that poured from his mouth, "O'Death, grant me an honorable death. Take my head... it is.. customary... " With that, he waited with labored breath, holding his tanto up with both hands, waiting to drive it into his own stomach. He lowered his head as well.
----
*Gillian stood for a moment, both hands on the blade as it lay across her good shoulder. Her breathing was ragged, and labored. This had been quite a fight, but it appeared to be over. She stepped forward until she stood behind Yoshida, blade in hand.* You fought well, Yoshida. *Questions whirled in her mind, questions about what had caused him to turn traitor, to betray all that he had been taught, it just didn't make sense. Above all, there was one answer she just had to know, and her voice dropped to just above a whisper as she asked.* Was it worth it?
----
He didn't look up to her, he had no need to. He knew exactly where she was and how her stance had been. Though, he was inclined to answer by etiquette. He spat a large mouthful of blood onto the concrete in front of him, drawing in as much breath as he possibly could, "The worth of it? Yes, it was... Death. It was... my fate... I knew... that I would die... You have.. defeated me... as I did my own master... the cycle.. never ends... blood will continue to flow...strike now...."
With that, he plunged his tanto into his stomach and ripped it upwards.
----
*Somehow, as she knew it would, Yoshida's words rang hollow. He was right about one thing, though. Blood would continue to flow. Killing one of the Syndicate's men would undoubtedly place a price on her own head, as well as her increased allegiance to the Devereux family. Silently, she thrust her blade with all the force she could muster, and Yoshida's head fell off, landing beside his sword. Laying her blade on the ground beside his, she grabbed her bag from where she'd left it in the shadows. Extracting a pair of sheets from the bag, she carefully rested Yoshida's head in one. Within the other sheet, she placed his katana and tanto blades, where his blood had already began to turn brown. She placed both sheets in the bag, and lifted it to her shoulder, wincing slightly as she did so. The body itself, she would leave behind, as a warning that the Angel had claimed her first victim here. Should need be, there would be more..*
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