The Rematch (HB)

Toji's communicator rang. The voice on the other end was muffled. "There is a man you must defeat, Lightning Wolf. Dar, the Proud, is in Jump City, and he has dark plans for the world. If he gets what he wants, millions may die. Please hurry to the airport. Defeat him, and I will do the rest."

Mr. Black hung up and folded his hands, staring out the window. It was in Toji's hands now. The boy would have just the information that he needed.


Jump City Airport.
Dar wasn't getting on a flight. Rather, he was here to welcome someone to Jump City. The flight was supposed to be arriving within ten minutes, but delays were always possible. Dressed in a full tuxedo, Dar waited next to the main doors, a long suitcase in his hand.

With Daniel in Jump City, the final part of his plan would finally be pushed through. And then the world would serve him...or burn.

Toji nods."Very well, Sir...."

At the airport..

" Dar!!!!"As he turned, the sin of Pride would see the form of Toji. He'd gained a few scars, physical and otherwise, since their last bout, but there was a certain air to him....one that said he'd been broken,but reforged even stronger. If one were sensitive to spiritual energy, they might sense two souls. The halfglings own, admittedly strong spirit, and then a much, older,much powerful one after that. It woukd have a certtain...feeling.His hand rests on the hilt of a Katana." I've heard that you became what I feared you would become.Stand down immediately, or I will beat you into paste." Sensing a huge battle was likely to begin,especially with lightning wolf around, the civilians begin to exit quickly.

Toji Okami? That's right. Dar had met him once. He had tried to get the half-demon to join his cause. Since then, Dar had found another half-demon to fill the required role.

But this Toji was different than the one Dar had met back then. He was more serious. He had finally faced a mountain he could not move, and it had revealed the half-demon's own limitations. In spite of that, Toji was confident. Dar chuckled. "And you have become what I hoped you would. Strange how life works, isn't it?"

Dar opened the suitcase and pulled out a longsword. It seemed to be glowing with some strange dark energy.

"I cannot stand down, Toji Okami. To do that would be to cease to exist. If you think you can beat me, then I freely offer you the opportunity." Dar grinned, adopting a basic combat stance. "I wasn't doing anything, anyway. This will serve as a nice diversion."

Toji tilts his head." Oh really, old man? And what am I?" He grins, tilting his head. What? You thought Toji was batman style now?Oh, to be sure, he had a certain edge to him, but only because this battle was a serious one. Seeing dar draw out a sword, he does the same, taking the blade out of the snow white sheath it was in." Don't think I'll bother using the edge on you." He flips, the blunt side facing out. Tapping his toes against the ground, Toji suddenly rushes at Dar, swinging downward full speed.

Toji rushed forward, barely visible thanks to his incredible speed. Dar most likely wouldn't be able to react in time, so he didn't. Dar did not move. Toji's sword slammed into his skull at incredible speed and with incredible force...but Dar did not move.

He laughed.

"You struck for the head, Toji Okami. It seems you are willing to kill now. What are you to me? You've become a true warrior. But even that will not save you. I cannot be killed!"

Dar moved, striking with his sword towards Toji's leg. Hopefully, the half-demon would be confused from what had just happened, and would be open to attack. With injured legs, Toji's greatest advantage, his speed, would be taken away.

Toji blinks. He'd aimed for the skull....."Decatiu, would you kindly stop influencing my strikes?!?" Tch....fine...." Dar, if I wanted to kill you, I'd have just taken your head.No, what I want is to stop you! So, you pathetic excuse for royalty,it doesn't matter that you can't die." Seeing that Dar was going for his legs, Toji spins the blade till until its pointing downwards, just barely stopping the foes weapon from cutting deep, though there's still a gash. Ignoring the wound, the halfling jerks the pommel into Dars chin, then plunges the sword into the ground, using it to hold himself horizontal as he punishes Cars knees with vicious kicks.After that, he jumps high up, sending lightning coursing downwards at the pride.

Blood. Good. Toji would be slower, if even just a little bit. The wound was shallow, but it was still worth the pommel that Dar got hit in the chin with. It stung a bit, and threw Dar off balance. This lasted long enough for Toji to trip him. Landing hard, Dar wasn't able to react as Toji rained lightning down on him.

The lightning jumped around, running over Dar's body without mercy. As soon as it vanished, however, Dar stood up. His clothes were smoking, but he didn't seem any slower. He held his arms out to the sides and gave a cheeky smile. "Is that the best you have, Lightning Wolf?"

Dar wasn't an idiot. He knew that the only reason Toji was here was because Leejay (Mr. Black) was testing him, trying to see what hurt Dar and what didn't. Mr. Black was probably watching this very fight. Well, Dar would give him exactly what he wanted to know. He had no weakness!

Toji snorts." You want my best, huh? K....tough luck for you......Decatiu, time to show him what we got!!! Devil Mode!!!!" Holding his Katana before him, the young halfling's eyes dilate as he holds a hand in the shape of a hand sign before him, A faint,light blue aura wavered around him, waives of first cuasing the dust on the ground to flow out, while black lightning crackles the blade and eerie tribal marks flow down his arms and across his face.Then, his eyes go completely, utterly black. The halfling slowly lowers the blade, his manner different.He speaks, his voce echoing strangly, as if two differentky timbered people were saying the same thing at the same time." Here we go...I hope you're ready, Dar." The halfling flicks out his hand, and a concussive force of lightning streaks towards the Sin, tearing up tiles.

Yes! This was more like it. Dar took a firm stance, and then stayed perfectly still. As the lightning approached, it broke in half when it hit him, splitting to go in two different directions, instead of blowing him off his feet. He was locked in place, and could not be moved. Not without something even stronger than this gale of lightning. It might seem to Toji that there was some outside force holding Dar in place, and that was very much the case. Dar had tested this mode out against Zeus, and he had stood his ground each time. This defensive state did have a weakness, but not one that Dar seriously considered a problem.

Dar moved. He smiled. "I was ready." He started walking towards his opponent, a seemingly awakened Toji. He was not moving fast, but he was keeping his footing grounded. Even at this speed, Toji would only have a dozen seconds or so to decide what he wanted to do. Dar was hoping he would flee, looking like a coward.

Toji(?) snorts wryly."You aren't just dealing with the cub anymore, boy." He plunges his sword deep until the ground,sending dark lightning underground and tunneling towards the Sin. Of course, the goal wasn't to hurt him, but to ruin his standing...As the tunneling lightning reached Dar, the half demon flickers in close, leaving behind distorted after images as he let loose a heavily trained upper cut slash, different from his usual instinctual attacks, with the flipped sword.

Dar jumped to the side, avoiding the lightning snaking towards him along the ground. He planned to rush at Toji, but the half-demon blurred up to him first. Uh oh. The sword slammed into him, knocking him back. Dar dropped to a knee to catch himself.

His skin had not broken, but the blow had still hurt. In retribution, Dar tried lunching at Toji, attempting to shoulder the half-demon in the gut.

The spirit currently at the helm, Decatiu, snorts, stepping aside and rapping Dar on the head as if he were a student failing to pay attention."Please...did you really expect that to land? You telegraphed yourself, boy." He grabs the sin by the back of the collar, then heaves, attempting to throw him, wiping up some blood that appeared from the corner of his mouth.

( side note: Devil mode doubles Toji's basic abilities^^)

Boy? Toji saying that word was more troubling than getting thrown across the street. Boy? Certainly some half-demons aged more slowly than humans, but Toji obviously had a younger personality than Dar. Even if he was older than he appeared, he would never call Dar a child.

Who on earth was he fighting?

Dar slammed into the ground, cracking the pavement. As the dust settled, he got to his feet.

"There must be a reason you use this form so sparingly. It seems like a last resort. Your personality has been altered. Your mouth is bleeding. Something has come over you, Toji Okami. Something unnatural. Some...one unnatural." Dar laughed. "You have admitted defeat, Toji Okami."

Dar reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small gun. He pointed it at one of the slower people who was attempting to flee. "But your defeat must be more painful." Dar shot the civilian in the leg, and the woman fell over, grasping at the wound. "That was a poisoned dart. I have the antidote in my possession. I also have several vials that look like the antidote, but are actually far worse poisons that cannot be treated. Only I know which one is the real antidote."

Dar smiled. Daniel was a truly beneficial champion of his cause. He was the minion that Dar was most pleased to have recruited. Everything from poison to blowing up the world was Daniel's specialty.

"Surrender your head, and I will administer the antidote to this woman. I do not lie, Toji Okami. I have no reason to. I am Pride, and my word is law. Rest assured, this is not a trick. I suppose you could say I'm not that clever. Your alternative is to watch her die."

Devil Toji rubs his gut.Blast it...he still hadn't worked the aura damage out?!?The halfling snorts as he looks at Dar, a deep, heavy voice coming out." Admitted defeat, merely to make sure he takes down a foe dangerous to that which he is sworn to protect? Nonsense. The cub is not nearly so prideful as that. I should know, I'm connected to his soul.Now...." Decatiu raises a hand coated in dark lightning." Let's finish this..." Then the sin shoots a women in poison.".....So...despite being so mighty..you resort to treachery such as this..." Conflict wars across his face, es going from black to normal blue, then the change fades, Toji sheathing his weapon and tossing it wearily at Dar's feet. "......There, jerk. But I'm not taking one step closer till you heal her."

Dar grinned. Toji had tossed his sword at Dar's feet. It was in itself seemingly an act of surrender, though not fully what had been requested. Then again, Toji said he wouldn't take another step closer until the woman was treated for her poison.

"Treachery? I am giving you the opportunity to become the ultimate hero, Toji Okami. To give one's own life in order to save the life of another. Is this not the desired death of a hero?"

Dar pulled out a small vial from his suit and walked closer to the nearly unconscious woman. "I am not resorting to anything. I told you, I am a man of my word. I am truthful. I am honorable. This is the source of Pride. The question isn't whether I am trying to deceive you."

Dar knelt down and injected the woman with a thin needle, administering the antidote. Immediately, she was breathing easier, and the color started to return to her face.

"The real question is whether you are as honorable as I am, Toji Okami." Dar stood to his full height, sword ready in his hand. He looked directly at the Lightning Wolf. "Now kneel before me, Toji Okami. Honor your word."