Thousand-year Curse (1x1 w/DarkMudkip)

"Her wish? You mean the one where she demanded the heads of every sorcerer alive?" Sasuke hissed, "I get it, you're grieving, but they barely just put her in the fucking ground."
 
“Don’t make this sound like I’m lashing out; I’m honoring her last wish, and even she supports me in this.” Yukimura brandished his weapon- Akihime’s weapon, her familiar staff in his hand. “If you won’t give me your flesh, I’ll take it by force.”
Sasuke felt Amaya draw power into her cursed technique, moments from summoning her gun to defend Sasuke.
 
“Akihime, kill Amaya, she’ll just get in the way.” Those words sent ice down both Amaya’s and Sasuke’s spines, a pistol forming in Amaya’s hand. What was he talking about? Who was he talking to? Amaya raised the gun, pointing it at Yukimura, a numb feeling gripping her.
 
"H...Hai..." Behind Yukimura was a shimmer of energy before Akihime appeared, a long blade made from bone sliding out from her palm. Sasuke's eyes widened in horror and he immediately turned to Amaya, wishing that she would never have to see Akihime like this, before he forced himself to return his attention to the two.
"Aki...don't do this..."
"Gomenasai..." Akihime said softly before she swung around Yukimura and shot like a rocket at Amaya, her bone blade poised for a precise strike, "I-I'll...I'll make it fast, Ama...!"
 
Amaya could only stare in horror as Akihime appeared before her- no this wasn’t Akihime, this was a curse created from her, or simply in her image. She barely had time to snap herself out of her stupor, bringing her gun up to deflect the blow. “Yukimura!! What have you done?!”
“I haven’t done a thing.” Yukimura moved quickly toward Sasuke, swinging hard for his neck.
 
The shot staggered Akihime only briefly before she rushed Amaya again, "It's all my fault..." She said, "I didn't want to go..."
Sasuke ducked and swung hard with his fan blade, scowling, "You should have exorcised her!!"
 
Amaya was no good at close combat, it wasn’t her specialty, and even the skills she did have in close combat were only enough to keep herself alive by going on the defensive. She was getting pushed back easily by what used to be Akihime- no, it wasn’t Akihime, it was just the curse born from her, but even still it resembled her too much.
Sasuke could feel Amaya’s hesitation, feel the heavy weight of her heart as she fought Akihime, but upon hearing a loud thud, he knew she had been overtaken. Amaya lay sprawled out on her back, arms pinned at her sides and Akihime’s weapon at her throat.
Yukimura deflected the attack, pushing forward and swinging hard for Sasuke again and again, sending jabs at him to force him to retreat. “Why would I do that.”
 
"Gomen..." Tears dripped down Akihime's cheeks, blade raised but she didn't bring it down, "I-I...I can't...I don't want to kill you, Ama..."
Sasuke backpedaled as he dodged, trying to get to Amaya.
"Why?" He hissed, "Because this is what you want her to remain as?! So you can be a selfish shitstain?!" He vanished in an eye blink before reappearing behind Akihime, blade high over her head with wild eyes, "I'll do it for you then."
 
Before Sasuke could even think of bringing down his fan on Akihime’s head, Yukimura was on him again. He batted Sasuke away from her, pummeling him with the blunt end of the staff. “Akihime.” He said firmly, not turning to look at her as he spoke to her. “Kill her.” He ordered her again, voice firm.
 
"But, Yuki..." Her hand was shaking, "Please...please, not Ama...I can't, I don't want to kill her! I'll kill anyone else, please! I'll do anything else, Yuki, just not her!"
Sasuke pushed himself up and shook the dirt and rock from his body before rushing at Yukimura and slamming into him hard.
 
Amaya took the chance of Akihime hesitating to summon a blade in her hand, bringing her foot up to kick Akihime in the back of the head before stabbing her in the side with all her strength to try and get her off.
Yukimura groundbhis teeth, why wasn’t she listening? If he was going to follow through with her plan, how was he supposed to accomplish it if she’d be fighting him the whole way on who to kill or not? Yukimura blocked Sasuke’s blows with the staff, pulling out a talisman to slow him down.
 
Akihime stumbled to the side and picked herself up, a haunting blue light glowing from under her bangs.
"You...You kicked me." She muttered, "I thought we were friends." The bone became more jagged and sharp before she made slow steps toward Amaya. "Apologize."
Sasuke held out his hand and a gun formed in his palm, aiming for Yukimura's forehead.
"Call her off." His voice shook, trying to remain angry, "Call her off right now."
 
Amaya scrambled to her feet, backing up as Akihime bore down on her. “You’re not Akihime.. You’re a curse.” She couldn’t show this curse mercy, even if it looked like Akihime, it wasn’t her.
Yukimura froze, but didn’t call off Akihime. “You know what I want. I can’t spare Amaya, but I can put off her death- it’s your choice.”
 
"Call her off now or I'll blow your brains out, Sanada!" He snapped, "You can't have my flesh if you're fucking dead!"
"I am Akihime." She hissed, her okobo clinking hauntingly against the stone, "Just like you're Oda Amaya."
 
“Akihime.” Yukimura didn’t break eye contact with Sasuke. “Let her go.”
Sasuke could feel Amaya’s mess of emotions, could feel her fear and hurt, and her face showed her terror.
“No, you aren’t Akihime because she wouldn’t act like this- she wouldn’t do this.”
 
Akihime stopped where she stood, mere feet from Amaya, her eyes no longer glowing under her hair and her blade returned into her palm.
"I am Akihime..." She said gently, but said nothing more to prove herself.
Sasuke's hand was shaking but he didn't lower the gun.
"What happened to you." He growled out, "You think you were the only one fucked up by her death, you selfish prick? You really think that taking the flesh of a God is going to make things right? Reverse the curse she put on you? You're even more of an idiot than I thought."
 
“I don’t need to defend myself or my actions to you.” Yukimura said with a scowl, keeping his staff where it was at Sasuke’s throat. “You wouldn’t understand, you’re just a curse.”
Amaya watched Akihime move away from her, looking to Yukimura and gripping her gun tight in her hand; she could make the shot, all she had to do was aim.
 
"I've been around for a very long time, Sanada, I got a pretty good grasp of how humans work." He stated, "You think that because you weren't here when she died, when she turned into that, you're to blame for her sorry state. You think that taking up her cause in her name, it'll make your pain and guilt go away. It'll justify failing her, am I pretty accurate so far?"
She noticed Akihime move, and looking at the curse showed she was ready to defend Yukimura if Amaya so much as even twitched her gun hand.
"Don't do it, Ama...I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to.." She said.
 
“Don’t address me like we’re friends- you’re a curse, nothing more.” Amaya didn’t try to shoot, staying where she was.
Yukimura frowned deeply. “You have no idea what I’m thinking or how I’m feeling.” He said softly. “Now give me the flesh and stop dragging things out.”
 
Her words seemed to deeply sadden Akihime, but she didn't speak further.
"You'll die." Sasuke told him, "Even with your restriction, my energy is not something you can just have and use freely. But, if you want it so bad," he waved the gun away before offering out his arm, "take it."
 
Yukimura didn’t hesitate, slicing off Sasuke’s arm just below the elbow, catching it before it fell to the ground.
“Wh- Sasuke wait!” Amaya took a step forward, eyes widening when Yukimura cut his arm off. “What are you doing?!”
“I don’t want to kill her, you know.. if only she weren’t a sorcerer, she wouldn’t have to die.” He said, only quiet enough for Sasuke to hear.
 
Akihime held out her hand to stop Amaya from moving closer, quiet and calm as she shook her head gently.
Sasuke didn't scream or flinch, his arm wriggling with energy before it sprouted back good as new.
"She won't be the one to die, should we meet again." Sasuke said coldly, "You have my word on that."
 
Yukimura took a step away from Sasuke, glancing at the arm in his hand. “I see.” He said, turning to leave. “Akihime, we’re leaving.” He said, heading for the main steps of the temple.
 
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