Koutetsujou no Kabane-Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress- (Ikoma Love Story)

25 (Part I)

To fear love is to fear life, and those who fear life are already three parts dead.

"We attack these creatures because we don't understand what they are about or where they come from," you thought. The obedient flame flicker in the breeze, blackening the once prominent town.

You walked through the entrance of the train station behind Kurusu and Ikoma as the Kabanes turned towards Ikoma and the power he held.

One eager to get a taste of him, leaped at him until he fired through its heart and blew it away.

Without your sword, you were useless but with your agility and smart tactics you use the pipes lying around to slay a couple of Kabanes eager to get a taste of you three.

Swiftly the ground was covered in dead bodies, reeking of rotten meat.

"Ikoma, this side is clear," Kurusu replied.

Ikoma remained quiet and looked towards the ground below him. You knew that the effects of the black bile were getting to him.

"Hey Ikoma?" Kurusu questioned.

You looked towards Ikoma and hugged him from behind to see that his fatigue minimized slowly.

"Yuki back away," Kurusu said as he held his hand on his blade, ready to strike.

"He is still a Kabaneri," you replied while nuzzling your face into his red torn steam smith cap, "Right Ikoma?"

"Yes," he replied while placing his hand on yours gently, "I am still a Kabaneri."

"No matter what your love for him is," Kurusu stated, "If either one of you turn fully into a Kabane and lose what makes either of you human, then I promise I will kill you both."

You chuckled and move forward at Kurusu bold statement.

"If I turn, I would be more powerful then a wazatori and colony combined." you boasted while going into a light jog towards Mumei with Ikoma and Kurusu following, "Now remember the objective is to get the white blood to Mumei and save her, with a hope of saving Ikoma from his own predicament."

"I will save us both!" Ikoma yelled charging towards the colony .

You looked up towards the castle to see Biba and Sahari noticing our arrival. You smirked and notice the Hunters firing their weapons toward both Ikoma and yourself.

You snapped your fingers allowing a stream of steam to flow free into the air causing them to scream out in pain and get pushed away.

You moved forward towards the castle until you felt a throbbing headache developing beneath your temple. Your head felt heavyand you just wanted to lay flat on the ground below.

You fell on one knee causing Ikoma to turn around and run back for you as the pain throbbed and pulsed in your skull. To you, this was no time to feel week. You need to move on and get rid of Biba, for Hikari's sake.

"Yuki? what is the matter?"

"My abilities is very hard to use due to the flames around us," you muttered, "it needs moisture, but with the flames-obtaining moisture from the air is difficult and causes more power to come from me."

"Then you need to stop using your ability and let me take you to some where sa-"

"NO!" you yelled, "I am not going to let you do this alone!"

You rose from the ground while your headache raged on and you striked at everyone that attempted to attack you.

You jumped up on to the tracks and dodged the remaining Hunters, hitting them on the back of their necks to knock them out. You needed to get to Biba fast, who knows when your limit was coming.

You soon turned towards Ikoma to see his predicament to see two hunters holding him down their weapons as the train was coming full speed. That kicked you into overdrive and pushed a glimpse of your nue form out. You entered your second Kabane phase and swiftly ran in front of the train, striking it with your fist off the tracks.

"Yuki!" Kurusu yelledas you fell to the ground. You rose your head up to see an object that you needed falling out the train and straight down in front of you.

You used your strength to inch towards the object and hold it by it's hilt until a foot landed on your wrist. You yelled in pain as Sahari smirked.

"Humanity's greatest defense has gone so low," Sahari said as he continued to move his foot down on your wrist and soon moved it to your throbbing head.

"You should have been on our side," Sahari continued, "But you dare interfere with our plans for that boy."

"Y-yeah," you muttered, "Because I am in love him, and I can't deny those feelings anymore especially for a low-life downgrade like Biba who only cares about his own agendas. You probably should consider worrying about yourself."
Sahari glared towards you and took his foot and kicked the side of your head causing you yell out in pain.

"Yuki!" Ikoma yelled as he pushed the hunter's off and charged towards Sahari. He deflected his weapon and fired at his heart, killing him in one blow.

Ikoma picked your body as you removed his hand from yours and continued onwards towards Biba to get closer until a huge boulder from Mumei's attack broke the tracks leaving Kurusu on one side and Ikoma and yourself on another.

"Kurusu!" Ikoma yelled.

"I'm fine," Kurusu replied, "Go on Yuki and Kabaneri!"

You turned and ran towards Mumei with Ikoma following. You can tell from his eyes, he really cared for Mumei and if this is means risking your life for him to be happy, then that means you would do what ever it takes.

You both entered the garden to get a see Mumei's colony form down in the ground, exhausted from the power that it emitted. Slowly, Ikoma walked towards it until Biba came from the shadows and walked towards us.
You rose your blade in your hand and dragged it again the ground, preparing to strike Biba until Ikoma stretched his hand out to forbid you.

"Yuki, stand down." Ikoma replied, "Do not enter this fight."

"Are you crazy!" You cursed , "I need to avenge Hikari!"

"Let me take care of things and protect you!" Ikoma yelled back as you looked at him out of shock and dropped your sword.

You looked towards Ikoma as he charged towards Biba in great speed.

"It's pathetic to see you with a man like him Yuki. But to put you both out of your misery, I will kill you both..." Biba said.

"Get out of my way Biba!" Ikoma yelled.

Both of them clashing swords against one another...