The Thorn Bandit/RyuvsToxin

From Unofficial Handbook of the Virtue Universe

Ryusake sighed deeply, keeping a small black cellphone to his ear as he sat on a stool in front of slot machine. On the other side, the familiar sound of Kate was barely audible over the usual crowd of the Giza. The sound of coins jingling, people laughing and others crying over their losses. Young men eagerly placed their bets, and others groaned when they lose everything. Ryu rolled his eyes, sighing again.

"Look. Babe. Relax, 'kay? I'm not really bothered by it. But if I find him, I'll kick his ass.... Wha? Whatever. How tough can he possibly be if he was cloned from me anyways? .... Alright... Yeah.... I'll be careful.... Yeah.... 'Kay.... Alright.... You too. Bye."

He quickly snapped his phone shut, slipping it in his pocket, before turning back to his slot machine. He reached into his pockets and stopped. Empty.

"Great..." He mumbled, hopping off of his stool and adjusting his goggles. "Looks like I'm finished..." He looked around once more before making his way outside. As he stepped out onto the large, red rug that led inside of the Golden Giza Casino, he looked up at the sky, squinting from the sunlight... Sunny. Sunny with just a few clouds... It wasn't often he saw this in the Rogue Islands... Something pretty, that is. He breathed in heavily, tugging his mask around his neck and actually smiling.

As soon as the smile hit his face, he quickly rolled to the side as a large spine flew into the ground where he was standing, actually piercing the ground, busting up the concrete above it. Ryu got up, growling angrily as he looked above him, holding an arm over his eyes to shield them from the sunlight. He only got more angry when he looked up to see himself standing on top of the Giza, red irises glowing brightly.

"Ke... Well, I'll be damned. People are actually mistaking me for you? How lame. You don't look a thing like me." Ryu smirked behind his mask... Finally he was getting a fight. He hadn't fought anyone in at least two days. The clone chuckled quietly, leaping to the ground, landing gracefully, a few yards from Ryu.

The imposter Ryu stood up slowly, before tilting his head until his neck made a loud popping noise. "Finally... I've found you, Ryusake Hiro Setzer... So long I've waited... So many people I've had to go through to get to you... Your closest friend, Chase Styles... Friendly rival, Volo... Your loving girlfriend, Katherine.. But now, here you are! Standing in the flesh.... Begging me to kill you.... You're going to die today, Setzer.... Do you understand...?"

Ryu, all the while, pretended to clean out his ear, looking boredly at his fingers. "Huh? Sorry, I wasn't payin' attention, ke." His cool, pool blue eyes met with the clone's fiery red ones... It was odd... Whenever he looked at himself in the mirror... His own eyes looked so serene... And calm... Possibly the only thing about his person that made him look safe... But here, looking at his clone... There was nothing serene looking about him. His eyes glowed bright red... Ryu simply ejected his spines from his body, staring hard at the clone.

"Yes.... That's it...." The clone sneered behind his mask. "Today is the day, where the real Ryusake Setzer will be no more. And Project Toxin will take his place!" His voice became more excited, louder... The clone ejected his own spines and made a quick dash, arms out, covered in Spines. Ryu narrowed his eyes and began running towards the attacker as well. Toxin crossed his arms and swung them back out quickly as he reached Ryu, but the Thorn Bandit had already ducked underneath them, turned around and shoved a spine right through Toxin's stomach. Blood began to trickle down Toxin's stomach, his tank top and trench coat slowly becoming stained. Toxin lowered his head, then let out a snerk. Before reaching behind him to grab Ryu's wrist and yanking it back, causing the spine to remove itself from his body.

Ryu stared in amazement... He just stabbed Toxin... He should be dead.. He narrowed his eyes, growling as the large wound on Toxin began to close up slowly. Toxin wiped some of the blood off his clothes, glaring at Ryu in amused fashion. Ryu took a step back.

"We're done playing, Setzer." Toxin taunted. Ryu blinked and in an instant, Toxin stood behind him, spines out. The clone slashed at Ryu's back with both arms, two large spines ejected from his palms. Ryu screamed loudly in pain, as he fell to his hands and knees, blood starting to make it's way down his back. Ryu gritted his teeth, shaking slightly from the searing pain in his back. Toxin smirked behind his mask, slowly walking over to Ryu and crouching down in front of him. "How sad... I was really hoping you would've amused me more. They were certainly wrong about you, Setzer. You're not very strong at all..."

Ryu shook, balling up his fists before swinging at Toxin from the ground, spines not even ejected. Toxin caught him by his wrist and squeezed hard. "Now, now. I'll kill you quick and painless if you don't resist...." Toxin released his wrist and Ryu returned it to the ground, breathing heavily, head bowed, his eyes staring straight down.

"Wh... Who are you...?" Ryu kept his head lowered.

"Such an -irritating- question... Why do you all ask that? Not who, Mr. Setzer. What. I am known to Crey Industries as 'Project Toxin.' I was created, using your little sister's DNA to -destroy- you."

Ryu's eyes opened wide as he looked up as he yelled loudly. "W-what!? Where is Myu!? What did you do to her!?"

"Calm. Calm. She's in good hands, Mr. Setzer. No worries. We'll kill her when we're done with you. And then Katherine. And anyone else who attempts to help you."

"You son of a bitch.... I'll... I'll kill y-" Ryu stopped short and coughed up a splatter of blood. He stopped talking, breathing heavily.

"In that condition? Highly doubtable, Setzer. How could you possibly kill me, if I'm about to kill you?"

"... Wh... Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why are you doing this...?"

"Why...? I don't know. I was created with only the will to kill you, Setzer. Don't ask me stupid questions like 'why.' I don't question my creators commands. You shouldn't either."

"Y...." Ryu stopped.... A tear began to trickle down his face.... This was it.... He was going to be killed... But more importantly.. So were they... "You can't... Don't hurt Kate..... Don't hurt Myu.... K-kill me... But please...." He looked up at Toxin, tears streaming down his face.

"Are you begging me..?" Toxin blinked in surprise, then immediately started cackling. "The Thorn Bandit... Is begging me!? Oh this is too good.... You're -begging- me to not hurt them!" His voice again got excited, glee noticeable in it.

"P... Please.. Don't kill Myu or Kate..."

"Shut up, worthless dreg."

"Please..."

Toxin kicked Ryu, growling. "I said shut up! Stop your whining. It won't make a difference, because you'll be dead, imbecile." Ryu fell over, clutching his side.... The Thorn Bandit... Reduced to this? He had never seemed so pathetic before in his life..... He shook, sobbing quietly until a feminine, calm voice interrupted them.

".... What are you afraid of...?"

Toxin whipped around. "You!" At that point, Ryu began to lose consciousness... The last thing he saw was Kate's familiar red and black 'assassin' outfit, slamming her fists, shrouded in darkness into Toxin's back... He mumbled weakly. "I told you...I'll be fine.....' Then everything went black...

He found himself remembering things.... His life flashing before his eyes... Or so they called it...

A playground, surrounded in a chain link fence. A small TJ ran by and lightly hit Ryu with her hand, giggling. 'Tag!' A very young Ryu laughed. 'Hey!' He chased after her. Elijah sat in the corner, staring at Ryu quietly.

A dark alley way in St. Martial... Several years ago... Myu tugging on his arm... 'Onii-San.... I'm hungry.... Onii-San.... Where are we going to sleep...? Oniii-Saaaan.....' Myu continued to tug... Ryu simply responded. 'We'll figure something out... 'Kay? Let's just keep moving...'

A bar in St. Martial. Ryu sat at the stool, several empty bottles of Vodka surrounding him. He tilted his head back, putting the bottle to his lips. A pretty young woman, dressed very scantily sat beside him, smiling impishly. Ryu glanced at her. 'How much did you say...?' The young woman smirked. 'A hundred.' Ryusake sighed and cursed under his breath. 'Fuck... It better be worth it.' He reached into his back pocket pulling out his wallet.

An open, grassy plain. Roughly one year ago. Ryusake, a purple haired woman, a dark asian man wearing shades and all black and Masume Yasuda stood in front of Zaraki. Ryu dropped to the ground breathing heavily. '... F... Forget it.... We can't do it....' As though a ghost flew from his mouth, Ryu's breath stopped completely and he slumped to the ground. Shiori, the purple haired girl cried out and Genma, the man in black stared hard at Zaraki...

Sharkhead Island. Ryu was standing in front of Kate, who was sitting on a ledge. 'I -am- an asshole...' Kate smiled. 'I don't think so.' Ryu put his hands on her shoulders. 'I'll push you off. I swear to god, I will.' Kate leaned in, smiling. 'I don't think....' She leaned in and kissed him gently. closing her eyes... She pulled back, smirking. 'You'll have time.'

.... Then blackness. Nothing but darkness. Ryu stood in a completely empty void... Is this what dying is like...? Is this what it feels like.....? Nothing... Emptiness... He couldn't feel his legs or arms... Or anything.... He didn't know what to do.... He wasn't sure..... His mind raced. He wanted to scream... Yell. Call out for help. Anything.. He felt so cold.... He closed his eyes. He wanted so badly to scream.... He was going to die..... Wasn't he...? No... He can't die... He almost forgot who he was....

The Mother Fucking Thorn Bandit.