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The pain, the screaming agony- it was overwhelming. It was like a pressure was growing in the skull, pressing and throbbing and wailing. He couldn't help but fall to his knees, rolling around on the floor like an idiot, scrabbling at his head like he could burst it open to relieve the pressure. in all of the agony- there was a voice. Loud and clear in his mind. It was a voice he'd never heard before.
"Ye made me wait quite a while, lad. Ye seek power, no? Then let us form a pact." Ryuji screams, spittle and tears mixing on the carpeted floor. He could hear Akira calling for him- worried, even as he was underneath the boot of one of Kamoshida's damn men.
The voice seems to laugh, sensing the rising anger in Ryuji at the thought of that damn teacher. "Since yer name has been disgraced already- why not hoist the flag and wreak havoc, lad...? The 'other you' who exist within desires it so..."
The pain crests. Ryuji near tears out his hair with a violent scream. "I am thou, thou art I... There is no turning back! The skull of rebellion is yer flag henceforth!"
Finally, the pain seems to disappear, a mask growing across his face in a flash of blue flame. Ryuji.....Ryuji needs to get it off. He buries his fingers underneath the edges at his temples, pulling even as it tears at his skin. It needs to come off, dammit!
Finally it pulls away with a flood of pain and blood, and everything seems to explode into blue flame. He's screaming- the power is flooding into him. It's amazing. The wave of power- of energy- it was nothing like Ryuji had ever felt before. He was strong now, could take out an enemy with a raise of his hand. After years of feeling weak and powerless, he could finally do something. Seeing the fear in Kamoshida's stupid fucking face was only a plus. Rebellion was his flag- he was going to keep waving it for the rest of his damn life if it meant sticking it to awful adults like him.
The power flooding through him was electric- his senses were going through the roof. Every move of this damn guard- it was like he could see if before it even happened. He laughs, breathless and easy. He was shaking with fury. He would bring down all of Kamoshida's men!
He's almost too hopped up on the electricity of it all to notice Akria standing- returning to his side. He can't focus to decipher the look on his face. All he wanted to feel was the burning fire of rage against that bastard Kamoshida! His voice shakes as he speaks- not out of fear, but of the power of it all. He felt like he was hopped up on thirty different energy drinks.
"You're going down- anyone who stands in my way will sink to the depths!" He yelled- raising a hand- and a burst of electricity comes forth, powerful and loud. One henchman is knocked to the floor- Ryuji can smell the burning of their rotten flesh from the strike. It forces a laugh out of him, somehow. He does it again. Again and again, until they're all brought down to their knees. For a moment- he feels on top of the world.
And then the pain kicks in. The exhaustion. He feels the tingling at his skin fade- and it becomes evident that it was the only thing keeping him standing. He nearly buckles to the floor. Akira shouts his name- but he's busy with the guard captain- somehow still standing even after the brunt of Ryuji's heavy attacks. It doesn't take long for Akira to take it down- he's alarmingly capable.
As soon as its over- and Kamoshida and his goons have retreated, Akira is at his side- helping him up. Ryuji feels more than drained- exhausted, even. His leg aches so terribly its hard to walk. He has to lean heavily on Akira to get away- Morgana bitching the whole way. He hits the ground as soon as they're out of the palace- Akira brought them all the way back to the alley outside the school.
Breathing hard- he curls around his leg for a moment, trying to get some sense of composure back. Everything still feels so aware- so alive and bouncing off his senses like knives at his brain.
"Ryuji?" Akira. His voice is soft- a little confused and concerned. Right. He didn't know about what had happened with Ryuji's leg. Still, he deserves to at least think Ryuji isn't dead.
"I-I'm good, man. Just....wow. That was a lot. Were you that...exhausted, the first time?" He asks, lifting his head from his knee. Akira nods. That helps him feel at least a little better. He swallows- tries to stand- and nearly pitches to the floor again, if it weren't for Akira grabbing his arm and throwing it over his shoulders. "Woah- dude, you don't have to-"
"I want to," he says. There's no room for arguing in his tone. Ryuji lets him walk back to the subway with him- lets him glare at the passengers until Ryuji gets a seat. Hell, he even walks him back to his house, not even complaining when he has to practically carry him up the four flights of stairs to his apartment.
"Thanks, dude," he says, unlocking the door. Akira stands there awkwardly for a moment, before he nods, looking at Ryuji with something undecipherable in his eyes. Still, he smiles, one of those small, cute ones that brightens his whole face. He makes sure Ryuji can get around before he leaves, making him promise that he'll text if he needs anything else. Once the door is closed, Ryuji practically collapses onto the couch, hissing as he lifts his leg to pull his shoes off. He leans back, leg lifted onto the mountain of throw pillows that his mother bought and didn't need. He feels giddy and exhausted- tired in that happy way that he hasn't felt since track.
He really could do something about Kamoshida now. He wasn't stuck on the sidelines with a ruined leg anymore.
Throwing a hand over his eyes, he smiles. This was going to be the best school year ever.