A lone woman walked through fire and flames, surrounded by thick smoke and in the centre of chaos and death, her ferocious eyes black with blood-red pupils that cut through the shadows, her parted hair a deep shade of crimson and her skin a light shade of brown, lighter than Impa. As she stepped out of the flames, the wild grin upon her face revealing one of her fangs, her attire was revealed and her appearance was properly unmasked. She wore a sleeveless dark grey uwagi, with a long-sleeved black jumpsuit with a turtleneck underneath, a red sash around her waist, and grey pants, leaving her feet with silver, armored vagrant's waraji with black decals/trims and red cloth wrapped around the ankles. Emblazened in white on the back of her uwagi was the symbol 影. The woman's eyes stopped glowing and she rose her right arm up and pointed straight at Akiko, who was at the opposite end of the street. Akiko stepped back. The woman had her face, her hairstyle: her entire body. The mysterious doppelganger stopped pointing at Akiko and instead helf her palm out in front: a purple energy sphere immediately appearing afterwards. Akiko braced herself. Without warning the doppelganger aimed past Akiko and sent forth an entire beam of dark ki.
'Will you fight without limitation? Let it go, let it all go, show me your power, reassure me that I am the greatest.' A chuckle rung through Akiko's head.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!" Akiko looked behind her as a blood chilling cry reached her ears. She saw Seijitsu being vapourised, her student reaching out for her as evil ki tore her apart and reduced her nothing.
'Fight or die like all human weaklings, only the strong may have the honor of this short life. Join me in a glorious battle, it is the only thing worth living for.'
"AAAAARRRGGGHHH...!"
"Gah..." Akiko jolted up, waking to find herself in her room in Ravage's log cabin. Alone. She was in a set of white pyjamas with her red headband still tied around her head. Akiko darted her eyes around the room. Nothing. The only energy she could sense belonged to Ravage, he was in the kitchen. Everyone, Akiko assumed, was fast asleep. Akiko rubbed her eyes and shuck her head, taking a deep breath. She pulled herself out of bed and put on a pair of slippers, heading for the door.
Akiko snuck out of her room and down the hallway until she reached Seijitsu's room. Akiko carefully opened the door and peaked in. She was greeted by the sight of Seijitsu sleeping on the floor, wrench in her left hand and goggles on her head, next to a curled up metal thing: Akiko couldn't really tell what it was right now. Akiko let out a sigh and a smile grew on her face. Just nightmares and tricks of the mind, old fears of her days filled with Orochi's corrupting essence popping up is all. Akiko stepped into Seijitsu's room and gently picked her best friend up, carrying her in both arms over to her bed. Akiko smiled again and shuck her head. Seijitsu was 23 now and Akiko was carrying her to bed as if she was still 9. Akiko put Seijitsu into the bed, took her wrench from her and took off her goggles before tucking her in. As peaceful and innocent as ever. Akiko nodded and turned away, happy she'd managed to take Seijitsu through 13 years of training and kept human blood off her hands: though Oni had got awkward ever since Impa joined them 2 years ago. It was almost time for Akiko to pass on the title of master to Seijitsu, let her take on her own student. Akiko stopped at the door and looked back. A year or so more so close together wouldn't hurt though. Akiko closed the door and left Seijitsu to sleep.
"Hey..." Akiko walked in on Ravage devouring a late night snack.
"Oh, hey." Ravage smiled, swallowing a chunk of chicken. "Bad dreams?"
"I'd be lying if I said otherwise." Akiko sighed.
"I was gonna say, because the beds are fine." Ravage replied. Akiko chuckled.
"Oh definitely."
"You wanna talk about it or...?" Ravage trailed off.
"I don't see the point troubling you with it, besides, I'm pretty sure it's nothing. I've had lots of those kind of nightmares in the past." Akiko shuck her head and rested up against the kitchen sink.
"Hey, nothing is troubling for me, besides as a friend I can't help but ask." Ravage took another bite out of the chicken leg.
"Thanks, I mean that." Akiko nodded. "But it's ok."
"Well regardless, I'll definitely be around to help if whatever you've been dreaming does happen, you can count on that." Ravage gave a thumbs up.
"You're a good person Ravage." Akiko folded her arms and smiled again.
"Hey, I'm eating here." Ravage jested. They chuckled. "Gonna ruin my appetite."
"You know you should get a new 'look' at some point, like you've talked about, find a nice girl."
"You sound like what I fear my mom might sound like one day." Ravage sighed.
"Never had that lecture?" Akiko chuckled to herself. "I might suggest it if I see your mom again."
"You're here to taunt me aren't you?" Ravage asked. "I think this is a nightmare of my own." The kitsune looked aside.
"Heh, beat me in a fight when you do actually and you might just earn a kiss."
"I see I've entered a depth of hell previously uncharted." Ravage snarked. Akiko laughed.
"Wow, you really don't care about that stuff..." She sighed.
"No. No, I don't." Ravage responded.
"Why not? You'd get plenty of food and fights that way." Akiko laughed again.
"Sounds like a lot of extra work though for stuff I can get no effort already." Ravage shrugged.
"Such an innocent and simple mind." Akiko facepalmed and continued to chuckle.
"You scare me sometimes." Ravage couldn't help but crack a smile.
"I was serious about that offer though." Akiko looked up.
"Oh for..." Ravage put the chicken leg down on his plate.
"You're so easy to mess with, it's adorable." Akiko smirked.
"You can be a cruel woman." Ravage sighed. "Did you know Impa's out by the way?"
"Huh?" Akiko raised her left brow. "No, I didn't." The front door opened and in walked Impa, closing the door behind herself before freezing in place upon seeing Akiko and Ravage. Akiko looked back and Ravage looked past her to see the Fire Oni. Silence. Akiko gave her a curious look and Ravage smiled.
"They cheered..." Impa broke the silence, holding back tears. "Regular people... they cheered,"
"Impa..." Akiko smiled, rushing over to the demon. Ravage sat back.
"Gets Akiko off my back..." He picked the chicken leg back up off his plate.
