Last time, Kagura Sohma and Anya arrived at a small snowy cabin in Switzerland. Anya then met with a robotic Kosuri Von Stroheim, in which she is now a German cyborg. After fending off the Jewel Woman, Anya escapes with the Red Stone of Fuji, only for Beth to take it back from, as she prevented from 1) falling into Anya's hands, meaning certain doom for the world, and 2) possibly falling off the cliff, into abyss, where finding the gem is highly impossible to find. But just when all things are right in the world…

Anya was falling, as she seethed, producing a blade from her foot. It impaled onto Beth's shoulder, and was attached to it. Beth cried, "AAGH! A BLADE FROM HER FOOT? WHAT THE HELL?"

Beth was falling with Anya, dropping down below to the cliff.

Kosuri cried out, "NEVIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINS!"

Episode XVII – Chapter 2: From the Crevice Below!
Who Will Get the Gem, First?

Beth and Anya were falling, as Beth was grabbing onto the jewel.

Kyo & Kaname cried, "BETH!"

Kosuri shouted, "She's falling with Anya!"

They continued to plummet, as Beth tried to break free. She cried, "What's happening? Her blade is melting into my body! It won't come out!"

She yelled at Anya, "YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

It's 175 meters to the bottom, five seconds until impact!

Beth roared, as her Ty Ko Ky unleashed, "Damn! Falling to my death, with this guy? NO THANK YOU!"

She grasped onto a thick stalactite made of ice, and called out, "ESP PERK HAMON! CLING!"

She grabbed on, only for her to dangle with Anya, still clutched into her body, and very heavy. Hamon flows through easily in fluids, but ice and snow are solid, and impede the Hamon. But water is trickling down the ice, so the Hamon can flow up around the solid. Thus, it's working perfectly.

Anya called out, "I have no intentions on this mockery! This stone will be mine!"

Beth said, "That's what you say. This tenacity of yours! It's what scares me the most!"

She thought, "I'm best at exploiting my opponent's negligence, but a tenacious foe like her… is the absolute worst to face! Tenacity is the opposite of negligence!"

Anya called, reaching for Beth's hand, "It will be mine, today!"

The icicle that Beth is grasping started to crack. It broke off, and they plummeted down, again. Beth spots more icicles down ahead. But Beth figures what to do about getting the blade off her shoulder.

"I know! I'll use my Ty Ko Ky to push off her, and use it against her!" She said.

She revved her punch, as Anya said, "I thought so. You'd use your Ty Ko Ky to remove this blade from me? How pathetic!"

She pulled the blade out and kicked her into the cliff wall, as the icicles fall down.

Kyo said, "Anya is waiting for Beth to rebound, so she can start cutting her!"

Anya prepared her Bone Blade, "Now then… I came for the stone… and I'll slice that arm off! Or better yet, I'll see you squirm to death at the bottom of the abyss!"

She swung her blade, but Beth held the Red Gem at the blade. Anya gasped in shock, as light emitted from the gem. Anya dispersed, as Beth smirked, "Now, you're not about to cut this, are you? You wouldn't dare chopping the stone in half, along with me. I can use your own tenacity as a defense measure!"

She prepared a Kung Fu kick, "Now, eat this! NEVINS FAMILY KICK!"

She swung her kick high, but Anya dodged it. Icicles broke off, as more fall over to the falling two. Beth grabbed onto one icicle, and latched onto another icicle, and another, and another, and so on!

"She's using the icicles she connected as a rope?! Pretty clever, I will say." Anya huffed, "But they're in a free fall! They'll never reach the top!"

Kyo held an icicle from top and called, "In that case, allow me to lend a hand!"

Kyo used his powers to grab Beth's icicle rope, as Anya fell into the abyss. Beth smiled, "Kyo~!"

Kyo said, "Nice timing, wouldn't you say?"

Kosuri barked, "What the hell's wrong with you? You two some sort of team?"

Kyo explained, "Using fallen icicles together to make a rescue rope? I had nothing to do with that. Only Beth Nevins would try something so colossally stupid. It was predictable."

Beth said, "At least you were able to pull a trick off, in the nick of time. Proud of you, Monkey Boy."

"What was that?" He growled.

She smiled, "Nice, nice~! Real outstanding work, Kyo-kun~! And, hey, if you tell Mandy, if she's up there, send her a message from me. The Red Stone's mine, and safe and sound. I kept her from snatching it."

Mandy said, "That was a close call. Alright, Kyo, you may pull her up now."

He pulled the ice rope up, as Kaname said, "As for you, German cohort, your body is more durable than any others to hope for. If you can stop your snobbish ways, maybe we can work together."

Down in the abyss, Anya landed on her feet, stopping the fall. She looked up and sighed, knowing she failed. Kagura appeared to her and growled, "Anya… Did you get me the Red Stone?"

Anya didn't reply, as Kagura snarled, "You… From the look on your face, you had it, and you didn't kill her, just like that? What kind of assassin I awakened?"

Anya laughed hysterically and evilly. Kagura was confused, as Anya said, "This Beth Nevins… She's a lucky one…"

She looked to above, and thought, "I'll let you keep the stone, for another day… for me…"

She then bowed, "Master, we must depart… Do not worry. Beth hasn't long to live now…"

Kagura growled, "That I'm hoping for. Come along. We meet in St. Mortiz."

They walked off, heading off to where Elsa is hiding in.

4 days before poison in aorta is released…

Meanwhile, back in hotel in St. Moritz, Kyo and Kaname were on lookout, as Beth was sitting in a table, having lunch.

"So, this is St. Moritz." She said, "The Winter Sports Hub known as Sun Valley. Chic, relaxed, and sophisticated. A resort for the wealthy flock, during the holidays. Even the cats are all pampered and like a celebrity, from all the finest spas in Europe."

She sighed, as a white cat was stretching on a ledge. She tossed a piece of shrimp to the cat, but ignored it.

"Aren't we fussy? Not a mood for shrimp?" Beth huffed.

She held up a fork, with a piece of smoked salmon, and said, "Alrighty, will Princess Feline have a piece of smoked salmon?"

The cat meowed, as she went to Beth. She giggled, "That's it. It seems I found what you prefer."

She played with the cat, as it reached for her salmon. She dangled it, as she was giggling, "Come on, kitty. Get the nice fish. Higher…"

The cat was on its hind legs, reaching for the fish. Beth smirked evilly, "GOTCHA!"

She tripped the cat's legs, and it fell on its back. Beth laughed, "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha! Aw, did I upset you? Enjoy, you puny pompous puffball~!"

The cat scampered away, as Beth was laughing. She sighed and thought, "Man… That was pretty mean… I don't know why I thought it would be a good idea… It's just because I'm really on edge… Since I arrived, a lot has happened… Kagura Sohma emerges, after snobbishly ignoring the fact that Father has turned villain… the Choujins lost a friend in Subaru Mikage… and June and Emily are back in America, worried over me… Worst of all, I only have four days, before the gem dissolves… and Anya, one of the Jewel Women, is actually serious about killing me… I can feel the threats closing in… They're all around. I have to relax… This is ridiculous! I can't be moping like this!"

Mandy called, "Beth, what are you doing, sitting on that chair? Come on up and take a look."

Beth headed to the others, as Mandy said, "We have a location on where Kagura is located. The address is the one Inga put on the package, where the red gem is to be located."

They spotted an old rundown building, in which Kagura is hiding out in. Kaname said, "It looks like an abandoned hotel… It would make a perfect hiding spot for Kagura and Anya, since daylight is the one thing they cannot be out in. Anya, yes, but Kagura, no. Kagura is not like those Jewel Women, since she's an undead zombie. But sunlight is what she hates. But knowing her, she would board up all the windows and doors, every little gap, to make sure that sun doesn't go into her."

Kyo said, "That's got to be it. I bet she's sitting inside, waiting for Elsa to show up. They wouldn't think about emerging in the day."

Mandy said, "Alright, then do we have a plan of attack?"

Kyo said, "Yes, I agree! We attack now!"

Kaname nodded, "Agreed! We should go in, since they are usually vulnerable to daylight. Kagura isn't allowed in sunlight, either, being a zombie. That gives us a huge advantage."

Beth said, "Sorry, but I have to disagree with you… You're looking at it, all wrong. It'll be even dangerous, if the sun is up. Just think about it! Anya has been living in the world for thousands and thousands of years. Kagura, unfortunately, since these worlds melded, her path to righteousness was flown out the window, in favor of death and destruction. They wouldn't have survived, if they were defenseless, during the day."

Kyo roared, "ARE YOU MAD?"

Beth stated, "Walking in, right now, and attacking them would be suicidal. Kagura another's story, since she rarely goes in the day. I'm not going to do it. It would be a bug walking into a spider's web, on purpose!"

Kyo said, "Oh, come on! Beth, you act as though if you are scared. This isn't like you."

Beth said, "I'll listen to Sun Tzu's advice, for once. Engage in a fight, if victory is ensured. Like I said, I'm not going in."

Kyo grabbed her shirt and yelled, "OH, YEAH? SO, YOU'RE CHICKENING OUT?"

"I'm not afraid! I'm just thinking straight! Unlike you, I've got a cool head on me! We have to make sure Anya or Kagura make their move, first!"

"And assured victory is what you wanted! Kagura's all alone up there! This is the perfect chance to avenge Haruna and Subaru! It's her against all of us! That's a 4-to-1 advantage! WE HAVE TO ATTACK, BEFORE ELSA ARRIVES!"

"Calm down. Try and keep your head together. Just focus and think it through. If we go now, she'll cut us to pieces. We can't approach this, half-cocked."

Kyo roared, "I AM NOT HALF-COCKED! I WILL NOT LET HER LIVE, MUCH LONGER! I WILL END THIS, BY FINALLY KILLING THE ONE WOMAN I DESPISE, FOR CUTTING SHORT THE LIVES OF MY ALLIES AND EVERYONE ELSE SHE'S SLAIN! I'M GOING TO DESTROY KAGURA!"

Beth hollered back, "YOU'RE GOING TO FINISH HER, YOURSELF? RIGHT! AND WHY BRING HARUNA AND SUBARU INTO THIS? WHO THE HELL CARES? DON'T DRAG THE DEAD INTO YOUR LITTLE DRAMA, YOU DAMNABLE IDIOT! YOU'RE JUST A STUPID CAT, IF YOU DAMN SURE GO AT IT, ALONE!"

"What did you say to me?"

"You heard me! FAMILY YOU'VE NEVER MET AND THAT CAME LONG BEFORE THAT TIME DOESN'T MEAN SHIT! IT'S ALL FOOLISHNESS, GOING TO SOMETHING TO DIE FOR, LIKE THAT! IT'S IDIOTIC!"
Kyo seethed, as his aura glowed. He yelled, "YOU WATCH YOUR MOUTH, NEVINS!"

SOCK!
Kyo punched Beth in the face, knocking her down. Kyo was enraged, as Beth was moaning in pain. She got up and was stomped in the face by Kyo. She hopped up and roared, "SUCKER PUNCH, HUH? THEN, TAKE THIS!"

She socked him in the face, as he yelled, "OH, IT'S ON!"

They exchanged punches, as they were arguing.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, KYO?"

"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Mandy called out, "KYO! BETH! STOP IT!"

Kaname cried, "WILL YOU TWO KNOCK IT OFF?"

Mandy restrained Kyo, as Kaname pulled Beth back. Beth panted, as she roared, "You bastard, what's with you?"

She let go, as Beth pleaded, "You have completely lost it, like you're some sort of a madman!"

Kyo explained, "I guess that you won't understand the concept of family honor, and inheriting a battle like this!"

"Eh?"

He walked off, "Enough! I'm going!"

Mandy said, "Kyo, Beth is right. It's far too dangerous. We have no way of knowing what might be there for us, in there. We'll wait for Kagura or Anya to make their move."

He leaned to the balcony and seethed. Mandy pleaded, "That is an order. The only thing that matters now is protecting the Red Gem of Fuji."

Kyo said, "No, Coach… I'm sorry… I can't obey, this time… You know that this is a matter of blood and family, only! If Kagura is in there, I will fight her, to the end, and make her pay for what she's done! It's a Sohma Family Issue! And I will not leave it unsettled, when I know exactly where Kagura is hiding! I can't just sit here, griping and moping, letting her wait for me! Those days are over!"

He leapt off and made a break for the rundown hotel. Mandy said to Kaname, "Kaname, you and Beth follow him and make sure to stop him from entering… even if it means using force."

Beth was appalled, as she groaned, "Kyo… Why are you doing this? Why are you so damn grim and hotheaded, all of a sudden? Why can't you be patient and just wait a while?"

Mandy replied, "You see… You touched a vulnerable spot in his hidden past. Although you didn't mean to… you've hit upon a dark place in one of his saddest secrets."

Beth asked, "Kyo has a hidden past?"

Kyo arrived at the building, as Beth concluded, "What the hell does that even mean?"

Kyo whispered, "Kagura… This time… I'm ending this…"

He stepped in, as someone is waiting for him. But who?

Episode XVII – End

It looks like Kyo wants Kagura, dead-on. But who will be waiting inside this building: Kagura, herself? Anya? Elsa? And what sort of past does the black sheep of the Sohma Clan holds, relating to this moment?
Don't miss the next exciting episode!

To be continued…