Kyo suddenly found a body inside, on a table, with her left arm severed off.

"IT'S KANAME!" He cried.

Kaname was still on the table, shackled down, and still alive. Kaname's mouth was taped shut, as she moaned and muffled, "KYO!"

Kyo said, "Don't worry, Kaname! I'll save you!"

"Oh, no, you don't!" A voice called.

Kagura appeared from atop the stairway, as she smirked, grinning evilly. Kyo snarled, "First, Haruna… then, Subaru… and now, Kaname! How many more lives are you going to take from me? You've gone TOO FAR, KAGURA SOHMAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Kagura growled, "What a romantic way to end this lovefest… We broke up, you never called, and you sided with my sworn enemy, Steven Nevins…"

Kyo smiled, "Don't worry… For Kaname's sake, I'll handle this one! Where's your entourage?"

Kagura grinned, as she said, "You want to know? They're in the Colosseum, awaiting Beth Nevins. But don't worry… I brought along… this!"

She held up a severed lip ring. It was Elsa's lip ring, as she said, "Moments after Elsa retreated to inside, after you cut her badly, I took the antidote from her, so that Beth can never get her grubby little hands on it, after she somehow defeats her. But don't you worry…"

She wore the lip ring on her lip, and said, "It doesn't hurt me good, since I'm already dead, losing my nervous system… That, or that I had my lips numb, after we broke up. YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO BE SO CRUEL, KYO-KUN!"

Kyo smiled, as he prepared to fight, "Cruel, yes… Only because you and Tohru Honda were demonic little whores! I can't wait to finally thrash you, once and for all! This is for everyone… for Michelle Nevins, for Haruna Hiyashi, for Subaru Mikage, and… AND FOR KAZUMA! I WILL END YOU, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, KAGURA! YOUR VILLAINY ENDS HERE!"

Kagura waved her hand to him and said, "Then… Let this be our final battle, Kyo Sohma… Tohru Honda is dead… but her revival is imminent, as the worlds will fall into chaos, before the day is done… and it starts with the Red Gem of Fuji, as my mistress beseeches. And the reason why Anya and Elsa are absent… because I made the order. I long to eliminate you, first, before Mr. Nevins and his daughter."

Kyo said, "Well, that's all there is. Not once I have beaten that damned rat. But the boar of the Zodiac, I can do that… You undead pig!"

They stared down, as they were about to ready themselves. Kagura Sohma… Kyo Sohma… once rivals in battle, often times romantically link (in Kagura's words), now sworn enemies…
One battle to the death will decide everything. For Kagura, the Pig of the Zodiac, power and chaos… For Kyo, the Cat of the Zodiac Curse, revenge and redemption…

Episode XVIII – Chapter 2: The Pig vs. The Cat!
Kyo vs. Kagura!

Outside the building, Beth and Mandy arrived to the front gate, with Kyo and Kaname already inside.

"Damn!" Beth griped, "Kyo and Kaname are not here… Do you think they've already gone inside?"

Mandy gasped, as she saw Kaname's severed left arm in the snow. She cried, "That's a woman's arm…"

Beth gasped, "Wait… Then, that means…"

Mandy said in fright, "Kaname Chidori… That's her arm!"

XXXXX

Kagura stayed up, as Kyo jumped upwards, "NOW, TAKE THIS! DIE, KAGURA!"

He launched a barrage of Energy Discs towards Kagura, as she watched on. She smirked, "That's nothing."

She blocked the attacks, and fired off a pulse of dark energy from inside her hands. Kyo dodged each blast, as the blasts were going left and right. Kyo fired his Sohma Cutter, but Kagura avoided it, running off.

"RUNNING? HAH!" He shouted, as he fired again, but Kagura was running forward to him, "I won't be running FROM YOU!"

She did another energy blast to Kyo, taking the blast severely. Kyo was standing, as Kagura was stunned. She roared, revving her fist, in a demonic look, "YOU DAMN BASTARD!"

"SOHMA CUTTER!"

He fired his cutter shots again, but Kagura deflected them, only grazing her hands and arms. Kyo used more Sohma Cutters, gliding towards Kagura's legs. The cutters landed on Kagura's thighs and calves, severely cutting them. Kagura tumbled down the stairs, and onto the floor. Kyo charged at her and roar, "AT LAST! YOU'RE DEAD, KAGURA SOHMA!"

She landed a headbutt to the stomach, and Kyo was stumbling to his knees. Kagura called out, "I'm finished with these games! YOU'RE THROUGH!"

Kagura starts to bulge and roar, "You are forcing me to kill you, using my ultimate form! Even if it means trapping you two inside, I will have exacted my revenge, and only Steven Nevins remain-!"

Kyo said, "Wait a minute! I wouldn't do that, if I were you! Look around…"

She stopped and looked above herself. The Sohma Cutters were floating in the air, hovering over the undead warrior.

Kyo explained, "My Sohma Cutters counts as lenses. So now, they surround you. And the hole that Elsa broke through? It's more of a camera shutter for a bright light. These lenses focus on the sunlight… INTO THE HOTEL!"

The sunlight from the hole shone, and its rays struck each lens, retracting into every single beam of light. Kagura was surrounded, as the beams of light burned her.

"NO! AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Kagura screamed in agony.

"You're like film! Totally exposed!" Kyo barked out, "Know that this battle is mine, Kagura!"

He jumped up and about to kick her, "And now, to finish you off! TASTE THE POWER OF THE CHOSEN CHOUJIN, KYO SOHMA! THIS IS FOR KAZUMA!"

One point, at one moment, a tiny blind spot! Kyo performs a deadly flying kick, as the final blow. But… What he didn't know was that he created a brief shadow, from the blazing wall of sunlight, for Kagura to see. She didn't waste her chance. As Kyo gasped, Kagura once again proved why she's a genius at strategy. Her body coated in a dark aura and shouted, "WHY DON'T YOU JOIN HIM, KYO? GEM POWER – DARK VORTEX!"

Her arms rose up, and sprouted a pitch black hurricane, blasting into Kyo. As the blast continued to grow, the double doors were demolished open. Outside, Beth and Mandy shielded themselves from the gust of wind, inside.

Beth growled, "It's Elsa's Divine Sandstorm! I knew of it! It had to be from in there…"

Mandy whimpered, "But… It couldn't be… That means…"

Kyo was out cold, as Kagura giggled, "Hm, hm, hm, hm, hm… You have fought well, you fool… But you can never beat me… or Yuki… or anyone else… You're ridiculous, when you were destined to be in love with me, yet you cared for that Honda bitch, a.k.a. my mistress… I haven't had a battle for so long, and I'm satisfied, warrior of Choujin…"

She dropped to her knees and coughed, "Ungh… And if I hadn't use my Trump Card, you would've destroyed me, completely… If it were Anya or Elsa, is you used that power, and they'd use their Trump Card, they'd be in far worse shape… that I find myself in now…"

Kyo suddenly got up, covered in blood, and said, "Kagura… If it means so much… I'm going to finish this… once and for all…"

Kagura was worried, "He's still fighting, and yet he would rather die than give in?"

Kyo panted, "NO way… am I losing… to you… KAGURAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

He held his right hand high and shouted, "Powers of the Monkey – BESEECH ME!"

He was consumed in a ball of energy, and he was turned into a powerful warrior. He was dressed in black and red pants, done with a black belt. He also has silver gauntlets, with his black and white bead bracelet on. His shirt was white, with the mark of the monkey on it. He was also dressed with a white headband, as he posed.

Kagura cried, "NOT AGAIN! HE'S THAT DAMNED MONKEY MAN, AGAIN?"

He posed in a Karate stance, "I am the agile warrior of courage! The monkey is prehensile and swift! I make sure that no fault is made! I am Prince Monkey!"

He pointed at Kagura, "And now, for the honor of my clan and family, your wrath ends here!"

He added, "And for this… your evil plot is done for! On the honor of those you've slaughtered and maimed, I will not let you win!"

His wounds regenerated, as Kagura snarled, "Damn! Even as one of those insipid little Chosen Choujins… It's not enou-!"

POW!
Kyo struck Kagura in the face, as Kyo said, "Remember that, Kagura? I have the strength left, to fight you! I was saving this for the right moment, and mostly to get stronger, so I can eliminate you, only you!"

Kagura groaned, as she felt her face. Kyo began to brawl, as Kagura blocked each attack. He lands a swift barrage of kicks, followed by a cross punch and a gut punch. Kagura couldn't strike back. She was helpless, under Kyo's onslaught. Her ambition of plotting to end the world, through her alter-ego, Inoshishi, was slipping through her goals. Kyo had become stronger than her, long after her final battle with Steven Nevins. Kagura yelled, "You damned dolt! You think I will suffer your onslaught, only for your ways of revenge?"

She shoved him off, but the agile cat landed his feet on the wall and slammed a right hook to her face. Kagura was bleeding from her face, nearly matching Kyo's crimson mask, which had recovered his wounds. Kagura hollered, shrieking like a demon, and charged towards him, with a barrage of punches and kicks, but he avoided each attack. Kagura kept missing, as Kyo leaped over her, landing behind her, and swatting her back with a palm strike. Kagura growled, holding her own against the Zodiac's Cat. Kyo prepared to fight in a Monkey fighting style. He then said to her, "So, what now, Kagura? If you're interested to know what comes next for the undead warrior, think of a plan to eliminate me!"

Kagura seethed, as she held herself, "Kyo Sohma… Why do you do this to me?"

She held her chest and moaned, "My… My mistress… She has to make me… whole… for you…"

Her eyes closed, as Kyo raced to her, and landed a swift kick to the face. Kagura held her chest and whimpered, "Let me awaken… myself… Control my inner rage…"

Kyo screamed, "Shut up! YOU GET UP, OR YOU DIE! AND STOP IGNORING ME FOR YOUR VOICES!"

Kagura said, as she was getting up, "It's not because I'm crazy… I am psycho… but that's not it. See, you weren't even supposed to know… ever. Once you do, all you'll ever receive is death…"

"What are you talking about?"

"You see, when you came back, after you defeated me, I had to beckon to my mistress, down in the forest, where I was bested in battle. But she would turn away from me, saying that I have no will to become one with the forces of evil… in this bozo nightmare… But as I lie in agony, in pain, a person came to me, and made me stronger, and powerful, and so beautiful… Because, for one thing, I will not be the one to be a weaker person than any of you…"

Kyo growled, "Shut up! Now, why did you kill Kazuma?"

Kagura smiled, "You really wanna know? Because… He knew too much… An old man like him doesn't need to know the truth of Tohru Honda's evil rule. I assisted, because he was about to ruin her plans. And along came Mr. Nevins, the man that foiled me. I would've had your body on the streets, mangled up and deformed, while you die of misery! But that man ruined everything! Every plan I have ever made… RUINATION! But Honda never returned… only to learn that she's dead… but her spirit lives on, into me… Sadly, that's not the case…"

Kagura was crawling in defeat, after she was bested by Steven Nevins, in the final battle. It is told that Kagura's body disappeared, after it vanished into the dark abyss. But she was badly injured and hurt. She crawled to the edge of the forest, and then took a glimpse of a woman that resembles Tohru, in an all-white dress and parasol, with long brown hair. It was Tohru Honda's look-alike, Remy Snowflake.

Kagura cried out, "Master… MASTER! YOU CAME TO ME!"

She tried to get up, but stumbled down. Remy turned to Kagura, and asked, "Who are you?"

Kagura whispered, "It's me, Tohru… Do you not remember me? I'm Kagura Sohma, your slave…"

Remy then smirked, as she thought, "Another one? No wonder these fools know me as the False Goddess, Tohru Honda."

It was a time before the Great West Greenwich War, long before Remy Snowflake became, not only a household name in serial killers, but a dangerous criminal in the World Government, similar to the famed London killer, Jack the Ripper.

Kagura pleaded, "I… I failed you… Mistress… Spare me, and… and let me… have my… vengeance on…"

She suddenly dropped to the ground and let out a death rattle. She died in Remy's legs, and Remy said, "She's dead… Good. She was annoying me…"

She walked away, but… she stopped, realizing that she may be useful for her evil schemes; evil schemes she has for her own twisted ways. Using the Darkness Shadow that she stole from within Black Dynamite's dojo, she absorbed her dark essences into Kagura's lifeless body. Her heart stopped beating, and was turning black and pulsating. The heart started to beat, as Kagura's eyes went black, with a dark red iris in her. Her eyes regained color, and started to breathe, again. Remy had already vanished, as Kagura kneeled to the faraway view, where Remy took her exit. She called out, "Tohru Honda… One day, I promise… I promise that I will have my revenge… ON EVERYBODY!"

She cackled evilly, as her newfound powers and abilities came to pass. But then, two years later, before the tragic events of Imperial Lobby, she was met with a mysterious figure. The woman was of long black hair and wearing only her black panties and leggings. Her hair covered her breasts, and shone in alabaster pale skin.

"Kagura Sohma…" She called to her, "Plotting something for revenge, huh? And who is this vengeance on? Perhaps a deity of Kung Fu?"

Kagura nodded and said, "Yes… Who are you, you evil monster? Why did you show up?"

The woman said, "None of that matters now. I have a simple task for you… If you can give me what I want, a goal for what I need, you will find it in Rome. Those carvings you found. Once you have the key to unlocking it, then you shall awaken the Jewel Women of old. Do not resort to your zombie thralls of yourself or undead warriors that you arise from beyond the grave. Become a part of me, by locating the Red Gem of Fuji, and I will make sure that your life will be worth living. I cannot promise you immortality… but I can promise you… endless power, beyond your imagination…"

She then grinned, "Who knows? Maybe you can finally get your revenge on the man that ended your evil reign…"

Kagura stood in place, as her eyes were controlled by this evil presence. "Yes, Mistress. I obey."

Kagura was no longer the slave to Tohru Honda. But she is now the slave to another.

It was there, she was fueled with so much hate inside that she was also given a dark violet gem, which gives her the abilities to increase her powers, continuously. Kagura's gem was hidden in her chest, and giving her the amplitude of power that she had long craved, all these years.

Kagura said, "Kyo, I refused to let you harm me, a second longer… My fight is with you, to the death! But I cannot hurt you, much longer. You're weak!"

Kyo barked, "We'll see who's weak!"

He landed a kick to Kagura's right arm, smashing it off her body. Her right arm was flying, as Kagura cried, "NO! MY ARM!"

Kyo cried out, "An arm for an arm, Kagura! An arm for an arm! That was for Kaname!"

She shrieked in a demonic roar, and charged at him. Kyo slammed off her left arm, smashing it off her body. The now-armless Kagura was helpless, as Kyo said, "And that other arm was for Subaru!"

He revved his palm, coated in an orange aura, and said, "And now… this final blow is for Kazuma… and my father… and everyone that was wronged! On my honor of the Zodiac, Kagura Sohma, this is your downfall!"

He charged at her, as she cried, "NO! NO! NOT THAT!"

Kyo yelled, "IT'S OVER! DIE!"

KAPOW!
"Forbidden Technique – Monkey Drill Paw!" He called out, landing a swift and huge right punch, aimed at the heart of Kagura. Kagura's body exploded into pieces. Her head rolled down, as her torso and lower half was strewn about. Kyo panted, as he said, "Finally… It's all over… Kagura is dead… And I have avenged everyone… Kazuma, thank you for the training… and for the guidance…"

He walked towards Kaname and said, "Kaname! I'll save you, right now. I knew Beth was wrong about it being a trap! She's is so stupid and brickheaded!"

As he was about to free Kaname, removing the tape from in her mouth, Kagura's strewn pieces of her corpse was glowing in a dark aura. Kyo said, "Ignore it. Her body is dissolving. That means, she can now rest in peace…"

But he was wrong. The pieces returned to one huge pile, and reformed Kagura, putting her back together. Kyo smirked, ignoring the fact that Kagura has somehow regenerated herself into putting her body back together. Kaname was almost free, until she shrieked, "KYO! LOOK OUT!"

Kyo turned around, as Kagura roared demonically, and charged at Kyo. He blocked her attack, as he was shocked. He cried out, struggling to free himself, "But how? She's… She's dead!"

Kagura snarled, "BIG DEAL! I'm not dead… because I am already dead… AND NOW I'M GOING TO MAKE YOU MY NEW CORPSE, BITCH!"

She slammed his head into the walls, dealt a severe barrage of punches to the sternum. Kyo was helpless to attack, as Kagura's newfound destruction has increased her evil tenacity, by ten times. Kyo was slammed through a wall, into another room, as Kagura resumed the vicious beating he was receiving.

"I… can't… I can't… beat her…" Kyo thought, while in constant pain, "I had her… and she… … …somehow… …was… stronger… than before…"

Kagura lands a huge left kick to the solar plexus, rupturing his ribs and chest, "DIE, KYO SOHMA! I HATE YOU!"

Kyo coughed out blood, and then dropped to the ground, badly hurt. He was motionless, badly beaten by the undead warrior, Kagura Sohma.

"You've wasted my time, Choujin…" she said to him, "Today was the day my victory is assured… as I claim the red stone for my own. But you decided to intervene, and ruin my plans. You've ruined my plans, for the last time, Kyo Sohma! For that… a warrior's death is what you'll receive…"

Kyo was badly injured, struggling to get up. Kagura stepped back and said, as she was showing compassion, "No one has bested me in combat, before… to use all he had to even try to rip me apart… but… If it means that we cannot be together, anymore… I cannot bear to lose you… Ever again…"

She sobbed, "Kyo… I love you! Do you not understand? Tohru Honda turned evil… because of something else! Kyo… You're better off! You cannot date someone who's a slave to evil!"

He groaned, without saying a word. She continued, "Why fight it? You know that all will be doomed from the start, anyways. And look at you, all you wanted if Yuki… That I understand. Deep down, I was hoping you'd win over him. Sadly, that will never happen now… I'm sorry that all this occurred, and I'm sorry for hurting you… Forgive me, but what's done is done… Kyo…"

She walked off, as Kyo was getting up on one knee. Kyo growled, "Damn you… I won't… … … be… trifled… with…"

In constant pain, Kyo remained on one knee, as Kagura shivered, "No… He's… He's still alive?"

Is this now Round 2 of Kyo vs Kagura? Or has Kyo really run out of time?
Be sure to tune in to the next chapter…

To be continued…