Author's Note: Hey guys! Here's another chapter for you guys i think the next one is going to be final chapter. Sorry if that makes you guys mad/sad or whatever but its about time i start working on some of my other ideas that are just itching to come out. Enjoy!

Chapter 17

Without warning Mimiko leaped away from the place she had been standing, grabbing Kotaro's collar in the process and yanking him behind her. She quickly brought up her blade and blocked another that created sparks as it slid against hers. Grinning before her was Yafuri, his head bloody from the blow to the ground and his clothes dirty from the rubble he had been trapped under from before.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but you've come to the wrong place at the wrong time lady." He chuckled. "Now I'll have to get rid of you before you cause any trouble for my sis and father."

"I'm not that easy to get rid of Yafuri," she grinned, "in fact, I'd say you'll end up dead before you can even make a scratch on me."

Yafuri's eyes widened before he growled, glaring at her fiercely as he jumped back only to slice his sword towards her. She quickly blocked and parried the swings laughing at this pitiful excuse of a fight. Twirling around she blocked another jab and used her vampire speed to vanish from her spot, leaping above Yafuri's head and slicing down. He didn't even have time to look up or block her blade. He disappeared in a gray cloud of ash, his sword clattering and his yellow jacket floating to the ground. She looked at them both sadly, she didn't really like killing, but sometimes you had to do what you had to do.

"Wow, Mimi," Kotaro cheered, "that was fast!"

"Yes it was." she smiled softly, as she bent down and took Yafuri's sword, buckling the sheath to her hip. "Can I get you to stay here or hide somewhere safe for a while until Jiro, Cain, and I take care of the Kowloon King and Cassa?"

He nodded, "You'll come back won't you?" he asked.

She looked at him tenderly and smiled. "Of course, I promise we'll all be together after this is over. Be safe!" she said kissing his cheek.

He nodded and she quickly ran the way Jiro had taken off too earlier. She came upon the warehouse and ran towards the doors. Instinctively she jumped away from them and not a second later they burst open, Cain falling through with a deep gash on his shoulder. "Cain!" she cried running to help him.

He grunted as his hand came up to clench his shoulder. Grimacing with pain he opened one eye to look at her, his eyes widening as he sat up, "Lady Sage?" he whispered gruffly.

"Alice?" Cassa's voice came from the doorway of the factory.

Mimiko looked up, her blonde hair flowing over her shoulder as she slowly stood. Cassa stared at her with wide, fearful, and saddened eyes. She glanced down and saw Yafuri's sword in her hand and her eyes widened as she looked back at her.

"Not quite," Mimiko murmured, only for Cain. She looked back at the man by her side and smiled. "Why don't you take it easy for a while? I'll take care of her."

Cain still shocked at her appearance said nothing as she turned towards Cassa and began walking towards her, Yafuri and her own sword clenched in her hands. Cassa shook off her shock and coiled her silver chain around her gloved hands, ready to send it magically to wrap around her old mistress. Just as she held up her hand to let the chain fly towards her, Mimiko disappeared. Cassa gasped looking around before sensing a presence above her. Jumping away from her spot she barely missed being sliced by both of her swords. Mimiko hit the ground hard, the earth exploding upwards as her swords sunk into the ground.

"How can you be still alive!" she shouted, throwing her chain toward Mimiko.

Mimiko blocked the attack and let the silver chain wrap around Yafuri's blade before trying to yank it out of Cassa's hand. Instead Cassa pulled it from her hand and she easily switched her own blade to her right hand. "Easy," She grinned, "I'm not Alice." She leapt forward, thrusting her blade towards Cassa's heart.

Cassa disappeared into the warehouse and Mimiko followed. Inside there were tons of crates, most likely filled with the blood packets Cassa and her brothers had sent throughout the city. The building itself was in a state of rotted despair, wooden beams were hanging from the ceiling, splintered from where they had broken off other pieces. The roof had large holes that let the moonlight pool in from outside, dotting the ground with bluish circles.

Mimiko stepped cautiously through the warehouse, skirting the beams of light so she wouldn't be seen. Slinking through the shadows she looked around for any sign of Cassa. She jumped slightly when there was a loud bang from the rear end of the large warehouse accompanied by a loud shout. JIRO!

Fearing for his life she quickly ran to his aid, dodging beams of light and ducking around crates and other materials that were left inside the warehouse when it was abandoned. Suddenly a silver sword was at her throat, drawing her up short. Glowing green eyes peered at her from the shadows in front of her and forced her back into the beam of moonlight. They followed her as the tip caused a bubble of blood to form at her neck. Cassa took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she inhaled before opening them and smiling like the cat that got the cream.

"Mimiko." She purred drawing back and thrusting her blade towards Mimiko's neck.

Mimiko blocked again and again as Cassa pursued her with a ferociousness she had never expected. She forced Mimiko to worry only about defending herself as she back away, suddenly her back bumped into one of the towers of crates and it tipped precariously as she cast Cassa's blade to the side before bringing her own sword up to stab her in the chest. Cassa laughed leaping away before sprinting towards her once again.

They fought with swords sparking in the darkness. Each making a cut here and there until the blood flowed from their bodies freely. Neither spoke as they drew close before leaping away to find a way through the others defenses, but it seemed they were too equally matched. They both rested upon stacks of crates as they glared at each other. Mimiko wiped at her cheek, smearing the blood there away and Cassa did the same with her jaw.

Suddenly a large boom resonated through the warehouse causing the earth to shake and the crates to tumble underneath them. Cassa and Mimiko both jumped to the ceiling above but the rotten beams did not hold them and they plummeted through the air to the ground below, groaning at the impacts. Mimiko was the first to regain her footing and she shook off her slight dizziness from the blow her head had taken on the hard floor. Cassa was still knocked out a few feet away and Mimiko barely glanced at her before taking off in the direction of the loud sound that had happened moments ago.

When she arrived she couldn't help but gasp. A large crater had been created in the middle of the warehouse with a large hole opened up in the ceiling. In the middle, the Kowloon King stood with Jiro at his feet, his sword thrown a few feet away from him. The air still crackled with electric shock and she could see Jiro smoking slightly as she gazed down upon the final battlefield. Aku was still draped in his long robe except now it was spotted with blood and open to reveal his pale chest. He wore black slacks underneath and wore black shoes as well. From what she could see his long silver hair was spotless and his red piercing eyes gazed upon Jiro with glee. Suddenly he looked up and his eyes widened with shock. Jiro too looked over his eyes widening impossibly as he mouthed Alice's name.

"My Lady Sage." Aku said, his voice sending a chill through her body and causing her to shiver.

"Aku." She said icily and began walking towards them.

"Get back!" Jiro yelled. "Run away Alice!"

Mimiko looked at him and smiled. "Jiro," she murmured and opened their bond so he could feel who she really was. As if a force struck him he slumped slightly and stared at her, his eyes frightened. He shook his head and began to speak.

No Jiro! Do not say my name! Everything will be ok.

Mimiko, don't do this, get away while you still can. He pleaded but she shook her head.

Reaching the bottom of the crater she turned to the Kowloon King and raised her sword in challenge. "Let this be the final battle Aku," she cried, "and when I defeat you, may you never rise again."

He laughed harshly, "Do you not remember the last time we fought Alice, as I recall you were killed by my own hand. But what I wonder is how you have returned to maturity so quickly, not even the Lord Dragon has done so and he was killed around the same time."

"I've always been the fastest when reaching full maturity and I am not the same woman I was back then Aku. I am much stronger." She grinned. "But enough talk, and enough reminiscing, it's time for you to die!"

With a battle cry she launched herself towards him, her sword raised above her, before slicing down to take his head off. He held up his hand and her blade met the air in front of his hand, his robe swirling around him. Before her eyes a sword materialized in his hand. She jumped back and went back in thrusting quickly and slicing at his sides, arms, and legs in an attempt to cause any kind of injury. He chuckled as he blocked and parried each slice and thrust. She quickly grew frustrated but knew she needed to keep her head in order to defeat him.

Ducking down she swiped her leg around hoping to trip him but he expertly dodged flipping back to land a few feet away from her before using his vampire speed to appear before her, arms raised to bring his blade down upon her. She quickly raised hers as well, blocking his and shaking with the strength needed to stop it. Her knees began to bend and sweat broke out on her forehead as she struggled to keep his sword from slicing through her body. He leaned over her shaking body, his hair sliding down over his shoulders to brush her cheeks and he grinned maliciously. Glaring at him she dropped to one knee, using his unbalanced momentum to flip him over her head. Quickly rolling to her feet, she blocked another swipe and jumped back and away from him.

From behind her she heard a commotion. Glancing back she saw Jiro and Cassa in combat as they twirled and sliced at each other. Jiro fought furiously, his face set in a grim line and Cassa's filled with insane laughter. The screamed the others' names as they fought and she rolled her eyes at the stupidity of it. Jiro had taught her to conserve her breath, not to waste time spouting insults or screaming. She turned back to the Kowloon King only to find him vanished from before her. Whirling around, she didn't see him and quickly looked up. There he was among the rafters his eyes glowing eerily as they peered back towards the crater she had created before coming here. He squinted before looking back at her and grinning.

With sickening dread Mimiko realized that Kotaro had probably been spotted, most likely helping Cain when she had told him to stay hidden. She knew Aku knew she was NOT the Lady Sage and that as soon as he was done with her and Jiro, he would go after Kotaro. He twirled his sword about his wrist before letting out a chuckle. "I see!" He crowed and shot towards her, his sword pointed at her chest and his silver hair flying behind him.

Turning sideways at the last second she brought her sword down, hoping to sever his arm but his other hand grabbed her wrist and twisted her around in his grasp. His blade resting at her neck. He leaned forwards and nuzzled her cheek, taking in a deep breath of her scent. "Ah, Mimiko," he murmured, "you are so much more than I ever imagined."

Without thinking Mimiko stepped on his foot, dropped her chin to her shoulder and turned, grabbing his sword arm and sending a swift kick to his groin, knee caps, and jumping away. As if he didn't feel it, he leapt towards her again and she knew this would be a long fight. Though she wasn't sure how long and how much longer she could stand it. She was already weak from blood loss and with all the fighting and torture she had had to endure. But now was not the time to be thinking along these lines. Now was the time to defeat this evil before it created anymore. Before is spread its parasitic disease into her home the Special Zone.

She blocked his thrust and slid forward to grab his neck and sink her fangs into it, drawing as much power as she could from him. She was only there for a second, long enough to taste a dripping of his electric powers, before he grabbed her hair and threw her away from him, raising his hand to his neck. "You little bitch!" he growled as she landed in a crouch.

Yet again he leaped towards her and she blocked and parried before flipping behind him and grabbing onto his back. Leaping on him she yanked his head to the side and drew from the wound she had created, snarling as he tried to pull her off and slice at her. She pulled another draught of his blood and felt the electricity pulse through her. Her eyes glowed red momentarily and his knees buckled. He grasped onto his hilt and turned it around shoving it over his shoulder and aiming for her head. She quickly jumped away and swiped at her mouth before going in again and biting at the other shoulder. Taking another swig of his blood before getting kicked in the side and thrown a few feet backwards. She landed in a crouch as he began to stand.

He stood and glared at her. His pale face splattered with blood, hers and his. She felt her tongue slip out of her mouth and lick at the line at the corner before she grinned. "Looks like we're both about finished wouldn't you say?" she asked standing.

He chuckled. "I will never be finished. No matter how many times I am destroyed, my bloodline will live on, and one of my children will resurrect me. That is what it is to be a Kowloon Child."

"Ah but you see, the problem with your little theory is that there are only two of you left. Lord Dragon has already stopped all dispenses of blood packets throughout the city days ago. You and Cassa are the only two of your bloodline left." She smiled and his eyes darkened in fury.

The air began to crackle around her and she knew now would be the last battle between them. She drew upon her own electricity she had acquired from him and positioned her sword. He too fell into battle mode and they glared at each other. All at once they leaped towards each other, their battle cries resonating around the coliseum-like crater, swords pointed at each others' hearts. Mimiko knew that this time she would not dodge, and neither would he. As his sword pierced her chest and hers pierced his heart, water burst up from the pipes below the ground, creating a barrier that soon solidified into ice around them. The electricity that had built up in the air struck them both and the barrier, creating a deafening explosion and a massive shockwave that collapsed the entire building and created a power outage in the Special Zone. Leaving the city in darkness, the only light created by the moon, like a beacon of hope and peace.