Chapter 10
The Heroes' Retribution

Hanai began to battle Mikoto, under the possession of Meiko the Sorceress. He then launched a devastating punch to her solar plexus. Mikoto staggered down and charged at Hanai with a savage kick to the skull. She proceeded into manhandling him with a barrage of palm strikes.

"Hey, specs, your girlfriend's body seems to be very swift and limber!" Meiko cried.

Hanai stepped back. He grabbed onto her shoulders and slammed her to the ground. Meiko swept off his legs and fell to the ground. She leaped up and landed on her knees at Hanai's abdomen.

"Get the facts straight: You lose!" She grinned, "Too bad… a mere mortal has to be foolish to tangle with a hot witch like me."

"Mikoto! What is wrong with you?" He gasped, "Why are you acting that way, and why are you talking like some British woman?"

"She's not Mikoto!" Yakumo cried.

She ran towards Eri, but was blasted by Meiko's magic blast. Yakumo dropped to the ground in fear.

"You are on my last nerves, Maynard copycat!" She called to Yakumo in anger.

She got up and stomped Hanai in the gut. She stepped towards Yakumo and grabbed her by the neck. She then held her in the air and laughed evilly. Yakumo tried to break free.

"No… Mi… koto… no…" she gasped.

"You have interfered for the last time, you little brat!" She screamed.

She tightened Yakumo's neck and was smiling menacingly. Hanai saw Yakumo about to be killed.

"My… Yakumo…" He thought, "Yakumo, no… you cannot die from Suo!"

He started to glow red, a la Miranda Maynard; he got up and growled. He approached Mikoto/Meiko and was fuming.

XXXXX

Meanwhile, Miranda and Erika arrived at the forest. They began to sprint towards the area where Eri was kidnapped. Harima followed, in a worried state.

"Mira, did you feel that?" Erika asked, "I felt some power, similar to your aura."

Miranda responded, "I know; I felt it, too. It seems Eri has something in her powers."

"But, Mira… Eri's the one who's in the mess! She was kidnapped!"

"Wait… then…"

They dashed extremely fast and were in panic.

"Idiots!" Erika growled, "I specifically stated that Hanai and Yakumo to stay!"

"Four-Eyes and Tenma's Sister are there?" Harima hollered.

"Okay, ENOUGH with the nicknames, Kenji!" Miranda shouted, "We'll worry about your friends when we save Mikoto and Eri!"

They continued to run.

XXXXX

Hanai tapped on Mikoto's shoulder.

"Excuse me," he said, "Yakumo Tsukamoto is not the problem here…"

Mikoto turned around and saw Hanai, in a red aura. She was shocked with her eyes and mouth dropped; she was smacked by Hanai's punch. Mikoto tumbled to one knee. Yakumo fell to the ground. Hanai charged at Mikoto and delivered a kick to the abdomen, a knee to the temple, a stomp on the foot, and an elbow to her chest. Mikoto was woozy; she then regenerated herself and growled.

"DAMN YOU! YOU…" She shrieked, "You… scum-sucking pig!"

Mikoto delivered a knee to his stomach. Hanai staggered down to the ground, in pain. He got up and delivered an uppercut at her chin. Hanai took his glasses off and dashed towards her. He nailed her in the chin with a high kick. Mikoto bent backwards, and then snapped back straight and grinned crooked.

"Is that it, you scum?" She asked, "You're such a foolish person…"

"Mikoto… what have you done to both Yakumo and Sawachika?" He hollered.

"Mikoto? Call me Meiko!" She grinned, "I happened to own your big breasted girlfriend… for someone I know…"

"Who?" Hanai asked.

"You know who… Miranda Maynard!"

"WHO?"

"GAH! You should know! Ask Harima, if you love him so damn much!"

"Meiko! Why are you in possession of Suo?"

Eri cried, "Because she wants Miranda dead!"

Hanai gasped, "NO! You cannot do this! This is unacceptable! I, Haruki Hanai, promise tha-!"

Meiko swiftly dashed at Hanai and nailed him in the groin. He screamed and collapsed on the ground.

"Don't you ever shut up, motor-mouth?" Meiko snapped.

"Hanai…" Yakumo cried.

She then snuck behind Meiko and went to Eri. She carefully untied her, but Eri suggested staying and rescuing Hanai.

"Yakumo… you have to save that class rep of ours; don't worry about me. Miranda and Erika should arrive soon. Even Whiskers; he'll save me as well."

"But… Sawachika-senpai…"

Meiko turned around and grinned, "Oh? And you two want to be rescued by that pesky freeloader? That guy is nothing but a pervert!"

Eri then scoffed, "Well, excuse me for trying to make him the hero!"

"I grow tired of waiting…" Meiko said as she held up her dark aura-glowing hand, "I'm bored by Miranda's tardiness. She wins… but you lose."

Yakumo held Eri tight and whimpered.

"What are you doing? Get away from here!" Eri screamed.

Mikoto/Meiko smiled, "Tell Miranda, if you can, that I'll miss here… NOW DIE!"

"RABBIT KICK!"

Erika appeared from the blue and nailed Meiko with a front dropkick. Erika dropped down on her feet, while Mikoto landed face-first in pain.

"Remember me, Sorceress?" Erika smiled.

Mikoto saw Erika's face and snarled.

"AVERY! I should've known!" She shouted.

Erika held her bow up and aimed at Mikoto.

"Sorry, but I have to wound you," she sighed, "But… it would be great if I get a piece of you again!"

Mikoto got up and dusted off her legs.

"You wanna try your arrow at me; even you would kill me out of anger!"

Erika dropped her bow and smiled.

"You're right. I won't wound you."

Mikoto laughed evilly and walked towards Erika. She held her hand up and stopped Mikoto.

"That's his job…" she pointed behind Mikoto.

Harima tackled Mikoto from behind and restrained her in the shoulders. He threw her down and fell in the dirt.

"Meiko… I don't know how the hell you came here, but kidnapping Rich Girl was your only mistake!" He growled.

He picked up Mikoto and socked her in the face.

"Forgive me! But it's wrong to hit girls… but in THIS case, YOU are an exception!"

"BRING IT ON!" Mikoto screeched.

They began to fight. Mikoto and Harima exchanged blows. She smacked him in the face; he delivered a side kick to her tight; she gave Harima a body blow; he gave Mikoto a chop to the head. They staggered and were fatigued.

"Whiskers…" Eri cringed, "You can do it…"

Erika approached Eri and untied her.

"You okay?"

"I… I'm sorry," Eri apologized.

"Why are you sorry?" Erika asked, "Meiko wanted you dead, but now… now we can win without fighting."

Mikoto, however, gave Harima a blast to the gut with her black magic. He fell to the ground and was in pain.

"NO!" Eri cried.

"Harima!" Yakumo shrieked.

Erika charged at Meiko and swiped her bow upward at her. She dodged and delivered a knee to her back. She gave an elbow to the back her head. Erika collapsed.

Mikoto laughed, "Oh, Avery, you never change…"

She approached her and grabbed her neck.

"Now… now you can join Jacob… you miserable wench."

"No… Erika…" Eri whimped.

"GOODBYE!"

She glowed in a dark aura and was about to strike. But…

"FIREBALL SHOT!"

A barrage of fireballs smacked into her body. Mikoto collapsed onto the ground and was singed a bit. Harima got up and smiled.

"So… she arrived in time," he chuckled.

A figure appeared in front of Meiko and held her sword up. It was Miranda.

"YOU!" Mikoto/Meiko hollered.

"No more tricks, Sorceress!" Miranda chuckled, "OR should I say… Meiko Hildenhauser III?"

A collective gasp surrounded the group; everyone, except Erika and Mikoto.

"Then… she's a descendant of…" Harima gasped.

Mikoto screamed and charged at Miranda. Mira nailed her in the gut with a boot. Meiko screamed in pain.

"No way…" Yakumo winced.

Eri thought aloud, "No way… I believe it now… I do… … …do I?"

Meiko dropped to one knee and was angry. She then glowed in a dark aura. Miranda shone a red aura, with her fist clutched.

"Meiko, I don't know what you are doing, but it has to end now!"

"Do you care that if you die, you'll never succeed? Despite the fact that I am that old fart's descendant, you still want me dead."

"I'm aware that you are in possession of a normal girl; but you are by far an evil woman!"

"Then try to kill me…"

Miranda held her sword high and struck her in the face with the butt of her handle. Mikoto dropped to the ground.

"NEVER!"

Mikoto jumped up and growled, "Then prepare to die, as my main objective!"

They charged at each other and exchanged punches and kicks. Eri got up from her chair and was frightened, seeing the two women exchange super speedy blows.

"WHOA! This is like… like in those animes I once saw!" She thought.

Miranda then stepped back and dropped her items.

"You may have known all my moves, but can you handle my mad martial arts skills?" She asked.

She then posed like Haruna Hiyashi, her friend.

"Wha…? What is that?" Mikoto giggled.

"Oh, just a little Chinese Kung Fu I learned from a friend!" She shouted.

She charged at Mikoto and delivered a swift martial arts kick to the head. Mikoto was hardly damaged; she fought with a barrage of kicks to Mira's chest. Mikoto then shouted at her to give up.

"When will you ever learn that your skills are WEAK?"

"I'm sending you back to hell, where you belong!"

They continued to brawl, but stepped back and were catching their breath. Miranda then grinned. Mikoto/Meiko then growled, "How… how can you be that agile than last time?"

"I have had a bunch of heart on me… including some new moves," Miranda replied.

While they were preparing to make their next move, Eri was stammering, knowing that this battle is shocking exciting. She couldn't move an inch.

"No way… Maynard and Suo are great fighters! I believe… I BELIEVE!"

She was scared stiff.

"I only have forty-five minutes left! And I cannot let you destroy my plans!" Mikoto screamed.

Miranda grinned and cried, "GOOD! It's plenty of time to smash that pretty face of yours!"

Harima was helped up by Yakumo and carried him to where Eri was. Miranda and Mikoto charged at each other and continued to fight.

Round two begins…

To be continued…

"I am Miranda Maynard, hero of Argos! I am ready to fight! I have about 45 minutes left… and I'll save Eri, Mikoto, and Yakumo. Eri, I mean Avery and NOT Rich Girl, trust me… if I die, I have me a trump card!"

Next Chapter: The Death of Miranda Maynard

"Wait! Hold up! You can't kill me off yet! That ain't cricket of you, Miz-K!"