Chapter 13
Countdown to Hell

Sara/Miranda began to brawl against Mikoto/Meiko. They began to exchange punches. Sara/Miranda socked her in the face, while Mikoto/Meiko delivered a kick to the gut. Sara/Miranda then started to deliver a knee into her chest. She smacked her with a backhand, stumbling Mikoto/Meiko vaguely. She fired a black energy ball at her, but she dodged it.

"If you think I'm going to be surrendering to you, you got another thing coming!" Mikoto/Meiko shouted.

She fired a barrage of dark energy, surrounding Sara/Miranda. She jumped out of the way, a little nicked. She held her sword up high and it glowed in a bright white hue.

"Come on then, Meiko!" Sara/Miranda cried, "Haven't you learn of what Miranda said to you 3 years ago? She's the light to your darkness… and I'LL SHOW YOU!"

She slashed her sword and fired a white energy slice at Mikoto/Meiko. She got struck at it dead on, but was left unharmed.

"Dead heroes tell no tales…" she snickered, "If you think the combination of older and younger sister can stop me…"

She jumped at Sara/Miranda and tackled her around the field. Mikoto/Meiko wrung at Sara/Miranda's neck, but she swatted away. She nailed Mikoto/Meiko with a fist and drove both her knees into her waist. She then slapped her face around in a rapid fire maneuver; Mikoto/Meiko somehow started to grin maliciously, with every slap. She began to laugh evilly.

"Is that the best you can do?" She shouted.

She threw Sara/Miranda into the tree bark. Mikoto/Meiko got up and grinned.

"You're NO hero! You're a dead twin hero!" She heckled.

"In the words of my friend: "Bite your Tongue", you malevolent harlot!" Sara/Miranda shouted in Miranda's voice.

She growled, in Meiko's voice, "Just once! Just once! I want to get my way!"

She charged at Sara/Miranda and grabbed her in the head. She delivered a blow to the skull with her leg. She stumbled down and was in pain. Mikoto/Meiko was very angry that she continued to strike her in the head, chest, gut, and back. Sara/Miranda was staggering around.

"Damn your skill! You're nothing!" She screamed.

Sara/Miranda growled, "You're good, coming from a possessed martial artist."

"Of course… but whatever she learns, I hope they be useful," Mikoto/Meiko jeered, "Maybe perhaps I can put it to good use."

"Oh?" Sara/Miranda sneered, "How come you haven't sic you goons on me?"

"I just disposed of them just recently," Mikoto/Meiko smiled, "They were a failure for their cowardice, namely Avery! But you know me… when you want something done right…"

She charged at Sara/Miranda.

"DO IT YOURSELF!"

Mikoto/Meiko socked Sara/Miranda in the face, causing her to bleed. She stumbled to the ground and was out cold.

She snickered in pain, "You'll never win… it's judgment day for you… you have a quarter 'til midnight now."

"15 minutes is all I have left… it's too bad I can kill you in three seconds."

Mikoto/Meiko held her hand up and it glowed in a dark aura.

Meanwhile, Erika, Eri, Yakumo, Harima, and Hanai were still trapped in the black wall of energy. They witnessed the battle, as it comes to a conclusion.

"No… she's gonna win…" Eri gasped.

Hanai growled, "It can be… NO WAY! SUO CANNOT TAKE HER LIFE, EVEN IF SHE'S TWO PEOPLE IN ONE!"

Eri and Harima were shaken in anger. Yakumo couldn't stop shivering. Erika started to break the energy wall, but couldn't. She then had an idea.

"Okay, guys," she called to them, "Step back!"

She held up her bow and glowed in a hue of blue. She aimed her bow at the wall and fired a glowing arrow towards the wall. It penetrated through, but it suddenly dissolved.

"Damn! Meiko's too smart for me!" She thought, "And after all these years, she knew about me, Miranda, and Kandy… except she's not here."

Eri yelled, "That's it? That plan sucked!"

Erika cried, "I know! I know! That was a great idea, but not what I had in mind!"

Mikoto/Meiko then began to fire an energy shot, the same shot that killed Miranda. But then…

"NO!" Mikoto/Meiko screamed in, you guessed it: Mikoto's voice.

She restrained her own arm and cried, "I can't let you hurt her! If you kill her, what will become of me?"

Meiko shouted, "Disobey my orders, eh what? Well, give me a moment to enjoy my moment in peace. Now, LET GO!"

Mikoto screamed, "You evil woman! This is not what I had in mind!"

"Once I dispose of you, I don't need you anymore," Meiko grinned, "Maynard's soul will be mine, and you can have a future with dark powers."

"I don't need your dark energy… NEVER!"

"Oh? And give up all this?"

"SHUT UP!"

She socked herself in her face. Mikoto/Meiko held herself tight and growled.

"NO way! Did you see that?" Yakumo asked.

"Suo is controlling her own body!" Hanai cried.

"I knew it," Erika thought, "Despite the fact that Meiko's spirit is inside her, Mikoto Suo's well-being is still within her."

Sara/Miranda got up and quickly tripped her down. She then held her sword and pointed at Mikoto/Meiko.

"Now… Meiko," she shouted, "Time to end this! But, I'm not going to kill you! Free Miranda's friends and leave this girl's body!"

Mikoto/Meiko grabbed her blade and swung it away from her hands. She leaped up and gave Sara/Miranda an uppercut to the chin.

"NEVER!" She shouted.

They staggered on the field in the forest and were exhausted. Mikoto/Meiko was still in pain, by both Sara/Miranda and her own self. She grabbed Sara/Miranda by the arm. She tackled her with a takedown; Sara/Miranda struck her in the back, shouting to surrender.

"I'll never surrender," Sara/Miranda shouted, "Even in my sister's body, I'll finally be rid of you!"

Mikoto/Meiko shrieked, "You're stalling! And I'm not leaving without Maynard's soul! YOU HEAR ME?"

Sara/Miranda giggled, "Same old Meiko… shrieking like a banshee."

They both tackle each other and rolled around the ground, exchanging punches.

Elsewhere, Harima was extremely angry at the dark wall surrounding him and his friends.

"Damn it! We cannot stop Meiko with this wall around us!" He shouted, "I hate that Meiko."

Erika tried to punch down the wall, glowing in a bluish aura. She tried her best, but her knuckles were singed.

"Nice try, Robin Hoodwinked…" Eri muttered.

"Give me a bloody chance!" Erika cried.

Just then, they heard Sara/Miranda's scream.

"Miranda!" Harima cried.

"Sara!" Yakumo cried.

They were right. Sara/Miranda was laid out, jabbed in the waist by Mikoto/Meiko's right foot. Luckily, her foot didn't go through her.

"Nicely done, Maynard whoever you are!" She snickered, "Where is your soul?"

Sara/Miranda started to shiver in pain.

"NOW I'm taking both of your souls!" She shouted, "I'm so sick of you! I'm leaving your body in a hollow shell of your former self!"

Harima was shocked; he clutched his fist and shouted, "NO! She… she wouldn't!"

Mikoto/Meiko held her hand up and glowed in a dark aura, surrounding both of them.

Yakumo sobbed, "No… it's over…"

Hanai cried, "After all our efforts, Miranda Maynard, or Sara Maynard, is gone forever?"

Erika whimpered, "I… I can't believe it. Fight it, Mira…"

Eri was frightened, "Miranda… I'm sorry… no… it's my fault… Miranda…"

However, Harima started to glow in a gold aura. He started to growl and huff.

"Goodbye… you freak!" Mikoto/Meiko shouted.

"MIRANDA!" Eri shrieked.

Harima's aura glowed rapidly, surrounding everybody. Mikoto/Meiko stopped and turned around, looking at her dark wall.

"What now?" She cried.

The wall exploded, evaporating into the sky. Harima appeared and cried at the top of his lungs.

"I'LL NEVER GIVE UP! I WON'T LET YOU HURT HER AGAIN!" He boomed.

Mikoto/Meiko was frightened by Harima's powers.

"N- N- No… Not you, too?" She whimpered.

Harima charged at Mikoto/Meiko and socked her in the face. She stumbled down and was in pain.

"You… you… grr, you…" She growled.

She pounded her fist on the ground and hollered, "YOU BASTARD!"

Erika ordered Eri, Yakumo, and Hanai to charge at Mikoto/Meiko.

"CHARGE!" She cried.

They all went after her. Eri kicked her in the chest; Hanai twisted her arm in an armlock; Yakumo delivered an elbow to the head; Harima delivered a golden hurricane kick to the midsection. Erika then grabbed her bow and fired a barrage of arrows into Mikoto/Meiko. She was severely nicked.

"Mira, how much time left?" Erika cried.

She got up gingerly and called, "We got three minutes!"

"If we keep this up, she'll escape her body!" Harima cried.

Hanai shouted, "Well, I don't know if it'll last; don't forget: Suo is still within her!"

Eri called out, "RIGHT! Let's get that possessed devil!"

They all cheered on and began to charge at Mikoto/Meiko. She then stepped back and launched a wave of black onto everybody.

"THAT IS ENOUGH! VERMIN! YOU'RE FINISHED!" She screamed.

The blast hit every single one of them, falling to the ground, out cold. Mikoto/Meiko screamed at the top of her lungs and limped towards Sara/Miranda's limp body.

She held her hand up and huffed, "Well, now… at least no one will stop me… I'll finally… get my… revenge… on Sara… and Miranda Maynard… ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

She glowed in a dark aura and blasted Sara/Miranda's body. Sara started to glow white and was siphoned a bit of energy to Mikoto/Meiko… except that her soul was not taken. Mikoto/Meiko was shocked; she saw that her powers were weakened.

"WHAT? HOW? No… I wanted Miranda's soul!" She screamed.

She started to talk in Mikoto's voice, "You got two minutes left… sorceress! I'm stopping you!"

"What? You shut up!" Meiko cried.

Mikoto shouted, "NO! YOU SHUT UP!"

She started to trickle tears from her eyes. She then tried to restrain herself.

"Not once you have given me respect! Why didn't you leave well enough alone and stay in hell?" She sobbed.

Meiko shouted, "I don't need your sob story, you rat in boobs! I'll have you know that-!"

"SHUT UP! You want to kill Miranda, kill me!"

Meiko held her fist up and glowed black, "FINE! May you rest in peace, Mikoto Suo!"

She jabbed herself in the chest; but… she hesitated and halted her attack.

"NO!" Meiko shrieked, "I… If I kill you, Mikoto… then…"

"Then… you fail!" Mikoto shouted, "Kill me, and you'll never get your chance at Miranda Maynard's soul!"

Harima and Erika got up and saw Mikoto/Meiko arguing… with herself!

Meiko trembled with tears in her eyes, except they weren't her tears, "I… you can't do this… No!"

Harima was flabbergasted, "Uh, Archer Girl, is Meiko suddenly…"

"No… I think you mean Mikoto." Erika grinned.

Yakumo got up and cried, "Quick! How much time left?"

"About 45 seconds left…" Erika responded.

Yakumo was all worried…did Mikoto/Meiko succeeded? She saw Miranda's limp body and was scared.

"Please… Maynard sisters… get up!"

Meanwhile, Mikoto/Meiko was angered by her immediate control halt.

"You… you cannot do this… I won't let you get away with this… I was this close…"

"HA! What's the matter? You're scared to kill me?"

Meiko shivered, "It's… it's not fair! I… want… Miranda's soul! I WANT IT! SHE'S DEAD!"

Sara/Miranda got up and smirked. Yakumo saw her alive and was laughing.

"I knew it! Mikoto was stalling for time!" Eri said, "And that means…"

Sara/Miranda then said, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I guess for someone who has her spirit corrupted by evil and darkness, it's very shameful."

Mikoto/Meiko screamed, "WHAT? NO!"

Erika looked at the clock and counted down, "5… 4… 3… 2… 1…"

The clock struck midnight.

Meiko cried out, "YOU CANNOT STOP ME! MIRANDA MAYNARD IS DEAD! I WON!"

"YOU LOST!" Sara/Miranda shouted, "When are you ever going to learn, Meiko? It's midnight now, and I can hear Big Ben's ring from far away; you, my friend, have lost! Now that wasn't cricket, eh what?"

She stepped back and crossed her arms.

"I'm truly disappointed in you; first, you possessed this Mikoto girl, then, you killed my dear sister, and now, you failed at her soul capture. So much for the evil Meiko Hildenhauser III."

"No…" Meiko/Mikoto cried, as her body turned into Meiko's body, complete with long dark hair and her ample body.

"What a pity… you know you cannot win with luck alone, said the demon who failed at her mission," Sara/Miranda jeered, "'aven't you forgotten your pride as a Hildenhauser? You won by brute force and dark magic! The last thing I want is for you to be a happy woman! But NO! You had to play the wicked witch of Argos! Why couldn't you resist the darkness in your heart long ago?"

Meiko shrieked, "I HATE YOU!"

She then said in Miranda's voice, "Oh? Hate us? How do you like that? You know the real power besides the sword and shield? It is friends; and also a powerful magic for good! I am the end of Dark Argos' tyrannical rule! I am the end of Queen Isabella! I AM THE END OF YOU!"

Meiko growled and whimpered, "Why? Why can't I defeat you? Why now?"

The clock stopped ringing.

"Because… I am the greatest hero alive; or dead, in this case," Sara snickered.

She raised her sword high and cried, "I AM SARA MAYNARD, HERO OF ARGOS!"

She switched hands and held her sword in the other hand, "AND I AM MIRANDA MAYNARD, CURRENT HERO OF ARGOS!"

"We fight for honor…" Sara called.

"We fight for glory…" Miranda called.

"We fight for friendship…" Sara called.

"We even fight for everybody in the world!" Miranda called.

She raised her fist high and cried in both voices, "FOR ARGOS!"

Meiko was shocked and frightened.

"It's a shame, really, eh what?" Sara smiled, "At least I'll see you in Heaven… which is exactly what I told God to do, before we send you back below, so I can fight you one last time!"

She stuck her tongue out and flipped the bird at her.

"Bye, bye, Meiko!" Miranda snickered.

Mikoto/Meiko started to glow; her body rapidly switched from Mikoto to Meiko and back. She held her body tight and was shaken in fear.

"No…" she echoed, "I don't want to go back! I want to go live again! No! I am Meiko! The evil sorceress and descendant of King Hildenhauser of Argos! I am the strongest evil fighter in the world. I will not lose! I came so close! I… will… not… be… beaten!"

She grabbed Sara and tried to punch her, but couldn't.

"I CANNOT LOSE TO YOU!"

"LET… HER… GO!"

Eri delivered a back kick to her head and collapsed.

"THAT was for kidnapping me and Whiskers and Yakumo! You leave this kipper alone, you hag! The last thing I want is for you to hurt her again!"

Sara was confused, "Did she just call me…?"

Miranda snuffed, "She's definitely calling me a kipper."

Eri snickered, "Whiskers, Avery, Hanai, Yakumo, and myself… we all did it for everybody. And all we wanted in return is Mikoto!"

They all surrounded Mikoto/Meiko and let out a mean look.

"You get lost and never return; bring Mikoto back at once!" Eri shouted.

Erika snapped, "You don't belong here! We just want you gone!"

Hanai shouted, "Even as friends, we still want peace in this world! Obtaining Suo is unacceptable!"

Yakumo shouted, "And we don't want people to die!"

Harima then added, "After all, we are sometimes called friends, fellow classmates, estranged buddies, and pen pals from other countries. But we all share one wavelength!"

Eri smiled, "And that wavelength is heart! And you have NO heart, Meiko!"

They all shouted, "NOW GIVE MIKOTO BACK!"

Meiko started to glow and shrieked in a banshee-like style. The light surrounded everybody.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

Her mouth began to spew out a beacon of light. Out of that light was Meiko's spirit, floating upward and shrieking in a devilish manner. Her spirit suddenly exploded into the stars.

XXXXXX

"Miranda… Sara…" Meiko's spirit spoke from the sky in a calm voice, "I'm truly sorry… for everything that happened for five hundred years… I will make amends. Take your Japanese girl back and good riddance. I will never be a burden to you again. You're right… I have to have heart to win in battle and have friendship along the way. I learn that mistake… did I, Magna?"

Her ghost appeared in the sky, dressed in white.

"Miranda Maynard, I understand now; as much as I don't like you killing me three years ago, I realized now that it was for the best. I tried to break my evil spirit, but couldn't. You did, and your sister, too. I'm sorry for everything… and I'll be the one who will suffer; but so be it… forgive me, Jacob Avery; forgive me, Sara Maynard; and forgive me, everybody I killed…"

She started to float away.

"Goodbye… Miranda Maynard… Goodbye, Erika Avery… and oh, yes… goodbye, my great-great-great-great grandson of a King…"

Her spirit drifted away and disappeared in the night sky, never to return again. Meiko Hildenhauser III was gone from this world… forever.

XXXXX

Mikoto's body was stood in place. She fell face-first with a thud.

"Mikoto!" Hanai cried, as he cradled and shook her unconscious body, "Wake up! WAKE UP, DAMN YOU!"

Erika looked at Miranda's body, standing in place. She then started to collapse. Erika ran over and caught her.

"Mira… Mira!" Erika sobbed, "NO!"

Miranda was still out cold. Is she really dead?

Earlier, when Meiko left the world…

"Miranda… I'm afraid I'll never get the chance now…" Sara's spirit winced.

Miranda's spirit patted her shoulder and said, "Aw, buck up, sis! So, we let those Japanese blokes give up the haberdashery at us and give the mood a tug, by rubbing up the spirit in a cleansing motive, eh what?"

Sara held her hand up and said, "I think it's better if we speak NORMAL English for this one."

"Sorry… we are British, right?"

"YOU are, but I ain't! Though, not anymore, since I am dead."

Miranda started to tear up, "Sara… no! You still have one more job to give me when we get back to England!"

"Right… except… how?"

Miranda hugged Sara and responded, "Just remember… I'll ALWAYS be there for you, Sara, and likewise. No matter what, I'll fight for you… and all of the world."

"Mira…" Erika's voice called, "Where are you?"

"You should go now…" Sara smiled, "You've got a bright future ahead of yourself, kiddo. I'm sorry that I won't stick around."

Miranda's spirit started to fade and sink.

"Sara… I love you…"

"And I do, too… Miranda… we'll meet again… I promise."

Miranda's spirit disappeared and went into her own limp body.

Yakumo approached Erika, who was crying over Miranda.

"Erika… I'm sorry…" she said, "After all that, she's gone from this world."

"WHAT?" Eri shouted.

Eri shoved Erika out of the way and tried to revive her.

"Miranda! Miranda! NO!" She shrieked.

"What's your damn problem, blondie?" Erika shouted.

Yakumo then ordered Harima and Hanai to go to the nearest phone to call an ambulance. They ran off.

Eri held her tight and sobbed, "I'm sorry… I should've believed you… Miranda… no…"

She screamed at the top of her lungs:

"I'M SORRY!"

Then… it happened; Miranda's eyes opened and saw Eri, crying on her chest. She held her head and was smiling. Eri looked at her face.

"Aw, don't cry, you little kipper," she weakly said, "I'm not going anywhere…"

Eri saw Miranda, still alive. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she started to laugh.

"Miranda!" Erika cried, "You're okay!"

Miranda smiled, "Yeah, you'd think I'd go to hell? Never."

"At last, it's over…" Yakumo sighed, with tears in her eyes, "I wish Tenma was here to see this."

Erika looked at Yakumo and thought, "Who's Tenma?"

Miranda got up and was in pain. She then asked what happened to Mikoto. Erika told her that it was Harima and Eri who saved the day, and she's out cold after that horrific moment when Meiko left her body.

"Oh, that's smashing! Meiko has failed and Ol' Shades and Blondie 'ere helped out!" Miranda chuckled, "You guys…"

Erika then asked, "You were amazing! When you died, your sister rescued you. How did you do it?"

Miranda then responded, in worry, "I don't think I could respond to that. Anyway, how's Suo?"

Eri then stated, "An ambulance will pick up Mikoto shortly. Whiskers and Hanai are on their way back."

Miranda smiled, "Good to hear… Eri!"

"HEY!" Erika pouted, "That's my name!"

Miranda laughed, as Eri hugged her.

At long last, peace had been restored in Japan. Harima, Eri, and the others saved Miranda Maynard from going to hell. But now… one question remains…

What about Mikoto? Will she pull through?

XXXXXX

To be continued…

"A hero… a glory… an act to follow…"

"Friendship lasts forever…"

"What about her?"

"Will they see you again?"

"Don't worry…"

"There IS no goodbye…"

Next Chapter: "Welcome home, Miranda…"
The final chapter

"Back to England… the deed is done…"