Wrath of Akua Shuzen

Touhou Fuhai's Manor...

Yukari, Fanfan and Rinrin heard several gunshots before they went out, then they heard what sounded like explosions followed by more gunshots and then...silence. That was several minutes ago, the trio thought everything was fine until they heard gunshots go off again, followed by the loud sounds of destruction, as if a wrecking ball was going through their home. Fanfan gulped, "Rinrin, there was a huge noise in the direction of the estate." Fanfan's breathing increased, the feeling of unease wrapping over him, choking him like a rope. "Big sis..."

"Yes..." Rinrin nodded, "You feel it too, don't you?" she grimaced and bit her lip, "This mood...this atmosphere. It seems as if the fight with the Miu Family has begun...or perhaps passed? But Mr. Reilly..." Yukari's heart felt as if it was going to stop at Rinrin's words. The zombie saw the little witch's face and stopped herself from finishing her initial thought. "I'm sure is fine." she recovered, "It's possible he's held up dealing with the Miu Family and helping mother and father. That being said, there is the possibility a few got passed him. We should get get ourselves ready as well."

Fanfan grimaced at the thought of the situation at hand, fearing only the worst. Dammit, what do I do? he thought, I can feel it, just like big sis, Ben is hurt, mother and father are in trouble. I must do something! Fanfan huffed and began to move towards the estate before his sleeve was grabbed by Yukari, "Fanfan? Where are you going?" she asked with a worried tone, "You shouldn't go off alone at a time like this! What if you get overrun? What if they attack us? Then we'll be short one person and you will be on your own."

"I was...Ijust...I have a bad feeling about all this." Fanfan replied with a grimace, a droplet of sweat rolling down his forehead, "Something really terrible is happening at the main estate, I can feel it. I have to go and fight, for mother and father."

Fanfan gasped as he felt his sister's hand rest on his shoulder, "Calm down, Fanfan. You know very well how strong mother and father are. Mr. Reilly is already in there with them I'm...sure that everything is fine." Rinrin tried her best to hide it, but truly she was worried herself. The uneasiness of not knowing whether or not her parents were fine was putting her on edge. Not only that, but they could be surrounded by Miu intruders at any moment, which didn't exactly give them any advantage since they would have to protect themselves, as well as those that are still unconscious. "Those two won't go down easily, and Mr. Reilly has a tendency to be stubborn as well. Swallow your fear...at least just for now." Fanfan gulped before gritting his teeth and nodding.

Yukari saw the worry in Fanfan's face and gulped before nodding herself. "Then let's fight, Fanfan." she said with some sense in determination, despite her voice wavering slightly. "It may not be in there, but we'll fight out here. We'll fight to protect everyone!" Yukari picked up her wand and flicked it in the air a few times, "Until Tuskune and the others wake up, or until Ben or your parents arrive, we are the only ones who can defend this place. So, let's protect it with our lives!"

"Yukari..." Fanfan gasped. He looked towards the estate and back to Yukari, though perhaps not as strong as someone like Tsukune, her determination was undeniable, and almost infectious. "Yes." Fanfan nodded, "We will defend this place. Even if it costs us our lives...um...except for big sis...because she's already dead."

Rinrin smirked and her ears perked slightly due to the sound of crunching gravel nearby, "Oh my, it seems they are here." the other two stopped what they were doing and looked all around. Multiple Miu men in black suits had already climbed to the terracotta shingles of the front gates, weapons in hand, ready to fight.

"Damn." Yukari cursed while biting her thumb. Her, Fanfan and Rinrin had moved behind a wall inside the manor so they could not be seen right away, "So those Miu bastards are already here?" Fanfan growled in frustration before walking passed his sister and Yukari to confront the men head-on in the courtyard. "AH! Fanfan, what the hell are you doing?" Yukari asked worriedly.

"You said it yourself, Yukari," Fanfan started as he began to form his coin sword, "We must protect this place with our lives if necessary. I know I don't always act like it, but I am still the heir to the Won family. There's no way that I'll allow some small fry like Miu Family subordinates to defeat me in battle!"

"Now's not the time to be sounding cool, dammit!" Yukari cried out as she gripped tighter to her wand, "We can defend ourselves, but I meant as long as we have a serious gameplan here, not going out there and just winging it!"

Fanfan took a deep breath as he stood in the middle of the courtyard, coin sword in hand, beginning his summoning, Oh, my ancestors dwelling in the shadows, become my sword and vanquish my enemy! A bright light shone around and the energy began to pound against everyone in the area like a heavy gust of wind. The force was so strong, Yukari had to cover her eyes to keep the dust from blowing into them. "T-This is a summoning technique!" she said in surprise, "But with such intense energy...just what the hell kind of beast is he trying to summon?"

"NO!" Rinrin yelled out, "This is crazy, Fanfan!"

Fanfan smirked as his power continued to build up, suddenly a third eye opened up on his forehead. Come to me Phoenix. Scorch all those living before me! Fanfan took a deep breath before waving his coin sword around, "PHOENIX!" he shouted out as an explosion of aura surrounded him, kicking up the dust even more. He stood still for nearly a minute before his summoned monster was unveiled...a panda. The two girls stared in disbelief, Yukari's eye twitching in frustration and Rinrin squinting her eyes in disapointment. It wasn't UNEXPECTED, but the two still hoped Fanfan would actually summon something useful.

"Ah, see, I told you." Rinrin groaned with slumped shoulders, "Fanfan's summoning technique works on a whim. He barely gets the creature he's aiming for." Rinrin grit her teeth, her skin beginning to crack and flake in her frustration, "And that panda is like drawing the short stick!" she yelled out, "Once you call it out, it won't go back. And as long as it's still here he can't summon another creature! As it stands, this guy is completely useless!"

"So...that means..." Yukari looked at Rinrin and Fanfan, then to the Miu men who looked at each other before readying their guns, "RUN AWAY!" Yukari shouted out as she grabbed Fanfan and ran into cover with Rinrin, "Dammit, you really are an unreliable heir!"

"I agree!" Rinrin replied with a smile. Fanfan didn't even have the energy to argue, he knew that he couldn't say anything after what just happened. The trio made it inside the manor and was able to get behind cover to protect themselves from the gunfire, "At any rate, we're completely surrounded. Mother and Father must be occupied, same with Mr. Reilly." Rinrin said, though truth be told she was lying only to save face. She had a good idea that the situation was more than met the eye, that something dangerous was afoot. Just a couple measly men and a few bog standard Fairy Tale members wouldn't be enough to overrun the Won Family, especially with her parents.

"We need some kind of backup out here!" Yukari whined as she flinched when gunfire hit the wall near her head, "Ooooh, Ben...where the hell are you."

"Ben? Ah, you mean the American, yes?" a female voice called, and the trio shuttered. It was so close to them, how could one of them get past them so easily? Let alone flank them. "It's too bad, really. No matter how long you wait, backup, I'm afraid, will not be coming." the trio looked above them in fear and saw the ceiling rippling like water as a head started to emerge. What? How the hell is she doing that? Yukari thought, Does she have the ability to phase through solid matter? Like a ghost? No...this is different. "The duo known as the Won Family's 'Ultimate Power' has already fallen. Soon after the rest of them fell like an bees losing their queen. As for the American..." she paused, the face of Akua Shuzen now peering from the ceiling as the rest of her body began to come into view. The cuts, the scrapes, bruises and bullet wounds, even the area where Ben had stabbed her now close to being closed, "He tried to fight...I wish I could say he was a challenge." she taunted, "The only ones left...are you." she finished, her voice sounding almost sinister.

"S-She came through the ceiling? But how!?" Fanfan asked with an expression as shocked as Yukari's. Rinrin was surprised, but for a different reason. She recognized the technique right away and gulped, understanding that they were not dealing with an ordinary opponent.

Akua fully came out of the floor and landed with a soft thud before walking pass Fanfan, Yukari and Rinrin and standing over Moka. She looked down and smiled sweetly, finally seeing her long lost sister after so long. "I'm so happy." she whispered, "So happy, so happy, so happy." she continued, a slight tear forming in her eye. "You broke your seal, didn't you? So now we can finally see each other again, my beautiful Moka."

Yukari stared for some time almost dumbstruck by the figure before her, she almost didn't notice Fanfan walk past her, the third eye on his head open once more. "What...did you say?" he asked in a serious tone, "You said my parents were dealt with, that the rest fell like bees. What have you done to my family, my comrades?"

Akua groaned in annoyance, her hand beginning to glow with the Jigen-Tou, "Right now I'm absorbed in my seven year reunion with my little sister. I already had to deal with a bug earlier...do not bother me." she growled.

"YOU BASTARD!" Fanfan shouted as he swung his coin sword directly for Akua's head. Akua barely glared upward and sliced her hand diagonally, hoping to split Fanfan in two. But things did not go as planned as her hand, her seemingly unstoppable dimensional blade...was stopped, and by none other than by the hand of Rinrin Won.

Akua's eyes widened in surprise, "How can you stop my Jigen-Tou?"

"'My Jigen-Tou' she says." Rinrin replied with a scoff, "The Jigen-Tou is a technique that was developed by Touhou Fuhai himself. You aren't the only one who knows this power. You merely adopted this power. But I inherited it." she smiled, "I am Rinrin Won, a zombie created by Touhou Fuhai, and I shall be your opponent." Akua glared at Rinrin with an annoyed look before the two broke apart. Both began to strafe around each other in the enclosed space before they clashed Jingen-Tou once again, the force of their attack making an almost whirlwind effect, nearly cracking the walls of the room around them.

"Every time their hands collide," Fanfan started, his arms covering his face to block any oncoming splinters from furniture or the walls, "It's like a giant shockwave is cutting through the air itself."

Akua had a deadpanned expression. First, the American and his suit, now someone else who knows the Jingen-Tou? Not only was our information off about the American, but it seems it wasn't complete for the family either. These damn insects! Akua stabbed her hand forward, going for Rinrin's throat, the zombie quickly dodged right and used her left hand to re-direct the attack before jumping behind Akua. Akua's eyes widened, A flank! she quickly spun and sliced behind her, hitting nothing but a wooden pillar, chopping it to pieces while Rinrin stood behind it and huffed. The two younger teens could only stand watch with stunned expressions. "Aiya." Akua huffed before giving a smirk, "I'm surprised, I didn't think someone else knew how to use the Jingen-Tou, though, hindsight is 20-20, I should have expected nothing less from Touhou Fuhai's direct disciple."

"Well, it's good to see you seem to know a little about me, good intel you Fairy Tale types have." Rinrin nodded, "Our intel isn't so bad either. I've heard stories about a feared assassin that the Miu family once had. She was so powerful, and so young. Only thirteen at the time, you know. She was called the 'Jet Black Assassin', what's even more interesting is that she was a vampire. Now, I say all this because...well, her description of her appearance and fighting style match yours to the exact letter." Akua only smirked, "Rumor has it your methods were so inhumane and that you made an enemy of everyone in the underground world, that it caused you to flee to China. So, and no need to tell me because I already know the answer, that means that you are Akua Shuzen, are you not? Eldest Shuzen sister and next in line to be head of the family."

Yukari and Fanfan gasped, "S-Shuzen? No way..." Yukari gulped, "She's the eldest sister?" Yukari immediately had flashbacks to the village of Yuki-Onna and their encounter with Kahlua Shuzen and just how powerful she was alone. So strong that even Ben and Moka could barely stop her, together. If Ben faced Akua on his own...Yukari gasped and covered her hands over her mouth, tears beginning to well up in her eyes at just the thought of what happened to him. "No...no, no, no. It can't be."

Akua huffed, "Sorry, but I'm not here to chit-chat. My mission is very clear. I'm to grab my sister, Moka, who's sleeping over there, and I'm to leave with her. The casualties wouldn't have been as high if you had all just done what I asked from the beginning." Akua glanced over to her sister's beautiful sleeping form and she couldn't help but blush, "Oh, Moka, my sweet Moka." she said with a stupid grin plastered across her face.

"Hey, hey. Why is your face getting red?" Rinrin asked as she slumped her shoulders, "I mean, what are you? Some sort of sis-con?" she mumbled. Despite her current thoughts of her, Rinrin still knew this woman was dangerous. To think there was someone like her in this world. she thought with a gulp, her strength, her madness. It's like there's no end to it. She's a monster beyond all standards! Honestly, my hands are full just trying to prolong this fight. Judging by those wounds it seems mother, father, and Mr. Reilly tried to prolong the fight themselves. They too likely knew what danger she possesed. Dammit, how much longer will they be swimming in Moka's head? Hurry up and come back out, Moka may be our only shot at taking her down. Rinrin quickly brought up her hand to block another attack from Akua's Jingen-Tou, Damn that was close. It's a good thing she's only using the Jingen-Tou, if she actually used some of her raw strength and I had nothing to counteract it with, she'd turn me back into a still corpse. Despite that...I can't hold on for much longer. Again, the two continued their clash, going back and forth across the room, the force of their attacks actually starting to destroy the walls around them. Akua sent another quick slice and Rinrin had to duck because she knew she wouldn't have the speed to catch up to this one. The force of the slice cut through a wall and several pillars, making light shine in from the courtyard outside.

Akua looked at Rinrin and saw the sweat beads on her forehead, the strain in her vains and the flaking of her skin. The eldest Shuzen smirked, "The Jingen-Tou allows the user to postpone the dimension in which they exist, and it enables them to go through all matter and create the ultimate blade. That being said, a blade in the end is only a blade. A weapon. And a weapon is only as good as the material it is forged with. The value changes depending on who wields it. In other words," she grinned, "Even if we hold the same weapon, your stamina is nothing next to mine. This is as far as you go, Rinrin Won." Akua cocked her hand back, ready to strike once more.

"Big sis!" Fanfan yelled out worriedly.

Suddenly, Rinrin reached behind her and pulled out an AK-74u with the stock detached. Akua's eyes widened in surprise and already she started to take a few steps back. Damn, that was close. If I fell into the same trap that damn American pulled I may have my guts laid out on the floor right now. "Really now?" Rinrin asked with a grin, "If you want to talk about weapons, then this is also a weapon. And besides, my stamina has always been poor." she clicked the safety off and racked the gun before aiming again, "I am the Won Family's officer, Rinrin Won, I WILL win by any means necessary." she let out a slight chuckle before unloading into the vampire. Yukari yelled out in surprise and covered her ears and ducked. When Rinrin's magazine clicked empty, there was nothing to see in front of her. That bought me a little time at least. Rinrin thought.

"Big sis-" Fanfan tried to walk up to Rinrin, but she held her hand out and dropped the gun.

"Stay back, Fanfan. I can't hold her back much longer." she smiled, "But, as long as that monster isn't here you can do something right?" Rinrin blinked, an almost surprised look on her face, Well I'll be damned. her look of surprise soon turned into a smile, "Maybe I can pull this off just yet." she mumbled

"Aiya." Fanfan and Yukari both gasped in surprise after hearing the voice of Akua again. Still? Yukari thought with a gulp, She took ALL that and she's still moving? "That was a close call," Akua chuckled, "You know, that American pulled a similar trick on me, only difference is he waited until I was within melee distance to ensure I didn't go anywhere." Akua walked into the light to reveal her clothes with bullet holes, but no visible marks on her body, "He caught me by surprise, I was not about to fall for the same trick twice." she sighed, "Once again, my clothes are full of holes. You lot are really making it difficult for wanting to keep my clothing."

"H-How?" Yukari asked, her voice trembling, "How is she able to take all that punishment?"

"Seems you used your last dirty tactic." Akua sighed as her hand began to glow, "We finish this. NOW." she growled.

Rinrin, still huffing and puffing, kept her smile, "Well...not ALL my dirty tactics." Akua cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

Music Queue: The Only Thing I Know For Real – Metal Gear Rising OST

Suddenly, there was a slight crack heard coming from the wall directly behind Akua before two red arms broke through and grabbed her by her face, squeezing tightly before pulling her through the wall to reveal Ben and dozens of downed, bloody Miu Family members. Ben lifted Akua up by the back of her skull before driving her, face-first, into the ground and repeatedly slamming her head before tossing her across the courtyard. "You're still...alive?" Akua growled with an annoyed tone. She looked up to see Ben barely standing, his helmet on with the chipped section off it, revealing a bloody face with an almost deranged looking eye underneath. Despite his condition, Ben still managed to get into a fighting stance, albeit wobbling slightly. "Fine, I have no problems finishing you off. It'll send a good messege to your friends there."

"B-Ben!" Yukari yelled out, tears streaming down her face as her pleas for reinforcements were heard.

"...touch...them..." Ben mumbled.

"What?" Akua held a hand to her ear, "Come again?"

"I said..." Ben sprinted towards Akua, moving as fast as his body could allow, cracking the ground underneath as he pushed his legs as hard as he could, "DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH THEEEEEEEEEEM!" Ben began sending punch after punch, left, right, left, right, hooks and uppercuts alike. Akua was blocking them well, but grimaced when Ben's knuckles scraped across her cheek during one of his hooks, causing blood to quickly shoot out. Akua went for a cobra strike, but Ben performed a back handspring to dodge, using his jet boots to burn Akua's hand. He then jumped up in the air and performed a corkscrew spin, firing off several web balls which Akua sliced through like butter.

"Haven't you learned that your pathetic webbing cannot contain me?" Akua asked as she cut through more of his web balls. The next web ball she cut through she saw what looked to be some sort of metal in the middle. As the metal became more and more revealed she saw that it wasn't just some ordinary metal, but rather a flash grenade. "SHIT!" the explosion went off right in her face, despite being able to phase through everything, an attack like this was something she could not avoid. While blinded she heard footsteps moving towards her and went to strike in the direction she heard them coming from, but instead only hit air.

Ben, realizing his opponent would rely on sound quickly took to the air, using the walls and manor around him he fired out his weblines and swung around, coming down and sending several quick kick attacks before going back into the air again. After a few seconds Akua regained her vision again, just in time to see Ben's foot coming toward her face. She growled and went to slice him down, but stopped as her Jingen-Tou was countered by Rinrin's own Jingen-Tou. "Oh, son of a-" Akua couldn't finish as her face was hit by Ben's foot followed by a blast from his jet boot once again, thankfully she was able to phase through it, but it was still too close for comfort.

"Mr. Reilly, I'm afraid ranged attacks will not work against an opponent such as this." Rinrin stated as she held her hand up, the glow of the Jingen-Tou present, "Physical attacks from that holy weapon of yours, however..." she smirked. Her and Ben looked at each other and the two nodded, "Go, Mr. Reilly, fight like the dead man walking that you are. Be the sword, and I shall be your shield."

Akua grit her teeth as her two opponents stood before her, Damn. This...is troublesome. Quickly, Ben and Rinrin went opposite directions, hoping to flank Akua in some way. Akua watched right to avoid the Jingen-Tou and left to avoid the holy weapon that was Ben's suit. Damn, damn! As both approached her she crossed her arms and twisted her body before spinning around like a top, swinging her arms around and blocking any attacks that came from either of her opponents, while hoping to cut them down on her own. She only stopped when her left hand collided with Rinrin's right hand once more, and her own right hand was snatched by Ben who held onto her right wrist with both hands and digging his feet into the ground, so she'd stop moving.

Ben than began to squeeze as hard has he could with his hands, crushing Akua's wrist. She tried to break out of his grasp before her wrist snapped completely, and knew she could if she used her left hand, however, that would lead her open for attack by Rinrin. She grit her teeth before performing a scorpion kick to Ben's head, the force being strong enough to at least catch him off-balance, then, while keeping her clash with Rinrin, she wrapped her legs around Ben before finally breaking her clash with the zombie and spinning around to Ben's back, however, he proved to be more persistent than she thought. Good news for her, RInrin couldn't attack right away without injuring her ally. Looking down she saw that Ben had attached more of the flash grenades to his suit's belt and she grabbed one, pulled the pin, and tossed it in front of her, making sure to keep her eyes closed.

The grenade went off and both Rinrin and Ben yelled out as they were blinded, but Ben still held on. Akua took the opportunity to use her free hand and forcibly removed his hands from her wrist and she jumped off, free at last. Akua took the opportunity to attack Ben while blinded and sent a jab straight for his head, but he dodged. She growled and tried to slice him down, but still he dodged. She knew he was blind, she could see it, his eye that was visible was completely dilated and irritated so why? "How the hell can you still fight? Dodge my attacks?" she heard footsteps behind her and yelled out in frustration as she turned and sliced behind her, cutting Rinrin in two, "And you!" she growled, "Why can't you be a proper corpse and just stay dead!" she turned back to Ben in time to feel his fist land directly on her nose, breaking it. She looked to the human and saw that his eyes had regained vision and the two stared each other down for some time. "Tell me, human. How is it you can fight for this long? Surely, you are closer to death than you are to living at this point. What is it that drives you?" Ben said nothing, instead he stood there huffing, and puffing, struggling to breath as the black liquid started to ooze out his mouth. "Let me rephrase the question then, what is the point of you fighting? You know that in the end I'll win. You're only chance of beating me has just been cut down and all that's left is you, and you can barely stand. Why not save yourself, live to fight another day, hm?"

"My life...doesn't matter. Not like hers." Ben said quietly, "Not like any of theirs. They have their wholes lives ahead of them, but me? There will always be more people like me. As long as there is someone willing to stand up and do the right thing, I'll still be around. As long as there are people out there who believe that 'great power, comes great responsibility' I'll still be around. And as long as there are dumbasses like you, who really think that cutting a fucking zombie in half will destroy it, then I'll always be around." he said, part of his smirk visible through the crack in his helmet.

Akua's eyes widened as she tried to turn around, but was put in a headlock by the torso of Rinrin, "Well done with the distraction, Mr. Reilly." a large glyph appeared underneath both her and Akua and Ben slowly back away. "I told you, didn't I? That I'd win by any means necessary?" she smirked, "Youjutsu: Engokujin." she said and the glyph began to light up with magical aura, "Soon, the area inside the circle will explode and the temperature will rise up to several thousand degrees. It's a magic circle with me at the center, you can't get away!" she laughed.

"You're crazy!" Akua shouted, "Willingly giving your life for no gain, insane!"

"INSANE?!" Rinrin laughed, "I'm already dead! Oh, and you can't avoid it with your technique either. The moment you initiate the move, I'll just send you right back here! I'm going to blow you up into a million pieces with me, Akua Shuzen!"

"Big sister, no!" Fanfan yelled out, but he was stopped by Ben who kept him away from the blast zone, "You can't leave!"

"Please, do not cry Fanfan." Rinrin said with a sweet smile, "From here on, the entire family rests upon your shoulders. I hope you become a man stronger and more respectable than anyone else. So please, no words of farewell, remember, I'm already dead." she laughed one last time before the intense explosion went off, Ben grabbed Fanfan and held him between his arms to shield him from the blast. As the explosion came to an end the two watched as one of Rinrin's bell earrings fell off and clanked across the ground before coming to a stop by them.

Fanfan's lips trembled and he broke free of Ben's grasp and walked towards the bell. He took a few steps and bent down before falling to his knees, grasping the bell tightly, "B-Big sis!" he cried out, tears streaming down his face.

Ben removed his helmet and set it down, spitting out whatever black liquid had built up in his mouth before walking towards Fanfan and placing a hand on his shoulder. "I...I know we don't always see eye-to-eye, but...I understand what you are going through. Truly." Ben said sincerely as he rubbed Fanfan's shoulder, "I too lost a sibling that I greatly look up to. But if I've learned anything, the best thing to do is to keep moving forward, live up to the ideal that they believed you could achieve. Your sister genuinely believed you could be a great man and a better leader. So, it's your job to not let her down." Ben looked and smiled lightly, "And, if it is any consolation, your parents are still okay." Fanfan's eyes opened slightly, and he looked over his shoulder to Ben who gave him a genuine smile, "Don't worry, I helped them the best I could." he nodded.

Fanfan let out a slight laugh of astonishment before he stood up and gave Ben a hug, "Ben Reilly," he started, "I'll never forget this moment, what you have done for me, and how you've showed me you care. If there is anything, ANYTHING, I can do for you please just ask." Ben smiled before he gripped his head in pain, SPIDER SENSE!

"FANFAN, WATCH OUT!" Yukari shouted. Before Ben and Fanfan knew it, there was a long cut across Fanfan's back, the blood splurting out and staining his shirt.

"Fanfan!" Ben yelled out before he could catch the mafia family heir from collapsing, he felt his Spider Sense ring again and Akua came and stabbed her hand through his side, reaching upwards for maximum damage.

"Annoying bug." Akua growled. She spat on Ben's body as he collapsed from the pain, having to kick his hands away as he still tried to fight by grabbing hold of her leg. Akua continued to walk forward, looking at the building and the damage that had been done to it. The front wall was completely destroyed now, exposing the interior. Finally, no opposition stood in her way, just. One. Small. Witch.

"H-How?" Yukari asked, "That attack was so massive, it could have killed any vampire. HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE!" she yelled out, tears starting to stream down her face as she gripped tightly to her wand and her knees began to shake in fear.

Akua stopped and licked the blood off her hand, before remembering it was Ben's and spat it out in disgust, "I was able to dodge the attack by hiding underground." she explained, "Seeing as Rinrin can't use the same technique to the same extent that I can she couldn't follow me there. Now," her angry, annoyed expression, became one of tiredness and boredom, "Can you please move out of the way? I'm trying to get my sister here."

"NO!" Yukari yelled out, "Moka, Tsukune and the others are still unconscious right now. Ben is gravely injured and I'm the only one left. So I can't move! If I move and you move them while they are out, they may never wake up again!"

Akua's eyes widened in shock as she looked behind Yukari and noticed something, or rather, a distinct lack of something. "What are you talking about—AGH!" she cried out in pain as Ben had crawled to her, leaving a trail of black-red blood behind him and squeezed her leg trying to snap it, "Still? You're still moving? Give up will you!" she sent a kick across Ben's jaw which sent him rolling backwards along the ground where he struggled to move for some time before stopping. "Honestly." she huffed, "Anyways, nobody is even there!" Yukari looked behind her and sure enough, the bodies were no longer in the room they were in before, "See! Where did Moka go, she was sleeping just a while ago. Don't tell me they woke up."

"No way!" Yukari cried, "They woke up and didn't come help me! How rude can you get, it's fucking scary out here!"

"Hahaha, sorry to disappoint, but I'm afraid I moved them somewhere else. Hidden them somewhere you'll never reach." the two girls looked around as there was now a new, male, voice that called out to them. Finally, Akua's eyes reached a tall man in a white robe standing upon the tile of the gate. He had long black hair, pointed ears and circular tinted glasses. In his arms he carried the torso of Rinrin. "Honestly, you're so reckless," the figure whispered to Rinrin's unconscious form, "If I had woken up a moment later you would have been ash." he looked up towards Akua and smirked, "This is as far as you go Shuzen, I can't let you go after what you have done to my grandchildren."

"Rinrin!?" Yukari called out in surprise, "Hey, mister, just who are you? How do you have Rinrin!?"

"I don't blame you for no recognizing me. My old self was just a temporary form for me to hide my energy. But this...this is my true form." the man explained.

Akua glared at the man with half-lidded eyes, "Yes. So, you've finally decided to reveal yourself, hm? Master of the Demon Arts, Great Dark Lord: Touhou Fuhai!"

To be continued...

A/N: Damn, really crazy how things are going here. Ben is obviously past a breaking point, either due to his commitment to protect his friends and Moka, his deep seeded love for Moka, or both. Akua is clearly more than a powerful threat for the group but that doesn't mean he won't try his damndest to take her down.

Okay, I'd say about a chapter until this story takes a break and I move back on to Face the Music for a couple of chapters I just...ugh...I really don't want to do Volume 7 in there, lol. Okay, I'll see you guys in a bit.