The adrenaline of their escape still coursed through Ryusei's veins as he settled into the worn armchair in the hotel room. Reimu, ever the optimist, was already bouncing on the bed, a wide grin plastered on her face. Mordecai, ever the pragmatist, leaned against the wall, his gaze fixed on the bustling city outside the window..
"Well," he began, breaking the comfortable silence, "that was certainly… eventful."
Reimu chuckled, her grip tightening around her steaming mug of tea. "Eventful doesn't even begin to describe it. Though, I have to admit, your paper amulet trick was impressive, Ryusei."
Mordecai, leaning back in his chair with a smirk, chimed in, "Don't forget Reimu's architectural demolition skills. Those robots wouldn't have stood a chance against a falling pillar."
"In any case, let's get this debriefing started," Ryusei announced, his voice still a touch raspy from the helicopter ride. "Reimu, what were your thoughts on the temple itself?"
Before Reimu could answer, a sharp rapping echoed on the door. Ryusei exchanged a wary glance with Mordecai, a knot of unease twisting in his stomach.
"Who could that be at this hour?" Mordecai muttered, his hand hovering near his hidden weapon.
Ryusei stood up, his eyes narrowing. "Stay here. I'll check it out."
He approached the door cautiously, his hand resting on the knob. With a deep breath, he swung the door open, prepared for anything.
Standing before him, a smug grin plastered across his face, was none other than Belloq. Flanked by a dozen of his heavily armed men, he looked like a predator sizing up his prey.
Belloq's eyes swept past Ryusei, taking in the unruffled Reimu and the watchful Mordecai. A flicker of surprise crossed his features, quickly replaced by a cold, predatory gleam.
"Well, well," Belloq drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Look who it is. The illustrious Ryusei and his little shrine maiden friend. And what a surprise to find you all safe and sound."
Ryusei's grip tightened on the doorknob. "Belloq. This isn't over."
"Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that, samurai," Belloq chuckled, his gaze lingering on the amulet clutched protectively in Ryusei's hand. "It seems you've underestimated my reach. Perhaps you also underestimated the… persuasiveness… of my methods."
The tension in the room was thick enough to choke on. Reimu, her initial cheer replaced by a steely glint in her eyes, tightened her grip on her gohei. Mordecai, his face grim, slowly pushed himself away from the wall, his hand disappearing into his cloak.
Ryusei stood his ground, his gaze locked with Belloq's. This wasn't how he'd envisioned their next encounter, but one thing was certain – they were outnumbered, and backing down wasn't an option.
"What do you want, Belloq?" Ryusei forced out, his voice steady despite the swirling chaos in his mind.
Belloq's smile widened, a predator savoring the moment before the kill. "Why, the amulet, of course," he said, his voice silky smooth. "And perhaps a little… entertainment. Don't worry, I'll make sure it's worth your while."
Ryusei took one look at Mordecai who gave him a knowing nod.
"I don't think so."
Instantly, Ryusei leapt over Reimu to shield her from harm while Mordecai activated his Geass powers to halt everyone's perception of time, smash the hotel window and jump out with Ryusei and Reimu.
Once he landed, he deactivated his ability and checked on his friends. To his relief, neither of them were injured but Reimu was a little shaken over the recent events.
"What just happened?" asked the shrine maiden.
"Mordecai's geass. It's a bit complicated," answered Ryusei.
He watched as Mordecai disappeared and quickly returned with a black Dodge Charger, all four doors opened.
"Get in," ordered Mordecai.
The duo did not need to be told twice as they quickly hopped into the vehicle while Mordecai sped off. As he drove, Reimu noticed a large number on a sign and compared it to the number Mordecai's dashboard was showing.
"Hey Mordecai, is it alright to be going 30 over the limit?" asked Reimu.
"This is an exception," replied the driver.
As they continued driving, Mordecai checked the mirror and noticed several cars following them with weapons drawn. In response, he pulled out his own pistol in anticipation for a shootout.
"We've got company," commented Mordecai. However, just as he was about to turn back, Ryusei put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head.
"Focus on the road. I'll take care of this."
Ryusei placed the Zodiac amulet in his bag and pulled out several paper amulets with the kanji "bomb" written on it and threw it behind him. Moments later, several explosions rang out and several of the pursuing cars had been overturned.
"You didn't tell me you could do that!" commented a shocked Reimu.
Ryusei ignored her comment and pulled out his shuriken launcher to shoot at the remaining cars.
"Hey, I'm not the only one keeping secrets," replied the samurai.
The shrine maiden pouted but still pulled out several needles and threw them at one of the cars. The projectiles pierced the tires and broke through the window shields, causing another group of pursuers to crash.
"Okay, now you didn't tell me you can do that," responded Ryusei.
"Hey! You didn't tell me you could do that either! I'd say we're even," replied Reimu.
Ryusei fired a few shots in frustration before turning back. "No we're not. What else are you hiding?"
"Hey! I'm not gonna tell you one of my own secrets unless you reveal one of yours."
"Will both of you lovebirds shut it? Keep this up and we won't be driving anymore!" cut Mordecai.
Ryusei understood and shut his mouth to fire several orange projectiles at their pursuers before reloading. As he did, Mordecai swerved the vehicle, causing several of his ninja stars to fly out of his hands and into various spots of the car. As he ran another red light, Ryusei entered the front to pull out one of his lost projectiles and give his friend a warning.
"Mordecai! Focus on the road!" yelled Ryusei.
"Don't worry about the road! Worry about the guys behind us!" responded Mordecai.
As Reimu finished making another amulet, she pulled out another of Ryusei's lost projectiles before turning to Ryusei. "If we don't get out alive, I at least want to know one of your biggest secrets."
"Like what? A gold hoard?" asked Ryusei sarcastically.
Reimu nodded.
Ryusei sighed as he fired a few more projectiles before turning to Reimu again.
"Well I guess I should tell you," started Ryusei. He paused before continuing for effect. "I'm supposed to be married."
Immediately after he said that, Mordecai swerved the car and sent Ryusei flying next to Reimu who began hitting him with her gohei.
"It was an arranged marriage. It was made by my parents," protested Ryusei.
"Like that's any better!" yelled Reimu. "You abandon your fiancé to go on adventures. What kind of person are you?"
"I didn't even like her. She was annoying, selfish, and a complete brat," informed Ryusei. He checked his weapon before grabbing a few more shurikens.
"I want a name and location," replied an angry Reimu.
"No you're not meeting her," declared Ryusei. "Unless you want me to save you again, that is."
"Save me? I saved you back there!"
Mordecai swerved again barely missing a lamp post. Reimu activated one of her amulet seals with a flourish, the air crackling with magical energy. Before turning back to the fight, she leaned towards Ryusei with a conspiratorial grin.
"Hey Ryusei, you're not the first samurai I've met."
Ryusei paused mid-shot, his eyebrows raised in surprise. "What? Who is then?"
"Someone named Meira," Reimu replied, a nostalgic sigh escaping her lips. She continued firing off amulets without missing a beat.
"Anyways, I had a crush on her when I was younger cuz I thought she was a guy."
Mordecai, who had been weaving through traffic with surprising agility, slammed on the brakes to avoid a particularly aggressive fruit vendor.
"Excuse me?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion. "How?"
Reimu, completely oblivious to the near-accident, reached into her pocket and pulled out a worn photograph.
"See?" she declared, handing the picture to Ryusei.
Ryusei took the picture, his eyes widening in disbelief. The photo depicted a young woman, clad in gleaming armor and a fierce expression, brandishing a katana. It was undeniably feminine, with long flowing purple hair and bright, determined eyes.
He stared at the picture for a long, uncomfortable silence. The person in the picture was someone extremely familiar to him and he already knew where this was heading. Still, he didn't care at this point and decided to continue.
"Reimu," he finally began, his voice strained. "This is a girl. How do you mistake this for a guy?"
Reimu shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.
"Well, duh, now that you mention it," she admitted. "But back then, that's how all samurai dressed up in Gensokyo. And she fought like a demon! Plus, I thought all samurai were boys."
Mordecai, finally managing to get the car back under control, leaned over his seat to get a better look at the picture.
"Whoa, that samurai looks familiar," he chimed in, completely missing the point. "Wait a minute… isn't that… Meira? Did you get this off the internet or something?"
Reimu rolled her eyes. "No, Mordecai! This is a real person! And guess what else?" she continued, turning back to Ryusei with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "On the other hand, I once kissed a girl."
Just then, a hail of bullets erupted from behind them, shattering the car's back window. Mordecai swerved violently, narrowly avoiding a collision with another car.
"We're having a long talk if we make it out of this," commented Ryusei. "And for the record, the girl in the picture is my cousin!"
Just then, Mordecai slammed on the brakes again, narrowly avoiding a collision with a speeding grocery cart.
"Guys," he interjected, completely oblivious to the tension. "Did I ever tell you that I had three girlfriends?"
Ryusei and Reimu turned back to the driver who was still driving like nothing happened.
"Three? Alex said it was four," replied Ryusei.
"That last one doesn't count. She was self-declared," replied Mordecai.
"I don't know…" responded Reimu mischievously. "Usually, kids don't lie and girls are right more than half the time."
Mordecai sighed. "Alright. There may be some truth to the fourth but Alex is gonna say that she isn't my fourth. More like my fifth."
Ryusei gave his friend a good hard look before turning back to their pursuers.
"We're signing you up for therapy after this."
Just then, one of Belloq's men slammed their SUV into the side of the Charger. The impact caused Ryusei to drop his weapon while Mordecai pushed back and forced the SUV to hit a metal lamp post and wreck the car.
However, that was just the start as another one of Belloq's men attempted to perform the pit maneuver though all they were able to do was rear-end the Charger a few times.
As Reimu got ready to throw out a bomb, Mordecai swung the car around and opened fire on several of the vehicles with his pistol. The bullets had little to no effect on the cars as their leader took measures to ensure that the cars could keep running even if bullets damaged critical components of the cars.
Once he saw this, the driver swung back forward and threw his pistol aside. He then slammed on the gas and prepared to pull off a very risky maneuver.
"Hang on tight."
Both Ryusei and Reimu quickly buckled themselves up before they felt a huge jolt that sent some of Reimu's paper amulets flying. Mordecai had just hit a curb that sent their car flying a few inches in the air. The collision caused him to shift gears and turn the car into an alley where they hit several stairs and smashed through a chainlink fence separating the alley from another road.
"Are they gone?" asked Reimu.
"I hope. None of Belloq's cars are capable of pulling this move off," answered Mordecai.
To prove his point, an avalanche of wrecked SUVs careened down the same set of stairs Mordecai had hit and slammed into a nearby store where they either collided with each other or some other object that caused even further damage to their vehicles. Regardless, the damage was substantial and none of them could continue their pursuit.
"I think that was the last of them," commented Ryusei.
The relief was short lived as one last SUV slammed into the side of the car and sent it careening into a spin before it hit a wall. The windows exploded upon feeling the impact while one of its tires dangled uselessly in the air. Smoke poured out from the hood which was now partially opened by the impact of the crash.
As the trio recovered from the collision, gunfire and metal struck their surroundings, blocking their escape. Several men emerged from the SUV wearing ski masks and carrying wakizashi blades and approached the vehicle.
Before they could open a door though, the driver side flew open and Mordecai fired several shotgun rounds into the approaching enemy before getting out of the vehicle. Moments later, Ryusei and Reimu also stumbled out of the car slightly dazed by the collision but fine nonetheless.
Unlike Mordecai, Ryusei had enough time to cast a small barrier that protected him and Reimu from the glass so they were unscathed. Mordecai wasn't as lucky. He had several lacerations on his head and his left arm was limp.
"You're hurt," noticed Reimu.
"It's nothing," replied Mordecai. He activated his geass and all the cuts disappeared while his left arm regained functionality.
"Uh Mordecai, you don't have another vehicle don't you?" asked Ryusei. "Cuz we can really use one right now."
"Nope. Hold them off while I try to get the Charger up again," replied Mordecai.
He threw Ryusei a few shurikens before getting back in the car and starting the ignition.
"Wanna have a competition?" asked Reimu as she readied several needles.
"What kind?" asked the samurai.
"Whoever shoots down the most enemies gets a larger cut," answered Reimu. "And that's three for me."
Ryusei smiled before getting out his second shuriken launcher to dual wield with his first.
"Ten down, leading by seven."
As the two continued their competition, Mordecai revved the engine before sighing in frustration and materializing a sniper rifle.
"Car's busted. The only way out is on foot," informed the gunman. "I'll provide some coverfire but once you reach the next block you're on your own. Get to my place alright."
Neither Ryusei or Reimu needed to be told twice as they ditched their old hiding spot and ran down the street.
A stray bullet ripped past Reimu's ear, the sound echoing in her skull. While she glanced back to check on Mordecai, Ryusei did not and continued to run with her. They reached the end of the alley, a brick wall looming before them. Ryusei gritted his teeth, a desperate plan forming in his mind.
However, this was interrupted by the sound of thundering footsteps and while Ryusei pulled out his katana, Reimu got out some of her amulets. As the attackers got closer though, the samurai handed Reimu one of his amulets and gave her one command.
"Run."
Reimu shook her head but Ryusei pushed away and ran forward to meet his attackers. The samurai fought gracefully and expertly as each one of his attackers were disarmed and defeated with a single well placed strike. However, it was clear that he was being overwhelmed and his capture was as imminent as Mordecai's.
The shrine maiden reached out to help the samurai but Ryusei shook his head and gave her the signal to leave him be. Most of her weapons were useless against non-youkai opponents. Taking one last look back, Reimu closed her eyes and took off into a nearby alley, knowing that she was their last hope.
The city streets were a labyrinth in itself and Reimu quickly found herself lost without a map.
"Sumireko, where are you staying again?" pondered Reimu. "Ugh! Why is this so complicated?"
Just then, she realized that she still had the amulet Ryusei had given her and quickly pulled it out to check its function.
"Portal? How does this work?"
Before she could try it out though, a fancy white car pulled up to the scene and a dozen bodyguards emerged from the vehicle.
"Oh no."