She messed up.
She messed up big time.
As she stood there with her dagger trapped between a pair of chopsticks, she stared up at her father and that sadistic grin that was scarred into her memories. She held such respect for this man in her youth, nothing but unwavering loyalty to the Takigawa Clan. To think there would come a day that expression would be turned on her as an enemy of the clan.
This was the worst possible outcome.
She was reckless.
Hidekage raised his arm, lifting Makiko off the ground by her dagger, and threw her over the table. She spun through the air and landed on her good leg, immediately resuming a defensive stance. He spun his chopsticks dexterously before returning to his meal.
"[Makiko. It's been a while. How long has it been? Seven? No...six years? You've grown up so much since then.]"
"…" Makiko narrowed her eyes.
"[What's with that look? Aren't you happy to see your old man? You even went out of your way to surprise me.]" He took a bite of some rice before snickering. "[Your technique has gotten sloppy, though. Did you really think you were going to kill me like that?]"
"…"
"[I thought I saw you in town earlier. Hard to say. You lose track of your children when you have as many as me, and I have had more children with other Mawile, so…you never know. Oh, but I delude myself. How can I forget my precious masterpiece? Well, former masterpiece.]"
"…" Makiko lowered her stance a bit. "[You haven't changed a bit.]"
"[And she finally speaks.]" Hidekage set his chopsticks down. "[Honestly, I must thank you, daughter. You're doing the clan a huge service weeding out the weak. It's a real shame they fell so easily. After all I've done for them, they went and got themselves killed without even putting up a fight. Though, it appears your recent outing with Mikuri had some…consequences.]"
Makiko glanced warily at her bandaged arm before pointing her dagger back at her father. "[This is nothing.]"
"[Hmph. I can't help but notice you're putting more weight on your right leg.]" He smirked. "[And my children still fell to your blade? Oh, that's just sad. Should I have been tougher on my dear children?]"
Makiko scowled. "[Enough. You know exactly why I'm here. I'm here to kill you.]"
Hidekage shook his head before returning to his meal. "[You and everyone else. Oh, didn't I teach you better, Makiko? Were you so desperate to kill me because you thought I would've exposed who you were sooner? Or were you worried about me hunting you myself?]"
"…" She tightened her grip.
"[That mother of yours poisoned your mind with false promises and beliefs. I wasn't ignorant of the hate she held for me, but she was powerless to do anything about it. She could've lived a life of luxury and accepted my lordship, but she chose to run away. Fleeing the region to who-knows-where…and leaving behind her two demon children.]"
"…" Makiko clenched her teeth.
"[You had so much potential, Makiko. Why would you throw it all away?]"
"[Riko's the one who branded me a traitor.]"
"[Was that before or after you stabbed her?]"
"…" She growled.
Hidekage grinned. "[I know of your last meeting with Lady Amano. In fact, we had a lovely discussion over it. It's like I told you: whatever beliefs your mother taught you, they hold no purpose in Great Gate, especially in our clan. We are the hounds of the emperor, and it's our duty to carry out his will and destroy anything that gets in our way. You were a perfect soldier, Makiko. You had everything, even the eye of Lady Amano. You threw all of that away for…what, exactly?]"
"…" She scoffed. "[A sadistic freak like you wouldn't understand.]"
"[Hmm. Probably not. Well, it doesn't matter.]" Hidekage continued eating his rice. "[Though I thank you for culling the weak from the clan, you're still a traitor. We can't have you running around doing as you please. You're simply too dangerous to be kept alive.]" He smirked. "[Then again, we also had orders to keep you alive, and you made it back to the empire just in time.]"
"…"
"[Lady Amano will be looking forward to seeing you again.]"
Makiko raised her dagger and scowled. "[I'm not going anywhere.]"
"[I'm afraid you don't have a choice. See, you knew the risks of coming back to Osorekaku. That's why you've been picking off your siblings in the dark. You knew a confrontation from the full force of your family would lead to death. Smart, really. Perhaps I did raise you right. You even got rid of Emperor Nero for us.]"
"…"
"[And to think I gave him Fuku as a new toy to play with. He was a worthwhile ally, and dangerous. But now that you've rid us of him, Great Gate holds all the power again. I wonder how long until Lord Martius bends the knee. He already knows we've been stalking out new land for ourselves.]"
Makiko scoffed. "[This is ridiculous. What point are you getting at—]"
"[So, how about you tell me more about your little friend? Skill Hunter Harlow, was it?]"
Makiko's eyes widened. "Wha…?"
Hidekage smirked. "[You know, it's funny. I've heard nothing but rumors about that one in the west. Thought it was some fanciful folktale your Forester friends made up to scare their enemies. Ah, but the Takigawa Clan has many allies, and that means many eyes and ears. What I've heard has been…enlightening.]"
Makiko felt a cold sweat drip down her brow. "Shut up. Right now."
"[Being able to steal so many techniques should be impossible, but your mother's bloodline has also danced with impossibility. Is it possible Skill Hunter is another of those special bloodlines? Just like your mother?]"
"Whatever you're thinking…" Makiko trembled as she slowly sheathed her dagger.
Hidekage picked up a slice of meat and grinned. "[What's the matter, daughter? I'm just curious. Does she have one of those bloodlines? If so, all would be forgiven if you just…brought her here.]"
Her left eye blazed in blood red. She bared her teeth, growling deep within her chest. "Don't you dare say another word…!"
"[Now, the only question is…should I give her away to one of my sons?]" His smirk grew wider. "[Or should I lure her into my chamber?]"
She snapped.
Makiko roared and lunged across the room, drawing her twin shirasaya blades from under her cloak. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HER!"
The wall behind Hidekage suddenly burst open. The lord ducked his head and laughed as something surged across the room and snatched Makiko out of the air. The attack rammed her through the front entrance, breaking down the walls instantly.
"GAAAH!" Makiko screamed as she felt something like fangs biting into her midsection, sending jolts of pain throughout her nervous system.
She cracked one eye open and saw that she was trapped in the jaw of a massive energy dragon. It possessed a serpent-like body composed of a glowing body of energy shifting between hues of yellow, blue, and purple. Its eyes blazed in sparks of intense purple as it glared down at her.
She craned her neck as someone emerged out of the villa. It was her older brother, Takato. The Ampharos, with his arms crossed, glared at his trapped sister. The energy dragon came directly from him, emerging from a glowing spot on his back.
"Takato…" She freed her arm, sword still in hand, and bit down on it with her hair. "600 Kilogram…Beast Fang!" Grinding the blade against her hair's teeth, she pried it loose and unleashed a powerful slashing attack into the neck of the dragon.
The force caused it to recoil, loosening its jaw enough for Makiko to duck within its mouth. Her left eye flashed silver as she channeled energy into the tip of her finger.
"Shatter Point!"
She struck a spot within the dragon, causing a web-like crackle to flash across its surface before obliterating the top of the head. The construct came undone, and Makiko fell toward the house. She kicked off the side to break her fall and tumbled back onto the courtyard.
Takato staggered back and winced as the energy receded back into his body. He tried to reactivate his technique, but Hidekage stepped outside and placed a hand on his son's shoulder, calming him,
Makiko picked herself up and brandished her swords. "I don't care what you have planned for me, Father." Her scowl darkened as her left eye blazed with even greater bloodlust. "But if you ever do anything to harm Harlow, no force in Virdis will stop me from rending your flesh until your bones are picked clean."
Hidekage grinned. "[My, my, you're awfully protective of that one. What a shame then that you won't be around to express your feelings to her. I believe you have company.]"
Makiko heard movement behind her and looked over her shoulder. Unsurprised, she lowered her blades and turned around with a glare as the emperor's elite guard made their way onto the property.
Sakamoto pulled out her sickle and hook chain, spinning the hook portion as she glared back at the Mawile. "[Well now, this is a surprise.]"
Furukawa fanned the air with his leaf-like hands, creating a small whirlwind around him as he struck a pose. "[Of all the possible suspects, I never would've guessed.]"
Yukimura spun around his teammates, raining sparkling snowflakes over the courtyard. "[There's only one possible suspect who could've hunted so many Takigawa in a short span of time.]"
"…" Raijou said nothing as he reached for one of his giant arrows.
Hanzo reached for one of his swords, narrowing his eyes at the Mawile. "[Makiko…]"
Makiko looked around at the elite guard, her old comrades. Of all the possible fights she had to get into, she had hoped to avoid meeting them again. Among the familiar faces, she became fixated on their newest member: Shizuka.
The sisters shared looks with each other, one being more hate-filled than the other. Makiko could feel the malice radiating off those eyes, a feature she took great notice of. No longer the usual pure white she remembered since growing up together. This was the first time she was seeing Shizuka again. Her eyes resembled that of a demon's, like two blood red gemstones sitting in a pool of darkness.
Makiko glanced once over her shoulder, shooting her father a spiteful glare, before looking back at her sister. "[Shizuka…]"
Shizuka scowled. "[So, the traitor returns at last.]" She punched into her hand. "[I've been looking forward to this.]"
Makiko narrowed her eyes. Not with anger, but with sadness. "[Sister. What did he do to you?]"
"…" Shizuka scoffed. "[Improved me. Care to see for yourself?]"
She stepped back hesitantly. "[Sister, please…]"
"[I'm sorry, Makiko.]" She glanced back at Hanzo as he took a step forward. He drew one of his swords, which erupted in flame upon its unsheathing. "[By order of Emperor Amano, for the crime of attempting to assassinate Lady Amano Riko and for your crimes against the Takigawa Clan, you are to be detained and brought to the capital. I cannot promise a fair trial. Do not resist.]"
Makiko glared. "[Captain Himura.]" She raised her swords. "[I'm not going anywhere. Not until this monster's last breath has been drawn.]"
"[We're under orders to have you arrested, Makiko]" Hanzo said, a hint of pleading in his tone. "[We were all allies once. Let's try and be sensible about this. You know you can't take us all on.]"
"…" Makiko's left eye blazed to life. "[You have no idea how much stronger I've gotten.]"
Hanzo sighed. "[I had a feeling you would say something like that.]" He reached behind his waist and produced a mask resembling a demonic face with an open, fanged jaw. He placed it over his face before drawing a second, flaming sword. "[Emperor's Elite. Engage. Primary objective: detain Takigawa Makiko.]"
The elite sprung into action, spreading out across the courtyard to surround the former assassin. Makiko cautiously observed them as they got into position before whipping out three smoke pellets. Flicking them across the courtyard, she enveloped the area in a thick cloud of green smoke. She immediately turned and dashed for the courtyard wall.
They'll likely be guarding the exit. I need to escape from the side and get to cover.
"[Temple of the Wind God!]"
She stopped and shielded herself as a powerful storm crashed down over the property. The smoke condensed and swirled up to the top of the storm, dissipating into the sky above. The entirety of the grand villa became enveloped in the center of a cyclone with Furukawa hovering in the center, his massive mane of hair expanding out like a glider keeping him aloft.
"[Tempest Prayer!]" With a swing of his leg, the Shiftry fired down a whirlwind of green wind slashes.
Drawing her swords, Makiko cut through the myriad of slashing attacks before biting down on her blades. "200 Kilogram Beast Fang: Famine!" Drawing both blades at once, she retaliated with a storm of fang-like projectiles.
Furukawa swung his arm, commanding the wind to blow apart her attack. He swiped the air again, but not to attack. From the corner of her eye, Makiko saw Sakamoto propelling toward her, spinning her sickle and hook like two buzzsaws.
"[Let's see how much stronger you've really gotten, Makiko]" she taunted. Infusing Night Daze into her spinning blades, she struck down on the Mawile.
Makiko countered the first attack, deflecting the hook, then struck back against the whirling sickle. The Night Daze infused within the weapons emitted a powerful pulse between clashes, rattling the Mawile a bit. If she fell off balance for even a second, Sakamoto would get the edge over her.
Grasping both her weapons by their hilts, the Zoroark went on the offensive, wildly swinging into Makiko's guard and steadily pushing her back. Makiko held her own as best she could, gradually falling back toward the courtyard wall.
Sakamoto grinned. "[Guess you haven't slowed down too much. But you've clearly lost some of your survival instinct.]"
Makiko's eyes flickered to the ground, realizing she was surrounding by paper seals all glowing in a dark aura. "Crap—"
Sakamoto bounced away and made a sign with her hand. "[Paper Bomb Art!]"
Makiko barely jumped into the air in time as the ground detonated beneath her feet in an explosion of darkness. Her vision faltered briefly, feeling the light fading around her as if briefly dipped into a lightless dungeon.
"[Furukawa!]" Sakamoto called out as she reached into her hair. "[Phantom Origami Festival: Thousand Paper Star Blizzard!]" Arms moving like lightning, the Zoroark threw a myriad of paper-made shuriken, each one infused with Night Daze. With Furukawa's assistance, the paper stars flew along a current of wind directed at the airborne Mawile.
Makiko scowled. "Alright then…" She immediately sheathed her swords and raised her arms. "Flow of the Universe."
As the stars came within reach, Makiko swung her arms with elegant precision, striking the stars without detonating them and sending them scattering across the courtyard. Dozens of explosions went off, taking out the courtyard wall and overturning the earth.
A star nearly struck Hidekage in the face, but a purple slash ripped through the star, tearing it and the energy within to shreds. It happened so fast that the Sneaseler looked as if he didn't move. He merely smirked through the smoke.
As Makiko landed and beelined for the destroyed wall, she saw a flash of blue hurtling toward her. Jumping back, she narrowly avoided Yukimura as he spiraled through the air, leaving a harsh trail of jagged ice in his path. The aura of the ice was so cold that Makiko felt her eyes would freeze if she stood too close, forcing her to retreat.
"[Self-Embodiment of Winter's End.]" The Cryogonal's spinning increased. He bounced off the walls and earth, leaving jagged clusters of ice behind, and ricocheted back at Makiko.
Acting fast, she activated Flow of the Universe and parried his return strike without afflicting herself with frostbite. After parrying the living ice shuriken, she drew her blade and fired off a 200 Kilogram Beast Fang at him.
"[Self-Embodiment of the Indomitable Armor.]" His body took on a metallic sheen, taking Makiko's attack and shattering it on contact. He spun around, taking flight in the air before rocketing back down.
Makiko readied to parry his attack again when she caught a gleam of something from the corner of her eye. By the time she flicked her vision to the right, a massive metal arrow hurtled toward her with speeds rivaling that of cannon fire. Lifting the back of her wrist at just the right time, she used Flow of the Universe to redirect the arrow's trajectory just past her shoulder blades. She felt the sharp breeze rushing across her back just before the arrow impacted the ground.
This brief moment of distraction forced her to dodge Yukimura's strike. She wiped her cheek, feeling a cut that had already frozen over. She glared at the top of her father's villa and saw the archer in question: Raijou.
The Slaking, with his head and face obscured behind his horned helmet and metal mask, stared back at her with eyes as dispassionate as her own back in the day. He drew another of his titanic arrows and pulled back on his massive longbow, reminding the Mawile of the intricately designed compound bow Pandora designed for Blitz. It was far more complex compared his old equipment, yet he still took his time building up the tension in the drawstring.
He's not an immediate threat, but I'm dead if I take my eyes off him for a second. Makiko pulled out more smoke bombs and peppered them across the courtyard.
Furukawa swiped his hand and blew away the smoke again. "[This old trick again, Takigawa?]"
However, as the smoke was cleared, Makiko was nowhere to be seen.
The old Shiftry hovered higher into the air, scanning the terrain, when he felt someone entering the upper levels of his storm. Spinning around, he saw Makiko leaping through the currents with both her blades drawn over her shoulders.
"Sun-Devouring Crunch!" With both blades igniting in her Psychic Fangs' aura, she struck down with a pincer-like slash, ripping through the elder Shiftry.
Or at least, she thought she did.
She scowled as Furukawa's form vanished along the wind. As she floated along the intense currents, she looked around and saw numerous clones of the elder hovering along the air, scowling back at her disapprovingly.
"[What reckless youth. Tempest Prayer!]" He kicked the air again, firing off another round of green wind slashes.
Makiko tried to cut through them again, but her lack of footing caused several to sweep past her guard and cut into her. She fell out of the upper winds, diving for the villa and taking shelter around the wall.
"[HA!]" Makiko jumped with a start, dodging a heavy kick from Shizuka which knocked a hole through the wall. The Sneasel spun on her hands and kicked into the Mawile's side, which she barely blocked. Spinning on her hands again, Shizuka kicked Makiko in the chest, knocking her toward the edge of the tiled roof.
"Agh…" Makiko collapsed onto one knee, pausing a moment to catch her breath. She looked up, wincing as Shizuka approached her. "[Shizuka. Sister, please. I don't want to fight you.]"
"[Then that makes this next part much easier.]" Shizuka sprinted across the roof and threw a punch.
Makiko jolted up and deflected the strike with Flow of the Universe. Shizuka unleashed a hellish combo of punches into the Mawile, who effortlessly deflected them with precise parries. Makiko could feel the force behind each punch, gauging that her sister had only grown stronger since last they saw each other. She recalled how Shizuka could effortlessly break the bones of other Fighting-Types she used to spar with. Between the two of them, Shizuka was always the better hand-to-hand fighter.
Shizuka immediately switched up her attacks, spinning around and backflipping into an axe kick, striking down on Makiko's shoulder. Makiko barely shielded the attack in time, using her defensive technique to sponge the damage and transfer it through her other arm into a firm palm strike, sending the Sneasel flying.
Shizuka dug her claws down to catch herself, then scowled. "[You're gotten soft. Killed so many, yet you refuse to kill me? Pathetic.]"
"…" Makiko stepped back.
"[Let me remind you of your forsaken blood, sister.]"
Shizuka fiddled with the buckles around her arms' restraints, causing them to fall loose. With her arms freed, she took a moment to rotate her shoulders and stretch as her left eye blazed with bloodlust.
"[Parry this.]"
Shizuka burst forth across the roof, unleashing another round of punches. Makiko once again deflected them with little trouble, but immediately felt something off after the fifth deflection. The feeling in her hands was beginning to go numb, almost cold. "Wha—"
Shizuka struck her with a roundhouse kick, sending her flying back into the courtyard. Makiko bounced twice off the ground before hitting the main wall. She pressed her hand to the wall, picking herself up as her hands started to feel like they had thousands of needles embedded in them.
"What the…?" She looked at her hands, and her heart nearly stopped when she saw the purple splotches covering her hands and wrists. Poison? I've been…poisoned?
Shizuka landed back in the courtyard and crossed her arms. "[Tch. What's the matter, sister? With that steely aura of yours, you never felt the sting of poison before? I told you, Father improved me since you left.]"
"…" Makiko clenched her fists. "So, Basil was right. That's what you did." She glared past her sister, staring daggers at her father. "That's what you did with them."
"…" Hidekage could only smirk at the anger in her eyes.
Before Makiko could yell at him, she felt the temperature rising behind her. She gasped, immediately spinning around and blocking a dual flame slash from Hanzo. With the Simisear towering over her, he pushed his weight down on her blades as the flames amped up around his swords. The air around him seemed to crackle and hiss with tiny explosions.
"[You're making this more difficult than it needs to be, Makiko]" Hanzo stated.
Makiko glared, putting all her weight onto her right leg. "[Is keeping me from killing this bastard part of your so-called justice, Hanzo?]"
"[I don't want to do this either, but I'm a member of the elite. I have a reputation to uphold, even if it means cutting down an old friend.]"
"Flow of the Universe!" She directed the defensive technique through her swords and parried Hanzo's swords. "600 Kilogram Beast Fang!" Biting down on her swords, she performed an upward slash, blasting into Hanzo with a full-force attack.
The Simisear dug his feet down as the attack pushed him back. His armor withstood the impact, leaving only a smoking mark on his chest plate. He groaned before tossing his swords into the air. "[Six-Sword Style!]"
Hanzo suddenly unsheathed the other four swords sheathed at his side and tossed them ahead. He charged at Makiko as his swords fell back toward him. He took two in his hands, grabbed two with his feet, and caught the fifth one through the opening in his mask.
He flipped through the air, catching the final sword in the crook of his leg, and flew down on top of Makiko in a hail of sparks. Makiko staggered in alarm as Hanzo unleashed a hellish tornado of slashes, juggling his swords through the air and striking as he performed a series of acrobatic flips and spins without letting up on the onslaught. Despite the massive container he wore on his back and the bulk of his armor, he moved as gracefully as any unarmored monkey. Even with Flow of the Universe, it took everything Makiko had to keep up on the defensive.
"[Gunpowder Style—]" Hanzo suddenly sprayed black powder from his mask and spun on his hand. The flames of his swords ignited the black powder. He twisted his body, engulfing himself in a spiraling wheel of heat. "[Starving Inferno Wheel!]"
Makiko crossed her swords and hardened her stance as the spiraling flame wheel smashed into her. She felt Hanzo's blades grinding against her own as he picked up more and more speed, incinerating a trail through the ground as Makiko continued to be pushed back.
Before she could think of a way to counterattack, she heard the distinct sound of air bursts. With barely a moment to intercept, she whipped one of her swords around and blocked an ambush strike from Sakamoto, her blades grinded against Makiko's.
Sakamoto smirked. "[Paper Bomb Art.]" The Zoroark instantly retreated, leaving behind an explosive tag on Makiko's sword.
Hanzo retreated just as the paper seal detonated, throwing Makiko across the courtyard. Her sword, blackened in a dark haze, spun through the air and impaled into the ground, burnt but still intact. Makiko herself crashed into the far wall of the villa, collapsing onto her side.
"Agh…" She sat up, covering her face as she tried to crack her eyes open. However, as she tried to look ahead, her vision went in and out, the world before her swamped in a dark fog. It was an aftereffect of Night Daze.
"[Self-Embodiment of Winter's End.]"
Makiko felt the air chill around her, sensing Yukimura's approach. With her sight limited, she felt up the details of the wall behind her before springing into the air, narrowly avoiding the Cryogonal's attack. As long as some part of the villa was in its original state, she could map out her surroundings in her mind. She landed atop the wall and ran along it. She couldn't escape with her vision distorted, so she needed to either by time or…
Before she could consider the alternative, she heard the familiar twang of a herculean bow loosing its arrow. She stopped and ducked her head back, feeling the wind of Raijou's titanic arrow whipping past her face. She cracked an eye open, picking out the distorted shape of the Slaking within the haze.
The armored sloth suddenly sprang from his perch and landed atop the wall with her. From his leg arm, a mechanical crossbow unfolded itself. He aimed and fired a blunt arrow at her. Makiko attempted to parry it, but her blindness and the numbness coursing through her arms threw off her accuracy. The tip of the arrow detonated on contact, spraying a yellow powder in her face.
"AAAAAGH!" Makiko recoiled, clutching at her throat as a horrible burning sensation invaded her airway.
"[Hmph.]" Raijou lunged while she was distracted, gripping his bow in both hands and striking her like he was wielding a club.
Makiko crashed into the outer wall of her father's villa and slumped onto the grass. As she stood up and coughed, she could hear her father laughing at her torment.
"[Oh, how unfortunate. It seems I put much stock into raising the perfect assassin. You've grown so much weaker ever since you joined up with those heroic pacifists. It's a wonder they caused the collapse of New Chariot. Is this really all you can do?]"
"…" Makiko felt up the ground again before dashing toward the backyard.
Hanzo, hiding his annoyance with Hidekage, sheathed his swords and said, "[Furukawa, keep an eye on her. Everyone else, surround the backyard.]"
Furukawa took the skies while everyone else rounded the villa to the backyard as instructed. Raijou already jumped back onto the upper rooftops, drawing his bow to prevent Makiko from fleeing beyond the wall.
However, when the group got to the backyard, they saw Makiko leaping into the stone garden's pond, hiding beneath the water. Shizuka huffed. "[Is she delusional?]"
Furukawa narrowed his eyes. "[Captain Himura, she might be attempted to cleanse herself of Raijou's irritant.]"
Hanzo waved to Yukimura. "[Freeze the water.]"
Yukimura hurled himself toward the pond, wrapping himself in a shimmering aura of cold. However, just before he impacted the water, a blinding flash of hellish flame split the water in two, and Makiko leapt out onto the surface, marking Yukimura with a devasting cross slash coated in the same red and black flames dripping from her sword.
"Wounded Beast-Fanged Roar!" After she landed, she absorbed some of the flames into herself, undoing a portion of her minor injuries.
Hanzo glared. "[There's the One-Eyed Devil.]"
Makiko pulled out her dagger as she wiped her eyes, clearing the haze from her vision. She narrowed her glare at her old comrades as Yukimura hovered limply behind her. She had hoped to avoid unnecessary confrontation, but the rush of battle was getting to her. Not since her days in the Nature Spirits has she fought on this level. She had forsaken her old techniques, digging them up from the past as she buried herself deeper and deeper into her bloodstained persona.
Marie of the Foresters was not a killer. She refused to stain that name, thus that name would be forsaken to protect its identity.
Takigawa Makiko…was the name of a traitor. A name with no meaning. No love. Nothing.
She felt like her old self again.
"[Engage!]" Hanzo ordered.
Sakamoto was the first to strike, kicking off the ground and ricocheting around the backyard at ludicrous speeds. Makiko's eyes flickered about calmly, attempting to track the Zoroark's movements. The black blur zipping around plus the bursts of air made it difficult to tell which way she would be striking from. It was expected being one of Spring-Loaded Harriet's longest living students.
Sakamoto struck from the sky, hammering down on Makiko with her dual weapons. In response, Makiko raised her sword and redirected the attack into the ground, pushing past the poison that was halfway up her arms. The numbness threw off her sensitivity to vibrations, her main method of judging an attack's kinetic output, thus she had to rely purely on her own judgment.
Sakamoto sprung back instantly, spinning her sickle and swinging at the Mawile's neck. Makiko, however, stabbed the chain with her dagger and pinned the weapon to the ground. She then rushed up on Sakamoto amidst the confusion, curling her fingers into a claw-like gesture.
"Shatter Point."
She hammered into a bright-red weak spot on Sakamoto's stomach, causing the dark fox to vomit from the explosive force. Makiko immediately followed it up with three, pinpoint jabs to the shoulder, chest, and thigh, each one carrying the kinetic force of a bullet without the wound.
"Aaaaaagh…!" Sakamoto fell to the ground, paralyzed by the pain.
Immobilize Sakamoto first. She's the fastest and most deceptive.
Makiko darted toward the villa, appearing to go for Hanzo next. He reached for his sword, but Makiko suddenly kicked off into the air just as Raijou fired an arrow into the backyard.
Orders were to capture me. Raijou isn't aiming to kill. He knows I can dodge his strikes. He's the one setting me up for counterattacks.
Makiko bounced onto the upper roof and rushed the Slaking down, knowing his Truant ability would keep him from responding. With Shatter Point, she struck multiple weak points that shattered through his armor and sent crippling pain through his body.
Furukawa is acting as support. Makiko jumped off the roof as a barrage of wind slashes sliced up the roof, though broke apart upon Raijou so as to not harm him. He can keep me at a distance, but he knows I can easily counter his ranged attacks. And he wouldn't risk taking me on in a close-quarters battle.
Freefalling out of the air, Makiko set her sights on Hanzo and Shizuka, the only two left to get in her way. Whatever modifications their father made to her, Shizuka was considerably more dangerous with the addition of poisonous skin. She was, however, useless in a ranged battle.
As for Hanzo…
Avoid at all costs.
Makiko landed and sprung backward, effortlessly maneuvering on one foot as Shizuka was the first to give chase. Makiko twirled her remaining sword and bit down on it. "200 Kilogram Beast Fang: Famine!" She pried it loose, unleashing a barrage of fang-like projectiles.
Shizuka scowled at this as an emerald-colored poison erupted from her fists and feet. "[Toxic Fist Style: Toxic Shock!]" With poison erupting from her soles, she sped across the backyard with lunging dashes, hurling a barrage of punches through Makiko's attack.
Makiko reached the wall and dodged the first of Shizuka's strikes. As the Mawile feared, Shizuka's strength was horrifying to witness as the stone cratered under the weight of her punch. It could rival Ursula's own striking force without elemental empowerment.
The difference, however, was that Shizuka was faster.
A storm of punches bombarded Makiko, forcing her on the defensive. She dodged as many as she could, but was forced to use Flow of the Universe occasionally, spreading more of Shizuka's poison through her hands. Worst of all, not only was Shizuka getting faster, but an unfathomable pain also erupted through the infected areas along Makiko's arms. It wasn't that the punches were getting stronger, but rather the poison coating them was reacting to the toxins already inside of her. The technique had to be utilizing Venoshock.
Realizing this, Makiko parried one last strike and redirected the flow through her palm, striking Shizuka in the face. This briefly stunned the Sneasel, allowing Makiko to escape. She pulled back on her shirt and saw the poison was now beyond her shoulders and spreading along her chest. Knowing how sadistic her father was, was there even an antidote available for this kind of poison?
Her thoughts were drawn away as she came up on Hanzo's path. He bent his knee, leaned forward, and reached for one of his swords. Recognizing the stance, Makiko immediately fell back.
"[Gunpowder Style—]"
BOOOOM!
With barely a second to react, Makiko slid flat on her back as a wide-reaching explosion erupted from the draw of Hanzo's sword, cutting through and incinerating everything within the path of the slash. Makiko's cloak was caught up in the blast, incinerated off her shoulders and scattered to the wind. A tree within the stone garden was sliced in two, its top half spiraling through the air with its severed area turning to ash. A part of the stone wall was marked with a burning slash that cleaved through the other side, and peering through the other side showed trees and leaves in the background withering to ash as well.
"[Blast Draw.]"
Makiko's eye twitched from how close the blade came to her face. There was a reason Hanzo was recognized as the captain of the Emperor's Elite. An exceptional talent for swordplay, training rigorously in his youth to become the very model of a Great Gate samurai. When she first joined the elite, she would often spar with Hanzo, a natural trait of a Takigawa to prove their power.
She lost every single duel with him.
This was the first time she witnessed his Blast Draw technique on the receiving end. The air smelled of black powder whenever Hanzo performed his sword techniques, and it was most potent from his quickdraw. Despite his good-natured outlook…
There was a reason most called him the Demon of the Black Powder.
Makiko immediately disengaged from the fight, unmistakenly frazzled by Hanzo's strength. I can't fight multiple opponents at once, especially under these conditions. I've already taken down the others. As long as I keep my space and get far away from Furukawa, I might be able to—
"[You're slipping again, sister.]"
Makiko spun around just as Shizuka flew in with a kick. She barely intercepted it with Flow of the Universe and raised her stance again as Shizuka fired another barrage of punches. Though her movements were becoming increasingly sluggish, Makiko focused her Inherited Will to its limit to increase her perception.
The second Shizuka slips up, I'll stun her and make a break for the wall. I'll have to expend a ton of energy just to guarantee an escape route, but it's a worthwhile risk—
"[I believe we've seen enough.]"
Makiko's eyes widened as Sakamoto suddenly sat up. Despite clearly being winded from her brief bout with the Mawile, she merely smirked and held up a hand sign in her direction.
"[Sealing Tag Art.]"
Something flashed off of Makiko's back. She craned her neck and saw a paper seal had been attached to her back. The characters on the seal shined in a dark purple. Though barely visible from an angle, Makiko could make out the word written in Old Johtonian.
[Pain Split]
Suddenly, one of Shizuka's punches broke through the nearly impervious Flow of the Universe, striking with such intensity that it nearly broke Makiko's arm. One half of her defensive technique was taken away, leaving only Payback operational. She knew Sakamoto's mastery of paper weaponry bordered on mystical, but this?
When could…she do that…?
Shizuka grabbed Makiko by the collar and whispered, "[Like I said, the real Makiko…would've just killed everything.]" She raised her foot, then hammered a kick directly into her sister's knee.
Specifically, she broke Makiko's bad leg.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" Makiko screamed, going limp with only Shizuka holding her up. The Sneasel scoffed, tossed her up, and roundhouse-kicked her across the backyard.
Makiko dragged her dagger into the ground to catch herself. Right as she stopped, a shadow descended upon her. She rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding a hit from Raijou's giant longbow. However, to her disbelief, the Slaking looked completely fine. In fact, even his armor wasn't destroyed anymore. It was as if she never attacked him.
"[You were one of the finest assassins, Takigawa—]" She looked up as Furukawa descended from the air, his leaf hand glowing a dark indigo wrapped into a sharp whirlwind. "[—but you knew what would happen if you crossed paths with us again.]"
Makiko threw her remaining sword at him, but it passed through another wind clone. The real Furukawa suddenly appeared above her, delivering his wind slash into her chest.
"[Divine Tempest!]"
Serrated air lacerated Makiko's skin like miniature needles, sending her flying across the backyard again. She hit the ground with her shoulder first, rolled, then proceeded to backflip the rest of the way toward the wall.
I'll use the momentum of his attack to launch myself over the wall. Once I get into the woods, I might have a chance of escaping them. Ugh. Getting rid of this poison's going to be a problem, though. I may have to force an apothecary or someone to cleanse me.
However, after the fifth rotation when her hands touched the grass, she felt a chilling sensation wash over her. Her momentum suddenly stopped as her hands became stuck to the ground, causing her to faceplant. She jolted up with a gasp, finding that her path was suddenly flash-frozen. The skin of her hands was stuck to the ice, which crawled up her infected arms.
She looked up as Yukimura spun back towards his team, sporting an X-shaped scar in his icy face. He narrowed his eyes. "[And so, the curtain closes on Takigawa Makiko.]"
Makiko growled and tried to pry her hands loose. "D-Dammit! NO!" Calm down, you've gotten out of worse predicaments. This is nothing. This is nothing!
Hanzo stepped up, glaring pitifully at the trapped Mawile. He sighed and lowered into a quick-draw stance. "[Forgive me, Makiko, but this ends here.]"
Shizuka huffed. "[Time to pay, traitor.]"
Makiko looked at her frozen hands before wincing. Screw it. Praying that the poison numbed her enough, she pulled back with all her might. She clenched her teeth as she tore her hands free from the ice, feeling the skin ripping from her palms. She jumped back onto her feet, mindful of her broken leg, and attempted to flee again, but she faltered.
The poison spread further and further through her body, causing her balance to wither. She wobbled on one leg, her vision blurring as the rest of her body went numb. She panted heavily, screaming at herself to move. She needed to escape. She needed to complete the mission, or everything she had done would be all for nothing.
But it was all for naught.
"[Gunpowder Style—]"
With a click of his heels, explosive flame erupted from under Hanzo, propelling him at ludicrous speeds toward Makiko. The Mawile didn't have a chance to respond as Hanzo instantly sped past her, leaving a trail of burning footprints in his wake with his flaming sword half-drawn from its scabbard.
There was a moment of pause between the two, Makiko's blurry vision shaking in anticipation while Hanzo kept his head low, his mask hiding the regret in his face. There was a heavy aroma of black powder in the air, specifically around Makiko. Hanzo took a deep breath and sheathed his sword.
"[Wildfire Advance.]"
CLICK!
The black powder in the air ignited, wrapping around Makiko in an explosive, concentrated inferno. Her screams, which were distorted within the raging heat, brought chills to the Emperor's Elite, having never heard the Mawile succumb to such agony since their days in comradery.
The only ones reveling in the sight were the present Takigawa, with Hidekage and Takato smirking at the raging bonfire while Shizuka stared wrathfully at the silhouette convulsing within the pyre.
The flames soon parted, and the smoke cleared with a wave from Furukawa. Knelt within a smoldering patch of earth, Makiko stared up at the sky, her skin scorched and most of her clothes incinerated to ash. Her eyes glazed over as she teetered in place before collapsing to the ground with a weak groan.
Hanzo breathed a heavy sigh before standing up. "[It is done.]"
With the threat neutralized, Sakamoto collapsed onto her rear, clutching her stomach. "[Ah, crap. Thank goodness. She still hits hard.]"
Furukawa glared. "[She was more focused on escaping than fighting. If she had any serious intent on killing us, a single interaction with her would've been the end of it.]"
"…" Raijou sheathed his bow back onto his back before glancing over at Hanzo. "[Are you okay?]"
Hanzo took off his mask, maintaining a look of composure. "[Yeah…]"
"[I expected nothing less from Orochi's finest.]" The elite glanced at Hidekage as he and Takato walked over. Hidekage smirked. "[A fine display. Perhaps I overestimated my daughter's abilities. She's certainly not in her prime anymore.]"
Takato scoffed, kicking the unconscious Mawile in the side. "[I could've easily torn her to pieces.]"
Hidekage shook his head. "[Ah, but Lady Amano requested she be brought back alive should she ever be captured. The timing couldn't be any more perfect.]"
Hanzo glanced at Yukimura. "[Report back to Emperor Amano and request a prisoner transport.]"
"[By your command, Captain Himura.]" The Cryogonal took off, darting through the sky towards Kumonohana.
Hidekage snickered. "[It would seem I need to take better care of raising my children. What you accomplished in a matter of days should've been handled weeks ago. I send my highest praises to Emperor Amano.]" He held his hand out to the young captain. "[And I'll be sure to inform your father of your brilliant work today, Lord Himura. You're a fine example of excellency.]"
Hanzo stared warily at the Sneaseler's hand before begrudgingly shaking it. "[Uh…thank you, Lord Takigawa.]" He glanced back at Makiko, who Sakamoto finished placing restraints and sealing tags on.
Sakamoto narrowed her eyes. "[It's almost unfortunate it had to come down to this. She really could've killed all of us if she were the same Makiko from before…]"
"…" Hanzo turned away, clutching one of his swords tightly.
Shizuka stared endlessly at the unmoving Mawile, the wrath in her eyes wavering slightly. It was unclear to an outside observer if she was feeling regret for taking down her sister, or perhaps the fervor for battle still burned within. Perhaps a twinge of nostalgia resonated within her, recalling the times the pair sparred together before Makiko was taken in as one of the elite.
She almost yearned for a fight like that again, but…
Those days of earnest rivalry were a dead memory.