14th Winter Moon, 908 – Osorekaku-machi, Great Gate Empire – Night

The descent into the demon realm of the empire had come to an end. With very little in the way of success in her search for answers, Melissa relented to vacating Osorekaku at the earliest convenience. Though she wished to uncover what plot was transpiring between Marie and Basil, further lingering in the Takigawa's hometown would serve to cause trouble.

She and Watora packed whatever they could and made the venture through town under the cover of night, keeping their heads down as they passed by the nighttime life of drunken Takigawa or meandering guards. Watora seemed especially on edge, keeping one wing over his sword whenever they passed a Takigawa.

Their earlier encounter with Kiho left them anxious as they carefully made their way through town, wondering if the mad Miltank caught wind of their deception or was deterred thanks to Hanzo's interference. Either way, with any luck, the usual lethargic attitude found in most Takigawa will deter her from further investigation until at least the morning.

The night felt especially chilling tonight. Melissa bundled herself tightly in her cloak, shuddering as a stiff breeze blew inside her hood and rattled her core. The air didn't feel as thick with murderous intent as she had grown accustomed to, though a lingering scent of blood still wafted through the air. She couldn't help casting peeks at any Takigawa they passed by, wondering what thoughts hid behind those fixed scowls and devious glints.

"Lady Harlow," Watora whispered.

She snapped back to attention and looked up at him. "Yes?"

"We will be by the entrance shortly. Are you cold?"

"A…A little bit."

"Please, take my cloak." He tried to remove his cloak, but she held a hand up and stopped him.

"I'm fine. Really." She sighed. "A lot on my mind right now."

"…I understand." He glanced over his shoulder, making sure they weren't being followed. "You truly feel for the souls born into this awful clan."

"I truly do believe they're not all bad. Some of them just feel like…they have no choice."

Watora sighed. "The freedom of choice is often an illusion depending on your station. Though born into high prestige, even the Takigawa are restricted in what they can do. Do not cry for them, Lady Harlow. It is a monumental burden for your shoulders to weep for the hardships of the many."

Melissa glared. "That doesn't stop me from wanting to save everyone."

"A noble spirit, but not all laws of this world cater to an act of kindness."

"Heh." Melissa's ears drooped over her face. "You'd be surprised what one act of kindness can get you." She frowned. "Funnily enough, it was Basil who gave me that chance. I wouldn't even be here if he hadn't pushed me to speak up against Jason."

"Lady Harlow…"

Basil was disguised as Marie back then, so…why did he say my dream meant nothing to him? If he truly believed that, why did he go through so much trouble to get me into the Foresters? Was he plotting something back then? Or…maybe something else. I don't want to believe Basil was plotting against us since the beginning. I know you're not heartless. You never do anything without an intent.

"Lady Harlow?"

She shook her head. "Thinking to myself. Sorry." She wrung her cloak between her hands. "…When you guys crash the ceremony, will you be able to save Marie, at least?"

"…" Watora frowned. "I have no say over that, my lady. You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone willing to save a Takigawa."

"…" She sighed. "I suppose so."

An awkward silence hung between them as they made the last stretch of the journey to the town steps. They stood at the top, gazing down the winding stone pathway leading down the mountain. Melissa looked back once at the town and its flickering lantern light. Despite its gruesome history, it was a charming town in its own right.

"We'll make the journey to the closest town and wait for our ride back to the hideout," Watora said. "If you feel uncomfortable taking part in the raid, I understand. This wasn't meant to be your fight."

"…" Melissa glared. "I want to at least talk with your alliance leaders about saving Marie."

Watora sighed. "I wish you luck with convincing them." He took the first couple of steps down, holding out his wing for her. "Watch your step."

She graciously took his wing and followed him down the stone steps. She frowned, something just donning on her. "Hey…Watora. I don't think I ever got to ask. What's the primary objective of this raid in the first place?"

Watora glared. "Liberation."

"I…what?"

He sighed and glanced back at her. "You see, our primary target is the—" They both suddenly stopped, hearing a distinct whooshing sound coming from nearby. "Huh?"

Melissa's ears perked up. "You heard that, too?"

Watora glared. "Was that the wind—" His eyes turned back down the steps and widened at the silhouette standing in their way, blazing red erupting from their eye. He locked onto the weapon they were rearing back and jumped back, taking Melissa under his wing. "Lady Harlow, look out—"

BAM!

Watora barely intercepted the attack with his scabbard, recognizing it as a spiked hammer. He held up his guard as best he could, keeping Melissa shielded behind his wings, but the force sent them both flying back up the stairs and soaring over the town.

Watora braced himself, shielding Melissa within his wings as they clipped past a window and slammed back down into the street, breaking through a wagon and barrels of water. The light crowd dispersed immediately as if sensing an altercation was seconds away from sweeping them up in the chaos.

Melissa rolled out of Watora's hold and hovered over him in alarm. "Watora!" She quickly channeled Sadie's energy and pressed her hands to his chest, sending Heal Pulse through his body. "Hang on, Watora! I'll—"

"Well, well, well."

Melissa's eyes widened, sensing a familiar bloodlust nearby. She looked back toward the town gate and saw three figures standing in the way. A Passimian with a spiked hammer resting over her shoulder. A Diggersby with metallic bracers around his ears, which he carried himself with. And…

A very, very angry Miltank.

Kiho cracked her knuckles, scowling at the Buneary. "Hello, Momo. Or…is it actually Harlow? Skill Hunter Harlow?"

Melissa stopped healing Watora and stood up, clenching her teeth nervously. Crap.

Kiho slowly clapped, saying, "I must admit, you almost had me fooled. You put on a lovely enough performance just to convince my idiot siblings to buy you some time, but it seems you were a day too short. So, tell me, are you the same Harlow that's been making a buzz as of late?"

Melissa glared. "I don't want to fight you."

"Oho! Yeah, you're definitely not a Takigawa. Oh well, makes it easier for me." She folded her arms behind her back and approached the cowering Buneary. "Captain Himura won't be here to make a last-minute rescue, not that it matters what he says now. After all, we're well within our rights to crush pesky spies." Her scowl deepened. "So, before I turn your head into a chunky paste, why don't you tell me why you and Zennami are poking around in our town?"

Melissa grimaced. "We—" Before she could get a word out, she felt Watora's wing on her shoulder. He pushed himself up, balancing with his scabbard. "Watora!"

"I'll be fine." He groaned, rolling the aches out of his shoulders. "[I didn't appreciate being ambushed a second time today.]"

Kiho smirked. "[Oh, was Hatsu too rough on you? Don't worry, I'm feeling quite merciful tonight. After all, I need to know why you have been escorting this little thief around. Abusing your privileges like that won't reflect well on your clan.]"

Watora stepped in front of Melissa, taking up a stance with his sheathed sword raised. "[I will not allow you to harm Lady Harlow.]"

Kiho smirked. "[Cute. You think you have a choice.]" She snapped her fingers. "[Hatsu. Bansyou. Take him out. Leave him alive, though.]"

Bansyou groaned. "[Seriously? You get to kill the spy, but stick us with knocking this guy out? That's unfair!]"

Kiho growled at him. "[I didn't ask for your opinion! I don't care how badly you rough him up, just make sure he's still breathing when you're done!]"

Hatsu spun her hammer. "[I can work with that.]" Her muscles tensed up, and she rushed down the street at blinding speed.

Watora pushed Melissa out of the way before blocking Hatsu's hammer strike, sending him flying down the street. He drove his scabbard into the ground to stop himself, then sidestepped a second attack from the Passimian that smashed a hole through the street. [She's fast.]

Bansyou bounced into the air, swinging across buildings with his ears, and threw himself into the air. "[Well, if you can survive two of Hatsu's attacks, this won't be completely boring! Heavy Driver!]" His ears bulked up with muscle, glowing in a vibrant orange aura, and launched himself into a spiral.

Watora jumped back, barely avoiding the Diggersby as his attack shredded through the ground. Hatsu burst from the smoke and swung her hammer for the Prinplup's head.

"[Raincloud Counter.]"

An arch of brilliant blue water erupted from Watora's sheathed sword as he parried and redirected Hatsu's attack into the ground in one swift, fluid motion. He bounced back as Hatsu reared her hammer out of the ground. Her attack nearly connected, but Watora deflected with a second parry technique.

"[Spark Driver!]" Watora looked to his left as Bansyou emerged from the ground, his ears now wrapped in a fierce electrical aura. "[Parry this!]" His ears launched forth in a barrage of punches, faster than even some Fighting-Type Pokémon.

Watora activated Raincloud Counter again, tensing his stance as he blocked the ocean of electrical fists descending upon him. Bansyou, with his arms crossed, laughed as he slowly pushed back on Watora with each step he took, all while his ears continued flailing into his guard without end.

Hatsu dashed around and got behind Watora. She reared her hammer up, casting a dark glow through the hammerhead. "[Cluster.]" She swung, skidding her hammer across the ground, and fired a barrage of stones at the Prinplup's back.

Watora sensed the attack coming and channeled his energy. "[Raincloud Booster.]"

He shifted his heel and sped out of Bansyou's attack in a flash of blue. Bansyou destroyed the rubble heading his way before stopping his attack rush. Steam hissed off his ears. "[What the…?]"

Watora landed on top of a building and exhaled. The brilliant blue aura surrounding him funneled into his partially unsheathed sword before sheathing it again.

Bansyou glared. "[He's faster than he looks.]"

Hatsu rested her hammer over her shoulder again. "[That technique. It was a conditional type. Sudden burst of physical power, but only for brief moments. And yet, he still hasn't drawn his sword yet.]"

Watora stood up, glaring down at them with his sheathed sword raised. "[You will see the efforts of the Zennami Clan in action. Do not underestimate me.]"

Melissa looked back where Watora flew off to, but didn't have much time to worry over him. Right as she turned back, Kiho was already above her with an axe kick.

"Don't turn your back on death, little rabbit."

Melissa sprung back in the nick of time, dodging the Miltank's titanic kick that sent fissures across the street. She bounced again, landing on the rooftops for cover. She could feel the lingering vibrations through the building, nearly shaking her down.

"L-Look, I know you're just doing your job, but maybe we can talk this out like civilized adults?" Melissa pleaded.

Kiho scowled. "I tore through this entire town to look for the brat that wrecked my house. What gave you the impression I was being civil? Earthen Rush!" She kicked off the ground, blasting open the ground with devastating shockwaves, and hurtled herself into a dropkick.

Melissa leapt into the air again and watched in horror as Kiho obliterated the entire upper half of the building in a single strike. Stone, tile, and wood were turned to scrap in an instant. Not even cannonballs could deliver that level of force.

Oh Arceus, she's actually going to kill me.

Kiho broke her fall against another building and launched off that one, soaring after the airborne rabbit. "Earthen Rush!"

"Althalos Style—"

"TAKE THIS!" Kiho extended her legs and threw all her force into the Buneary.

…only to be caught in a mass of dark clouds.

"Huh?!"

Melissa hovered over the darkness, spreading it from her hands. "Abyss Clouds!" She manipulated the clouds to ensnare Kiho, swung her around, and shot her out of the sky.

Kiho smashed and skipped across the street, slamming headfirst into the town's main gate. She tried to stand, but the darkness continued spreading around her, restraining her limbs. "AaaaAAAAAAAAGH!"

Melissa landed on the street and sighed. "Sorry about this, but I'm going to knock you out." She clenched her fists, tightening the cloud around Kiho. I hate using this application of Abyss Clouds, so I'll try to suffocate her until she passes out.

Kiho, however, wasn't going down so easily. "You western piece of SHIT!" She flailed and flailed inside the clouds until she started spinning in place.

Melissa gasped. "Eh?!"

"Earthen…QUAKE!"

Intense vibrations erupted from her body, shaking the Abyss Clouds with such intensity that they were forcibly dispersed from her body. She bounced off the ground, curling into a ball wrapped in a metallic glow, and rocketed at Melissa.

"Marie Style—" Melissa stood her ground as Kiho entered her range. She caught Kiho's attack against her palms, leaned back into the attack, and kicked the mad Miltank into the air. "Flow of the Universe!"

Kiho uncurled and hardened her stance. "Earthen Meteor!" She kicked down, sending herself propelling back toward the ground.

Melissa rolled and backflipped off her hands just before Kiho landed. The impact sent massive tremors down the street, throwing Melissa back in a landslide of upturned road. She fired Abyss Clouds into a building and grappled herself out of the way before she was buried.

"You think I'm done yet?!"

Melissa was suddenly grabbed out of the dust. Kiho, holding her by the ears, spun the bunny around before slamming her into the ground. Melissa bounced off her back, spitting blood. A second after, Kiho hammered her leg across her side, sending the bunny through a shop's wall.

"Just try and get up!" Kiho yelled. "I'll crush you over and over until your bones are dust!"

Melissa lay on the crumpled front counter, an orange aura flickering briefly over her body. She groaned and massaged her aching head. I activated Endure just in time. She glared. There's no reasoning with her. Ugh, I really hate getting into fights like this. She picked herself up, dusting her shoulders off. But I'm not done yet.

Kiho stepped in front of the hole and glowered. "Still not dead?"

Melissa took a deep breath, then started bouncing in place. "Last chance. Just stop and walk away."

Kiho snarled. "I don't take orders from anyone—"

BAM!

Kiho recoiled as Melissa suddenly rushed her down with a powerful kick to the stomach.

"Frantic Bunny Hop."

Kiho blasted across the street and crashed through an opposing building. She recovered almost instantly, jumping out onto the street with a ferocious roar. She growled at Melissa, who was bouncing in the middle of the street.

"I warned you," Melissa whispered. She touched down, tensing up her leg muscles, and vanished in a burst of wind.

Kiho's eye flickered wildly, catching the brief afterimages of Melissa ricocheting between the buildings. She was kicked from behind, then immediately kicked across the chin afterwards. She swung and kicked the air in retaliation, but Melissa was moving far too fast to keep up. Each missed attack resulted in five retaliatory kicks from multiple angles.

Kiho's left eye burned with its sludge-like flame of aura. "You damned brat, didn't anyone tell you…why the younger Takigawa fear me?!" She lifted her leg and stomped the ground with such tremendous force that the street and buildings erupted around her. "Earthen Explosion!"

Melissa tripped up upon her next landing, the earth exploding beneath her. She raised her bracer, projecting a psionic shield to protect herself from the reverse rainfall of stone. However, the rubble flew with such power and quantity that her shield started chipping. A stone breached the edge and sliced across her cheek.

"Agh!" She fired Abyss Cloud outside the range of the technique and threw herself to safety.

"That's why they call me the Warlord!" Kiho roared, rushing down the fallen Buneary.

Melissa rolled to her feet and reached for her multi-hilt. "Jet Style: Surging Slash!" Water extended and flowed into the shape of a surging blade. She ducked under Kiho's swiping kick and twisted the bending blade, slicing into the Miltank three times in a single stroke.

"AAAAGH!" Kiho roared.

Melissa bounced away, scooping some rubble off the ground. "Eadwulf Style—" She channeled energy through the rubble and chucked it at Kiho. "Karmic Beast!"

Kiho turned and took a face full of exploding rock. It only aggravated her more, rushing out of the smoke with each stomp of her feet sending tremors through the ruined earth. "You insignificant little pest!"

"Ignacia Style: Desolate Slash!" Gripping her multi-hilt, she swung close to the ground, gathering up the dust and rubble and forming it into superheated sand. She slashed the air, striking Kiho in the face with burning sand.

"AAAAAGH!" Kiho stopped and grabbed her face, screaming in pain. "YOU BITCH!"

Melissa rushed her down, striking her face with Mega Kick. "Not so insignificant now, huh—GAH!" Despite being blinded, Kiho snatched Melissa by the ears.

"DIE!" She lined up her shot and kicked Melissa in the stomach, sending her hurtling through the street and smashing through several buildings ahead.

Meanwhile…

The commotion going down didn't go unnoticed as several Takigawa emerged from their homes in confusion. They got onto the rooftops to get a better look, peering toward the main gains where they could see a few buildings collapsing along with plumes of dust rising over the wreckages.

"[What in the…?]" Ao mumbled.

Shion laughed maniacally. "[And you all thought I was crazy for not having a house closer to the main entrance! This is why you stay as close to the center as possible! More time to run away!]"

Sakura, who was down on the street, smirked up at the Sawsbuck. "[But what if it was an aerial strike on the center of town?]"

"[Underground tunnels, sister!]"

Ouki ignored their banter and pulled out a telescope. He squinted. "[I can't see much, but…it looks like Big Sis Kiho is down there.]"

Hibiki winced. "[What? Seriously? Geez, how mad was she? Is she actually tearing down the entire town now?]"

Ao glared. "[I don't think this is particularly about the party. She might be in an actual fight.]"

All Kohaku heard was Kiho and fight somewhere in the confusion, prompting him to race back into his house, throw on his uniform, and emerge back outside with his katana, his off-hand wakizashi, and the happiest, bright-eyed smile imaginable. "[A death match with Big Sis Kiho? Joyous day! No one wake me from this dream!]"

Anko bit her thumb as she examined the collapsing landscape. "[For someone to rile up Big Sis Kiho this badly…why, I shouldn't be sleeping at all! What scoundrel would be sleeping at a time like this when this beautiful moment must be captured on canvas and paint? If any of you get there before me, tell Kiho not to kill anyone until I get my supplies ready!]" She scrambled back through her window like a giggling monkey.

Midori frowned. "[…fighting…Momo…?]"

Hibiki glared "[There's no way Kiho's making this much of a mess over her house. Right?]" she asked a bit unsurely.

Ouki glared. [Momo. If you truly are at the center of this, what brought on such violence?]

Watora skipped gracefully through the street with flashes of blue trailing behind him. Hatsu gave chase, swinging her hammer and demolishing all caught in its path. Stone turned to dust with a simple graze of the heavy hammerhead, no doubt capable of rending flesh with a well-placed impact.

"[Raincloud Booster.]" Watora stopped briefly before vanished out of the way, dodging an overhead swing.

Hatsu lazily tracked his movements until he stopped in front of an alley. His aura receded into his sword before being sheathed. She glared. [Something's up with that sword of his.]

Watora maintained his stance, keeping the sheathed sword raised in front of himself. [I must end this in one shot. That is my only way of surviving this fight.]

"[You're quite the annoying pest to kill, Zennami!]" Watora sensed movement above and sidestepped as Bansyou descended with a heavy club of ice manifesting around his ear. "[Glacial Driver!]" He spun on his heel, whipping his massive ears and striking the Prinplup.

Watora maintained his guard as he was thrown back, the shock of the impact rattling through his body. [That's…definitely Huge Power.] He scowled. [But those attacks are stronger than I anticipated.]

Bansyou slammed his ice-covered ears together and rushed after the samurai. "[Iceberg Driver!]"

Watora positioned his sword by his side. "[Raincloud Field.]" A brilliant blue aura erupted like flame around his scabbard. He planted his feet down firmly and swung, sending forth a curtain of blue at Bansyou.

Bansyou recoiled from the rush of energy cascading around him, but continued plowing his way toward the shiny penguin. "[You idiot! That won't stop me!]"

"[Raincloud Field: Blue Sky!]" Watora swung his scabbard again.

Bansyou expected a similar failure, but realized too late that Watora was taking in all the energy from his previous attack into his swing. A great wave of sapphire-like energy erupted forth in a massive tidal wave that swept up the Diggersby and threw him across the street, tearing through buildings along the way.

Hatsu looked up as the energy receded into the air, raining down sapphire blue rain. She held out her hand, pooling the glowing water into her palm. "[Strange.]" She looked around some more, watching as the energy colored the area in a tint of blue with dark blue storm clouds crackling with dark lightning above them. "[Very strange.]"

Watora absorbed some of the lingering energy into his sword before sheathing it again. [They're not attacking me together. Either their teamwork is abysmal…or they're avoiding each other.] He glared at Hatsu. [She's arguably the most dangerous. I'm still reeling from those hammer strikes I blocked.]

Hatsu took a deep breath, then groaned. "[Too tired to think. This complicated stuff isn't my style.]" She twirled her hammer before tossing it into the air.

Watora's eyes widened. "[Huh?!]"

"[Break.]" She flexed and expanded her muscles with a burst of energy before rushing down the Prinplup full speed.

"[Raincloud Counter!]" Watora readied a counterattack, but Hatsu jumped at the last second and hovered over him. "[Huh?]"

"[Arrow.]" She clenched her fist and punched the air.

Watora nearly missed it, but Hatsu's hammer suddenly flung out of the air and beelined straight for him like an arrow in flight. He used Raincloud Counter and barely deflected the projectile hammer, his wings shaking from the impact. The hammer crashed through the street, leaving a sizable crater under it.

[How did she—] He couldn't think too long about it as she followed up with an airborne kick to the head, knocking him toward Bansyou.

"[HA! Nice one, sis! Glacial Driver!]" Ice formed into a heavy mace around his ear, and he swung into the flying Prinplup.

"AAAAGH!" Watora cried, skidding across the street and landing against a building.

Hatsu rushed him down, pulling her hammer out of the ground, and lunged. Right before she could bring the hammer down on his chest, Watora came to his senses and held his sheathed sword.

"[Raincloud Field: Blue Sky!]" He met her attack head-on, keeping them at a brief stalemate before throwing her back in the ocean of energy spilling out from his attack. "[Again!]" He jumped up and fired a second attack, striking and sending her flying into the sky.

Hatsu remained unfazed. She caught her hammer between her feet and stretched her arms out. Watora watched as she gradually slowed herself down the higher she rose before spinning in place near the peak of her flight. That's when he noticed nearby buildings groaning from what sounded like stress being put on them.

Thin, sparking threads attached themselves to the roofs of the neighboring buildings. They were barely visible in the light of his Raincloud Field, but they appeared to be originating from Hatsu's fingertips.

And now she was coiling the threads around her hammer, putting increased tension on them.

Watora's eyes widened. "[By Ho-Oh's light…]"

"[Stronger Arrow.]" She detached the threads, and her hammer shot out of the sky like a beam of light.

"[Raincloud Booster!]" The hammer touched down mere milliseconds after Watora dodged. The cataclysmic force of the impact overturned the area into a massive crater, throwing the Prinplup forward with debris pelting the back of his armor and slicing across his exposed skin.

Buildings collapsed around the impact zone with unfortunate occupants either trapped under the debris or even killed in the initial blast. Hatsu landed beside her hammer, which rested in a smoking crater of its own, and pulled it free effortlessly.

Watora picked himself up, panting heavily. Blood dripped out from under his armor and stained the left side of his face a little. "[E…Electroweb…]" He looked at the bodies trapped under the debris, then growled. "[Have you no shame for the lives you've taken?! These are your people!]"

Hatsu rested her hammer over her shoulder, shooting him with her apathetic stare. "[They were in my way. As long as I finish the mission, it doesn't matter what I have to destroy.]"

Watora raised his sword and grimaced. [Now I remember. Takigawa Hatsu, Carnage Incarnate. That's what they call her. Reports say she's harmless outside of missions, but any order to apprehend or kill a target will result in the walking catastrophe within to let loose. All she has is a hammer, and she's causing this level of property damage without breaking a sweat.]

Hatsu glared. "[I should've been asleep two hours ago, but you and that rabbit are the reason I'm still awake. What a waste of time.]" She held her hammer like a javelin and reared it back. "[Whatever. Guess I'll just have to start trying now.]"

Watora jumped back. [I need to put some space between us and parry her next attack!]

"[Burning Driver!]" Watora recoiled as Bansyou jumped him with a barrage of flaming punches to the back. Like the jaws of a mighty dragon, the flames closed in around Watora, setting him ablaze with heat so intense that even his natural resistance couldn't fully protect him.

Watora growled through the pain. [Takigawa Bansyou. The Fists of Disaster. Said to be the strongest Diggersby of the entire clan, capable of delivering an endless barrage of attacks with those powerful ears.]

"[Bury him, sis!]" Bansyou yelled.

Hatsu lined up her shot and threw her hammer like a spear, folding the air around it. Watora fought through the burning aura and swung his sheathed sword into the hammer. "[R-Raincloud Counter!]" His muscles ached from the flames, decreasing his overall power, but he barely managed to redirect the hammer into a pile of rubble.

Bansyou laughed, lunging over Watora for an aerial assault. "[Ooooh, you're actually pretty fun! Maybe not killing you won't be so bad! Burning Driver!]" He threw down a barrage of flaming punches onto the Prinplup.

Watora sneered, bracing himself against the bombardment. He cracked one eye open as Hatsu rushed him with her fist reared back. "[Raincloud Field: Blue Ocean!]" He swung his sheathed sword, causing the glowing rain to condense into a vortex around him.

Both Bansyou and Hatsu punched into this vortex and found themselves being pulled along the current. "[Huh?]"

"[Fly away!]" With a mighty swing of his sword yet again, the vortex expanded and threw both assassins in opposite directions, burying them under the rubble of their own destruction. Watora partially unsheathed his sword to absorb some of the lingering energy.

[Just a little more time, and I can end this…with my secret technique.]

Melissa groaned over a pile of debris, the flickering aura of her well-timed Purified Luster fading. She greatly reduced the damage she would've received, though reeled from the monstrous cow's kick. She cracked one eye open, catching a glimpse of the Miltank marching through the archway of ruined buildings with each step rumbling the earth.

Melissa picked herself up, clutching her side as she caught her breath. I could use Hybrid Technique, but that'll drain a chunk of my energy. Plus, the one's I've been practicing with might not be enough. She glared. In that case, I'll just have to play to my strengths.

Kiho scowled. "Still alive, Momo? You're just asking me to prolong the suffering. Fine by me!" She tensed her legs and launched ahead. "Earthen Rush!"

Melissa touched the ground. "Fabrice Style: Mud Dive!" The ground softened under her, and she vanished below the surface, dodging Kiho's titanic dropkick.

Kiho slammed her legs down, overturning the ground as she stopped, and lifted her leg. "Hiding underground just makes you an easier target!" She slammed her foot down, but the ground deformed into mud. "Huh?!" She lost her balance and faceplanted into the softened earth.

Melissa popped up behind her with her fist reeled back. Black sparks surged off her knuckles. She scowled, channeling all the rage she could, and punched Kiho in the back of the head. "Nero Style: Ebony Soul!"

Kiho blacked out for a brief second, flying over the ground and crashing through the walls of the building, toppling it down over them. Melissa weaved through the collapsing building and bounced outside, catching up with the flying Miltank.

"Again!" Melissa cracked a kick with Ebony Soul into Kiho's face, burying and dragging her head through the ground. She bounced back and produced gray goop from her clenched fists. "Shingo Style: Substitution Art!"

Kiho pulled herself out of the ground and looked up as Melissa created two clones of herself on each side. They landed and dashed off through the pathway of wreckage. Kiho growled, rolling onto her feet. "Cheap trick! Earthen Quake!" She bounced forward, curling herself into a ball, and bounced after the three Buneary.

Melissa looked back as the mad Miltank ricocheted off the houses and buildings, each bounce sending violent tremors that tore apart the barely standing structures. To her dismay, Kiho locked onto her and bounced in her direction.

"Lambert Style: Trick Switch!" With a clap of her hands, she switched places with one of her clones, letting it take the hit. Kiho's vibrational form smashed and pinned the clone to the ground, tearing it apart into the very goo that created it before bouncing after the remaining pair. "She's brutal!"

"I've seen every trick in the book, little thief!" Kiho roared, her voice distorting within her spinning form. "Did you honestly think after all these years of managing these weaklings, I couldn't handle a trickster like you?!" Her rage seemed to make her bounce with greater vigor. She decimated anything that she bounced off of, reducing it to dust.

Melissa backflipped through the air. "Itzal Style: Shadow Stalker!" She dove into the shadow of her clone, who focused on staying ahead of the mad cow.

Kiho bounced off a corner and slipped out of sight. The clone mistakenly looked back in the confusion, allowing Kiho to get in front of it. She uncurled herself and snatched the clone by the neck. She threw it to the ground and slammed her foot down on its head, dispersing it back into grayish goop.

However…

"Tank Style—" Melissa jettisoned out of the shadow, her psychic shield shaking from the energy stored within. She collapsed and molded it around her fist. "Forge's Retaliation!" She punched Kiho in the face, releasing a powerful explosion back at her.

Kiho dug her heels in and tanked the blast. She came to a stop, scowling with only a partially singed face. "Is that all?!"

Melissa shrieked. How tough is she?! She's taking all these hits and just getting angrier! It's almost like she can't feel pain!

"[Whoooooa! Oh yeah, this is definitely worth missing sleep over!]" Melissa's looked up in alarm as dozens of Takigawa had clambered over the barely intact rooftops, staring down at the arena of wreckage. Shion stomped her hooves down. "[Alright everyone, start placing bets! Looks like we've got a lively one!]"

Kiho growled at them. "[What the hell are you idiots doing here?!]"

Kohaku emerged from the crowd. "[Big Sis Kiho, me next! I want to fight to the death next! Come on, let me kill you! Or Momo! Let me kill someone! I'll even kill Sakura!]"

"[I'm not even fighting!]" the Galarian Ponyta yelled.

Melissa winced. "Oh no…"

Ao glared. "[What's all this about? Isn't this a little excessive even for you, Kiho?]"

Kiho scowled before pointing at Melissa. "[Why don't you ask the spy?]"

Melissa grimaced, feeling the sudden shift in the air as all eyes turned on her. She didn't quite get the impression they were staring at her with malicious intent, but it was clear by the confusion and dryness they wore that she wasn't getting any help from them.

"[Momo's a spy?]" Hibiki muttered. "[Wait, so is that why she's been speaking westerner this whole time?]"

Sakura nodded sagely. "[It makes a certain deal of sense in hindsight. Guess we never bothered to really question her over it.]"

Ouki frowned. "[Someone actually had the gall to sneak into the Takigawa Clan? For what purpose?]"

"…" Midori's expression was unreadable as she glared at the helpless bunny.

Melissa nervously held up her hands. "H-Hey. You guys, come on. Not like this. We're family, right?"

"…" Kiho scowled at the younger Takigawa. "[What do you idiots have to say about it?]"

"…" Ao sighed and crossed his arms. "You should know by now, Momo. We Takigawa only look after ourselves."

Melissa grimaced. "Oh no…"

Hibiki groaned. "[Well, that sucks. I was beginning to like you, too.]" She shrugged. "[Oh well, what did I expect? I don't even like half these jerks.]"

Shion stepped back. "[I knew there was something off about you. Can't trust anyone! Not even your own—AH!]" She bucked a Takigawa who was standing too close behind her. "[Personal space!]"

Kohaku blinked. "[I'm confused. Do I get to fight or what?]"

Melissa backed away. "Come on, not like this. Surely not all of you want to see me killed."

"…" Midori crossed her arms and looked away.

Ouki glared. "You're an invader of our hometown. There's no mercy for outsiders here."

Melissa trembled, feeling the rising bloodlust in the air. "Please—"

"Oh, don't look so down, Momo! Or whatever your name is!" Anko popped up onto the roof, slamming her easel down. "Why, I finally get to see your true colors! Now, resume the fighting! I will immortalize you with my latest masterpiece!"

Kiho scowled, stepping forward and cracking her knuckles. "Well, that settles that. Was that your little plan? Thought you could turn us against each other?"

"…" Melissa clenched her fists.

"Here's a life lesson for you, brat: we're the Takigawa. This is a clan run by fear and death. This isn't the west where you can solve all your problems with hugs and rainbows." She smirked. "Once Lady Amano takes control of the empire, the entirety of the west will soon find itself again in the cusps of war. We'll trample everything until all land is under our control. That is the way of the Takigawa: to dominate the weak and seize everything we desire."

"…" Melissa growled. "I pity you…"

Kiho frowned. "Eh?"

"With your strength and integrity, you could've been an amazing older sister who nurtured them into their best selves." She turned and scowled at the Miltank. "Your father turned you into a monster, and you have the gall to revel in that name."

Kiho scoffed. "The bunny can bite."

"But after the monsters I've faced getting here…" Melissa whipped out her multi-hilt and ignited it with Jason's Plasma Cutter Z-Strike. "What's one more to the list?"

"…" Kiho smirked. "Finally getting serious?"

"No. I've always been serious. I'm just in a bad mood now." She gripped the sword in both hands. "Lucky you."

"Tch. Pay attention, brats!" Kiho yelled, getting into her stance. "Let me show you why the name Takigawa must always be upheld. Defiant little pests like her need to be put in their place."

Melissa scowled. "Shut up and fight."

"With pleasure!"

A trail of devastation washed over the town as Watora skirted past the throes of death. Skipping backwards with his Raincloud Booster, he evaded the tidal wave of malice as Hatsu gave chase, demolishing anything that stood in her way. Buildings toppled to the ground with a single blow from her hammer, raining debris over the street for Watora to dodge by the skin of his teeth.

Hatsu fired Electroweb from her fingertips and slung herself ahead, catching up with the speedy Prinplup. "[Die.]"

"[Raincloud Counter!]" Watora met her attack with a counterstrike, deflecting its titanic power into the ground. The street ripped apart under his feet, throwing off his balance. He flew backward, stabbing his sword into the ground to catch himself.

Bansyou leapt out of the dust, hurtling over Hatsu with his ears wreathed in fire. "[Burning Driver!]" He unleashed a barrage of punches as he descended upon the samurai.

"[Raincloud Field: Blue Sky!]" Watora gathered the aquatic aura out of the air and fired back with a slash wave. It swept Bansyou back, extinguishing the flames.

The Diggersby flipped backward, digging his ears through the street to catch him. He then raised one of his ears, letting Hatsu jump onto it. "[Catapult Driver!]" He reared his back and threw Hatsu ahead.

"[Raincloud—]" Before Watora could counterattack, Hatsu fired Electroweb and flung herself around him instead. "[Huh?]"

Hatsu fired out more webbing as she landed, coiling and building tension around her hammer. "[Stronger Arrow.]" She released, firing her hammer with the same ludicrous speed as before.

"[—Counter!]" Acting in the nick of time, Watora struck the high-speed weapon and redirected its power away from himself, sending it careening through the wreckage behind him.

"[Break.]" Hatsu bulked up and charged the Prinplup, catching him off guard. She grabbed him by the face and buried his head through the ground.

"AAAAHHHH!" Watora cried.

She pulled him out and threw his limp body toward Bansyou, who swung his ice-covered ear. "[Glacial Driver!]" He cracked his frozen ear across Watora's back, shattering his helmet and pieces of his armor off. "[Welcome to Osorekaku, weakling!]" He trapped Watora between his ears and smashed him repeatedly into the ground. "[This is where the lesser go to die!]"

Blood dripped off Watora's face, barely able to stay conscious. He lost his sword somewhere in the confusion, laying upon the rubble. He barely had the chance to catch his breath before being slammed back into the ground, cutting up his skin little bits at a time.

Tears dripped down his face soon after.

[How disgraceful. I am the heir to the Zennami Clan, and this is how I dedicated my training? Only to lose to these barbarians? I bring dishonor on my father's name. What worthless trash, I am.] He clenched his teeth. [How dare I dishonor my clan with my weakness? I will not allow myself to fall…until I've drawn blood from these animals!]

Bansyou laughed. "[Hatsu, look! This guy's actually crying! How pathetic is that?!]"

Hatsu glared. "[Brother. Stop playing and knock him out already.]"

"[What do you think I'm doing? He has a hard head—huh?]" He froze, feeling Watora's wing pressed against his chest. "[Uh, what are you—]"

"[Raincloud Unarmed Sword.]"

Watora drove a punch into Bansyou's chest, releasing a torrent of water that sent the giant bunny flying. His body skipped and dragged through the ground, crashing through and tearing down buildings on top of him.

The moment Watora hit the ground, he activated Raincloud Booster, snatching his sword off the ground and getting behind Hatsu. She sensed an incoming attack and lifted her hammer behind herself, catching a slash.

"[Tough]" she grumbled. She spun her hammer, catching the scabbard around the head, and flipped it out of Watora's wings. She caught her hammer in both hands and reared back for an attack. Her arms bulked up as she channeled a pale white glow around the hammer. "[Rupture.]"

"[Raincloud Unarmed Sword—]" Watora channeled water around his wings and thrusted them both into Hatsu's attack. "[Counter!]"

The waves curled around Hatsu's hammer, forcing it to move according to Watora's movements. He sent it straight into the ground, allowing him to rear back his wing and land a heavy punch in Hatsu's face. The Passimian tried to endure the punch, using her hammer to anchor herself, but Watora used his technique to dislodge the hammer and send them both flying back.

She crashed around where Bansyou was, who was picking himself out of the wreckage. He massaged his bleeding head. "[Ugh, that smarts…]"

Watora collected the lingering energy into his sword and closed it. A mighty ocean of blue aura engulfed his scabbard. "[All the conditions have been met. My secret technique is ready to be unleashed.]"

Bansyou smirked. "[Oh, is that the trade secret of the Zennami Clan? Your special one-shot techniques? What makes you think it'll change anything?]"

Watora glared. "[You're about to witness the culmination of my dedication and fury. Prepare yourselves, for I won't be holding anything back.]"

Hatsu pulled herself up, lugging her hammer back over her shoulder. "[Too much talking.]" She rushed forward.

Watora drew out his sword. "[Now, Sky Clear—]"

Hatsu reached him, kicking into the hilt and forcing the blade back into its scabbard. "[Quick-draw style is useless if you can't draw your sword.]" Keeping her foot planted against the hilt, she raised her hammer overhead and swung for the head.

"[Raincloud Booster!]" Watora sped backwards, narrowly avoiding the attack. He attempted to put some distance between them and draw his sword again. "[Sky Clear—AH!]" His scabbard suddenly lurched forward, snapping it back over the blade.

Hatsu detached the Electroweb, then pulled on a bundle in her other hand. Bansyou flew over his sister, clasping his ears together and diving at Watora like an electrified drill. "[Lightning Driver!]"

"[Raincloud Counter!]" He swung his sheathed sword and redirected Bansyou toward a building. "[Raincloud Booster!]" He took off running, dashing off walls and jumping onto half-ruined rooftops.

Hatsu coiled some electric webbing around her hammer, swung it over her head like a flail, and threw it after Watora. The Prinplup barely dodged it as it chewed through the buildings with ease. He jumped off airborne debris with the grace of a Nymble and landed back on the street.

"[Now—]" He went to draw his sword again, but Hatsu instantly caught up and kicked her foot against the hilt again, keeping it in place.

"[You're a slow learner]" Hatsu mumbled.

Watora glared. "[And you're predictable.]" He grasped his weapon tightly and…drew the scabbard from the blade!

Hatsu's eyes widened at the brilliant white aura roaring off the blade, mixing with the cerulean glow coloring the environment. It resembled alabaster flames that chewed through the atmosphere overlapping with it, like a stroke of a painter's brush across a landscape painting erasing what was once preserved.

Grasping the hilt in both wings, Watora pushed Hatsu away and lunged at her. "[Apologies, but I must cut you both down!]"

Hatsu kicked off the ground, throwing herself out of his reach. Bansyou emerged from hiding, charging into the fight with electrified ears. "[Eh? What the hell's up with that—]"

Watora waited until they were both lined up. He couldn't guarantee a kill shot, but he'll make sure they were both removed from the fight. Years of grueling, backbreaking effort to develop this technique. His loyalty to the Zennami Clan given form, the symbol of his efforts to become the next lord. The honor he carried in the name of his father.

Watora's fighting style revolved around two key moves: Power Trip and Rain Dance. Whenever he used specific techniques, he would draw in the lingering essence of that attack and store it within his scabbard. As the fight progressed, the power inside would build up pressure as he forcefully contained it, creating his own storm within. He vowed never to draw his sword for anything less than absolute victory. Its blade was kept in the utmost condition, guaranteeing that its fang would be at its sharpest.

When the conditions were met, under the effects of his Raincloud Field, he crafted a slash that would cut even the weather in two.

"[This time…!]" With his feet firmly planted on the ground and all his muscles tensing up, Watora roared from the depths of his soul, swinging the sword with the vigor of a god as he leapt forward. "[Sky Clear…DIVIDE!]"

The aura spilling out from his blade scarred the cerulean aura coloring the area in a stark white. With a rising swing, his Raincloud Field split in two, its color dissipating like the dramatic drawing of theater curtains. Hatsu and Bansyou were perfectly aligned with the slash, frozen in place by the near-instant attack that blanched the world around them in a foggy white.

Then…blood was drawn.

Bansyou' left ear was torn to ribbons while the rest of his left side was lacerated with cuts, one going across his eye. Hatsu, still floating back through the air, shot a dead-eyed look at her right arm as it was severed just above the elbow, her hammer slipping from its lifeless grip. A myriad scratches covered the arm as grotesquely as her brother's own injuries.

Bansyou howled in agony, collapsing to the ground with blood pouring from his ear. He grasped the wounded ear in a desperate bid to stave off the bleeding, blind to the rest of his wounded body.

Watora slid to a stop behind the fallen duo, his blade extended and shimmering in its pristine form without a drop of blood staining it. A harsh mist hissed off the edge, the latent power it once held rattling the metal in the aftermath. Watora let out a deep sigh, a proud smile crossing his beak.

Every member of the Zennami Clan was trained with a singular purpose: to create a technique that surpassed the limits of swordsmanship. This was the results of his love for the blade and the honor he bared on his very soul.

This was the day the Zennami Clan surpassed the Takigawa Clan.

"[I win]" he whispered.

"…" Hatsu, however, craned her neck as she continued to fall toward the ground. Her eyes were devoid of light. "[Alright, and?]"

Watora turned with a start as Hatsu landed on her other hand and swung her leg. In a move he had never witnessed before, Hatsu kicked her own severed arm out of the air and sent it crashing into the samurai. It took him completely off guard, throwing him across the street and slamming him up against a wall.

"GAH!" Watora gasped. [She…kicked her own arm at me? Who does that?] He gritted his teeth. [It doesn't matter. She'll eventually bleed out, then I can focus on assisting Lady Har—]

But Watora severely underestimated the brutality of the Takigawa.

The arm convulsed to life, its fingers clamping down on his neck. Watora dropped his sword and grasped the arm in horror, wheezing as he tried to pry it off his neck. He hissed in pain as one of the fingers dug into a wound on his neck, breaking his concentration.

[R…Rigor mortis?! No, this is way too erratic! Why is her arm—]

His eyes finally caught sight of the thin electric threads coming out from the severed area. He followed them back to where Hatsu stood. She curled the threads around her fist, then whipped them back. Watora rose off the ground and flung back at the Passimian. She tightened her fist and slammed her knuckles down on Watora once he entered her range, bashing him through the broken street.

"Aaaaagh…!" Watora gasped.

Hatsu caught her severed arm and pressed it back against her upper arm. Electric threads erupted from her fingers and passed through her skin, rapidly stitching the arm back into place. They then spread across the rest of her arm, sealing up the gashes and cuts. Once secured, she grasped her wrist, staring at her once dead arm.

Soon, slight twitches came from the fingers. After giving her wrist a test flick, she reached for her hammer, which was resting on the hammerhead. She pressed her palm to the handle, twitched her fingers some more, and grasped the handle at full strength. She lifted it off the ground, spinning it over her head, and rested it back over her shoulder.

Watora looked up at her in horror. "[H-How…How is that…?]"

Hatsu grabbed him by the head and lifted him to eye level. "[You talk too much.]

BAM!

The light faded from Watora's vision soon after.

Excitement roared through the battle zone, the Takigawa cheering on the battle as Melissa and Kiho weaved in and out of their ranges with powerful attacks. Being the more agile of the two, Melissa kept her distance from Kiho's powerful stomps before lunging in with her electric blade. She dodged a swiping kick and slashed across Kiho's side, leaving a wound erupting in electricity.

Despite the speed difference, Kiho remained on the offensive, never wasting a second to hunt the speedy rabbit down. "Earthen Quake!" She rolled into a ball and catapulted after Melissa.

Melissa skipped side-to-side to build up energy and dodged Kiho's cannonball dive that chewed through the earth effortlessly. She grunted. Based on the way some of her techniques behaved, my guess is that one uses Gyro Ball and Bulldoze. The more she fights, the more messed up the terrain will get, making it harder to move around. Staying out of her range is the only way I'll get through this.

Kiho steered her rolling form around and continued the chase. Melissa firmly planted her feet down and launched high into the air, ignoring the frenetic cheers of the Takigawa nearby. She sheathed her multi-hilt and activated her Faithless Imitation.

"In that case, let's see how you like it…" She poured energy into her feet, then kicked down, propelling herself back toward the street. "Kiho Style: Earthen Meteor!"

She aimed her attack flawlessly, landing a direct strike on top of Kiho and flattening her into the ground. She bounced back before Kiho could grab her. The mad Miltank's entire face creased into a hideous scowl.

"Was that…?! That's my move!" she roared. She flexed her leg muscles and hurtled herself forward. "You damned copycat!"

Melissa winced. That wasn't nearly as strong as I hoped. Her natural strength must be incredible. She grinned nervously. Still, got what I wanted. She scooped some pebbles off the ground. "Karmic Beast!" She charged and threw the rubble into Kiho's face, briefly blinding her in the explosion.

"AGH!" She dug her heels down and stopped, rubbing her one eye. She recoiled from a heavy kick to the head with Melissa springing back into the air. "AAAAAAAAAAAA!" Kiho slammed her leg down, overturning the ground in a violent storm of debris. "Earthen Explosion!"

High-speed rock jettisoned from the ground, but Melissa cast a barrier of Abyss Cloud to protect herself. She glanced down and saw the other Takigawa vacating the explosions radius, yet seemed completely unbothered by nearly being chewed up in the blast.

"[Damn, I haven't seen Kiho get this mad in ages! It's a lot funnier when it's someone else!]" Shion commented.

Kohaku whined. "[This isn't fair! I want to fight Big Sis Kiho and Momo!]"

Melissa winced. Did that time together…really mean nothing to them? The brief wave of sadness passed. She shook her head and glared. No. Just focus on surviving. Take out Kiho, then…figure out how to get out of town.

Kiho stamped the ground, dislodging a chunk of earth. She lifted it over her head, shouting, "DIE, YOU WORTHLESS SPY!" She threw the earth straight at the airborne bunny.

Meliss collapsed the Abyss Cloud barrier and dove toward the flying boulder. "Fabrice Style: Mud Dive!" She punched straight through, forming a pathway of mud and flying out the other end. "Sidney Style—" Heat flowed up to her hands and extended into the shape of superheated energy claws. "Fangs of Groudon!"

Kiho threw a rising kick and countered Melissa's dive attack. "Earthen Quake!" She locked her leg around the energy claws and threw herself into a tight spin, pulling Melissa down and slamming her full force into the ground.

…only for Melissa to collapse into a pile of goo. Even the energy claws collapsed fell apart.

Kiho gasped. "A clone—GAH!"

Having sent a clone ahead of her when diving into the boulder, Melissa dove onto the distracted Miltank with a heavy Mega Kick. "Here's the real one!" Activating Fangs of Groudon, she jumped back and slashed into Kiho's back, burning through her uniform and scarring her back in heat.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" Kiho roared with ballistic rage. She spun and swung a kick at Melissa, but she flew back too fast to reach. Still, with the momentum of her swing, she redirected her heel into the ground. "Earthen Collapse!" Similarly to her Earthen Explosion, her attack sent forth a pathway of erupting earth, chasing the fleeing Buneary.

"Frediano Style—" The superheated claws vanished and changed into malleable, dark ice claws. "Dark Frostbite Claws!" She stretched the claws, slamming the ground and throwing herself upward to avoid the attack. She meshed the claws into a jagged cluster and fired icicles at Kiho.

Kiho barreled through the ice even as it exploded against her. Not even the frost extending over her body could slow her down as she merely shattered it from the force of her own rampage. She launched into the air and swung her leg into Melissa's icicle cannons, shattering it from her hands.

"Got you!" She grabbed and twisted Melissa's shirt into her grip, but Melissa one-upped her by grappling her arm with her limbs. "Huh?"

"Brooklyn Style—" She kicked the air, creating a burst of air that propelled them both toward the ground. "Ascending Gale!"

With the winds at her control, Melissa twisted them both around and cushioned the impact with Kiho's body. Melissa tried to flee, but Kiho still had a death grip over her. She quickly activated Purified Luster as Kiho landed a heavy kick into her side, throwing her down the street.

"Abyss Cloud!" She switched to the dark clouds and formed a hovering cushion to catch herself. She dropped to her feet, panting heavily. She grabbed her side, knowing a nasty bruise awaited her in the morning.

Sakura was hurriedly jotting notes down, a scroll laying flat on her perch and a brush clenched between her teeth. "[Incredible stuff. The rumors were true. A Buneary who can switch between multiple different techniques. If she survives this, I must note everything for the future.]"

Anko frantically slathered paint over her canvas, laughing maniacally. "[This is some of my best work yet! Come on, Momo! Don't die too soon!]"

Hibiki grimaced. "[This is almost rough to watch.]"

"…" Midori hugged herself tighter.

Ouki glared. "[To think there was someone so gifted walking among us without being noticed.]"

Melissa's ears drooped a bit, not sensing any concern for her. She sighed. It is what it is. She glared and raised her fists toward Kiho, who pulled herself out of the ground. I'm barely able to catch my breath, but she's still going. She hasn't slowed down one bit.

Kiho wiped some blood off her lip. "Damn brat."

Melissa scowled. "You won't stop us from leaving. Once Watora finishes off those other two, we're—"

CRASH!

Her eyes widened as Watora's body flew over the wreckage and landed on Kiho's side of the battlefield. Emerging over the wreckage were Hatsu and Bansyou, the latter hanging onto his sister as he limped along. His left ear was missing, yet his body also appeared to be covered in burns that resembled stitchwork.

Hatsu dropped her brother and knelt before Kiho. "[Target captured.]"

"…" Kiho smirked at Melissa. "What was that you were saying?"

Melissa trembled, her eyes locking onto Watora's motionless form. "Wa…Watora…"

Kiho cracked her knuckles. "I'll admit, you're tough, but you look like you could collapse any minute yourself. Me? I'm still raring to go, and so are they." Hatsu lifted her hammer over her shoulder while Bansyou pushed himself up with his remaining ear. "So, little bunny, what's the plan? Save your friend? Or save yourself?"

It was an obvious choice for Melissa, but one she couldn't grapple with. Of course she wouldn't flee with Watora in their clutches. But how was she going to contend with three Takigawa when one was already proving to be a challenge? On top of that, what was stopping the spectating group from chasing after her?

How was she going to get out of this?

Kiho smirked and stepped forward. "[Alright, let's kill this little—]"

"[That's…far enough, madame~!]"

Melissa's eyes widened, the familiar cadence striking a chord in her memory. She and the Takigawa looked around for the source of the voice before turning their eyes to an unoccupied pillar of a ruined building. Perched atop the unstable structure…

"Basil!" Melissa cried.

The Salandit grinned, standing atop the pillar and giving a fanciful bow. "I'm afraid I'll have to intervene with this little contest of wills. I've seen enough." He leaned forward, causing the pillar to tilt with him. He remained perfectly balanced as it fell before skipping off and landing on the street between both parties. He dusted off his coat. "My, my, no class~."

Melissa smiled. "Basil! I knew you were here! You came to help me!"

Kiho scowled. "And who the hell are you?"

Basil grinned. "Oh, my apologies. I believe Miss Reika was the one hosting my stay here." He bowed to the mad cow. "I am Basil, and I am the formal messenger of Last Autumn."

"…" For a brief moment, Melissa forgot everything that led up to her being here, and now she was hearing it from the Salandit himself. For a moment, she truly believed Basil to be her friend arriving to make a dramatic rescue in his usual fashion, but the reality she tried to ignore reared its ugly head back at her. "Basil…"

"Your lord father expected my arrival to make sure everything was up to code for my master's arrival. However, I see you've…caused quite a bit of damage." Basil tutted in disappointment. "Oh, this won't reflect well on his arrival."

Kiho sneered, but settled herself. "Why are you intervening?"

He grinned. "Call it a favor from one ally to another. After all, the Takigawa Clan and Last Autumn are allies. Allow me to dispose of this pest myself and preserve your town's integrity. Allow me this, and I'll make sure my master doesn't think poorly of this rather crude example of your clan's power."

"…" Kiho stepped back and shrugged. "Alright. Show us what you got."

Melissa stepped back, trembling. "B-Basil…?"

He turned and faced Melissa, that usual trickster grin of his suddenly looking sinister to the bunny. He drew a dagger from his coat, twirling it masterfully before flourishing it in her direction.

"Oh Harlow, I thought I taught you better than that. Didn't you know you're not supposed to trust the words of a trickster~?"