“Once you return to the swamp camp get everyone prepared if they’re not already, 

I may or may not call for a ‘big move’

Depending on how things go for me.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me with you chief.”

“Not this time Natsu, 

They’ll think it’s easier dealing with myself alone,”

“Just don’t make any decisions that will shame us more than you have already.”

“Yes, elder Shiki…”

And with that the small army of warriors from Bakufu leave the great city of Wu Tang barring their chief Aki, who stays behind,

A dim streak of colors breaks into the horizon as the morning rebirths itself out the night

Aki pays the beautiful sight no mind as she turns back into the imperial castle, 

“Brave of you to stay here alone.” Sza who has been following closely behind the woman, says,

“I’m not afraid or intimidated by any of you,

Not in the slightest,”

“So I’ve heard, Tonbo has a foolishly cocky leader,” 

“Is your emperor ready to speak or is he still in hiding?” Aki replies uninterested in carrying any conversation with the woman

“The emperor will see you when he is ready,”

“Nah,

I am not a guest or his underling, he will see me now,”

“You will wait or be tossed out.” Sza cracks her knuckles

“I promise you will get humiliated in your own castle if you think I can be bullied.” Aki steps right into the woman’s face 

“Get out of my–”

“–The emperor will see you now.” Rae-kwon suddenly steps between the two women

“Lucky.” Grunts Aki brushing her shoulder across Sza’s hard before stomping off into the castle….

…..

…..

…..

…..

“How sure are you he’ll even use the ring again MM?”

“He has to eventually,  just keep a close eye on the lantern just in case,

Rza and Gza are getting ready to head to Furlheim city….”

“Take him down right now!” the chiefs voice booms throughout the spacious throne room not a few seconds after she enters it

“Now!”

Hanging directly over the throne like a trophy is Shiryu’s lifeless body 

On the seat sits the Humanfaced slaughterer, or by his birth name, Cash 

Aside him stands clan member Method Man or MM, who stares unpleasantly at the loud woman

“Are those really the first words you say to your emperor.” MM jeers

“My emperor?

Don’t, just don’t ,

My nation is independent I, we answer to no one besides ourselves,” Aki fiercely spats

“It’s fine she doesn’t have to address me as her emperor,” Cash stands pacing slowly up to the chief 

“If this is supposed to intimidate me save your energy,

I saw your ass get dropped through the roof of his very castle in beaten pulp,” Aki pushes herself up into the emperor’s face undauntedly 

“Let Shiryu down or I might give you an even worse beating,”

“You look very much like your father Aki” Cash breathes on her eyes making the girl step slightly back

“His face is a part of my collection,

Do you want to see–

Nnghh–I see I hit an emotion.” The emperor clutches his now bleeding shoulder

Aki had swiped a dagger new his neck the moment he uttered words of her father

“Hey! 

Get this woman–”

“Its alright MM, I saw the slash coming and could easily have dodged,

You know I don’t mind shedding a little of my own blood.” 

“Do what I say or I will do more than shed it.” Threatens Aki

“Why?

Don’t you think you’re being ungrateful now?

You came here to get your old man, and we graciously obliged, now you have the audacity to demand me my prey?” presses the emperor haughtily as he goes back to his throne which he sits

“You didn’t give me back Shiki out of graciousness first of all you abducted him,

And secondly, I know how your thirty six chambers works, 

You can only hold one person, you swapped out the old man for Shiryu.”

“Shall I repeat my question” Cash exhales grabbing a black lantern hanging by the throne the emperor caresses the light producing object and asks:

“Why?

The old man is one of yours, but that thing isn’t 

What exactly does this beast mean to you?”

“That thing is a very powerful creature, one that could create an even more powerful requiem when it dies,” Aki’s fierceness simmers down now as she speaks in monotone

“Shiryu, doesn’t mean anything to me, but his power is something I would never let be left alone in the hands of the Wu Tang,

You think I’m foolish enough to leave his kind of power with my greatest enemies?”

“You state that so confidently, while standing before my throne

In my castle

In my city

In my nation

Under my rule” Cash warns with a lustful murderous tone

“Like I keep saying, save the intimidation tactics for someone else,

You and I are going to settle this with an official duel,

Same rules as always to the death,

Only this time I want Shiryu when I win,”

“Huh

Ha

Hahah

Hahhah” the emperor chuckles

“Duel she says,

Ok, 

We’ll do this the official wa–”

–buuuvvvvshhhhhkll!!!

“Shit!

I told you there was gonna be an ambush!”

Out of nowhere a black bursts out of the lantern held by the emperor

And in it three very familiar individuals,

“Look, Shiryu is right there!” Claude scrambles up

“Oh thank Murdoc my luck, Aki is here.” Rejoices Pinoki spotting the woman,

“Paralysis showers!”

Amelia immediately casts her rain upon the entire room barring Aki and her companions

All bodies slump down except the emperor who stands up unaffected surprisingly still stoic in demeanour

“Rain magic huh.” His face becoming featureless 

“Pinoki, Claude?” Aki starts to say but…

GYYUHNK!

Amelia ragdolls across the throne room, her head collides against a wall with a violent bump

“Rain magic would be tiresome to deal with,” drawls the slaughterer shedding his gown, body now transforming it’s state from it’s usual imposing size,

The killers chest sinks in flat, shoulders become slimmer and less muscular while his legs muscle up to perfection bulging of veins and

“Amelia!” Claude rushes to his sister while Pinoki snatches up Shiryu’s body with his shadows

“I will have to explain later chief Aki!” he says

“Come and get Amelia Pinoki!” cries Claude, 

“Her head is bleeding bad,”

“Shit, I didn’t think this would happ–whoah!”

Pinoki ducks into his shadow just narrowly missing an axe-like leg swing for his head

“I suppose we’ll have that duel now then!” Aki rushes at the man without a face

Gushhhkk!

His hands burst open of blood becoming spikes he thrusts at his opponent

“hyuh!”

Aki slides under attempting cut his massive legs

“Mmph!”

The man leaps up avoiding 

“blood rain needles!”

He sends a downpour of projectiles at the woman who–

“Aghn!”

–doesn’t manage to avoid most of the spikes

“I’ve already figured you out Aki,

This battle won’t go on for long,

You biggest strength is your agility, how fast you move and how light you are on and off your feet,

That’s why I configured my body in the best way to out speed you,

For the rest of you,

Entering my throne room un prohibited is a crime warranting death.”

“Ahhhhhhh! You will pay for hurting my sister!” charges Claude

“Your are so very intense.”

GYUNCHK!!

Cash leaps into Claude thrusting his foot on the boy’s face burying his skull on the floor

Jeeshkk!

“Don’t ever turn from me in a fight!” 

Aki seizes the opportunity and runs a short sword down the back of the man his blood sprays out like a clogged hose

Shhuhkkk!

“When will you learn?” 

The blood out his back instantly form into spikes impaling the girl in the gut–

–No

Poof!

The woman disperses into a cloud of gas, 

Toxic gas that sinks into the open back of the slaughterer

“You are strong, I will not lie” he grimaces as his skin turns purple and organs rapidly failing

*sllashhh!♪*

Cash cuts his own head off before the poisonous gas could reach his brain, 

Immediately more flesh begins bulging out his throat forming a brand new body 

“We are perfect opponents, you and I, 

Me, a requiem that augment my body parts, and my magic to control my own blood 

You a requiem that turns your body into gas and magic that can produce just that,

Rock vs paper,

It’s very clear which of us is which…”

“You are not human.” Aki’s body reforms out the gas,

“You’re right,

I’m better,

I am–”

DUNNCKKSHH!

A sudden fist rockets into the man’s face pile driving it straight through the floor

“How many times do we have to teach you a lesson old man!” the hand digs back down yanking Cash’s face out of the crushed stone

“You…

Who, how did you get in here?” his stoic tone cracks into shock 

“I’ve been here this entire time,” a smooth voice coos out

“You were talking about rock vs paper, yet you forgot that it’s scissors that beats paper correct emperor?”

“….” Cash grits his teeth, his ability does not allow him to feel physical pain so the attack didn’t hurt him but..

His eyes lock with the black bloodthirsty pupils of his attacker who grins sharp-toothed smile

“Blood magic you have,

I like it, 

You see I’m a vampire, Dracula is the name and I’d love a taste of you emperor Cash”