Falling Leaves 38 ??

  Behind Danya, Akuji dodges L'automne's attacks. She throws charged kicks, using her staff to summon leaves to try to trap Akuji in a cyclone.

  Soleli's eyes glow green, her wings sprouted. Vines continue to burst through the wooden floor.

  Akuji cuts through them with his blade. L'automne fires another kick. Akuji ducks, instantly rushing towards Soleli.

  "Can't have you trapping me again! So sorry it's time to die!" He says, preparing to slash his blade.

  Soleli gasps. In the moment, L'automne uses her staff to fire another cyclone at Akuji.

  It hits, blowing both of them forward.

  "Tch!" Akuji grunts.

  Peter runs to Kiyoko, picking her up as the chaos unfolds.

  The vibrations from Mothpéra who's now back standing, attacking Danya, course through his body.

  He looks down at Kiyoko who's still crying. "You're going to be okay! I got you!"

  He holds onto her tight, trying to find a way out. He looks at both the open walls on both sides of the room.

  "Shit! I have nowhere to go!" He grunts.

  He tries to pull the vines out of Kiyoko but they're too sturdy.

  "Fuck!" He grabs his hair. "AUGH WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO!"

  Mothpéra fires a barrage of super sonic punches towards Danya. She dodges and weaves most of them, the vibrations causing her ear drums to strain each time a punch passes her face.

  Her ears start to bleed. She finds an opening, lunging at Mothpéra's torso, slashing at it.

  At the last second, Mothpéra jumps back. Danya stomps her foot down, lunging once more.

  Mothpéra rips her entire cloak off, revealing meaty furry skin.

  She flaps her wings, blasting a wave of sound towards Danya before she could reach her.

  "Shit!" Danya grunts as the wave hits her, sending her flying back. Her entire body rings, her vision starts to double.

  She rolls back on the ground from the knockback.

  She transfers Sanguine energy into her blade once more. It starts to glow. She smiles. "Bye!" She says gleefully, aiming for one of the visions of Mothpéra. She slashes the blade down as it fires a wave of crimson energy towards her.

  Mothpéra crosses her arms. The wave approaches her, making contact, blasting through the wall behind her.

  Another giant hole appears in the throne room. Danya looks back at Akuji still fighting.

  "Love youuu!" She shouts as she then chases Mothpéra outside.

  Back at Akuji's battle, he grabs Soleli by the neck, squeezing her.

  "GRUHH!" She chokes. He rushes away from L'automne. "Hey, how about you take this back!"

  "Huh?!" L'automne says in shock. Akuji swings Soleli's body as a weapon, crashing into L'automne, sending them flying out the hole beside them.

  "Heh—- guess I'll give chase too. I do need my revenge." He cracks his knuckles, stretching.

  "Hey Reaper, mind helping us here!" Peter shouts.

  "Eh?" Akuji grunts, looking at him and Kiyoko.

  "Kiyoko!" He shouts, rushing towards her, slashing the vines around her.

  Kiyoko coughs, catching her breath. "T-thank you—-"

  Akuji grins. "Just glad you're alive—-" he says softly.

  He then turns to Peter, his tone changing back to aggressive.

  "You! Stay here and protect her! If you don't, I'll make sure I'll kill you next!" He shouts, jumping out the hole, chasing Soleli and L'automne.

  "Tch, wow what a nice guy—-" Peter mutters to himself.

  As L'automne and Soleli fall, they notice Akuji crashing down towards them.

  "Soleli, check on L'abeille! I can handle him!" L'automne says, summoning her staff back into her hand.

  Soleli nods, spreading her wings, flying towards Ari and L'abeille.

  L'automne smirks. "It's just me and you now handsome—-" She swings her staff. A cyclone of leaves propels her upwards towards Akuji.

  "Oh I'm not falling for this again!" Akuji says, stabbing his blade into the bark of the tree as he falls, stopping his momentum.

  He curls his legs, positioning himself sideways.

  L'automne propels towards him. Akuji watches closely.

  The moment she reaches him, only inches away, he lets go, firing a powerful kick against her face at the perfect time.

  Blood leaks out of her as she's sent crashing down to the ground.

  "Heh!" Akuji chuckles, pulling the blade from the bark, going back to falling.

  As L'automne falls, she wipes the blood from her face. Her face begins to heat up.

  "He—- he hit me—-" She mutters.

  "It hurt—- it really—- hurt—-"

  "I'LL DESTROY YOU!" She screams, summoning another cyclone. This time the leaves all shine different colors: yellow, brown and red.

  Energy beams fire from the leaves upwards at Akuji.

  "Oh great, this again! I can't dodge midair, damn it!" He says to himself.

  "Oh what the hell!" He dives into the beams, slashing and blocking the ones he can with his sword.

  "Focus! Focus!" He repeats to himself.

  Some of the beams graze his skin, causing blood to leak out.

  The beams start to dissolve as he notices L'automne charging at him once more.

  She reaches him, landing a kick in his ribcage, the force of it leaving a dent from the blow.

  His eyes roll back as he spits up blood. It lands on her face.

  She quickly wraps her legs around him, leaning up to face him, summoning more cyclones to propel them in the air.

  Akuji's pupils return. He grits his teeth, clenching his blade.

  "Oh, look how close we are! Your blood is mixed with my blood on my face right now!" L'automne says, smiling unhinged.

  "Don't think I didn't see how that red-haired girl kissed you—- That's Le Démon écarlate, wasn't it?"

  She chuckles. "How about we kiss to seal the deal between us, my blood and your blood mixed together in our mouths!"

  "Ugh! Get off you freak!" Akuji yells.

  He headbutts her causing more blood to leak out her nose. He grabs his sword and takes the opportunity to slash at her arms.

  "AUGH!" She shouts in pain as blood

  sprays out.

  Her legs loosen around him. He takes this chance to fire a kick to her chest.

  As she falls Akuji notices an opening. "There—- I'll kill her now!" He aims his blade for her chest.

  He dives forward launching himself towards her.

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  The moment his sword is about to strike, a red leaf appears, stopping his blade as it emits ripples throughout her entire body, healing her wounds.

  Another cyclone then hits Akuji, propelling him back further into the air.

  "Can this wind piss off!" He yells. As he makes it back to the hole, he moves quickly inside of it before he gets launched further into the air.

  He lays on his back, catching his breath. Peter and Kiyoko watch him.

  "Akuji!" Kiyoko yells, rushing towards him.

  "Stay back! She's not done-" he tries to say, but L'automne appears, kicking his body across the room.

  "L'ange, you're still caring for this man?" L'automne scoffs.

  "He's quite the heartbreaker, isn't he? He broke Ma Grandeur, you, and now he's even playing with my heart."

  She wipes the blood from her face, flicking her wrist as it splatters on the ground. "All from kissing Le Démon écarlate—-"

  Kiyoko grits her teeth, steps forward towards L'automne.

  Peter grabs her quick. "Hey! No! She's way too strong for you."

  "I don't care! Let me at her! I need to shut her up!"

  L'automne smirks, looking down at Kiyoko. "Adorable—-"

  "Kiyoko—-" Akuji calls out, standing up, pointing his blade at L'automne.

  Kiyoko turns to him. "Y-yes—-"

  "Just be quiet here. This is my battle." Akuji says back.

  "Ouuu—-" L'automne blushes. "How I just love that look on your face! So focused, so determined!"

  She smiles widely. "So driven to kill me!"

  "Auughhh" she moans. "It's so, so, so sexy!"

  "I never met a man like this befo-"

  "Shut the hell up and fight! I don't give a damn what you've seen!" Akuji yells, stomping his foot down.

  Wind blows fiercely outside. The entire area starts to shake.

  L'automne turns around, looking out the hole. "Is that?"

  Outside on the ground, Danya and Mothpéra continue to battle. Mothpéra fires more beams of sound waves. Danya avoids them. She fires waves of Sanguine towards Mothpéra, trying to find an opening.

  The shaking persists. They both stumble.

  "Now what?! I'm having a perfectly good fight here!" Danya says, pouting.

  Mothpéra looks up at the giant pink flower that towers over the refuge.

  "Malika—-" she whispers to herself.

  In the refuge where the spirits live, an area filled with mushroom houses.

  Ari and L'abeille clash. Ari moves like a flow of water, attacking L'abeille from all directions. L'abeille can only react in a split second.

  They crash into houses, destroying the homes of the other spirits. All the other spirits scream and run away.

  "MALIKA SAVE US! SAVE US PLEASE!" The spirits pray and shout.

  Ari's sword and L'abeille's stinger claws lock mid-air.

  "I should have killed you when I had the chance! It's my fault you're still walking!" L'abeille hisses.

  "I could say the same about you! But I do need my rematch! You caught me injured last time, silly bee!" Ari says back, chuckling.

  "Don't worry, I'll give you the same fate you've given other spirits who rejected your bullshit of Malika's love."

  L'abeille's eyes widen. "Watch your tongue!" They both unlock, flying back.

  The quaking persists. L'abeille and Ari both look up at the flower.

  Ari's ears twitch. "What is going on?"

  "Malika—- are you finally—- are you awakening!" L'abeille says in pure glee.

  Soleli, flying towards Ari and L'abeille, looks up at the flower as well.

  "So it's time—- we have to clean this up before she awakes—-"

  Soleli's eyes begin to glow a deep green once more. Her cloak rips apart, revealing a white dress with orange insides.

  Her wings glow orange and blue. Her orange hair flows in the air. She holds out her palms. Three large apparitions of butterflies made of energy appear.

  "Go—-" she whispers.

  The three of them scatter towards the Belles.

  First, L'abeille—the green butterfly reaches her. It lands on her skin, seeping into it.

  L'abeille's eyes widen. Green energy radiates from her body.

  Ari raises an eyebrow, watching as a vine sprouts from the ground, swarming L'abeille, encasing her in a cocoon.

  Back at Mothpéra and Danya, the green butterfly lands on Mothpéra's back as she flies in the air. "Hm?" she hums.

  The butterfly seeps into her skin. It glows green as vines start to cover her as well.

  Danya lets out a sharp sigh. "Can we just get this over with already? Stop with the theatrics!"

  In the throne room, a butterfly flies into one of the holes, entering. Kiyoko and Peter watch.

  "What is that!" Peter shouts.

  Akuji, clashing his blade with L'automne's staff, turns to it.

  It lands on L'automne's back. Green light shines off her. Vines surround her.

  "Tch!" Akuji sucks his teeth, jumping back away from her.

  "Still trying to trap me? Not working!" He says.

  L'automne grins as the vines start to enclose around her. "No~ We won't tie you up this time."

  "Huh?" Akuji hums as green light seeps from L'automne's cocoon.

  Back at the refuge, Soleli floats above L'abeille and Ari.

  "Métamorphose!" She shouts. Simultaneously, all the Belles' cocoons shine a bright green light.

  L'abeille's cocoon bursts open, the vines shooting off her. Ari slashes her sword down, cutting one in half before it makes contact with her.

  Ari points her sword at her, looking at her new form.

  "Now what are you?" She asks.

  L'abeille steps forward. Her hair is now longer, flowing down her back. Her antennae are golden.

  A crown of golden honey sits on her head. Her exoskeleton is now yellow and white instead of black. She wears a bushy white fur collar around her neck with a red gem in the middle, and two white fur bracelets surround her wrists, adorned with miniature red gems.

  She now has a giant wasp tail behind her, the stinger made of pure energy. Her wings glow a translucent gold.

  Soleli lands next to her. "Behold the splendor of Reine Abeille, Deuxième Forme!" She says, spreading her arms.

  "The very last thing you see. Savor it while you can."

  L'abeille smirks, looking down at her palm. Her stingers are sharper.

  "Soleli, always the one for making grand entrances."

  "Merci." She says, holding out her hand. Goo of honey swarms her palm, forming into a royal staff.

  Ari gets into stance, bending her knees. Water particles surround her, her golden eyes dilating.

  They both sit at a standstill for a moment. L'abeille smiles, blinking.

  They both instantly charge at each other.

  Back at Danya's battle in front of the giant tree, Mothpéra bursts out of the vines.

  "La Mort en Soie—-" she sings, her voice echoing through the area.

  The green light remains shining around her body. She descends to the ground, the vines falling with her.

  Her size shrinks. The light starts to dissipate, revealing an entirely new appearance.

  One of a small girl, with pure white short hair, two large snow white moth wings, pale skin, with large black pupils.

  Her arms are covered with white fluff, as are her hands—fluff that looks like pom-poms.

  She bows as if she's in theater. "Aria." She sings to herself.

  "What? The moth is now a child? Not the strangest thing I've seen." Danya says.

  She sighs. "I've seen stranger things—- I guess."

  Mothpéra raises her head, clearing her throat.

  "? démon écarlate! Porteur de péchés que même l'enfer a refusés, Ton nom souille les étoiles! Ton souffle noircit l'aube!" She sings, placing her hand on her heart.

  "Okay what?" Danya chuckles to herself, pointing her blade at Mothpéra. "Sorry, I don't understand whatever you're speaking!"

  "But I have something in my native tongue I can sing too!"

  She grins, crinkling her eyes. "Morirai qui!" She sings back.

  Mothpéra faces Danya, closing her eyes.

  "Oui, oui, excellent voice—-"

  "It's really a—-"

  "SHAME!" Mothpéra screams, sending sound waves towards Danya.

  "Ugh?!" Danya grunts, covering her ears. The waves hit her, blowing her back against the tree.

  The sound waves vibrate against the tree, sending vibrations across it.

  In the throne room, the entire room begins to shake from Mothpéra's blast.

  Akuji rushes for L'automne's cocoon. "I don't know what the hell this is! But you've made yourself an easy target!"

  He prepares to slash his sword through the cocoon. In that moment, it bursts open, sending him flying back.

  She walks out, throwing the vines off her. The green light dissipates.

  Kiyoko and Peter look in shock at her new appearance.

  Her hair is now an autumn red, no longer in braided locs but a long curly afro. Her brown skin glows. Her once pink eyes are now yellow like an autumn leaf.

  Around her neck she wears a necklace of shining leaves that rattles.

  Her cloak is now two large brown wings, reminiscent of a ladybug.

  "Bonjour, what's with all the stares." She says smugly.

  Akuji stands, gritting his teeth. "Oh great—- more bullshit—-"

  "Death Spirit, you don't like my new appearance? Mm?" She says, smiling.

  Akuji points his blade at her. "Now why would you ask me these-"

  She instantly appears behind him, wrapping her arms around him.

  "Wha-" he stutters in shock.

  "Oh thank the heavens your magic is negated here—- who knows if I'd ever have the chance to fight you fair like this—-"

  "Tch! Yeah, thank whatever deity you like for that! Because if it wasn't for your damned Cursed Backwoods, you would be dead!"

  She knees him in the back while holding him. Blood spits up from his mouth.

  "Get off him!" Kiyoko yells, pushing Peter off her.

  "Wait!" Peter shouts.

  Kiyoko rushes to L'automne.

  "Automne déclinant." L'automne mutters.

  She instantly disappears from behind Akuji. Leaves appear in front of Kiyoko as she's about to reach Akuji.

  In that moment, L'automne appears in front of her, cocking her leg back.

  "Sit back down—-" she says coldly.

  She fires a roundhouse kick at Kiyoko's neck. As it makes contact, the sound of bones cracking radiates through the room.

  Kiyoko's eyes roll back as her body is sent crashing backwards.

  "NO!" Akuji shouts.

  "Fuck, I told her not to do it!" Peter shouts.

  L'automne chuckles. "Oops, désolé. I guess I couldn't control my strength there."

  She stares at Kiyoko's body as it twitches on the ground.

  "She's still alive. Who knows for how long."

  "I've had enough of you—-" Akuji growls, clenching his blade.

  "Never in my life have I ever wanted to hurt a woman as bad as I do right now—-"

  His pupils shake, his jaw clenched.

  "I'm so flattered! I'm so, so flattered!" L'automne claps.

  Peter runs to Kiyoko's body as L'automne and Akuji stare each other down.

  He places his finger on her neck, checking her pulse. "It's faint—- but she's still with us—-"

  He turns to the two as they're about to clash.

  "I need to do something—- I need to be useful somehow—-"

  "If only I had my sword!"

  L'automne's hair sways from the wind blowing from the holes in the wall. The light from the glowing blue mushrooms shining inside highlights Akuji's violet eyes.

  L'automne licks her lips, thinking to herself. "Oh don't look at me like that with your pretty little eyes—-"

  "Ouuu, don't look—- don't look at me like that!" She starts to shake, the feeling of desire washing over her.

  "His gaze—- so focused—- so passionate—- so angry—-"

  She flicks her wrist, opening her palms. A beam of light forms into a staff. She rushes towards Akuji as he charges back.

  "Show me more! Show me moreee!" She moans.

  Danya outside dodges Mothpéra's vocal blasts.

  Mothpéra continues to scream while airborne, sending sound waves at Danya.

  Ari and Reine Abeille continue to battle in the heart of the refuge, destroying more buildings. Spirits get caught in the crossfire, either getting slashed or melted from Abeille's poisonous honey.

  A three-way death battle royale. Only one side can survive.