Akuma laughed again. "So you're another weak fighter come to die by my hands? I shall crush all eventually, but you can be first in line." The arrival of someone obviously knowing his reputation was extremely discomforting. If he thought he had a chance before, he hated to think what he was capable now.

'Hmph... another fighter with an ego the size of his ass. Sigh...' Remy thought. Sure Akuma was famous, but it was most likely any rumors of his being flew over Remy's head. "I don't care about winning or losing. You just disgust me. Careless fools who call themselves warriors." Remy swung his fist downwards. "Are you going to fight me? Is that all you have in life to go on? Fighting? Then go!"

"I'd run, boy. You're in over your head. Don't make me knock your teeth in to prove a point." Akuma cracked his knuckles for good measure, then spat into Remy's face. His stance was that of power and intimidation, despite what he felt inside.

Remy simply wiped the spit off of his face with that same disgusted glare. "Are you trying to make yourself look bad or fill a - as you say - fighter's ego?"

Akuma glanced around. A large crowd had gathered, observing this situation. Dammit! He couldn't submit. No amount of slaughter would repair that blow. But neither did he wish to risk defeat, especially before so many people.

Akuma shoved Remy, who stumbled back a couple feet then regained his stance. "I've proved myself defeating more vermin then you'll ever know." Akuma snarled, staring at Remy with at least as much intensity.

The Frenchman realized that this man was stalling for time. What was he trying to prove? No matter. For whatever reasons this Akuma was trying to buy time for, he deserved nothing less to see the error of his ways. He flicked his hand backwards, summoning up a simple wave of energy, then flinging it high as a sonic wave projectile.

Akuma brought his elbows up to his face, grunting as the force of the wave knocked him back a couple inches. So, he would have to fight anyway. No matter. Hurt or not, he was still Akuma the Demon.

Flaring with hellish energy that cracked the ground below him and caused the crowd to step backwards in awe, he tensed every pore of his body while arcing his hands in front of him at Remy, who merely arched an eyebrow at Akuma. 'OK... Come on, one shot!' Akuma prayed.

"SHOOORYUUUUOKEN!!" Akuma yelled, and a flash of intense hellfire blasted across the ground towards Remy.

Remy jumped back but the range wasn't as he expected. He let out a cry as the hellfire lifted him from the ground and tore through his jacket, shredding it open. He held one foot behind him and skidded to a halt. He brushed stray blue locks from his face at the same time his jacket fell loose. He wore nothing underneath - his slim torso was open to the world.

Japanese are not used to such things and some stared while others shielded their eyes.

"Yah!" Remy threw another sonic wave - this time low, then hopped forward for a low sweep.

Akuma raised his arms again, grunting as it connected. This time unaware of Remy's attack, Akuma was struck once in the ankle by Remy's double sweep kick, which caused him to limp to one side. The second sweep threw his feet out, and he slammed upon the cold ground wincing in pain.

Hrrm. That shouldn't of hurt so much. Getting up and dusting himself off, he smiled at Remy. "You indeed are no backwater fighter. But it's not enough." In a blur, Remy watched as Akuma began moving so fast that he was barely visible.

He kept his eye on him, and watched as he moved behind him. But suddenly the trail of images vanished, and he turned around to see Akuma charging towards him, both his fists glowing. "Gou Shouryuu Ken!" he snarled, unleashing his hellfire combo upon Remy. Please hit.. he thought to himself.

One-two-three. Remy felt burning scorch across his skin.

One-two-three. Akuma misjudged his range and shoved Remy back a bit too far. Akuma crouched, ready for another and possibly final uppercut. Those three stings were nothing but reminders that the next three would be out of his range.

Parry-parry-parry. The last few hits were easily swatted away. As Akuma sailed back down, Remy grabbed the dark warrior by the gi and hit him three times - a quick single handed hammerfist, a knee bash and finally a rising palm strike to send him away. Remy clutched the side of his jacket, breathing heavily. Damn... this warrior appeared not at full strength somehow, but his hits hurt. All the more reason to teach him a lesson.

Akuma stumbled back, losing his footing and falling backwards to land on his rear. He was panting, clutching his stomach. Was he previously wounded?

Akuma got to his feet, albeit slower this time. He got into a defensive stance, preparing for Remy's next advance. He was noticeably panting, and his offense was abated. For now.

Remy wasted no time. He hopped slightly in the air, then flew at Akuma with an outstretched leg - his Cold Blue kick, jabbed Akuma twice in the knees, then raised his body upwards in a flip kick that connected cleanly with Akuma's jaw. When Remy landed, he saw Akuma was desperate.

Akuma stumbled back, rubbing his chin with his arm. Remy's attacks didn't hurt that much, but if he got another blow to his stomach he'd be in trouble. So, he decided to end it now.

Akuma glowed, flaring with untold concentrations of whirling energy. Remy cocked his eyes, confused. What attack was this? Suddenly, Akuma snapped out of immediate vision, reappearing behind him.

Remy looked around, a slight look of shock crossing his features as Akuma reached out to grab him. He remembered seeing this move once: The Shun Goku Satsu. But instead of grappling on, Akuma winced in pain, slumping to his knees. Ack... Akuma thought. His stomach had been ripped open.

Surprised, Remy jumped back while snapkicking outwards, connecting with his face while knocking Akuma back onto his hindquarters. He noticed a blood stain upon his black sash....

Remy smirked at the smitten warrior. "Have you had enough?"

In response, Akuma stumbled to his feet, wincing in agony. "I won't stop until your sundered body is left dying at my feet."

He then made a half-heartened attempt at a Shoryuken, flaring with energy while screaming in agony. It went flying off center and struck one of the bystanders who shrieked in pain as she fell dying to the ground.

"Why don't you warriors learn?!" Remy cried in a fit of anger. One crouch was all he needed to launch his Supreme Rising Rage Flash... Remy then leapt through the air, preparing a series of flash kicks that would most likely cripple Akuma. But that would at least prevent his rampages through the lands. Glaring mid air, he made eye contact with the stumbling Akuma, his eyes flashing with fear as his body stood proud like a warriors.

As he began to snap out to strike Akuma, a roaring white flash struck him literally mid air, ripping the remainder of his jacket off while hurling him back with more force then he can recall. Tumbling head over heels a good twenty feet, he struck the concrete wall near the loading Bay of the train station.

Coughing up a light mist of blood, he peered out from one eye to see an oddly attired individual, donned in a white robe with gray leather armor. He grasped a long brown staff, topped with a 5 point star. He smiled cheerfully at Remy, lightly tapping the ground with his staff causing a pleasant jingle to emanate from the many rings attached to it. His eyes where closed. He had struck Remy without looking.

"My, Akuma, you sure are getting rather sloppy. Consider this a freebie." He laughed, a pleasant sound. Akuma looked shocked, mouthing out the word 'Tokorou"

His bare skin touched the air. His paleness, his slender frame - a night being that finally caught a glimpse of the sun. Rubbing his arms, he glared. What was this? Another pathetic warrior in league with this one? Interrupting a match so the wounded one cannot fight his own battles. Pathetic. Sigh.

"So, you are Remy." Tokorou laughed. "Picking on poor, wounded fighters are we? Care to square off against me? Oh wait, nono, you need *incentive* to fight. You don't like confrontations. Well, how will this do?"

He turned away from Akuma, staring directly at Remy. Still smiling, he aimed his staff. At the bystanders. "We can't have anyone spreading the word of how Akuma has lost, can we?" A few of them tried to flee, running screaming.

Out of nowhere, a flash of fire ripped through the entrance to the train station, uprooting massive chunks of concrete while sending charcoaled flesh and chunks of debris flying. Akuma was knocked head over heels, struck by the brunt of the explosion's shockwave.

Remy had brought his arms up to shield his eyes. Before the hellfire slaughtered the bystanders, he had made eye contact with Tokorou. Tokorou's eyes were blood red. No pupil. No retina. A solid, unearthly glowing red.

Only one thought crossed Remy's mind. "Are you a Darkstalker?"

Tokorou laughed. "Now now, you shouldn't go about asking such personal questions."

Tapping his staff upon the ground, a jingle went through the area once again. "Do you accept my challenge, or would you rather die alone and unknown in this desolate station?"

"Step aside. My business is with him in the back, not you." Remy declared coldly with a nudge of his head. Among the blazing fires, Tokorou could detect a faint outline of wings from Remy's back...

Tokorou smiled, his eyes still closed. He knew now. He could finish this at any second if he wanted to now. But that is no fun.

Akuma managed to get upright. Wincing, he glared at Tokorou. This was his fight. He HATED it when people interfered. Growling lowly, he attempted to get onto his feet.

"Come now, weak fighter. Come to your doom like so many others." Tokorou twirled his staff, which jingled pleasantly while he laughed.

Remy's anger burst like the flames that surrounded him. "Don't you dare associate me with you freaks of nature!" And he set forth a pair of Light of Virtues - one high and one that curved low.

Tokorou slashed out twice with his rod, connecting with each of the attacks and causing them to harmlessly dissipate into formless nothing. "You have the rage of the warrior. Perhaps your association with them caused you to become one." Tokorou laughed again.

"Don't you DARE call me that! You have no idea what I've been through! What you warriors have done to me!!" Remy let loose another low Light of Virtue, then leapt in the air for a spinning elbow strike.

Tokorou struck out again, striking the light and deflecting it. He leapt into the air so fast he was beyond a blur, that he disappeared. Remy landed upon his feet, panting while looking around. Suddenly he felt a piercing flash of pain, pain that flowed through his being. He slumped to the ground; his right arm hung limp to his side.

Tokorou had appeared behind him and struck him a disabling blow. He laughed. "So hypocritical of someone with skills such as you declining to be a warrior."

"Aahh.... I...." His rage... his anger... but the pain... disabling...

'Why was I ever taught to fight? Father, why did you ever teach me to fight? Did you think I wanted to be like you? Did you? DID YOU?! Your path... damn you... DAMN YOU...!'

Remy struggled to move but found his body paining. He couldn't stand, let alone hold himself upwards. "Warrior... why... I hate...I never want to be..."

'Sister...'

"Like you..."

'I'm sorry.'

Tokorou laughed again. "Sorry, young Remy." His staff began to glow blindingly bright, flaring with a pureness beyond the sun, beyond comprehension. "But I cannot allow you to survive."

He leveled the staff at the collapsed Remy. "May you die with warrior's honor." A smirk crossed his face, a cruel smirk that also seemed vaguely familiar to Remy.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!" Akuma had leapt at Tokorou, who glanced at him unamused. Akuma then grasped his arms, and unleashed the Shun Goku Satsu, striking with blows so fast they could not be seen.

All of which were expertly blocked by Tokorou's staff. "You fool, Akuma. Do not interfere." He jabbed Akuma with his staff, who roared in pain and fell back, screaming as his skin vaporized.

He turned back to Remy, who had snapped out of his stupor, and launched one final Light of Virtue. Tokorou smiled, beginning to strike out with his glowing white staff; which was instead grasped by Akuma, who ignored the pain to his hands.

Tokorou was able to mouth out 'NO' before he was struck, and flew backwards. The staff was ripped from Akuma's hand; Tokorou then struck the concrete wall, which cracked and kicked up a frenzy of gray-brown dust. Akuma fell to one knee, panting and looking at his eye confused.

I didn't want to do this twice...' But Remy had no choice. He swung his arm upwards, enveloping himself in an invisible cloak and vanished.

Akuma panted, stumbling to his feet. His hand, his stomach; the attack Tokorou was going to use was not based on heat. There was no heat at all; so why did it vaporize his skin like that? Why?

A mysterious jingle seemed to emanate from everywhere. The dust immediately was dissipated by an unforeseen blast of a light zephyr. Tokorou was standing in the middle, the tell tale smile of his gone from his face.

"I do not appreciate your interference, Akuma." Tokorou stated firmly, his voice oddly serious.

"Don't you DARE say that to me, after what you did, humiliating me!!" Akuma snarled, attempting to stand up but falling over onto his face.

Tokorou's solemn looked was unabated. "I was protecting your reputation. Nobody who witnessed the fight remains alive." He gestured towards the crater near the train station. He was right.

"Why did you help me anyway? WHY do you care about my reputation??" Akuma demanded. He was beginning to be angered by Tokorou.

Tokorou's smile returned. "I believe I already answered one question for you." Tokorou then walked towards the fallen Akuma.

"Wa... wait. At least tell me what attack you where going to use on me! What was it?? WHAT?" He got to his knees, grunting in pain. Tokorou stopped, well within attacking distance of Akuma.

Smiling, Tokorou tapped Akuma in the stomach and the hand with his staff. His wounds reknitted, his hand regrew. He was completely healed in a second.

Tokorou winked, smiling. "It's a secret." A flash of white light, and Tokorou was gone.

Akuma managed to get to his feet. He was as good as new. Many people where looking now, complete fear on their faces. He would be seen as the annihilator of dozens of innocents. The crusher of foes. His reputation of fear has grown, not diminished. And with it came many new challengers as well.

Akuma walked towards the crater, and people gasped and ran off as fast as they could. He smiled. He didn't care anymore. Once again, he was Akuma the Demon.