Akeno rushed outside of the house just in time to see the limo drive off with Takashi inside. She was distraught and didn't know what to do. Was Takashi really going to marry Lunar? Akeno could't tell for sure but she knew someone that might be able to give her some kind of answers or at least point her in the right direction in terms of what to do next. Meanwhile Edomae and Lunar took Takashi to the main house of the Edomae family which was under the sea. Takashi, however, got a special place just for him in nearby stone structure. It was a cave surrounded by water with a lone rock for him to rest until the preparations for the ceremony were made. While he was there Takashi was kept under constant surveillance along with a constant way of keeping him grounded. Every time he came close to regaining consciousness Edomae's men were ready to rise up and gas him back to sleep. It became necessary since it was made clear to Edomae that Takashi would sooner fight to the death, rather than raise Lunar. He kept a close eye on him as Takashi slept. Back at Takashi's house, Sun was keeping Takashi's parents calm while Akeno was on the phone with her boss.
Yoshino: Akeno, babe what's up? You never call.
Akeno: Sir, Takashi was taken by the Edomae family.
Yoshino: He what?!
Akeno: Their leader dragged him out of the house! Takashi wasn't even conscious and Edomae wants to force him to marry Lunar!
Yoshino: That's really not good.
Akeno: Is there anything you can do?
Yoshino: Yes, but I'm not going to.
Akeno: What?!!
Yoshino: Look I'm gonna explain the situation now. Edomae has always been a man that does his own thing so I don't mess with his things and he doesn't mess with mine. It's how our relationship works. I could go to war with the family and win but how many of my own will be lost in the process? Takashi is a good kid but he isn't worth the trouble.
Akeno: B-but.......but he.......
Akeno's hands were shaking, sweating and Yoshino could hear the quivering in her voice. She was on the verge of breaking down.
Yoshino: There is something that you can do but the chances of you actually walking out alive are not high at all.
Akeno: What is it?
Yoshino: You can go and fight for him.
Akeno: Alone?
Yoshino: Told you your chances of surviving weren't high. On top of that you would need to declare this as an action of your own volition so that Edomae doesn't try to come for me.
Akeno: I'm one going against an army.
Yoshino: Worst case scenario, and the likely one, you die but who knows, maybe you won't.
Akeno: There's no way I'm surviving a fight like that.
Yoshino: So I guess Takashi has a new wife. Should I expect your return soon?
It was then that Akeno hung up the phone.
Yoshino: Looks like I said the magic words. Best part is that whether she succeeds or fails in the end, I win.
Akeno walked past the living room where Sun was still working on keeping Takashi's mother in the right state of mind. She quickly walked up the stairs to her room and quickly went to the closet. As she opened the door and moved her clothes aside she pulled out her katana as well as a blade that was much larger, a massive broadsword with a special handle but the blade was covered in cloth and rope. As Akeno examined the blade she held it in her hands with a strong sense of doubt for the power that this blade possessed she had never been able to awaken. The sword itself didn't even see her as worthy to allow her to remove the cover on the blade but if there was anything that gave her a chance against Edomae, it rested with this blade. Akeno then heard the front door of the house open and rushed down to check who had arrived. She found herself surprised to see that it was the Seto family, Gozaburo, Ren, Masa, and Fujishiro with Maki on his shoulder.
Akeno: Why did you come here?
Ren: Sun called, she told us what happened.
Sun: I thought we would need help to get him back.
Gozaburo: Not sure why we can't just let the maggot get hitched to Edomae's little girl.
The response was meant with a strong left hand to Gozaburo's face from Ren.
Ren: Did you try contacting Yoshino to see what he could do.
Akeno: I did........he isn't willing to do anything. Said Takashi wasn't worth the men he would lose if he were to go to war with Edomae.
Masa: He couldn't offer any advice on what could be done.
Akeno: He gave me permission to go on a suicide rescue mission.
Ren: Rescue mission?
Akeno: I go in alone and somehow get Takashi out of there.
Ren: You're not actually thinking about attempting that are you.
Maki: I'm assuming that's why she brought out the big boy over there.
Maki referred to the massive sword that Akeno strapped to her back.
Gozaburo: Word is though, you never managed to use that thing.
Akeno: No better time to prove everyone wrong.
Sun: Well even if it doesn't work we still have your back.
Akeno: Thanks but I decline.
Sun: What?!
Akeno: Yoshino has men that can rival the strongest armies but casualties would still be heavy against the Edomaes. If you start a clan war for my sake it will be a bloodbath on both sides.
Ren: So exactly what do you expect us to do?
Akeno: Get me inside and enjoy the wedding. It's gonna be a show.
Ren: You're worrying me with this Akeno.
Akeno: I am too.
The Edomae family took their time to prepare the ceremony as well as taking their precautions to make sure that the groom didn't trash the wedding. Before he was placed in the traditional robe Edomae injected him with a drug meant to keep him awake but too drowsy to actually use his body and certainly not his powers. The Seto family received their invitation to the wedding and as requested, Akeno tagged along as a hidden plus one. It was being held at the Edomae family's personal estate located somewhere at the bottom of the ocean. The Seto family arrived trying to act casual but none of them could hide their disgust at what was about to take place. Akeno was hiding behind Gozaburo and Fujishiro and when she saw an opportunity she broke away from the group and wandered the halls of the estate looking for something that could give her an edge. It didn't seem like that was going to be possible as the place was crawling with guards but that still provided Akeno with a method of leveling the playing field. She proceeded to eliminate the guards one by one while being careful not to give away her position or cause some kind of alarm to sound off. However, there was only so much she could do with the limited amount of time. The ceremony could begin at any minute and the building was too massive to take out every guard in every single section. So, once Akeno assumed that she got the body count down to at least thirty percent, she decided it was time to head to the ceremony which had already begun. The room was wide with the Seto family kneeling on the left side of the room, the Edomae family on the right and in the center was the bride, the groom and the priest running the ceremony. Takashi was still drugged out of his mind and was basically staring off into space. Lunar's expression was blank, almost like she didn't know what she should feel but the time came in the ceremony where the bride and groom would each drink a cup of sake. Lunar drank hers with ease and priest began to pour Takashi's into his mouth but then a katana flew past the priest's head shocking him in fear forcing him to drop the bowl causing it to shatter on the ground. Everyone's eyes were on where the katana came from and that led them to a whole in the front door of the room and it wasn't long before Akeno simply walked in.
Akeno: I'm not that good with flashy entrances and one-liners so this is the best you're getting.
Lunar: So you came after all.
Akeno:Wouldn't miss it for the world.
For a moment all eyes were on Akeno until Edomae stood up and stepped in front of Akeno, blocking her path to Takashi.
Edomae: Has Yoshino declared war on my family?
Akeno: Do you think I would be alone if he did? This isn't about him. This is about you letting Takashi go.
Edomae: And you plan to take him back by yourself?
Akeno: I wouldn't go as far as to say I planned it but yeah.
Edomae grunted under his breath before he balled his hand into a fist and threw it full force toward Akeno who slid under it and ran straight toward Takashi and Lunar. She launched herself forward and dropkicked the priest sending him crashing to the wall causing Lunar to crawl away quickly in fear. Akeno grabbed on to Takashi's shoulders and was relieved to have him in her arms again.
Akeno: Takashi, I'm here to get you out.
She shook him to try and get a response but all she got in return was a blank stare from his lifeless eyes.
Akeno: What did they do to you.
Then like a raging rhino, Edomae came from behind Takashi so Akeno pushed Takashi to the side and rolled the opposite direction so Edomae would send himself crashing through a wall. Akeno wanted to take Takashi and run but they wouldn't get far. This wasn't something they were escaping without fighting so she quickly grabbed her katana from the wall and stood waiting for Edomae's next move which came quickly. Edomae lunged at Akeno again but this time Akeno jumped over him. Edomae then stopped his charge and turn to throw a flurry of swings at Akeno and she was barely dodging by the skin of her teeth but eventually Akeno managed to find and opportunity to get in close. She dashed to Edomae's side after dodging one of his punches and swung her sword at his arm but Edomae flexed and, as if the blade made contact with titanium, it shattered on impact. Akeno was left staring at her shattered blade but Edomae gave her no time to mourn and threw a swift kick to her side. Akeno manage to use the blade strapped to her back as a shield but she was still sent flying and crashed through multiple walls.
Edomae: Wake up the priest, once I have dealt with this nuisance we will continue the ceremony.
Everyone watched as Edomae walked away to finish off Akeno but Lunar and Sun both met eyes for a second and then those eyes moved toward Takashi who was still stuck in limbo for the most part but there was a slight twitch of his hand. Meanwhile Edomae found Akeno lying on a pile of rubble, bleeding from her forehead and barely moving.
Edomae: You're bravery should be applauded but you let your emotions cloud your judgement.
The sound of Edomae's voice caused Akeno to wake up but the pain made getting to her feet a struggle.
Edomae: Nobody stands against the Edomae family and lives to tell about it.
??????: HEY ASSHOLE!!!!
The voice that had called out was one that was too familiar to everyone in the building as Edomae turned around to face an old contender.
Takashi: GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!!!
Takashi roared and let his neon power rip through the building but he still had the collar on his neck meaning just using his powers was causing him immense pain that he couldn't ignore forever but he could do it long enough to dash into Edomae;s face with his arm stretched back as far as it can go. The two of them looked into each other's eyes, Edomae could see the blood dripping from Takashi's lips and his eyes.
Takashi: NEON SMASH!!!!
Every ounce of power, fury and rage that Takashi had was channeled into that one punch that drove Edomae into the ground and made the roof cave in on top of them. Everyone rushed to the scene to check if they were ok and when the dust settled they saw Akeno desperately trying to dig Takashi out. She managed to find his arm and with that she pulled out the rest of his body from beneath the rubble. Takashi was unconscious again and was bleeding from multiple places on his body as a result of using his powers with the collar around his neck. Akeno held him in her arms and it actually seemed like maybe they had won but quickly her expression changed. It became clear that Akeno took too much time as she was surrounded by members of the Edomae family, all armed with guns and ready to fire. To make matters worse would be Edomae himself erupting from beneath the rubbly with nothing more than a bruise on his lip.
Edomae: Are you finished or do you still have some kind of trick up your sleeve?
Akeno had just one and she didn't even know if it would work. She removed her sword from her back and took off the cloth, placing her hand on the sheath of the blade she tried to draw the sword but it didn't budge. She continued to struggle but the sword would remain in it's sheath and Akeno's final hope was exhausted.
Edomae: Seems you have nothing left. Kill her.
Edomae's men were ready to fire on Akeno. She knew from there that it was going to be the end.
Lunar: STOP!!! PUT THE GUNS DOWN!!!
The men obeyed Lunar's command without hesitation and pointed their guns toward the ground.
Edomae: What is wrong Lunar?
Lunar: This is far from what I wanted.
Edomae: Did you not want him to be yours?
Lunar: It doesn't mean anything if he didn't choose to be with me! You saw what he did when you first put that collar around his neck, he'd rather die than marry me and all you've done is pushed him further away.
Edomae: I just wanted to make you happy Lunar.
Lunar: You can't force the world to bend to your will for me.......and some things I need to do on my own otherwise they don't mean anything.
Edomae: Then what do you want me to do?
Lunar: Take the damn collar off! Take him and Akeno back home and don't interfere like this ever again!
Edomae: Understood.
Edomae removed the collar from Takashi's neck while Akeno and Lunar locked eyes with each other.
Akeno: Thank you.
Lunar: I didn't do it for you. He would be miserable if he was forced to be with me like that.
Akeno: You really do care about him.
Lunar: I do, so don't think I'm just gonna let you have him. I'll prove that I'm better than you in every way.
Akeno: Of course. But again, thank you.
Lunar: No problem.
The Seto family helped Takashi and Akeno get home. Akeno took Takashi up to his room in the attic while Sun informed his mother of everything that happened. She was relieved and was able to rest easy while Akeno set up Takashi's bed in the attic. When she was finished she played Takashi down on top of her lap and covered him in a blanket. She then watched him sleep. He was peaceful and when Akeno gently placed her hand on his forehead, he moved closer toward her. Akeno wanted to feel joy for just having him back but the only thing that she could feel was humiliation.
Akeno:I was useless. I fought so hard only to be saved by you again, all because I can't live up to the legacy of those who came before me, those who were able to wield that sword.
Akeno covered her face as tears began to stream from her eyes.
Akeno: I'm too.......weak.