Act 11 Voodoo Child 16

Oh look, the announcer is introducing the contestants of the first fight.
“On the Retrieval agents of Lower Shinjuku team, the Get Backers, firstly we have our own Queen’s look-alike Lady Poison. Then, there’s the witch Maria Noches. What’s more they have the ‘Transporter of Death’, Dr. Jackal. Moreover in this team is…um….”
“The Get Backers and Charming Fellows!!”
“They are faced with the Beast Group from the centre of Mugenjou’s slum, the Beltline.”
“Der Henker!!” (I think I mentioned last chapter this means “The Hangman”.)
Ginji wonders, “What are people from the Beltline doing here?” and then we have a repeat of Ban’s little “That’s German…Could it be…” followed predictably by Akabane’s smile.
Anyway, the announcer is off again.
“Thank you for waiting, everyone! The Underground Battle Grand Prix begins!!”
Back to happy happy Kagami talking to dark shadowy Ban’s dad. He says it’s great that he’ll get to see his son fight. Ban’s dad agrees. Kagami says, “Truth is [実は American! He said it! He said it!] I’ve fought him before. But I just got a glimpse.” “Is that so?” Ban’s dad says. “He’s strong…and perhaps a genius,” Kagami goes on, “Worthy to be Der Kaiser’s, the ruler of the Beltline’s son. Though his father surpasses him.” Then Ban’s dad says something about how if he doesn’t surpass him he [Ban] will die. (Um, maybe. I’m unsure about this.) Kagami asks why, but it seems Ban’s dad doesn’t want to answer as suddenly it seems as though Kagami is being bitten on the hand by a horrible monster. He draws his hand away and there is no injury. “That was chilling, Der Kaiser,” he says and comments on his ability to imagine (he’s referring to scary things). But Ban’s dad smiles, saying that if you imagine too much, then it will become actuality.
Somewhere else in the arena Ban gets a weird feeling. Ginji asks what’s up but as ever Ban says it’s nothing, but he’s thinking he felt a bloodthirsty atmosphere but he doesn’t know what it was. Anyway, it seems Kazuki was talking to him. “Hey, are you listening?” he says, “Our opponents. The ones that come from the Beltline.” “What about them?” asks Ban in his usual moody way. Ginji says that it’s because Ban doesn’t know the horrors of the Beltline that he’s so indifferent. Ban looks none too pleased at that. But Ginji goes on that they are not human and are “fundamentally immoral”. He says they are strong, skilled and powerful but they are perverse, atrocious monsters. Well, Ban whips out that hammer of his (huh hum) and waps Ginji saying, “What’s with that childish description?!” Kazuki chimes in that Ginji’s description was accurate then goes on to tell us all about his horrific trip to the Beltline (yes, yes, we’ve all heard this story…) when he fought with their kind. He wanted to uncover the mystery of “Babylon City”, so for that he tried to pass through the Beltline. “I still dream about that time even now,” he says. Well, Ban just can’t keep his mouth shut. “Well that’s because the thread spool is weak, right?” he says. Juubei gets protective but Kazuki stops him saying that he’ll see the truth when he fights them and they are better off. Ban wonders if they are better off as Fuuga know nothing about their own opponents. Guess what, Ban does. They are likely the much-talked-about Voodooists. Ban says he doesn’t know what their aim is but Fuuga cannot oppose them. Juubei’s off on one again calling Ban an irresponsible bastard and he better not be making fun of Kazuki so let’s settle this right now… (oooh protective much). Sakura calms her wayward brother, but Toshiki then joins in and Ban’s telling them he’s be happy to beat them up… Kazuki intercedes and tells Ban not to be irresponsible as he will also get involved. Ban is unimpressed and tells Kazuki not to tell him what to do. Then I think he says something useful to Fuuga and kind of ominous, “It won’t be finished just with killing!” Kazuki walks off telling him to mind his own business but he wonders what Ban meant by that.
Anyway, the announcer is back, telling the Get Backers team to hurry up and choose a competitor (or else they’ll be executed). The announcer then says “Would a fighter from the ‘amusing fellows’ please hurry up and come forward!!” [The announcer is making fun of the name Ban gave the team “Charming Fellows” and undoubtedly their (specifically Ban’s) arguments with Fuuga.] Ban is none too pleased with the announcer’s humour. Meanwhile, Akabane is wondering how they should choose and Ginji suggests junken (paper, scissors, stone). But Maria says she’ll go first and tell Ban to watch closely. So off Maria goes, strutting her stuff. So the announcer, glad the team finally decided, introduced Maria, “the witch whose nickname was the Death Star…” Ban is, again, not happy, yelling at Maria to hang on a minute but it seems it’s already been decided and the rest of the team are surrounded by people with guns. The announcer introduces the opposing team member, from the Beltline lawless area, of the team ‘Der Henker’…but he doesn’t know his name so the announcer just calls him the mystery man. Maria however, now facing her opponent, asks him his name. Her opponent doesn’t seem to understand. “Name? What’s that?” Maria explains it’s what people call you [the verb used can also have to meaning of ‘to call (out) to’ as well as ‘to be called’]. “Call?” opponent-man says, “Aaah…I understand then. Everyone always calls me ‘help’.” “Help?” Maria says. The commentator interrupts, blabbing on with some “Who will win the first match? Who will the Goddess of Victory…no, the Queen, smile down upon…!?” Then we see Ban and Ginji. Ban says (very seriously) that they and the Fuuga lot may have been caught in “their” trap, but he doesn’t know. And now back to Maria, and readers of weak constitutions for mush I would get some tissues ready as this next part may make fluffy goo ooze from your computer screens. She’s thinking about Ban. “Ban…My cute little Ban…” she thinks, “I only lived with you for a short time but…I don’t have a husband or a boyfriend or a child so I had only one precious thing.” We then see that image of Ban’s mother saying he’s not her child, he’s a demon’s child. “After your real mother called you a demon child and scorned you, that day young Ban closed his heart.” Then Ban’s grandmother is asking Maria to take Ban in. Maria goes on, “From that time I took you in, you were naughty and a pain. And now here you are…my precious thing.” And oh if you could see the pictures! Images of lil’ Ban and Maria and they are so cute! Anyway, it’s not over yet. “I have already lived for 99 years. This life…I would not regret for your sake…giving it. Watch well, Ban. How I fight. Power and skill and even that instinct to ‘read’ an enemy will not get you through how they fight. That breath, that method- study it!!” Maria draws magic to her hand and the announcer comments that the atmosphere is choking, and in the arena both competitors face each other off, waiting for an opportunity. Even Akabane seems on edge, quietly urging Maria to make her move, Ginji is wetting himself and Ban is thinking of Maria. The enemy begins to remove his mask saying, “My name is Help.” He attacks and impales Maria through the chest with a bit pointy horn thing sticking out of his elbow. Maria looks mildly surprised. Ban screams Maria’s name, and ‘Help’ gloats, “Yes…everyone who sees me, amongst the cries as they sink down they call ‘help’, so that is my name. Now, you cry out for me too, cry help…” Now his cloak and mask are completely gone and as Maria falls, we see a face that looks like just a skull with long hair and gleaming eyes.