Act 11 Voodoo Child 13

Maria, then, sits atop her pile of corpses thanking everyone for waiting. Ban, Ginji and Himiko are a bit suprised. Ban (suprise suprise) is angry at Akabane. Who says; "We need her power to fight against the Voodooists, don't we?". Ginji starts to protest (stop with thine damn women-are-weak crap or i'll whip you, boy!) but Ban says something about how witches fight against the Voodooists. He then says that Maria is wearing "Death robes" which are worn when someone is staking their life for something. Ginji does his usual "i'm shocked" expression. Ban goes on about how Maria was the Witch Queen's right-hand (wo)man and how she was feared by the Voodooists and called the "Death Star". "[That is] the real Maria Noches." Ban tells us. Now we see the train station lined with fighters. An announcement tells everyone the train to the Infernal Dome is arriving at the station and will be departing in 3 minutes and all fighters should board soon. Himiko asks if that is really the train to the Infernal Dome. Akabane replies it is and it is a "phantom train" running on lines which are not mapped. Then Ginji comments there are lots of scary people on the platform. Akabane says of course because those who have arrived at the platform have survived the "preliminary eliminations". He then tells us that the train itself is a further "survival game" (read the Katakana and weep, people). Importantly, he explains that if one member of the team (of 5) is lost the whole team will be disqualified. Maria chirps in "This is so tense!" To which Ban asks why she came. Maria replies that Akabane asked her. Ban seems none too pleased and Akabane just lays on the polite "It's my pleasure and thankyou for coming blah blah..." Then some bizarre stuff is said. "So, what do you think? Have you looked into the Doctor's [this is what Maria calls Akabane curiously enough]eyes?" Maria asks Ban. "What?" is his reply. "Whether it is possible to clear the trials" she says, "The tough competitors in the Infernal Dome will fight until the last one remains alive..." Akabane then goes on about how Ban's "battle sense" is instinctive, and how his speed, power and ablilty to read others movements will be useful. Ban, cocky as ever, says he knows all this. But Akabane cuts in; "These competitors have something more. He [referring to Ban] doesn't have experience fighting seriously." [What he means by seriously is fighting to the death.] "As it is now, it will be difficult to survive to the last against those tough competitors, won't it." [This whole exchange is really wierd. All this time Akabane is seemingly talking to Maria, but it is extremely odd to refer to someone in your presence as "him".] In any case, Ban is pissed off but Maria says she agrees. Ginji and Himiko are also a bit miffed. But fear not, Maria tells them, I will teach you. It seems she means to teach them how to "give everything in a fight". But anyway it's time to board the train. Maria's thoughts now are interesting. She is thinking about Ban and how he must become even stronger and it is possible that he will lose his life in this fight. Now these next lines fascinated me; "In the auditorium of the Infernal Dome "that power" will surely appear..."Our child" of battle will come to see that he is no different...Ban, watch and learn well everything that Maria Noches has to offer in battle." Oh and there's that announcer again informing everyone that the train is now leaving and fighters should get aboard. Akabane further informs us that the "final heats" will occur within the train. "How cunning!" Ginji exclaims [I suddenly have a mental image of him lovingly stroking a turnip and telling a Ban in tights he has a plan...] but Maria says it's not cunning, there just aren't any rules and so it's just the strong preying on the weak. "Well, then..." Akabane announces. "Shall we go? The final heats have begun" and they enter a train full of people with very big knives and insane grins.
Onto what the Fuuga lot are up to. It seems they are still fighting their way into the station. "Don't fall behind!" a slighly crazed looking Kazuki cries. "What's up with Kazuki?!" Juubei says. Toshiki says he remembers why Kazuki was called the "Terrible Prince" back in the [Fuuga] Era. Juubei laments at how he can't see Kazuki now; "It's a pity I can't see that brave man..." he says. More beating people up then Sakura is there doing her Peacock Cloth thing. Kazuki praises her techniques which Sakura accepts modestly then asks "What about "him"?" "It's alright," Kazuki replies, "The "Red Thread" will not fail us". Then there is some lovely group bonding as the team take time out of their death matches to have a chat. Kazuki tells Sakura not to call him "sama" [Lord]. "Right now I want revenge on the one who burnt my family," he says, "I'm really sorry I got you all involved in this..." "You needn't say that, Kazuki," Juubei says, "We are one...True companions gathered beneath the Fuuga banner." A bit more love from Toshiki and then from Sakura; "We are now as before, something which has not changed." Even under Raitei, she says, they did not forget Fuuga. "The bond between us has not changed," she finishes. Kazuki is touched. Then it's that announcer again informing us that the doors of the train are closing. They go into the station, saying that perhaps "he" went ahead of them but "he" is not in the station. The doors are closing...oh no!...but then strings appear and from the door appears "Toufuuin Saizou", the fifth member of Fuuga whom Kazuki earlier referred to as the "Red Thread" and who we know from earlier chapters as being in fact the "Black Thread"- the one upon whom Kazuki seeks revenge! And there it ends.