Shion Sonozaki/Bio & Battles

"All right, I've decided. Lets change the stage to the Fun-Fun Underground Torture Chamber."

- Shion Sonozaki

Shion Sonozaki is a 17-year girl from the prestigious Sonozaki family, a family of great influence in the small town of Hinamizawa, Japan, and a family rumored to have Yakuza connections. In the summer of 1983, she succumbs to a local disease known as the "Hinamizawa Syndrome", a disease which manifests itself in violent behavior, and eventually suicide. Higurashi takes place over multiple "parallel universes" or "arcs". While Shion makes no appearance in the first arc of the story, in most of "universes", Shion commits a number grisly murders, sometimes disguising herself as her twin, Mion, while committing her crimes. First, in the second arc of the series, Shion disguises herself as her sister Mion and kidnaps and attempts to torture and murder the protagonist of the series, a boy named Keiichi Maebara.

It is revealed in a later story arc that retells the second arc from Shion's point of view that, in addition to the attempt on Keiichi's life, she murders a young girl named Satoko Houjou, who she blames for the disappearance of her love interest, Satoko's older brother Satoshi. In fact, Satoshi was hospitalized and on life support due to advanced stages of the Hinamizawa Syndrome. In the same arc, Shion also murders her sister, Mion, her grandmother Oryou, and a girl named Rika Furude, who she drives to suicide by injecting her with an unknown substance, possibly Hinamizawa Syndrome. The motive behind these murders is that Shion views all of these people as responsible for Satoshi's disappearance.

In other arcs, Shion plays a more secondary role, in many of them being killed in the massacre of the village of Hinamizawa by the Yamainu, either by poison gas, or in one case, a gunshot fired by Miyo Takano. In the final arc, Shion aids the main cast of the series and several others in fighting against Miyo Takano and the Yamainu to expose the truth of the conspiracy behind the Hinamizawa Syndrome.

Battle vs. Leland Vanhorn (by SPARTAN 119)
Shion Sonozaki opens her eyes. Slowly the room comes into focus, she is tied to a table in the torture chamber hidden in the underground tunnel under the Sonozaki Estate. A Caucasian man with odd metal implants in his mouth and chest is standing over her, hunting knife in hand.

"Hello, Ms. Sonozaki", Leland Vanhorn said, "I have been looking forward to cutting you open for a while now", he said, waving his knife menacingly.

However, SKX wouldn't be cutting Shion open without a fight. The knots binding her to the table were loose. Shion released her self from her binds and rolled off the table, just in time to avoid SKX thrusting his knife directly into the place where she would have been moments earlier.

Shion grabbed a stun gun and a syringe of the Hinamizawa virus from on top of a blood-stained wooden crate in one corner of the chamber and dodged a swing from SKX's hunting knife and activated the stun gun, thrusting it forward. SKX, however, dodged Shion's attack and shattered the syringe with a blow from his knife. Shion quickly turned her stun gun on SKX and stunned him long enough to run across the chamber and grab a hunting knife of her own.

By the time Shion had grabbed the knife, however, SKX had recovered and threw a throwing knife at Shion, which only grazed the side of her face, though it took off part of her left ear. Furiously, Shion grabbed SKX's own knife and tried to throw it back, but SKX pulled out his M-1911 and shot the knife out of her hand.

Shion jumped behind a rack of assorted implements of torture and grabbed a Tokarev TT-33 she kept in the chamber for incidents such as these. Shion got up from the rack and fired three shots from the Tokarev, one of them hitting SKX in the shoulder. Vanhorn retaliated, shooting Shion in the lower torso, a hit that was, at least not immediately lethal. SKX then activated his sonic emitter, filling Shion's head with an excruciating pain to match the pain in her torso.

Struggling against the pain, Shion got up and fired a couple more shots from her Tokarev, one of them grazing the side of Vanhorn's face, blowing off one of the metal implants in his face and weakening the sonic emissions. Shion ran a door that lead into a long tunnel.

SKX ran after her, firing his M1911 as he went, scoring glancing hit. As Shion neared the entrance to a side chamber, a ricochet bullet from SKX's M1911 hit her foot, dropping her to the ground. Shion rolled into the side chamber. SKX got out his knife again, ready to finish off his prey.

Shion rolled into the side chamber, an armory filled with illegal arms acquired through her family's yakuza connections. Shion got up to her knees, struggling against the pain from her gunshot wounds, and reached for an AK-47 assault rifle from the nearest gunrack. She got into a kneeling position and aimed the rifle at the door, setting the weapon to full auto.

Serial Killer X walked turned into the room, armed with his M1911 in one hand and a knife in the other. He expected to find a wounded Shion lying on the floor, an easy kill. Instead, he was greeted by a hail of automatic weapons fire. A dozen rounds flew into SKX's chest and head, killing him instantly. Vanhorn fell to his knees, before falling face down on the floor.

Shion got up on her feet painfully and laughed maniacally, the sound of her laughter echoing through the tunnels under the estate.

Expert's Opinion
While SKX was larger and probably physically stronger than Shion, and might have outlasted her in melee combat, Shion's AK47 gave her a distinct advantage in range and firepower compared to SKX's handguns. While SKX's sonic emitter ability was no doubt dangerous, it is not instantly lethal, and, as proven in the Condemned games, was no match for a military-grade assault rifle.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Anton Chigurh (by SPARTAN 119)
Anton Chigurh burst into the Sonozaki estate in Hinamizawa, Remington 11-87 in hand. He has been hired to take out the Sonozaki Yakuza family.

Shion hears Chigurh kick down the door and grabs a hunting knife she had been planning to use on one Satoko Houjou, a Tokarev TT-33 pistol as well as an Ithaca 37 shotgun belonging to her uncle Kasai, and walked into the entrance foyer of the estate.

Shion peeks around the corner of the hallway leading into the foyer and spots Chigurh. Shion fires a single shot from the Ithaca, but misses Anton. Anton responds with two shots from his semi-automatic Remington 11-87, also missing Shion. Shion pumps the gun and fires again.

Shion and Anton trade shotgun blasts until Chigurh scores a hit on Shion, wounding her hand, rendering her unable to use the shotgun. Shion draws her Tokarev and fires three shots at Chigurh, one of them grazing his shoulder and another blowing the gun out of his hand.

Chigurh draws his Glock as Shion retreats into the kitchen of the estate, taking cover behind the counter. Chigurh gives chase and fires several shots at Shion with his Glock. Shion sees the bullets shoot through the counter less than a foot to her right. She can't stay her forever, she needs to get out of there.

Shion fires off the rest of her Tokarev's magazine, forcing her Chigurh to take cover as Shion runs out the back door, into the estate gardens. Shion runs across the gardens to the hidden entrance to a tunnels under the Sonozaki Estate, in a shed in the back of the gardens.

Chigurh bursts out of the back door and fires at Shion with his TEC-9 as she runs across the garden, missing her. Shion enters a shed at the back of the garden, and Chigurh gives chase.

Shion runs into the shed and grabs and AK-47 in the armory in the tunnels, even with her wounded hand, she can still support the gun, before returning to the entrance of the shed. Shion takes aim at Chigurh, some 30 meters from the entrance, and fires a burst of fully automatic fire.

Chigurh ducks behind a tree just in time to avoid the burst of 7.62mm rounds and fires another few shots with his TEC-9. Shion replies with more autofire. After a third burst of fire from Shion, she is forced to reload, and Anton seizes his chance. Chigurh fires four rounds at Shion, two of them hitting her in the stomach.

Shion falls to her knees and drops the AK as Chigurh approaches her with his captive bolt pistol. Anton kicks away Shion's Kalashnikov. Shion draws her hunting knife and slashes at Chigurh, but, in her wounded state, the blow is easily dodged by Anton, who places the captive bolt pistol against Shion's forehead and fires, sending a bolt into her brain, killing her.

Chigurh picks up Shion's AK47, figuring the rifle might be useful, and reloads it with one of the magazines Shion had in her pockets, before heading off in search of the rest of the Sonozaki family.

WINNER: Anton Chigurh

Expert's Opinion
While Shion's AK47 outclassed Chigurh's weapons considerably, Chigurh's X-Factors of killer instinct and experience allowed him to cancel out Shion's weapons advantage.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Yuno Gasai (by SPARTAN 119)
Yuno Gasai walked into the Sonozaki Estate, armed with an arsenal of weapons, convinced that she was walking into the home of a "diary holder". Yuno, however, was being watched by Shion on the security cameras that covered the estate.

Shion grabbed as many weapons as she could get carry and walked out of the security room, Tokarev TT33 in hand. Shion spotted the intruder and fired two shot as at her from the end of the hall, one of the shots grazing the side of Yuno's head, the bullet literally cutting off several locks of her hair, but not striking flesh.

Yuno drew her Smith and Wesson 37 and fired three shots, all of them missing Shion, who took cover around the corner of the hallway, before retreating into kitchen of the estate.

Yuno cautiously walked into the kitchen, only to have her revolver shot out of her hand by a round from Shion's Tokarev. The revolver's chamber was blown out as the bullet impacted. Yuno ducked around the corner and readied her crossbow.

Yuno fired the crossbow at Shion. The bolt did not hit Shion, but it did lodge in the barrel of the Tokarev, rendering the gun useless.

While Yuno reloaded, Shion drew her katana and charged at here, making a wide slice that cut the string of Yuno's crossbow. Yuno jumped backwards and drew her hatchet, blocking Shion's next attack with the handle and hitting back with a strike so powerful that it bent the katana beyond usefulness and knocked it out of Shion's hand.

Shion instead retreated back into the kitchen and grabbed a sledgehammer, which she had put down when she first entered the kitchen to engage Yuno. Shion swung the hammer in a wide horizontal arc, which Yuno dodged and returned with a downward strike with her axe.

Shion jumped back, Yuno's hatchet striking only the floor. Shion made a downward strike with the hammer, hoping to bash Yuno's head in, but Yuno blocked the blow, however, the hammer struck one of Yuno's hands, breaking a couple fingers and causing her to drop the hatchet in pain. Shion kicked the axe away and went in for the kill....

...Only to be slashed at with a kitchen knife Yuno took from a kitchen drawer, literally hacking off two of Shion's fingers.

Infuriated, Shion drew her hunting knife lunged at Yuno. The two blades clashed until both knives fell from their user's hands. Shion drew a syringe filled with the Hinamizawa virus as Yuno picked up a pair of scissors and place her fingers through the rings at the top, holding them like a punching dagger.

Yuno thrust at Shion, aiming for her eyes, as Shion went at her with the syringe. Yuno thrust the scissors through the opening for the optic nerve, into Shion's brain, the brain trauma killing her.

However, Shion managed to jab the syringe in Yuno's arm. The syringe injected the deadly Hinamizawa virus into Yuno's veins. Yuno immediately reached Level Four Hinamizawa Syndrome.

Yuno heard footsteps behind her. She turned around, and though she saw something in the shadows. Then, she felt something crawling under her skin. She looked at her arm and saw the sillhouette of what looked like some sort of parasitic worm. Yuno had get them out of her body.

Yuno picked up Shion's hunting knife and slit her wrist, seeing maggot-like creatures flow out with the blood. Yuno cut her other wrist, and then her own throat, spilling out blood as she collapsed onto floor, dead.

WINNER: TIE

Expert's Opinion
Yuno Gasai were both extremely dangerous, mentally deranged individuals armed with similar weaponry. For this reason, the battle ended in draw.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Lisbeth Salander (by SPARTAN 119)
Lisbeth Salander crept onto the grounds of the Sonozaki estate, carrying a golf club in case she needed a weapon. She was certain the Sonozaki family were the culprit behind the mysterious deaths and disappearances in the village of Hinamizawa. There had to be some sort of evidence on the property, something like that torture chamber that Martin Vanger had in his basement.

Suddenly, Lisbeth heard footsteps behind her. She turned just in time to see a girl of about 17 armed with a taser, before she felt a shock throughout her body and fell into unconciousness.

15 minutes later

Shion Sonozaki dragged the unconcious body of Lisbeth Salander into the torture chamber hidden below the Sonozaki estate. Suddenly, she felt a sudden force hit her side, she felt a sudden shock and fell to the floor.

Shion, however managed to get up from the shock of Lisbeth's taser and drew her hunting knife as she said, "I am impressed that you came too so quickly. No matter, I'll slowly cut you to pieces, and then I'll find your journalist friend..."

Shion then laughed maniacally and lunged at Lisbeth with the hunting knife. Lisbeth dodged the attack and seized a claw hammer lying on a shelf next to the door. Shion got up and slashed at Lisbeth, who blocked the blow with the handle of the hammer, before taking a swing at Shion. The blow struck Shion in the finger, not hard enough to break any bones, but nonetheless causing her to drop the knife. Shion was then forced to dodge backwards as Lisbeth took two more rapid swings at her.

Shion grabbed something of the shelf as Lisbeth stood in a defensive position. The "something" turned out to be a katana, which she swung at Lisbeth. Lisbeth attempted to block the blow, but the sword sliced right through the hammer handle.

Lisbeth jumped backwards, barely evading Shion's second attack with the sword. Desperately trying to find something to defend her self with, she looked around, and found exactly what she was looking for on a shelf next to several blood-stained daggers- A Beretta Model 92 handgun just like the one she used against those biker thugs back in Sweden.

Lisbeth turned in time to hear two gunshots ring out and feel a sharp pain in her side as one of the bullets from a Tokarev Shion had kept in the chamber hit her side, leaving a roughly two centimeter deep gash where the bullet grazed her.

Lisbeth ignored the pain, it wasn't as bad as when she was shot by Zalachenko three times, and fired three shots at Shion's legs. Two of the rounds hit, wounding her Shion's leg and causing her to crumple to floor, dropping her Tokarev as she did.

Lisbeth then grabbed Shion's illegally modified taser and pressed it against her side, the shock knocking her out cold. Lisbeth then made her way out of the torture chamber, clutching the wound in her side.

Ten minutes later, pay phone in Hinamizawa, Japan

"Your that P.I. from Sweden whose been investigating the disappearances on the night of the Watanagashi festival?", Kuraudo Ooishi of the Okinomiya Police department asked.

"Yes", Lisbeth said in broken Japanese as she sat in the back of an ambulance, a bandage now covering her wound, "I... Lisbeth Salander.... I attacked by girl near Sonozaki house... Taken to room under ground... in back woods.... I fight... escape"

The ambulance drove off as soon as Lisbeth finished giving her testimony, and Ooishi got back into his car.

15 minutes later, woods behind the Sonozaki Estate.

"Ooishi-san", Kumagai, another officer with the Okinomiya PD said, "Looks like there's some kind of trap door over here."

"That must be where that foreign woman was taken. Everyone, prepare to enter", Ooishi said as he drew his New Nambu Model 60 revolver. Kumagai opened the door, before following Ooishi and other officers in. They all had their weapons drawn as they walked own the narrow staircase.

Ooishi kicked down the door at the bottom and immediately, the officer burst in and, seconds later, yelled "CLEAR!". The room had wooden walls, and was centered around a table with restraints for holding a person on there. On the walls were racks and shelves of implements of torture- knives, nails, pincers, a spiked whip, a scythe, and most disturbing of all, a blood-stained cross with restraints on the arms. It appeared to be used recently. This was clearly some sort of torture chamber.

There were two distinct blood stains on the floor, one on either side of the table. In addition to that, there were several weapons on the floor, including a hunting knife, a hammer, a katana, and two handguns, a Beretta Model 92 and a Tokarev TT-33, as well as a few spent shell casings.

A trail of bloody footprints led into the next room. Kumagai pointed out the foot prints and led the police squad into the next room, which turned out to be a large chamber roughly hewn from the bedrock, with a number of "prison cells- depressions along the side.

"This must be where the victims were held before they were tortured and murdered", Ooishi commented.

"Sir", one of the officers said, "That trail of footprints, it seems to dead end at that well in the corner."

Ooiishi walked over to the well, flashlight in hand. A stench of decay emmenated from the well. Shining the flashlight down the well, Ooishi and the others saw exactly where the smell was coming from. At least four different bodies lay in the bottom of the well. Ooiishi was no mortician, but some of them looked like they had been killed very recently.

"Well, that confirms the theory that Sonozaki family were somehow involved in the disappearances and murders surrounding the Watanagashi festival.", Kumagai said, "But what about our perp, where did they go, there's no way out except the way we came through.

"Actually", Ooishi said, as he shone the flashlight on a series of roughly hewn steps on the wall of the well, with bloody footprints on the side to an opening in the wall half way down. "It looks like our perp went that way. Kumagai, Ooishi said, get to the surface and call CSI to take a look at these bodies, I'll take a team down and follow the trail. We might still be able to find the perp.

Ooishi holstered his sidearm and climbed down the series of footholds, followed by four other officers. On the lower floor, he drew his flashlight and aimed his pistol again, illuminating a narrow, passageway. The bloody footprints got fainter until...

"Damn", one of the officer said, "The footprints trail ends".

"Never mind that", Ooishi said, "There has to be another exit, once we find it, we can have some idea where the perp went."

"Sir", another officer said as he peered into a side room, "You might want to take a look at this..."

The side room appeared to be an armory. Inside were several handguns of various models, a few longarms including a shotgun and an AK-47, a Dragunov sniper rifle, and even an M79 Grenade Launcher.

"Kumagai", Ooishi said into his radio, "Be advised, we've got an illegal arms cache down here".

"Roger, I'll get someone down there to take the weapons into custody. Any luck with the perp?"

"Negative", Ooishi said, "Looks like they escaped through a tunnel beneath the well".

DRAW

Expert's Opinion
Lisbeth easily took the X-Factors of intelligence and mental health, but Shion took killer instinct and combat experience, resulting the the two X-Factors cancelling each other out, allowing both parties to escape, albeit with injuries.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Dexter Morgan (by BattleGames1)
Prologue

Soundtrack for this scene: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va3-PF09pXw

A chemical plant, the Everglades, 10:32pm

It was a long day's work and rest was needed. "OK, sir. You've got a meeting with the Governor tomorrow to discuss the potential future of this company and your wife has phoned in asking to bring home the groceries..." the secretary briefed Mr Tynsdale. "Ah yes, I mustn't forget those things..." Tynsdale grunted as he donned his trenchcoat. Outside the window, drips of rain were bucketting down on the swamps around him. "Do you have your umbrella here, Mabel?"

"Yes sir I do" she replied

"Good. May I duck under it to get to my vehicle?"

A clap of thunder rang out. Everything went dark. "Ah..." Tynsdale exclaimed "Well... getting out of this place shouldn't be a hassle..."

He suddenly craned his neck when he heard a sound. It was certainly unnatural but where it came from, he didn't seem to like it too much.

"Sir?" Mabel whispered.

"Get security here. Something's going on upstairs." Tynsdale beckoned his secretary, who immediately jogged out down the hallway, turning left before disappearing. Between the claps of thunder and lightning, Mr Tynsdale could only make out feet lightly tapping on the ceiling... or was it just rain?

He straightened his jacket trying to calm his nerves and soothe his heart. He looked outside and saw the rain pour incessantly, distorting the natural beauty that is the swamps. Goosebumps started to raise all over his body as if to tell him something's gone wrong. Taking his gloves off the window, Mr Tynsdale slowly crept out of his office.

The flashes of lightning were the only light source he had to rely on as he slowly made his way down the corridor. His heart started racing. Something was definitely wrong.

"Sir?" a voice rang out. "The security team has just been knocked out!"

"Mabel?" Mr Tynsdale shouted as he clutched the white wall next to him for support. His heart beated even faster, nostrils were flaring as if to signal danger.

Suddenly as the next flash of lightning struck a mysterious figure walked out into his field of vision. Like a phantom, it slowly moved towards Mr Tynsdale. In between flashes, Mr Tynsdale could make out some features of her but other than that, she was wearing a simple burglar's outfit. He collapsed to the ground in shock and anguish as the feminine figure made her way towards him.

"And Mabel's dead!" she said. Her face was now directly in front of him. A squeal escaped from his mouth as he stared into her soulless, blue eyes. He could feel her cold breath through the balaclava.

"Which leaves you..." Shion continued, a sinister tone being hinted at "...for easy pickings!"

Mr Tynsdale tried to scream but it was no use. She already placed a chloroformed cloth in his mouth leaving him blanking out.

The following morning...

Dexter stood by the stove of his kitchen, preparing his morning meal.

''They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day... I think so too... the way the meat and eggs fall into your pan and sizzle away... the flavours that burst out of nectarine juice and into your mouth... the aroma of coffee beans brewing to perfection... and the smoothness of metal that flows through your flesh and skin. Most humans don't take the time to stop and take in all these strange new delights.''

Digesting the food, Dexter closed his eyes in contemplation.

'Ring! Ring!'

''And then the phone rings... reality rushes back into your mind and then work begins. For me, that work tends to involve police coming across the scene of a murder and the Department asks me to help them.''

Upon hearing the call, Dexter drove away passing by the city and its sights.

''The places I get taken too are too ordinary... they dehumanise the soul and make humans work like machines... the yellow sun outside shines on the monotone coloured walls and the plastic objects... I do not understand why humans choose to live this existence with artifical colour clouding their minds... and yet I feel satisfied, like everything is meant to be...''

''A little variety doesn't hurt the soul when taken moderately... And today, I think I'm about to get a piece of this...''

Silverline Chemical Processing Plant, 8:32am

Dexter's car pulled up on the side of the road near a river. As soon as he got out, the stench that came from the swampy areas pentrated his nostrils which flared in disgust. With a little wince to this apparent odour, Dexter stepped out of the car. The river in front of him is serene and peaceful this morning. As the sun shines from behind it, the birds come flying out of their roosts and the stream of water moves ever so slowly.

''The Florida Everglades... home to some of nature's wildest animals... above all...''

Dexter turned around and in front of his car was the longest line of people he had ever seen.

...the media.

Paparazzos from all over the US flocked to see the terrible atrocity that happened at the Silverlines Plant. Addressing them was none other than Lieutenant LaGuerta, trying to ever be so gentle and yet so direct with the press.

"What happened here last night was a very heinous crime indeed. Vincent Tynsdale, the CEO of Silverline Industries, has indeed been kidnapped forcibly from his office. His secetary, Miss Mabel Jones, was murdered so that the kidnapper may get to him. Our hearts go out to the families of these victims..."

''Keep at it LaGuerta. Feed the machine.''

After blankly staring at LaGuerta for a few seconds, Dexter's attention was diverted to a strange-looking vehicle just near the entrance to the plant. It looked like a truck, had the parts of a truck and yet in the back, it strangely wasn't one. Coming closer to inspect this new gizmo, Dexter then got the attention of Sergeant Doakes and Detective Batista, looking as plain as ever.

"About damn you showed up Morgan!" Doakes grunted.

"Well at least the princess made it to our little ball, eh Dexter?" quipped Batista before he scruffed up Dexter's hair and patted him on the back. Doakes however was not impressed.

"So, uh, what's this thing we got here?" Dexter walked up to the boxed rear of the vehicle.

"This is the new toy that the Department lent to us. They call it a mobile crime lab..." Batista explained as he followed Dexter.

Dexter knocked his fist on the door.

''The cold metal here feels exactly like that of a prison bus. And yet strange enough it isn't a prison bus but some "mobile crime laboratory". I just don't get it with humans and their new innovations...''

A few seconds after the knocking, Vince Masuka clambered out of the door. "Dexter. Good to see you."

"Yeah nice to see you too, Vince." Dexter faked a smile of friendship as the two shook hands. "So, uh..." Dexter craned his neck to see inside this lab.

The interior of the place was furnished to look almost exactly like the forensics lab back at the station. Desks neatly arranged, the tools of the trade (microscope, computers and all) also placed conveniently close to them. Even the walls were painted white to give it that homely feel.

"...what are you doing in there?"

"What do you think?" Vince stepped back inside his new environment "Processing the evidence that has been collected at the scene, only this time a lot faster."

Dexter stepped inside and stared rather intently at the design and detail that surrounded him. So fake and yet so real. The homeliness of the mobile lab didn't seem attractive to him. Doakes and Batista stood by the door, blatantly staring inside as Vince gave Dexter a specialised tour of all the instruments within. Hearing Vince speak about forensics is like listening to a mother ranting to her child about the importance of cleanliness - the duo looked at each other in embarassment before returning their attention to Vince's speech.

"...and here is the laptop where all the data is processed. Right now I am looking a sample from the scene the other forensics team has pulled up..."

The screen on the computer flashed a bright red for a mere split-second, indicating something has gone amiss.

"What the hell?" Dexter squinted at the screen trying to read the error message.

"Oh umm... well..." Vince struggled to find the right words but instead of blurting it out, de simply dashed to the scanning machine; a sample bag containing a lone strand of hair. Nothing seemed unusual about it at first - maybe it was a green strand of fibre that fell from a wig or something. Dexter stood helplessly as Vince looked through the microscope again at his sample.

"This can't be right..." he seemed amazed at his discovery.

"Masuka!" Doakes shouted "If you're done playing f--king tour guide, I suggest Morgan come with us now."

"Whatever you say sir..." Dexter sighed as he stepped out of the lab and into the fresh open world.

Ascending the main stairs to the building, Batista explained "OK so the vic we got here is Mabel Jones, real stunner. 26 years of age, single with no kids... makes me wonder how she got the job as a secretary for someone as powerful as Mr Tynsdale."

''Yeah, it makes me wonder too... the female mind is so complex. Funny how I can understand Rita at all...''

"And our kidnapping victim?" Doakes irately asked.

"Psh. Everybody knows who Vincent Tynsdale and the Silverline Company are. Chemical engineers who work hard to improve healthcare. Now that's something I want to see..." Batista cheerily remarked. The trio have made their way past wide white metallic walls and now found themselves at the top of a staircase. Right below them was the crime scene - Mabel Jones, 26 years of age.

''Young classy female. Age 26. Hair as red as her own blood. Green eyes once filled with vigour and vitality, now cyan and iced over with death. Face chiseled to perfection....''

"Morgan? Would you mind telling us what happened?" Doakes asked. He noticed Dexter's eyes were gazed on the dead figure at the bottom of the steps.

As Batista looked at Dexter with a grin on his face, Doakes toughened up a little. "Morgan?" and soon the blood splatter analyst snapped out of his daze. "What's the matter? Got yourself a hard on?"

"Uh..." Dexter stammered.

"Just explain to us what the f--k happened." Doakes interrupted and with that, all three detectives descended the stairs, stopping just before the body.

"Well... Mabel was busy walking up these stairs..." Dexter began, first pointing to the main stairway just beside the body "then the attacker appeared behind her from there..." he then pointed to the set of steps directly in front of them "snuck up behind her and..." he descended the stairs, stooping slightly closer to the body for a thorough examination. "...slashed her neck, severing the carotid arteries instantly."

He stood back up and looked at Batista and Doakes, who didn't seem that impressed by the talk.

"Is that it?" Doakes questioned.

"Well I can also comment that the knifework here was sloppy..." Dexter explained as he tried to re-enact the scene/ "If I were doing this... then after I slashed the neck, I would've held her steady and left her lying on her back with me having a bloody hand. Instead we see this... a face down corpse soaked in a pool of blood."

"Now that's more like it, Dex." Batista commented. It was something in Dexter's explanation that seemed to stir up Doakes attention. Before he could say anything though, a voice rang out from above.

"Uh, Sergeant... we may have a problem..." Vince motioned as he leaned over the railing.

"Be right there, Masuka. Morgan, you get more photos of the scene. Batista, with me." Doakes grunted before heading off to the exit. With the shrug of his shoulders, Batista followed suit. Dexter blankly looked in their direction before returning to the task at hand.

''Another day... another chore of taking photographs. Still, the sight of death is what keeps me feeling alive...''

Dexter continued snapping photos of the scene, taking absolute care that he isn't contaminating it. Soon after, the body was taken away and everyone moves towards Mr Tynsdale's area - where to them, the real heinous crime happened. Dexter on the other hand, was done.

...

Back in my office, back in my artificially natural habitat looking at all the bits and pieces of the scene.

Dexter flicks through the numerous photos of Mabel's body and the wounds inflicted on it. Nothing he stated earlier has been refuted upon closer inspection - a single slash wound to the neck was all that the killer needed to get that (secretary) bitch out of the way.

Testimonies from the security guards turned up no leads - they described the culprit as wearing a burglar's outfit, and having eyes of a shade of blue. One of them, even though he himself was not sure, described the killer as having a feminine figure.

''To my colleagues, it seems as if the pieces don't fit together. In my mind however, they do.''

I remember seeing the face of a girl with similar attributes on the car trip back.

Down along the strip, Dexter drove on. He looked to see the lovely city of Miami buzzing with activity - beach-goers on the white sand, businessmen on their way to work... the late morning ride felt like a mirage. When he reached the traffic lights however, something hit him.

The cornerside cafe also was busy, both in and out with patrons happily gorging away at their delights. They were often seen in couples. Outside the door however, was a lone woman stirring her coffee, eyes fixated on it intently. She was wearing a wide-brimmed hat but Dexter can barely see the fringes of her hair - and the color bright green popped into his mind when he got the chance. At that exact moment, a waitress walked past her. She handed the lone woman a bowl of Caesar salad. When the waitress left, the lone woman turned to thank her before returning back to her meal. Her eyes were blue as Dexter noted. For a man with a mind fixated on killing people, the 30 seconds of observation was all he needed to come to one conclusion... ''she must be the killer and kidnapper. I can sense it''.

"Dexter?" Batista snapped him out of his train of thought "You OK man?"

"Yeah, I was just..." Dexter tried to make himself look busy "Going through these photos again."

He sifted through various photos before coming to one explicitly detailing the neck slash. "I think that looks like a mark from a hunting knife..."

"So your saying our killer went around with a hunting knife?" Batista enquired. "I gotta tell you man we can't say that's a fact for sure. But I'll take that into account."

"Thanks..." Dexter nervously replied before Batista walked away with a chuckle.

Now all I have to do is complete my homework.

...

Late at night, a few days after looking for and stalking his mystery girl - he finally has found the answer.

''Her name according to official US documentation is Sherry Smith. I know it to be Shion Sonozaki.''

Dexter took out his bag of knives and carefully unwrapped it.

''She's nothing more than a cowardly fugitive from Japan. Engaging in acts of amicide is one thing. Torturing her friends is another more gruesome matter - even that picture of a young girl nailed and whipped on a cross I can't get out of my head.''

Dexter carefully inspected each knife - his hunting knife, his bone saw, his cleaver, every one of them in the bag - to make sure it looked as pristine as he always has them before his latest kill.

''But the cherry on top is the fact that she is a fraud and a criminal accessory. Posing as her twin sister and framing her for the murders in her village; family connections to the Yakuza... all of what I said makes me and the Dark Passenger sick.''

He goes outside to check that no-one is out and about. The watch reads 12:00am. The full moon is out... and the Dark Passenger of Dexter's is about to have its thirst for blood quenched. Once he finished his surveyance, he got into the SUV, his hunting bag tucked in the passenger seat, and drove out into the night. Lights from the street lamps seemed to guide purposely guide Dexter on the right path - straight to Shion's supposed residence.

Main Battle

Dexter lay in wait in the SUV, looking through his binoculars at the old wooden two-storey house in front of him. All the windows were shut but Dexter could tell that the lights within were off.

''Ah the Angel of Death... how she can serenely sleep on a night like this... guess I'll be her bogeyman tonight. Oh wait..''.

Just then, the front door creaked open. There, head peeking out into the open, was Shion herself. Garbed in clothing similar to that of her sister as seen in the photos, she walked out for a brief while to take out the garbage before hastily stumbling back inside. As soon as Dexter saw the door close, he dropped his binoculars. This was it.

Dexter stepped out of the SUV and into the cold chilly air of the night. Slowly traipsing across the road, Dexter cautiously approached the front door. Without hesitation, Dexter slowly fiddled his lock-picking tool into the lock. In a few easy seconds, Dexter jimmied the front door open hoping to make sure no-one heard the door creak.

He glanced around the hallway, carefully treading on parts of the floor that were bound not to make a noise. There were pictures of Shion on the wall, not as a mad woman but as a cute innocent lady standing by her friends and family. The furniture in the living quarters also looked properly arranged, as if Shion had OCD or something along those lines.

Dexter continued down the hall hoping he would catch Shion just when she least expect it. There was no sign of her though. Silence filled the air as Dexter began to look a bit confused.

Suddenly, his hunch paid off. From the corner of his eye, a corner of the carpet was seen to be slightly folded over. Now that was not considered clean for someone like Shion, unless...

Dexter slowly tugged the carpet back towards the door and there it was. A secret door.

A door.

Without hesitation, Dexter slowly opened the big door, hands gripping the rusty handle as firmly as he could. He didn't lift the door all the way, just enough so he could slip down the stairwell that lay below it. Once he settled himself in the dark confines of the hallway below, Dexter slowly shut the door behind him, again not wanting to get her attention.

In front of was a dim yet visible light, slowly flickering with a little buzzing noise.

Dexter took a few steps closer, making sure the crunching rocks beneath him were not too audible.

"...Please. Let me out of here. I don't know what you are talking about!" a voice huffed out.

''Mr Tynsdale. He's still alive.''

Dexter wasn't wrong with that hunch. He heard the sound of a whip being stretched out ready for use.

...

Shion let out a soft chuckle as the leather on her whip snapped into shape. Maximum pain was all she was ready to deal with - even after 4 arduous days of torture, Tynsdale was not letting up.

She circled the poor man, chained to the cross that had the now dried blood of Satoko on it. Tynsdale, now almost in a very bad shape physically, was alert with worry as Shion flung her whip in a teasingly evil manner.

"So... you drove Satoshi to suicide because he figured out you were involved in the series of disapperances in Hinamizawa and was planning to blow the whistle..." she began to solemnly explain.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I never heard of Satoshi or Hina-whatever. Just please listen to me!" Tynsdale stammered in fear.

"Even after 4 days... of me constantly lying and hiding, you still stand strong... Well that's all gonna change." Shion chuckled some more before unleashing her fury with one whipping motion.

In a split second, Mr Tynsdale cried out with agonising pain. Puncture wounds appeared on his side and blood slowly trickled from within. Tynsdale squinted with pain when Shion applied a similar treatment to his other side.

"Why... are... you... doing this?" Mr Tynsdale wheezed as the pain got to him real quick. Dexter peered on as Shion slowly crept up to Mr Tynsdale, a hunting knife now visible in her hand.

"Because, sir..." Shion teased Tynsdale with his secretary's voice "I WANT VENGEANCE!"

With that shout of words, Shion plunged her knife deep into Tynsdale's chest, effectively killing him on the spot without a breath from him escaping immediately.

Sometimes its too late to save a life.

Having enjoyed her two hours of torture, Shion dragged the scarred and bruised body of Tynsdale off the cross and back into the makeshift cell.

Now's the time.

Under the cover of the dim light, Dexter slipped into the dungeon without a sound, even as he unsheathed his garrotte. Shion, her back turned to Dexter, gently walked back to a workbench where her weapons were stored. As Dexter slowly crept upon his unsuspecting victim, Shion took out what appeared to be a syringe of yellow liquid. She raised the needle to eye-level, making sure the syringe was ejecting C-130 liquid as fresh as the day she bought it.

Timing his breathing correctly as he stood dangerously close to Shion, Dexter wrapped the string on his garrotte tightly before...

"Ugh..." Shion gasped as a string of wire was wrapped around her neck. Dropping the syringe in fright, Shion struggled as Dexter tightened his grip around the choking tool. Grunting in pain, Shion instinctively reached for her pants pocket.

''Alright. Just at least three more seconds until...''

"AAH!" Dexter screamed in pain as a surge of electricity hit his thigh.

Coursing its way through his body, the shock caused Dexter to loosen his grip on the garrotte and collapse to the floor. With a look of surprise on his face, he stared as Shion coughed for air before turning around to face the Butcher himself. With an evil smile and a keen eye hidden amongst her green hair, Shion giggled an evil tune.

"My my, it seems you have caught me at my finest hour..." she bragged.

"I do that a lot," Dexter replied, fixated on her sinister stare "It is usually also their last."

"Not for me this ain't!" Shion yelled as she clutched a syringe of that yellow stuff tightly in her right fist. Before she could jab Dexter in the leg however, Dexter kicked it out of the way as he lifted himself back on his feet. The yellow liquid in the tube lay in a puddle beside Dexter's shoes.

"Oh I'm sorry. I seem to have kicked you out of your drug habit." Dexter sarcastically remarked. Shion grumbled in angst. Before she could do anything however, Dexter rushed up to her and grabbed the neck. Before long, the two are locked in a mini stare for a few micro-seconds before BAM! Dexter's head collided with Shion's, sending the latter flying onto her desk. Flat on her back, Shion desparately looked around her looking for something to counter her enemy's next move. She smiled when she saw the top of the shelf beside her.

Dexter drew out his hunting knife, hoping to finish the job as quick as he could. Before he could get up close, he felt a kick in the groin. It was weak but decent enough to knock him a few steps back... and to make him drop the hunting knife. Shion sat herself up, pointing the end of the katana towards Dexter.

''Oh great. A sword.''

Shion leapt up from the desk back onto her two feet, the burning rage still present in her eyes and a small sliver of blood dripping from her lip. With a moment's hesitation, Shion charged at Dexter, who simply stepped out of the way. Noticing the sudden move, Shion tried to swing her weapon at him. He ducked. She missed again.

Stupid...

Dexter threw some air punches to throw Shion off. She saw the punches, but she did not expect what was to happen next. She charged at him again, swinging the katana but he again stepped out of the way only to grab her by the wrist. Thinking quickly, Dexter wrapped his free arm around her scrawny neck before the two of them crashed into the dungeon wall. The thud shook the room. The dim lightbulb began to swing.

Shion was trapped in a headlock but she wasn't ready to give in. With all the strength she can muster in her hand, she points the tip of the katana towards the two of them.

"That's right. Go ahead and do something stupid to get yourself killed instead of me, huh?" Dexter hoarsely whispered into Shion's ear. Her grunts became more intense as she struggled to make her way out of the headlock.

Suddenly, Shion stamped her foot against Dexter's. As another short burst of intense pain streamed through his body, Dexter once more loosened his grip on Shion allowing for her to escape his grasp. As quick as she can, she swung her katana with great force. Thud! Instead of embedding itself onto Dexter, it instead cut deep into the thick wooden wall behind him.

Dexter slowly gazed at Shion trying to wring her sword free. Having caught his breath, he smirked at Shion.

"Too slow" he remarked. In a swift motion, Dexter kicked Shion's hands free from the handle. Staggering back as the katana dislodged itself and landed under the shelf, Shion wiped the sweat from her face before unsheathing her hunting knife. In return, Dexter took out a clean butcher's knife from his kit.

Rage ran through Shion's mind. She was not prepared to let this asshole stop her from her quest of vengeance. If he stands in her way... then he doesn't want to mess me up. Shion charged again at Dexter, holding her knife up high. Before she could stab him, however, Dexter held his butcher knife up just in time to parry. Next thing Shion knows, those same positions are reversed as soon as Dexter slashed down with his butcher knife except now, the parry turned into a struggle.

So it seems the tables have turned.

Like two dancers doing the tango, Shion and Dexter slowly paced their steps. Inch by inch, Shion was stepping closer to the torture table, and a possible dead end.

Time to end this.

Dexter clenched his free hand into a fist and held it back as far as his arm could reach. In all this determination however, Dexter failed to spot something out of the corner of his eye. Shion's free hand was slowly creeping its way towards a small sledgehammer on the table. The two eyes couldn't help but fixate on each other - viewing the icy cold demons within their souls. At last Dexter swung his fist back round, making sure it was to hit the jugular. However, Shion, quicker with her hands, swung the sledgehammer first... and coming straight into contact with Dexter's abdomen.

"OW!" Dexter yelped as he stumbled back and grasped his belly in shock.

Shion held her hammer high above Dexter's head, giving herself a slight chuckle. That singular moment of Shion's self-indulgence was all Dexter needed to formulate his next move. Discarding the butcher knife, Dexter quickly leapt forward and grabbed Shion by the wrist that held her hammer. Before she could react, Dexter threw another punch, landing it straight on her cheekbone. The force behind the impact was so strong that Shion was thrown over the table, landing in what appeared to be a dried pool of blood.

Dexter breathed heavily as he stood back up.

''That was some beating for a youth. Not good enough though...''

Dexter smiled as he walked over to the table. Peering at Shion's body over it, it looked as if she was knocked unconscious or worse. He figured that after all that intense pain, and that show of a crazy rage, it was best to kill her there and then. Make it look like a murder-suicide pairing. Catching his breath, Dexter noticed that he was still missing his hunting knife. Must have lost it with all the fun and excitement he had. Turning towards the desk however, he saw his trinket still laying there.

Suddenly a soft moan escaped Shion's mouth. She was not dead yet, but she was stirring. Dexter, acting quickly, leapt to retrieve his knife... but not before Shion picked herself up and gripped in her hand the spiked whip. Despite her blurry vision, Shion threw the whip at Dexter. The spikes embedded themselves onto Dexter's lower thigh, again causing him great agony.

The two psycopaths lay on the floor, struggling to break free. Dexter's eyes widened as he saw the damage the whip was going to do; his skin and the denim over it began tearing away like strips of paper. He stamped his leg whip-side down on the floor in the hopes that was going to stall Shion. Sure enough, it did, and now Dexter looked for a way to break free.

Shion continued grunting as she tugged as hard as she could on the whip, even getting her own hands bloodied after gripping onto the spikes. The determined face of hers turned to surprise and urgency when she saw the man in front of her produce a sharp serrated saw. Dexter began aggressively cutting away at the leather on the whip. Not wanting her prey to get away, Shion continued tugging. Teeth clenched, Dexter put all his might onto getting out of the possible wound-trap he was in.

The spikes dug deeper into his skin. His flesh felt like it was going to break free any second. He hacked away at the whip as best as he could. Shion licked her tongue in delight as she drew the whip closer to her. Suddenly Snap! The whip broke. She cried in horror as her opponent got back onto his feet, the small slice of studded leather still stuck to his lower thigh. Dexter looked at Shion with a mixture of rage and pain in his eyes. His face was covered in spatters of blood but he didn't care. If she was going to play dirty, he was going to as well. Now, the fight is over. It's time to end this madwoman cleanly. Dexter slolwy walked over to Shion, standing right above her.

Shion looked up at the golem in front of her. That look in his eyes suggested that she was going to suffer badly. Her anger melted away into innocence as her expression became more pitiful.

"Please..." Shion quietly whispered. Tears were beginning to stream down her eyes.

"You're a sick cold-hearted murderer. You shouldn't deserve pity" was all she heard before a kick turned everything upside-down and black.

...

Dexter had won. It had almost cost him his life. Now what was he going to do? His veins were pulsing with adrenalin, hoping to mask the excruciating pain he just undergone.

What are the others going to say if they see me in a bad condition?

Dexter stared at the hallway behind him before eyeing the dungeon around him. Bodies of others lie in a stone cell just next to the cross. A putrid smell began to penetrate Dexter's nose. The sound of flies buzzed in his ears. Inside, Dexter was just about to feel sick.

''No-one must know... or should they?''

Breathing heavily, Dexter slowly walked back towards the hallway. His legs, tired from all that movement, seemed like they were going to collapse on themselves; but Dexter still kept going. Ascending the ladder, he found himself back in the light of Shion's own hallway. All that he needed to do now was to purge his skin of blood and hide all the wounds - especially the puncture wound in his thigh.

...

Her heart raced. Her lungs began to fill up with air. In a matter of moments, Shion was awake. Her head throbbed. Her nose and mouth bled. She opened her eyes; and there he was. The Bay Harbor Butcher. All cleaned up. She peered down at his thigh. The whip marks were evident and yet blood doesn't seem to be drawing onto the trousers. She again looked up at the sinister face in front of her. It smiled.

"Nice to know you're awake, Ms Sonozaki" Dexter said.

Shion tried to move her hand. Nothing. Her legs gave the same response.

"Do you feel it? Of course not," he continued to circle Shion's motionless body "It's because I injected a spinal epidural on you. You won't feel a thing but certain death."

Dexter knelt down beside her. Sprawled out in the open, in the same condition as it was when he kicked her onto her back. Shion looked at her hands. The whip of hers, still in one hand; the hammer and katana however, were missing.

"Oh don't mind the housekeeping. It's all there to create an illusion." Dexter whispered as his rough hands handled her face. His hunting knife became visible to her eyes. It shines with an unnatural feel. Dexter sways it to and fro in front of her eyes. Shion became fixated on it as it slowly descended onto the skin of her neck.

Dexter smiled when the knife dug itself in. Her heavy breathing became apparent as the first signs of blood appeared. Carefully, he dragged the knife a few inches up her neck, being cautious not to break the jugular veins yet.

Shion could not withstand the pain, yet she felt powerless to scream. A cold shiver ran up her spine as Dexter slowly whispered in her ear.

"There is one thing I must ask. Why do you do it?"

Shion can only turn her head and swell up in tears.

"You won't understand..." Shion huffed out "I don't think spoken words... can express the reasons..." her breathing became more drawn out as Dexter cut an incision on the other side of her neck.

"Just go... into my... study..." she gargled as blood began to enter her mouth "The answers... are there..."

Looking up at the light, Shion knew this was the end of the road for her. As she closed her eyes, she whispered "Satoshi..."

Dexter made one final slash to the carotid arteries before standing to inspect the scene. There she lay. The body of a Japanese femme fatale. Her icy cold eyes looking towards the heavens. Her green hair drenched now in her own blood. To Dexter it was almost a juxtaposition of Mabel's body, but unlike her murder, Dexter left the room and the body untouched for a purpose. How successful that may end up Dexter could not tell but all he knew for now was that his work was done.

However, something in his mind kept playing back in his mind. It was as if he didn't get the answer he deserved. Go into her study she said before she died. Maybe that was where Dexter should be. He felt uneasy about this, but as he walked back towards the door, he resigned himself to the choice.

...

He stared at the door. Hinged onto it was a sign that said 'Do not Enter'. However the door was slightly ajar, revealing a room that seemed to be like all the others - clean and orderly.

Let's hope you aren't lying to me.

Slowly, Dexter pushed open the door and soon, he was overcome with awe. The study floor may have been clean but the desks in front of him lay in an awful mess. Sheets of paper were messed up on the top. More ominous to Dexter as he stepped closer was a giant cork board filled with polaroid images and newspaper clippings. Stuck in the middle was the image of a young blonde adolescent boy with a word that now made sense of what Dexter heard in the dungeon: Satoshi. Dexter stared intently at his beaming face. There was a piece of red string tied around the peg that led to an article. This one had the word MISSING in its usual newspaper print.

So this was about love...

Dexter continued following the red string around the board. Newspaper images flooded Dexter's mind as he carefully studied their faces. All of those cheerful expressions, extinguished by Shion's hand; and from the picture on the desk, framed and gilded, was all of them - having a good time as friends. So what could have possibly drove this woman to kill them? And what has it got to do with Satoshi?

He scavenged through the papers on her desk. Certain words stood out in the text that spelled out something. Baby. Love. I miss you. Three x's. Signs that pointed to Satoshi... as Shion's lover. So maybe this was a crime of passion. Dexter kept looking through the scattered papers until one more stood out. It was not conversational or typed out by a journalist, but it was formal and clinical. Dexter's eyes widened when he saw the briefing. She was infected with a disease that drove her mad - the Hinamizawa Syndrome.

"Oh my god..." Dexter muttered under his breath. He had finally put the pieces together - Shion, infected with this disease, killed her friends when she thought that they were responsible for Satoshi's disappearance; but why Tynsdale unless... he was in some way responsible.

"So... you drove Satoshi to suicide because he figured out you were involved in the series of disapperances in Hinamizawa and was planning to blow the whistle" the words of Shion echoed through his mind. A crime of passion has turned into a conspiracy hunt. That was all Dexter needed to know. He looked back down at the medical paper. He suddenly smiled as if he had an epiphany.

I have set her diseased soul free

Dexter turned to walk out of the study but he stopped in his tracks at the sight of a list on the back of the door. A list that had the crossed out names of her Japanese friends. A few more Japanese names were also inscribed onto it, linked together through one single word - Tokyo. Dexter's mind then became piqued as soon as he notice Mr Tynsdale's name crossed out from the list... but two other names aren't. Perhaps maybe she isn't finished with her quest of vengeance; and why not? She could have been one step closer to solving a mystery plaguing her town.

I guess I have to carry on her burden

Dexter looked back at the study desk.

''But not yet. Not now.''

He gathered all the papers in a neat row. The photos find themselves detached as Dexter unclipped the board from the wall.

No one must know...

Dexter brought the little trinkets into his SUV, again, his careful eyes making sure no-one spotted him.

...

Back at the house, Dexter stood in front of a contained fire he lit in his shed. Burning within it lay the pictures and newspaper articles that led Shion on her quest for personal justice and closure. He looked up once again at the moon and down at his camera. All of what he needed to re-learn was stored in a little chip only he will ever have access to.

''Tonight was a good night. And soon again will the Dark Passenger be hungry.''

Winner: Dexter Morgan

Expert's Opinion
This was considered by most voters to be a very close fight but in the end, all the votes slid towards Dexter due to his domination of X-Factors trumping over Shion's marginally superior weapons

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Battle vs. Martin Vanger (by SPARTAN 119)
Woods near Hinamizawa, Japan

Martin Vanger lay in wait hidden in bush in the woods the near the village of Hinamizawa, Japan, waiting for the prey he had come half way around the world to hunt. His target was Shion Sonozaki, a girl he'd heard about on the news, widely suspected by conspiracy theorists to be responsibly for the brutal murder of several people in the Hinamizawa area, though police lacked the evidence to make an arrest. Vanger had already scoped out the arae, having decided to disable her with a leg shot, then drag her back

And, just as expected, Shion walked along the woodland path between the Sonozaki estate and their hidden torture chamber in the mountains. Vanger lined up the the crosshair of the scope on his Mauser 96 on Shion's ankle, intending to shoot her in the leg, before dragging her down, into her own torture chamber. Just the anticipation was enough to arouse him.

As he squeezed the trigger, however, Shion lift her foot to take another step, the round literally passing under the sole of her foot, before impacting the ground a meter away.

Shion heard the crack of the gunshot and broke into a run. Vanger pulled back the bolt on the rifle, then placed the crosshair just in front of his quarry and fired again. This time, he saw a Shion's shirt become stained by a spray of blood.

Shion Sonozaki let out a grunt of pain, but kept running. The shot hand only grazed her side. As Vanger pulled back the bolt on his rifle, Shion climbed into the secret door to the torture chamber.

Vanger exited for the cover of the bush, and took cover behind a rock about 50 meters away that gave him a good vantage point on the door. As far as he knew, that was the only entrance to the torture chamber. Now it was a waiting game.

About fifteen minutes later, the door to the chamber opened, and a hand stuck out, followed by a green-haired head. Vanger fired, blowing off Shion's hand, not wanting to kill her immediately.

Shion fell to the ground, but there was no scream, she did not clutch her hand in pain. Something was off. Little did Vanger know, he had shot not Shion, but body of her previous victim, her sister Mion.

Vanger realized this when when Shion stepped out of the door, an AK-47 in hand. She immediately fired a three-round burst. One of the rounds struck Vanger's scope, destroying it, however, the bullet deflected off the scope, missing Vanger.

Martin Vanger dropped the now useless rifle and drew his SIG Sauer P226 from his side, before rising again to to fire at Shion. As he did, however, the arm holding the gun was struck by two 7.62mm rounds, almost blowing it off.

Vanger grabbed the wound and screamed in pain. A few seconds later, he heard footsteps, followed by a female voice.

"Now we can't have that? You can't bleed out yet.", Shion said with an evil laugh, "I still have to show you Shion Sonozaki's fun-fun underground torture chamber!"

About 10 minutes later

Martin Vanger woke up in a world of pain. His left arm had been amputated crudely, and a tourniquet was wrapped around the stump. The second thing he realized that he was bound by a strapped down to a table on each limb. Martin felt something he hadn't felt since he was abused by his father all those years ago... fear.

"Welcome, Martin Vanger", Shion said, "I am flattered that came half way across the world just to come and visit me! I see you're just like me.... actually... Or... perhaps not...."

Shion was interrupted as Martin spoke, "Do you realize who I am? I am the heir to Vanger Industries. If I am found dead, the police will give it their utmost priority, they will catch you. And, might I add, I believe you Japanese still have the death penalty."

"Nice try", Shion said, "But you do not realize who I am. You know what the characters the spell Shion Sonozaki mean in Japanese? Temple of Death. You see, I am no mere mortal, I am a demon!"

After a short pause, Shion picked up a hunting knife and said, "Now, I wonder what you were planning to do to me. Not that it matters, you'll never get to... not with out this!"

For the next half hour, the torture chamber was filled with the screams of a serial killer who ironically died the same way as so many of his victims, when he met his match in a "Vengeful Demon's Temple of Death".

WINNER: Shion Sonozaki

Expert's Opinion
While Vanger was a more experienced murder, and was probably physically stronger, This match was decided by two things. First was the superior firepower of Shion's AK-47, which proved to be more effective in the forests where this battle took place. Secondly, it was noted that Vanger's rapist mentality meant he would be more likely to hold back in order to leave a female victim such as Shion relatively intact so he could have his way with her later. While Shion also tried to take her victims alive and torture them to death, she had proven more than willing to kill more quickly and efficiently as well.

To see the original battle, weapons, and votes, click here.

Prolouge
A well dressed man entered the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. He flashed a small, friendly smile to the woman at the desk as he showed her is ID. She scanned his card on the computer. It checked out as always. The man walked over to the double doors and went through. Two security guards flanked him as they walked down the long white hospital like corridor. At the end of it was a metal elevator. One of the guards put a key into the side as a red light above them turned green. The doors opened and he stepped in. The lift had only one stop. Down. In the basement only the most sick and twisted serial killers were kept. Even the mans old friend Will Graham wasn't kept there. The ride down took exactly 10 seconds. The guard put the key in again and they entered the basement. It was a square with only three cells. Only one was occupied.

Everybody in the hospital knew her. She had arrived in America from Japan two months ago. In this time she had killed two men in a bar fight and then went on to murder a family of five. What really surprised everyone was that she was only 17.

The man had seen the pictures of the crime scene. All her victims had been ripped apart. The attacks were quick and bloody. From what they could gather the victims had all been awake when she killed them. The young girl had been his patient for the last week and although she had given very little information away, he could already guess what she was. A psychotic monster. The man sat inside her cell with the guards outside. This was against the rules but the man had insisted on privacy. Dr.Chilton had a fit when he learned this but eventually he let it go. After a few moments the girl stirred. She was quite attractive and had a hyper personality. She sat up quickly smiling.

'Morning Dr.Lecter' she said brightly.

'Morning Miss Sonozaki' he replied smiling.

'Please Doctor, call me Shion, Sonozaki is suuuch a mouth full' she said rolling her eyes.

'In that case you can call me Hannibal' he, his smile growing bigger.

'Cool name, like that general guy who fought the Romans' she said obviously pleased with herself

'So how are you today?'He said changing the subject, know that she was trying to pry information from him

'Good' she said brightly 'Same procedure as yesterday?' she looked slightly dissapointed.

Hannibal took the flask of medicinal tea from his bag. 'Same as yesterday' he said reassuringly.

'Now sit back and relax' He said winking.



She took a sip and put her head back as the room started spinning.

2 Hours Later

She woke up. She knew what the tea did. She would get really high and spill out all her secrets. The worst thing was she never remembered any of it. She looked to her side. Hannibal was gone as always. Her hands were cuffed after she attacked a nurse when she pretended to be asleep. The two guards entered the room one stood in the corner with his baton drawn. The guard kneeled down. Suddenly she felt a surge of rage within her.

Next thing she knew the guard was on the floor with a bloody nose. The other guard charged at her but she quickly rolled sideways, his baton hitting only the mattress. She crouched on the side of the bed and pounced on him. She punched him twice in the face but was dragged off by the other guard. He attempted to wrap his arm around her neck but she bit hard. His grip softened slighty. She spun around and ducked. She punched his groin before throwing an elbow into his stomach. The man doubled over. She stood up quickly, slamming the back of her head into his nose. The slumped to the floor. She turned around and watched the man struggling to his feet.

She grabbed the unconscious guards baton and swiped. The first blow knocked out two of his teeth, her second went low onto his knee. He hit the ground as she went to work. Each blow sending blood and teeth with it. He checked his pulse and giggled with glee. She walked over to the other man and picked up her handcuffs. She jabbed one end into his juglar vein. His eyes popped open with surprise as he started to grasp at his throat. She kicked the cuffs, sending it across his neck and onto the ground beside him. He was killed instantly. She picked up the keys from the dead mans body and walked out grinning. 21:00, The same day.

Hannibal had just received the call from Jack Crawford. Shion had escaped. A psychiatrist, two nurses, the recptionist and three guards were found dead. All but two were taken by surprise. Knife wounds in the back of the neck gave them the clue.

Hannibal thought about this for sometime. Even he had to confess that Shion was somewhat intelligent but she was also very unpredictable. She could have gone back to Japan, she could go on a killing spree or she could even just waltz back into her cell just to annoy the everyone. Despite her unpredictability, he knew that there would be more killings. She was psychotic and would not be able to control herself. He stood back up and walked over to his desk where he kept his patients files. When he found hers he had to admit that her record was impressive. Her killings showed a lot of imagination. Given the chance he would have killed her and cooked her. Maybe with some fava beans and a nice chianti..

He knew she was in the house. One of the window lathches on the second floor was broken. He could smell her to. Her perfume had a rich strawberry flavor while the irony smell of blood on her skin was almost orgasmic to Hannibals nose.

'Hello Miss Sonozaki' he said without turning.

'Please Hannibal I've told you, call me Shion' she said laughing.

'I have heard of your little escapade' He said in a friendly tone, catching Shion by surprise. 'Haha, yeah I had to get out, the room service was just dreadful' she replied.

'So how did you find me?' He said, finally turning around to face her. She was armed to teeth with weapons, a long sledge hammer in her hand.

'Easy. I had a little talk with a Mr Will Graham. He was more than happy to help me' she answered smiling.

'So you are not here for my famous choclate mousse I suppose' he said calmly.

She laughed, sliding her hand across the sledge hammer, bringing it up to her shoulder. Without warning she charged.

Expert's Opinion
TBW

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Battle vs Mai Mashiro (by SPARTAN 119)
An abandoned area of Hinamizawa

Shion Sonozaki and her sister Mion walked through an abandoned area of Hinamizawa, to the north of the main town. Shion carried an AK-47 from the family armory, while Mion has replaced the Airsoft pistol she usually carried with a very real Tokarev TT-33 also provided by her family's Yakuza connections. It was dusk, and setting sun cast eerie shadows of the abandoned structures. The two sisters had been lured into the abandoned area after she receive a message from an unknown party stating they had Satoshi, and would kill him in 24 hours unless she came to the village.

She would come all right, and she would show them what happened when they messed with the House of Sonozaki. Little did they know, however, that they were being watched from inside a large house at the end of the street.

Tomohiro Machiya filmed the two girls' approach from down the street, as Mai Mashiro looked over his shoulder with binoculars. Mai turned to a girl with glasses standing in the corner of the room, Saki Mizuno.

"Mizuno", Mai said, "They're here. Lure the one with the rifle into the building. You can kill the other."

"Got it", Saki said, as she loaded and cocked an Uzi, a illegal firearm provided by arms dealers linked to Dead Tube.

Saki walked down the stairs to the lower floor of the house, into the living room and took aim at Mion, firing a burst from the Uzi out the window, which shattered from the impact.

About 60 meters away, Shion and Mion both dove for cover, Shion behind a garden wall and Mion into the entrance of an abandoned house. Neither was hit by the burst of fire, which did not seem particularly well-aimed.

"Amateurs", Shion said wait a sneer, "Mion, keep me covered, I'll deal with them".

"Got it, Sis", Mion replied, "Be careful, OK", before she got up from behind the wall and fired several shots from her Tokarev at the window in which Saki was waiting, forcing her into cover.

At the same time, Shion advanced through the houses lining the east side of the street. Saki was still exchanging fire with Mion to little effect when Shion walked up to the side window of the living room and fired a three-round burst into Saki. Two shots struck her in the torso, causing her to scream in pain and fall to the floor. Shion fired a fourth shot from her AK, right into the top of her head, killing her instantly.

"Saki!", Machiya yelled, but Mai silenced him.

"It doesn't matter... she doesn't matter", Mai said, "All that matters is that you capture me beautifully."

As Saki fell, Shion raised her hand, signaling for Mion to move up to the house. Mion ran through the houses on the other side of the street and reached the same entrance. The two Sonozaki sisters burst into the house, Mion sweeping left and Shion right.

As she did, a gunshot rang out. Mion Sonozaki was struck in the side of the head and fell to the ground, dead before she knew what hit her.

"You'll pay for that, you bitch!", Shion yelled as turned her AK in the direction the shot had come from and furiously sprayed what was left of her magazine down the hall at Mai, who ducked out of the way just in time, pushing Machiya with her.

As her AK went silent, Mai's voice was the next thing Shion heard, calling from around a blind corner at the end of the hall.

"Hey you there!", Mai yelled, "It will be boring if we keep shooting at each other, why don't you draw that sword at your side and fight me hand to hand".

"Fine then, I'll look forward to chopping you to pieces!", Shion replied, "and you there, camera boy, some man you are, hiding behind your girlfriend while she does the dirty work. Keep filming, you're going to watch your girlfriend die... but not immediately, after all, I have to show you both Shion Sonozaki's Fun Fun Underground Torture Chamber!"

At that, Shion Sonozaki drew her katana and slashed at Mai in one fluid motion, which Mai evaded and retaliated with a wide sweeping cut. This too missed its mark, and was responded to with a diagonal slash from Shion. This time, her blade made contact with Mai's, the impact cutting a notch in the edge of both swords.

For about 30 seconds, the two blades clashed, occasionally striking with enough force to create sparks as steel met steel. Then, Shion made a thrust towards Mai's stomach. Mai dodged to the left, but in spite of her attempt to evade, her shirt became stained with blood.

"Mai!", Machiya yelled and started to walk towards her.

He didn't make it one step, however, before Mai held out her left hand, keeping the sword in her right and said, "It's only a scratch. Just concern yourself with capturing me beautifully, Machiya-kun".

Mai was right, the blade had drawn blood, but only gone a few millimeters into her flesh. Realizing this, Shion pressed her attack, making a powerful strike at Mai's sword. The blade, now heavily notched from repeated impacts, could not take any more, and snapped at about the three quarters of the way up.

Pressing her advantage, Shion did not make a strike with her sword, but rather drew an illegally modified stun gun and pressed down the trigger, thrusting the weapon towards Mai.

Mai evaded the weapon and drew out a collapsable baton to replace her broken sword, swinging it down on top of the side of the stun gun, smashing the device and knocking the broken remains out of Shion's hand.

With a shout of rage, Shion pulled her other concealed weapon, a clip-pointed hunting knife. Shion thrust the knife forward, directly at Mai's heart. The blade was intercepted by an upwards strike from Mai's baton.

At the same time, Mai slipped something out of her sleeve and thrust it forward repeatedly into Shion's chest. This "something" turned out to be an awl. Mai's surprise attack came too late for Shion to defend against, and within a second, Mai had stabbed her several times.

Mai did not stop attacking until she had stabbed Shion, who quickly collapsed, coughing up blood, at last 20 times. As her latest victim fell to the floor in a pool of blood, Mai turned to Machiya and said, "You captured everything, right?"

"As always" Machiya replied.

Mai then kissed him passionately as she drew the memory card from his camera, ready to upload her latest masterpiece.

WINNER: Mai Mashiro

Expert's Opinion
Mai Mashiro won this battle thanks in large part to her superior agility and unarmed combat skill. While Shion had a better firearm with her AK-47, the experts deemed it likely that this fight would devolve into a melee, where Mai would have the advantage. Also contributing to this was the nature of Shion's Hinamizawa Syndrome, which made it more likely that she would make a fatal mistake because of the hallicinations and delusions it causes.

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