Well, Akane's still an irritating shallow waste of skin who makes Kuno 
look reasonable and Kodachi look nice.  Given that's all you see in her, 
is there any way you could just write her out?  She doesn't seem to 
have much use in the story.  She isn't tough enough or smart enough 
to be a villain, has been totally eliminated as a potential love 
interest, she isn't funny, or likeable, has no personality, doesn't do 
anything useful, and doesn't even complicate the plot.  The only reason 
she seems to be there is because someone vaguely approximating her was 
in the original timeline.  Hmm.  Maybe you can have her kidnapped, 
replaced by a changeling, and never returned.  Or maybe she can run 
off to be with Shinosuke or something.