Here it is, third chapter. I'm sorry about the release rate but I work on other things on the side.
Like my Kokomi fiction... that may work as a prequel to this by the way. I'm thinking of tying the two together.
I'm also trying to get a fanart for this story cover, like I did for the Kokomi one. But no artist has responded to my inquiry for using their IttoSara art yet, so I'll wait.
Anyway, there'll be progress here, even if there's some more exposition.
Expect... some sparks. Of various kinds.
Enjoy!
Standing in the midst of a myriad of corpses, a certain white haired and red horned being covered in blood breathes with some measure of difficulty. Bringer of a punitive and deadly force comprised of just himself, the spiked club wielder is currently on a mission to clear the mountain of its nasty occupants, criminal claimers of this territory.
"Huff, huff"
The oni's fatigue is relative to the effort it takes to face a swarm of rogue samurai. Despite the recent return of his Vision, it doesn't make the task any less physically strenuous. The fact that these warriors are left without duty hasn't stopped them from honing their skills among themselves, and taking on multiple of such opponents at once proves to be a challenge even for one such as him.
"Avenge our brothers, kill Arataki Itto! We shall grasp Inazuma back from the greedy hands of the Tenryou and Kanjou commissions!"
A vehement voice rises further in, most likely coming from the leader of the bunch.
"So that's how you sound like, you bastard..." Muttered Itto, catching his breath and steadying it to a proper, normal rhythm. Although his figure has become somewhat weary, the irritated mood he's in has nothing to do with that but with the lack of fulfillment in his current endeavor.
Roaring anew, the mob rushes to his position, blades in hand.
"No, no, no. This isn't the thrill of battle I am seeking. You're not able to rouse me, to make me feel the way my very existence wants to." The assaulted complains, as he prepares a violent swing of his weapon in a circular movement.
Whirling around at moderate speed, the muscular man becomes a spinning top of brutality, bringing a substantial amount of damage to the area he covers. Hitting his enemies with the massive weapon, the assailants are met with the instrument of many deaths thus far. Effusions of scarlet fluids erupting from their bodies, the view from the leader's position could be processed as a small scaled storm of blood advancing towards him.
"You idiots, how the hell are you losing to a single man?!" Shouts the one in command, angered beyond reason as he stomps on the ground while doing so.
"Hajime, we should probably start using them don't you think?" Mentions an heavily armored ally of the pissed off individual.
The boss looks at the Kairagi besides him whom just spoke to him. By the looks of it, anyone could tell he is different from the swarm of Nobushi below; higher in rank and skill within this rogue community, he's covered in heavy armor, wears a helmet hiding his face entirely and holds a massive blade fitting his stature.
"Tanosuke, if we can't deal with this insect by ourselves, how are we supposed to take over this damn country and the Shogun? These are our ace in the hole, only to be used once the best opportunity, to win over the massive battle to come, presents itself. I didn't get to deal with the Fatui and stab them in the back for this, but for grander purposes. NOW SHUT UP, STOP GIVING ME STUPID SUGGESTIONS AND GO KILL THIS MISERABLE FLY TOO!"
Composed at first in his response, the order he kept at the end is screamed out with hardly concealed ire.
The Kairagi follows the command without a peep, running toward the tempest unleashed below their position. Leaving his post, the subordinate is weirdly relieved to do so as a cracking, voltaic sound could be heard behind him.
Itto stops spinning right about his arrival, both his weapon and frame drenched in blood. A dozen more bodies lie on the floor, completely disfigured, pierced thanks to the spikes or plainly victims of blunt force trauma. Only about ten Nobushi remain as the Kairagi named Tanosuke joins the fray.
"Still not enough but you might prove to be better sport."
"You lot, stay back."
Tanosuke draws his long katana, readying himself for the horned beast in front of him whom decimated most of their forces by himself. Counting on the fact that he's exhausted, the former yoriki of the Shogun's army instantly ignites his blade with a shikifuda, one of the numerous legacies of Kamuna Harunosuke, prepared to use his full strength immediately.
"I, Shirabu Tanosuke, will be your opponent, demon."
"Very well. You're not like these mongrels, you have proper etiquette when it comes to dueling and you've got a refined stance. Surely a soldier from the army in the past, huh?" Remarks Itto, a smile adorning his face for a brief moment.
A thunderous sound echoes throughout the woods, issued from the stronghold just above them, as if literal lightning just stroke the location. This is what erased the invader's smile, a hint of worry now instilled on his face.
"Let's finish this quickly. Ultimately, you're not the one I have business with."
Two figures can be seen dashing through the canopy, their slender forms weaving between trees and leaves as they progress on their journey to the top of the plateau. These two are Kujou Sara and Sangonomiya Kokomi, former adversaries momentarily joined as allies.
"Who could have predicted that we would fight side by side?" Appropriately says the head of the Shogun's Army, her Tengu wings fully out to propel her to higher spaces that her ally simply hovers to.
"Fate has its whims that even the brightest of minds cannot see coming." Answers Kokomi, with a tone which denotes a certain disinterest for the concept. She continues.
"As an upstanding citizen of Watatsumi island and Inazuma, which our Omikami brought our ancestors to, I will set aside personal grudges. Secondly... simply as a woman, I couldn't stand by and let yourself be at the mercy of these deviants."
"I appreciate the honesty... and solidarity." Curtly replies Sara, sensing the slight unease in the Divine Priestess. She is smart enough to know that the grief inflicted on her people by the Shogun's army and Decree is not so easily glossed over, especially with the ongoing situation which has yet to be regulated between Narukami island and Watatsumi island.
"The scent of blood... is definitely more pronounced now. We should be approaching our destination, so let's pace ourselves." The Hydro vision holder states, halting her advancing speed by a fair margin.
"Understood."
Indeed, bodies can be seen more often than a few meters behind, presently. All defeated Nobushi have notable wounds made by a blunt weapon. This prompts the General of the Tenryou Commission to think about a certain man whom only inspired misery and annoyance to her, as the letter from earlier reminded her once again.
"It can't possibly be..." She wonders out loud, but only loud enough for herself to hear.
"Those are serious injuries. I doubt I could even alleviate the pain from those that are barely still alive. What kind of person could inflict those? It seems like they just got rammed by a wall." Says the salmon haired girl, examining the wounds from a closer point.
"Assuredly made by a hammer or a club, but some skulls are bashed in so hard it's... unsettling to even look at these remains." Sara admits, evading some corpses on purpose, the gruesome view being unbearable to the eye.
"Conflict begets loss, as we both can attest. Death disregards the path its victims took to lead them to its embrace, but for the living... for us who have to witness the way they died... the casualties we both had to be accountable for weren't mangled as much. This is the result of savagery incarnate." Analyzes her company, eyes closed and wearing a sad expression on her beautiful features.
"... That is factual. The more I think about it, the more I get the feeling that I'm not going to like whoever is responsible for this. Even if our goals align."
Resuming their advance, both women raise their alertness even more than was already the case. The smell of bodily fluids and death is starting to bend their noses but doesn't stop them from staying the course.
Suddenly, lightning strikes on the elevation, a few hundred meters ahead, startling them.
"This originated from the base of the enemy I've come to investigate. The information I got must have been founded."
Kokomi frowns, displeased with the seemingly natural occurrence which causes Sara to raise an eyebrow.
"I know that a thunder strike couldn't be happening right now, considering the weather, but I'm fairly certain that no Electro Vision besides mine and... a confidential one, are registered on the archipelago. Is the perpetrator behind all these ronins a stranger?"
She pauses but catches herself discarding a probability she omitted. One she had just experienced herself a little ago.
"A Delusion!"
"Correct. And ones stronger than those we found among our army. Those are properly elemental in nature. The ones the Fatui sent to my soldiers were neutral in essence, and only few manifested powers, despite taxing all holders from their vitality anyway." Explains the younger yet capable girl in charge of Watatsumi island.
"Tch. I swear to the Raiden Shogun that I shall excise the few Fatui left from the face of Inazuma as swiftly as possible... any possibility of them colluding with the ronins to stir more trouble in the country?" Asks Sara, in return.
"None. At best, they're using them for more experimentation. The Decree being abolished has absolutely sounded the alarm for the Fatui, as you already know. Their retreat has been almost instantaneous, bar the few remnants of the organization who stayed to wrap everything up and erase their last traces. In that process, they might have decided to launch a new test as they depart. Results notwithstanding, this could have provided the perfect cover to slip past your vigilance." Methodically responds Kokomi.
Sara acknowledges her opinion, nodding.
"Right. Nevertheless, we can't let either the Nobushi or the Fatui run wild. Let's put a stop to this madness... including whoever else is rampaging about here and decided to make them, their enemy."
As soon as she finished that sentence, a bunch of flying Nobushi bodies pass between her and Kokomi, rolling downward until they hit an obstacle.
"What the-" Shocked, Sara cuts short her surprised words at her partner's interjection.
"Who are you?"
Having climbed further in the next second, Kokomi finally arrived at the highest stage in terms of area topography. Just outside the built stronghold, stands a horned being all bloodied and lightly wounded. But the crazed man is just breathing heavily, hardly affected by his state or the feat he just accomplished. At his feet lay an heavily armored Kairagi: the helmet broken at the top, revealing a part of their face, as several locations on the body protection are carved in from the barbarian's blows. Unconscious, the defeated certainly had a concussive blow aimed at the head as the protruding injury showing up ascertain.
"Oi. This is not the place for pretty girls like you. Get lost!"
Itto manifests his discontentment at the sight of Kokomi, wondering what a beauty draped in a stainless kimono, tailored to give a mermaid look, is doing here.
"No. I have business here, and you will tell me all that you know."
Kokomi uses another application of her water manipulation, which allowed her to surround herself by an ethereal ceremonial garment made of the aquatic flow. This is where her true power can be brought to light, and extends her capabilities to weave powerful spells. Concentrating for the two second required to voice her threat, she manages to trap Arataki Itto in a gigantic jellyfish which is very sturdy despite its watery nature and visual aspect. As such, Itto tries to get out but couldn't break the barrier in his battered form.
"What is this?! Release me right now, there's something I need to do you stupid- ugh!"
Interrupted by the sudden presence of sea water, the white haired prisoner coughs heavily to evacuate the uninvited liquid from his system.
"I can instantly fill your space with water, so do be careful with your answers."
Everything was going smoothly until this very moment. If this event occurred in the exact same way, with the only difference being the absence of Kujou Sara, things would have developed in a smoother fashion. Alas, this time comports the presence of the aforementioned. And she arrives with a flap of wings, to a further position yet still in view range of the jailed warrior. A scowl was on Sara's face as she landed, having heard the exchange prior from her previous position and her fears confirmed.
She had assumed it was him, after all. She wasn't wrong... and those fears were about to be accentuated even more.
"..."
Itto stares blankly at her, at first. Unable to compute what came before him, his initial response is just silence and bewilderment. His nemesis is just looking at him with disdain, cross armed, and clearly unhappy about the situation.
Thump thump. Thump thump, thump thump... Ba bump... ba bump... ba bump... ba bump.. ba bump babumpbumpbabumpbabumpbabumpbabump.
Itto's heart rate jumps erratically in speed, to almost an unhealthy amount, his excitement rising every second. His orange eyes start to get bloodshot under the blood pressure coursing through his body, his panting hastens, the veins on his arms and face showing as they got bigger from the extra pumping of his heart.
"Kujou... TENGUUUUUUUUU!"
He roars, his latent Oni blood expressing itself right then and there. A massive wave of pure power tears his water prison apart and slams Kokomi against the nearest rocky wall, earning a yelp out of her mouth. Sara has to protect herself with her wings put in front to keep her position, acting as a shield against the wind pressure. A terrible error.
"HAHAHAHA! MY BLOOD BOILS JUST FOR YOU, YOU WICKED BIRD!"
In a fraction of a second, Itto is right in her face, swinging his left fist for a violent blow to her wings, resulting in Sara being pushed back by a few meters. Her right wing hurting a whole lot, she flaps it in the air with quick successions trying to see if it's still usable. It is, albeit with pain as a company.
"I don't have time-"
She cannot discuss at all. Itto completely overlooks her attempt and rushes to her position with his trusty weapon in hand this time.
"FIGHT SERIOUSLY, WE'RE FINALLY REUNITED! FIGHTING YOU IS MY, ARATAKI ITTO'S, LIFE PURPOSE RIGHT NOW! DO NOT DISAPPOINT ME, KUJOU!"
With a wide, crazed smile across the face like a gigantic white scar, he attacks her with cruel strikes of his spiked club, an hostile and visible aura surrounding his build: the manifestation of the Oni blood inside him awakened and boosting his physical prowess beyond what's humanly capable.
"Tch."
Clicking her tongue, Sara barely escapes her berserker assailant, moving swiftly from left to right to evade the wild swings thrown at her.
Fed up with her antics, Itto's blood fiercely focuses power to his legs which gets him to grab the General's throat with his left hand. Dragging her to the ground and pinning her down with all his weight, his face gets within three centimeters of hers.
"I am done with your stalling... your unwillingness to dance with me... do you have any idea how much I yearned for this... there in front of me is the woman whose hair is like lavender across the fields of the Byakko plains... the golden eyed woman I chased for so long to get my revenge..."
He sussurred those words to her, entranced with her very existence to a degree bordering insanity. His obsession very much like a mentally sick and possessive lover. His rough and strong fingers take hold of her visage, as she was about to escape his gaze, making sure she is looking at his two ambers firmly set in on his own.
"Give in... to the sweet release of battling with me, Kujou. Lay your instincts bare, and embrace our destiny with full-on desire...!"
The last phrase is pronounced with more emphasis and vigor, as he grabs her shoulder and shakes her body vividly twice. To that gesture, and to those words, Sara had no answer other than placing her delicate hand to his cheek. This earns a quizzical look from him, as excited as he is in his current state, his actions didn't warrant the warmness he feels on his skin. It lasted but a bat of the eye. She brutally rams his face to the earth with unexpected force, before promptly getting back to her feet and kicking him so powerfully his hardened body couldn't help but spasm under the sudden aggression.
"As you wish then... I'll deal with the scum who's been ruling the place like it belonged to them later."
Her wings fully spread out, Sara's burst of vitality and strength surprises her opponent, now thrown three meters away from her. An occurrence which does not fail to fill him with utter bliss at the perspective of going all out against his dear rival.
"You thought only you stupid Oni could enhance their ability thanks to their heritage? You should know better than anyone else that my blood has also properties of its own, considering you name me by my race all the time."
She does not display the same effects as Itto does, but her awareness, her reactions sharpened. The Army's leader muscles tensed as well, changes which are noticeable to the trained eye. This naturally doesn't escape Itto's, as a veteran on the battlefield.
"HAHA! YES! LET US WALTZ!"
Both of their will are kindled by the fire of desire; one of adversity, the other of unabashed annoyance.
And thus, did their battle begin anew.
Hope you liked it. I'm tired lately, and I probably needed to reread this before shipping it, but heck.
I'm not a native English speaker so bear with any eventual error in terms of grammar or orthograph. :c
The link to my Kokomi fiction is here, in case you want to check it out: s/13983682/1/Ripples-of-awareness
See you next time.