*A clicking noise was heard as the lights came on, doormats opening up and showing KKD and TB on their knees, wearing kimonos and standing up*
TB/KKD: OSU!
*The two posed with their hands out and bowed*
KKD: Welcome back!
TB: Yes, we are continuing the story of Oni no Kokoro. My idea of an original Disney Princess being of Japanese descent.
KKD: This is a story I'm really getting into. And before we continue, I know there's a lot that defines a typical Disney film aside from fairy tales and princess stories, mostly seen between the differences in Disney and Pixar, but seeing how Disney is also evolving at this point, I can see our story being a bit more possible.
TB: With that out of the way, let's begin. Previously on Oni no Kokoro!
KKD: Gouki revealed there was more than one Third Eye gem to find, Astra and Yoko got into a heated argument after the death of Yoko's father, the two and Rika met Kai and Minori the Ten-Tailed Fox Demon, fought off some bandits, and have now agreed to go off to visit the mystic Tsukasa Higashi, but are also being tailed by Gouki's demon henchmen.
TB: Let's see where we pick up from there. Let's now continue. Disclaimers!
DISCLAIMERS: Neither TokuBrony nor KKD Silver own Disney or anything that might be used in this except for the original concepts within. This is just a fun concept for a potential Disney movie in the future, so just relax, let loose, have fun, and enjoy.
It was now night time, the moon and the stars were out as Kai and Rika started setting up the campsite, Yoko struggling to get some of the wood ready as she rustled with branches around.
"Here, let me help, Lady Yoko," Rika offered, picking up the pieces of wood along with her before walking near the fireplace where Kai was seen tuning a long necked shamisen before playing it, "I didn't know you could play that."
"You never asked," Kai quipped back as he continued strumming, the music calming Yoko, unknown that one of her eyes turned red.
"Oh, I love the sound of this," Astra smiled, Yoko sitting down and laying against her horse.
"The shamisan would always pacify Astra whenever she makes trouble," Yoko recalled as Kai kept playing, "It's one of the few things we both seem to enjoy."
Kai then stopped playing, enjoying the warmth of the fire with the rest as Minori rested on Yoko's lap.
"After we take care of the demons that invaded your castle… what happens next?" Kai asked out of curiosity, Yoko looking at him and not really knowing what to say in response.
"I… I'm not really sure. I guess I can go back to trying to fulfill the responsibilities of being Kyoto's princess," she figured as she shrugged.
"You'll have your mother and me to help you along the way, Lady Yoko," Rika assured, one of Yoko's eyes turning red again.
"Where do I fit in there?" Astra asked, clearly wanting details about her role or place.
"Uh…" Yoko started, but was stuck on what to tell her.
"That mystic you said we were going to see… you want him to split us apart so you can get rid of me, do you?"
"N-No! No, it's not like that! I don't want to get rid of you!"
"Pfft… from all those times you tried to keep me locked away, you could've fooled me."
"Should we leave you two alone?" Kai checked with a raised eyebrow.
"No, p-please don't go," Yoko pleaded.
"Now do you see why Lady Yoko followed His Highness' teachings? You've caused nothing but distress and panic for her and the family!" Rika shouted as both eyes turned red, Astra scrunching her face up in frustration.
"Have ANY of you even CONSIDERED MY feelings and how I FELT?!" Astra snapped back, surprising the others, "All I ever wanted was freedom… the freedom to do whatever I please, whenever I pleased. The King and Queen didn't seem to understand and thought I was nothing more than a mischievous troublemaker. But they never got the chance to ask me about my reasons or ask ME questions. They only cared about YOU, Yoko! I'm just as much a part of you as… well, any other emotions you have! But they just shunned me… without even giving me a chance."
"I… I'm very sorry. I didn't know…" Yoko gawked, one eye returning to blue as she nearly went in silence.
"If you knew what I went through, you would understand."
"So maybe there was more to Astra than we let on…" Rika realized as Astra sighed.
"Is that a tear I see down your eye?" Kai asked.
"N-No! I-I'm not crying!" Astra insisted, rubbing her eye to get rid of the tear.
"...I'm not going to get rid of you when we see the mystic. I only want us to split apart so we can actually talk face to face. Don't you think it's very bothersome with two souls sharing the same body? Isn't it better to just look at each other in person?" Yoko pointed out, leaving Astra speechless at first.
"*sniff, sniff* I… I guess it is…"
"Here's a tissue," Kai offered, handing the Astra half said tissue as she used it to wipe her eye of the tears that were forming.
"...Thanks…" Astra replied, Yoko keeping silent for a moment to let her calm down, knowing that 18 years of isolating her finally just came out of her other half in a sea of emotions like frustration and sorrow.
"Are… Are you okay?" Yoko asked.
"...Why do you care now…?"
"Because after hearing what you said… I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I want you to understand my side now… we didn't know how the world would react when you come out. With how much of a troublemaker you were, it put a lot of pressure on me to live up to the expectation of becoming princess."
"No one should be pressured into a position they aren't ready for."
"My parents didn't though. Until I turned 18 recently, their teachings were very helpful, even without having to keep you at bay. Though I felt every time you came out, I felt like I was… disrespecting and dishonoring the very people I looked up to. That's why I held you back… I felt pressured to ensure my parents I did honor and respect them. I didn't want to disappoint them…"
Astra was now the silent one, only then realizing the purpose for her being and now listening to how Yoko felt.
"Now I feel even worse about your father's death," Astra groaned.
"Again, it wasn't your fault… I forgive you," Yoko assured, allowing Astra to smile with some relief.
"...Thanks…"
"Aw~, this is just genuinely sweet," Kai grinned as Rika was now the one sniffling.
"Listening to this story, even though you share the same body… you two are like sisters, are you not?" Rika asked while sniffling and wiping her tears, both halves blushing in response.
"I-I don't know if I would say something like that…" Yoko nearly stuttered.
"Yeah, t-thanks for making this weird," Astra groaned, Minori sort of snickering in response before sniffing something in the air, "Huh? What is it?"
Minori yipped and growled before crouching in a defensive position. Kai grabbed the hilt of his sword and prepared to counter as he and Astra glared at the distance. Rika looked confused, but also tense as she kept close to them. They all heard the wails of the demons, Minori growling further.
"The demons, probably. Here they come," Astra uttered as the demons wails got closer and closer.
Suddenly, some hands leaped from the shadows and grabbed Yoko and Astra.
"HEY! Hands off!" Astra snapped, the taller monster pulling her away.
"HELP!" Yoko screamed.
"I'm trying! You can help too, you know!"
Astra threw her head back to headbutt the one who caught her in the nose before punching another guy off, Minori suddenly leaping in to bite and claw at the demon that held the two captive. However, the demon just knocked the fox off and into a set of bushes, forcing Astra to tackle it to the ground. Kai also leaped in, swinging his katana at the demons, forcing some to scatter and back up as he used his Iai quick draw technique to take care of them while keeping them away from Rika. Rika herself cowered behind the tree, shaking like a leaf from just seeing the demons emerge and watching the two fight them off. One other demon soon popped up next to her, making her scream and try to hold him off with a thick log of wood, but the log snapped in half once it made contact with the demon's neck. It growled as it got closer before a roar was heard, and Minori emerged from the bush, but grabbed the demons with human like hands.
"M-Minori?" Rika gawked, turning to see the fox now stood with a muscular humanoid figure standing 6 feet, 5 inches tall, muscles bulging out of the now bipedal creature as he growled and headbutted the demon away.
Minori then smiled at Rika before getting between her and the demons, helping her back on her feet and showing that he is willing to protect her.
"Thank you."
"That is so amazing! I didn't know he could do that!" Kai chuckled as they all fought against each of the demons, the monsters began to increase in numbers despite them doing very well.
The numbers of demons increased like water flowing out of an open dam as they were soon surrounded.
"Th-There's too many of them! I can't fight!" Yoko panted, clearly weakening as Astra tried to push through with Kai and Minori.
"YOOOOOOO~!" they heard a voice shout, getting everyone's attention to see an older man leap in and land gracefully in front of the group.
The man had graying hair spiked on both sides, wearing a monk's gi in grey, and wearing wooden geta on his feet. He let out a breath as he posed for a fight.
"Is that… him?" Yoko gawked, the elder man palming each demon with such grace and skill while also throwing some kicks, sending the demons back into the shadows.
He kept on attacking, sending each demon back before he posed for a bit, breathing deeply as he channeled a bright blue light in his hands before throwing his fist forward. Once he punched a demon in the chest, an explosive shockwave of blue energy was sent outward from the impact, making it disintegrate in the blue light.
"Amazing…" Rika gawked as the demons retreated away.
"Are you all okay?" the elderly man inquired, turning around before bowing.
"It is you… you're the mystic my family met," Yoko realized as she bowed back to the man out of respect.
"My… Yoko Murakami? How you've grown…"
Yoko looked to the man a little nervous, everyone else bowing out of respect, the man chuckling as he had them bow up.
"I didn't know you could actually fight against those creatures," Rika gawked.
"Living alone allows me time to meditate and learn a few things. Now I understand you lot were looking for me?" the mystic explained and deduced.
"Y-Yes… but how…?" Yoko gawked, the man putting his index finger to his head like he was thinking.
"You should at least know my name. I am Tsukasa Higashi… pleased to meet you all," Tsukasa introduced himself.
"You know me and by extent… Astra. This is one of the castle maids and my friend, Rika. The Ronin with us is Kai, and the demon fox with us is Minori."
"I see… it is an honor to meet you all. Come with me, I'll let you sleep in my home."
"Oh, thank you," Yoko smiled, bowing out of respect before they all left, Minori smiling as he got down to all fours, and with a deep breath, his body deflated of its muscles until he was back into his cuter, smaller self.
"Go ahead and try it," Gouki told Yusuke, holding the Third Eye of Transcendence in his hand as the human took the gem, "If you crush it, you'll let the power flow right into you."
"O-Okay…" Yusuke nodded, gripping the gem tightly in his grasp until it cracked and shattered in his palm.
The former soldier grunted in pain as he felt a massive energy surge through his body, causing said body to start glowing white. He had a worried look on his face before he started to accept it, grinning as he felt a power beyond his contemplation. When the glow died down, he appeared to look much more muscular, his skin having turned nearly pale, and he was now wearing a white short sleeved gi top along with the legs for a kimono in blue, and even had a third eye open on his forehead, being blue compared to his usual brown.
"Amazing… I feel like I can do anything with this," Yusuke gawked, marveling at his new appearance as he began to smirk and chuckle a little.
"I stay to my word that you would have a place of power alongside me," Gouki assured and reminded before another demon appeared to him, "What's the matter now? *listens to the whispers* Higashi already found them?!"
Gouki growled before punching the demon down, causing it to disintegrate, leaving him frustrated.
"If I have any hope of completing my goal, any resistance must be dealt with. And seeing no other options… I will have to go out myself," Gouki growled as he stormed out, Yusuke continuing to look at himself before suddenly growing white angel wings.
He laughed in excitement as he flew throughout the ransacked castle, the laughter even echoing to the cell holding the Queen, Akemi Murakami. She sighed as she knelt down and clasped her hands together, praying that Yoko makes it back okay with her friend.
The next morning, Yoko and the others woke up for some breakfast, Tsukasa smiling as he drank some morning tea. The house they were in was a sole temple in the forest at the edge of a mountain that also had a good view of Mt. Fuji.
"Thank you again for letting us sleep in for the night," Yoko smiled as she used chopsticks on some noodle soup, "This is very good."
"It's no problem at all. My temple is always open to the weary travelers," Tsukasa smiled before taking a sip of his tea, "Now I take it you didn't come just to visit me after a long time."
"Yes, there was a purpose to our visit," Rika recalled, one of Yoko's eyes turning red again.
"Did you figure out a way to seperate us? I mean, it's been 18 years, you must've thought of something," Astra inquired and pointed out, the aging man simply stroking his chin.
"Tired of sharing the same body, are you?" Tsukasa noted, "Tell me, Yoko. Has she been giving you trouble?"
"...Most of the time, yes, but we are doing our best to cooperate. She just wants to be understood as herself, so… I wish to see her face to face," Yoko clarified.
Tsukasa kept pondering about it as he looked at an old book he had laying on the floor and looked through it before closing it.
"Mmm, I'm sorry. I still haven't figured out exactly how to do something like that," Tsukasa sighed, "Believe me, I've worked hard to try and uncover such secrets, but even with all of my years, I could not find an answer for it."
Both the halves of Yoko and Astra sighed, feeling a bit dejected after they heard his answer.
"That sucks…" Astra groaned.
"Hey, we traveled all this way to find this guy and we don't get a satisfactory answer?" Kai reacted.
"Now, now, I don't want your journey here to be meaningless. I have managed to discover something that may pique your interest in these years," Tsukasa assured, "I may not be able to separate you two, but I have developed a special martial art that harnesses a very special energy"
"Is that what we saw before with you fighting the demons?" Rika inquired, Tsukasa nodding in response as he put his book down.
"With this martial art, you two may be able to find more cooperation, more… harmony between each other. It is called Shinseiken (Divine Holy Fist). Allow me to demonstrate outside…"
Tsukasa stood in the backyard of the temple where there were dummies set up amidst a large tatami mat before he tightened his sash.
"Now who can tell me what Mana is?" Tsukasa asked the three, each of them looking at each other confused while Minori just tilted his head, "To explain, Mana is an ethereal energy, the very essence of the Earth itself. It connects all people, places, and things, which means everything has a finite portion of Mana."
"Wow… that… all sounds very interesting," Kai admitted.
"Yoko can't fight, I can," Astra pointed out, "She needs help the most on this."
"Oh Astra, you are going to learn Shinseiken with her so that you two can better synchronize and cooperate. You did say you two want to understand each other, so this seems like the best option," Tsukasa deduced and pointed out, causing Astra to sigh in response.
"...Good point…"
"*eyes return to blue* In that case, shall we begin? My mother and my home are in danger, and I will go through any trials we have to learn how to fight off those monsters. Please teach me Shinseiken… Sensei!" Yoko pleaded, kowtowing to the floor as a sign of showing her utmost respect.
Tsukasa chuckled in response as he urged her to stand and with their fists on their palms, they both bowed to each other.
The training began with Yoko practicing smooth motions with the arms, mimicking Tsukasa's form, but at points Astra came out to try and speed things up, only to be tripped up by the Shinseiken practitioner in response.
After that, Tsukasa began to show special techniques that required some breathing before channeling the bright blue energy that is Mana into his body. Yoko attempted the breathing, but Astra kept grunting, trying to feel herself get stronger and channel that Mana, causing both to fail at it.
"Astra seems too focused on obtaining the power while Yoko is just trying to follow what Tsukasa does," Kai noted as it was clear they weren't getting good from the start.
"It does seem rather obvious there," Rika responded.
"You need to learn patience, Astra. If you do not focus on keeping a level head and think about what to do now, then you and Yoko won't be able to properly channel Mana to save the kingdom," Tsukasa informed as Astra sighed before both eyes turned red and blue, signifying both halves being out at the same time, "Now both of you try again."
Astra soon started to gain more focus and patience, but Yoko was having difficulty trying to follow through with channeling Mana in her body.
"Do not tense yourselves. Your worries of following through will not avail you. You have to loosen your bodies. Do not tense up, remain loose. Calm yourselves, and soon, you'll be able to feel the Mana flow."
After some punches and kicks in their form, Astra and Yoko slowly began to loosen their bodies. While squatting in a pose, the halves both let out a breath as blue energy began to form and spin around her feet, allowing them to focus, closing their eyes and channeling the energy throughout their body. Within a minute or two, they managed to punch and palm a nearby dummy while their fists were enhanced with Mana before they threw a jumping back spin kick.
"I did it… I did it!" Yoko cheered.
"Don't you mean 'we' did it?" Astra checked.
"Yes… sorry."
"Excellent," Tsukasa grinned and applauded, "There's more to Shinseiken than just simply channeling the energy. You must be able to feel the Mana flow through your soul, how pure it is, and only then will you truly master it."
Yoko and Astra just nodded as they got back up and continued to train. The two then focused on attacking a wooden dummy, Yoko taking a turn first by hitting and blocking the various poles on it from every angle.
"Look at her go," Kai gawked in amazement as Astra took a turn next, focusing more offensively on the target before sending it flying with a stepping side kick.
"Okay, I say it's time for a break," Tsukasa insisted as Astra stretched her body before the eyes turned back to blue.
"Phew! That felt exhilarating," Yoko panted as she stretched her arms.
"Very impressive, Lady Yoko. Very impressive," Rika complimented, clapping for her as she got closer, Minori jumping up on her shoulder with a yip and a lick on the cheek.
This made Yoko giggle a bit before he started sniffing the air again, ears shooting up before he jumped down, growling in a direction with his ears pinned to his neck.
"Hmm?" Tsukasa responded as he looked off in the same direction as Minori, sensing something off as the familiar frightening wails were heard, "They are returning."
"Really?" Rika gawked in response.
"And their numbers are increasing."
"They're after me…" Yoko gawked with a nervous gulp, but soon braced herself and tried to get in a defensive position, "But we haven't finished our training yet."
"Well, now's as good a time as ever to see how well it went," Astra figured, both eyes turning red as she posed and focused on channeling the Mana as demons started to surround them.
Astra roared, channeling the Mana into her strikes, sending some of them flying and making them disintegrate into nothing. Kai rushed in to slash at some with his sword in a quick motion, easily sending some of the demons back a peg. Minori howled, standing on his hind legs as his body grew rapidly, becoming the muscular form that he had before, Rika hanging on his back for protection as he proceeded to smash and pummel on the heads of the demons, forcing them to fall back. One demon tried getting on his back to try and attack though.
"Ugh, get off!" Rika screamed, kicking said demon in the face and managing to knock it into Astra's Mana enhanced fist, making in dissipate with the blue energy coming into contact.
"Nice one," Astra complimented before she and Tsukasa ended up back to back, the two looking at each other and using their Shinseiken knowledge to fight them off.
Suddenly, several demons leaped from the trees above to surround the group and outnumber them. They huddled together, hoping that this will even their chances. However, a bright gleam was heard before they saw something fall from above and stop short of the ground, taking off again to show someone was flying before he revealed a naginata, the blade glowing and stretching around the group to grapple them in a lasso of sorts. Yoko's blue eye returned on one half, gasping in realization once the glow died down.
"Yu-Yusuke!?" Yoko gasped in disbelief, almost not recognizing him.
"I'm sorry, Yoko… but I am not wasting this gift that was bestowed upon me. This power is incredible," Yusuke sighed and marveled.
"You gutless coward! After trying doing what you did at that coronation, you have some nerve to-!" Astra shouted, her half struggling to get free before the naginata tightened and interrupted her.
"Quiet, you monster!"
"How could you turn your back on the Murakami family, Yusuke?" Rika snapped.
"I promised him something greater than being a lackey… the power of a god," they heard a voice boom, turning to see the demon king walk past his own minions that split apart for him.
"Gouki…" Tsukasa uttered, Minori growling in anger as he got closer to them.
"The demon king? I've heard stories about him, but I didn't think they were true…" Kai gawked, Yoko looking particularly terrified as Rika was just as shocked to see him.
"How interesting. I have not just the princess and her alternate persona, but also her peasant maid, a lowly Ronin, and Higashi the Demon Slayer," Gouki smirked as he folded his arms, "You've done well, Yusuke. Now then, it's about time to be reunited."
"Wh… What are you talking about?" Yoko demanded before Gouki gave her a terrifying glare, the same glare he gave Akemi before that made her shudder a bit in fear, but then she grunted, "This aura… what is this?"
Gouki smirked before grabbing Yoko's head very tightly, making Yoko scream in pain before the Demon King pulled a red glowing essence from Yoko's head, which slowly began to form in the body of a girl identical to Yoko, but with red skin, wild black hair, two short horns poking out of her forehead, and a very thin tail out the back.
"Long time no see… my daughter," Gouki smirked as the girl, presumably Astra, making her glare at him as everyone else gasped, Yoko especially stunned by this whole reveal.
TB: Da Da DUUUUUUNNNN!
KKD: WHAAAAAT?!
TB: Don't you go BSOD on me like at the end of the first chapter.
KKD: Relax. I'm fine right now.
TB: But yes, how's that for a bombshell cliffhanger?
KKD: Yea, that was just… WOW!
TB: There's that now traditional twist that Disney films are known for… to varying degrees of success.
KKD: Those have been in more recent films, particularly starting with Wreck-It Ralph. But yea, usually in those cases it is a shock twist. You would've just thought Astra was an alternate persona of hers, but NOPE!
TB: We'll hear the full story of her from Gouki in the fourth and final part of this surprisingly interesting story. I'm surprised we were able to come up with so much for this.
KKD: Yea, no joke. I'm surprised by it as well.
TB: Favorite part of this… um, part?
KKD: Uh… I think aside from what we mainly discussed, the training to show Astra and Yoko starting to understand each other.
TB: I like that too. How about more on that mystic, who we finally gave a name to?
KKD: Yea, that was pretty cool.
TB: So stick around for the conclusion, because I've been building up to this, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it ends.
KKD: Until then, you know who we are. Ore wa KKD Silver.
TB: I'm TokuBrony…
KKD: *salutes* Jaa ne.
TB: SEIYAA!
