Act 7: Jinkuro

Momohime led the way as the group traveled quickly to the Mino Shrine. Oddly enough, Tokugawa had not sent his assassins (at least Momohime assumed they had been his) to kill her again like they had tried in Mount Fuji and in Shinano.

It didn't take long to reach the shrine; once they were there, Kongiku placed herself in front of the shrine. "Everyone gather around me," she said. She looked nervous, and she licked her lips. "I've never warped a group this size..."

"Don't worry," Yuzuruha said with a comforting voice. "I know you can do it. You're one of the strongest of us." Momohime assumed that she was referring to their race, and not to the group.

"All right," Kongiku said. She bit her lip as if she didn't believe her fellow kitsune. Momohime watched as she conjured up her spirit fox powers. "In the name of Inari, I call upon the powers of the kitsune to teleport myself and all around me to Yamato!"

White sparkling ribbons of light flashed around the group, and it formed a large, circular mirror encasing them. Kongiku bit her lip again and then snapped her fingers. The mirror shattered, and suddenly, Momohime found herself in the grassy fields of Yamato province. She looked around, and saw that everyone else had made it.

Then she saw Kongiku.

The kitsune was on all fours and was breathing so heavily that Momohime feared she would collapse. Immediately, she went to Kongiku and took hold of her shoulders.

"Kongiku! Are you all right?" she asked with a worried voice. "That... that didn't drain too much from you... did it?"

The kitsune looked up and smiled at her, still exhaling. "I'll be all right, Momohime," she said softly. "I just need... some rest. Go on without me."

Momohime shook her head. "No. You've been my best friend for months now, Kongiku. I don't want to leave you behind," she said, caressing the kitsune's shoulders.

"But... you must hurry...!"

"I know, but..." Momohime paused and bit her lip. "I'd rather you be with us when we face Tokugawa. Here," she added pulling out a peach. "Eat this, it should help you feel better."

"You are too kind, Momohime," Kongiku said to her with a smile. She took the peach and sat on her knees. Taking a bite out of the fruit, the kitsune started to look a little stronger already.

"We're going to wait until Kongiku is ready," Momohime ordered the group. They nodded. It was strange for her to feel like she was in command. She still felt a little like Oboro—the village girl.

"Momohime," Yuzuruha said after a pause. "I forgot to give these to you." She handed her three strips of samurai armor along with a pair of metal bracers and hand pads.

Momohime blinked, shooting a confused look at the kitsune. "What are these?" Despite her question, they appeared so familiar.

"This is the armor Jinkuro 'gave' you when he first possessed your body," she explained. "Here, these go on on your shoulders—the longer ones—and the shorter one covers your lower back." She smiled. "I assume you know where the bracers go."

Momohime nodded as she attached the armor plating according to Yuzuruha's directions. Then, she put on the metal bracers and made sure they were fitting properly. Finally, she placed the purple pads on the tops of her hands.

"So... this is Jinkuro's armor?" Momohime asked. She felt plating on her shoulders that hung over her kimono sleeves. "It looks like it was made to fit my outfit. Strange."

"Actually, it's not so strange if you think about it," Kisuke said. "After all he did use your body, and you were wearing that kimono at the time. Jinkuro is a mighty warrior; he rarely went without armor."

"I suppose that makes sense," she said with a shrug. "Regardless, the armor is a welcome addition." She moved away from the party and quickly drew one of her Muramasas and swung as fast as she could. Momohime felt herself dancing back and forth without difficulty; she smiled. "Good."

She noticed Yuzuruha nod at her with a smile. Kongiku was finishing her peach. "You look much like my master when he was in your body, Momohime," she remarked.

Smirking, she nodded at her friend. "Well, I think I'm ready. What about you, Kongiku?" She stumbled on the kitsune's name; Kiku had been a much better name.

Kongiku was still eating the peach, but she was standing. Finishing a bite, she said, "yes, I'm ready."

"Let's make haste to Mount Kongo then," Momohime said. She ran toward the mountain in the distance and then stopped when she heard Yukinojyo say, "wait a moment. Aren't kitsunes not allowed into that shrine?"

Momohime spun around and frowned. Would that mean Kongiku and Yuzuruha would be unable to come with them?

"Usually not," Yuzuruha said, nodding her head. "However, similar to the situation when Jinkuro was trying to reach Heaven through Mount Kongo; a dire predicament. In these situations, we are allowed in."

"I see," Yukinojyo said. "Then, let us go, but I must speak to Momohime on the way to Mount Kongo."

Yuzuruha smiled. "I will not stop you," she said.

Yukinojyo caught up to Momohime. "Walk," he said. "It will be difficult to tell you this while we are running."

She nodded, feeling anxious, biting her lip. She had a feeling that this was not going to be pleasant. "What is it?" she asked, walking. Yukinojyo walked beside her.

"About the marriage..." he said, pausing as if expecting her to interrupt; but she didn't. "The original intent of our engagement seven months ago was to crush the Narukami." Momohime gasped. "After Jinkuro—using your body—defeated me in combat, you saved me. And then I confessed the same to you as I am now. Never had I racked by such guilt. If it weren't me... your father and sister would probably still be alive. As well as your mother. I... I am sorry."

There was silence as they walked side-by-side. Momohime barely heard the others behind her and Yukinojyo. Then he continued.

"After that, the Yagyu clan cut ties with Shikami Danjyo—the one who assembled this plot under Tokugawa's orders—because we realized the wrong we had done. You were missing, and I hoped you would return, Momohime, so that we could get married and restore you to the throne. So, our intentions were noble in the end."

"Wait a minute," Kisuke said, glancing at Yukinojyo. "Tokugawa had Shikami Danjyo executed for his treason against the Kagami family. Why would the Shogun kill him off if he was part of the plot?"

"Simple," Yukinojyo said. "Shikiam Danjyo failed him when Jinkuro exposed the traitor. Tokugawa did not want to be exposed himself, so to appear as if he was against the plot, he executed the former magistrate."

"So, Tokugawa really is behind all of this..." Momohime muttered.

"On a related note, Momohime, do you forgive me for my crimes against your family?" Yukinojyo asked.

"Did I forgive you back then?" Momohime asked, peering at Yukinojyo. She felt angry heat in her chest, but she refrained from hitting him.

"Yes, you did... in my wounded state," he said.

Momohime felt surprised; how had she forgiven him so easily? A vague image came to her mind. She saw a heavily wounded Yukinojyo lying in a futon. They exchanged words, but she couldn't recall what they said to each other.

"Strange..." she said, working her jaw. "I don't understand why I forgave you so easily." Then, she remembered; Momohime had fought Jinkuro to save Yukinojyo. She forced Jinkuro out of her body, surprising the demon.

"You are not the weak little girl I expected... interesting."

"I know why now..." Momohime said, rubbing her head—it only stung a tiny bit. "We were friends, and I didn't want Jinkuro to kill you. I forgave you... because you felt so guilty for participating in the plot." She nodded to Yukinojyo, her anger abating. "Then, I shall forgive you now as well. But... those wounds," she added, rising. "How did you survive them?"

"I healed him," said a voice. Momohime stopped and looked around Yukinojyo to see Kongiku standing there. "Forgive me for intruding, but it was under my master's orders to heal Yukinojyo."

He stopped as well. "Wait, you did that? Under Jinkuro's orders?" Yukinojyo asked.

"Yes," she said simply.

"You were right then, Momohime... Jinkuro did change gradually," he said with an awestruck voice. "You were already softening his heart."

"He wouldn't admit that at the time," Momohime said with a smile. "He only said he did it because he couldn't 'stand my whining,' but I agree. I think he had you healed for my sake."

"It's true," Kongiku said, walking up to the both of them. "My master told me to keep it a secret from Momohime that he had you, Yukinojyo, healed because... he saw her cry and he said in the softest voice I had ever heard up to that point, 'heal him. I don't want her to cry like this.'"

Momohime had tears in her eyes again. "He cared that much so early on?" she said; then she smiled. "How sweet and thoughtful of him."

Kongiku smiled at Momohime. "He started thinking a lot about you," the kitsune said.

"Then, let's find Tokugawa and the Muramasa Scepter!" Momohime said, wiping her eyes. "It's time for me to stop crying... and time to take action." Jinkuro... wait for me.

They nodded at her, and continued their journey to Mount Kongo.

-S-

It was a long journey to the shrine leading to Mount Kongo. The group had rested for the night in the middle of Yamato. Finally, after passing many miles, Momohime and her friends reached the shrine. The sky had turned an orange-red.

Here it is... Momohime thought. The place where all this madness began. She bit her lip, feeling slightly nervous. However, she fingered one of her Muramasas, and exhaled. "Well, let's get inside," she ordered.

Her friends followed her as she opened the door to the shrine. It was very quiet inside, not a soul to be found. Momohime felt disturbed by the eerie silence. Where are all the priests? The monks? This is not right.

"Be on your guard," Kisuke said with a cautious voice. "Who knows what's in here."

"Right," Momohime said. She gripped one of her Muramasas and walked into the shrine.

She heard the footsteps of her allies behind her as she crept through the shrine, checking every corner of every wall and down every corridor. The place seemed to be built like a maze with multiple corridors of wood, and stairs that went up and others that descended beneath the shrine.

"Why... is this shrine made like this?" she mused out loud. "It's too confusing, which way do we go?"

"Possibly constructed as such to keep intruders out," Yuzuruha said.

"Or it's Tokugawa's doing," Yukinojyo said.

Momohime turned to her friends. "Not to mention there is no one here. This is very... strange... very wrong. I had an extremely bad feeling about this place," she said.

"Just keep your guard up and keep going," Kisuke said. He, too, was glancing around the shrine possibly as confused as Momohime. "If Jinkuro took you through here once, maybe you could try and remember how to get to Mount Kongo from here?"

"All right," Momohime said, exhaling. She tried to recall a vision, a memory, or something that could lead her and the group in the right direction.

Suddenly, an image came to her mind: Jinkuro was running ahead in her body across the corridor and Momohime was obviously following him.

"Be careful, girl. I don't want your soul to get hurt. Get out of the way of any combat."

"I will. Be careful, Jinkuro."

Momohime blinked, coming back to the present. Her head stung again, but it was nothing compared to what she had experienced days ago. "This way, follow me," she said.

She led them through the silent and empty shrine. Passing various corridors, and stairways that would have left them confused, the group followed Momohime's directions. Momohime was still bothered by how quiet the shrine was—and empty. There didn't seem to be any traps or assassins anywhere, either. Just what happened here?

She stopped and gasped; she was on the third floor and in the rooms, she saw bodies—dead bodies—scattered everywhere. "What...?" Momohime fell to her knees, looking at the scene of blood and death before her and her allies. "What...?" she repeated, unable to say anything else.

"We're a little late, it seems," Kisuke said. "But is this Tokugawa's doing? I mean, look at those slice marks. That's from a blade. Tokugawa uses magic to fight."

Yuzuruha and Kongiku examined the bodies, and Kongiku was the first to react. "These cuts! They're from a Muramasa!" she exclaimed.

"She's right," Yuzuruha said. "These wounds are not from ordinary swords." She had a dark expression on her face. "If Tokugawa uses magic... then who are we chasing?"

Momohime licked her lips. "I don't know," she said. "But... it has to be Tokugawa! Who else can invade dreams?"

"Good point," Kisuke said, biting his lip. "But when did he learn the Oboro Style?"

"I don't know..." Momohime said. She knelt down at one of the bodies. It looked like it belonged to a shrine maiden, but she couldn't tell because the face was mutilated. Only the kimono suggested that the body was female. Tokugawa will pay for this. He's slaughtered innocents!

"If he has the Muramasa Scepter," Yukinojyo interjected; he, too was looking at the bodies with a grim expression. "It's possible the Scepter may have given the power to him."

"Just how many things can this Scepter do?" Kisuke asked, doubt in his voice. "The Muramasa Mask can only help one forge Muramasa blades. Why would a different Muramasa artifact do more than one thing?"

"Whoever said it couldn't?" Yukinojyo retorted. "Just because the Muramasa Mask only performs a single task, doesn't mean another artifact can do more."

"Regardless, it doesn't matter," said Momohime a little louder and angrier than she wanted. "He's murdered innocent people here. We can't let him live!" She looked to the others and they nodded slowly. She stood up and nodded to her companions.

Momohime then spun around and ran ahead toward a distant staircase. She climbed it, not bothering to see Kisuke and the others had followed her; though, she assumed as much. It was a large staircase and it seemed to stretch to the heavens.

But that was exactly where Momohime wanted to go. Up and up she went, continually expecting enemies to appear, but none did. Tension was building in the air—she could almost taste it—as she rose up each step.

Finally, an opening appeared before her as she reached the top of the staircase. Beyond, she saw a fiery mountain ahead of her. Pausing, Momohime exhaled and exited the shrine. She kept her hand on her Muramasa and and walked onto the mountain's surface.

She noticed her allies gathering around. They said nothing, and allowed her to lead them across the mountain top.

In the distance, they saw a figure in black, floating a little over the ground. The figure's face was in front of a cliff, not looking at the group. Momohime walked a little closer, ready to draw her Muramasa at a moment's notice.

The figure lifted a pair of ancient arms into the air, the palms of those hands facing the cliff. The rocky surface on the cliff face then melted away, and forged into a scepter. It was gray with red ribbon-like stripes across its body. The top of the scepter was surrounded in wispy, white smoke.

That must be...!

Then, a voice sounded from the figure. "So, you've come at last..."

"Tokugawa!" Kisuke exclaimed. Momohime heard him draw his blade. Momohime kept staring ahead, expecting something dramatic to happen.

Tokugawa, still not facing his foes, raised the Scepter into the air and summoned a blade with it. It was obviously a Muramasa. The summoning was not particularly dramatic; the blade just appeared. "Ah, my Kuzuryuu blade," he muttered to himself. "Out of the hands of the Yagyu and into mine."

Scepter in his left hand, Kuzuryuu in his right, Tokugawa slowly turned around to face Momohime and her allies. He was sitting cross-legged and yet floated above the ground. He had a thick, long, white beard. An evil grin spread over his ancient face. "Ah, princess Momohime. It is an honor to see you, your highness." He bowed his head. "I see my invasions of your dreams did not stop you from chasing your identity."

Momohime growled. "If anything, your 'invasions' into my dreams only made me more determined, Tokugawa," she said, narrowing her eyes at him. "I saw what you did to the people in the shrine. I know what you did to my family. You're a filthy monster that has no right to live."

Tokugawa laughed a cold, evil laugh. "Oh, that's lovely, princess, just like yourself."

Momohime grit her teeth. "You have no right to speak to me like that," she said fiercely.

"Do I?" Tokugawa asked. He unsheathed his sword a little and tapped the top of the Muramasa Scepter on the naked blade. The blade released a faint glow for a second, and then vanished. Tokugawa sheathed it, and turned his eyes back to Momohime.

"I am the Shogun of Japan, and yet I cannot speak to a mere princess of an almost dead clan with a little levity?" He snorted. "Ridiculous. You're as detestable as your sister."

"You murderer..." Momohime reached for her blade.

"You wish to fight already? I thought we could talk a little first," Tokugawa said. "Especially about your 'determination' to find Jinkuro. After all, you almost gave up hope in Mino if I remember correctly."

Momohime's eyes widened. "What? How do you know that?" She asked, thinking about the dream she had in Narukami Castle after Yukinojyo had overloaded her with information.

"I saw it in your last dream," he said, smiling. "You were beginning to fear Jinkuro. I had hoped that you would have surrendered seeking your identity after that."

She relaxed and smirked. "Well, isn't that a shame?" she said. "I had a friend comfort me and tell me about the Spirit Fusion Jinkuro performed. It's quite obvious that he was never seeking to murder me."

"Oh?" he seemed intrigued. "And who comforted you?"

"I did." Kisuke stepped forward. His face was filled with hatred with grit teeth and dagger-like eyes. "She's not going to lose him."

"Ah, Kisuke," Tokugawa said, laughing. "Always quick to be the man to rescue a woman in distress, always the noble Oboro Stylist with a heart of gold." He snorted again. "Such things disgust me."

Kisuke shook with anger, he stepped forward, appearing to ready an attack, but Momohime shot her arm in front of him and shook her head. Despite her own desire to run him through, she needed answers from Tokugawa.

"Tokugawa... why do you want me dead?" Momohime asked. "You've sent assassins continuously and even killed me in some of my nightmares. Why?"

"Isn't it obvious, princess?" Tokugawa sneered. "I need to eliminate all opposition to my reign of Japan. And you, being alive, stand in my way."

"So a 'mere princess of an almost dead clan' is a threat to you?" Momohime asked with a smirk. "You're senile."

"Insults will get you nowhere, princess," Tokugawa said with a smug smile. "Just because your clan is almost dead doesn't mean you are no smaller a threat to me than your family was. Yes... a princess is quite powerful these days. You can decide who of the men in the world will be the Daimyo of your clan either by accepting or rejecting their hand in marriage.

"Oh yes," he continued. "You are quite powerful that way, yet I will not allow a pathetic clan take over my reign. I will rule for all time instead with the Muramasa Scepter and the Kuzuryuu in my hands."

Too bad those dreams will never come true! Just like my nightmares did not!"

"Yet, your dreams did come true, princess. The chains—you are bound to Jinkuro through the Spirit Fusion, and by myself, I could not free you. Jinkuro is the chains that hold you back, and you chose to keep yourself to him."

"What?" Momohime said. "But you could kill me with the ability to split a Spirit Fusion using the Muramasa Scepter."

"Oh, I see," Tokugawa said with interest. "So, you do know what this Scepter is? And what it can do? Relying on myths these days seem to have more realistic results than reality itself."

"And yet," Yuzuruha said. "You do not wish to use it to destroy Momohime using the Scepter?"

"Don't think me a fool, fox!" Tokugawa roared. "I will not waste my energy using it to enact a quick death upon her. No, I want her blood to stain this mountainside, and her body to be ruined upon it by my hand!"

"I don't think so," Momohime said, drawing her Muramasa—it was her grandpa's blade. "You're the one who will die here. Jinkuro's Spirit Fusion gave me his strength and mastery over the Oboro Style. I have used it to destroy demons, tengus, ninjas, and other foes who threatened me. I can and will defeat you."

Tokugawa sighed. "Sad. I was hoping we could talk more," he unsheathed the Kuzuryuu blade. "You will fail, princess. You shall taste death, and it will be the last thing you ever taste!" A powerful aura began surround him.

She heard another sword being drawn, and glanced over to see Yukinojyo ready for battle.

"The combination of two Oboro Masters and a master of Shinkage Style will easily overcome you," Yukinojyo said with a growl.

"It would... if you could fight me." He raised his hand into the air and fired out a blue net of magical energy. It landed on Yuzuruha, Kongiku, Kisuke, and Yukinojyo.

"Damn you, Tokugawa!" Kisuke cursed. He tried to slice the net apart, but it held. Momohime looked helplessly at them for a second and then turned her head to face Tokugawa.

"Don't bother trying to destroy that, Kisuke," Tokugawa said with a cold laugh. "You can't save the princess now." He looked at her. "Come at me, Momohime!"

She knew it was a fool's errand, but she rushed at him anyway. Momohime swung and her blade clashed with her foe's. Shifting back a little, she unleashed its Secret Art: Misty Slash upon Tokugawa. Appearing behind him, and her image in front of him, together, she and her image drew blood from his back and front.

Immediately, Tokugawa spun around, hovering, and attempted to cleave Momohime in two. She jumped out of the way, and launched herself back at him to counter attack when she was blasted by an bolt of lightning.

Momohime skidded against the ground, she could smell burnt clothing. She jumped onto her feet, and glared at her foe. "What was that?" she growled.

"Magic, of course!" He vanished and Momohime peered around to find her target.

"Behind you, Momohime!" Kisuke called out.

She spun around just in time to parry a blow from his own blade. Momohime could feel the low Soul capacity with in her Muramasa. I have to...! Another lightning bolt shot from the sky, forcing her to roll out of the way.

Again, Tokugawa vanished, and Momohime kept her guard up, not yet swapping to her other Muramasa.

Momohime sensed her foe appear behind her again, and she rolled forward. Spinning around, she saw Tokugawa vanish again. "You coward!" Momohime cried out. "Stop vanishing and face me!"

"Ah," Tokugawa's voice echoed throughout the mountain; cloaking his location. "You're not the timid princess you once were. Instead, Jinkuro has given you the fiery soul of a warrior! How delightful."

Another bolt of lightning shot out of the sky; Momohime jumped out of the way, avoiding the attack just barely. Sensing an enemy nearby, she twirled and found herself facing Tokugawa again. He raised his sword, but Momohime rushed forward with a stab toward his heart.

Tokugawa slashed, and their blades clashed again. Momohime's Muramasa broke and the force of her foe's attack pushed her back. Momohime felt pain on her right hand, and she saw that it was bleeding.

Jumping back, Momohime swapped to her other Muramasa, and unleashed a quick draw strike in order to harm her foe at range. To her dismay, Tokugawa deflected it with his own blade.

"What is that sword?!" she exclaimed, frustrated. She brandished her Muramasa at him, biting her lip—his blade didn't look damaged at all.

"Do you not remember me tapping the blade with the Scepter?" he asked, raising the artifact. "The Muramasa Scepter made my Kuzuryuu blade invincible. It cannot break. Rather unfortunate for you."

"No..." Momohime grit her teeth. "I will not lose to you! Even if your sword cannot break!" she roared. She made a dash for him, but her foe vanished again. Another lightning bolt shot at her. Backflipping, Momohime was suddenly struck by yet another lightning bolt. She winced as she crashed to the ground.

Tokugawa appeared above her with his sword ready to cleave her head off. Momohime raised her Muramasa in time to deflect his, knocking him back. She jumped to her feet, and suddenly found herself under siege by her foe.

Momohime desperately tried to block and look for openings to counter Tokugawa, but she could find none. Tokugawa cut across the hamstring of her left leg, and she let out a scream of pain. Momohime attempted to counter, but Tokugawa shifted to the side, avoiding her blade, and cut across her back, slicing open her shoulder blade.

Gasping in pain and feeling the blood leaving her body, Momohime attacked Tokugawa again, letting the adrenaline kick in and keep her alive. Momohime clashed her blade against Tokugawa's again, and then she swept underneath him and slashed at his feet. He jumped back, avoiding the blow.

Her blade was at the end of its Soul capacity, thus, she had no choice. Momohime unleashed Moonlight upon Tokugawa, jumping into the air three times upon him, each time raising a column of purple energy on him.

He looked wounded from the attack, but he didn't seem to be anywhere as wounded as Momohime. He swung in at Momohime and broke her blade. He grabbed her by the throat and then threw her onto the ground opposite of himself.

She gasped, spitting out blood, feeling her back breaking. "Ugh! How...? How did you come back to life?"

"By Inugami's spirit, I was reborn."

"Is... is he really that powerful?" Momohime felt little strength in her left; it was a waste to struggle out of his grasp.

"More than you can imagine, princess. Farewell," he said. He brought down his blade and stabbed her through the chest with extreme force.

Momohime let out a gasp of pain, her eyes flung wide as the blade pierced her heart. After feeling the blade in her twist around painfully, she saw with the last of her strength Tokugawa pull the blade out of her chest, allowing her to fall to the ground.

"Momohime!" her friends screamed. At least, she thought they did as she slipped into darkness; her life extinguished.