With multiple yokai having been dealt with, and the goals of the Yo-kai Alliance becoming clearer, the group prepares to, at long last, meet with the leader of the Eastern Army: Tokugawa Ieyasu…
"Rise."
The group raised their heads, getting a look at the real Ieyasu Tokugawa of this world for the first time. Those with a spiritual eye could not only see his Guardian Spirit, Narikama Tanuki, perched on his shoulder, but also a horde of Mou-Ryo swarming over his head; a clear sign of many regrets.
"(There's no way a normal man could take this. It seems he's the real thing.)" William thought to himself.
"Do you see anything out of the ordinary?" Ieyasu asked with a smirk, knowing they could see his Guardian and his Mou-Ryo. "Some curse all of you as outlaws and pirates, while others praise you as otherworldly visitors. Now would all of you be so kind as to tell me who you truly are."
"Lord Ieyasu. We're the Hero Alliance. And the man we are accompanying is William Adams." Adora said. "We came to Japan because William and ourselves are after the same thing. A man named Edward Kelly has stolen William's Guardian Spirit, Saorise… and a dear friend of Sunset's. Kelly has also come here in search of a miracle stone called Amrita. He's committed some awful things with it, including corrupting Yo-kai. He's here because this country has access to lots of it."
"We have confirmed suspicions that Kelly has allied himself with your western rival, Mitsunari Ishida." Bardock said. "And seeing how badly Mitsunari wants you dead…"
"I'm well aware. If this man Kelly plans to kill me, he may appear here." Ieyasu said. "You have my permission to stand guard. Hanzo, do whatever you feel necessary."
"M'lord." Hanzo bowed.
"However…" Ieyasu said, turning his gaze to William and Sunset, getting their full attention. "I suspect villains will keep coming for Amrita, your Guardian Spirit, and these Yo-kai, so long as there is war. Anjin. Taiyo. Do you think a world without war is possible? I am building one. It will not be easy, but I have dedicated body and soul to my task. I have sacrificed much to ensure it. Tell me… What would you sacrifice to ensure your goals? What drives you?"
"(I'd never thought about that.)" William thought to himself, looking over at Sunset, who was equally lost in thought.
"(What would I sacrifice to keep my friends safe?)" Sunset asked herself. And just like that, the thought implanted in her mind by Kelly came roaring back, as the man's shadow loomed over her, though the others could not see it.
"You can't escape from your doubts that easily." Kelleys specter spoke in her mind. "How many Yo-kai have you befriended to this point? Hundreds? Thousands? So then… how many in your precious "alliance" are you willing to give up in return? How many would you let die to save one Yo-kai?"
Sunset looked upset for a moment, before a flash of memory from her training with Trevor came through.
"A lot of younger sorcerers fall into the trap of seeing themselves as a cog in a machine. That their own mental health and wellbeing are secondary. Don't fall into that trap. Whenever you start to put yourself down, remember: your friends care. They'd follow you to the gates of Hell, even if you begged them not to. Not because you want them to go…but because they choose to go."
"(I think I'm closer to the truth…)" Sunset thought before looking to Ieyasu to answer his question. "The next time I get a chance…I'm going to end Kelly myself." she stated, causing her friends to look at her, shocked, but not necessarily surprised.
"I see…" Ieyasu nodded as he stood up. "I head for Edo. Join me." he ordered the group.
Before the group could get up, a servant entered the room. "Apologies, Tokugawa-sama, but this man-" they started before Trevor came into the room, looking concerned.
"Trevor? What are you doing here?" Jexi asked.
"Gang, William, Hanzo, Lord Tokugawa…we have a problem." Trevor stated gravelly. "The Yo-kai Alliance just made their grand debut."
July 1600, Edo Castle, Musashi Province…
Trevor made the report as they rushed to Edo with Ieyasu's full force. Once at the front gate, the group saw a red alchemist circle upon it; a barrier spell.
"They just showed up a few hours ago." Trevor started. "Made these purple Amrita crystals that caused most of the samurai here to be brainwashed. Those that weren't…well, they put up a fight till the bitter end." he shook his head.
"And Okatsu? She said she was headed here." Hope said.
"Don't know who you're talking about, but I did see Kelly eyeing one of the girls earlier, one who had one of those Guardian Spirits on 'em." Trevor said.
"Did it happen to look like this?" William asked, manifesting Gyokuto.
"Yep, that's the one." Trevor nodded. "Thought he was just being sleazy, but…he didn't seem like the type."
"Crap, he must have her as a hostage. We gotta get in there!" Hope said.
"That's not a wise move." Kagane said. "Look."
Inside of the barrier, they could see a number of Yo-kai going wild along with the samurai. Three Nurikabe, a duo of dual swordsmen, a pair of large ogre-like Yo-kai, a couple of cow-like Yo-kai and a single horse-like Yo-kai floating on high.
"That's a lot of corrupted Yo-kai." Sunset said.
"Okay, so we can't go in through the front door, got it." DW typed. "Is there any other way in? Y'know, like some sorta secret underground passage with an elevator inside a tree or something?"
"I have an idea." Hanzo spoke up. "It won't be pleasant, but desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Eh, you're one of the best ninja in history. How bad could it be?" Eddy asked.
"You had to ask." Noelle chided Eddy as the group was trudging through the castle's sewer system.
"One of these days…I'm gonna learn to keep my big, fat, stupid mouth shut." Eddy deadpanned.
"No time for giving out, weans." William stated, before he spotted the stairs. "There we go…the way out."
"At last!" Rarity-2 said in relief as the group ascended up the ladder and into the castle proper.
"We managed to bypass the Yo-kai." Sunset said. "I'll be going solo to try and purify these guys. You all need to save Okatsu."
"Right." Hope said as Sunset went on ahead.
"Uh, do we have time for a quick bath? Saving Okatsu's nice and all, but we don't wanna be rude when we save her smelling like a barnhouse." Glimmer said.
"I dunno if there is time, who knows what Kelly's doing with her." Ragna said.
"If you want a bath, go jump into the bloody moat. Otherwise, we have to keep moving." William stated matter-of-factly.
"He's right. Foul odor or not, we've got someone to save." Hope said.
"Aw man." Glimmer said.
And so, with Sunset dealing with the corrupt Yo-kai, the group advanced through Edo castle, dealing with brainwashed samurai along the way as they advanced towards Okatsu's position. They soon entered a courtyard as they saw a general wielding a spear before he did a few swings and opened his eyes, revealing the same purple light the other possessed soldiers had.
Warrior Who Surpasses Death - Honda Tadakatsu
Weaknesses: Wind
Resistances: Earth
(Cue: Mononofu II - Nioh)
"That…looks like trouble." David said.
Honda Tadakatsu held his spear forward before charging towards the group in a surprising burst of speed.
"Oh jeez-!" Carmine yelled as the group narrowly avoided the strike.
"Blow this guy away with wind attacks, that'll snap him out of it!" Entrapta said.
Honda Tadakatsu proved that this wouldn't be easy, with him ripping boulders out of the earth with his spear, unleashing barrages of thrusts, whipping his spear around in a wide circle, and even summoning his Guardian Spirit, the Deer Shin-Roku, to make himself impossible to flinch.
"Cu Chulainn!" Kagane called, summoning the hero of Celctic Myth.
"Taste my spear!" Cu Chulainn called as he raised his spear upward as it glowed green before he charged in and thrusted it forward, the shockwave blasting out from behind Tadakatsu, piercing through any resistance he might've had.
Gae Bolg
"Orochi's Fury!" Alphen said as he struck Tadakasu with a sword slash that whipped up into a green tornado.
"Okay, time to see if I still got it… Air Thrust!" Genis said as Tadakatsu was enveloped in a green sphere that slashes at him with gusts of wind.
"Hey Will, let's hit em with our wind spirits, that oughta bring him to his senses!" Eddy said as he summoned Aya-komori.
"Good idea!" William agreed as he synchronized with Daiba-Washi. The two charged with a punch and a slash, sending Tadakatsu to his knees.
"Did that do it?" Klonoa asked.
"For now, but this gives us a chance to destroy the Amrita crystals here that are controlling him." 9S said.
The group looked around, seeing that there were three purple crystals around the area. "...Huh. How did we miss those?" ZS asked.
After smashing the crystals, Tadakatsu came to his senses.
(End song)
"How could I let myself be controlled by such cheap tricks?" Tadakatsu said as he made to grab his spear. "I'll kill myself, right here, right now!"
"Hey! You're not the one who is at fault here!" William said as he stopped him.
"I must admit I cannot defeat yokai. Neither can warriors of Mikawa." Tadakatsu acknowledged. "We are counting on you." he said as Shin-Roku emerged from the samurai and into William…
Once these lands teemed with brave warriors. But now they are no more. I myself had no peer. I was all but invincible. But he grows stronger with every cut and injury. I thought I had lost my lust for battle, but I find my chest tightening once again…
The vision faded, Shin-Roku finding itself standing next to Perfuma.
"The guardian spirit of one of the greatest samurai ever known… now protects the pacifist plant princess." Ragna said.
"Some pacifist." Catra said under her breath. "Should have gone off with Sunset."
"Ahhh!" Sunset called out as she was firing arrows from a bow as she was moving around the corrupted Yo-kai.
"The Heartful tribe are well known as skilled healers and refreshing ones spirit. This bow will allow for a unique effect. Purification against dark forces as well as healing if shot into an ally. Though…probably tell them the effect before firing."
"Sorry to do this to all of you but…this needs to be done to save you!" Sunset said as she continued to attack as a figure watched her in the dark before they disappeared into it.
Back with the others, they entered the castle and climbed up, defeating brainwashed samurai and yokai along the way, before they reached the top of the castle.
"We have come to save you!" Ed declared, before slamming his head through the doors. "Knock-knock! I am in!"
"Okatsu, are you in here?" Hope asked.
Indeed she was, as Okatsu stood up, dressed in her sky blue kimono. But she quickly cast it off to replace it with her Kunoichi outfit, minus her shoes as she took a stance and tilted her head up as she opened her eyes, showing that she was being controlled.
(Cue: Okatsu II - Nioh)
"Dammit, they got to her too!" Zephyr said.
"We're gonna have to bring her to her senses just like Tadakatsu." hope said.
"Okay, but be gentle! That's still a young lady!" Pearl said as Okatsu drew her Kunai.
"Yeah, a young lady whos also a ninja." Mermista said as they faced Okatsu down.
Brainwashed Kunoichi - Okatsu
Weaknesses: Water
Resiststances: Lightning, Earth, Poison, Paralysis
Befitting her profession as a Kunoichi, Okatsu was fast on her feet and swift in her strikes. Throwing multiple kunai at once, lunging and leaping at the group with slashes, and kicking and grappling at them in close range.
"Man she's relentless!" Kaibara said as he countered some of Okatsus strikes.
"Yeah? So am I!" Lei said as she took over for the Drill hero and engaged in a fierce flurry with Okatsu. She was able to match her speed and even took her down several times.
Okatsu quickly recovered and dashed at Lei, slashing with her Kunai before throwing her across the castle floor.
Lei cartwheeld to her feet and brushed her nose. She then pounded her right fist into her open palm, summoning Mizuchi. The dragon spirit flew around her as she did some martial arts poses before his spiritual power embedded itself into Leis hands and feet. "Cmon!" she taunted the young Kunoichi.
Falling for it, Okatsu dashed right at Lei, the latter swiftly countering into a flurry of Water Elemental enhanced wing chun strikes, before tripping okatsu up at the legs and following up with a roundhouse kick, Miczuchi joining in on via slapping his tail. Lei then finished odd her combo piece with a three hit finisher conisting of a straigh punch to the stomach, a high kick to the face, and finally a double palm strike that finally sent Okatsu down for the count.
(end song)
"Geez Lei, we only needed to snap her out of it, not knock her out." Issei said.
"Heh, sorry. All that talk of hers kinda got me a bit fired up." Lei said.
William knelt next to Okatsu, holding her and shaking the kunoichi gently. "Hey, wake up!"
Okatsu started to stir, before opening her eyes. The two gazed at each other, before…
"You reek!" Okatsu said, practically flinging herself away from William as she coughed.
"Sorry… we had no time to shower after infiltrating the castle through the sewers." Glimmer said.
"Aw, and just when I thought they were gonna kiss…" DW typed.
"She's too young for him!" Mark replied hotly.
"It's the sixteen hundreds, nobody gives a damn!" DW typed.
"Well someone should!" Mark fired back.
"Aw, like an old married couple, you two." Pinkie-2 said.
"No!" the two boys yelled and typed.
"Having a little spat, are we?" a voice laughed as Kelly suddenly appeared, putting everyone on guard.
"Thanks for saving us the trouble of looking for you in this castle, you snake!" Ajna said.
"Return Saoirse and Enma, or else!" Donald said.
"And why would we do that?" a voice asked as stepped out was a figure in a robe and sword. One the alliance knew.
"No way…you…" David said.
Ed Zoff
Classic Yo-kai
Shady Tribe
"You all know him?" Nemona asked.
"He's a Yo-kai that tried to lead a revolution against Enma." Hope said.
"Why are you here?" Jexi asked.
"Isn't it obvious? I'm helping this alliance." Ed Zoff said.
"And he makes a very wonderful commander and confidant. It would be a waste to use Amrita on this one." Kelly said as he brout out the imprisoned Saorise. "His inquiry is also very valid regarding this spirit. Shes been a remarkable servant."
Kelly then used his dark alchemy to make Saoirse writhe in pain.
"Stop it! You're hurting her!" Klonoa said.
"We do not take orders from weak little whelps like you." Ed Zoff said.
William opted for the direct approach, dashing towards Kelly in an attempt to get Saorise back.
"It's a fake!" Ieyasu's voice came as William faltered in his strike, allowing Kelly and Ed Zoff to teleport to the other side of the room. The former had Okatsu as a hostage as Ieyasu, Hanzo and Tenkai arrived.
"I took her hostage because she's protected by a Guardian Spirit, but I guess her nobility is also of some use." Kelly sneered, staring straight at Ieyasu. "If you take her place, I'll let the bitch live."
"I'm afraid I have other plans. Besides, who could trust a man who takes a lady as a hostage?"
"So you're saying you dont care what happens to this human?" Ed Zoff asked as he drew his sword.
"You wouldn't dare to…" Hope said before they saw Ed Zoff stabbing the girl in the leg.
"...No, I don't!" Ieyasu declared, shocking the group, and Kelly.
"What?" Kelly asked, genuinely caught off guard.
"Hmm…so the fabled Ieyasu has nerves of steel. Impressive." Ed Zoff said.
Okatsu fought through the pain to look at Ieyasu. "Just as I thought. To you…I'm not worth a thing." a kunai slipped out from her legs. Grabbing it with her foot, she swung it towards the still-distracted Kelly's face, who dodged in time but released Okatsu, sending her stumbling.
Hanzo took advantage and threw some shuriken their way, but Ed Zoff blocked them with his sword, Kelly retaliating with an ouroboros, aimed right at Ieyasu. The snake's assault was stopped by Tenkai, who summoned a turtle Guardian Spirit to block Ouroborous's assault.
All attention was then shifted to Okatsu, who couldn't stop herself in time as she tripped over a guardrail and started falling towards the moat outside.
"Okatsu!" Hope called.
"I'll get her!" William sprinted outside and jumped after the Kunocichi without fear, diving towards the moat and landing with a splash.
"See, he got his bath after all." Emo remarked.
"Eh, I'll take a Dramatic Rescue for now." DW typed.
"Drop it." Mark deadpanned.
"That human is stubborn. He's still alive." Ed Zoff said to Kelly.
"Yes, that won't be enough to kill him." Kelly agreed.
"As long as you carry that spirit, he'll always pursue you, even to the Infinite Inferno itself if need be." Ed Zoff said as he looked to the chaos. "Seems the girl is almost finished freeing the Yo-kai we brought here."
Kelly contemplated their position, before Tadakatsu came into the room. "My lord!" he called out, before seeing Kelly.
"No matter. It is done." Kelly stated as he and Ed Zoff vanished into a swirl of red.
"I have news..." Tadakatsu announced. "Mitsunari has raised an army."
"I see…this was a ruse all along." Hanzo realized. "He pretended to be after Ieyasu to lure us east so that the Western Army would have time to assemble."
"Dang it! Kelly pulled the wool over our eyes again!" Eddy groaned. "How the heck does he keep doing this?!"
"Because the majority of us are idiots." David deadpanned.
"...Perpare our forces." Ieyasu stated. "For one last time…Japan will see war."
A few days later, the group bore witness to the Eastern Army, 75 thousand strong.
"Well, we started this trip to help Sunset get her friends back…and now we're in the middle of a war. Again." Scarlet sighed. "Can I speak for all of us? Nobody wants to do this, right?"
"...No." Mark said grimly.
"But we have to. We promised Sunset we'd help her get the Night Parade back together." Hope said.
"Yeah…I was not expecting this. Though good news is I've almost gotten back all my friends. Just a small few remain." Sunset said.
"Speaking of which, what friends did you get back while during our tour of Edo?" Emo asked.
"There were ten of them. Noway, Walldin, Impass, Zerberker, Snartle, Roary, Mumbles, Predictabull, Smashibull and Kyryn." Sunset said. "Only remaining Yo-kai are…Enma, Whisper, Taronyan and his three followers, Gutsy Bones, and Venoct."
"Not to state my opinion or anything, Sunset…" William piped in. "But when you said your friends, it sounds to me like you're only referring to one group of them."
"Well yeah…while everyone here are my friends, the Yo-kai are just as much my friends as well." Sunset said.
"I understand." William said.
"Lord Tokugawa, what about Lord Torii?" the group overheard one of the commanders ask.
"Torii Mototada is in Fushimi and will knowingly sacrifice himself there. No need to help him. The final confrontation with Uesugi Kagekatsu approaches!" Tokugawa said as Tadakatsu and the soldiers roared in victory as Ieyasu head lowered a bit and his guardian spirit appeared, the group noticing blood dripping from his mouth a bit as the guardian spirit looked at them..
"You're the history buff, David. We won't impact much if we rescue Torii, right?" Glimmer asked.
"I don't think so. Torii's sacrifice is what drives Ieyasu to gather the forces to win the Battle of Sekigahara, so… It's kind of a bit of a coin toss." David said.
"Still upset about how your stand against Kaido was treated?" Sheer asked.
"...A little bit. But I figured as long as I bought time for Jexi to come back and defeat Kaido, it didn't matter how it was treated. This is kind of the same situation." David said.
Sheer lamented back on what he said back in Elyos and sighed. "I see… I understand. It seems like that one comment really got to you. I don't claim to be the smartest, but its also hard to help others with my magic. I've been around for a very long time but that doesn't mean I haven't seen many fall that I could have helped. I am...no hero."
"...All the more reason…to prove that you do now, you know what I'm saying?" David asked. "Everyone makes mistakes, man. The hard part is admitting them. But once you do, you use that knowledge to make sure such mistakes are never made again. You can't change the past, I know that for a fact. All you can do is learn from it as you live out your future. You get what I'm saying? The future isn't set in stone. It all depends on how you make it. I-I guess what I am trying to say is…"
"I forgive you." Sheer said. "I know we haven't seen eye to eye lately. But we both want to say the same thing. I apologize about those words that went towards your perceptions."
"Hey, don't worry. You're not the first to do so. And if my life is going the way I think it will, you won't be the last." David said. "Plus… Yeah, Masakado was on me. I am willing to admit that. Shouldn't have gone at Black the way I did."
"You can't change the past, all you do is learn from it as you live your future." Sheer said with a bit of a smirk. "Your words, not mine."
William, in the meantime, stared at the Guardian Spirit on Ieyasu's shoulder. Taking an interest in the Skyian, Narikama Tanuki leaped right towards Sheer, and…
I've sacrificed my family. And those who have served me faithfully for many years. I cannot stop moving forward. My fate is to bear this heavy burden… In order to achieve peace, I must be ready to sacrifice everything.
Sheer was left looking contemplative, while the Narikama Tanuki rested on his shoulder.
"...Very well." William spoke up, grabbing the attention of those around him. "We're going to save that stubborn old man."
"But what if we're too late, and history plays out?" Kendo asked.
"Whatever happens to Torii, we'll make sure we do our best." Adora said. "We're going to Fushimi."
Once again, Kelly outwits the Hero Alliance, and Mitsunaris armies amass. However, aiming to take a chance, William and the heroes head to Fushimi Castle to rescue Torii Mototada from his burning end. The heroes are no strangers to changing history, but will they be fast enough to save one whose fate is already seemingly set in stone?