Author's Notes: Hello all! Real quick: this doesn't qualify as a main episode, but I'll title it for now until I go back to re-edit Season 2. I'll just post what I have in the meantime. Interactive part will be in the next chapter. This is part one of the finale.
Meioshi said nothing as Sesshomaru flew away from her. Instead, she simply let out a soft chuckle and watched the man leave her. Despite his self-righteous motivations, he was a good friend. Perhaps, in another life, they could be both rivals and friends. Feeling her heart slowing down and her power being used up, the doctor waited a little longer to start the plan. She knew she couldn't kill Azumamaro or the akashita demon per Tadamasa's warning, so the best she could was to simply aid Hasumi and Kouumoto in destroying this creature. From the looks of things, Sesshomaru might have ended Azumamaro's possessed life. That was good. She just had to wait for Liuxian and the others. Thinking of Sesshomaru's words for a bit, Meioshi smiled and closed her eyes. He must be fighting alongside that other demon then. It was too bad she couldn't meet this other demon formally and properly, but she wouldn't complain about it. Her power was fully drained, and the demon's hair was starting to wrap her body like a mummy... the same way Manzo was trapped on the other side. Hearing cracking, Meioshi was alerted to something behind her making noises. She felt reiki trying to reach out to her and heal her wounds.
"Not yet, Lord Fukuyama," Meioshi said softly. "We have to wait just a little longer before I free you. I need your help to save your family and to trap this beast. After that, I leave the rest to you."
The rest? Manzo thought, body cast steadily chipping away.
"You can trust me," Meioshi reassured, giggling weakly. "I'm with Kouumoto. I'm trying to release his might as well. It will take everything we have to do this. I have good news, though. There was a little boy that you knew in the past. You called him Little A-roo. He's all grown up now! You should see him! He's fighting this demon, too. I don't know who that other demon is, but it's fighting the akashita demon along with him. You must know this other that's with Little A-roo. I hope that... with my strength you'll be able to see them again and be reunited with your family. Your daughter misses you so much."
"Hasumi..." a masculine voice replied.
"Yes, your grace," Meioshi said softly. "She is here. She is calling out to the pieces of the Taiyoko-sen Coin now. You've a brave little girl, highness! She deserves a second chance at life, the way... I believe that Little A-roo does, too. You deserve to be with your family as well. I'll do what I can to make that happen for this fight, but the rest is a decision of the gods. I can do no more."
"Who are you?" Manzo asked.
"Meioshi. I'm a doctor, you see. I may not be the closest of friends to Little A-roo, but I am his sparring partner you could say," she answered with a small smile.
"Hmph! We spent all that time trying to birth Little A-roo's playmates and he goes and finds him one without us!" Manzo joked, laughing weakly. "Such a spoiled tot!"
"Ah, so that's your fault that he expects the world to bow before him," Meioshi joked.
"He was a cute kid. I wonder who he looks like the most now that he's a man," Manzo said softly as though he were imagining how the young child looked.
"If all goes well, you'll be able to see for yourself," Meioshi responded. TWACK! A noise alerted both warriors before an arrow was jammed into the towering pillar holding them up. It was the Green Pheasant's divine arrow. Not long after him was Liuxian flying around the city's borders on her boat and surrounding Sozosora with her shimenawa. Manzo questioned what was going on, but Meioshi let a chuckle out and suddenly gained a boost of confidence. "Right then. It's time to get you out of here, Lord Fukuyama."
"How? The akashita has trapped us," Manzo questioned, turning to Meioshi.
"Hasumi did an excellent job in waking everyone up," Meioshi complimented, smiling toothily. "It is my job to bring you together. I am your connector, after all."
"You're the spirit of the Serizawa Chain?" Manzo asked.
"Heavens no! I'm just a substitute," Meioshi replied, turning her wrists in the binds to grab at the hair in her left hand but revealing a comb in her right hand. "First things, first, I'll be needing my body for this. You, my lord, must go to the Green Pheasant below. He's been waiting to speak with you for hours."
Attaching the comb to the akashita, Meioshi combed through the locks slowly and weakly before the hair started breaking. She continued to do this until she called on a reservoir of her power, not within immediate use or grasp, and activated the comb's power. From it, gold dust splattered across the shield and mirror and Manzo's body cast was fully broken as he and his shield had dropped to the ground. He landed gently on the soil and looked back up at the doctor. She managed to perform a couple of hand signs before standing still and letting the comb wrap the akashita's hair between its teeth. Unleashing the hell traveler's powers, Meioshi's signature orange manto, elaborate kesho-mawashi, and deep indigo earrings had appeared on her body. Grabbing at the akashita's hair and tying bits of it around the glittering comb, Meioshi unlocked her power in steps. She had only one shot at this exorcism. It had to be done right.
Allowing the akashita demon to retaliate and try to regain its control over her, she firmly commanded, "I call upon the eye that watcheth over the lands below. Himawari Jewel, seek thine enemy!"
Hasumi radiated with power and another point in the forest did the same. It seemed to be located near the old treehouse that Manzo and Yonamine had built in the past.
"I call upon the drawbridge between the heavens above and the earth below," Meioshi said next, earning a look of determination from Manzo.
He activated his shield and summoned a burst of power that made a thunderous roar. The akashita demon exclaimed "No!" But, it could feel itself being sucked into Meioshi's shimenawa trail. Milady and Sesshomaru delivered crushing blows to the beast, knocking him back and forcing the two inu to watch Meioshi work.
Manzo said angrily, "It is by my power that darkness shall ne'er enter the kingdom overlooking the world. Korenaga Tate, thy walls be lifted!"
Once Sozosora was covered in gold light, all demons that once lived in the city or disguised themselves as humans were burned to nothing. The few possessed humans that survived Azumamaro's attacks were purified and aged rapidly to their correct year. Meioshi performed one last hand sign before the sky tore open and a beam of sunlight cut straight through the akashita demon to align with the mirror Meioshi was still strapped on. From the beam descended a man only the akashita demon knew.
"You!"
"Zanshin!" Meioshi interrupted. "Exorcism level of the first degree! I summon the Four Heavenly Kings and bind this demon of the sky and shadow. I call upon the sword that guards the heavens. Naginata of Light, strike with divine flare!"
From the distance, a spear shot through the sky and struck the akashita demon to make it shriek. Manzo called out his wife's name and was about to run to her direction until he saw a familiar demon perform a claw swipe at the creature and forced it to enter Meioshi's shimenawa trail. With it properly bound, the Four Heavenly Kings caged the demon and Kouumoto unlocked his full power to create a golden ceiling of pure light that started burning holes in the akashita's body.
"I am the reflection of the sun. My golden lantern lighteth the ocean of sky and cloud. Chen-bi, rain on this darkness to purify enmity between the wicked and man," Meioshi commanded, activating Chen-bi's strength. Hon'no returned to the trinket's home and let Meioshi take care of the rest. Chen-bi shot a spiral blast at the demon, making it shake and tear. The doctor then said, "To rejoin the pieces of the Taiyoko-sen Coin, let me be the chain that bonds us together. Release!"
With everything she had, Meioshi unleashed her might with a loud scream. Sesshomaru tried to bolt towards her, but the reiki energy was too strong for him, and he had to back away. He wanted to stop her. He could smell so much coming from her. Power, pain, blood, tears, and death. No, he had to stop her! Entering the purification beam, he pushed forward, feeling every ounce of gravity on his body and burning on his skin. This was far worse than Mount Hakurei, even worse than the hinoki tree of his dojo, but Meioshi was screaming in pain. Her life was escaping her. He had to stop her. CRASH! SHATTER! From the mirror was Meioshi's freed body falling with the pieces of the mirror's glass... an angel whose wings were torn... a heartbeat that was slowing to a stop... a force of nature wilting away like a dying seed... his little dandelion was fluttering to the ground. A bright flash of light blinded all and a gust of wind shot everyone back. The akashita demon was severely weakened to a point of immobility, but this came at a cost... Milady raced to the Fukuyama family's side while Sesshomaru raced to Meioshi's...