(Time: 1683 Satsuki, jūshichi-nichi, mokuyōbi (May, 17, Thursday)
(Hebi) province) (Gozen nakaba: Mid-Morning)
Morning had come; Tamari and Ko set out for the temple.
"Hey, didn't Kataude mention something before? Like some other religion? She mentioned something called "Shikami"." Asked Ko.
"She was talking about the church of Shikami; it's the most widespread church." Replied Tamari.
"Those that follow the faith believe that one day the "Six Gods" will return: merging into one almighty being. Then all those faithful will be saved and the world will be remade."
"Do you believe in Shikami?"
"...I believe in myself." He said solemnly. "But now's not the time to get religious. I need you to distract the temple guards while I fight Kugutsu." Said Tamari sternly.
"But what am I going to do if they catch me!?" Asked Ko concerned.
Tamari smirked. "You're just gonna have to figure that out on your own."
Ko crossed his arms pouting. "Hmf."
"Alright, we're here."
Tamari and Ko looked around the temple corner; Kugutsu was playing a shamisen*, while the shrine maiden was nowhere to be seen. (Three string guitar)*
Tamari signaled to Ko. "Alright go!"
Ko nodded as he ran out in front of the temple. Ko stuck out his tongue while he mooned Kugutsu.
"Hey, Baka! Nya nya!"
Kugutsu immediately became angered. "Get that child, who dares to mock the messiah!"
"Hey, co'mere kid!" "Come back!" Yelled the guards.
"See ya!" Ko ran off while the temple guards chased after him.
Tamari stepped out from behind the temple.
"Well, it looks like it's just you and I, your grace." He said smugly.
"Ah, the nonbeliever. Come to pray for forgiveness?" Asked Kugutsu.
"No, but I have come to expose you for the false prophet you are!" Shouted Tamari.
"Hmmm, I will make you bow before me like the insect that you are."
"Yeah? You and what army?" Asked Tamari.
"Oh, no army. Just some devoted followers…"
As he spoke, many men and women walked out from the temple and up from the path.
A smug grin made its way across Kugutsu's face.
"You will not leave here in one piece."
Tamari tensed up, preparing for the oncoming fight. "Tch…"
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Ko ran through the forest; exhausted. "Hah, hah...Don't you guys ever give up!?"
He jumped over rocks and ran through bushes. Yet he still couldn't lose them. He decided to stop and hide behind an old tree to catch his breath.
"Hah...Hah… I think...I think I lost them."
/Shunk!/
A spear landed against the tree, next to his head; barely missing him.
"Nope!"
He quickly grabbed onto the spear and climbed up onto a branch. The two guards came rushing in that moment, nearly missing Ko.
"Wait! Where did he go!?"
"I don't know, spread out and find him. He couldn't have gone far!"
Ko looked down from up in the tree. "Whew! That was close…" /Crick...Crack/ "Hm?"
The tree steadily began to fall, "Uh oh-"
With Ko hugging the trunk for dear life.
"Ahhhh!"
The tree came down with a crashing boom, echoing throughout the forest.
"Ugh, shoot... I need to get out of here."
Ko looked up; spotting a nearby cave; limping his way over he came to the mouth of the cave.
"We found you welp!"
"You're not getting away anymore." Shouted the guards.
Ko turned around slowly, facing the men. "Just take me away!" He pleaded.
"No, Kugutsu wouldn't want a little twerp like you running around spreading lies. So, we're going to take care of you right here." Said the guard.
The guard raised his spear ready to kill; Ko closed his eyes waiting for the worst.
"Ha!"
He threw the spear; flying through the air, but at the last second Ko cowered, ducking into a crouch, dodging the spear. It flew into the darkness.
"You missed!?" Yelled the other guard.
"Well, I'm sorry, why didn't you throw it!?" He asked.
"It was point blank!"
A low growl came from the cave, but the men didn't take notice.
Ko watched the men argue, when suddenly, he felt the ground shake behind him.
A large black bear crawled out of the cave, a feeling of anger about it.
"Uh… bye!" Yelped Ko.
He immediately ran off, leaving behind the men.
"Get back, beast! I'm not afraid of some overgrown vermin!" Shouted the guard.
The man poked the spear in the bear's face.
The bear stood up on its hind legs and swatted the spear out of his hands.
/Rooooaaaaaarrrrrr!/
"Hm?" As Ko ran back towards the temple, he thought he could make out the sound of screaming.
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Suddenly the crowd rushed Tamari; poised to strike with sharp farming equipment and blunt objects in hand.
He took out his naginata sweeping around him, pushing the crowd back. "Hah!"
Then running over to one nearby follower, he grabbed slips of paper with the kanji: (sleep) written on them.
He jumped up on the follower's head placing a slip on his face, then throwing a number of them at other people.
They fell to the ground unconscious, leaving only a few followers standing.
"Tch, that doesn't change anything you're still done for!" Yelled Kugutsu.
One woman ran at Tamari with a scythe, aiming for his shoulder.
"Diiieee!" She screamed.
Tamari quickly held up his weapon, stopping the scythe from coming down on him; he then shook the woman off, knocking her out with the end of the naginata.
Behind Tamari a man was about to bash him in the head with a club, when suddenly the man was knocked unconscious with a thrown rock.
/Bonk!/
Tamari noticed on top of a nearby rock, Ko grinning and giving him the thumbs up.
"Heh." Grinned Tamari.
Kugutsu's concern and worry escalated in a matter of moments; watching his followers be effortlessly defeated. "No! You...you cannot defeat me! For I am the new God of this wor..."
/Shunk!/
In a flash Tamari stabbed through Kugutsu's chest causing him to cough up blood.
"How? *Cough*...I...I'm a...God…*hack!*"
With a stern and serious gaze, Tamari stared into Kugutsu's dying eyes.
"If you really are the messiah... try crawling your way out of Jigoku*." (Hell)*
Kugutsu breathed his last, his eyes rolled back as he fell to the ground in a pool of blood.
Tamari examined Kugutsu; a sense of confusion and fret.
Ko ran over to Tamari. "Yeah! We did it!" He shouted excitedly.
Ko looked at Tamari's face, noticing his concern. "Wait, we beat Kugutsu... So, what's wrong?"
"Kugutsu wasn't a demon, so how could he have worked his "miracles"?" He questioned.
Ko noticed someone up at the entrance of the temple.
"Look! The shrine maiden!"
"Oh? You finally noticed me..." She said with a condescending tone.
"Who are you..." Asked Tamari.
She smirked. "I am Nise "Of Falsehood"; a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
As she spoke, a purple cloud covered her body, revealing nine fox tails, as well as ears atop her head. Her fur was a deep crimson except for the tufts of her ears and the tips of her tails which were a sakura pink.
Her appearance was that of a five foot ten, twenty-seven-year-old woman; she wore a black Tomesode with pink lotus designs; as well as a Black Dahlia hairpiece with purple linings, gold stands on the right side of her head and underneath her right ear.
She had deep pink eyes like a fox, that gave off a feeling of temptation. With a finely curved body that was well endowed; long beautifully crimson hair that flowed down her back to her waist. Any man would have instantly been ensnared by her beauty.
"I am one of the Seven Noh generals..." She said.
Tamari's brow furrowed. "So, you were the one creating these illusions..."
/Tap!/
He felt something touch him on the shoulder. "Huh?" He spun around.
"Smart boy, my illusions can pull the wool over anyone's eyes." A second Nise was suddenly behind him. "Almost as if they're "real"..."
She patted Tamari on the head and stroked Ko's chin gently as she passed him; walking up to where the real Nise was standing, dissolving into thin air.
"Really? Cooool..." Gawked Ko.
Tamari frowned looking over to Ko, then smacked him, bringing him back to his senses.
"Ouch! Uh...I mean, you used Kugutsu!" Yelled Ko.
Nise created a red sensu*; fanning herself as she looked down on them from the temple steps. (Folding fan)*
"That man was just a simple toy. He believed he was an almighty savior when really he was just a pathetic nobody believing in a lie."
Tamari's nerves began to boil.
"Why would you do something like this!? You played with people's lives; you gave them false hope!" He yelled.
"Because it entertains me." She said mockingly. "There's nothing more amusing than watching poor fools give up everything in desperation of grasping at something they can never hope to gain. Such is the nature of humans...believing in the lies that are their lives."
"You...You sadistic freak!" Shouted Ko.
"Now, now..." She spoke.
"I'm just as horrible as any other that uses another for their own personal gain. Such as this man…"
She nudged at Kugutsu's corpse.
"He used the faith and gratitude of his followers to fuel his asinine ambitions, he was just as awful as me... They were more "slaves" than followers…"
Ko tensed up. "Ngh..."
She looked down to Kugutsu's corpse. "But unlike them, he can still be of use to me."
She held out her hand as a green mask materialized; it had antennae with red compound eyes and mandibles like a bug. It suddenly grew six grotesque legs; beginning to wiggle around in her hand.
"I'll have to thank that "monk" for bestowing me such an interesting toy."
Tamari quickly moved to stop her. "No... Wait!"
Nise smiled a sinister grin, dropping the mask; it fell to the ground, crawling its way over to Kugutsu, latching onto his face.
His body lurched forward. Convulsing in rapid spasms, suddenly stopping, he stood up slowly.
"Ku-Kugutsu?" Stuttered Ko.
He stared at them blankly. "Ah..ah...AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"
Kugutsu screamed in pain as giant pincers ruptured out from his back, and tiny legs protruded out of his ribs.
He turned around staring at Tamari and Ko, his eyes glowed red and green slime oozed from his mouth.
Ko winced in disgust. "Ewww…"
"Oh, come on Kugutsu, I thought I was the insect-" snickered Tamari.
Kugutsu twitched erratically. "Ke-kee-Screeeeee!"
He lunged at Tamari and Ko with his pincers poised to strike, Tamari hastily sidestepped and slashed at Kugutsu's back; giving out a blood curdling screech, it spun around clamping onto Tamari's naginata pinning him against a tree.
"Ngh…"
Kugutsu tilted his head, staring at Tamari with his newly formed eyes. "Clk-clk…"
Tamari slammed his head into Kugutsu.
/Wham!/ Temporarily stunning him.
Tamari jumped away, then rushed Kugutsu; but he regained his focus in the moment, sprouting wings, soaring into the air.
"Oh, come on! He can fly!?" Yelled Tamari as he became increasingly annoyed.
Nise watched Tamari fight, giggling at his frustration.
Kugutsu started zipping around in the air erratically giving little openings for Tamari.
"Dang it, I can't pull out my mask..."
Kugutsu flew down, striking Tamari with lighting speed, bringing Tamari to his knees. "Arghhh!"
Ko stood still, watching as his friend fought the monster, trying to figure out a way to help.
Nise appeared, coming up behind him, placing her hands on Ko's shoulders.
"Your friend doesn't look like he's doing too good…"
"Gah!"
A second Nise appeared to his left. "I think you better give him a hand before it's too late."
A third Nise appeared in front of Ko; bending over, looking into his eyes. "Don't you?"
She smiled at Ko, tilting her head as if she was mocking him.
Angrily, he pushed her aside. "Raaaaahh!"
He ran at Kugutsu grabbing a hoe and throwing it at him; Kugutsu swiftly dodged it, turning around.
"Clk-clk!"
"Oh crap…"
Kugustsu flew down; opening his pincer to kill Ko.
But before he could do so, Tamari appeared before him with his mask pressed against his face and his naginata drawn in the other.
Kugutsu stopped in his tracks, his body twitched as his head sank, rolling off, falling to the ground. His body soon fell along with it, dissolving into smoke.
Nise placed her heel down on the decapitated head. "Sigh… Well, I suppose that is what to be expected from a worthless insect like him."
/Crunch!/
She swiftly crushed the head, which dissolved, turning into black smoke.
She turned away, blowing them a kiss. "Well, it's been fun boys, but I must go. Ciao..." *~Chu!*
Tamari charged at her with incredible speed. "You're not leaving!"
But he passed through her, as she faded into purple mist, crashing into the temple wall.
/Bang!/
"Oww…"
"Hey, thanks for saving me..." Thanked Ko.
Tamari stood up sore and fatigued, his body aching. "Ugh… yeah, don't mention it. Let's get out of here, I'm tired of temples."
Suddenly Tamari heard a scream. "My legs! My legs! Where did they go!?"
They noticed the waking villagers; it seemed many of the followers had lost several of their limbs.
"Ugh… my hand. Where's my hand…?"
"I can't see! What's going on!?"
Ko looked to Tamari, concerned. "What happened to them?" He asked.
"It seems with Nise gone, her illusions have worn off. Their bodies are reverting to the way they were before."
One of the followers threw a pair of sheers at them. /Shunk!/
"Look what you've done! Without Kugutsu's blessing, our limbs have been taken from us!"
"We're sorry, we didn't know this would happen!" Said Ko apologetically.
"I can no longer provide for my family because of you!" Said another follower angrily.
"You damned bastards! Give me my legs back!"
The people began throwing objects at them; Ko held out his hands, shielding himself.
"Ah! Stop, please! We didn't mean to!"
Tamari stood with a still expression. "Time to leave."
Ko agreed with a disheartened look. "...Right."
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They left the temple, leaving the angry followers behind.
Ko looked at to Tamari. "Tamari..."
"What is it?" He replied.
"Did we really do a good thing?" Asked Ko.
Tamari sighed, looking up at the trees. "Sometimes You have to do things for the greater good, no matter the outcome." He said with a serious expression.
"They weren't really doing anything wrong; they just wanted to live normal lives… What are they going to do without their limbs?"
He looked down at him,
"There isn't anything gained from living in the past. They'll just have to learn to live with what they have from now on. And move on with their lives."
Ko stopped for a moment looking back in the direction of the temple, after a moment he turned around and continued forward down the path.