Possession 15: Kamereon

Tenshi dashed through the park, a scroll unrolled one hand, his bokuto in the other. Every so often he would glance down at it, searching the map-like design to the red light that indicated Kawari’s position. Rei raced along beside him, brows furrowed as she brooded over the words of Tobias.

‘Look into her eyes’ and that legend about the Sword of Echoes… Where was he going with all that? “Hey Tenshi,” she said, speaking aloud. “What do you think Tobias meant with what he told us?”

“I don’t know,” Tenshi muttered between breaths. He looked over at the priestess. Her form was still blurry and faint. Damn… this is going to be rough… Glancing again at the scroll, he skidded to a stop.

Rei shot passed him and spun around to face the boy. “Why’d you stop?”

Brown eyes moved from the map to the woods on his left. “She stopped. I think there’s a small field by the river. It’s not that far away.” Rolling the scroll up, he slid it in his pocket as he swung the bokuto a few times. “She’s waiting for us.” Gathering up all his nerve, he plunged into the woods.

Rei drifted along next to him. “Tenshi… I want to apologize again for dragging you into this…”

“Don’t. It’s okay… I agreed, after all.” I promised to stop him to save my father and everyone who ever looked down on me, Tenshi thought grimly. This is for my mother… who believed in me…

The priestess watched him carefully. He’s changed, somehow… More confident than he was when we fought Gouka Ryouken…

“I just know I’m gonna die,” Tenshi muttered.

“Then you might as well die fighting.”

“Thanks for the words of encouragement.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I was being sarcastic!”

“Ah.”

Both went silent as the sound of rushing water reached them. Tenshi pushed through the brush, emerging in a small clearing that held one tree on the riverbank that leaned across to the other side. A few birds sang. There were no signs of Kawari anywhere.

Tenshi carefully moved towards the tree, bokuto at the ready. He turned and scanned the area, pulling the scroll from his pocket. He unrolled it with one hand, checking the demon’s location. “Yeah… she’s here alright… somewhere…”

Rei looked around as well. “But where…” A movement caught her eye. She turned to stare at a squirrel clinging to the side of the large tree on the river. The priestess growled as the sense of darkness pressed in upon her senses. “Tenshi! The tree!”

The teenager spun in alarm, catching site of Kawari, back in the guise of a schoolgirl, clinging to the side of the tree. Green eyes swirled into a lizard-like slits of an amber color. She let out a hiss, jumping towards Tenshi with arms outstretched. He ducked to the side and watched warily as the demon landed on her hands before springing back to her feet.

“A tracking talisman… I should have guessed.” She grinned as she turned, her arms beginning to stretch out, melting and shifting to become two long steel blades. “It’s just too bad that I can’t have the pleasure of killing the Kodama priestess.”

Rei growled. “If I hadn’t wasted so much energy on trying to lure you into the open, I would gladly fight you myself!”

Tenshi stayed in his position, crouched and at the ready. He watched Kawari carefully for any tricks she might pull.

Kawari shifted her intimidating gaze to rest on the teenage boy. “So… it’s come down to this. I hope you made peace with your family, Saishi. You won’t ever be seeing them again.”

Her words were meant to taunt Tenshi into attacking, and that he did. His eyes went wide as he suddenly launched forward, swinging the bokuto upwards from his side towards the green-haired demon. She parried easily with one blade, spinning and slashing at Tenshi with her other weapon. He pulled back quickly, but the steel cut through his shirts and left a shallow cut in his stomach.

“Don’t let her rile you, Tenshi!” Rei shouted.

The teenage boy didn’t have time to respond as Kawari went on the attack, spinning in a dance of death. One blade flashed and vanished, to be replaced a moment later with the other before it left room for the first to return. Tenshi tried to block as many blows as he could but he could not block them all. He was getting cuts all over his arms and chest. Luck held out as his ducks and dodges prevented any serious blows from being made.

Damnit! I need to stop this walking salad shooter before I get cut to death! But I can’t get in a blow! Tenshi knocked an attack to the side and ducked beneath a blow that went for his head. An opening!  On instinct, he threw his first up and forward into Kawari’s stomach.

The demon gasped and momentarily stopped her attack, giving Tenshi the time to get away. She narrowed her eyes and growled. “Don’t think you can get away from me that easily!” She ducked forward and shot at her opponent like a bullet.

                “Tenshi!” Rei darted after the demon, helpless, but still wishing to do some good.

                The teenage boy wiped some blood from a cut on his face and stared at the blur that was rushing towards him. He trembled, eyes widening in shock. This is it! I’m going to die!

                All at once, everything was silent. The birds stopped singing, Kawari’s rushing feet made no sound and even Tenshi’s heart seemed to stop. His perception changed as Rei was suddenly replaced by a faint bluish light. At the same time, the hand clutching the bokuto seemed to feel warm and he realized the weapon was glowing with the same faint light. And then he heard it.

                A chime.

                A crystal-clear chime, like a bell.

                The world flooded back in. Kawari leapt and raised her blades for the final blow. On instinct, Tenshi swept the wooden sword up to block, but this time, something different happened. The glow from the bokuto separated as he swung, a small arc of light flashing out to hit Kawari straight in the chest. Her eyes went wide as her descent halted. The light kept moving forward and sent her back they way she came. The demon hit the ground hard.

                Rei pulled sharply out of the way to avoid having the demon pass through her. She watched the creature crash and roll before she turned her surprise glance back at Tenshi. He looked just as startled as she was. He stared at the weapon like it was cursed.

                Unbelievable! Rei thought. He used his aura to create a physical attack, using the bokuto as a medium! That’s advanced spiritualism! Where did he learn to do that?

                Kawari grunted as she rose to her feet. Blast it all! Every time I have the upper hand, this kid pulls some new trick to stop me! What is he?! Her frantic eyes focused on the bokuto. YES! The wooden sword! That blessed piece of wood is what’s doing it! I need to get it from him! Letting out a savage snarl, she dashed at him once more, this time running at an arc.

                Tenshi blinked and looked up at her. He took a step back and raised the bokuto, his hand shaking. Come on…do it! Just like you did before! Come on! Work, damn you!

                At the last minute, Kawari’s blades melted back into hands. She ran into the startled Tenshi, knocking him to the ground. A moment later, the teenage boy was aware of wrestling his exact image.

                Rei bit her lip as she watched the two Tenshis roll on the ground. The bokuto was suddenly jerked from the hand of one and sent flying. The two rolled, hopelessly confusing the priestess. No! She submerged her aura again… Which one is which?

                The two fighters broke apart, panting and sweating. One Tenshi jumped towards the bokuto but he was tackled in the side by the other. “You’re not getting that bokuto!” The attacker yelled.

                “Back off,” cried the other. “Rei! Help!”

                “Don’t listen to him! Kawari is trying to go after the bokuto!”

                Rei grabbed her head in frustration. “Okay… whoever is the real Tenshi… back away from the other!”

                At once, both figures separated, watching each other warily.

                Well, that worked out well, the priestess thought bitterly.

                Tenshi #1 pointed at his doppelganger. “She’s the fake! That’s Kawari!”

                “No way!” Tenshi #2 shouted back. “I’m the real one! You’re the fake!” He gave Rei a pleading look. “Remember? I was the one that found you in that back alley!”

                “Don’t listen to him! Remember when we fought Gouka Ryouken? We destroyed him and freed Ukyo!”

                Rei blinked. Wait… How could Kawari know either of those things?

                Tenshi #2 looked confused. “How could you know about Ukyo?”

                Tenshi #1 mirrored the look. “How could you know about the alley?”

                Rei closed her eyes to think. “A shape-shifter can only assume the shape of another… not their memories...” That’s it! “Tenshi… forgive me… but why were you in therapy for three years?”

                Both figures blinked. Rei watched carefully. There! A flicker of pain and suffering in the eyes of the second Tenshi! She looked at the first and saw peaceful brown eyes replaced with the cold eyes of a reptile for half a second. When in doubt, look into her eyes! It’s just like Tobias said! The priestess growled and moved to the side of the second Tenshi. “You’re good at disguises, Kawari, but your eyes show your true self.” She glared at the demon. “Your time is over.”

                The first Tenshi made no effort to hide the anger that crossed his face. A moment later, he was halfway to the bokuto.

                “No!” The real Tenshi shouted, chasing after the demon.

                Kawari backhanded him when he got close, sending the teenage boy flying backwards and into a tree at the edge of the clearing. He slumped to the ground with a groan. Eyes wide with anticipation, Kawari reached forward and knelt, grabbing the handle of the bokuto. She stood up and turned, a dark grin crossing the image of Tenshi’s face. “Ha! With this weapon, there’s no way you can win!”

                This time, it was Rei’s turn to smirk. “Don’t take a weapon of the Kodamabatsu so lightly.”

                Blinking, Kawari glanced at the blade. Without warning, pain tore through her body. The bokuto began to glow as lightning raced over the demon’s body. With a shriek of agony, Kawari chucked the weapon away from her. She fell to her hands and knees, struggling for breath.

                While the demon was in pain, Rei had gone to check on Tenshi. Seeing the boy was okay, she looked up and caught sight as the spiritual electrocution revealed a set of scales that went across the pseudo-Tenshi’s body. All at once, it clicked in Rei’s mind.

                “She’s a lizard,” the priestess murmured. “She can blend in to the scenery by adopting whatever form she chooses… she’s a chameleon!” Rei planted her feet on the ground and held out a hand. “Reveal your true form unto me, demonic beast! Kamereon!”

                Kawari’s flesh seemed to melt away, replaced by dark green scales. Her fingers lengthened and merged into three long claws, connected by web. The same happened to her feet. A tail stretched out behind her as a series of spikes forced their way through the armor-like hide along her back. Her mouth widened, revealing a row of sharp teeth. A long tongue lolled out from the side of the gaping maw.

                “WRETCH!” She snarled in a harsh, guttural voice. “How dare you gaze upon my true form! I will never let you live for this!”

                Tenshi had moved over to the discarded bokuto, unnoticed by the infuriated demon. He rose to his feet, a tired look passing over his face. A confused look passed over his face as he looked from the bokuto in his hand to the beast not far away. “Spirit… resonance…”

                The lizard monstrosity focused its glowing eyes on Tenshi’s face and snarled. “I’ll kill you!”

                “Finish her, Tenshi,” Rei said, glaring at the demon.

                The boy nodded. “Right…” He dug his feet into the ground, holding his bokuto behind him. In his mind, he heard that single clear note again, a chime much louder and stronger than when he heard it earlier. His blade began to glow.

                Kawari stared in horror, first at Rei, then at Tenshi. No… No, impossible! I can’t be defeated by the likes of them! I can’t!

                Tenshi’s eyes flashed as he brought his blade up and over his head, swinging it down until it cut into the ground. “Spirit RESONANCE!” An arch of blue-white light blazed from the weapon, tearing up the ground as it bore down on Kawari. The demon took a step backwards, hovering on the edge of the river. She let out an unearthly scream as the light consumed her, an explosion sending waves across the grass and brush, a blast that made the trees shake and quiver. When the light faded, she was gone.

                Tenshi stared ahead then let out a moan. His eyes rolled back into his head as his grip on the bokuto relaxed. He fell to his knees then forward onto the ground, unconscious before he even hit.

                Rei was immediately by his side. “Tenshi! Tenshi, are you alright? Tenshi! I’m… I’m going for help, okay? I’m going to try to get Tobias!” I hope we’re still close enough for me to reach him! Rei kicked off of the ground and took to the air.

                A half mile downstream from the battle, Kawari dragged herself from the water. She had returned to the guise of a schoolgirl, though her uniform hung in tatters. She was bruised and beaten, cut in a dozen different places and bleeding dark blood. She pulled herself to her feet and stumbled forward, dazed and confused.

                I…I survived… I did it…I did it…

                A shadow fell over her. Too weak to call for help, Kawari managed to lift her head. Her eyes widened in fear. “N…no….no…!” She tried to turn away, but a pale hand with claw-like nails took her softly by the chin.

                “Hush,” the figure’s gentle voice cooed. “You’ve been a naughty girl, Kawari. Has Tenma sent you to do his dirty work again?”

                She struggled in vain to get free.

                The figure smirked. “I thought you might start some trouble if I left you alone for too long. A shame. You should have left Tenshi and Rei alone. If you had, you might have actually lived.”

                A look of fright filled Kawari’s amber eyes. A moment later, the shine left them. The figure pulled his free hand from the hole it had made in Kawari’s chest. The girl slumped then turned to ash.

                The figure dusted his hands off. “Be sure to finish them off when you have the chance, Tenshi,” the stranger murmured to no one. “I can’t always clean up after you.”