Bravely Courageous

48

The witch stared angrily at the Nogitsune. "Yeah, how about no."

Stiles smiled lightly at Maggie, then frowned. "What? What do you mean?"

A smirk grew on the Nogitsune's face. "I've captured almost all the territories on the board, Stiles. The hospital. The sheriff's station. And now the Animal Clinic."

The Nogitsune paused a moment before saying, "Do you know the ritual of seppuku, Stiles?"

He shook his head. "No, and I don't want to."

The Nogitsune continued, ignoring Stiles' words. "When a samurai disembowels himself with his own sword to maintain his honor, but it's not the cut that kills him. The killing stroke is made by his kaishakunin, who beheads the samurai with his own katana. Scott... Scott is your kaishakunin. I'm going to make your best friend kill you, Stiles. And you're going to let him. Because just like you, they're all going to die. Everyone touched by an Oni's blade, unless Scott kills you first."

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"To win the game."

Caleb saw Kira raise her sword. "Let's do this."

The witch and warlock yelled, "Evanescet!"

(Disappear!)

The Oni attacking them disappeared, then materialized in another location.

Scott turned to Kira. "How are we in this place?"

Kira frowned at him. "You're asking me? A month ago, I'd never even touched a sword."

Lydia's voice caught Maggie and Caleb's attention. "This can't be real."

"Yeah, tell that to them," Stiles answered sarcastically.

Maggie ran up to Stiles, stood in front of him and yelled, "Scutum!"

(Shield!)

A translucent purple wall covered Maggie, Caleb, Lydia and Stiles, protecting them from harm.

Stiles placed a hand on Maggie's shoulder. "It's okay. I appreciate the protective shield, but I'll be okay. You can put it away."

She glanced up at him and nodded slowly. "Okay. If you're sure."

"I am."

Maggie waved her hand and the shield disappeared.

The katana was knocked out of Kira's hand and Stiles picked up Kira's katana and brought it to his abdomen.

"Stiles, no!" Maggie cried.

He turned to her and smiled softly. He looked around at the group and focused in on Scott. "What if it saves you? What if it saves all of you?"

"What if it's just another trick?" Lydia and Caleb questioned.

The Nogitsune smirked at the blonde before turning to Lydia and Caleb. "No more tricks, Lydia, Caleb. End it, Scott. Let your friend fall on his own sword. Do for him what he cannot do for himself. Do it, Scott. Be his kaishakunin. Give up the game. You have no moves left."

Stiles trembled as he pressed the sword to his abdomen, and suddenly, he stopped and stared at a student's desk. "I do."

He pulled the sword from his abdomen and tossed it to Kira. She caught it and Stiles said, "A divine move."

Stiles directed them. "Stop fighting them. It's an illusion." Scott, Kira, Caleb and Maggie shared an exasperated look as Stiles explained, "You have to stop fighting them. It looks real and it feels real, but Scott, you gotta trust me, it's an illusion."

The Oni stepped in front of the Nogitsune, like they were protecting him. Scott and Kira walked in a straight line leading directly to the school, followed by Lydia, Maggie, Caleb and Stiles. A sword struck Maggie's arm and Caleb's thigh and she groaned as blood flew into the air.

Scott, who was leading them, reached the Nogitsune and pushed him into the school. The Nogitsune and the Oni disappeared before their eyes. They saw the walls of lockers and Void. Scott was shoved into a locker and Kira was knocked down. Void looked at Maggie, Caleb, Stiles and Lydia and smirked.

He walked towards them and Maggie and Caleb's first instinct was to protect their friends. As he was walking towards them, Void yelled, "Divine move. Divine move! You think you have any moves at all?! You can kill the Oni. But me? Me? I'm a thousand years old! You can't kill me!"

Maggie and Caleb offered a sarcastic half-smile. "But we can change you."

Void narrowed his eyes at them. "What?"

"You forgot about the scroll," Stiles said.

"The Shugendo scroll," Lydia and Maggie clarified.

"Change the host," Maggie and Caleb added.

"You can't be a fox and a wolf," Stiles told Void.

Scott and Kira had since recovered, and Scott half-shifted. He bit Void's arm as Kira stabbed him in the back.

Void let out a chilling scream and a firefly escaped his mouth. Isaac captured it and squished it. Void started seizing and he turned an ashy gray. His skin started cracking and he fell to the ground. Maggie noticed Stiles falling to the floor.

She knelt beside him and began shaking his shoulder. "Come on, Stiles. You gotta wake up. Please don't be dead. Come on, wake up!"

His eyes shot open and he blinked a few times. "Oh, God. I fainted, didn't I?" Maggie smiled, letting out a relieved breath, and Stiles looked at Scott and Caleb. "We're alive. We all alive?"

Scott and Caleb nodded. "Yeah. We're okay."

Lydia stood and rushed out of the school. Caleb followed her, worried by her sudden departure.

Caleb joined Lydia outside the tunnel to see Ethan cradling his brother. Lydia fell into his arms and he held her. "I'm so sorry, Lydia."

Lydia sniffled. "Thanks, Caleb."

---

Monday came around and Maggie stood in front of her open locker. She glanced across the way, seeing Allison's locker. She stared at the locker blankly and shook her head to try to forget the memory. Kira and Lydia's voices caught her attention.

Kira mentioned something about a new girl and Maggie saw Coach talking to Malia in front of the stairs.

Lydia smiled at them and said, "Not for long."

Once school ended, Maggie joined the boys and Malia in Scott's room. Caleb had decided he wanted to spend time with Lydia. Scott had decided that he wanted to teach Malia to flick her claws. Maggie sat next to Stiles and Scott stood in front of Malia.

"It's okay," he reassured. "Don't think about it too much. Just try to let it happen."

Malia flicked her claws and smiled widely. "Ah, wow!"

Her claws came closer to Maggie, who ducked, and Malia smiled awkwardly. "Oh, I am so sorry."

"That's..." Stiles began before pausing and cheering. "Yeah! Be careful of her, please."

Maggie offered a small half-smile. "Nice, Malia."