Friday, July 8, 2005

No Surrender: Tragic swordsman, Yuukanmaru
*episode 7*

Inuyasha lunges at Yuukanmaru, swinging the Tetsusaiga like a baseball bat. Clink, clink. The swordsman blocks the blow and knocks it aside with his left hand sword. Undeterred, Inuyasha comes again, making great slashes which are all deflected. Clink, clink, clash, clink, whoosh. The fang goes flying. Inuyasha bares his claws and prepares to meet his opponents attack. “Pick it up.” Yuukanmaru says. Inuyasha looks at him, distrusting the offer. Carefully, he backs up and grabs his sword. He once again throws himself at the demon. Clink, slash. Yuukanmaru blocks the attack and gives Inuyasha a small cut on his wrist. He says, “You have potential, lord Inuyasha. But you need practice before you could truly be called a swordsman. Sadly, I cannot wait for that.” No one can see what happens, but it seems that suddenly Yuukanmaru’s swords are everywhere. Again the Tetsusaiga is thrown aside and Inuyasha is sent flying by a hail of attacks. Covered in small cuts, however basically unharmed, Inuyasha lands on his butt. The demon stands over him, poised to strike. He lowers his sword and a look of emotional exhaustion spreads across his face. He turns and goes back to the tree stump. Thrusting a sword into the ground on either side of him, he resumes the lotus position and begins to chant, “Wisdom, order, strength. Wisdom, order, strength. Wisdom…” Struggling to his feet, Inuyasha says, “What the hell!?!” Kagura says, “Yuukanmaru, that is the second time you have spared him. Why do you toy with us? Under these conditions, are lives are yours to take. What game are you playing?” He breaks his meditation to say, “There is no honor in your deaths. What little there was in the deaths of those soldiers is not here. You cannot defend yourselves.” Kagura snaps, “What does Naraku know of honor, and what do we who are born of him?!?” Yuukanmaru’s eyes flash open and he says, “Naraku is a despicable coward who knows nothing of honor! I despise him!” Kagome says, gently, “He knows nothing, but you do.” A gentle look crosses the demon’s face, then it is gone, replaced by pain and sadness. Kagome asks, “Why would Naraku create an incarnation with a sense of honor?” He says, “Ultimately, all philosophy comes down to the question of why we exist. For me, the answer is simple. Why did Naraku create me? Because he could. Because he saw a way to prolong suffering and that brought him pleasure.” Kagome says, “Whose suffering, yours?” Yuukanmaru says, “No, not mine. Would you like to hear the tale of how my shard became tainted?” Kagome nods.
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