Phantom Showdown: The Thunder Brothers vs. Tetsusaiga

[ ACT I ]

In a dreamy scene of a skyful of clouds, MAN rides on a carriage drawn by a flying horse. Two beautiful girls lean on his shoulder while a bevy of other celestial maiden sitting on nearby clouds gush about MAN.

Maidens: Master Hiten is very handsome but Master Manten is do dashing, too! Those black locks…irresistible!

MAN:  (with a head full of hair and a plaid) With thick locks of hair, I’m just as popular as Brother Hiten. (combs his hair and some of it fall out and onto his hand) Huh?! (his hair starts to fall off and fly away, leaving his original three strands of hair)

Maidens: (gasp) Oh dear! (gets up and flies off)

MAN:  What’s the matter, everyone?! Where’re you going? If only I had hair…a thick head of hair! (the horse morph into a skeleton, which shatters suddenly along with the carriage) Huh?! (falls down towards the ground wailing)

Cut to MAN lying on the ground in a dark room. He gets up.

MAN:  (thinking) Ever since I reached puberty, all my dreams have been the same. If only I had lots and lots of hair… (suddenly gasps, touches his head and relaxes after touching his remaining strands of hair) I may not be Brother Hiten’s equal, but I’d be quite popular. Someday, I wish I could be like Brother Hiten with lots of hair and lots of girls…

[ End of ACT I: 1min 1 sec ]

[ recap ]

Scene of the Thunder Brothers annihilating the battalion of warriors.

HIT:   It’s time to hunt, Manten!

MAN:  Coming, Brother Hiten!

HIT:   Thunderbolt Attack! Watch what we can do!

Scene of KAG firing an arrow at MAN.

KAG:  If I aim there, I can bring him down!

MAN:  Huh?!

KAG:  What?

MAN:  (touches his head and two strand of hair falls off) My hair…! How could you…?!

Scene of INU facing off with HIT.

HIT:   One thing seems true… You have the fragments of the Sacred Jewel. I’m gonna kill you and take ‘em all! (flies towards INU)

INU:   Hah! (draws out a transformed TET) You’ll be the sorry one!

HIT:   Thunderbolt attack! (points his pike at INU with sparks flying)

INU blocks HIT’s pike with the TET and holds him off. Lightning bolts spark out from the pike and the ground starts to shatter.

HIT:   Hah! I wonder just how long can you hold out against my strikes?

INU gathers his strength and pushes HIT away with his sword.

HIT:   (flies further away from INU) You’ve got brute strength, at least. This is gonna be fun! (lightning flashes and thunder bellows in the background)

INU:   (thinking) Thunder Brothers, huh? I’m getting tired of you!

[ End of recap: 2min 16sec ]

[ Title screen: Phantom Showdown: The Thunder Brothers vs. Tetsusaiga ]

[ ACT II ]

Continuation from last episode. HIT floats in the sky on his wheels. Maten and KAG are on his cloud. INU holds up a transformed TET.

HIT:   Hmm… You want me to make sport of you, huh? Well, it’s gonna be fun!

INU:   Hah! Of all the fools who said the same thing, none are alive today!

HIT:   Fine! Get a taste of my thunderbolt attack!

HIT raises his pike and zooms towards INU. The ground crashes into pieces. Cut to INU dodging the attack. INU leaps and swings his sword at HIT.

HIT:   (blocking with his pike) Take that! (swings it at the retreating INU) Dodge it well or you’ll die!

INU:   (thinking) Hiten’s thunderbolt sword attack… I can’t let it touch my body or I’m dead!

SHI:   (on a mound of rocks) Inuyasha… Finish Hiten for me. (looks up) I’m gonna save Kagome!

KAG:  (on the cloud) Inuyasha!

MAN:  (claps his hands and laughs) Go for it, Brother Hiten! I’ll support you! (sparks start to emit from his mouth)

KAG:  Two against one is cowardly! (shoves MAN)

MAN:  Huh?! (falls off the cloud and crashes onto the ground below, creating a large hole)

KAG:  I did it! (MAN’s cloud becomes smaller and disintegrates) Huh?! (falls downwards)

INU:   (pauses) Kagome!

HIT:   (attacks INU who blocks) You can’t afford to worry about a woman now!

INU:   Kagome! Hang tough until I get there!

KAG:  (falling) How am I to hang onto anything?! (lands on MAN in the hole and bounces off) Oww!! (rubs her butt) But I’m alive!

MAN:  (gets up) You bitch!

KAG:  He’s alive! (gets up and run)

MAN:  Wait! (chasing)

KAG trips and falls. MAN approaches her, stomping.

SHI:   (suddenly appears, spinning a top) Fox magic! Spinning screw top!

SHI releases the top, which lands and spins on MAN’s head. It gets bigger and steam comes out as it digs into his head. MAN collapses on the ground.

SHI:   (at the edge of the hole) Kagome, hurry over here!

KAG:  Shippo! (climbing out) Shippo, you know such great magic!

SHI:   Well… (closes his eyes, a sweat drop appears)

MYO:  (hops onto SHI’s shoulder) You can’t let your guard down yet.

SHI:   I know…

MYO:  Fox magic is actually trickery.

KAG:  Trickery? Then what’s that? (turns to look at MAN in the hole)

MAN:  (the top still spinning on his head) Owweee!!

MYO:  It’s all an illusion.

The top becomes smaller till its original size and falls off MAN’s head. He picks up the top and gets up.

MAN:  Damn! That fox tyke!

Where the top spun was the spot where MAN’s last remaining strand of hair is. The strand quivers a little and falls off.

MAN:  Huh?! (stands) N-no! (rubs his head where the hair was) Gone! It’s gone! (tears welling) My hair! (a ball of bolt starts gathering in his mouth as he looks to the sky) How dare you take my last strand of hair?!

MAN releases blow after blow of bolt balls in various directions, which destroyed trees and shattered the ground. KAG and SHI runs off. Small heaps of fire burn where the bolt hit.

KAG:  (hides behind a mound with SHI) It’s as though we added fuel to the fire…

SHI:   Damn!

MAN:  (trudging through the burning landscape) Where are you?! My hair potion candidate…and that fox tyke…! (stops near the mound where KAG and SHI hides) Where’d they go?! (walks off)

KAG:  What’ll we do? If we’re found, we’ll be killed. (turns around and peeps at MAN) I know…that arrow! Perhaps I can use it again. Shippo, c’mere!

MAN:  (slows down and shoots a bolt ball at the mound which shatters it) Are you here?! (walks to the spot where the mound was) Huh? (sees an unconscious KAG lying on the ground) You bitch! Did you think you could elude me?! (picks up KAG by her hair)

KAG:  (suddenly opens her eyes) Shut up, you skinhead!

MAN:  What?!

KAG:  Look, hair that you love! (two bundles of KAG’s hair floats out and twirls around MAN’s wrists)

Another KAG runs toward MAN.

MAN:  Two women?!

KAG:  I’m taking back my arrow!

The KAG who just appeared plucks out the arrow from MAN’s nose. The hair of the KAG that Manten is holding turns into orange.

MAN:  Why you’re…a fox!

SHI:   I’m gonna avenge my father’s death!

KAG:  Shippo, hold him down! (thinking) If I hit the Sacred Jewel fragments in the forehead… (says in a resolute manner) I can beat him! (raises the arrow at MAN’s head)

MAN:  (blocks KAG’s arrow which send her to the ground and throws SHI down) Why you…! (SHI reverts to normal and he kicks him far away) I’ll choke you to death! (grabs KAG’s neck)

KAG:  (weakly) Inuyasha…!

INU:   (blocks two of HIT’s attacks) Kagome!

HIT:   (hits INU on the shoulder with his pike) Stop looking away!

HIT drags his pike downwards forcefully, sending INU to the ground. The TET falls out of INU’s hand and reverts to its rusty state. It is stuck into the ground a distance away from him. INU, wincing in pain, tries to get up but is stop short by HIT who points his pike in INU’s face.

HIT:   Hah! You’re not what they said about you. I expected more of a fight! Weakling! How about I kill you slowly, one limb at a time?

INU:   (thinking, touching his injury) I can’t concentrate on him. I have to take care of Kagome first.

HIT:   Look, Manten…at this half-demon! He’s given up!

MAN is some distance away from HIT and INU. He’s still strangling KAG.

MAN:  I’m having fun here, too, Brother! (laughs) A woman on the verge of death is irresistible!

SHI:   Damn! (jumps onto MAN’s arm) Cut it out!

MAN:  Shut up!

MAN swings and punches SHI away, while grabbing KAG with the other hand. SHI lands and rubs his scratched cheek while glaring at MAN.

MAN:  (laughs) Angry, fox tyke? Well, just wait. After I kill her, I’ll fleece you. (close-up of his pelt) Just like I did your old man. (SHI stares at MAN with angry tears welling in his eyes) Maybe I’ll turn you into a hood. I’ll use father and son until both their fur fall off!

HIT:   Manten, you’re becoming pretty clever with words!

MAN:  (raises his head and laughs smugly) Brother praised me! (laughs)

SHI:   Unforgivable! (leaps and bites into MAN’s thick neck)

MAN:  Hmmm? You fool! (grabs SHI’s head)

SHI:   (muttering though his teeth) I won’t let go even if it kills me!

MAN:  (tries to pry SHI off) Fox tyke… Release me! (punches him on the head) Release me! Or I’m gonna beat your head to a pulp!

Manten hits SHI’s head repeatedly. SHI starts to cry in pain, but struggles to hang on.

HIT:   Manten… Watch out or you’ll soil his fur with blood. Then he won’t even make a hood.

MAN:  All righty, Brother!

Cut to close-up of SHI biting onto MAN, wincing and crying. Cut to back view of INU.

INU:   Damn! I may not be the nicest guy around (stands) but you two are making me sick! (digs his claws into his shoulder wound) Blades of Blood!

HIT:   (taken aback but blocks the Blades of Blood with his pike handle) Fun! Keep attacking!

INU runs and grabs the TET, which transform. He throws it at HIT, who dodges.

HIT:   Fool! Where’re you aiming?

INU:   I did it!

HIT:   What?! (turns around)

The TET pierces MAN in the chest, who was behind HIT. MAN yells in pain and collapse on the ground, releasing KAG and SHI.

HIT:   M-Manten!

KAG:  (picks up an unconscious SHI) Shippo! Tetsusaiga! I must get it to Inuyasha! (tries to take the sword from MAN’s body)

SHI:   (murmurs) Father…

KAG:  Yes…I must get Shippo’s father’s body.

HIT:   (zooms towards KAG who is holding SHI, his father’s body and TET) Manten!

INU:   (yells anxiously) Kagome! Hurry and get away from there!

HIT:   (sends a bolt at KAG) Damn! (KAG and SHI are sent flying with the attack, TET lands near MAN) Manten! (lands and holds up MAN)

MAN:  Brother Hiten… My hair’s all gone! It’s no use living.

HIT:   What’re you saying?! Hang on and be strong!

MAN:  Your locks are just like Dad’s. I wish I inherited Dad’s looks.

Cut to an image of the Thunder family when the brothers were kids. Thunder-Papa is a dignified person. Young HIT smiles and looks at a baby MAN, who is in Thunder-Mama’s arms. HIT looks like Thunder-Papa while MAN looks like Thunder-Mama.

MAN:  (narrating) If only Mom was a little prettier with more hair. I wonder what Dad saw in Mom when he married her… Huh, Brother Hiten?

Cut to present.

HIT:   It doesn’t matter how you look! You’re my dear, little brother!

MAN:  Thanks, Brother Hiten. When I’m reborn, I thought I’d wanna be a fuzzy caterpillar. With hair all over my body. But I don’t think so. When I’m reincarnated, even if I don’t have any hair at all, I still wanna be born as your kid brother. Is that all right, Brother? (closes his eyes and bows his head)

HIT:   Manten! Manten?! (MAN doesn’t respond)

Cut to INU running to KAG. SHI lies unconscious on his father’s body.

INU:   Hey, are you alive?

KAG:  (gets up) Sorry, Inuyasha… I couldn’t get Tetsusaiga.

INU:   Is that what took you so long?

KAG:  Sorry… After you rescued me.

INU:   Fool! Don’t worry about such a thing! Even with a sword, no way would I lose to that beast!

Cut to HIT and MAN.

HIT:   (softly) Manten… (raises his head and yells) Manten is dead! (cries hysterically) Poor thing! (hugs MAN’s head) I’ll always be with you! (bites into MAN’s head, his eyes glow an eerie red)

Pans downwards to INU and KAG, who are looking at HIT.

KAG:  (horrified) Is he eating his brother?

MYO:  No. Hiten is synthesizing the Sacred Jewel fragments into his own body. Master Inuyasha, you must be very careful. He now has the power of five Jewel fragments. (hops onto INU’s shoulder)

INU:   (deadpan) I got that, Myoga. But where were you until now?

MYO:  Err…

KAG:  (deadpan) Probably hiding out in a safe place.

INU:   (points an accusing finger at MYO) You only appear when it’s convenient! I’ve been thinking about smashing you one day!

MYO:  Oh… Stop quibbling about minor matters.

INU:   Watch out!

A huge light appears behind them. INU picks up KAG, SHI and his father and leap out of the way. It was HIT’s mega-bolt attack at them, which created a hole in the ground they were on.

HIT:   (appears on top of the hole) You…dared…to kill my dear kid brother. I won’t let you get away with it!

INU:   (thinking) The power in the thunderbolt sword is increasing! Five fragments combined into one is a formidable force! Kagome, take Shippo and get as far as possible!

KAG:  Inuyasha!

INU:   Hurry!

KAG:  (nods) ‘Kay! (takes SHI, his father and her arrow and runs away)

HIT:   I’ll avenge my kid brother! Prepare yourself! (swings his pike which sends a huge orb of lightning bolt at INU)

INU:   (staring at the incoming orb) It’s too powerful! I can’t repel it!

MYO:  Master Inuyasha, use the sheathe of Tetsusaiga!

INU:   The sheathe of Tetsusaiga?!

MYO:  It will repel the bolt without fail! Now use it!

INU:   Are you sure?! (whips out his sheathe and braces it in front of him, which diverts the bolt around INU instead)

HIT:   What…?!

INU:   Th-this is…

MYO:  Just as I thought. This is a sheathe that keeps Tetsusaiga’s power in check. It should be able to repel thunderbolt power. (wipes a sweat of relief) My hunch was right.

INU:   You mean, you weren’t sure?!

MYO:  Well… That was a close call for me since I couldn’t get away. Look, we got away with our lives intact. Let’s make our escape!

INU:   Don’t be ridiculous! I can use this! (runs towards HIT)

HIT:   Die! (sends another lightning orb at INU)

INU:   If I attack right to the core, I can beat him!

INU leaps through the orb using his sheathe as defense. He prepares to attack HIT. INU suddenly cringes and yells in pain. HIT had attacked him in the spine from the back.

HIT:   Who’s core?! (INU falls on the ground)

Cut to KAG who is hiding behind a boulder. SHI is nearby, lying unconscious on his father’s body.

KAG:  Inuyasha!

SHI:   (wakes and hugs his father’s head, thinking) Father’s fur…

KAG:  Shippo, you’re conscious.

SHI:   Kagome… Where’s Manten?

KAG:  Inuyasha killed him. But now, his brother Hiten…

Cut to INU and HIT. HIT attacks INU several times, who block them with the sheathe.

HIT:   Wanna be burned to a crisp… Or chopped up like salad!?

Cut to KAG and INU.

KAG:  Inuyasha is tired.

SHI:   His opponent can move through the air with ease.

KAG:  Hiten has wheels… (notices the arrow in her hand) That’s it!

Cut to INU running away HIT.

INU:   (thinking) Due to the Sacred Jewel fragments, even his speed is picking up!

Cut to KAG, who searches her clothes.

KAG:  If only I had a bow…

SHI:   Leave it to me! I must repay my debts or my father will scold me. (somersaults into a puff of smoke)

KAG:  (thinking) You can transform into a bow! (SHI transformed into a orange curly thing) Or are you a snail?

SHI:   (sweat drop) A bow.

INU is slashed across the chest by HIT. KAG holds up SHI the bow and aims at HIT.

SHI:   What’s the matter? Shoot quickly!

KAG:  I only have one arrow and my shot haven’t hit too often.

SHI:   I’ll lend you my power, too.

KAG:  Thanks, Shippo! (closes one eye and shoots)

INU grimaces in pain as HIT prepares to attack him again.

HIT:   Die!

Close up of HIT’s left wheel broken by KAG’s arrow.

KAG:  I got him!

HIT pauses in midair.

INU:   Now! (stands up and grabs Hiten’s pike)

HIT:   Are you stupid?! (bolts from the pike surges at INU)

MYO:  (appears near KAG) Impossible… No matter how strong Master Inuyasha is what can he do by grabbing hold of the thunderbolt sword?!

KAG:  Myoga, when’d you come here?

MYO:  (hops up and down) Oh goodness, let go, fool!

INU:   This sheath is only…in the way! (throws away the sheathe)

MYO:  (falls head down on the ground, with huge bump) No! You stupid fool! Who told you to let go of the sheathe?!

INU:   (swings his fist) This way’s better! (punches HIT in the face, who falls backwards) Did you feel that, you imbecile?!

KAG:  He slugged the guy?!

SHI:   Simple, but amazing!

MYO:  (hops in a circle) Leave it to Master Inuyasha! Now it’s a duel of physical strength! Give ‘im one-two punch!

KAG:  Weren’t you just calling him a fool?

HIT:   (gets up and wipes his face) It’s the first time someone’s hit me in the face! (a blue glow emits around him)

KAG:  He’s about to explode!

SHI:   He’s in such a passion!

HIT:   (zooms towards INU) This is the end, you! (raises his pike)

INU slides and grabs the sheathe. He blocks HIT’s attack just in time. HIT’s continues pushing the pike on the sheathe with both his hands, and it cracks.

KAG, SHI & MYO: The sheathe has a crack!

HIT:   Just because this half-demon caused so much trouble…! (pushes some more)

MYO:  No! If the sheathe breaks in half, even the powerful Master Inuyasha…

KAG:  Will lose?! (notices TET near MAN) I must get Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha…!

SHI:   All right! I’ll go! (runs off)

KAG:  Shippo, don’t move! It’s too dangerous! (grabs SHI’s father and chases) Wait, Shippo!

HIT turns around and notices SHI and KAG running towards MAN. He frowns and bolts start to foam out of his mouth.

INU:   (thinking) Dang it… He can use Manten’s power as well…! (yells) Watch out! Run!

HIT shoots a burst of bolt from his mouth at SHI and KAG. A loud explosion is heard and the screen is filled with smoke. SHI’s father’s body is tossed into the air. Cut to INU and HIT.

INU:   Kagome!

HIT:   Serves you right!

INU:   Kagome!!

KAG, SHI and his father lay unconscious amidst flames.

HIT:   Looks like they’re dead, both the kid and the woman.

INU:   Why you…! (stands up and pushes back HIT) Unforgivable! (yells and punches HIT)

HIT:   (slides backwards) Why you…! (thinking) You’re just a half-demon! Yet he’s fighting like a real demon!

INU:   I refuse to die until I kill you!

HIT:   Has the blood gone to your head since the woman has been killed? Stop acting so stupid over some silly woman! I’ll teach you the pain and sorrow of one who has lost his only dear, little brother! (runs and attack INU with his pike, who blocks with his sheathe)

MYO:  (a crack is heard) It’s going to break! (more cracking sounds)

HIT:   (thinking) I’ve won!

INU struggles to hold back HIT. Suddenly a throbbing sound is heard and TET flies towards them.

INU:   Tetsusaiga! (grabs it)

MYO:  The sheathe has summoned the sword!

INU:   (throws the sheathe away and swings the sword) Tetsusaiga!

INU raises TET and swing it downwards at HIT violently. HIT holds up his pike to block, but he and his pike are slashed into two by TET. HIT stares at INU in shock, and falls on his knees.

HIT:   (thinking) I’ve lost…! To a half-demon… Lost…

HIT’s body disintegrates and five Sacred Jewel fragments fall onto the ground. INU kneels and look at them.

MYO:  Master Inuyasha… Sacred Jewel fragments.

INU:   Damn… If only I had defeated Hiten earlier…

A blue glow appears behind INU.

KAG:  Inuyasha…

INU:   Kagome… (turns around)

KAG and SHI, who is in her arms, are engulfed in the blue light. They look at INU with serene and contented expressions.

KAG:  Inuyasha… Thanks for everything.

SHI:   I’m happy that my father’s murder has been avenged.

MYO:  (leaps onto INU’s shoulder) Ohh… Those are the souls of Kagome and Shippo. They’ve come to bid a final farewell.

INU:   What?! (the glow suddenly blows upwards) Wait! (runs towards KAG and SHI) Don’t go! (grabs KAG’s hand)

KAG is shocked by INU’s gesture. The blue light zooms upwards and twirls into the shape of a fox.

INU:   (stares at the disappearing light, yelling dramatically) Kagome! (notices something and looks down) Huh?!

INU is still holding onto KAG’s hand. KAG and SHI are normal again.

KAG:  (shocked and speechless) Yes…

INU:   Huh?! (looks at KAG with huge eyes) You’re alive?

KAG:  (stuttering) Go where?

The blue glow finally disappears into thin air.

SHI:   (looking at the glow, thinking) Father… He protected us with fox fire. (smiles)

MYO:  Hmm… From what I saw that was undoubtedly fox fire that shot out from the fur.

INU:   (face twitching) They weren’t the souls?

MYO:  Well, err… That was that and…

KAG:  (notices INU’s hand on hers, blushing) Umm…

INU:   (scoffs and throws off KAG’s hand, embarrassed) Besides, why’d you get so sappy on me?! (turns around and folds his arms) If you’re gonna die, die! If you’re not, don’t die! Just be clear! (blushing)

KAG and SHI look at INU with wide eyes.

[ End of ACT II: 19min 47sec ]

[ ACT III ]

Daytime, along a path. INU walks in front, with folded arms. KAG, pushing her bicycle, follows. SHI stands on the back seat.

KAG:  Inuyasha… What’s the matter? Why are you so angry?

MYO:  (on the rim of the bicycle basket) He’s embarrassed that he misunderstood something in the heat of passion. Master Inuyasha is still very naïve. (INU glares and raises a fist at MYO threateningly) Oww… (dashes into the basket)

INU:   Shippo, why don’t you go home already?!

SHI:   What?! Why can’t I stay with you?!

KAG:  Let him stay, Inuyasha. Shippo is all alone.

SHI:   Yes, yes! I’m actually a very cute kid.

INU:   Keh-hah! You only act the good kid when it’s convenient. Shippo, when’re you going home?! (pronouncing Shippo in a deliberate manner)

SHI:   (whining) Kagome, he’s being mean!

KAG:  Inuyasha, be nice!

INU:   Ha!

KAG:  Sit!

Sound of INU crashing on the ground.

MYO:  Still so young…!

[ End of ACT III: 20min 33sec ]

[ End of episode 10: Phantom Showdown: The Thunder Brothers vs. Tetsusaiga ]

[ Preview for next episode ]

The Higurashi shrine that I live in in the modern times is a very old one. Although I didn't really believe in Gramp's prayers and sutras, but after finding the Dry Well that links to the Feudal age, I'm beginning to think that unfathomable things happen in the shrine! The shrine used to perform exorcisms too. The sutra that seals a Noh mask caught fire, and the mask even attacked us! Next episode, 'Reborn in the Present, The Cursed Nou-men'!