spamalot } { of kitsunes and nogitsunes

[littlebitscary]

Derek: [slowly coming back to consciousness in the basement, his head pounding]

Talia: [is there with him, watching him carefully] Derek?

Derek: Mom? [he reached back to rub at his neck where the injection had been, and he hissed in pain] What happened?

Talia: The nogitsune took control for a while. Deaton gave you something to suppress it, at least for a little while.

Derek: [he blinked for a moment, moving to sit up as he thought.] Stiles... did I.... did I do that to him?

Talia: [is quiet, but she nods in agreement]

Derek: [his face crumples and he leans his head back against the wall]

Talia: [moves to sit next to him, sliding her arm around his shoulders and pulling him close]

Derek: [curls up into her. He should push her away so he didn't hurt her, but he's so tired]

Talia: [psh, she wouldn't let him in the first place. Who does he think he's talking to? She pulls him in close and rests her chin on top of his head]

Derek: [works to keep his mind straight] Nogitsune. Is that some kind of kitsune?

Talia: [she nods] It's a dark kitsune.

Derek: Why is it in me?

Talia: We don't know. It hasn't answered that question yet.

Derek: Kitsune are tricksters. You can't trust anything it says.

Talia: I'm sure if it felt it had enough ground to gloat it would tell the truth.

Derek: Mom, if you can't get it out... you need to put me somewhere that I can't hurt anyone.

Talia: Derek, let's not assume the worst quite yet. Deaton is working on it.

Derek: Mom, I'm possessed by a dark kitsune and I almost killed Stiles. I'm pretty sure thinking the worst isn't a far fetched idea.

Talia: Everyone is safe. Don't lose hope because of it.

Derek: For now.

Talia: For longer than now. We've taken precautions.

Derek: Don't tell me. He can't know.

Talia: I wasn't going to. The less you know, the better.

Derek: [nods] Just... mom promise me if there is no cure...

Talia: Only if there isn't one.

Derek: I don't want to hurt anyone else.

Talia: I won't let that happen.

Derek: [leans back to look up at her] So what happens now?

Talia: For now, you stay here, and you stay awake. [she moves to pull back the collar of his shirt so he can see the green lines stretching like lightning across his skin] It's only weak like this so long as the mark hasn't faded. Once it's gone, you're going to have to fight harder to stay in control of yourself.

Derek: I'll try. I'm just so tired Mom. Can I at least get some coffee to help?

Talia: [she nods as the door opens and Fiona starts to make her way down the stairs] I'll go make some.

Derek: [nods and bites his lower lip] Thanks Mom.

Talia: [presses a kiss to his temple before getting up and heading to the kitchen]

Fiona: [slips in to take her spot, glancing over to him with a small smile] Hey.

Derek: Hey. [pulls his knees up and rests his elbows on them] You should have gone with the kids.

Fiona: Like hell.

Derek: I don't want to hurt you, and the kids need one of their parents.

Fiona: The kids have Nadia, Allison and Stiles, they'll be fine. [she's thinking in the immediate, not in the long term]

Derek: [hangs his head] Don't tell me anything else. I don't want to know.

Fiona: Okay. [she wasn't going to tell him more than that anyway]

Derek: [he's not going to ask her what he did his mom. His mom was alpha and would do it for the pack. He couldn't ask Fiona to do the same]

Fiona: [would not even consider the option, so that's probably smart, her hand wanders up to brush against the side of his face] I'm not leaving you. Period.

Derek: [he leans into her hand] I figured you wouldn't, but I had to ask.

Fiona: [small smile at that, before inching closer so that she can settle against him] Don't waste your breath. You're stuck with me until we figure this out.

Derek: I can't promise that I'm not going to hurt you. Mom says once that mark fades, it'll try and take control again.

Fiona: And I can take care of myself. Even against a possessed werewolf.

Derek: [he looks up at her. he knows she can physically.] Just... you know I love you. No matter what happens, that's the truth.

Fiona: [she nods a bit] I know.

Derek: [he leans against her] Can we please set the nemeton on fire after this?

Fiona: Absolutely. I'll bring the flamethrower.

Derek: [chuckles] Good.

Fiona: [smiles as she glances over, before leaning in to kiss him softly] I love you too.

Derek: [kisses her for a moment, then just takes her hand. For all he knows, these could be his last moments with her where he is in his right mind, and he's just going to hold onto them, and her, as long as he can]

Fiona: [laces her fingers in his and shifts to rest her head against his shoulder, staying close. It's been a long couple days and it's possible if she gets comfortable enough she may fall asleep like this, but she doesn't really care. It's not like she would be able to sleep in bed without him anyway]

Derek: [he just leans his head against hers, making himself stay awake even if all he wanted to do was fall asleep forever at this point]

Talia: [eventually his mom will come down with coffee to assist in that goal.]

Derek: [he just gives her a brave little smile and takes the coffee, not knowing what else to say. What can he say?]

Talia: [will just give his shoulder a squeeze and leave him to it]

Fiona: [will stir a bit at the smell of coffee] Sorry.

Derek: No, it's fine. You need your sleep. Mine tends to be hazardous for all lately.

Fiona: When we fix you, you can sleep as long as you want.

Derek: I doubt Lucy will like that deal.

Fiona: Well, she is not here to complain about it.

Derek: I know. [he knew that he had threatened the baby. It was a reason he was glad she was gone] I miss my baby girl.

Fiona: [nods a bit, settling against his shoulder again] I miss her too.

Derek: Your sister is going to kick my ass. They went through all that trouble to get her to us, and then I had to go get possessed.

Fiona: She knows it's not your fault.

Derek: Good.

Fiona: [she sighs softly] We'll get you fixed, and then we'll bring the kids home and everything will be fine.

Derek: [just nods] Sounds like a plan.

Fiona: [nods a bit in return] Good.

Derek: [he hears something and his head just turns to look at the corner of the room. There's nothing there, but there's a hint of fox in the air and he wrinkles his nose and just sips his coffee]

Fiona: [frowns as she follows his eye line] What is it?

Derek: He's making himself known that he's still here. Whatever Deaton did is keeping him at bay though. I don't think he's happy about that.

Fiona: I probably wouldn't be either.

Derek: Just find a cure before this mark fades. [because after that, they both know all bets are off]

Fiona: [she nods] We will. Deaton's not doing anything else until we find it.

Derek: Did you talk to Marcus at all? Maybe he knew something.

Fiona: No, not yet. Things got busy and complicated fast. I'll call him later.

Derek: [nods] Someone has to know something. [and before Derek could think of his next sentence, there is wisps of dark smoke under the door and three ninja looking warriors with yellow eyes appear, swords drawn and all looking right at Derek]

Fiona: [[...] The hell?

Derek: [is up on his feet] I'm awake, right?

Fiona: [yeah, she's getting up with him, wishing she brought her shotgun down with her] Yeah, I see them too.

Derek: Mom! [yes, he's calling for his mother, trying to back away as they take a step towards him]

Fiona: [situates herself between them and Derek and there's suddenly an angry alpha indicating just what she thinks of this situation with a roar of her own]

The Oni: [the oni turn to handle the alpha wolf, who is quickly followed by Peter, Scott and Isaac while Derek pulls Fiona with him out of the way]

Cora: [is just pulling up to the house from picking up Kira at the airport when she hears her mom's roar] Oh, that's not good.

Kira: How bad is "not good"?

Cora: [shrugs before climbing out of the car and running, the kitsune not far behind her]

Jason: [is at the top of the stairs, on guard to make sure Derek doesn't slip past the wolves and whatever was going on downstairs. he sees them and stops them] Stop. The basement is too small for the amount of people in it right now.

Kira: What's going on?

Jason: I don't know. Derek was downstairs with Fiona and then he was shouting for Talia. They're fighting something down there though. You can smell the smoke from whatever it is.

Kira: Wait, smoke? [she pokes her head past Jason, but doesn't try to push him away] What's down there?

Jason: Basement, and then emergency tunnels out. There are cages to hold wolves who haven't learned to control their shift yet, and a regular pantry.

Kira: No offense, but I'm not talking to you. [a little louder, in the direction of the wolves] What are you seeing?

Scott: We've got ninjas! [nope, too busy to fighting whoever you are]

Kira: [yeah, she was worried about that] Damnit. I'm going to kill my mother.

Jason: She's responsible for this?

Kira: I'm willing to bet they're probably oni. [She places her phone to her ear and waits for her mother to pick up before she starts yelling at her in Japanese. Unhappy daughter is unhappy] Call them off!

Noshiko: No. They are the only weapons you will have in defeating the nogitsune. You must let them do their job.

Kira: And kill Cora's brother? No!

Noshiko: He is not her brother any longer. He is Void, Kira.

Kira: He's in control right now. They gave him something to suppress the nogitsune to buy us more time, and you're wasting it.

Noshiko: He won't be in control for long. It is better this way.

Kira: Killing people is never the better way.

Noshiko: You do not know the whole story, Kira. If you did, you would be down there helping the oni.

Kira: See, that tends to be the answer for everything and I'm a little sick of it. So either tell me the whole story or call off your dogs - or I'll take care of them myself. They're friends with the Argents. I'm sure they've got a few silver bullets lying around.

Noshiko: You want the whole story? Have Peter look up the history of Oak Creek. Or ask Satomi. She will tell you same as I - you do not let a nogitsune live, even if it costs you the thing you love most.

Kira: Fine. I'll look into it. But you have to give me time to do that. Until we have those answers, they aren't going to let you kill him. They'll fight the oni until the oni kill them - do you really want to be responsible for killing the Hale alpha?

Noshiko: [there is a pause, and then the oni disappear from downstairs in the wind] You have until next sunset. But if the boy knows what is best, he will give himself willingly to the oni before the nogitsune takes back control.

Kira: [bitterly] We'll be in touch. [hangs up and keeps swearing in Japanese]

Jason: [would be laughing but he heard the conversation] We can see if we can hold them off with mountain ash if we need more time.

Kira: Mountain ash won't last forever.

Cora: More time for what? What are the oni?

Peter: [walking up the stairs, holding his shoulder in pain] Apparently demonic ninjas bent on killing your brother.

Jason: [nope, doctor mode on and going to look at this sword slash on Peter's shoulder]

Kira: The oni are physical representations of a kitsune's tails. They can be used to extend their will over long distances. My mother - [her tone on that word still isn't happy] - is pretty much ready to sign Derek's death warrant. She's given us a day to come up with a better way to fix this.

Peter: Wonderful. [winces as Jason hits a sore spot] Did she happen to give us anything that was actually useful?

Kira: She said to ask Satomi about Oak Creek.

Peter: Oak Creek? [looks over at Kira in confusion.] Tali was going to contact Satomi.

Scott & Isaac: [come upstairs with their various cuts and bruises to get in line for medical care]

Kira: [she gives a bit of a shrug] I don't know what it is, but she seems to think it's some kind of justification for killing Derek outright.

Jason: [bandaging up Peter's shoulder] I'll help you with the book once I check over everyone else. Is Talia okay?

Peter: Yeah, she is. She's a fighter.

Cora: Is Derek? [because that is the other question]

Peter: [nods] I think he's scared, but otherwise the only one unharmed.

Isaac: Um, he's not the only one scared. For the record.

Scott: I'm pretty much up there on the scared chart.

Kira: If you don't attack them, the oni will leave you alone if you don't have the nogitsune.

Peter: And what happens to Derek if we don't try and stop them? [eyebrow raised]

Kira: They kill him.

Peter: So us not attacking them is not going to be an option if your mother insists on sending them.

Kira: I tried to talk her out of it, but she's nine hundred years old. It's like talking to a brick wall.

Jason: [is off to patch up Isaac and Scott]

Peter: [looks down the stairs] Let me go talk to Talia. Cora, go to my house with Kira. Look on the computer for anything about Oak Creek that I may have scanned in and not remember.

Cora: [nods before taking Kira's hand and heading towards the door]

Talia: [is starting to come up the stairs after trying to comfort Derek, looking royally pissed off]

Peter: Did you hear what Kira said?

Talia: Most of it.

Peter: We need to talk to Satomi.

Jason: And we need to find someplace that we can put Derek tomorrow night if we don't have an answer in time.

Talia: I was supposed to see her in the morning. Hopefully we'll get answers there.

Peter: I'll see what I can find in the histories until then.

Talia: [nods, and the anger is fading to a more maternal worry]

Peter: At least his adrenaline is going. He'll stay awake for a while.

Talia: [she nods] No, I know. But it's not exactly instilling confidence in our ability to fix this.

Isaac: [looks at Scott, because well, he doesn't want to be the one to say it]

Scott: What if we can't fix it?

Talia: [she closes her eyes for a moment] I promised him I would stop it.

Peter: I know you did. [he moves closer to comfort her] And we will.

Talia: [she's tired and as much as she wants to lean into Peter right then, she pulls away.] I need to go lie down for a bit. Let me know if Cora and Kira find anything.

Peter: I will.

Talia: [and with that, she'll retreat to her room]

Peter: [when he knows she's out of earshot] Jason, tell Laura to come here and take point on watch, just in case. Talia needs to rest if she's going to be prepared for anything more.

Jason: [nods and pulls out his cell phone]

Peter: Scott, go make sure your parents are gone. Isaac, stay here and help Laura and Jason.

Laura: [it rings twice before ...] Hello?

Jason: Peter's asking for you to come over here and take lead on the house while your mom rests. There was a bit of a... complication today.

Laura: Define complication.

Jason: [because he would have to explain what Oni were anyway.....] Demon ninjas came to try and kill your brother.

Laura: [well shit] I'll be right here.

Jason: [hangs up] She's on her way.

Laura: [and not long after she is there, closing the door behind her as she makes her way inside] Did you say demonic ninjas?

Peter: With swords. [carefully pulling on a hoodie that was Derek's in the hall closet to cover his bandaged shoulder] They've been called off for now.

Jason: Kira's mother isn't fond of trying to find alternatives

Laura: Lovely. [only not] So what do we do?

Peter: Your mother needs rest. This is taking a lot out of her emotionally, and she can't be weak in front of Derek or the nogitsune right now. I have to go find information that Kira's mother told us to look at. You need to stay here and make sure nothing else happens.

Laura: Okay. [she sighs softly] It's not like I have to rush home to the kids. [there's a beat] When she gets back, you're going to want to spoil Nadia - she'll have earned it.

Peter: Oh, I've already promised her that, don't you worry. [smirks] You can keep Isaac. He's enough of a handful.

Isaac: Thanks.

Laura: [smirks] Alright, you boys hungry?

Isaac: Starving.

Jason: You need to ask?

Scott: Can I take it to go? I need to check on my mom.

Laura: [smirks at Scott] I'll make you a sandwich.

Scott: You're the best.

Peter: [and he's going to sneak out and head back home to check on team research]

Cora: [team research is much more interesting and Cora and Kira are on the couch pouring over a laptop when he gets there]

Peter: [gets in and goes to the fridge first to grab something to drink and then turns to look at them] Please tell me you've found something.

Kira: Not initially, but then I talked to my dad, because he's human and therefore less obtuse and he forwarded me some research he was working on for Oak Creek.

Cora: Apparently it was a Japanese internment camp located where Eichen House is now.

Peter: [nods a moment as he listens, then closes his eyes and mutters a curse under his breath]

Cora: [both girls eyebrows go up at that] This started when you went to Eichen House, didn't it?

Peter: That would explain how the thing got into him. [he wants to punch something. Hard] He wandered off at one point. I found him in a daze staring at a wall. [he goes to grab his car keys and phone.] You two keep researching. [and he's dialing Lydia as he walks out the house]

Cora: [nods and goes back to the computer]

Lydia: [is actually out. She's in the bar under Jordan's apartment because she wanted a drink and oddly enough she feels safest there, even if it's not Jordan's place directly, and when her phone rings, she frowns before answering it] Peter?

Peter: It seems there's a link between Eichen House and what's happening to Derek. I need to go back and retrace his steps when he wandered off. I could use a hand or two.

Lydia: [nods before looking up to the ceiling] I'm near Jordan's. I'll see if he's home.

Peter: Meet me there in twenty. [and he will be driving]

Lydia: [and she will send a quick text so that she's not knocking on the door of an empty apartment] Are you home?

Parrish: [is up in his apartment, just in sweats, eating a bowl of cereal and watching television when the phone goes off] Yeah, I'm here. What's up?

Lydia: I'm coming up. [and five minutes later, she's knocking on his door]

Parrish: [and he was supposed to put a shirt on? Oops? He opens the door and looks at her] Hey, were we supposed to hang out tonight?

Lydia: [... damn you. Lydia blinks for a moment, before pulling herself back together] No. [she pauses, holding up her phone and taking a moment to find her words] We need to go back to Eichen House. Peter and I were wondering if you would come with us. [though it was really mostly her and Peter agreeing, but with him in that current state of undress she was trying to distance herself from those feelings]

Parrish: Yeah. Sure. Just let me get my uniform on so that we don't have to answer too many questions. [abusing his rank for her? totally] Come in.

Lydia: [nods as she takes a step inside, eyes wandering to the rest of the apartment so that she's not just ogling his naked chest completely, but, you know, she's only human and it's been a while. And really, who could predict that all of that was hiding under that uniform]

Parrish: [and he's in a studio, and if you don't stop trying to sneak a peek, you're going to be seeing him pulling off his sweats too and going down to just his tight briefs before he goes to pull on that uniform of his]

Lydia: [oh, nope, she caught that and she's quickly spinning around and half-wishing she didn't. Her lips purse together as she closes her eyes and tries not to wince]

Parrish: [it's short work before he's dressed and reaching for his gun belt, heading back into the other area] Alright, I'm good.

Lydia: [glances back with a small smile and maybe a slightly look of relief. yay he's clothed again] Great. Peter should be here soon.

Parrish: [he's going to take it that she's relieved he's coming, and not that she's happy he's clothed, thank you] Let's go downstairs to meet him then.

Lydia: [look, she's trying not to have complicated feelings in his direction. Once upon a time, she would have openly ogled and he would know it, but she's still building up the confidence to be that girl again - she's not there yet. So for now, she's just going to lead the way downstairs to meet Peter]

Peter: [and he will be driving up as they get there, driving with only one hand]

Lydia: [is going to give Jordan the front seat since she's tiny and can squeeze into the back]

Parrish: So we're going back to Eichen House because?

Peter: Apparently, before modern day, Eichen House was a Japanese camp during World War Two. I have a feeling that somewhere in all that confusion and anger, a nogitsune found a playground.

Parrish: Nogitsune? What the hell is a nogitsune?

Lydia: A dark kitsune. [a beat] A Japanese fox spirit.

Parrish: ....... Okay then. [shakes his head a bit] eventually I'm going to get all of this.

Lydia: [smirks a bit] It takes a little getting used to.

Peter: You just have come at a time where there is a fast learning curve, that's all. You'll do just fine.

Lydia: I've been doing this for years and I still don't get all of it.

Parrish: So this... nogitsune? You think it was maybe hiding in Eichen House?

Peter: That or trapped. Your code led us there. Perhaps there's a connection between the names on the list and this spirit?

Lydia: Maybe? But those people who died didn't die during World War II. They died around when my grandmother did.

Peter: Maybe the spirit was harming them then?

Lydia: [her lips draw into a bow] They were all suicides.

Peter: Well, as much as I want to believe Derek is stronger than that, he's not that far from thinking about it himself to save the rest of us, I'm sure.

Lydia: I'm sure the rest of the pack would take that very well. [that would be sarcasm]

Peter: You will be surprised at the things one will do to protect a pack, Lydia.

Lydia: Well, it's hope that it doesn't come to that. There's no guarantee that death would stop this thing anyway.

Peter: One just hopes there is a solution that doesn't end in death.

Parrish: There's always that answer. You just have to hunt for it.

Lydia: I just hope we have enough time before Deaton's quick fix wears off.

Parrish: I take it when it wears off, things are going to get bad?

Peter: Understatement of the year.

Lydia: The poison is keeping the nogitsune suppressed for now. When it wears off, it'll be back in business and probably angry to boot.

Parrish: [ thinks] Yeah, no I can see that. So how long do we have?

Peter: Probably less than twenty four hours. Then either we have a notgitsune, or demon ninjas to deal with.

Lydia: [there's a beat as she leans forward between the seats] You left out the ninja demons before.

Peter: Sorry, that was a recent development. [looks at Lydia slightly while keeping his eyes on the road] Apparently Kira's mother isn't fond of the nogitsune being free and sent minions to kill him.

Lydia: Kira's mother has minions. [Lydia purses her lips] She left that out of Kitsune 101.

Peter: I don't think Kira knew. Or at least knew her mother was sending them. Either way, Noshiko gave us a day to come up with a plan and so we're going to have a tight schedule or things will get much worse.

Lydia: [sighs heavily] So what are we looking for at Eichen House?

Peter: Clues as to the origins of this nogitsune. This is where Derek had his first episode. It can't be a coincidence.

Lydia: [nods a bit, giving a bit of a shudder as she leans back again] The place gives me the creeps.

Parrish: Creeps like voices stuff or just because it's weird?

Peter: [looks at Jordan, then Lydia. He didn't realize the deputy knew about the banshee stuff]

Lydia: [returns Peter's look with a "what?" shrug. She said she needed someone to talk to, Jordan turned into that someone] Little of both.

Peter: [and that is the "damn kids" eyeroll as he goes to pull up in front of Eichen House]

Parrish: Well, maybe you can see if the voices say anything about the nogitsune this time? I mean, you weren't thinking about it last time right?

Peter: Now you know why I asked for you to join me.

Lydia: [look, Peter, try as you might, you can't be the only person she talks to about this. and she didn't tell him about you. exactly.] I can try. [that's about all she can do - she doesn't really have as much control as she'd like]

Peter: That's all I can ask. [and into the house they go?]

Lydia: [yep. and Lydia is just going to, well, follow the voices and hope that Parrish and Peter can do enough smooth talking to not get her into trouble.]

Peter: [oh, between the two of them, they are a formidable team of smooth talking and authority following behind her. Eventually, the voices are going to take her to the basement where there is a 5 etched onto the wall]

Lydia: [it does look like a five doesn't it? Only Lydia tips her head to the side for a moment, one hand coming up to rest against it for a moment] Self. [then there's a beat and she's glancing around until she finds a crowbar or a piece of pipe or something and starts beating it against the wall until it breaks]

Peter: [well, that's interesting. But when the wall breaks, he walks over to put a hand on her shoulder] Here, let me. [and if she'll let him, he'll pull at the wall]

Lydia: [she will, taking a step back and letting the pipe drop as she watches. Only the people that have died in Eichen House are realizing that she's listening and are starting to get a little more insistent that they be heard, and she's trying not to flinch]

Parrish: [goes to help Peter, and soon they uncover a body in the walls with a katana in his lap.] I have a feeling that's not supposed to be there.

Peter: [pulls out his phone to take a picture to send to Fiona with a message of asking Derek if this is who he sees in his head]

Meredith: [appearing behind Lydia] If you scream, they will leave you alone.

Lydia: [glances back at Meredith with a frown, trying to make sense of what she's saying when they're still barraging her a bit from all sides. she doesn't say anything, just a long silent question before something in the voices catches her attention] It means he died as himself. I think.

Peter: [nods, looking over at Meredith a moment, then Lydia again] So whoever this person was, he was probably the one the nogitsune was in before.

Meredith: The bandaged man. A lot of people here see him. He says he's hungry and comes into nightmares.

Lydia: We think he may have hopped into our friend.

Meredith: [sucks on her lips and shakes her head] That's not good. Not good. He needs to be put in the locked ward.

Lydia: [the words "locked ward" bring a fresh assault of too many voices at once and Lydia stumbles back, covering her ears in surprise] No, just ... shut up.

Parrish: [and nope, he's up and at her side, hands gently on her shoulders] Lydia...?

Meredith: [backing away] Too loud. Too loud..... they won't shut up.

Lydia: They don't want him there. [that much is clear] But I can't ... there's too many of them at once.

Peter: [gets up, walking to her side] Scream, Lydia. See if that clears them away.

Lydia: [cement walls, enclosed spaces, that's not good for super hearing and she holds out a hand before she gets too close] You're not going to want to be right here.

Peter: [nods and looks at Jordan] Stay with her. I'll be right back. [and he's going to escort Meredith outside because he's willing to bet she's a banshee too and that wouldn't help her ears either]

Lydia: [she waits until she hears the door close before taking a few steps back from Jordan, mostly so she's not screaming right in his ear] Sorry. This is going to be loud. [and that's about all the warning he gets before she takes all that build up and lets it go]

Parrish: [yeah, he's covering his ears as she winds up, and wow, that's loud.]

Peter: [and apparently it's echo house for a reason, and even away from her he still hears it, and it echoes through the place so he hears it over and over and it brings him to his knees.]

Meredith: [looking at the door to where Lydia was] She should be better now.

Lydia: [she is. the voices disappear, almost on command, and she exhales slowly, but that doesn't stop her from wrinkling her nose] Do you smell that?

Parrish: [wiggling a finger in his ear] Um, no? I just smell dust.

Lydia: [yeah, that's not what Lydia's smelling. She's got gasoline and the harsh stench of burning flesh - it's so strong she gags on it] I need to get out of here.

Parrish: [nods, going to help her up and out to where they find Peter in the lobby, kneeling and rubbing at his ears]

Peter: [looks up] Did it clear your voices?

Lydia: [nods] Are you alright?

Peter: I'm fine. This place echoes.

Meredith: [has disappeared back into the House]

Lydia: [glances around to look for her] Do you know who that girl was?

Parrish: Never seen her before.

Peter: No, but if she's here, we can find her again.

Lydia: [nods a bit. the smell has lessened some, so she just focuses on the problem at hand] We should get back to the house.

Peter: I want to go back and examine the body a bit first.

Parrish: I should really call for someone to come and take the body. To do an autopsy on it, find who it is, notify family...

Lydia: [nods a bit] Then I'll go outside and call Cora and Kira. Tell them what we found.

Peter: [nods and goes downstairs to look at the body while Jordan pulls out his phone and calls it into the station. Peter looks over the body and takes the katana and sees the photo with Kira in it, and takes both of them upstairs with him]

Parrish: I'm going to stay here and wait for the coroner's office. I'll hitch a ride back with them.

Lydia: [is out on the phone, having a quick conversation with Cora as she tries to turn that smell over in her head and figure out what it was]

Peter: [heads outside with the weapon and tells Lydia about Jordan’s choice] Do you want to stay with him, or should I take you home?

Lydia: [pauses before shaking her head] I should go home. I'll see him later.

Peter: Okay. [and he will take her home] You doing okay?

Lydia: [deep breath] That was ... intense. But I'm fine.

Peter: Good. [he looked over at her] And you did good, you know. We wouldn't have found that without your skills.

Lydia: [small smile as she turns to walk to the car] I just hope it actually helps.

Peter: I do too. For Derek's sake. But this is good for you too. You're learning to listen to find clues to help you get what you are looking for.

Lydia: [nods a bit, crossing her arms in front of her] I just wish I could push them out without making someone think I'm being murdered.

Peter: Give yourself time. Though some things about who you are aren't always as flattering or fun.

Lydia: [a bit of a dry look at that] You've noticed that, have you?

Peter: [smirks a bit] Trust me, everyone has it. We're not all overly fond of how he look when we shift.

Lydia: At least you have natural defenses.

Peter: This is the point I remind you that it took Derek almost four years to learn to control his shift, right? And you know how long it took Scott...

Lydia: I don't think banshees spontaneously sprout claws when they're threatened - I would have seen it by now.

Peter: No, but apparently when attacked by voices, you scream an ear piercing wail that shuts them up.

Lydia: That doesn't really do me much good on the actual people front.

Peter: We'll get there. [thinks] Once Derek is safe, how about we come back here and see who that girl was? I think she's like you.

Lydia: [nods a bit] Is she a patient?

Peter: I'd think so, otherwise they would just be letting anyone walk around that place.

Lydia: That's ... optimistic.

Peter: [goes to reach over to rub her shoulder in comfort, but he hisses as his shoulder firmly reminds him that no, hurt, and pulling out a wall didn't help]

Lydia: [makes a face at that] Why aren't you healing?

Peter: It's just healing slowly. Demonic ninja swords aren't something we're accustomed to.

Lydia: [there's a non-committal sound at that as they finally reach the car and she falls silent until they're both inside. There's a pause, drumming her fingers lightly against the arm of the door before glancing over at Peter.] I didn't tell him about you. [a beat] Well, abstractly, I told him about you, he's aware that werewolves are a thing, he just doesn't know that you are one.

Peter: [chuckles through his nose] If he's going to be working in Beacon Hills, it's for the best he knows what happens here. I just wasn't expecting him to know and freely talk about it.

Lydia: [she gives a bit of a shrug] He's easy to talk to. And I think he assumed that since you were talking about hunting nogitsune, you were in the loop.

Peter: Or crazy. [smirks a bit] He seems like a good kid.

Lydia: [nods] He's nice.

Peter: And I know how nice it can be to have someone outside of the pack to talk to. [which is his "dad" speak for he approves]

Lydia: [she wasn't looking for his approval, but it was nice to have it anyway. She gives him a small smile before turning her attention out the window again]

Peter: [and he is going to drop her off at home and head back home]

Cora: [and Kira are on the couch, still pouring over some of the stuff Kira's dad sent them]

Peter: [goes over to them, looking exhausted - he needs sleep to heal - and hands them the katana and the picture, and shows them the photo of the body in the wall] See what you two can make from this.

Cora: [both of them glance up to him in confusion, but Cora just nods] Go sleep.

Peter: Three hours, and then wake me back up. [because he really couldn't justify being asleep too long until this was over.]

Cora: Yep, sounds good. [She's going to make him sleep at least five.]

Peter: [and he's going to bitch when he wakes up an realizes it]

Cora: [bitch all you want, you needed to heal]

Peter: Did you two find anything at all?

Kira: [nods as she holds up the picture] This is my mom.

Peter: Alright, I'll bite. Why is a photo of your mother in the jacket of a body hidden in a wall?

Kira: Because my mother is the one who put him there.

Peter: So your mother knows this nogitsune? You know, she may have wanted to tell us that before she sent the oni to kill Derek.

Kira: The body wasn't always a nogitsune. And she sent the oni to kill it, because she's the one who summoned it in the first place in 1945.

Peter: [there's just this look. The one where you don't know if Peter is about to lose his cool, murder someone, or just turn around and walk away]

Kira: [sighs heavily, before unloading the whole story about the man that her mother loved in 1945, the riots and cover up at Oak Creek and how her mother dispatched of the nogitsune] She said she buried it in the roots of the Nemeton.

Peter: [and there's the heavy sigh] Where Derek was used as a human sacrifice.

Kira: [she nods] When this darach activated the Nematon? The bottle must have broken and released it. Derek was weak enough at the time he couldn't have fought it.

Peter: But that was twelve years ago.

Kira: It could have just been biding it's time. Making sure it had the right host.

Peter: [sits on the couch, rubbing his jaw] Twelve years. How can we even be sure anything Derek's done in those years was always him?

Cora: According to what Noshiko said, nogitsune feed on chaos and strife. I don't think Derek's done anything inherently malicious.

Peter: No, he's not that kind of kid. Not since he was a teenager.

Cora: So I think it's safe to say that Derek's mostly been Derek.

Peter: [nods]

Cora: We just have to figure out how to separate them now.

Peter: How did your mother defeat him last time?

Kira: [sighs softly] She stabbed him. With the katana you found.

Peter: [sighs] Wonderful.

Kira: Another problem. [she picks up the katana and starts to draw it, only it falls out in pieces] So even if we were to take ... that course of action.

Peter: [leans over to look at the pieces] This isn't something we can fix with superglue.

Kira: No. I have to do it. I'm still working on the "how."

Peter: Your mom has a very bad habit of not giving details on anything, doesn't she?

Kira: She says there's some stuff I have to learn on my own.

Peter: [looks at her, and then at the sword.] Did the sword have a name?

Kira: [shakes her head] Not that she said.

Peter: Swords are like people. They have histories to them. People who forged them, wielded them, passing them down... [thinks] I have an idea. [and he goes off into the library, looking at his bookshelves before rolling a ladder into place and starting to climb]

Cora: [Kira glances to her and Cora shrugs before getting up to follow him] Care to share with the class?

Peter: A katana in Japanese culture is like a broadsword in the Viking culture. They get passed down from the family elder to the first born. Usually before they go off on their first conquest. [he reached for a book, opening it and flipping through, and then closing it and putting it back and reaching for another one] We may not be able to know the sword name, but maybe we can find the forger for your family line.

Cora: [crosses her arms in front of her chest as she leans against one of her bookshelves] Even if it was over nine centuries ago?

Peter: I was in Japan with Jason, Laura and Nadia when Jason introduced Laura to his family. Afterward, the family elder asked to have tea with me. He knew in our culture that I'm the one responsible for the family histories, and he wanted to make sure that all children of their union would know their Japanese history as well. [he pulls another book off and blows dust from it, nodding and going back down the steps] Kira, your family and Jason's merge up the family chain, so your mother's ancestors and Jason's are the same, and if we're lucky, the weapon was forged before the split.

Kira: [deep breath] I guess it's worth a shot. But I don't think it's that simple. Kitsune blades ... they tend to be forged by kitsunes.

Peter: And this book is from the library of a very old kitsune. [smirks] A gift to the Hale family.

Kira: [eyebrow raise] Okay then.

Peter: [opens the book and is going through it, because apparently Peter learned Japanese in the last decade to be able to read these things. This is what happens when you're a spoiled rich boy with a jetsetting mate and a lot of time on your hands]

Kira: [holds out a hand] You want me to have a look? [since, you know, she actually is Japanese]

Peter: [thinks for a moment, then hands it over] Sorry, I'm used to doing this on my own.

Kira: [she shakes her head] It's okay. I get it.

Peter: [steps back to let Kira work on the book and looks at Cora] I'm going to make some breakfast. Have either of you eaten?

Cora: [shakes her head] No, I'm starving.

Peter: I'll see what I can scrounge up. Let me know if you two find anything. [and he's going to go into the kitchen and make all the pancakes and bacon]

Kira: [yay food. And Kira's just going to read through the book for a moment before making her way downstairs to the coffee table where she left the pieces of the sword. She pauses, studying it for a moment before starting to put it back together like puzzle pieces]

Peter: [brings over the platters of food to the table and watches her closely] What are you doing?

Kira: The kitsune who forged the sword was a thunder kitsune.

Peter: [nods] So we would need another thunder kitsune to fix it I take it.

Kira: [nods a bit as she continues to put the pieces together]

Peter: [waits a moment] Do you know what kind of kitsune you are yet?

Kira: [nods again and when it's finally done she takes a step back, hands in the air] I'll replace any bulbs I break.

Peter: [nods and is just going to... take a few steps back.]

Kira: [she takes a deep breath before extending a hand over the broken pieces of the blade. She closes her eyes, concentrates and soon there is a bright flash of light that fills the room. When it clears there's a full katana sitting on the table, and a grin lights her face] It works!

Peter: [blinks the light dots from his eyes and smiles] Good job, Kira.

Kira: [grins a bit as she picks it up, doing some of her fancy kitsune moves] Yeah, I can definitely use this.

Peter: Let's just hope you're not going to have to. And for right now, let's focus on breakfast.

Kira: Yes, please. [and with that she will grab a plate and start chowing down, Cora coming and sitting next to her to join her]