Belly of the Beast

**Belly of the Beast** is the seventh episode of the Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles tv series.

## Summary

Following Spot, Usagi and Gen are led to Kitsune being served all of her favorite foot by Chizu. She managed to beat her in a Ki-Cycle game in the arcade. While Gen doesn't hesitate to dig in when Kitsune asks, Usagi restrains himself and is pulled aside by Chizu to apologize to him formally. Usagi accepts the apology and Chizu warns him about how vengeful the Neko Ninja Clan can be, then tells him of her upbringing with them. However, she's put off by Usagi joining everyone at the table to eat some of the food she prepared for Kitsune and notes he's still angry at Chizu for betraying them. Chizu implores Usagi to take her warning of the Neko Ninja Clan seriously, but Usagi is mainly focused on hunting Giman, so he can finally become Karasu-Tengu's, student. As it turns out, Chizu mentions a shadowy figure that she saw back in the Neko Ninja Clan's Hidden Dojo, motivating Usagi to check the place out despite the dangers. Toshiko then arrives at the scene and announces that she's found the Ashibasha, which was Gen and Toshiko's family vehicle. This leaves Usagi and Chizu to investigate the Hidden Dojo.

Kitsune, Gen, and Kitsune go to the garage where the Ashibasha is. Gen has Kitsune visit the Kaikishi Temple to charge the car battery, and Gen and Toshiko stay behind to fix the car. Unbeknownst to the two, their vehicle was possessed by a Yokai. Meanwhile, Usagi and Chizu successfully infiltrate the dojo, and following Chizu's lead, the two sneak around the place until a ninja confronts them. Back to Gen and Toshiko, they continue to fix the Ashibasha, when Toshiko notes her hesitance to stay there, making Gen upset that she wants to leave, and is hit by the Ashibasha's door. The two then realize that a yokai possesses the Ashibasha. At the Kaikishi Temple, as the car battery charges, Kitsune is shown some of Tetsujin's Taiko drums.

Returning to Usagi's group, the ninja that confronts them is a kid who asks them to follow her. Once they do, they're led to a room where the ninja's mask is off and ask why. Usagi says that she told them to follow her there and the ninja recognizes Chizu and introduces herself as Hana. Both Hana and Chizu have a heart-to-heart about their kindred thoughts and relation with Lady Fuwa and her cruel Ninja training.

Back at the Temple, Kitsune has fun with Tetsujin with his Taiko drums. Switching back to the temple, Hana deals with Lady Fuwa while Usagi and Chizu hide underneath a floorboard and eavesdrop on their conversation. Once Lady Fuwa is gone, Usagi and Chizu come out of hiding and learn from Hana that the person they saw before wasn't her, but a doppelganger named Kana. Although Usagi has trouble believing Hana, Chizu suggests they leave, but they're confronted by Lady Fuwa and her cohorts. In the garage, Gen and Toshiko struggle to handle the Ashibasha. Usagi's group tries to escape from the dojo, but they're confronted by Lady Fuwa and her cohorts again and are forced to face them. Although they manage to handle their opponents at first, they ultimately lose in the end and Lady Fuwa offers Chizu a deal. If she surrenders and rejoins the clan she'll allow her friends to escape, but Chizu refuses. Amused by the response, Lady Fuwa orders her ninjas to deal with Chizu and her friends, but the lights shut off and Kana appears before them. Hana warns them that the ninjas won't like Kana who handily deals with all of the ninjas that appear causing them to flee.

While Kitsune and Testjin continue their bonding with Taiko drums, Gen and Toshiko befriend their possessed Ashibasha. On the rooftop, Usagi figures out that Hana is really the deception Yokai Giman, but due to Giman having a changed heart, decides not to capture her. It's then decided that Chizu will return to Gen and Toshiko, while Usagi goes back to the temple with Kana and Hana.

Tetsujin and Kitsune meet with Gen and Toshiko and return the car battery to Ashibasha. Underneath the ground, the Moguro gang finally reaches the Clavis which an elated Kagehito relishes and promises, Chikabuma that his crew will be the most powerful crew as they'll be the last surviving ones.

## Characters

* Yuichi Usagi
* Gen (Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles)
* Chizu (Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles)
* Kitsune (Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles)
* Spot (Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles)
* Lady Fuwa
* Kana
* Tetsujin
* Hana
* Chikabuma
* Kagehito