Izumi Nao's Story

Five humans gather on the outskirts of their village. They had made the plans at school, as they all seemed to have the same idea. Not all of them talk regularly, but being the only 5 teenagers in the village brought them together for this night and this night only. So they wait—for the rest to arrive, for the night to fall, for something to happen. The night, so far, is peaceful. No disturbances lie in their wake, and those who are gathered together seem to be discussing something mundane and nondescript. Occasionally, company in the form of an elderly woman neighbor appears, asking what the children might be up to. Their answers are specific and vague—they are exploring, they are adventuring, things like that. It is a Friday night, after all, so there will be no school tomorrow.

In the village over, the Youkai are bustling with energy and excitement. Karakasa twirl their paper umbrellas as they walk. Kitsune play pranks on the other unsuspecting Youkai as they pass. Things like that. It has been quite some time since the Human World and Spirit World have fused, but many Youkai have taken solace in the form of this desolate village, with a village full of idiots who believe in them nearby. Things are... mundane tonight. The lights illuminate off of the Youkai.

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speech: #d10000 || thoughts: #f55858
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The night is nice... muses Sanae to herself. She smiles as she sits on a low tree branch, swinging her legs back and forth. It's nearing 8pm, and her curfew is usually 9pm, but she had practically begged her parents with the help of Nao to let her stay out later, so her curfew was lifted for tonight. In her excitement, she happened to be the first one at the meeting place. The Miko is starting to get a little antsy, so she occupies herself with a little singing... that is, until she hears footsteps. She turns toward the approaching footsteps and recognizes friend after friend until they've all arrived. She smiles and waves, practically shouting for them to join her.

Sanae hops off of the branch, dusting herself off, and trots over to Nao and Satogi, beaming brightly. ❝Ain't it lovely tonight? You can see the stars... and the water's awful sparkly. Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle... sparkle, sparkle sparkle...❞ Her eyes lock onto the water, as though she's mesmerized, hypnotized by the small waves and trickling sounds. As eccentric as she may be, Sanae is friendly to almost everyone she meets, and that's the type of friend every person could use. She glances over to Kyosuke then, a frown on her face.

❝What 'bout you, Kyosuke-kun? Don't ya think the stars look pretty nice tonight? What ya can see through the trees, I mean. Ya can't see too much, but it's not that much of a problem, 'cause what you can see is absolutely gorgeous! Don't ya think?❞ Small talk for the apathetic one, the one who doesn't want to be here in this village. Komorebi is a peaceful, quiet forest town, and Sanae rather likes that, but to each their own, she supposes.

❝We should get goin' soon... I'm practically burstin' with lots of energy! Yukiko-chan, don't ya think this could be the plot of... of a manga or somethin'? Or am I way off? Think about it, though—five teens embark on an adventure of a lifetime, to stake out an abandoned village to see who's actually livin' there. What if it really is Youkai? Then it'll really be like a manga!❞

She looks around and counts. There's one, two—her childhood friends Mao and Satogi—three, four—her school friend Yukiko and her... whatever he is, Kyosuke—five—herself! That should be everyone... maybe I better tell 'em we're leavin' now, just in case everyone wants to prepare...

❝Awwwright, everyone! Let's take off. If ya still need some time to do somethin', speak now, or forever hold your peace!❞

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The Oni prince steps carefully along the path, hands tucked into his sleeves. Lanterns and lights alike light up the path as he passes them, and he thinks to himself that it's a rather beautiful night, but it does little for excitement. Living for thousands of years grows a bit monotomous with each passing day. Ryuunosuke is not the sort of riff-raff to stir things up himself; such activities are reserved for the lower class, who cause trouble. Though he would never admit it, he does like watching trouble unfold, though only when he is in the mood for it. He is royalty, and for years, royalty had been entertained by the show of animals attacking each other and causing a ruckus. To Ryuunosuke, watching the commoners go at each other is much the same. He passes a bar—one he knows is owned by a jorogumo—and for a moment, he considers entering. Princes do not drink at bars, but Ryuunosuke will never pass up a chance for good sake.

Turning toward his trusted servant and advisor, he gives a soft smile, and there's a playful lilt to his voice. ❝Imagine you were a thirsty royal with a taste for the finest of sake, Tsutsurugi. You come across a bar and, though it is a gathering for common folk, you feel yourself compelled to enter. What would you suggest to be done about it?❞ He closes his eyes, smile never leaving him (a smile reserved for children and Tsutsurugi, one might add). His features certainly do befit a prince, with soft porcelain for skin and long eyelashes. Rarely are his expressions exaggerated; he is tasteful in how expressive he is. When he opens his eyes again, he gives Tsutsurugi a playful look. ❝Careful with your response, though—We may just disobey you all the same, such a mischievous prince as We.❞

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A yako kitsune such as Susumu should not be sulking about on a Friday night. Fridays are when humans are most likely to be out and about and let their guards down, which is somehing the kitsune rather likes. Instead, he looks down alley to alley, sighing in defeat when his search comes to naught. It seems even talk of violence rubs Tsuyari the wrong way and causes her to run off. He hadn't meant anything by it (well, not to her, anyway), and she went and ran off!

Occasionally, he would ask the passing Youkai if they had seen a blue-haired kitsune girl about yay high, yay wide, et-cetra, et-cetra. None of them have happened to see her, and Susumu is about to give up when he spots the blue hair he'd been looking for. He hurries over to her, kneeling behind her. ❝Sorry for whatever I said to offend you, Tsuyari-chan. You know I didn't mean to offend... well, I didn't mean to offend you.❞ He reaches out a hand to place it on her shoulder, then patting it gently. ❝Maybe I won't do any of that, for at least tonight... how about that? You and I could hang out, then. What about Miyako-san's bar?❞ He starts to wag his tail a bit at that, thinking that a trip to the bar would do well, despite how young Tsuyari might look. He figures the Youkai of this town must be familiar with her, though, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Besides, if they keep moving, Sanja might be around somewhere. Maybe he might even be at the bar, though it may be doubtful...

Nao was running. Not that she was late for the meet up, but because it was dark and the fear of "not seeing everything in her surrounding" was sending chills through her spine. The funny thing was how the forest usually acted like her second home, but still - everything seemed different right now. It was 8 pm and the evening curtain had already started to swallow the green colors of the nature and the cold blue shade from the moon where tainting the light in a blue shade, which where normally warm orange from the sun. Her beloved forest had become an enemy. Every little pebble, tree and flower she'd normally knew inside out - they where all strangers to her russet brown eyes.

Nao knew where everything was suppose to be. Her photographic memory was showing the forest "daytime-mode" inside her brain. Even so - her heart was beating faster (not because she was running- Nao was physically fit) but because she was scared of being alone right now, and she crossed her fingers someone was early at the meeting point.

Was it such a good idea to look for the abandoned village in the evening? Well ofc it had to be in the evening, it would not be a dare if they went out daytime... But even so, Nao was on the alert, tense and worried. And she was suppose to be the rational one, telling the others that youkai don't exist and they just have a vivid imagination... She was suppose to look out for the others, as the school president - but also as a fellow resident of Komorebi, someone who felt responsible and mature. But right now, she just felt pathetic. Her eyes where shiny and her skin paler that usual, except for a slight blush as a result of the running. Out of a sudden, she bumped in to someone. A short figure with a side ponytail, and when her eyes gotten a bit used to the darkness - she realized it was the new girl. "Oh im so sorry Yukiko-chan! Did i hurt you?" She panted and a part of her was relieved it was her, and not one of the "old-timers" of the village. Nao did not want to show her weakness in front of anyone. But Yukiko was not very scary after all, so Nao relaxed a bit.

The two accompanied each other, Nao chit-chatting a bit about school and homework, telling Yuki she was welcome over at Naos place anytime she had problem with school stuff. Soon Kyo joined them. Before finally arriving to the meeting point, where Sanae and Satogi was already waiting for them. Sanae welcoming them with a smiling face and waving - making Nao respond with the same. Sanae was her precious childhood friend after all, and she was truly a "blessing" to the little village. Komorebi would simply not be the same without the friendly shrine maiden. Nao listened to her words, and actually agreed. Despite being scary, there was a beauty to the forest which she'd never witnessed before. Sparkly water, stars peeking out between the branches and creating a reflection in the surface of the water. And the sound of crickets and a lonely owl made the atmosphere calming but even so- mysterious.

Nao sighted and shook her head. This talk about manga and youkai was not exactly her thing, and she basically just wanted this "dare" to be over with. To prove that there was no such thing as youkai. But sure - if they really did find the abandoned village - that would be pretty cool. Her feelings where mixed. She gave the others a sweeping glance. Raising her eyebrow slightly when viewing Kyo -since he'd not been to school today.. But did not bother with nagging. Nao was not on duty right now. She was not the school president. She was just Nao. Izumi Nao.

Suddenly there was a light. Satogis show with the flashlight made Nao take a deep breath in relief. Why hadn't she thought of a flashlight? Her own stupidity surprised her. But she still fired off a secret smile, hiding it behind her hand - when looking at Satogi. Her hero at the moment."But do no fret young maidens, I and my trusty flashlight will protect us!" even if Satogis obsession with girls and flirting got on Nao's nerves sometimes, she was happy he was there. Same with all the teens of the village. Being in their company made her forget about her fear of the dark for a moment.

"Sanae, Kyosuke, Yukiko and Satogi - that makes everyone. Let's get going and just get this over with..." the voice of the rational and responsible leader, followed by some body stretching before she started to march into the forest with the others..

Tiptoeing down the stairs, Yukiko kept her left hand firmly over her mouth, her drawstring bag thrown over her right shoulder with basic items inside like her cell, a flashlight, first aid materials, and a bottle of water. Why was Yukiko sneaking out one might ask? Good question. After the incident that landed Yukiko in the hospital before moving to the village, her parents became overbearing and made her follow a strict curfew. They would have never allowed this, so she knew what she had to do. Once at the bottom of the stairs, Yukiko quietly scurried off toward the front door. Her hand cautiously slid the door open, then slid it back just as soundlessly. She liked the sliding doors. They were much quieter than doors with knobs.

Now that she was home free, Yukiko ran off, no longer trying to be quiet. Somewhere along the way in her haste, Yukiko collided with someone else. It wasn't enough to knock Yukiko off her feet, but she did stumble a bit. When she turned to see whom had crashed into her, Yuki was relieved to see Nao. She let out a relieved sigh, smiling a bit. At least it wasn't my dad. Yuki thought to herself, not even wanting to imagine what could have happened if her father had managed to find her.

"Oh im so sorry Yukiko-chan! Did i hurt you?"

With a shake of her head Yukiko confirmed that she was not hurt, "I'm sturdier than I look." Yuki replied. She glanced at her shoes for a moment, her heart shaped earrings moving with each motion of her head. She noticed that Nao was panting, tilting her head to make sure that the other girl was alright. She had met several kids with asthma at her old school after all.. Nao seemed fine, so Yuki let herself relax.

Yuuki let Nao do most of the talking, listening to what she had to say until an answer was expected, "I'd love to. I have such a hard time with math... Your parents won't mind?" She asked, but dropped the conversation when they managed to meet up with the others, but now she had to interact. Her first response after the group was all together was to wave back at Sanae, a sheepish smile forming on her lips. Though when she noticed light, her attention turned to Satogi. He illuminated his face with the battery operated device, and she immediately she knew a story was coming along.

"But we must proceed with caution, for there are rumored to be many dangerous spirits lurking that part of the woods who would like nothing more than to snatch up young beauties and force them into arranged marriages!"

Did that mean he was calling her, Sanae and Nao beautiful? Yukiko wasn't sure, but it did not stop her from blushing, "Marrying a Youkai...?" Yukiko muttered under her breath as she tried to imagine it, humoring that thought for a moment before shaking her head. Her parents would never allow it, even if they were real. The fact that Satogi enjoyed the stories about Youkai only made Yukiko admire him more.

"But do no fret young maidens, I and my trusty flashlight will protect us!"

Her brown eyes shifted from Satogi to Sanae, then to Nao. She couldn't help but giggle at Satogi's mention of protecting them with a flashlight. She doubted it would do much good if they ran into a real Youkai, but thankfully she had spent a lot of time in the woods the last two months and was fairly certain that their quest would be in vain. She wanted to flirt, to say something cute, but she wasn't skilled at that kind of thing... She would only say something awkward if she tried to talk to Satogi, especially with their current audience. While still difficult, her conversation she had with him the day they accidentally met in the forest had been a lot easier than trying to speak to him was now.

❝We should get goin' soon... I'm practically burstin' with lots of energy! Yukiko-chan, don't ya think this could be the plot of... of a manga or somethin'? Or am I way off? Think about it, though—five teens embark on an adventure of a lifetime, to stake out an abandoned village to see who's actually livin' there. What if it really is Youkai? Then it'll really be like a manga!❞

No, you're right. It does sound like one. If written right, it could likely become an anime as well. Possibly an Otome game." Yukiko responded, her cheeks turning a dark shade of pink as she grew nervous. Until now, Sanae had been the only one to know about her interest in manga and other 'otaku' hobbies. Still, it was easy to forgive her. Sanae's energetic personality made it difficult to hold a grudge against her.

❝Awwwright, everyone! Let's take off. If ya still need some time to do somethin', speak now, or forever hold your peace!❞

Yukiko adjusted the bag on her shoulder and nodded toward Sanae. She was ready, very excited to see the abandoned town. She had never seen such a thing, used to bustling cities full of people.

"Forwards... march!"

A smile formed on the brunette's lips, inspired by Satogi's and Sanae's enthusiasm. She wanted to believe they would find an actual Youkai, but it was difficult to place her hope in such things after the bullying she went through at her previous school.

"Sanae, Kyosuke, Yukiko and Satogi - that makes everyone. Let's get going and just get this over with.."

I suppose that means that Izumi-Senpai doesn't believe in the legends or really enjoy them... Yuki thought to herself, wondering if all the Youkai talk had irritated the school's president. Yuki followed behind Sanae, Satogi, and Nao, not wanting to be left behind, especially with Kyosuke.

“I promise, I’ll call tomorrow, alright? I’ve got… Things I got to do.” Kyosuke glanced upwards towards the clock, checking on the time. He was already late as it was, but he wasn’t about to drop everything for those dorks. They could wait. Hell, they’d probably chickened out without him there to protect them. Bringing his gaze back down to the laptop in front of him, he cracked a bit of a smile at the pouty face on the screen. “Come on now, you’ve been telling me that I don’t have to keep looking out for you, and now you’re sad when I finally have something to do in the evening?”

“That’s not it at all! You’ve got to tell me what you’re up to big brother!” The pink haired bundle of energy had pulled her own tablet up close to her in order to better scrutinise her older brother’s face. Kyosuke’s younger sister Haruka frowned a bit, folding her arms. “You always change the subject when I ask you what it’s like there, you only ask me ‘How was that Manga I sent you?’ ‘What’s dad up to?’ ‘Are the nurses treating you ok?’ I want to hear about you big brother!” Haruka slapped her arms down onto her bed, and ended up knocking the tablet off her stand again, leading to some more fumbling as she righted it once more. She was a slim, frail girl. Not too tall, even for a 13 year old, but she more than made up for that with her boundless personality.

“For real you dweeb, I gotta go.” Kyo sat up from his position seated across from the table, leaning up to hold the roof of the laptop. He only stopped as he heard the wail of his sister to stop, looking down again. Like him, she had the same striking blue eyes, and he could see them intently studying him to read his intentions. Finally, she relented, with a smile. “Okay, I believe you. But next time you gotta tell me all about it! Have fun with your friends you dummy.” Picking up the tablet, she winked. “Love you Kyuu-Chan! Call me again tomorrow!!”

Kyosuke shook his head. “Can’t say the feeling’s mutual you doofus. But yeah, you take care until then, got it?” Despite his words, Kyo smiled once more as he shut the laptop, skilfully ignoring her request as he breathed a contented smile. Sitting a moment to bask in the feeling, It was short lived however as he finally got up to leave and join the others. He was already in a pair of cargo pants and black T-shirt, so he simply grabbed his red jacket and made his way out the door, straightening his grey beanie as he went.

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Kyosuke was last to arrive. No surprises there. Slinking up to the group with his hands in his pocket, he gave a slight head tilt, followed by a simple “‘Sup Dweebs?” to fully announce his arrival. Most would be used to such a greeting from Kyo, though how they’d take it was anyone’s guess. It was a mixture of endearment and derision depending on how you looked at it. Leaning against a nearby tree, he let the socialites get the pleasantries out of the way before they got into the actual point of the night. Stretching slightly, he yawned, having had a long day...

“What 'bout you, Kyosuke-kun? Don't ya think the stars look pretty nice tonight? What ya can see through the trees, I mean. Ya can't see too much, but it's not that much of a problem, 'cause what you can see is absolutely gorgeous! Don't ya think?” Interrupted midway, Kyosuke returned his hand to his pocket, glancing over to the Miko girl and giving her a bit of an intense stare. Maybe he rattled her with the way she was rambling on, but she did have a tendency to motor-mouth at all times. Kinda like an annoying flap that just kept… “Stars look the same anywhere Miko-Girl. Nothin’ Special.” Kyo replied simply, getting a typical Sanae response in reply. Wisely, she decided to move her attention on to the other members of the group for conversation, letting Kyosuke brood in silence.

Soon enough, he regretted not taking more charge to get everyone moving as Dorktogi started out with his usual shenanigans. Honestly, his act was just an embarrassment. Kyosuke didn’t need much more to remind himself why he didn’t hang out with the loser. He contemplated making a smart-ass comment, but nothing particularly witty came to mind. He’d just have to chalk a mental note to mess with the lame-brain later. Thankfully, it didn’t take too much longer for the kids to settle, Miko-Girl and Izumi Nag getting them back on track to leave. He had to wonder why she was coming along for this – After all, Miko-Girl was into this weird stuff, he had his reasons, and Satogi and uh… Um… ‘Girl’ were pretty weird too, but it was hard to imagine the high and mighty school president coming along to join in what wasn’t really rule-breaking but clearly mischief. Eh, whatever. Maybe she was just keeping tabs on them from doing anything too stupid.

“Awwwright, everyone! Let's take off. If ya still need some time to do somethin', speak now, or forever hold your peace!” Sanae declared with way too much enthusiasm for this time of night.

“’Bout time…” Kyosuke mumbled, kicking off the tree. Being behind the rest of the group, he followed briefly before sensing his opening as Satogi motioned for a celebratory cheer to move forward. Moving up behind him slowly, Kyosuke waited for him to finish before dishing out some ‘well-deserved’ punishment. With a simple pair of motions, Kyosuke dunked Satogi on the head, dragging the boy’s hoodie over his face before snatching up the flashlight, striding towards the front of the pack. “Let’s leave this to a professional, Squirt.” Tapping the flashlight on his shoulder a couple of times, Kyosuke gave a superior grin as he strode down the path. “All the cautious chickens can stay back here. I’m going on ahead.” Shoving past a low tree-branch (And making little effort to hold it aside for those behind him), Kyo would lead the way. Heh, maybe if he could get far enough ahead, he could sneak back around and give those babies a real fright…

Nao was normally at home this hour, with her grandmother and her siblings. She could almost imagine them in her head: her siblings running around like little whirlwinds and her grandma being very (too) patient when trying to get them in bed - then telling them goodnight stories about youkai. Especially Nori(Naos little sister)'s favorite one, the tale about a woman from the village who fell in love with a youkai. But this evening, Nao was not there to tell Nori that the story was fiction. Nao herself was out in the forest, where this particular romantic fairytale took place. She shivered thinking about it. Being out in the forest this late, almost felt like some kind of mischief. She should have objected it, but a part of her was curious and found the "abandoned village" a mystery, giving her a adventurous "naughty" feeling of excitement.

And the forest was truly magical tonight. The tense feeling of fear only added to the sensation. Standing next to Yukiko, Nao could not help but to hear some of her mumbling. Something about marrying a youkai, as a result of Satogis "goofing around". Nao was not very amused by the thought, it was childish fantasies - making her bridle at the suggestion.

She removed a leaf from her shoulder, who'd probably got stuck when she was running, and then started "combing" her strawberrie blond hair with her long slender fingers. In the background Sanae and Yuki was talking about this "anime and manga thing". Nao was completely clueless and therefor not paying attention, anything not including school, scientific facts, sports and nature - was unknown territory and childish in her eyes. But noticing Yukis blush made her understand about the sensitivity in the subject - so she decided to remain quiet about it. Let them play.

The group seemed to agree to start their "dare/quest" to find the abandoned village. Walking through the darkness, passing tree after tree. Nao kept close to Sanae and Yukiko, continuing her conversation with Yuki. "You are so welcome! My grandmother would love to have you over. She would bury you in stories about youkai tho since she is really just this walking lexicon knowing everything about them" Nao smiled letting her eyes wander from Yuki to Sanae. "We should have a girls night sometime. Talking about our youkai adventure" her voice was slightly amused but a bit dry when mentioning the word youkai.

They kept walking, and Nao really hoped they followed the correct path. It was Sanae and Nao who had most experience of the forest. Nao from her jogging and simply just "hanging out in the nature" and Sanae from her interests in bugs and insects. Nao's grandmother had also an idea where the abandoned village was. Even if she'd refused to tell the teens, Nao remembered clues and descriptions about directions and whereabouts of the youkai village's location from many of her grandmothers stories. So after a lot of research and exchanging ideas with Sanae - they had a pretty good idea about where to go. Still - it felt like a wild goose chase. Looking for something who might not even be there.

"Sanae have you been here before?" Nao asked out of the blue, but still moving her feet forward. They where really just walking around in the blind. But they still kept going - further and further in to the thickest part of the forest.

This was when Nao noticed Kyosuke sneaking up on Satogi to steal the flashlight. Nao held her breath, not because she was bothered by the bullying and terrible behavior from Kyo - she was used to it. But because the flashlight was everything that kept her calm at the moment. And to see it in the hands of a troublemaker instead of happy and harmless Satogi made her worried. Especially when the current "leader" Kyo decided to dodge a low tree branch and disappear from her sight. The light was gone. The light! And who knew what would happen if they split up. Sure, there was no such thing as youkai. But wandering around in the forest all night, lost, was not a good thing. There was wild animals alright (Nao knew that especially Sanae was scared of aggressive animals from an adventure they shared as kids where Nao had to save Sanae from a crazy raccon)... And it was not just the animals that worried Nao right now, the temperature could drop pretty drastic during the early morning hours...

Luckely, Nao was not afraid to follow the daredevil. Quick as a cobra, she pursued him, dodging the branch who happen to scratch her chin slightly in the movement. Then she went after him, with only one thing in mind - the flashlight. Sure, he wanted to play some silly prank on them. Scare them or something - she got that. But now was not the time. And both of them where athletic. Kyo was without doubt the stronger of the two, but Nao was faster. So she reached out - getting ahold of his hoodie to stop him. "And where do you think you're going? Ditch us out and then scare us to death?" she took the flashlight from his hand, letting the light explore the sorrounding before meeting Kyos gace with her furious big "deer" eyes.

"Can you think of anyone else, except yourself, for once?!" She snapped. Nao did not mean it... really.. It was just because SHE was scared. His mother Chihiro-san had told Nao about Kyo's sister, and she figured he was probably thinking about her alot.. Even so - she could not help her sharp comments sometimes... not when it came to Kyo. And especially when she was uncomfortable with the dark, something she did not feel to mention to him.

"Geeeh Kyo, what if we got split up?..." just as the words left her lips, she noticed the silence who'd devoured them. Looking around in panic she could not see Sanaes red hair bow or hear the sound of Yukis red heartshaped earrings swinging to her movements. Even Satogi was nowhere to be seen... Had they really gotten split up?...

Danger may be lurking along the way, but the five teens continue on their adventure. Somewhere along the way, a tear in the group occurs, and the five find themselves separated into two groups. While one group may find themselves on the right path, the others take a wrong turn and will find themselves lost within the forest eventually. The forest does not speak back, no matter how many times you ask it where you are . . .

In the Youkai Village, time passes with the threat of human intruders, though many are unaware . . .

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Satogi had said something about Youkai forcing young beauties (beautiful? me? must be a joke...) into arranged marriages, and Sanae's eyes widen. ❝Wh-What? D'ya really think that'll happen? What would they want with a girl like me as a bride? I ain't really that special, y'know? I think they'd probably like Yukiko-chan or Nao-chan better than me. They're the pretty ones!❞

Onwards they trek, deeper into the forest. Komorebi isn't too far from the entrance, though it does take a bit to get to the bus stop from there, but the rumored abandoned village... that one's a bit farther in. Scary things tend to happen in the darkness in the thick of the forest. Sanae shakes the thoughts out of her head; no amount of scary stories will make her turn back. She is brave. Besides, Youkai aren't real. They're just appealing stories for parents to tell their kids at night to get them to behave. Now that that's out of the way, she can—... well, there's still the wild animals out here in the forest. Those thoughts make shivers snake their way down her spine. Aggressive, wild, feral animals, lurking out here in the forest, just waiting to attack...

She's almost grateful for the (admittedly, pretty startling) distraction of when Kyosuke claps Satogi's hoodie over his head and steals the flashlight. He runs off, after throwing something offhanded over his shoulder, and Nao runs after him. ❝Uh... you guys! Waaaiiit! If ya go off, then we'll get lo—... aw, they're already gone.❞

She turns back to the remaining two and puts her hands on her hips, sighing slightly. ❝Fine. Fine, fine, fine. We'll just... have to catch up with 'em. Shouldn't be too hard. They just went off that way... uh, somewhere...❞

Satogi's offer snaps her out of her disappointment in getting split up. She smiles slightly and trots over to him, grabbing onto his hand. ❝Okay! So long as you'll protect me from the scary Youkai tryin' to kidnap me and force me to be their bride! Be my night in shinin' armor, my chivalrous samurai, or somethin' like that.❞ She giggles and points onward, in a direction... totally opposite of where their friends had just disappeared into. She starts to tug him off in that direction, beckoning for Yukiko to follow.

Perhaps, instead of the group that ran off, they were the ones who were lost. The thought doesn't occur to Sanae yet, though, but she does think that, just in case, she knows how to get to the shrine from any part of the forest.

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❝If this royalty is so thirsty then he should surely be able to lower himself and go to a place of such common birth.❞

Ryuunosuke laughs from his throat, eyes closing one more. He recalls a time when the two of them first met. They were both young things, and Tutsurugi had a motive to please, as a servant should. At the time, Ryuunosuke was alone; friends were not quite a luxury for a royal unless they were also royalty, and one doesn't come across those very often. Tutsurugi was meant to be a servant, though he was around his age, and as a child, he did what a child does—latch onto the closest thing to a friend he could fine. ❛Don't be so stiff, Tutsurugi.❜ he had said, with a smile that's become so rare now, but Tutsurugi is always welcome to see. ❛You and We are friends now. No matter what anyone else says. Okay?❜

A rather childish thing to say, Ryuunosuke supposes, but that's what they were—children. Though he is a prince, and servants are just servants, the prince is a loyal man, and would lay his life down for those who lay theirs for his. He snaps out of his reverie with a few startled, gentle blinks when his loyal servant continues.

❝But he should be well aware of his reputation, and the dangers that lurk in such places.❞

Ah, there's the concern. The man's duty as a servant, to protect the prince, to warn him of dangers. Ryuunosuke nods, turning back towards the entrance of the bar and stepping in. ❝We will heed your warning, Tutsurugi. We will also expect you to protect us.❞

The bar isn't as bad as he expected. It was noisy, for sure, as there was a clamor as everyone's voices melted together. People laughed, shouted, and spoke drunkenly. People were merry, people were having fun. His parties, Ryuunosuke muses, are much the same, however they are full of the upper class, and aren't quite as... dirty. It isn't that the bar is unclean, and that he doesn't trust Miyako to take care of it, but public drinking places such as these always trike Ryuunosuke as rather dirty to be in. Such is the thought process of an Oni prince. Regardless, he takes a seat in the corner, just as he saw Sanja see his way out. Had they ducked in a bit earlier, perhaps they could have exchanged a few words. Ryuunosuke gestures for Tutsurugi to sit across from him.

He notices discreetly that many members of the bar, who had previously been prattling on and clapping their friends on their backs, do notice the prince. As he passes, their voices dip down, and even after he's stepped by, he can hear threats of gossip. He shakes his head and rests a hand on his palm and his elbow on the table.

---

---

speech: #c70000 || thoughts: #7a7676
♫

Susumu's surprise is clear on his face upon seeing the... interesting form Tsuyari had taken on. He'd never seen it before. She was certainly taller and more mature, down to how much fuller her chest seemed. ❝Oh, how interesting. You know, I've never seen you like this before. I think you'd make quite the treat like this, Tsuyari-chan.❞ He stops, lowering his eyelids mischievously and wagging his tail slightly. ❝Well, if I liked girls, that is. Come on~❞ He beckons her with his hand, and with that, he sets off toward the bar with Tsuyari in tow. As they walk, the older kitsune's hair and tail swish behind him. One could run their fingers through his hair and it would feel like such snowy locks were spun from pure silk. He takes pride in his looks, to be sure. While Ryuunosuke is beautiful in all senses of the word, Susumu's beauty is different. It's the type of beauty that draws you in, that pulls you close and doesn't let you sneak away; the type of beauty that captivates and unsettles you all the same.

Of course, on the way to the bar, Susumu happens to see a familiar face—one he rather likes. He stops abruptly, directly in front of poor Tsuyari—and so abruptly, she might as well have slammed right into him! He makes a soft cooing sound and, with a flick of his tail and a twitch of his ears, he practically waltzes over to Sanja, sidling up next to him and draping an arm over his shoulder.

❝Sanja-kun, Sanja-kun... ♪ Isn't it a lovely night out tonight? Lovely enough for a game, I'd say. Tell me, do you know what you feed to let live, yet give drinks to kill? I'll give you... three guesses!❞ He wags his tail behind him and looks over to Tsuyari, a wide grin on his face. ❝If you know this one, don't tell him. I want him to guess on his own. He needs to get that cute little head of his working on~ his~ own~ ♥❞

His desire for games comes as no surprise; such is what one would expect from the Riddler. Many have fallen into his trap, assuming the bastard's games come as just a childish desire to play games and make small-talk. Though many may leave once he starts to wager with teeth, fingers, eyes, or limbs, some aren't so smart to refuse. What harm could such a hauntingly beautiful man really do? He must be joking when he makes bets like these, right? How hard could answering a few riddles be...?

A kitsune's nose is strong, just as a fox's nose is. The sake's scent isn't noticeable to most, though to Susumu, the aroma overtakes him. He can smell the plum sake on Sanja, and he decides he rather likes the scent on the tengu. However, doesn't that mean Sanja had went to the bar without him? Susumu pouts a bit, puffing out his cheeks childishly. Tell a guy next time, Sanja-kun. I can't take you on a date if I don't know where you are...

Kyosuke grinned slightly as he ran ahead, confident that he could reach the abandoned village way before any of them and set up an appropriate ambush. The girls would scream, and, in a best case scenario, so would Satogi. Maybe even wet himself. That would shut him up for the rest of the night. Eyes lighting up a bit at the thought, Kyosuke was a little taken aback at the somewhat sharp tug around his neck, jerking to a bit of a halt. Maybe Satogi had more spine than he thought he did…

"And where do you think you're going? Ditch us out and then scare us to death?" Came the feminine voice from behind him, Kyo spinning to see Nao with her Nag face on again, somewhat roughly grabbing at his hand to steal the flashlight as he rubbed the back of the neck and straightened his jacket. “Something like that. Can’t pull one over you, can I prez?” Kyo responded, relinquishing hold of the ‘almighty’ torch. It’s not like he really needed it now he’d gotten it off Satogi. “You should lighten up a bit.” He added, before Nao whirled back towards him with a stern expression, making him reflexively put his arms up in a calming gesture.

"Can you think of anyone else, except yourself, for once?!" Nao chastised with more than a little bite to it, immediately putting Kyo’s guard up a bit as he stood back up straight. He’d actually been feeling a little jovial at the prospect of his fun, but it seemed that was to be short lived as Nag brought her typical demeaning comments to the table. His immediate reaction was to retort with his own stinging insult, and clearly she caught sight of his glowering expression as her own softened, suddenly coming to a realisation and looking about frantically. "Geeeh Kyo, what if we got split up?..."

“Good. It’s not like I can think about anyone but myself you know.” Kyosuke responded as he brought his hands back into his pockets, looking to the ground. The bitterness in his voice would be pretty clear to Nao, and was equally a bit over the top for the situation. Maybe she’d struck a bit of a nerve. Kyo let her respond and squirm a bit as she panicked about her charges, watching in mild amusement of her suffering. Served her right. At least… That’s what he told himself for a bit before deciding he’d seen enough, taking his hand out of his pocket and moving up to Nao.

“Ugh, calm down you Dweeb. They’re not babies, and Miko-Girl knows where they’re going. We’ll just head to the village and wait for them there before heading back.” Kyo flicked her in the forehead, which was probably the least comforting action he could take, but hopefully it would snap the Prez out of her thoughts. Turning around to face the direction he’d been going, he slipped his hands back into his pockets, still annoyed with her. “Or you can go look for them, s’not like I need a Nag bugging me the whole trip there.”

Striding off and living Nao alone in the clearing, Kyo was about to pull out his lighter to see when he noticed some faint pinpricks of light through the leaves nearby. Squinting a bit and pushing the branches aside, Kyo was surprised to see that they looked to be a series of lights… Street lamps? They hadn’t gotten turned around, so this had to be the place. Glancing behind him to see if Nao was still there, he turned back towards the village and called out.

“Uh, hey, Nao. Come check this out.” Beckoning to her, Kyo moved a bit closer to get a better look, but stayed hidden amongst the bushes. “Wasn’t this place supposed to be, y’know, abandoned?” He asked aloud, partly to Nao if she’d moved up, but mostly to himself. “Maybe the dorks somehow got ahead of us and lit the lamps…” He mumbled, somewhat annoyed at potentially being outdone by those losers. Whatever, didn’t matter to him. “Let’s go check it out.” He finally stated, sitting up and beginning to make his way towards the ‘abandoned’ village…

Nao rubbed her cheek with her free hand, feeling a small cut where the branch had scratched her earlier. It was nothing tho, she was used to far more severe injuries due to all the sport activities she's involved with. A little blood on the cheek had never killed her before, so she just wiped it off and focused on the situation. Glancing around in despair with the flashlight- looking for the way witch she'd came from- and listening to any sound suggesting the others where close, without success. Kyo's macho words would have normally made her boil, but right now she felt kind of numb. Until 2 things woke her up from going in to "panic mode".

First a "smack" in her forehead caused by Kyos index finger. Making Nao blink a few times, not grasping what just happened. Second, the word "Nag" stabbing her in the chest, getting to her like an electric shock. Gosh, she hated when he called her that! And from what he said, he did not seem to want her as company. Thank you very much!.. Maybe she could turn back to the others? Kyo was not exactly her number one choice to spend time with.. But leaving him would probably give him the satisfaction of feeling "superior" and she would not let him have that pleasure.. Plus, as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Sanae would take good care of the others. Going back to look for them could even result in both parties getting lost. The best option was to find the abandoned village and meet the others there.

“Uh, hey, Nao. Come check this out.” Nao froze in her action, did he just want her to join him? Something was not right. Looking over in his direction, she saw his arm making a waving gesture. Nao swallowed a bit nervous, wondering if he was about to prank her or something, but still decided to walk up beside him. Then she leaned in and stood on tip toes to sneak a peek over the branch he had moved to the side. The view made her tense up, and she opened her mouth in her custom surprised expression - looking like an idiot. The village was there alright... The rumors where true! But the lights where on... They had electricity.. and lanterns.. just like in Komorebi..

“Wasn’t this place supposed to be, y’know, abandoned?”. Nao nodded, not that she was sure he could see her - especially since she'd decided to turn off the flashlight (not finding it necessary anymore when a village filled with lights was ahead of them).

“Maybe the dorks somehow got ahead of us and lit the lamps… Let’s go check it out.” For once Nao agreed with him. Her first thought had been that Sanae and the others got there before them.. She straightened her figure, closing her first and nodded again. "For once i agree with you.. And we should not let our friends, not dorks, wait for us any longer - they are probably worried..." she said rushing after him when he started to move. Raising her chin slightly, making a puffing sound when passing him and taking the lead. "And try not to be to hard on Satogi, it's not his fault he beat you to the village... looks like you lost!" she teased him with a quiet scoff and a smile as she moved some branches and hurried up her steps, almost stumbling down a slightly downhill that was before them. The closer she came to the village - the bigger of a doubt she felt. What if it weren't the others.. It could be some teens from school that had listened in on their plan? Even if so, Nao was not scared, surprisingly. It was not dark anymore, and dark was probably the only thing she feared.

The village ahead looked quite... alive. And not much different from Komorebi. They entered over a small bridge, continued between two houses - up a few stairs before they found themselves on some sort of main "street". The houses where small and resembled smaller shrines made of wood with a color-scheme in red. Passing a fountain, Nao had started to realize that the town was not abandoned. Even if Sanae, Satogi and Yukiko had reached the village before them - there was no way possible to have accomplished all this in that small amount of time. No - this village was alive. There was glimpses of people in the windows, sound of laughter from a distant bar and someone playing a flute. There was people living in this place alright...

The first thing that popped in to Naos head was ofc from some books she read. She searched her memory for the content and started to give a summary of the things she thought to be essential to the situation. "You know... In america and im guessing even here in Japan - it's quite common with sects and cults... living separated from the society and without contact with other humans..Their existence must be a secret. Often the sect leader make them commit mass suicide in the end - as a way out from their hidden life.." she mumbled like she was lecturing him in some school subject."What if this is a sect?" She continued, a bit softer - but also widening her eyes when asking. She bit her lower lip as they continued walking. "I can't believe im saying this.. But if they attack us - i will rely on you to kick their...well.. bottoms..okey? But if they start talking with us, leave the meddling to me..Our prio 1 is to find the others, then we are out of here!" She was determined and focused, slowing down a bit to allow Kyo to come up beside her.

Her thoughts where on Sanae and the others.. Thinking that they could have found their way here, but even so - it made her worried. Her 3 friends was just too sweet and friendly for their own good- and if this was some sort of sect - they might even get tricked to join them or get taken prisoners and brainwashed with religious talking. She was hoping Satogi was protecting the girls at least... Almost stumbling on her own feet, she shook her head and focused on the surroundings instead. She had to be on the alert. The city got brighter and more lively the further in they got. Nao raised her arm to pull back her hair behind her ear, then correcting her wrinkly skirt so she would "fit it" and not look like some kind of barbarian... Even so she felt out of place. Like they where not supposed to be there.. The residents of this "abandoned village" looked elegant.. like they where rich or sacred /extremely religious or something... Well, at least they where not youkai. But she did not like the atmosphere at all. Maybe they where devil worshippers?

Entering some kind of "center" of the village, Nao caught the sight of 3 very.. unique.... people. A whitehaired man sitting on a bench... a taller man with long white hair and then a girl with blue hair... She switched side, to Kyos right side - the side closest to the wierd people. Grabbing ahold of Kyos sleave - pulling it lightly 3 times - like she was ringing a door bell or something. "Psst. Kyo. Just keep on walking.. "

And so they did. She almost " pushed" him outwards so they where walking in a curve. And they kept walking, Nao doing everything she could try to restrain herself from letting her russet brown eyes seek up the three people. But as they passed them - she could not resist but to turn her head and look. Was that a tail? And was it something wrong with their hair- or did that look like ears?.. Devil worshippers... They had to be! The sound of fountain water dripping, the flute playing, and laughter from the bar - everything stopped. It was like the time stood still for a moment when they passed. And Nao was not certain, but it felt like she meet the gace of 2 purple eyes. Despite this her legs kept walking and her grip of Kyos right sleeve hardened.

They passed, and Nao let go of his arm, increased the distance between them (when noticing how close she'd been to this very annoying troublemaker – whom she still hated for flickering her forehead and calling her Nag) and finally breathed out- now realizing she'd been holding her breath all the time. "Did you see that? Was that a tail??" she whispered between closed teeth, not wanting do draw any attention. If she could - she would have started running - but that would only make it worse. Best way to handle things right now was probably to act calm... and hoping that those weird people did not perceive them as intruders and tried to follow...

“Hmm....” The lives of cats were extremely mundane. Napping, hissing at other cats, chasing the odd mouse or butterfly if they could be bothered, going from house to house accepting food at every one, more napping, demanding they be stroked and petted, jealously treading their familiar routes to protect “their” territory. There wasn't usually much to gain, except for the juicy squishy taste. In his crow form, Shohei tipped up his beak and swallowed the eyeball whole, with an audible gulp. He'd been following this cat around for a while, just with the unnerring carrion eater's instinct that it was going to die. It did, on the outskirts of the forest that lay between the human village and the yokais' territory. Choked on a fishbone. Through the cat's eyes he saw a group of children gathered around. One of them showed the others a flashlight, while they took peeks about them to see if they were spotted conspiring. It didn't mean much to him, except that at that very moment he heard voices approach. He flapped up into a nearby tree, leaving the half-eaten dead cat where it lay and watched with beady eyes, as those same children happened past, on their way to the Yokai village. He caught snatches of their conversation, enough to get the gist, though a lot of it was meaningless human jibber-jabber. Well, it probably wasn't anything too important, but he should let the boss know about it, anyway.

Wishing an unspoken goodbye to the dead cat, who he hoped would stick around for later, he took off to fly up to Sanjakubo's mountain shrine and warn him of the humans' approach. He landed, transforming into his usual man-crow form, and sliding the mask to the side of his face. “Boss?” His talons clacked along the stone pathways as he walked along. “Sanja-sama?” There was no one there, but a small squirrel who skittered down a tree and twitched its nose at him. Shohei sighed and scratched his head. If the squirrel was trying to tell him something, it was utterly lost on him. It was unusual for Sanjakubo to leave this place, more unusual still to leave it in the care of a squirrel. As he looked around, he happened upon Ki, wandering by themselves around the shrine complex. “Ki-chan?” he poked his head around a doorway, “Are you here by yourself? Where's the boss?” Coming over to them, he would listen to hear if Ki knew anything, but he wasn't going to stick around in the shrine while there was something interesting going down at the village, and where the boss might get into trouble. Wise as he was, Sanja-sama was unbelievably naïve when it came to certain things. “I'm going down to the village. Want to come?” If Ki wanted to accompany him, they were welcome to sit on his back for a ride while he flew down there. He let them make the decision. If they were going to stay, Shohei would promise to return quickly.

It might have been a long way to walk, but flying took little time at all, and before long the rooftops of the yokai town were below him. Where would the boss be? That pub? Maybe, although it attracted ne'er-do-wells. He knew for a fact that that walking roadkill Sarubi frequented it, as well as a whole bunch of other lesser yokai. Not really the place for someone like the boss. Just as he was thinking of undesirable characters, who should he see but that infernal Kitsune, not only approaching Sanjakubo, but daring to place his paws all over him! He nosedived towards the little grouping, landing directly in front of them, but a second or two to late to save Sanjakubo from Susumu. He glared at the kitsune malevolently. He was looking good tonight, silver hair catching the moonlight elegantly, his tails swishing fluffily. What an absolute … he didn't have a word for what an absolute thing that Susumu was, but he was one and an obnoxious one at that. But handsome, that couldn't be denied. He bowed stiffly to Sanjakubo, then resumed his glaring. “Please remove your hand from Sanja-sama, or have it removed … from your arm,” he drawled, looking like he may or may not have been joking. The female kitsune he didn't recognise, although there was something familiar about her. Maybe it was the blue hair. “Boss,” he started to say to Sanjakubo, “there's ---” but before he could mention his info that there were humans approaching, it seemed as though Sanja's attention had been drawn to something behind him. He turned, to see the small group of humans he had spotted earlier, one of them turned back to lock eyes with Sanjakubo and by the look on her face, she had spotted something was amiss. “---humans,” he finished his sentence. He folded his arms and watched after the girl who had turned back. “Want me to get rid of them, boss?”

“…looks like you lost!” Making their approach towards the town, Kyosuke couldn’t help but give a grunt of annoyance at Nao’s smug little statement. Gah, he hated losing. How’d that dweeb even get in front of him anyhow? They hadn’t been separated that long. Whatever, didn’t matter. It was just a dumb empty village anyway. They could probably just chill out for a few hours and head home, nothing was going to happen.

Glancing about the streets, buildings, shrines, it took him a moment but… There were clearly more people around than just him and Nao. A lot more. This place was… Bustling. Music faintly playing, a muffled symphony of voices chattering away. Heck, this place was probably more alive than that hole Komorebi village. Maybe this was like, some seedy nearby district, and that’s why everyone said it was abandoned? Man, that’d be cool. At least they’d have something to tell the other kids at school when they got back.

The shika deer was coming to her own conclusions, and began prattling out a lecture on cults and isolated groups, blah blah wait, mass suicide? Whoah, creepy. Maybe this place would be way more interesting after all. Glancing about with a bit more enthusiasm, Kyosuke began looking to see if there was anyone they could meet, though he faintly caught the next few comments Nao made. Permission from the prez to get involved in a fight? Man, this was maybe turning out to be his lucky day.

“Ass.” He clarified for Nao, eye rolling at her baby-talk. Honestly, being able to swear was more mature than not. “And yeah, fine, whatever. If we get in trouble, just go hide or something and I’ll handle it.” He added, continuing his stride as he looked over the nearby signs and got a bit more of an idea of the town’s layout. He wasn’t much for talking, so he was plenty happy with Nao handling that stuff should it come to it. Her priority was finding the others and getting out of here. He didn’t mention it, but that was probably going to be when he’d start checking out this place for himself, without those dorks getting in the way.

Either way, it was clear that Satogi and the girls hadn’t found their way here yet. He’d been overly presumptuous that those losers could do anything competently. Heh, looks like he hadn’t ‘lost’ at all. Good, he’d get to rub it in their noses later. Grinning some more as he walked, he was looking towards some of the residents when he felt his sleeve grabbed and tugged a few times, politely requesting his attention. He obliged, but probably did the opposite of what she wanted and stopped briefly. "Psst. Kyo. Just keep on walking…" Kyo frowned a bit, catching sight of what she could see before leaning in to reply. “Why are we hiding? If they’re jerks I’ve got this, and if not you’re not a total doofus when it comes to talking.” Despite his question, the fact Kyo was also keeping quiet probably made it rhetorical.

Being slightly manhandled by Nao was an odd-feeling, but Kyosuke let it slide as he was far more focused on the three individuals they passed. They had some pretty… ‘Unique’ features. Kyo entranced by… a certain pair of features more than others, and unlike Nao, wasn’t afraid to just rudely stare at the trio. So distracted was he with the ‘scenery’ he barely registered Nao’s tugs for his attention and protection, followed by her making some space. "Did you see that? Was that a tail??" She asked in hushed urgency, Kyo blissfully unaware of that aspect of things. “A wha..?” He asked, finally snapping out of it and glancing back towards the slightly distant people. “Oh yeah, kinda looks like it, huh. Weird.”

Glancing back towards Nao, he noticed that something in her expression had changed. “Uh, Yo, Nao. You okay?” Waving his hand in front of her face, it seemed like she was the one now entranced in some way. Geez, daydreaming at a time like this, tch. “Earth to Nao? Come in please.”

---

“Ew, ew. How gross. How can a birdie be so gross..?” Perched in a tree, hunched over all sneaky like, was Rika Nekonyankoo. One hand was firmly holding her in place on a branch, while the other moved to stuff the remainder of the bird she’d caught in her mouth. The pot continued to watch the kettle dissect her deceased feral brethren in disdain, tails flicking side to side in impatience. Minutes she’d been following him! A whole bunch of minutes! Nearly more than the fingers on her hands! That was forever and he still hadn’t lead her to his shiny hoard! Rude birdie! She knew he had one. She’d seen him collect stuff before, but it was so hard to keep up with a birdie on foot. Rocking back and forth a bit as she continued to suffer in boredom, it seemed something startled Shosei as he moved up into the trees as well. Quick as a cat, she pivoted to the other side of the trunk, holding her breath so as not to be noticed. If he spotted her now, her purrfect plan would be ruined!

Finally, she heard the steady beat of his wings as he took off, cautiously leaping out onto another branch to take a look. Now where was he going?! He better be going to his shiny hoard, she did not plan to stick around and watch him eat another dead animal. Taking note of the approximate direction of his flight, she began leaping through the trees, doing her best to keep up and not lose sight of him. This time, nothing would go wrong…

---

“No, it’s all wrong!” Rika whined in disdain as she arrived at the Kurama shrine. She’d been here a whole bunch, and it definitely was not the place where the Birdie kept his shinies. Pouting as she scampered up the stairs, she was a little tired when she reached the top. That made it all the more frustrating when she noticed Shohei soar back out and towards the village! “You dumb birdie! I’ll get your treasure yet!” She wailed at the tengu, though hopefully not audible enough to hear. No way she was catching him gliding down from the top of this mountain, and besides, she was already exhausted coming all this way at full pace. Stupid birdie… He made a worthy rival indeed. Perhaps he’d spotted her and this was a carefully executed plan to lose her! Grr, she’d have to be super-duper-sneaky next time! No way was she going to give up!

For now though, she was giving up. Wandering into the shrine, she wondered if perhaps Sanja would show mercy and let her have some water or something – or at least take a nap on one of the comfy shrine pillows. ”Sanyah~! I’m tirrreeeddd! Let me stay, please?” Flopping in the doorway, Rika was surprised to find that the big birdie wasn’t in. Instead it was Ki! She loved Ki! She didn’t have anything valuable, but she was always so nice to Rika! Sitting up slightly to greet her and ask where the master of the temple was, Rika’s eyes lit up as she heard he’d gone to town and left Ki in charge. “Really?! Big Birdie’s gone to town?!” Clasping Ki’s hands enthusiastically, Rika was completely revitalised as she began scampering about the shrine, poking all the pretty things, snacking on the offerings, rubbing up on the materials. Oh, she so rarely got to be in this place! She had to make the most of it. Speaking of which...

Snapping her fingers, she materialised her burlap sack, and quickly got to work looking for valuables Sanja wouldn’t miss. Along with ones he would. The greedy kitten was working hard to pilfer what she could before he returned, brazenly doing so in front of Ki. In fact… “Ki, could you stack the tea set over there neatly in this sack? Thank you! You’re the best Ki!” Leaving Ki to the task she had been appointed, the feline began attempting to move a large gold ornament with little success. The Bakeneko was quick to calm any of Ki’s worries as she worked, insisting that she was simply ‘borrowing for an extended period’ and that she ‘promised to tell Sanja what she borrowed later’.

She may of lost one Birdie, but this was more than worth the 12 minutes of following him!

speech: #c70000 || thoughts: #7a7676
♫

As expected, Sanja had guessed right. The kitsune wags his tail excitedly, leaning in to rub his cheek against Sanja's affectionately. ❝Oh, oh! You guessed it right, Sanja-kun. My boy's so smart. Smart, smart~❞ After the words leave his mouth, it's then that they appear to be dive-bombed by some kind of bird. Though, as it lands, Susumu can see that it's just Shohei. He smiles, then, tail curling around him delicately, twitching at the end. His head cants to the side curiously, grin on his face. ❝Oh? Tell me, is that a promise or a threat? If you take off one of my arms, can I take off one of yours? An eye for an eye, right? I'd like to bargain with eyes...~❞

Susumu rather dramatically releases his hold on Sanja, pouting a bit. There's still warmth from the contact, but his body feels so much colder without Sanja's side against his. He flicks his tail again and moves to step toward Shohei, likely to tease him a bit. The tengu's true feelings are written all over his face—at least, they are to the kitsune. Such a man is used to reading people, to get under their skin, to break them down. He takes a step forward—

...—and stops.

It's then when a group of two passes them (two that, Susumu notes, he does not recognize) and the kitsune's crimson eyes widen. His posture straightens, and his ears raise. Those two look awfully suspicious... they can't be from around here. He muses this just as Shohei mentions something about 'disposing of humans.' The kitsune waves a hand dismissively at him, despite not being the one addressed, and throws a wink at Shohei. Something changes visibly about Susumu; something animal, something feral overcomes him, and it shows. His eyes almost glow, and his pupils split his irises with deep slits, much like a fox. His movements are more graceful than usual (though, what is that to say about Susumu's usual grace? he has grace, but now he's practically dancing!) as he moves toward them, fast. Within an instant, he sidles up in front of them, walking backwards to match their strides. It seems he's all but forgotten the promise he made to poor Tsuyari.

❝Did you see it? Did you see Sanja-kun's illusion? Oh, he's wonderful, isn't he? ♪ Judging by the way you're looking at me right about now, I'd say you're confused. That's fine, that's fine!❞ He opens his arms in a theatrical motion, flashing a sharp-toothed smile. ❝Let Susumu-oniisan lift those clouds from your cute little heads, yes? I suppose your parents told you not to talk to strangers? If we play a game together, we won't be strangers anymore! ♥❞

Just like that. Without any preface, without any warning, he begins his game, splaying his fingers and holding up his hands. Everything, every single thing about this man is captivating—his movements, his eyes, his face, his voice, the way his body and hips move as he speaks—in the worst way. Internally, Susumu counts the charm points of the two—the boy's eyes are nice (though they pale in comparison to Sanja-kun's, of course!), and the girl's teeth are a desirable feature, as well. He tilts his head to the side, a laugh bubbling from his throat, and it sounds like all the pleasing sounds in the world—wind chimes knocking against each other in the breeze, a cat's purr, the third highest note on a flute.

❝A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him? I'll give you three guesses. On the third incorrect guess, you have to tell me a secret about yourselves!❞

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speech: #d10000 || thoughts: #f55858
♫

Sanae slows to a halt, sighing in defeat at Satogi's words. She didn't want to have to admit it at first but... he's right. They're lost in the middle of the forest... at night. They could be stuck here forever...! What a terrible thought, Sanae! Don't just think somethin' like that! You're sendin' negative energy! The Miko shakes her head quickly and releases Satogi's hand briefly to pat her cheeks. ❝Lessee... you're right. Yep. We're lost. But! But, that don't mean I dunno how to get us un-lost. Y'know, I know how to get to the shrine from anywhere in the forest? Even at night.❞ She taps her chin in thought, turning in the direction she's about to lead everyone. ❝Would be a lil' easier if we had some kinda flashlight, but... Kyosuke-kun took Satogi-kun's. Hmm... y'know, I heard about cellphones havin' flashlights, but... I dunno how mine works. S'this way, though.❞

She points off in a direction—the right direction, this time—and starts to lead the other two off. They pass through threes and eventually, they come across a path, and there's a few lanterns to guide the way. Sanae smirks victoriously—she did it! Not that there was any doubt in the shrine maiden's mind, but she was sure that the other two might doubt her (Yukiko especially). She warns them to mind their steps. ❝They say the abandoned village's hidden by some trees at the bottom of the cliff on the other side of the shrine. Me? Well, I never saw it before, but... well, that's probably 'cause it's hidden. 'Sure if we get up to the shrine, we can find a way to get down there, y'know? And—... uh, wait. Shh.❞

She puts a finger to her lips (albeit a bit in vain; wasn't she the only one talking?) and lowers herself slightly, squinting into the darkness. She hears something, and it's not just the crickets chirping (though those are lovely sounds, too). She looks back to her companions, eyes widening slightly. ❝Am I the only one who hears... voices? Ya think someone else is out here? Could it be Kyosuke-kun and Nao-chan? Oh man, what if it's... what if it's the voices of Youkai? D'ya think we really found some?!❞

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speech: #ebd212 || thoughts: #d6c969
♫

It does take Ryuunosuke a moment to tear his gaze from whatever nondescript part of the wall he had occupied his eyes with looking to. His head turns, lids closing and opening a few times in slow, curious blinks before he realizes it's Miyako, the bar's owner. Such an honor to be greeted by the bar's owner, the Oni prince feels himself almost smile—almost. He cocks his head to the side, head still rested softly in his hand. ❝We do not come here often, Miyako-san. What do you have that is good here?❞

Ryuunosuke pauses then, glancing back to Tutsurugi. Normally, he would have the servant order for him, but tonight, on his own accord, hadn't he wandered into a bar full of all sorts of common riff-raff? He shrugs his shoulders and continues. ❝We like sake, but We have rather expensive taste. Give us your best, Miyako-san.❞ The prince lowers his eyelids delicately, looking up at her through his eyelashes. It isn't a coqurettish stare, but a rather bored one—not with her, but such is the prince's nature. Engaging words, though not so engaging expression.

Miyako had kept an easy smile on her face as she waited for Ryuunosuke's attention and it only widened when he finally replied. His words were true, he didn't come often, and usually Tutsurugi ordered for him when he did. What really suprised her, and delighted her, was that he had not insulted her or her establishment outright, unlike Sanja. She couldn't keep the flirtatious yet slightly mocking tone out of her voice when she responded. "We have plenty that's good here though not many have high standards as you and I do. I think I have something in mind. I'll bring a few bottles over so you can choose the one best to your liking." Miyako, gave a small curtsy to Ryuunosuke and then spun and walked away, a bit of a skip in her step. The oni prince was one of her favorite customers to be honest, he had such an eloquent way of speaking and he tended to cling to old customs which made Miyako reminescent of the past. As she walked away she noticed that whoever was with Chiyoko had stood. With quick movements she slipped between his four brutes and spoke to Chiyoko who had yet to rise from her seat. "Sorry for the delay Chiyo-san. If you come back later I'll make sure to put aside a bottle of your favorite for you." With a wink at her friend she slipped away and headed towards the bar.

Ryuunosuke, having watched Miyako walk back towards the bar, looks to Tutsurugi. There's a small smile on his face, then. ❝She walked off without asking what it was you wanted, Tutsurugi. Perhaps the pretty jorogumo was so taken by our royal presence, she lost her head for a moment?❞ He gives Tutsurugi a wink and looks back towards the bar, amused, waiting for Miyako to return with the sake he'd be trying.

Miyako looked over the unopened bottles behind the bar, her eyes quickly landing on what she was looking for. Grabbing three bottles from the bar she set them aside before heading into the kitchen. Tutsurugi had long ago told her exactly what type of sake she should keep on hand for his highness, it changing as the companies that made it did. He also had provided special sake cups, something that had annoyed Miyako at first but upon seeing the beautiful cup set had been unable to complain. The cups were made of pure obsidian, gold being used to decorate the outside. Grabbing both the expensive sake and the cups Miyako placed them on a silver tray she kept (honestly for the tea she had with the girls) and headed out. Stopping to grab the other three bottles of sake Miyako placed them on the tray quickly while watching the girls movements, all three somewhere out in the bar. Satisfied that none of them were harassing the guests and causing mischeif Miyako headed back over to the table where Ryuunosuke and Tutsurugi were sitting. With graceful motions she placed a cup in front of them both and then opened each bottle of sake. "I made sure to bring the one that Tutsurugi requested I keep in stock. It's been kept slightly chilled as he asked. I also brough three of the most popular sakes we have here at Rōzuu~ebu. They're made locally by a small business but everyone seems to enjoy them greatly."



❝Taste testing, then?❞ Ryuunosyuke looks vaguely amused, sitting back slightly and stretching his shoulders out. He tilts his head at her, then, face mimicing an almost disturbing childlike innocence. He smiles, but it isn't the tender smile he gives children (and Tutsurugi). It's sardonic and playful. Ah, yes. She did forget one not so minor detail, and the prince cannot resist a bit of poking fun...
❝And... what will my companion be having?❞

For a moment Miyako just looked confused,, the question not making much sense. It only took a few more second for understanding to dawn, causising her eyes to widen and for the first time in centuries, maybe even millenia, her face flushed bright red. Lowing her gaze Miyako's shoulders shifted inward almost impercetably and she did her best not to embarass herself more, responding quickly. "I'm so very sorry. I assumed you would both want the same thing. Turning towards Tutsurugi Miyako bowed and spoke with as much sincerity and formality as she could muster, which suprisingly was quite a lot. "I humbly apologize for not thinking of your needs as well Tutsurugi-sama. Please forgive my rudeness."

Ryuunosuke laughs then, and it's a sound that comes from deep in his throat—a genuine laugh, full of amusement, one that shows he found humor in the situation. He covers his mouth with his head canted towards the duo leaving the bar. Did he hear Chiyoko say something, or was it just an annoying buzzing noise going in one ear and out the other? He shrugs and laughs once more at her expense, for good measure. He waves his hand toward Miyako as if to wave off her worries. ❝Tonight, We do not join you as royal and servant. We join you to make merry, Miyako-san, though We do not blame you for not being able to look past our extravagently regal exterior. Which of these would you say is your favorite, then? We suppose Tutsurugi will have whatever We are having~❞

Miyako was once again taken off gaurd as Ryuunosuke laughed. Slowly rising she looked at him with a half empty, half confused expression until he had finished. Shaking herself, both mentally and her head physically, Miyako forced her 'hostess' smile on her face. Brightening right back up she forced herself to take the situation in stride. "Oh! Well personally I've never been able to pick a favorite. The Black,Red, and White Rose Sakes were the three original flavors though so I guess those ones. I brought you the Red, Pink, And White as those are the three most popular. Oh! And the expensive one that Tutsurugi requested. I believe it costs around 550 thousand yen so it must be wonderful. And I replace it each month so it's always fresh."

Ryuunosuke nods, then, taking the one he assumed to be the expensive one. He raises the bottle to his nose before he gingerly pours some out—himself, no less!—into the fancy cup Miyako had been oh so generous to take out. He takes the cup and deftly lifts it to his lips and takes a sip. Ah, so the taste is as good as the aroma. He nods to Miyako and reaches for another bottle to pour into another cup. ❝Our compliments, Miyako-san. You have excellent taste. Savor it, for compliments from royalty are not easy to come by. Tutsurugi, try this one!❞

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Suddenly her eyes where not feeling so well. She blinked and rubbed them a couple of times as her pulse quickened. Everything was so confusing. The "not so abandoned" village just felt.. unatural.. Nao froze and stopped at the spot. Had that white haired man with purple eyes just been glowing? She could swear he had looked like some sort of angel. What was happening to her? Had she been drugged? Maybe he was the sect leader trying to play tricks on her head and make her extremely religious. “Uh, Yo, Nao. You okay? Earth to Nao? Come in please." she heard a distant voice. She shook her head and closed her fists, making her nails dig in to her palms as a try to break free from her confusion with a small amount of self inflicted pain.

"Im fine, im fine..." she lied. As she did, her fears became reality. One of the weird people had caught up with them. The tall one with long silky hair and the focused eyes of a predator. His movements made Nao's warning signals go off in her chest. The wagging, soft but alluring hips. Her eyes widened as she catched a glimpse of what was hiding behind him, a tail... who seemed to be alive and moving along in the mans softs movements... Then he opened his mouth to speak, and Nao almost got lost in this strangers hypnotizing red eyes.

"Did you see it? Did you see Sanja-kun's illusion? Oh, he's wonderful, isn't he? Judging by the way you're looking at me right about now, I'd say you're confused. That's fine, that's fine!"
As he where speaking, two sharp canine teeth where adding to his wierd.. but attractive look. Nao really tried to listen istead of just staring and getting distracted by the impossible features. Sanja? Was that the purple eyed man, the sect leader. And illusions? What was he talking about...

"Let Susumu-oniisan lift those clouds from your cute little heads, yes? I suppose your parents told you not to talk to strangers? If we play a game together, we won't be strangers anymore!"

Finally she managed to break free from his magnetizing eyes, and tilted her head to the side- making her hair fall forward from the grip of her ears, and she looked up - trying to read how Kyo was doing. Sure, this sneaky.... fox-like?...man was a big threat. Even so she felt more worried about Kyos reaction than this Susumu. Crossing her fingers he would not do anything stupid.

"A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him? I'll give you three guesses. On the third incorrect guess, you have to tell me a secret about yourselves!"

The memory of herself saying to Kyo how she would handle the talking, got played up before her eyes. Coming back from her trip to memory lane she took a deep breath and looked upon the man once more.. Luckely the riddle was childishly simple.

"The lions...would have died..." her voice was quiet and weak - very different from her usual strong and ambitious leader-voice. However, her words was drowned by the sound of another being. It was the purple eyed man who'd answered the riddle before her - thankfully ending this childish games.

"Very charming, but looks like the game is over. And the terms where quite unfair, and not in our favor, to start with. The correct thing to have done would be a quid pro quo. You tell us things, we tell you things..." sometimes she was just to much of a "know-it-all" for her own good. But her words disappeared as she saw this Sanja person FLY OFF? A flying man.. Nao's heart was beating like a rabbit chased by a fox. This was impossible... Even so - the thought of youkai had not reached her yet, she was really just dense.

"Ehhmm... regardless how nice it was to meet you.. Susumu-san.. I do think we must take our leave.." (she should probably have called him sama, but in her eyes - he'd been childish and a nuisance - so she went with san). She felt like she was going to faint, and she just wanted to wake up from this dream. Yess, that wat is was - a fantasy dream.

Still not receiving any response from Nao, Kyo was about to jostle her a bit more roughly when another figure suddenly swept into view, cutting them both off from continuing on their way. Kyosuke ground to a halt, stopped himself, glancing to the man with a bit of a glare for barging in the way he did. “Hey, back off pal, we-“ Kyosuke didn’t get a chance to finish his warning as the silver-haired man revealed himself to be Susumu, though he was going to be no big brother of his. Instinctively, Kyosuke moved partly between Nao and the man, half expecting a fight, but instead, the man launched into a constant chatter.

Confused was one word that described how Kyosuke felt, even more so as he began noticing the odd features that Nao had pointed out earlier. Tails… Ears… Maybe he was some cosplayer like his sister? That would explain the dumb look. Waiting a moment for Nao to respond, it seemed she still wasn’t quite back to herself. Great, looks like he’d have to deal with this freakazoid. He was about to tell the weirdo to buzz off when his sing-songy voice continued straight into some sort of puzzle. Maybe this was some weird travelling circus troupe rather than a cult? Some sort of performance group deciding to toy with them for busting in on their rehearsals? He… Well, the bizarre man was strangely captivating, though for some reason, Kyo couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable and annoyed by it. This guy… Ugh, something about him was irksome.

“A murderer is condemned to death. He has to choose between three rooms. The first is full of raging fires, the second is full of assassins with loaded guns, and the third is full of lions that haven't eaten in 3 years. Which room is safest for him? I'll give you three guesses. On the third incorrect guess, you have to tell me a secret about yourselves!” Kyosuke listened to the riddle in full, and wasn’t entirely sure if Nao had heard at all. What was up with her? Well, whatever, he wasn’t about to just sit here in silence. Man, did he really have to do everything around here?

"Curious is it not? Such an obvious answer when clearly the lions have starved and died within those three years... Goodluck." Kyosuke glanced to the man who strode past them, another extravagant outfit and curiously strange air around him. They didn’t exactly need his help, the answer wasn’t that hard. He would have gotten it. "Very charming, but looks like the game is over. And the terms where quite unfair, and not in our favor, to start with. The correct thing to have done would be a quid pro quo. You tell us things, we tell you things..." Nao, finally seeming to regain her composure, stepped forward past Kyosuke, allowing him to slowly lower his guard. Whoever these dweebs were seemed they didn’t see them as a threat. Though, he couldn’t miss this chance to point out something that Nao had missed.

“Not in our favour? There are only three possible answers, so we couldn’t possibly get it wrong.” Kyo folded his arms, clearly unimpressed. Still, he felt kind of smart, smirking and shutting his eyes. Unfortunately, he didn’t notice the other man take flight and leave, so content was he to bask in managing to one-up Nao. "Ehhmm... regardless how nice it was to meet you.. Susumu-san.. I do think we must take our leave.." Nao took a few cautious steps back, grabbing Kyosuke once again to get them moving. Shrugging free, as he was perfectly capable of walking without her guidance, he couldn’t withhold his last snarky comment. “You need to work on your act dude. You sound way too annoying to hold an audience.”



“Didja know that? Eating its eyes I swear! It was soooo disgusting. Little Birdie is so rude and inconsiderate like that, doing such things in Sanya’s forest, so why does he always get so mad at me?” As Rika finished her current train of thought, there was a cracking boom as the doors to the temple busted open, though little light filtered in except around the glorious silhouette standing within the frame. “S-S-San-Nya?!” Rika jumped upright. She’d been so distracted talking with Ki that she forgot to make her stealthy escape! Frozen in a position caught in the act, she watched Sanja ‘calmly’ throw his gaze around the room, starting with her, and ending on…

Scampering over to her bag, Rika made one last ditch effort to make a run for it, but it was way too heavy for her to even lift with that much contents. “Miss Nekonyankoo…” She heard the soft sound of his footsteps as he approached, and slowly turned to face him, one ear twitching slightly as she braced herself. “Ny-nyah?” In one swift motion, she was grabbed by the scruff of her neck and lifted from the ground, giving a panicked wail of fear. “If you do not put my belongs back exactly as you found them, I will rend your feline ears from your small, foolish, destructive head!"

“Sorry, Sorry, Sorry Sanya! I didn’t mean it! I just wanted to borrow them for my stor-“ She was cut off as Sanja’s rage would not be sated by such a paltry explanation. "I have told you once, I've told you a thousand times. Do. Not. Enter. The. Shrine. You are forbidden in my home! Everytime you come here you destroy and mess up my chi!" Unceremoniously dropped to the floor, Rika gave a soft yelp of pain, rubbing her rear as she fell back, temporarily distracted by the pain. As she opened her eyes again to look up to the looming figure of Sanja, she immediately began trying to scramble away on all fours. "I will give you until the count of ten to return my belongings as you found them and vacate my temple so I can repair this mess." The intimidating and indomitable shadow of Sanja seemed to grow and follow her, refusing not to be watching over the fearful feline.

Moving to try and push herself up to her feet, Rika gave a genuine scream of fright as she glanced down to where her hand was, a snake like shadow hissing at her and lunging to bite her hand. Once more jumping back onto her rear, the feline backed up by scooching her butt along the floor, eyes darting about fearfully as the shadows closed in all around her. Bumping into the wall, she found herself cornered, and gave a terrified wail of panic, holding her ears over her head and shutting her eyes as she cowered. 10 seconds?! She couldn’t do it in 10 seconds! A-and that meant all the shadow monsters were going to eat her! Nooooooo! She was too young and smart and pretty to die! “Already eaten one dead cat today, got room for another,” Rika overhead the voice of little birdie, and then her fear grew even more. No! She didn’t want her eyes plucked out and and crunched in the beak of Shohei! That was even worse than being eaten by shadow creatures!

Clutching her legs and head to her chest, clenching her eyes shut as tight as she could, she prepared herself for the inevitable, fully expecting to feel searing and rending pain as the shadows tore her limb from limb in a gruesome ceremony of mortification. Her time was almost up… "Oi. What'd you do this time eh, Rika-chan?" Rika gave another loud and panicked scream that was a drastic overreaction for the strength of the flick she received. Clearly she’d been expecting something far more painful and it just kind of… slipped out. Cautiously opening an eye a peep, she looked to who had spoken. "I knew you were thick, but I didn't think you would be this phenomenally stupid." Continued the water-dragon, Hakuryuu giving her one of his typical expressions. She wasn’t normally the fondest of Hakuryuu just simply because she hated getting wet, but at the moment, she’d take whatever help she could get. “Save me save me save meeeee!” Latching hold of him in a tackling hug, Rika practically swung around his body to hide behind him, meekly peering out to look to Sanja and the shadows still circling around them.

"Now be a good kitty and do what your Sanja-sama told you, yeah? Put them back." Giving a soft ‘Nya?’ as she was lifted to her feet, Rika shut her eyes again as he began patting and dusting her down, cleaning up the mess she’d made of herself scampering about the floor. Her poor kimono had more than a few tatters, and there was dust and dirt all over her. Weakly, her eyes started to falter, the sobbing almost beginning. She was a mess! A cute kitty like her looked like a messy muddle! It wasn’t fair! She hadn’t done anything wrong! She didn’t even get away with the stuff! Beginning to voice her complaints as the waterworks started, a prompt shove in the back by Hakuryuu forced her to snap out of it as she stumbled, rubbing her eyes slightly to wipe away the tears.

"Go on, before I dump you in the deep end of the river." Hakuryuu stated, deadpan. Rika pouted, still crying a little with some sobs. “You’re all so mean to me. No one looks after Rika, even when Rika really is sorry…” Oh dear, she was speaking in the third-person again. That normally only happened when she was particularly upset. Making some slow, tentative steps towards the bag, keeping her figure tight to avoid the still ever present shadows, she knelt towards the bag and began taking out each of the things. Shohei had already made a bit of a start, but there was plenty in there which needed to be returned. Slowly but steadily, she began taking things back… Though it didn’t exactly go the best, as she couldn’t remember where she’d taken them from, leading to Shohei having to frequently move the object she just placed somewhere else.

Finally, she was down to the last object: The ornate tea set that she’d asked Ki to first tuck away for her. Picking up the tray, she headed back over to the shelf where she’d got it from. It was pretty high up, seeing as Sanja could simply fly up to grab it, so she had to climb a little bit in order to reach. Balancing the tray precariously in one hand as she reached to the shelf and pulled, placing her entire weight on it, there was a soft creaking sound. Panic filled the feline as she swiftly and speedily placed the tea set back on the shelf, letting go and hopping down as she backed up slowly, watching in tense fear. Nothing happened though. The shelf didn’t break. The tea set was okay. She’d done it! Breathing a sigh of relief, she turned back towards Sanja and Hakuryuu, intent on showing them her best work. “See? See - lookie what I did! Aren’t you proud?! Check that out!” In a wild motion as she was just so excited, Rika raised her hand to point to the tea set. And slapped the small shelf. Instantly, one side of the shelf fell, beginning to scatter the tea set to the floor, But Rika was quicker than that. Leaping, she moved to catch the tea set, entering into a combat-roll as she deftly managed to save every single one, cupping them against her chest as she bumped against a vase to stop herself falling over. “Phew… Close one…” Her heart was beating a mile a minute at the prospect of something so unfortunate happening. Sanja would’ve really killed her if-

*CRASH!* Startled, Rika flinched and jumped, turning to the source of the sound. On the ground, shattered to pieces was the vase she’d rolled into in her attempt to catch the tea-set. The colour drained from her face. So much so was she scared that she also proceeded to drop the tea set, the tray clattering to the floor as the cups and pot also shattered on impact. “Nyaow, Meow Sanja, I-I didn’t mean it…” Rika backed up, arms in front of her defensively, easing her way to the door…

"For sooth! Thou art under my care, young princesses!"

His English was a little hard for her to understand, as she was failing English. However, Yukiko understood the gist of what he was saying and could not help smiling. Looking around at the trees and the other foliage, Yukiko felt that they were getting no closer to the abandoned village. There was absolutely no light in sight.

"... Uh, Sanae-chan? I may be wrong but... I don't think this is the right way."

Those were the exact words that Yukiko did not want to hear. If they were lost, her parents would eventually wake up to her empty bed and she would be grounded for the rest of her life. Yukiko released a slow breath in an attempt to remain calm, unaware that she gently squeezed Satogi's hand in the process. It'll be okay.. We'll fix this... Sanae-chan and Orokawru-Senpai will find a way back....

❝Lessee... you're right. Yep. We're lost. But! But, that don't mean I dunno how to get us un-lost. Y'know, I know how to get to the shrine from anywhere in the forest? Even at night.❞

A bead of sweat fell from Yukiko's forehead, unable to believe how easily Sanae admitted to behing lost. However, the mention of the shrine immediately perked Yukiko's spirits back up. Visiting the shrine would be just as good as the abandoned village. Shrines were very neat after all and held lots of history, "That sounds perfect, you're a lifesaver, Sanae-chan." Yuki smiled, obviously very relieved that they would be able to get themselves out of this mess.

❝Would be a lil' easier if we had some kinda flashlight, but... Kyosuke-kun took Satogi-kun's. Hmm... y'know, I heard about cellphones havin' flashlights, but... I dunno how mine works. S'this way, though.❞

A pang of guilt overwhelmed Yukiko, but she did not speak up. If they knew she had been hiding the fact that she had a flashlight this entire time they would surely realize her ulterior motive was to hold Satogi's hand. That would be far too embarrassing to explain, so she chose to continue concealing the fact. After a while, laterns came into view and Yukiko gave the area a good look, enjoying the aesthetics. Yukiko glances down to make sure she won't fall unnecessarily, though normally she was surefooted.

❝They say the abandoned village's hidden by some trees at the bottom of the cliff on the other side of the shrine. Me? Well, I never saw it before, but... well, that's probably 'cause it's hidden. 'Sure if we get up to the shrine, we can find a way to get down there, y'know? And—... uh, wait. Shh.❞

Yukiko nodded her head, glad that they might get to visit the shrine AND the abandoned village that was rumored to house all kinds of Youkai. When Sanae put her finger to her lips, Yukiko felt her heart sink. W-We aren't alone...? Is it Andoh-san and Izumi-Senpai..? ...Or someone else...? She had to admit she was very nervous. What if it was human thieves or other degenerates? The three of them could not fight off vandals. The voice sounded like singing... At first, earlier on she thought it was her imagination, a song stuck in her head, but now that they were closer it was obvious it was unsettlingly real.

Weep not poor children,
for life is this way,
Murdering beauty and passions

❝Am I the only one who hears... voices? Ya think someone else is out here? Could it be Kyosuke-kun and Nao-chan? Oh man, what if it's... what if it's the voices of Youkai? D'ya think we really found some?!❞

No... I hear someone too...? It might be them... but what if it's not?" Yukiko asked quietly under her breath, biting her bottom lip as she attempted to make a deicision. At the mention of Youkai, actual real Youkai, she found inner courage and nodded her head in a determined manner. Youkai did not intimidate her as much as the thought of cruel humans, but she would figure out sooner or later that certain Youkai were much more frightening than any human, ".... I suppose we'll never know if we don't investigate." Yuki sighed, managing to put aside her fear of the possibility there was violent humans inside of the Shrine instead of the Youkai they were seeking.

Then she spoke in English, the only sentence she could passibly say without making a fool of herself, "All for one, and one for all...?" Yukiko quoted in a insecure manner, asking the other two if they were truly going to be in this together, no matter how horrible their discovery might turn out. She also realized she was quoting the musketeers, but their motto really struck a chord, and in this situation they would have to be united, or else things could turn out very badly, especially if they encountered delinquents instead of Youkai, "Do...Do you guys... hear singing or is it just me..?" Yuki asked in a shaken tone, unsure what kind of scene they were about to happen upon.

Hush now dear children,
It must be this way,
Too weary of life and deceptions
Rest now dear children,
For soon we'll away,
Into the calm and the quiet



"Truly enough that would stump normal beings, though the answer to your simple riddle is A Fire. Now that that's out of the way, did you need something further? I must stay vigilant, humans will be intruding our village sooner rather than later I'm afraid."

Clapping her hands when Sanja guessed right, Tsuyari smiled a bit. She loved being in the Daitengu's presence, especially when Susumu was throwing out riddles. Watching Sanja get them right with ease was very entertaining. It also reminded her why it was useful to be in good standing with Sanja. His knowledge about the land aside, Sanja was incredibly intelligent and that made him an invaluable ally to have.

❝Oh, oh! You guessed it right, Sanja-kun. My boy's so smart. Smart, smart~❞

Tsuyari just shook her head at Susumu's words, completely baffled by his behavior. She began to wonder why he asked Sanja riddles in the first place when he knew that the Daitengu was going to guess them all right anyway. She didn't understand his reasoning, yet that wasn't really her fault. She had never been attracted to anyone romantically, so she was unable to point out flirting when she saw it.

"It reminded me of Ki, as they are quite dear to me, I got them a gift. They are after all tending to the shrine whilst I am here."

The embarrassment in Sanja's expression brought a grin to Tsuyari's lips. However she did not get to enjoy the fact that she had embarrassed Sanja very long, "Aw... Now I wanna get Ki something too..." Tsuyari pouted. She was incredibly broke, so the chances of her getting Ki anything worth having were slim to none. Most of the time Tsuyari stole the things she needed. She would catch fish in the river using her ability to manipulate the wind to jerk the fish out of the river. Despite her resourcefulness, Tsuyari knew that Ki would not want a stolen present. The last time she stole something for Ki was still a well-kept secret.

"Yet, I admit I don't know if they'll even like a silly material object such as this."

She blinked at the bunny as Sanja toyed around with it, smiling softly, "I think Ki will love it. Ki comes across as the type who cherishes sentiment over monetary value." She explained, but it was only her opinion in the end. Tsuyari let herself zone out, though the smell of the air had changed. She wasn't entirely sure of what was coming, but she did know that it wasn't any type of Youkai she had ever smelled.

“Please remove your hand from Sanja-sama, or have it removed … from your arm,”

"...Karasu-San too? How did I manage to obtain such violent comrades...?" Tsuyari mostly asked herself but asked her rhetorical question loud enough for all three men to hear. While she was not referring to Sanja so much, she definitely meant Susumu and Shohei. Also, she completely forgot that she was still in her Yokai form, one that Shohei had never seen before, but still called him the same pet name she always would as she was m.

❝Oh? Tell me, is that a promise or a threat? If you take off one of my arms, can I take off one of yours? An eye for an eye, right? I'd like to bargain with eyes...~❞

A shiver ran down her spine. Here we go again... The thought of eyes being removed made Tsuyari very uncomfortable. She had never seen anything that gruesome, well, except for when she had to cook fish. Fish were a totally different story, though. Humans being harmed by Youkai was not acceptable, they were more like pets that needed protecting in Tsuyari's eyes and she would gladly intervene in one's defense. Violence between Youkai was always a constant reminder of what happened to her parents and that made her antsy.

All five of Tsuyari's tails began to swish around eagerly when her eyes located what Shohei was warning Sanja about. There were two humans in the village. She wondered how they managed to be among the Youkai, but that only intrigued her more. Humans were such interesting pets. They never ceased to grow and amaze her.

"Curious is it not? Such an obvious answer when clearly the lions have starved and died within those three years. . . Goodluck."

Tsuyari couldn't help but smile when Sanja managed to ruin Susumu's game with the humans. She knew where this was coming from, Susumu was going to try and wager them out of body parts. Tsuyari made her way over to the humans, getting a better look at the two. She was always curious when it came to their species. She waved off Shohei and Sanja before returning her full attention back to the humans, ecstatic that there was something worthwhile going on. The night had been kind of quiet and dull, so this was a much-appreciated change of pace.

"Very charming, but looks like the game is over. And the terms were quite unfair, and not in our favor, to start with. The correct thing to have done would be a quid pro quo. You tell us things, we tell you things..."

A snicker escaped her lips, enjoying the human girl's spark. She could tell that the human was nervous, but Tsuyari did nothing to interfere just yet. While she was interested in protecting them, their fear and bewilderment did amuse her. They were always so surprised or frightened when they met with something they deemed 'fictional'. They were so arrogant in that sense, believing they were the dominant species... That is where Tsuyari drew the line. Humans were by no means superior.

"Ehhmm... regardless how nice it was to meet you, Susumu-san.. I do think we must take our leave.."

While she would not admit it, Tsuyari was in no rush to see the humans leave. She was in the mood to play with them a bit as well, although in her company they would return home with all of their body parts. She simply was not the grotesque type of Youkai, "Do you even know your way back...?" Tsuyari asked cheerfully as if delighted by the humans happening upon the village, but also that they were likely lost.

“You need to work on your act dude. You sound way too annoying to hold an audience.”

Tsuyari's eyes met the blond male, "How about you show how it's done then? Lead by example, no?" She tilted her head, blue hair shifting with her movement, her blue ears twitching as she spoke. She found it quite irritating, as she loved Susumu's riddles immensely. While she liked the girl, the boy simply clawed at her patience.

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The sounds around her started to reappear again - probably the illusions wearing off. The laughing from the pub, the soft tunes of a flute playing and the water pouring from the fountain. With other words, the sounds of a living and flourishing little village stroking her ears in a surprisingly calming way.. It was really a mystery how the rumors said the village to be abandoned. Because in her eyes - it looked very well taken care off. The streets where clean and tidy, the houses where double stories and everything was built on the height. She had to admit it, it was a really cute and unique village.

“Not in our favor? There are only three possible answers, so we couldn’t possibly get it wrong.” Nao started to blush at the sudden realization. A part of her was truly impressed with Kyo actually using his brain instead of fists for once.. and the bigger part was just embarrassed that she'd missed something so simple - she blamed it on her confused state. Even so she sticked with her words. A quid pro quo would have ment she'd gotten the chance to ask this Susumu person a question. And maybe learn what kind of place this was - and more important what kind of people lived there. Unlike Kyo, Nao actually cared for Komorebi - her home village. And having these strange people live so close, was seen as a big threat in Naos eyes - the least she could do, for the sake of her younger siblings at least, was to find out who they where...

For a short moment, she actually considered to stay and talk with these crazy strangers. But then, a flying man and tails n ears -that was just to creepy to stay around for.. At least she knew their names. Susumu and Sanja. That was something. And it was more than these wierdos knew about her and Kyo. Because she was pretty sure that nether him nor her had called out each others names.. Or mentioned anything about looking for their friends.. Nao smiled to herself. Once again she was impressed over his sharp thinking.. Well maybe it was kind of obvious.. And it was really just this Susumu who was stupid... Or was he just very sure about himself? Nao felt a shiver moved through her body, there was something sneaky with him alright... She looked at her feet and twisted a lock of hair around her finger - being quite unsure about what to do.

The reaction from Kyo made her surprised but also a bit more relaxed. He seemed unbothered by the flying man and the tails and ears? She came to the conclusion that it was probably just she who'd seen it. So there was something wrong with her eyes after all! Puuh that was a relief, for a moment there - Nao had almost considered believing in her grandmothers stories... About a village filled with youkai creatures. But naaah - that could not be! They started walking again. Nao rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times. She just had to ignore her vision right now - because clearly it was failing her. Even if she would come across a flying pig - she was not going to believe her sight anymore - but had no choice other than to rely on Kyo who thankfully did not seem to suffer from the same illusions as she did.

The girl with blue hair had joined them. Making Nao stop again, feeling quite "threatened" by the situation since they did not seem to let them leave... Why couldn't they just go away? It was not like she and Kyo where especially interesting people. He was just a troublemaker and she was just a boring school prez. "Do you even know your way back...?" the blue haired girl's voice was a bit too cheerful. Nao raised her brown eyes to get a better look of the girl, and almost lost her breath. She found herself to be incapable of answering the question - and instead she just stood in silence looking at the dreamlike girl. ears... and tails... sure.. But also eyes who made the sea pale in comparison, and long shiny hair in the same intense blue color. Flawless skin with soft and appealing curves. Maybe Nao was jealous? Her mouth turned in to a small tense line, and she turned away her gace - now following the movements of the 5 tails (which she told herself not existed). Ofc she was jealous. Nao herself could probably wear a bikini and still not have any sex appeal what so ever. She would always be the strict and boring school prez - and looking at her from another view was just comical (as in : was never going to happen) ....

“You need to work on your act dude. You sound way too annoying to hold an audience.” Kyo voice sounded.
"How about you show how it's done then? Lead by example, no?"

If the circumstances had been different, she would definitely had laughed by the "blue" girl's second comment. This one seemed smarter than the other tall man -Susumu- at least. She really nailed Kyo there, but Nao still had to speak her mind. Not that she was defending Kyo, but because she really just wanted to get away from them. Even if all the warning signals inside Nao where shouting and ringing - she found some courage in the thought / hope of Sanae and the others being safe...

"It's not we who are trying to hold an audience here - but rather you who are trying to distract us from leaving - right?" She took a step forward, really just "testing them" to see their reactions. And find out if her premonitions where correct or not.
"Why is that?" Her voice was not rude or anything, just her polite, honest and brave leader speaking - curious of their intentions.

speech: #c70000 || thoughts: #7a7676
♫

Susumu cocks his head to the side after his riddle was answered correctly (and his performance was promptly insulted), the thought of just why these humans can see him in the first place never crossing his mind. He claps his hands together as though in praise, smile widening and eyes not quite closing, but slitting in a narrow way. The fox-faced man before the pair starts to circle around them, glancing back over to Tsuyari from now and again. These two looked absolutely delectable, and the energy off of young souls is tangible enough to make Susumu's mouth water. He stops behind them and puts his hands on their shoulders, swinging from side to side, taking them with him. He hums a little tune before he continues with his game.

❝Very good, very good. I hope you didn't cheat; that wouldn't be good. Not at all~ Let's see, let's see... What can travel around the world while staying in a corner? Three guesses again. The wager's still standing.❞

He reaches out to pinch a few locks of Kyosuke's hair, twirling it around his finger. It isn't meant to hurt him, of course, but the gesture is altogether a bit unsettling. His eyes, however, stay locked on Nao, as if waiting patiently for her answer. Such a smart girl, he muses, to have broken down my whole act like that. I should better myself from it!

He mulls over her words on not wanting them to leave, and he simply smiles, tilting his head to the side and raising a finger to his lips. He closes one eye, canines glinting along his toothy grin. ❝Aren't you the smart one? Let me guess—you wear the pants in this relationship, then? Well, in that case, why doesn't he answer this one?❞ He inclines his head backwards, smile never leaving him, as he shifts his gaze to Kyosuke. ❝Be a good boy and answer me, please~❞

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speech: #d10000 || thoughts: #f55858
♫

Sanae shrugs, nodding with Satogi's suggestion. The singing was, admittedly, pretty weird, it could be their friends trying to play a prank on them. So, naturally, the proper response would be to prank them back, right? So Sanae, ignoring whatever weird feeling was in her gut, nudges Satogi back and grins, then links her arms with Satogi and Yukiko. ❝C'mon, guys! Up to the shrine we go! Follow that eerie singin', 'cause it definitely can't be Nao-chan or Kyosuke-kun, riiiight?❞

She giggles at her own sarcasm and starts to guide them up the path to the shrine, following the singing. A few moments pass, though, and Sanae's ears are filled with a different sound entirely—crying. The shrine maiden stops and lets her arms slide out of the grips of Satogi and Yukiko's arms, head turned in the direction of the weeping. What a... sad, sad noise. She feels her shoulders slump, and she frowns a little. Before she starts to step off toward the crying, she waves back at her friends. ❝Heard somethin' over here, guys! Come along if ya like, but if not, I'll meetcha up at the top where the shrine is!❞

She takes off, not bothering to look behind her for whether her friends decided to follow her or not. She has to check this out, whether alone or not, because deep inside her, she can tell it isn't a trap. First and foremost, if she really were in danger by some spiritual supernatural being, she can bless and bless and bless until the evil is gone... but she does not sense any evil here. Soon enough, she steps up onto a hill and notices... a woman. Sitting and weeping, and it's a sad and beautiful sight both at once. She steps up to the woman, holding out a hand, as if to comfort her. ❝M...M-Miss...? Miss? Is everythin' alright? Didja fall? What's wrong?❞