The sharp, cold raindrops that trickled down his neck alerted the kimono-clad man, waking him up from the light rest he had undertaken during the long journey to his destination. Shifting his wide-brimmed triangular strawhat down to cover his eyes, he'd link his hands together, the cart he had taken a hitch on bumping on the dirt road as it slowly took a turn, the coachman using his reins to steer the horses on the right path. He would turn to his passenger, scratching the scraggly beard that grew on his chin...the young man seemed calm enough, especially as he revealed a flask he proceeded to drink from before hiding it back in the folds of his clothing. Thirstiness aside, he would spare him a question since he had not interacted with the farmer much save for asking him for a passage, with due compensation.
"So, what's a young folk like you doing out here on this cart instead of bein' out n' about, chasing some fame n' fortune over at the capital?" The reply itself, however, would take a moment to be formulated, as the passenger made a sharp turn to lock his eyes with the coachman's. His sharp lineaments would curl into a curious look, and his thin lips part slightly as he spoke up.
"Sadly, I don't think that is an option for now. I'm here on official business from the Daimyō. Surely, you must have heard about the troubling events surrounding one village hidden among the mountains, yes? The same one you said you had rice to deliver to, if I am not mistaken." He would peer at one of the sacks he had huddled between, taking a handful of the grains in his hands before letting them filter between his fingers and add back to the pile with a low hiss. But it was simply a temporary distraction, as the man's visage darkened and his head lowered itself somberly.
"Indeed. It's said to be the work of an Ōni, but none can say for sure. What is concerning is the ever rising number of victims...several dozens of people are missing, some are not even natives, but travelers that happened upon the Demon's trap, or those that were foolish enough to think they could take it on."
He would pause and grow silent yet again, pointing at a few lights in the distance, over the cliff they were descending. The traveler's final destination, though whether or not this claim was to be seen as a positive or a negative claim remained to be seen.
"There it is. The infamous Nurturer Of The Mist, Kiri Village. You know why they call it that, right? It's due to the thick, oppressing shroud that blankets it for a good part of the year. Once night falls...it's said that Demons often roam its' streets in search of prey. And such was the occasion with the one you were sent to find, I'm assuming?" Once again, the man would turn around to hear some sort of affirmative response.
"Yes, that's right. But I wasn't simply sent there to find it. I was sent there to kill it. And that is exactly what I'm going to do. We'll see if this Ōni is as fearsome as it sounds." He'd reply in a confident, though not smug, tone.
A moment of hesitation followed, as the coachman slowed down and gulped, before giving an uneasy laugh in response. "And may I know the name of such a brave samurai? Surely you must be a famed warrior, and strong too if you were sent after such a dangerous prey in order to vanquish it and report back to your Lord."
"Kōtaro. Tsukihana Kōtaro. The one who will rid the people of Kiri Village from such a beast. Or die trying, at the very least." With such grim words, he would fall silent again. The rest of the trip was completed without a single word escaping either man's lips.
Kiri Village looked about as rustic as Kōtaro had expected, though as far as mist was concerned, he couldn't see but a few drapes of it here and there, probably about to set in for the night...a foreboding atmosphere was in the air as he was left at the gates after the farmer claimed he would've gone no further in. But after being tossed a few coins as a means of pay, he had politely bode goodbye to the young samurai, and informed him he would have been back in three days should he have completed his task by then.
The rain, however, had stopped, meaning he could finally take his hat off and let it hang onto his shoulders freely as he stepped towards the plaza. The streets were empty, but the distant sound of chatter eventually led the young man to his destination. He would run his hand through his long, dark hair and keep a hand on the hilt of his sword. In case anyone was so foolish as to attack him, then they would've gotten a nasty surprise in return.
The narrow road opened up into a large clearing...and immediately, the crowd would go silent as the samurai stepped closer to the village folk, looking around himself to see if his arrival had done something to soothe the worried people in Kiri. He could count several children among the group, some cradled in their mothers' arms, others who were old enough to stand up on their own simply looking up at him as he closed in on a balding man around whom the men had gathered, presumably the village chief.
He would turn to face Kōtaro as he stopped right before him, and speak up to the one who had come to save them from the ferocious creature that had taken the lives of so many loved ones and brought about an undescribable amount of sorrow.
"Are you...the one? Will you really take care of the Ōni and save us all from certain doom?" He would throw himself on his knees, bowing in an almost begging position as he held back bitter tears of defeat. "Please, please sir. Even my daughter...she was captured three nights ago while out with her betrothed, the Demon took her before he had even realized she was missing. So many children had to watch their fathers gather in order to face the monster, yet none of them came back. Our fields are being razed by this harsh weather...we won't be holding out for long at this pace." He would fall silent as a woman who presumably was his wife comforted him by patting down on his back, the men surrounding him turning away.
"That would be me. And as long as you people have the reward, I will even bring you back the creature's head if it's needed as proof. Where would its' lair be located?" He would survey each and every person before a young man would step out of the crowd. His short raven hair was smooth, though a lone strand stood up slightly and gave him a somewhat messy look. His bright eyes,however, were cold and determined as he sharply pointed at a house on a hill not too distant from the square, completely vacant by the looks of it and in slight disarray...his destination.
"There, brave samurai. My little brother, he was taken yesterday while fetching water from the well. Avenge him for me, won't you? The same goes for the other people in the village who lost their families to her." He would continue to stare at the man as he began to step away from the inhabitants.
"Understood. And your name is, boy?"
"Gorobei, sir." He'd lift his chin up and pat down on his chest, trying to look as brave as he possibly could in such a dire situation.
"Very well, Gorobei. I'll bring you her horns if that's what you'd like as proof. Everyone else, go back to your houses, dim the lights, and lock the doors. Hide the children, too."
Kōtaro left to a round of applause as the villagers' moods were lifted by his arrival during such a hopeless, dreadful day.
Now all that remained was taking care of the Demon once and for all.
------------------
"This is a nice house." He would look at the imposing building from the steps leading to the entrance. Compared to the other houses further down in the village, cramped up and simple as they were, this one must have belonged to a wealthy noble, or at the very least, someone who could allow themselves to live in such a luxurious environment.
Yet even from such a distance, the stench of blood and decay could be smelled, something clearly having taken possession of the place long before he had gotten to approach it. And though any normal person would at the very least, have flinched due to the incredibly oppressive aura that it gave off, Kōtaro simply approached the entrance, and opened the door, being immediately hit with the iron smell he had expected to find, made thick by the fact it had seeped into the walls, rafters and nearly every single piece of furniture.
The walls were, in fact, almost completely painted red by large splatters of blood, some still fresh as they dripped onto the floorboards only to form small puddles on the ground. The small blade of light that cut through the door's hinge immediately led his sight towards a macabre display.
Several bodies, some in severe states of decay, laid lumped together in a horrifying display, their limbs locked into one another's (if there even were any left by now), bellies open to display the bloated entrails. Prominent bite and scratch marks covered them, no doubt the cause of death given how deep they were and the sheer amount of times they had been stuck.
He decided that enough was enough, taking the rightmost corridor and being treated to a swarm of flies surrounding two corpses, the larger of which hugged the smaller-framed one...a mother and her child no doubt, or perhaps an older sister with her sibling? Either way, other than determining that they had indeed been an adult and a child at some point, not much could be done about them. But the chilling hold of the woman and the vacant stare of the void, maggot-filled cavities of her eyes was something that would have remained with him for the days, if not weeks, to come.
He'd suddenly hear a scream coming from the room at the end of the corridor...it seemed to be a large one judging from the size of the sliding panel that led to it. Kōtaro would quietly dash towards it, hoping for Gorobei's brother, or the village chief's daughter, to still be alive at the very least. Drawing his sword, he would swing the door wide open and proclaim his arrival to whoever happened to be on the other side.
"My name is Tsukihana Kōtaro! Foul Ōni, I have come to claim your life in the name of the people of Kiri Village, the ones you have oppressed for so long. Come out, so that we may settle this once and for all...unless you are some sort of coward that is only capable of targeting unarmed farmers and nothing else? Someone who dislikes a good challenge and only wants to fill up her belly with whoever happens to be around?"
He'd slowly circle around one of the supporting pillars that decorated the room, pressing his back against the hardy wood as he waited for the Ōni to be baited by his insulting declaration. Demons were proud creatures after all, and they usually never backed out of a challenge as long as they were sure they could win it through their brute strength alone...and Kōtaro was but a single man facing a foe that could have slain dozens in the blink of an eye.
"I would appreciate it if you let the boy and woman go, and have me as your meal instead. Unless so much meat and blood have made you heavier and slower than you would like to admit out in public? No need to be shy around a stranger! Plump girls are just as beautiful as slim ones! Means they are well-fed and healthy!"
It already felt gravely uneasy as the tosa wasen eerily floated towards the Hahiko Village, the wooden frame groaning alongside the boisterous croaking of toads scattered around the waters. Whisps of saturated breath unevenly expelled from the nostrils of the dozen samurai’s traversing over the chilled yet calm waters, two groups of six clustering in each wasen. The courageous group of men and woman were fully aware of what perils lied ahead, although some would underestimate the severity of it due to never being apart of something such as this before. Among the group, Hiroto Ikari, would grimly dart her azure eyes in every direction as they approached the pea graveled waterfront, ensuring nothing out of the ordinary would present itself just yet.
“Do you really think it’s that bad?” A male murmured to a fellow comrade alongside him, a hint of undefined fear vibrating in his vocal cords.
“What do you think? This entire village is unoccupied… did you not notice how we haven’t seen a single soul yet?” An irritated male voice snapped back, apparent that the bleakness to his reply was because of his nerves influencing his emotions. Everyone was on edge as they questioned the outcome of this endeavor, wondering if they’re truly up to the task to slay not only one, but two Oni’s. There was talk about a third but that was the only thing no one knew about just yet. Some have never witnessed an Oni’s wrath, while others sought revenge for their deceased loved ones. While a neighboring village desperately searched for enough courageous individuals to risk their lives for the greater good, the Village of Hahiko perished.
As the wasen snuggly embedded itself into the pebbles, Hiroto and the others departed from the wooden structure to stretch their tensed and stiffened muscles. Instantly upon landing, the overwhelming scent of decay and stale iron smacked the group in the face, some gagging before cupping their mouth in an attempt to hold their composure… and their most recent meal. Others appeared to be unaffected by the stench, as if they were acclimated to the smell of decomposition. Taking the lead, Hiroto began to step over the larger rocks to find the cobblestone pathway that would lead them to the only home that lit up in the gloomy darkness.
It took a moment for the rest to follow suit, many already regretting their decision to stroke their ego and be deemed a hero. The Village of Hahiko had a smaller population compared to its surrounding counterparts, but as the mini army patrolled down the pathway, they would be met with copious amounts of bodies being exhibited irregularly throughout the village. All the nameless corpses varied in stages of decay; some looked to be a few days fresh, their eyes still partially opened and glazed over as rigor mortis kicked in… while others seemed to be rotting underneath the blistering sun for weeks -- fluids releasing through their orifices as organs, muscles, and skin become liquefied -- bones, hair, and cartilage were the few byproducts that remained. Many were already covered in a white cream of seething maggots. The sulfuric odor encased the village like a thickened fog, making some cease their movements to lean over and rid of the contents within their stomachs, the sound of lumpy liquid pitter-pattering against the cobblestone.
“Straighten up!” A pacing woman shouted as she tried to hold a poker face, wanting to seem solid enough to give her comrades enough confidence to persevere. Other than the sounds of marching feet and the shifting of weapons within their holsters, the sound of maggots feeding on flesh made the conditions even nastier – the constant churning of their small bodies that sounded mushy and wet. The sound was inevitable, and even if someone were to shield their ears, they’d still be met with the phantom sounds. The group seemed to be taking their time towards the seemingly occupied home, wanting to prolong their false sense of safety.
Everyone was fixated on the temple before them as they envisioned what the Oni’s within looked like, some never seeing one before in the flesh. Breaking the ambience, the sound of a thick branch snapping in half with intense force resounded in the stale air, causing bodies to frantically whirl around in the direction of the noise. “Look out!” The shrieking sound of a mans voice echoed, everything seeming to go in slow motion, yet so fast at the same time.
A lone male Oni sprouted from within a Japanese Maple tree, the vibrant leaves concealing the fiend as he stalked his approaching prey and awaited the perfect opportunity to strike. Seemingly in the blink of an eye, the 6’5” crimson-skinned creature approached the backlines, uncaring to the number of humans before him as he stood by his lonesome.
Extending out his righthand, he’d grip the face of a woman with sheer strength, lifting her up just by her head alone with his large palm as she gasped in surprise, the woman starting to wriggle around helplessly and scream as loud as she could. Her arms lifted to latch onto his wrist and forearm, burrowing her nails into his skin in a futile attempt to cause him enough pain to release her. Instead, he tilter her head backwards to expose the front of her gullet, nearly breaking her neck, before diving into the center of her neck and sunk his honed teeth into her. Within his first bite, he ravenously took sizeable amounts of flesh and trachea. The panicked woman struggled to scream, but it only caused what was left of her throat to bubble up with air and blood, providing him more of the liquid-of-life to feed and fuel him.
Others watched in horror, unable to command their feet to move to either run away or fight. The Oni seemed bored already with his current actively dying prey, officially pressing her head as far back as he could to make the back of her head touch the middle of her shoulders, the horrendous sound of breaking bone causing the rest to cringe and feel the phantom pains. The brutality of her head being pushed back that far triggered an open fracture to blossom, causing her C4 spinal bone to expose itself and pop out of her freshly opened wound. Her throat gurgled with her final dying breathy scream, the woman finally being put out of her misery.
Heartlessly the Oni hurled her lifeless body like a ragdoll to the side, unfeeling to the fact that she was a person who had a family at home awaiting her safe return. “Don’t just stand there! Fucking move!” Hiroto, who was in the forefront, cruelly commanded her companions as she unsheathed her katana and sprinted towards the backlines. Once their fight or flight instincts kicked in, the rest followed her lead and accompanied her into their first boss battle. The Oni lifted his chin upwards to look down at the feeble humans below him, giving them a menacing scowl as they charged towards him.
Quickly approaching the Oni, a daring male opted to face it on first, glaring at the vermin before him with a hatred that could fuel a thousand suns. In response, the Oni lifted his left hand high into the air as he exposed his sharpened talons. Once satisfied with the placement of his hand in the air, he’d strike downwards, picking up an insane amount of momentum that caused him to grunt aloud. Luck was on the samurai’s side as he perfectly timed the positioning of his katana to block the monster’s assault. The horrendous sound of nails scraping against metal attacked everyone’s ears, resembling the sound of nails on chalkboard. The Oni didn’t seem too bothered by missing his blow, compensating the loss as he used his free hand to viciously grip at the man’s nearest wrist to him. He twisted his arm, only to hear an audible SNAP as he fluently caused that hand to be forever worthless. The sheer and utter terror of distressed screams filled the midnight air from the man, the broken arm growing limp and fell to his side lazily.
Having the man now weakened and weeping, the Oni wanted to redeem his first attempted attack. Again, he’d raise his arm upwards before striking down like a lightning bolt – fast and unpredictable. As if his claws were a meat grinder, he’d flawlessly slice through the man’s flesh as he started from his forehead and proceeded to drag downwards, stopping at his sternum before retracting his hand. The sight was ghastly as flabs of slitted skin peeled away to reveal muscle and tendon, blood flowing like a waterfall down his masculine body. Just as he finished his first slice and started to go for another, three samurais, including Hiroto, took this opportunity to strike him from behind. Their blades, sharpened to their full potential, vertically pierced into his maroon skin before mimicking what he did to the male before him; slicing downwards ferociously as they rang out their battle cries in hopes they’ve stalled the Oni enough to land a final blow.
As anticipated, the brute unleashed an agonizing cry that was soaked in anguish as the wind stung his newly decorated lacerations. The shriek was so powerful that everyone could feel it vibrate within their core – a sound that will forever haunt them in their dreams. Unknowing to the true intent of his cries, the trio continued to assault the occupied Oni as they delivered more carvings into his backside. In the near distance, the screeching sound of an enraged female resonated unnervingly into the macabre night. Goosebumps riddled everyone’s skin, already knowing this would put a drastic damper on their plan. Exiting from the lit home in a hurry, breaking the door into splinters in the process, a lone female Oni charged into the direction of the battle as her elongated darkened tresses flowed with the wind behind her.
Already exiting from her body, a handful of blades adorned her figure, signifying those other fearless entities endeavored to slay this beastly woman – evidently failing terribly. Before turning around to face the trio behind him he would finish the kill by slicing the poor man’s neck horizontally with his drawn-out nails. The Oni almost cut the head clean off from the now deceased male, his head holding onto the tiniest bit of thick skin at the nape of his neck.
Ten samurais left.
Storming right into the front of the skirmish, the female Oni chaotically pushed through the frontlines to help her lover as she howled in fury. Her arms swung on each side ruthlessly as she moved the others out of the way without impaling them with her claws, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t hurt to be bludgeoned by her.
Bravely, a female samurai stood in front of the female as she sprinted ahead. The samurai wielded her katana with both hands at the base, holding on so tightly that her hands began to tremble. At first, she poised herself in a bracing stance, wanting to absorb the impact of the hit to slow her down… but instead, she flung her sword behind her before wildly throwing it in front of her – still being held within her grasp – to cut into the woman’s side. Regardless of seeing the endless entombed weapons already in the Oni, she still thought she would have a chance – at the most – to slow her down to some degree. Quickly her plan backfired on her as the Oni reached out to grab at the girls’ throat as she was slicing into the Oni’s side. Her grip tightened so intensely that she could hear her hyoid bone snap in half, instantly ceasing the life from her. She proceeded to forcefully slam the carcass down into the ground before her, the body causing a crater to form underneath it from the sheer strength of the woman’s arm.
As Hiroto painfully watched everything unfold, she detected a common theme to the Oni’s as they exterminated her comrades; they always made sure the neck and head were damaged for the final blow. This caused her to ponder in the short amount of time she had, speculating if the reasoning as to why they killed that way was because that was how they could also be assassinated. Wanting to put her theory to the test, she’d shout as she continued to attack the male Oni from behind, grunting occasionally from overstraining herself. “Try and behead them!” Simple yet powerful orders were delivered, the male samurai beside her instantly complying with her request and struck the Oni in the back of the neck. He chipped a chunk of flesh away like an axe would to lumber -- slowly but surely weakening it to ultimately cause it to collapse.
Urgently the Oni took his hands to safeguard the scruff of his neck after the first considerable chunk of flesh was chiseled away, this time the shriek that boomed out from him was nonidentical to the cry he kindled earlier to call for the female Oni. Spotting an opened opportunity, the female samurai to Hiroto’s right lifted her weapon of choice mightily into the air, needing to pick up ample impetus before crashing down. Hiroto watched as her reflection danced against the lethal blade as it soared downwards, the sharpened tamahagane finding its way to assault the Oni’s wrists. The girl wasn’t very convinced that she would do any damage, but to her surprise, the hands that protected his delicate neck severed off from his wrists, falling with a loud thump on the cobblestone below them.
Her attack wouldn’t go unnoticed as the female Oni finally made her appearance before the group, pursuing retribution for all that they’ve done to her beloved. Her right-hand curved inwards to form a stiffened fist, drawing it backwards before hurling it ruthlessly in front of her to strike the girl’s abdomen. Even though her body was fortified with armor, it would be no match for the Oni’s simple limb. The impact was so bitter that it pounded the air completely out from her lungs, blood spattering out of her gaped mouth as she let out a hoarse exhale. It was apparent that her innards were more than likely compressed to slush as blood continuously rained out from her mouth, her body flying in reverse as if she weighed as much as a feather. Her body made a vicious impact with the paving stone, instantly rolling around in circles as streams of strewn blood displayed the route she trudged. As soon as her body stopped rolling, it no longer shifted on its own as her gleaming black locks ruffled with the oncoming gusts.
Eight samurais left.
Though it appeared to others that Hiroto was heartless – which she unquestionably wasn’t -- as she overlooked the lifeless girl in the distance, she took it upon herself to strike down her katana on the Oni’s neck now that it was fully unprotected. He groaned in suffering as his hands were no longer there, but his cries meant nothing to the woman. She deepened the gash, nipping off another decent section of muscle as its ironed liquid glazed down his bare back.
Just one more hit. One more.
Now that the female Oni wasn’t preoccupied with anyone else, she started to bolt towards Hiroto and the male samurai as the male Oni collapsed to his knees, bringing his handless arms to his sides as his head lazily slanted forward, being on the verge of decapitation. “Make the final blow!” Hiroto bellowed at the top of her lungs as she primed her katana, slinging it downwards speedily to rid of the flesh and blood that peppered it. It seemed like everyone finally comprehended the brutality of their objective, their bodies no longer standing still in disbelief. The remaining six samurais sprinted to the other two, directing their attention to the female Oni who was skyrocketing towards Hiroto.
Screeching in antipathy, the Oni instructed her destructive claws to pierce into Hiroto as she dashed to her. The woman clenched her teeth to brace herself yet didn’t ready her weapon, seemingly accepting her death without rhyme or reason. The male samurai had his back turned towards Hiroto, doing as she demanded and enthusiastically swung his katana like a baseball bat, effectively slicing the male Oni’s head cleanly off from his shoulders. The snowy hair atop of his head flailed around as his head messily plummeted onto the ground beneath him, his vacant eyes broadening as he met his bitter end. There was no time for celebration as they assassinated their first target, needing to finish off the female that seemed relentless.
Timing her movements flawlessly, Hiroto sidestepped the Oni that nearly battered her with her talons. As she evaded the close call, her knees bent to squat down before taking her right leg to forcefully spin it around in a foot sweep. With closely calculated precision, she collided her leg with the Oni’s, immediately feeling the ache in her calf from doing so and winced in pain. Clumsily she lost her sense of balance, plunging face first into the cobblestone with a loud grunt. She was unimaginably quick to recover from the fall, using her palms -- that had tiny pebbles embedded into them -- to heave herself upwards and recollect herself.
Twisting her head to the left for a short moment, the Oni caught a glimpse of her companion’s listless and headless corpse, stupidly allowing her emotions to get the best of her as she halted in her tracks to soak in the horrifying scene.
“Doesn’t feel good to lose someone you love, huh bitch?!” An advancing male samurai spat his fiery words as he jerked his katana downwards to take a hunk out from the Oni’s neck. Tragically he failed, plowing his blade into her shoulders and not the scruff of her neck. She howled in grief and discomfort, whipping around to tackle the samurai to the ground as his backside slammed onto the stone below him unforgivingly. He gasped at the pain but didn’t have a chance to compose himself as the Oni lunged her head downwards and proceeded to destroy his throat into fragments, moving as fast as a famished predator trying to fill its belly. The fading man gurgled as his airy blood rushed out of his gaping hole of a wound, the sound of muscle and ligament tearing apart joining the gruesome melody.
Occupied with the dying man below her, she disregarded the looming six warriors that grew impatient with her games, longing for this endless chaos to be put to rest once and for all. They hovered over her like a pack of wolves on a lone rabbit, beginning to cleave their katanas into the Oni’s neck and backside, not stopping until her head detached from her body. It almost seemed as if she had already given up after discovering her companion’s death, not putting much of a fight anymore as her head started to detach from her shoulders. Triumphantly, the head of the female Oni finally unconnected from her shoulders to drop down with an uneasy thump, the remaining six samurai’s straightening their backs to stand upward as they absorbed the gory scene before them. Tears that were held back during the battle were finally released, sobs and sniffling echoing in the uninhabited village.
Hiroto, on the other hand, decided to hold in her sorrow as she looked at her fallen comrades, staring at them with an uneasy expression until something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. Swiveling her head hastily towards the temple, she would catch glimpse of something peeking before scurrying away from sight. Wasting no time, Hiroto moved her feet with an obvious limp to investigate.
“Where are you going?” The trembling sounds of a female voice queried the worried and pacing woman as she continued to sob. Her silence was more than enough to answer her question, the rest anxiously following her lead yet again, unaware of what they would be walking into.
It didn’t take long for them to stand before the home, carefully stepping over the broken door to enter inside. The scene before them was as expected; endless amounts of stale blood and disarrayed bodies adorning the home like well thought out decorations. Hiroto cautiously paced through the home, avoiding stepping onto the bodies that riddled the floor, trying her hardest to not look at them to avoid further heartache. Underneath a table at the end of the hallway, two bare and tiny feet could hardly be seen as that portion of the home wasn’t lit. Changing her course of direction, Hiroto marched towards her findings.
Placing her right hand onto the counter before leaning downwards to look underneath the wooden table, Hiroto would gaze into the watery eyes of a female Oni child, the girl almost in a fetal position to protect herself from the same fate her parents received. The woman’s eyes would enlarge as she didn’t foresee the third Oni to be a child. Her body was adorned with clothes that were bloodied and stained with soil, her ruby eyes stinging with hot tears that cascaded down her reddened puffy cheeks. Hiroto used her free hand to reach out to the child, the terrified Oni immediately trying to scoot further away despite having nowhere else to go as she bared her tiny fangs and let out an unintimidating hiss.
“What is that?” A nearby male samurai asked before crouching down himself, being met with the sights of the cowering child. Quickly he stood back on his feet and looked around him to gaze at his surrounding comrades. “I-It’s another Oni! Except it’s a child!” He would inform his curious team as they responded with shocked expressions. Many knelt down to see it for themselves, not believing their eyes as they spotted the girl, the man true to his words.
Hiroto ignored their bewilderment as she tried again to reach for the child, this time sitting on her knees and crawling under the table. As expected, she tried to scoot away yet again, continuing to let out puffs of hisses like a frightened kitten seeing a human for the first time. “C’mere. I won’t hurt you.” Soothingly she spoke, trying to coax the girl into coming with her. It was obvious she didn’t know their language, still keeping her tough act up in an attempt to scare the group away.
“Don’t tell me we’re taking her with us?!” A worried female asked, having a good feeling that this would be a horrible idea.
“Think about it.” Hiroto began to respond, still keeping her eyes locked on the girl, “If we take her with us, we can condition her. She is young enough to be trained, and we can learn from her if we have to battle more Oni’s in the future.” The woman brought up good points as she started to rustle into a small pouch to grab a cracker, waiving it around before the Oni. “See? It’s okay. Come to me and you can have it.” Her voice was soaked in kindness as she sounded like a loving mother. The girl looked at the cracker, then at Hiroto, then at the cracker again. Deciding that her hunger was greater than her fear, she cautiously crawled to Hiroto as she sniffled, stretching out to her in an attempt to retrieve the generous offer. Once she was in proximity, Hiroto would take her other hand and gingerly grab at her back, scooting her closer to her before scooping her up into her arms. Anticipating the scared child to fight back, she quickly gave her the cracker, letting her know she held true to her promise.
Slowly the girl brought the cracker to her lips, taking small bites to make it last longer. She didn’t want to admit that she enjoyed Hiroto’s warmth, but the woman could tell as she loosened up her tensed muscles and melted into her arms. The others occupying the room all looked at each other in doubt, but ultimately agreed to put their faith into her since she proved to be a marvelous leader. “Let’s go back to the village… and take the Oni’s heads with us. Make sure she doesn’t see them.” Hiroto instructed her team as they walked out of the home and boarded their wasen’s, traveling back to their village to report to the chief that their mission was successful and profitable as they brought back the Oni child.
As one would’ve guessed, bringing the Oni child to the village of Raketomi wouldn’t be the wisest of decisions. Many didn’t understand what propelled Hiroto to bring a killer into their village after everything the Oni’s have done for thousands of years. One lone Oni wasn’t going to change anyone’s opinion of them, all being aware that it was in their blood to kill -- either it be for feeding or sport.
Hiroto tried her damndest to convince her village about all the positives of bringing her into their homelands. Since they brought her in at such a young age, they could teach her their ways as well as differentiating what was right from wrong. She would be a terrific weapon to use in the future if it called for it, and they would be able to learn her ways to take down other Oni’s if they happened to cause chaos somewhere down the line. Despite providing good reasonings on her decision to keep the child, everybody in her community wanted nothing to do with the Oni. After more convincing, Hiroto at least got their approval of at least tolerating the Oni, but nothing more… nothing less.
That didn’t mean they had to be kind to her.
Since she was so young it was easy to teach her their language, the girl quickly catching on and putting her new language to use. When she first started to talk, she noticed her adoptive mother being addressed as Hiroto, the young Oni tilting her head curiously to the side since Hiroto told her to address her as Mama – already growing severely attached to the orphaned child.
“Name?” The small girl questioned as she pointed to herself with her thumb, Hiroto raising a curious brow as she didn’t comprehend what she was talking about.
“Name? What do you mean, sweetie?” Gently she asked for clarification as she knelt down to get down to her level, showcasing a loving and patient smile.
“Hiroto.” Her tiny index finger poked at Hiroto’s chest, the girl gazing at her in the eyes with that childlike hope and glee that could melt anyone’s heart. “Name?” Again, she pointed back to herself, Hiroto nodding her head in understanding.
She wanted a name.
“Hmm. Let’s see.” She pondered in thought before picking her up from under her arms and placing her down to sit on her lap, the girl grinning to display her unique teeth – pointed and sharpened, as if every tooth was a canine. “How about… Eiko? Yes, I like that. Eiko Ikari. It means prosperous… because I know you’ll go far in life and prove everyone wrong.” Taking her arms, she’d wrap Eiko in a warm embrace, Eiko giggling happily to know she had a name just like her Mama. Just like everyone else.
Once Hiroto felt confident in Eiko’s conversational skills, she’d get the support from the village chief to allow her to participate in school. It was important to teach her about their history as well as many other crucial subjects. Hiroto wanted to put a hat on her to conceal her horns, knowing she will get teased for her race… but her eyes were as red as the blood that flowed in her veins. It was painfully obvious how different she was. There was no point. Taking the chances, she would send her off to school anyways.
The outcome was as expected; constant teasing and name calling, as well as throwing miscellaneous objects her way and spitting on her. Every day she would come home with crocodile tears, weeping in misery and yearning to be accepted. “I can’t help who I am, Mama! I want it all to stop!” She sobbed against her chest, Hiroto frowning as she lovingly caressed her darkened hair as she held her close to her warmth.
“I know honey, Mama would take it all away if she could… but you have to be strong for her, and most importantly you, okay? Remember to not hit anyone, no matter what. I’ll make sure to prepare your favorite meals for dinner every night after school, how does that sound?” Hiroto’s heart crumbled inside of her chest, unable to help make the circumstances for Eiko easier. In this very moment, she felt a tinge of regret for taking her in… not because she didn’t love her, but because she shouldn’t have been so foolish to think that she could win over her village’s heart eventually with Eiko. But then she remembered that if she didn’t step in, Eiko would’ve been long gone from this mortal world.
“We’ll make things work out, Eiko. I promise.” Gingerly she’d whisper as she rocked Eiko gradually, soothing her enough to the point that it would cause her eyes to grow heavy and succumb to sleep within her protective arms.
10 уєαяѕ ℓαтєя
Time seemed to fly by as Hiroto watched Eiko grow up into a beautiful and clever teenage girl. If she had to estimate, she would guess that her current age was sixteen. Despite everything Eiko has been through, she managed to hold a cool composure on her shoulders and take what others said with a grain of salt… but in the inside, she was slowly chipping away one day at a time. Some days were worse than others, but Eiko would always remember back on Hiroto’s reassuring words on that cold November day, telling her to be strong for her, and for herself.
But one fateful day changed everything in the blink of an eye.
The sun blared down on the small group tending to a community garden as they collected ripened vegetables that were ready for consumption, as well as pulling out weeds or any other invasive plants within the soil. Eiko sighed out through her mouth in fatigue as she stood back up from plucking the unwanted plants. Taking the back of her hand she would wipe away at the accumulating sweat on her forehead, taking a small breather after finishing a row of tomatoes. The others in the group, a boy and a girl from school, also helped to manage the garden as Hiroto paced back and forth into the nearby building to bring in the plucked vegetables and clean them off. Eiko always kept to herself, uninterested in engaging in conversation with anyone asides from Hiroto, learning fast at a young age that everyone was cruel and hateful towards her. She’d rather avoid any type of confrontation whatsoever.
“Taking a break? I thought you Oni’s didn’t tire so easily?” The girl would toss out a jeer towards Eiko as she laughed at her own comment, talking to her for the first time since their meeting. Eiko acted as if the girl were never there to begin with, continuing to rest momentarily before wiping her hands against her lap to somewhat clean them before dirtying them furthermore.
“It’s not nice to ignore someone who is asking you a question.” Chipping in, the boy tag teamed with the girl, finding it humorous to pick on someone that lived a misfortunate life. Once again, Eiko disregarded the duo, kneeling to resume tugging out the weeds by the tomato plants. Her silence didn’t sit well with them, the two marching behind her before the boy took the sole of his right shoe and proceeded to kick her down harshly into the soil. Eiko did hear them approach from behind, but she never anticipated them to assault her so randomly.
Almost having her face colliding with the soil, she stopped herself in time with her extended palms, hoisting herself up on her knees before standing. Her body turned around, gazing at the pair before her, making eye contact for the first time. For a split moment she could see the fear in their eyes, but that fear quickly dissipated and turned into something more cynical.
“What? Did I hurt your little demonic feelings?” The boy practically spat at her, feeling droplets of his saturated breath patter onto her skin. Eiko clenched her teeth, the others noticing as her jaw tensed up ever so slightly, causing them to laugh to know they struck a nerve.
“Haven’t you noticed you’re not wanted here? It would be wise of you to run away for good. No one will miss you.” Sneering, the girl got up in Eiko’s face in a attempt to intimidate her, the two only going this far because Eiko had never attacked anyone despite her race’s reputation. They knew they could get away with this and not have any repercussions. Still, Eiko wouldn’t reply back as she glowered at them shortly before whirling back around to once more have her back face them. Not responding to them would only cause the two to poke more at her, but this time they struck a nerve she never knew she had.
“Uhm, yeah, someone will miss her, and it’s that dumbass woman in the house. She needs to be hanged right alongside this demon.” Bursting out into laughter, the boy proud of his wit, Eiko instantly stiffened, her eyes enlarging as she felt a strange tight sensation within her chest. Hiroto had no part to be in this conversation, pissing off the Oni female with a snap of the fingers, the woman being as innocent as they came.
Spinning back around to face them again, her expression hardened as her eyebrows furrowed in building irritation. “Leave her out of this. If you want to pick a fight, do so with me, and me alone.” Eiko spoke through gritted teeth, baring her distinctive teeth for the first time to them – as well as talking to them in general. They took her defensive side as a joke, only provoking them to laugh harder.
“She’s going to be involved alright. She is the one that took you in after all, right? So, that automatically means she can be killed with you.” The boy responded to her threat with a shit-eating grin plastered on his face, savoring every drip of frustration spewing from her face. Oh, it worse than frustration -- a word that didn’t even exist to explain her feelings. Eiko literally felt something snap inside of her, something like a ticking time bomb that finally ran out of borrowed time. The hands that rested against her sides strained inwards, but not actually moving into a balled fist. Instead, they took on the appearance of lethal claws, her pupils constricting as rage ravished her form.
Without any sliver of warning whatsoever, Eiko dug her feet into the soil beneath her as she lunged at the boy that put the cherry on top to her fury. She couldn’t control herself, acting out on pure instinct and blacking out in the process as her body moved on its own accord. Her claws reached outwards to grip ahold of his shoulders as they collided into the ground, Eiko on top of him as he took the brunt of the fall. He didn’t have any time to comprehend what was going on, Eiko taking both of her claws and proceeded to claw at his face like a cat would to a scratching post. If she could think for herself in this moment, she would be astonished by learning just how much strength and power she held as she used her people's abilities for the first time.
Underneath her, the boy screamed at the top of his lungs in agony, trying to lift his hands up to cease her brutality, but they too would get slashed if they ventured too far within her reach. It didn’t take long for his face to pour with blood, his wounds lethally deep with no hopes of recovery. She would claw at his eye sockets, feeling the tip of her elongated nail hit just right to scoop an eyeball right out from the socket, her other hand causing his nose to rip clean off the bridge of it. Nearby, the girl that instigated with Eiko watched in horror, everything feeling as if it were a nightmare and not actually reality.
Continuing to move instinctively, Eiko went in for the final blow as she lowered her head and endlessly bit at his feeble neck and tore out chunks of flesh and innards. The cries he was emitting finally stopped, no longer having vocal cords to even resonate his screeches for all to hear. Still beside them, the girl didn’t even try to interfere with the chaos before her, leaving her so called friend in the dust as she feared for her own life instead.
Snapping her head to look over her shoulder -- face drenched in blood that wasn’t her own -- locked her eyes on her new target and proceeded to leave the corpse she was on top of to pursue the running girl. She cried with each step she took, not wanting to look back to see just how close she was to her. Frantically she tried to get into the house where Hiroto was in, but she wasn’t even near close to succeeding as she would feel a body that weighed more than her tackle her from the backside. Eiko didn’t even wait for them to make impact with the ground, instantly shredding the nape of her neck with her bladed teeth as they fell in midair. The crunching sound of muscle and tendon reverberated in her ears, Eiko’s throat emitting angered cries as she continued to get her revenge over a few hurtful words regarding her Mama.
Desperately – and barely conscious -- the fading girl tried to extend her arms outwards in a futile attempt to crawl away, the inside of her nails embedding with dirt and grime from the force of her clawing. Uncaringly as she chomped away at her neck, Eiko took her left hand and clawed at her left shoulder as her right hand clawed into the left side of her face. Burrowing her talons into her skin and even puncturing the inside of her ear as a lone nail snuck inside. As forcefully as she possibly could, she began to force her left shoulder down to the ground as her right hand compelled the poor girls head to tilt to the right. It didn’t take long for the bones in her neck to break and shatter, but Eiko wasn’t satisfied. Pushing the limits, she continued to tug and pull until the girls head was messily decapitated, flinging it as if it never meant anything in the far distance, colliding against a cucumber plant as her blood sprinkled over the green leaves and vegetables.
Unaware of Hiroto hearing the commotion and investigating, she’d boldly run towards Eiko, unable to make a sound as her face warped in despair. As she extended her right hand to grab ahold of her child, Eiko would swivel around as she still laid on the dead girl and ensued to draw her left hand and strike her mother’s forearm profoundly. It was so deep that tendons, muscle, and bone could be noticed, blood instantly trickling down her hand to drip off from her fingertips. Luckily, Hiroto would still have an arm, but a nasty scar would linger – that’s if she could survive the infection that was doomed to happen.
As soon as Hiroto’s image reflected off from Eiko’s eyes, she instantly stiffened and gawked at her, her massacring stupor dispelling as she began to come back to reality. Blood dripped down from her chin, bits of flesh still rooted in her teeth as she looked at her mother’s wound, then back at her face. Hiroto was in tremendous pain yet managed to hold in her cries and endure everything that Eiko had just given her. Her face distorted into an expression of fear and uncertainty, Eiko never seeing her mother look at her like that before. Unspeaking, she’d glance down at her crimson-coated hands, looking around as bits of flesh peppered around the garden, taking in the sight of the two corpses before her.
Darting her head back to look at Hiroto -- tears quickly forming in her apologetic eyes -- she launched herself upwards before running as fast and as far as she could from the village. Eiko swore to never look back at the gruesome sight behind her, feeling appalled at herself for not even asking if her mother was okay or tending to the wounds she inflicted on her.
“Eiko! Wait!” Hiroto finally shouted with a quivering voice, already knowing that she couldn’t convince her to turn around… and woefully aware that she may never see her adoptive daughter ever again for as long as she lived.
“Eiko…”
5 уєαяѕ ℓαтєя
Without having the life she was accustomed to, Eiko, now twenty-one, was forced to live like her ancestors; dwelling off of mammals and garbage scraps that was left outside of villages she traveled to in secrecy. For the first few years of her new life on her own, she only lived off of those food options and sleeping anywhere that seemed remotely inhabitable for the night... but her mouth continued to salivate over the lingering taste of human flesh from a few years prior. For the most part, she did an amazing job at holding her sickening urges and instead eating wildlife, feeling disgusting for even thinking about feasting on human flesh again.
But it was undeniable that something within her awakened on that blistering hot summer day in the garden.
As she continued to travel, Eiko would come across another group of travelers as they camped for the night in the vacancy of the woods. There were two men sitting by the fire, laughing and eating whatever they brought with them. Eiko was interested in their food, but quickly tasted human flesh yet again despite looking at the stew that was overflowing in their wooden bowls. She shook her head, trying to rid of the urges that grew stronger every day, but once one of the men noticed and called out at her, she felt that familiar sensation of losing control again…
She killed and devoured the two men, the pair unable to put up a fight or even managed to give her a single scratch as she dominated them. Once the deed was done, she grew uncaring to how she just effortlessly ended two lives with no rhyme or reason, continuing with her killing spree as well as pickpocketing whatever was leftover from her kills.
Growing confident enough, or just plain losing her mind at this point, she began to devastate village after village, taking on more people than a single army would without causing any detrimental harm to her. Some preys were taken in her abode as she attempted to connect back with society, obviously losing her domestic side and was now full blown feral. Eiko failed to connect with them, the weakened individuals wanting nothing to do with her – desiring nothing more than to run away from her confines. Growing tired of their constant fear of her, she’d end their lives and continued on her merry way.
During her travels she would find herself at the doors of Kiri Village, already knowing that this would be her new home for the time being. The atmosphere was rich with saturated air from the fog that blanketed the village, the Oni already enjoying this little area and wanting to stay in it for a while. Her first mission was to find an abode, targeting a rich noble and his family to claim their luxurious home as her own. Their blood and bodies adorned her new home, the deceased family being the first decorations to make herself feel more at home.
Continuously she took what she wanted, never answering to anyone’s cries for forgiveness for doing nothing wrong to deserve such a gruesome fate. No one was given any kind of mercy, and not a single tear was shed on behalf of those who had passed on by her hands.
She really did turn into the monster she was destined to be.
“Please! Let me go! I wanna go home!” The cries of a terrified girl echoed in the corpse-riddled home as she pinned herself in the corner of the open room. Eiko, on the other hand, casually sat down on the wooden floor as she hugged her knees, staring at the cowering girl as she was starting to grow bored with her -- as well as growing more irritated as she continued to hear her wining. Comforting her in an attempt to seem stronger than he really was, a boy joined her in the corner of the room and held onto her tightly enough to try and cease her trembling.
An uncalled-for sound, though, caused the Oni’s ears to perk up, hearing another set of feet shuffle into her home… uninvited ones. Her face twisted in curiosity, quickly jumping onto her feet that elicited the girl to scream, fearing she was about to charge at her and end her life. Instead, the Oni hoisted herself up to investigate, but instead of her going towards the source, the source came to her.
His taunting only caused her to laugh sadistically as he made his appearance, their eyes locking onto each other for the first time. She stayed concentrated on his eyes and nothing more, uncaring to how his hair was kempt and what apparel adorned his masculine figure. All she saw was an intruder.
One that needed to be exterminated.
“Awfully bold of you to step into my home like this. Are you that stupid? Did you not see everything around your feet as you made your way towards me?” Eiko spoke in a low tone as she interacted with the man wielding a questionable weapon she had never seen before. She didn't comment on his remarks, knowing well that she didn't fear anyone or anything, not needing to strike anyone when they were at their lowest. “I don’t give a damn, though. At least you know what your grave looks like.” She stayed standing, not feeling intimidated in the slightest as she glowered at him, hoping he would take the hint and back off, allowing her to chase after him.
"Miss Setsuko, Miss Setsuko? What are we going to do now? She'll eat us, won't she? I want my brother!" A boy no younger than her smaller siblings tightly hugged the teenage girl at his side, with her only biting down on her lip and hugging him closer, turning her side to the Ōni so that if she were to attack them, then her body would have shielded him as much as possible. "Hush now, Shinichi. Someone will come here to help us, I am sure of it...Gorobei hasn't forgotten about us." Then, her eyes would narrow as she pierced the Ōni with them, refusing to give her the satisfaction of killing a harmless prey.
"You wretched creature...won't you spare a child? Is that how your kind behaves?" Naturally, she couldn't know about her pain, about the suffering that had turned Eiko in the monster she had grown up to be. She found the way the Demon studied them to be almost sickening, unnatural red, slitted pupils refusing to leave the two Humans unsupervised for a moment. She had seen what she was capable of, only a few days prior. Another boy had been captured with them...but his resistance had proven futile.
Setsuko had cupped Shinichi's ears with her hands, and shielded his eyes from the gruesome view of the village boy being pinned to the ground after his arms had been twisted in an unnatural angle, the pearly white bone piercing through the flesh as the Ōni quite simply ate her way through his neck, then looked back at the duo with his head suspended by the shattered cervical vertebrae she had eradicated with the flesh she feasted on. Even as his vocal chords got ripped out and the sound of his diminishing groans as he suffocated in his blood before being decapitated faded, he had never once ceased to call for his mother, to beg her to save him from such a cruel fate. But the savage beast had other plans.
"Mother...mother...it hurts so much..."
Thus, she had vowed to save the boy at the very least. A simple look at the rotting, headless corpse strewn on the ground a few feet away from them gave her all of the reasons she needed to get out of there...if only she could buy enough time to get her hands on the knife she had managed to swipe off of one of the corpses in the hall...
Yet her prayers came true as the sliding door leading to their prison opened, and a man clad in white walked in and drew a sword. For the first time the Ōni seemed... worried? No, annoyed was the best way of putting it on her terms. A lot of Humans had no doubt attempted to hunt her down, and all had failed to do anything but injure her slightly with their dull pikes and spears. If anything, Setsuko hoped the brave samurai's arrival would make for a sneaky escape out of the hellish room they had been forced to live in for the last few days.
Meanwhile, Kōtaro was as cool as he could be as he looked at the Ōni leapt up from her kneeling position, and turned to face the man...only to completely stun him with her looks. He didn't expect the Demon to look so Human-like, though her tone was crass and accent hard to ignore for someone who had grown up in the capital like him.
No, now was not the time to allow himself to fall prey to such unimportant thoughts, not to mention those of admiration towards his enemy. He'd calmly speak up, ignoring her unpleasant personality. "I am glad you asked. Yes, I have been able to happen upon your work while making my way to your lair. And while I am here to retrieve something you have taken from the people of this village, I presume you won't be one to hand it over so easily." He didn't want the Ōni to treat him like any overconfident farmer that had tried taking her on. Even if it was for a brief moment, she wanted the beast to be truly scared for her life.
"Ah, if only you were not a Demon, then I would have asked for your hand in marriage. Killing such a lovely woman is a pity but...you didn't feel any for those that you slaughtered on your way to Kiri. How many were they? 50? 100? What does it matter, Demon's don't grieve for those that have come to pass. But I am here today, and I will make it so that you can atone for the crimes you have committed." As he spoke these words, Kōtaro would grip the katana he had been wielding for what must have been 2/3 of his life, and assumed a guard position, ready to strike his foe down.
Yet after giving her such a hateful glare, the man clad in white closed his eyes, and sharply inhaled. Normally, one would have done so to relax, but in his case? It was merely to prepare for what he was about to do so that he could vanquish the Demon. His pupils still unseen, he would begin to take a step towards the Ōni, counting down the seconds that remained of what she considered her very own existence.
3.
Kōtaro would raise his katana up in the air, right above his head as if he was readying to make a downwards slash. Yet, this was a prelude to the real difficult part of the move he was trying to pull. Despite being wide open, he showed no signs of fear, or hesitation, as he kept moving towards Eiko completely undisturbed.
2.
It was here that he kneeled, and brough the sword to his side as he lowered his upper body and finally opened his eyes back up, exhaling. With Eiko readying herself up for combat, she had no choice but to let her senses dull for a moment. It was then that she would notice...that the man was gone. Yet she could perceive a presence other than hers and the children's in the room. His disappearence had been so sudden, she hadn't even heard the tatami creaking under his weight.
1.
It was only as she observed a few small clouds of dust springing up from the floor that she finally came to realize what was about to happen. Yet in her mind, Eiko was treated to a sweet memory of her lost childhood. That of her mother holding a beautiful flower out to her, then braiding it into her raven hair.
[ Sakura ]
- 櫻 -
0.
Only for those petals to tinge with her own blood as the same pain she had inflicted upon others finally afflicted her as well, her right arm cleanly bisecting at the shoulder and being flung in the back of the room, warm blood pouring in a small pool on the floor as the man she had challenged stood right beside her, only to leap back and give a stern look at the children.
"What are you two waiting for!? Go, now! I will deal with her." Receiving a choked "Thank you." from the older girl, Setsuko would take the child up in her arms and make a break for it, slamming the door shut behind her and leaving the man to circle around his opponent. He was very aware of just how strong an enraged Ōni could be, and Kōtaro could tell by the sheer look of horror that altered her features that the grievous wound had not only hurt her body, but her pride as a Demon as well.
"Well? Wasn't this going to be my grave?" He would mimic the question she has posed him, only in a tense, mocking tone as he braced for her retaliation. He certainly was in for the toughest battle he had yet faced during his career. "It's not fun when the prey finally decides to strike back at an unwary predator, isn't it?"
Already, Eiko could tell that this sole voyager was different than the rest – the way he preached in pride, his unshaking stature, those vivid hues saturated with dedication and confidence… it made her sick. It was evident that he was after the two children that cowered in the corner of the room – the only other souls left alive in this necropolis of a home – as well as terminating the “plague” that inflicted mayhem to this innocent community. Unmoving, she remained in her current stance as she observed her overly confident target.
Elevating a very perplexed brow, she’d tilt her head ever so slightly to the side in response to his marriage comment. Eiko was well aware that he didn’t mean what he stated, yet she couldn’t help but give him a timorous glint in her crimson orbs when he called her lovely. No one else, asides from her mother, had ever said anything like that – not even in a joking manner. Blinking a few times, she’d dispel herself from the brief stupor he managed to get her into. If he imagined that his little courageous oration would impose fear within her veins, he would be awfully mistaken.
“To hell with those corpses!” Heatedly she spat out at him with gritted teeth as she flung her arm to the side – as if pushing those said carcasses out of her way. “You know nothing… nothing at all!” Words that wouldn’t make sense to Kōtaro flung out of her mouth, the man clearly kindling something graver than he had realize. He was provoking her with nostalgic memories, the Oni now having more fuel to ignite the volcanic eruption that was bound to happen.
His sudden shift in mien left her bemused. Who did he think he even was?! To act so calm and composed as he stood in front of the Oni that slaughtered many lives with so much as a flick of her wrist? Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to charge at him and strike just yet, the Oni growing amused to see his small “show” before the bloodbath she was bound to give him. Even as he took a step forward, Eiko in no way flinched or endeavored to walk backwards to create more distance between them. She waited for her prey to come to her since he was so willing to perish.
Eiko had the slightest idea as to why he was presenting such a theatrical approach towards her as he raised his weapon of choice before kneeling before her, setting said weapon to his side idly. His first goal became a reality as she stood there in a torpor, severely mystified on his planned tactic. Was he willingly giving himself to her? The trance-like state he exacted on her served him purpose, the woman blinking in skepticism only to find the man now gone once her lids fluttered back up.
Trepidation pierced her expression, Eiko quick to broaden her eyes as her head and body whipped around in a futile effort to relocate the samurai. Her midnight tresses whipped around with the swiveling of her head, desperate to find her fleeing prey. In the corner of her eye, a miniature dust cloud emerged out of nowhere, causing Eiko to turn in that direction with readied talons. In the heat of the moment, her mind involuntarily wandered off to a place she had forgotten due to locking it up…
…the smiling face of her Mama as she weaved a cerise flower head into her newly braided hair. The way she gingerly played with her hair caused Eiko to grow tired, basking in the soothing comfort and protection her beloved Mama had always provided her with. “If only I could feel your touch on good terms… just one more time…” Eiko would mumble to her imagined mother in her head, already feeling a tight knot in her stomach as it built from the agonizing grief she felt.
The potent emotions triggered her to grow incapacitated momentarily, but that small amount of time to get distracted was more than enough for the raven-haired man to make the first strike. Gruesome sounds eerily obscured the room as tendon, muscle, and bone were effortlessly carved away by the katana within his hold. An overwhelming warmth that could be felt around her right shoulder blossomed, feeling that same heat pour down the right side of her body. The scent of fresh iron clouded Eiko’s nose, still ignorant as to what truly happened – her body surging with epinephrine which reduced the pain tremendously – before sluggishly looking down at the right side of her figure.
Even if she wanted to paint on a poker face, she wouldn’t be able to. Every single emotion she felt detonated from the inside out – undoubtedly bringing a smug look to Kōtaro’s features.
As he bellowed and ordered the children to make a break for it, Eiko wouldn’t even bat an eye to the escaping duo, having bigger issues to tend to as she continued to gawk at her lifeless arm that limply laid on the flooring beneath her – occasionally twitching due to the nerves slowly dying. Taking her left hand, she would hurriedly clutch her gaping hole of a wound as a steam-like vapor escaped from the spaces between her fingers, Eiko’s restoration capabilities automatically beginning… albeit it would take a good chunk of time to get her arm back.
Lifting her head, she would lock eyes with Kōtaro’s as they both acknowledged what just happened amongst each other. Gradually, Eiko’s body began to tremble, her jaw shifting as she grinded her teeth together into a lethal clench. It almost looked as if she were about to weep from her calamity… but that was far from it. A frenzy so intense – one that she never suffered before – began to consume her very core, akin to that same feeling that day in the garden.
Taking her quivering left hand, she’d bring the bloodied palm to her face before lashing out her elongated tongue to lap off her own crimson liquid, all while still holding her gaze at the man who would deem himself worthy of a true battle with her.
“It looks like you’re trying to dig my grave…” Eiko conversed with a hushed yet calm tone which worryingly didn’t match her body’s response to the assault. Steadily her legs began to move, striding towards him at a slow pace. Standing several feet away from him, she would cease her walking, her lips curling up into a sadistic grin that could kill someone on its own.
“But I’m the one that will push you in it!”
Just as fast as Kōtaro moved, the demonic being bolted from side-to-side at inhuman speeds, attempting to make his irises dart everywhere in an attempt to keep track of her movements. When she got close enough to him, her left hand wasted no time and lashed outwards at him. Her fingers strained as she forced them to point outwards and curl as much as they could, wanting to make her claws sharper than normal. Calculating his hand movements, she’d maneuver around his motions and dig her lethal weapons into his left side where his ribs were located. As if he were a nail filer, she’d rake her talons down his side swiftly, causing four deepened lacerations to decorate his flesh – almost looking as if he were the pattern of a zebra from the unique shapes. Eiko could feel his bone graze against the tips of her nails, as well as feeling the toughness of his tendons and muscles trying to stop her from proceeding downwards… but they didn’t stand a chance.
As she kept him occupied with his new battle scars, her body would position itself behind him. Her mouth opened widely – resembling that of a lion’s maw – her new target being the nape of his neck. Unfortunately, he moved his head in a certain way that caused her to miss, but instead she latched down onto the dip between his shoulder and neck. She bit as hard as she could and tried to clamp down on as much skin as her mouth would allow, her head moving from side-to-side like a rabid dog as she pried his flesh to detach from his body. Successfully, she managed to grab a decent chunk of flesh within her jaws, her body finally recoiling off from his – taking her claws and mouth off him completely – before stepping to the side with a large chunk of his body’s meat still in her mouth. As if it tasted appalling to her, she’d spit it out and make it fall beneath her, her mouth now dripping with his own maroon fluid as remnants of skin and muscle stuck in between her teeth. More blood of his dripped down her claws, pitter-pattering onto the croaking ground beneath her to mix with her own blood that was still seeping out from her.
“Don’t speak so soon... my words still hold true, and this room will, as promised, be where you slumber for eternity.”
"Looking for something? Or someone?" He'd watch with amusement as Eiko's utter confusion took a hold of her. For the first time in her life, not only had a Human mocked her, but they had also gone to such great lengths to harm her, as well as bringing up the memories she had tried so desperately to bury under the tides of time. Kōtaro lost no time to follow up with one such question, still on his guard and very aware she could have lunged at him while he preoccupied himself with maintaining a dialogue. "That woman...you are not a wild Ōni, are you? You speak in a strange dialect, but you're somewhat used to behaving like a Human judging from the way you are dressed. A normal Demon wouldn't even care about their appearance. But, oh well. You likely let your hunger get the best of you and hurt her. Maybe even killed her?"
Adding insult to injury, he had tried insinuating that her Mama was dead now. That it was her fault for having broken her heart rather than the cruelty of Humans having pushed her to act on her repressed primal instincts, slowly built up by years of torment and more or less thinly-veiled insults that never failed to harm her in some way.
He glowered at the vapor that began to emanate from her wound, as well as the glee with which she seemed to confront the prospect of a battle to the death. She was not meant to be taken lightly, that much was certain to the man. "I never heard of your kind being able to heal so fast. This will be an interesting battle. I can't help but wonder however...how many people did you feed on to gain it? A hundred? Even more?" Though as much as he wished the idle chatter to continue undisturbed, the Demon clearly had other plans for the invader, the samurai bracing himself as she stepped closer.
"Come at me, if you think you can do so."
Despite his best efforts to keep his eyes locked on the target, Kōtaro was still a Human. Whereas the creature had no issues sustaining such a high speed, he could get tired eventually, and lower his guard. Which happened right in that instant. He didn't immediately perceive the pain, not until the claws sank in his flesh and tore through his body's soft tissues and bone at least. He would let out a grunt and bite down on his lip. If one thing had been ingrained into him since his youth was to bear the hurdle of pain, whether it be physical or mental.
It took but a moment of distraction to gaze at the deep gashes left by Eiko's talons that he'd feel her shift around, getting behind him. He tried bringing the katana down on the foul demon, but to no avail. He felt his skin tearing, and the tendons of his shoulder with it, leaving the pearl white of his bone exposed. To that, he couldn't help but growl as his prized katana fell to the ground with a low thud. He wasn't concerned of the Demon getting her hands on it, at least, for her flesh would have sundered the second her fingers gripped the hilt, but Kōtaro couldn't even do so much as lifting his own arm, which now dangled limply at his side. Even that simple gesture filled him to the brim with pain, however, and he hoped to end the fight in a swift fashion.
"I would not hold hope for those words to be true if I were you. The trait all of you Demons share in common is the lack of respect for any sort of lifeform that does not answer to your name. But Humans aren't all pushovers like those whose lives you have taken thus far. Allow me to demonstrate..."
He'd reach into his kimono, holding a fist out that would soon open, only to scatter a cloud of glimmering dust that would waft into her eyes, nose and mouth. At first, it seemed like a child's innocuous prank.
But it would become apparent that it was, indeed, doing something to her body. She could taste a bitter aroma dulling her senses, and her own blood, yet again. Painful cramps seared through her muscle, her gut ached like the times where as a child, she had drank the stagnant water of Raketomi Village's well.
Something had entered her systems, and was now poisoning her, corroding her organs and making the very blood in her veins surge and burn with the strength of a thousand suns.
"For example, we have tools to make up for our shortcomings. And even if I may die here, which seems very likely at this point..."
He'd make a pause as he drew a shorter blade from his side, lowering himself and narrowing his eyelids as he brought a precise, rapid slash aimed at her belly. Eiko would hear the wet, messy sounds she commonly associated with flesh rending to her talons. Only this time, she had not been the one to wound, but be wounded instead.
As she lowered her crimson eyes down to the wooden floorboards, she'd see the gash that the tachi had left on her abdomen, side to side. At her feet, with now a sickly hue to them...
Were her freshly-pulsating entrails.
Her intestines had, quite literally, spilled out of her, a grotesque display as she now resembled more of a butcher's haul for the day than the fearsome Ōni that had once threatened the village. Warm blood trickled down her legs and the ōbi that kept her robes together, gathering in a pool. On the man's face was a look of surprise as he took the chance to inflict the same pain that the monster had given him. It seemed like a good reward to offer her.
With another downwards slash, she felt her right arm going limp as well, the blade cleanly bisecting her shoulder and digging into her flesh, shattering the bone as it broke her clavicle, and jutted right above her beating heart after a neat curve that drove the weapon through her ribcage. The sound of it was horrifying, and the pain, even moreso as he didn't give her any quarter, or show her any mercy whatsoever.
"I can only hope the bite you took out of me was the best you have ever obtained from any Human. Because you aren't getting to taste blood ever again." He'd say as he took the blade and leaped back a few feet with ease, now holding it in a more unsteady guard due to the wounds she had given him.
"Well, what is your next move?" He would ask in that tone she could only interpret as a smug sense of superiority he held over her. A firm belief that he had bested her despite their battle being still ongoing. At least, his persistence was to be admired when it came to dealing with his foes.
With broadening eyes, Eiko glared down onto the man that continued to confront her, obviously indifferent to the wounds she had just given him. It was apparent that he was fighting until his very last breath – he wasn’t one to abandon a mission with his tail stuck between his legs. Why? Why wouldn’t he give up like the rest? Why was he so fucking stubborn?! Her pupils widened with disbelief… how did he know about her Mama? Eiko knew he was trying to get under her skin, to rip her apart, piece-by-piece, into big chunks until she was nothing more – to bring up the past she so desperately tried to run away from.
She wanted this human dead.
More than anyone in her entire life.
“You know NOTHING!” Eiko cried out, the room almost rattling as her chaotic voice filled the stale bloodied air. Without meaning to, her hateful eyes turned glossy as an abundance of tears began to fill her orbs. Her sharpened fangs gritted together as she showcased them in an unpleasant scowl, growing tired of his games, or whatever he wanted to call this. “JUST SHUT UP AND DIE ALRE-!”
A semi-transparent smoke encased her erratically, the Oni unfeeling to his little speech and unthinking that anything would come from it. Instantly, a bitter taste lingered in her mouth, trailing down into her esophagus as her nostrils slightly burned from the growing intensity of the unfamiliar mists. At first, she thought it was a trick to make the air around her smell worse than the corpse’s that muddled the room… but she would learn that this fog had more to it.
Growing in intensity, every inch of her insides was beginning to throb, her stomach suddenly cramping as if someone had just kicked her in that specific area more than a hundred times. Alongside the pounding, a heat that she had never felt before ate at her very core, causing her skin to perspire in a desperate attempt to cool down her heightening body temperature. A small cough left her lips as she knelt in pain while standing, bringing her left hand up to cup her faintly opened mouth before drawing her hand back. Hazy eyes gazed at the sight before her, her palm adorned with crimson liquid that was tinged with another color, perhaps her stomach acid. As the mists slowly began to dissipate, the steam coming from her right arm continued to simmer, her shoulder already beginning to shape itself as more of her arm regrew at a slower rate – yet still rapid in Oni context.
Eiko was well aware that she was letting her guard down as the pain grew more unbearable as each second passed. Never before had she encountered tricks like this… how come he had these while the others never even had anything remotely close? Her left eye closed as her right one squinted, the burning coursing through her entire form. She’d gaze at the samurai as she wobbled on her feet in an attempt to stand straighter, watching as he brought another weapon out to showcase. A dribble of blood mixed with saliva trickled down the corners of her lips, the Oni coughing a bit stronger as more of the liquid came spewing out. A wounded groan of pain resonated in the room, coming from her freshly painted lips as the crippling pain caused her to buckle up once more.
Albeit she wasn’t giving up, she didn’t even bother to move as he came charging at her, feeling her body steam up inside as it desperately attempted to repair itself from the ongoing damage within her entrails. Eiko’s sloppy attempt to sidestep him only served him greater leverage, the freshly sharpened blade effortlessly gliding against her abdomen. It was like a papercut… she could feel the blade drag across her toned stomach – the paralyzing pain accompanying it – yet there was nothing she could do about it but wait for his hand to retract away to exhibit the further destruction he caused onto her. All too well she knew that damage that was inflicted onto her just by the sounds alone – hearing mushy, tough, shredding echoes tainting her ears. It was weird to be the one experiencing this odd sensation, yet it didn’t cause her to give a second thought that this pain was the same that she was giving to others.
Growing lightheaded, her head would tilt downwards to examine the embellishments that he had given her. A horrified expression – that same awkward contortion on most of the faces puddling around them – took control of her features, the Oni in disbelief that a mere human could inflict so much fatal damage to her. “W-Where have you been all this time?” Breathlessly she panted out, using her remaining strength to steady her breathing. “It’s sad that it took hundreds of deaths for you to come to me. Pitiful.” She vowed to never back down, even in a time like this where she has a slim chance of leaving this building alive. Eiko wouldn’t show it, but if only the samurai knew how much it killed her inside to slay hundreds of innocent lives. It was in her blood to kill, and once it activated on that day in the garden, she had no way or idea on how to kill that instinct, but instead of killing that instinct she killed others.
“I may deserve my death… Hell, I know I do…” Eiko began to shift upwards to stand taller in spite of knowing that more of her guts and plasma continued to pour out to rest beneath her, the gruesome sounds not even making her flinch, “But if I am going down… you’re coming with me…!” And with that final sentence, she would feel a new kind of pain. Was he even listening to her as he charged to attack her again? Cracking. Breaking. Snapping. Gushy. Mushy. Wet. Aromatic… everything. Every single thing that was happening to her left arm caused the Oni to lean her head backwards and scream out weakly – as if her pain was just as important as her victims, knowing well that she deserved it all and should never be given mercy.
The organs that fell out from her – still connected in some way to her abdomen by either blood vessels or muscle – began to dissolve away as the poison ate at it hungrily. Eiko could feel her evaporating gut’s juices seep back into her via the connections, the Oni thankful that she was strong enough to regenerate from something as callous as this. If she were any less strong, she would’ve died in an instant. She was truly in awe at her body and how far she came. A heated vapor poured out of her stomach, her skin surrounding the gaping hole slowly starting to spread and grow to close it up. Now, her right arm reconstructed itself to the point that she had an elbow, steam still emitting from the reanimated limb. Her left arm, however, was slower at regenerating due to using all of her energy on her dominant hand. Still, the pain encasing her was strong and pulsating.
“My next move, you ask?” Eiko restated his inquire, her head still tilting backwards before she quickly snapped it back to be able to glare into his eyes. At this point, the organs that sluffed out of her stomach was corroded away, the hole in her abdomen still wide and large as a heated fog encased it. Her legs were still trickling down with burgundy liquid, her body smelling of cold iron as she felt some of it dry on her flesh and crackle like dried paint. “You’re looking pretty exhausted yourself. I’m sure you’ve used up a lot of your bodies resources, whether you want to admit it or not.” Eiko would move each leg marginally to reposition herself, spreading them somewhat as she scowled at the man before her. “I’m going to kill you, that’s what I’m going to do!” She could care less if her threats were tasteless or didn’t intimidate him.
Actions speak louder than words… right?
At full speed, despite her injuries and the pain intertwined with it, she would charge at him. Just as it seemed she was going to lunge at him… she lowered towards the ground. At first glance it seemed like she miscalculated her footing, but once the confusion faded, it was apparent that she meant to do this. Skidding on her feet as if were gliding down a hill, she’d get close to him, her eyebrows furrowing as she shouted out in retribution. With the strength she had left, she’d rotate her body around gracefully as she leg swept him with her right one, forcing him to plunge down to her level with an alarming thump. As his back hit the floor, Eiko would waste no time as she lunged upwards to straddle him, her legs hugging his sides tightly as she looked at him beneath her with a grimaced expression.
Choosing to stay silent – not wanting to waste anymore breath in unheard words – she’d lean downwards rapidly as remnants of her entrails spilled out from her gaping hole, onto his stomach and chest. Powerful jaws dived down to grip at his only useful limb, her teeth quick to sink down onto his shoulder as she tugged at his flesh frantically. Her head swiftly moved from side-to-side, ripping anything away that was in her path. Her blood mixed with his own began to pool underneath him, the Oni unrelenting as she continued to gnaw at his arm until it was deemed useless – yet still attached to him to some degree. Rising ever so slightly, she’d get a look at his face as blood dripped from her chin and lips, pitter pattering onto his face before bending down once more.
This time, her next target was his throat. Not wanting to get his gullet just yet, she’d snatched onto the left side of his neck, desperately biting at it like a piranha that hadn’t fed in days. A small – but still decent – chunk of flesh was kept in her mouth as she hovered upwards to give his face another glance, this time the corner of her lips curling upwards into a sadistic smile before spitting the chunk of muscle and skin onto his face. “Burn in hell with me, you useless piece of shit!” Angrily she’d yell at him with clenched teeth as tears dropped onto his face alongside the blood, her detest for him showing its full potential.
"It's true that I'm dying, as well. But I knew that'd be the case upon meeting you. Truth be told, I didn't even expect to be able to push my luck so far, not against an Ōni, at least." A bitter smile painted the man's features, his skin growing more anemic as he attempted to hide the mangled arm that Eiko had gifted him with, a pool of blood soaking his geta and pristine kimono. He'd lower his head, his upper body shaking uncontrollably in laughter.
The medicine had been effective, and it was clear both of them were living on borrowed time. Eiko could have regenerated her body as much as she wished, but the poison never would have truly been expelled by her system. It would have paralyzed her, and slowly led the creature to an agonizing death in a matter of days, more than enough to ensure she couldn't claim any more victims.
He felt pity for her, however, the way the floor painted itself with her guts. What once were her intestines and liver now resembled a sickly green mush that reeked like an open, festering wound and oozed a similar substance. A normal Human's body melted in seconds, their features rendered unrecognizable by the powder as it ate through skin and bone marrow. Only one person that he knew of survived exposure to it, though it resulted in them living away from the public eye and grow unhinged as a result.
"Ah, you're such an amusing woman. Very well, if that's what you wish, I won't oppose it." There almost was a tinge of...resignment in his voice? The blood-caked Ōni didn't scare him as much as the prospect of returning to the capital empty-handed did. To face the Tsukihana Clan with shame and failure. What good was a warrior if he couldn't even dispatch a Demon? He didn't want to face a situation like it, not again.
"I see, now it all makes sense. You're not even a true Ōni, are you? Your kind sees no reason to conform to our norms. They wear their bloodied rags like they're made of the finest silk, and see little reason to groom themselves. That woman must've had a great influence on you." He couldn't understand Eiko's attachment to the person he saw in her memories, not at this time, anyway. What he could feel was her rage at being confronted with that mental image, and the hatred she harbored towards him.
There was no way he could have anticipated her counterattack.
Kōtaro tried to sidestep his attacker, only for her to sweep him off his feet, quite literally. With the room spinning around, the samurai lost all his bearings, his back hitting the wooden floor with a sound -thud-, neck recoiling from the impact and leaving him wincing in pain. Before he could reach for his sword and strike back, the man felt a sudden pressure on his ribcage, locking eyes with the Ōni and gasping out in surprise.
The next sensation that hit him? Pain. Sheer, unrelenting pain that for the first time had him emit a loud shriek as her fangs sank deep down into his flesh, carving the pearl white bone and cracking it in half with the kind of unbridled violence one would have only expected from a rabid animal cornered by an expert hunter. The sweet taste of blood poured past Eiko's lips and revitalized her, her parched throat finding solace in the sliver of crimson it was finally allowed to taste. It was vastly different from the men, women, and children she had thus far, and quickly had her wishing for more.
Her tugging proved to be enough to almost sever the remaining ligaments that held the marred limb to Kōtaro's forearm, yet it didn't fully give in, a stubborn figment of his body refusing to concede as it fell limply against her shoulder, the warrior flailing at her and painting her face red with the fresh liquid.
"Oh, you'll regret this, Demon. I'll make you feel this pain tenfold." He'd stammer, eye twitching as his senses dulled and vision gradually narrowed. By the time her teeth found a way past his jugular, only a stifled scream left his lips, his legs kicking away at the air and torso raising and lowering as he attempted to escape, but to no avail. The chunk of flesh she ripped clean off resulted in a spurt of blood that soaked the few clean spots left on her grimacing visage, Kōtaro's mouth filling and foaming with it until his words were reduced to nothing but desperate gurgles and grotesque curses he would utter under his dying breaths.
One thing she had not noticed, however, was the fact he hadn't tried to put up a needless resistance. with what little strength he had left in his upper body, he had began to tug at her clothing. Normally, she would have assumed these were the usual death throes she so gleefully watched over anytime they happened. Kōtaro's intentions were, however, different.
He ran his fingers across her neck, feeling the sturdiness of the tendons within it. It was a natural trait of her species, that of having developed a resilient muscular structure in that area so as to fend off knives and arrows from penetrating within it. It was possible to severely debilitate an Ōni at such close range.
"...ie."
- SHRRRK -
A sudden warmth expanded beneath Eiko's chin, as well as a sense of light-headedness similar to the relief consuming Humans brought her during a full moon. Looking down, she could see it. Steel, gleaming coldly and reflecting the ferrous red of her iris. The Human had employed yet another, cunning trick to best her.
The sleeves of his kimono had been pulled back during his tugging, bandages having been affixed to support a mechanism that housed two hidden blades that, through a springtrap-based function, had shot forward into both sides of her neck and pierced clean through it, the woman feeling the sharp ends tickling the strands of jet black hair that were not gathered in a bun. Just a movement, and her life would have been over.
It was unclear whether or not the samurai was still alive, but a sudden blink of his amber hues and raspy breath due to the blood clogging his nostrils and throat let her know that was the case. There was an air of contempt as she'd slowly come to realize the situation they were both in. Neither alive, nor dead, stuck in an endless battle. It was now clear that his goal was not exterminating her...
But terrorizing the Ōni beyond her comprehension.
Silence filled the room until Kōtaro dared to speak up yet again, barely moving his mouth. Now that she had no choice but to listen to him, he could lay down the terms and conditions, as much as it was possible at least.
"...ntract. If you want...to live. We n...eed to form...a contract." That was the sole phrase he spoke, blood still pouring from his open wounds. He doubted the Ōni could straddle him for much longer, the blades having retracted. The deep gouges left by the weapon, however, meant that the ligaments had only a few more moments left at best before snapping away completely. That was one of the few parts Ōni could not regenerate.
“I’m… so tired… Everything hurts… I don’t want to fight anymore…” Eiko’s conscience pleaded with her, the weakened voice within her head trying to persuade her from going any further. She was using up energy she didn’t even have to spare, causing more damage to her fatal wounds than regenerating them. Large clumps of salty tears formed within her bloodshot eyes, cascading down her cheeks that were caked on with dried liquid crimson.
“Why… Why did I have to be born an Ōni? I didn’t ask for this life. I didn’t ask to be hated with a passion I never understood until I turned feral! I tried to be good… for Mama… for everyone… but it wasn't good enough! I want a new life! What did I do to deserve this sick, twisted fate? Please.. please… please… I just want this to end.” Spiraling thoughts of regret and remorse for her own life caused her to blank out and act purely on instinct. Copious amounts of tears flooded her aching eyes, blurring her vision entirely alongside the growing urge to rest her eyes just one more time. “Why won’t you just die already?! Stop fighting!” Her inner voice beckoned her to falter, to give in and succumb to the growing darkness that was rapidly consuming her eyesight.
The man beneath her continued to sputter words, words that would go unheard as her animalistic urges continued to shred his body, or so she thought. Now, she was barely moving, her arms growing heavier and heavier by the second, her jaw unable to clench down onto his flesh as securely as before. Eiko was slowing down, feeling the entrails within her continue to pour out of her opened wound like a faucet that was unable to be stopped. The poison that was ravaging her down to the core hurt so terribly that it caused her body to go into shock and grow numb. Her breathing grew shallower, more uneven, and seemed like too much work to keep inhaling and exhaling. The throbbing muscle in her ribs slowed down drastically, her body beginning to grow frigid and stiff. Everything felt so weird. So different. So… unnatural?
A faint, yet warm, touch began to caress her vulnerable neck, Eiko uncaring to his final futile attempts to find any way to free himself and live, the demon being far too fixated on finishing Kōtaro for good.
- SHRRRK -
Within an instant, Eiko jolted as a sharp, excruciating pain riddled the middle of her neck, piercing deep into her esophagus and out the nape of her neck. As soon as the steel was injected, a frothy mess of bloodied bubbles started to form within her throat, remnants pouring out from her newly formed wounds that looked like a vampire had just bitten her. The ingenious fucker decided to cook up a plan of his own, and he got just what he wanted - the most sensitive and vulnerable part of her demonic body. Eiko’s once half-lidded eyes now sprung open in shock and anxiety, realizing that within the next moments the Reaper would soon guide her into the afterlife. The reflection she stared into mocked her heartlessly, portraying how weak of a demon she was after all. She couldn’t even breathe anymore, and if she tried, nothing but the sudsy sounds of air escaped from her cracked and dry lips.
Taking her pupils off from the weapon plunged into her neck, she’d now look at the dying man beneath her, taking note of his unpredicted attack as the intricate mechanism was securely fastened to bloodied bandages. Thickened globs of burgundy began to escape from her flared nostrils and the corners of her once lively lips, her skin growing more anemic as cyanosis began to take over. Her tears were scorching compared to her now chilling body as they fell from her eyelashes, dropping down onto Kōtaro and also on her skin.
He seemed lifeless, but the flutter to his eyes begged to differ, his lips quivering as he attempted to talk more, or one last time, to her as they both began to wither away from this world, ironically within the arms of their enemy. “Why waste your dying breath to have the last word? You dumb human…” The demon thought, too terrified to speak in fear her head would snap clean off from her shoulders.
"...ntract. If you want...to live. We n...eed to form...a contract."
A… contract? Eiko heard of this word before regarding her demonic history, her Mama being the one to share the unfamiliar term with her. The young girl found it to be more of a fairytale than reality, thinking it was a funny concept to seal a contract with someone and to essentially become their 'pet.' Legend says that if someone has a special, albeit rare, weapon pierce into a demon, all that was needed is for their blood to intermingle as well as agreeing to said contract before waiting for time to seal their eternal pact. As expected, Eiko shrugged her shoulders at the folklore, but once Kōtaro mentioned this contact of his that hidden memory was unlocked.
“Can I even talk? As much as I know I deserve an unjust death, I don’t want to die! I don’t want to die… I don’t… want to…”
“I…” A spittle of blood left her lips as she tried to reply, causing her voice to sound clogged and foamy from the air bubbles within her bloodied esophagus. Time was fleeing, and she had to agree to it vocally before the darkness swallowed her whole, becoming nothing but dust to replenish this broken world. “I… gi…ve… m-m-my… ble…ssings…t-t-to… seal…th..is…cont…ract…w-w-w-with…y-you…I-I’m…you…rs…”
It felt so warm within her chest to say that.
“I’m yours.”
It felt so familiar. So comforting. Like she said it a thousand times before, yet no recollection of such memories? At least in these final moments, warmth and comfort would fill any opened wounds she had lingering throughout her body. She didn’t deserve this feeling. She deserved pain. Agony. A suffering so severe she could feel it for centuries even in the afterlife.
“I’m unworthy of this comfort… Please, take it away… I don’t deserve it… Let him have that, he was only doing what should’ve been done long ago… I’m so sorry, please believe me…”
Finally, the weight of her eyelids won the battle to her stubbornness as she tried to hold onto the small sliver of life she had left. Her body quivered as it strained to keep a conscious hold of the samurai beneath her, her muscles losing their once lively vigor, making her tumble downwards no matter how badly she wanted to stay upright. A blackness so thick - not even a sharpened knife could slice through it - clouded her vision, but within the fuzziness of her mind a silhouetted figure emerged, lighting up the closer it approached her. The light was so blinding, yet Eiko had no need to squint her eyes. Once the blurred face came into focus, Eiko instantly recognized it as her Mama. Tears of happiness welled in her eyes, knowing she was healthy and well. After all these years… worrying over nothing, when in reality she was fine!
But she faded.
She faded away so quickly, and the darkness took over again.
Desperate hands flung outwards, trying to grasp ahold of her Mama, the demonic girl crying out like a child unable to go to the market with a parent. As her fingers sprawled outwards, nothing but fog slid in between the webs that separated each digit when she grabbed ahold of the disappearing woman. Like dust in the wind, she flowed effortlessly out of sight, fragments chaotically detaching from one another to make an unrecognizable blur of colors that was once her Mama.
Nothing but a darkness that was so drenched in black that it hurt to even gaze at once more engulfed her, this time encasing her for forever… or so she thought.
"I shan't...die...so easily." Even as he approached death Kōtaro remained defiant and unable to simply let the Ōni have the last word, as she'd reprimanded him for. Even as he remained positive he could feel it, the chill of death spreading across his body and taking over his thoughts, bathed in his own blood as he was. He had fought long and hard since he could remember, trying to distance himself from his siblings, then as a samurai bound to his Daimyō by an oath that even overruled the bond to those who shared the same blood as him. And now this Demon had proved to be the greatest match he had ever faced in his entire path as a warrior.
[ It isn't a honorable death but...I fulfilled my duty. That much is undeniable. Only time will tell if my quest was a worthy one. ] He closed his eyes, feeling his heart slowing down and his limbs growing cold and stiff as what was left of his lifeforce bled out from the gaping wounds left by the monster, seeping into the floorboards and dirtying what was left of his pure white kimono. He had always made sure to not get it dirty with anything but his mark's blood...yet here he was, about to die like a dog in some foggy village that would never remember his deed.
Then the Ōni spoke up, with nothing more than a gurgle at first, but Kōtaro understood her as clearly as the bell chime that rang off in the distance. She was agreeing to forming a pact with him, the only means through which he could save them both. Her strained words already a distant echo as she fell into his arms and said her last words. The man's lips would slowly part as a distant memory came to him in his final moments.
"No matter how many centuries, and no matter the side we may fight for...we'll always find one another, and our love will blossom like it did. Again and again."
The faded silhouette of a man and woman embracing under a tree, then a battlefield. Her distraught expression as her bloodied hands cradled the body of her beloved, fell by her own hand, raven locks cascading under the cold, unmoving mask of death she was faced with. And with these images came several sensations : joy, that of an eternal vow that would resound through the ages, and sorrow, the unending void of pain and anguish the passing of a close friend or lover brought with it.
"I accept the contract." He replied, hearing his heart thump in his chest like a war drum. Once. Twice. Then a great warmth washing over both of them as the veil of the afterlife descended on the accursed pair. Eiko's last thoughts would go unheard by Kōtaro, as darkness drowned what was left of her consciousness into an inescapable abyss.
- The Capital, 6 Months Prior -
"Tsukihana Kōtaro-sama, the Daimyō is ready to receive you in his private quarters." A woman dressed in an expensive floral-patterned satin garb bowed before the samurai leaning against the wall of the Palace's ample main hall, the destination of many travelers, men of court and merchants who wished to pay their respects to the man that ruled all over them with methods many considered to be far kinder than any of his predecessors. Even so, said hommages were often dispensed to attendees and functionaries that were specifically instructed to welcome the less affluent guests so as to not bother the young ruler.
Though he wasn't the sole warrior to be summoned, Kōtaro had an advantage : his long-standing friendship with the man that also happened to be his liege, the one he had sworn to protect with his life. Clad in a suit of armor more commonly seen on the battlefield, the man elegantly dispensed a bow to the handmaid for notifying him of it, and quickly followed her as she led the way. As they took a less populated turn, even walking past several imposing guards whose countenance even rivaled the samurai's, he held his head high and his gaze fixed forward. He couldn't afford to slip up in an important, almost ceremonial situation.
Eventually the pair came to two large doors, the guards standing at their opposite ends exchanging an implicit nod before they'd open them with a long, solemn creak as they swung inwards, the finely-carved surfaces detailing tales of yore. Of men and monsters, their fierce battles to gain control of the world...as well as the founding of the Empire that now reigned over the land.
The chambers, more resembling a throne room, were as luxurious as the rest of their surroundings, as was befitting of a ruler. The pleasant sound of a shamisen being played by a beautiful courtesan sitting at the Daimyō's side, and the smells of scented incense that filled the air inebriated the man to the point his step felt fleet and unstable. It took a gentle nudge from the handmaid and the announcement of his arrival for Kōtaro to straighten his back out and put a hand on the pommel of his blade.
"My Lord, it is with great pleasure that I announce you the arrival of Tsukihana Kōtaro-sama, of the Tsukihana cadet Family. One shall leave you to business now." Both her and the samurai would first gracefully bow on the cushions that were set in front of the elevated platform the Daimyō's seat was located on, but the woman would then step out of the way once the young lord gestured her to do so, quickly followed by the shamisen player after a quick whisper in her ear from the noble made her giggle.
Arashi-no-Genkei was a youth many believed to be the herald of a new era for the continent. Soft-spoken but domineering when the time came to set his foot down and prevent his subordinates from making heated decision, quieting down squabbles between nobles and even making a complete overhaul of his father's previous government which he viewed as old. He was also pious, a fine scholar and artist...and very popular with the opposite sex. Kōtaro and him had known each other since before either of them could walk, the latter's father having worked for the previous Daymō, Lord Miroku, for the greater part of his life.
A delighted expression overcame him as the heavy gates closed behind them, his robes trailing over his svelte figure as he pulled the samurai in for a brotherly hug, quickly reciprocated by the other young man albeit with a slight frown. Genkei would put his arms on his shoulders, looking at him.
"Kōtaro, seeing you here today fills me with joy. I take it things have been well for you, yes? I have so much to tell you, but I am sure you would rather not hear me ramble on and on about all the troubles you surely are aware our beautiful country suffers from."
"My liege, you honor me. To compare my troubles to yours, I- I don't know if I'd even dare to do so. But if I may bring business up first and foremost-" He was halted by Genkei, who'd instead motion him to a nearby table they'd proceed to seat at, a few cups of liquor already being served for their meeting.
"Now now. You know I don't like it when you act so formal. Palace etiquette has never been your strong suit...you're more of a man of war than of finesse. Treat this as a meeting between friends. And to said friendship I would like to offer a toast today."
He lifted his cup, clinking it against Kōtaro's before partaking in the rich sake and setting it down. Taking a moment to savor the aftertaste, he closed his eyes and reached into his palace yukata, handing a scroll over to his old friend.
"Take it. This contains all that needs to be said. It's a grave matter indeed, but you, Kōtaro, are the only one that I know won't fail. This quest requires a special kind of…task to be carried out, and there are few I truly trust."
"Whatever it may be, I'll see that it is done." He almost bowed down to show his profound respect, but a slight brow raise from the Daimyō dissuaded him from doing so. It only took a brief stare between the two young men to break into a thunderous laugh.
"Hey." A distant voice echoed in her mind.
"Hey, you alive? Ah, I shouldn't ask." As a male figure flickered into her field of view, Eiko found herself free to move about, body unburdened by the severity of her wounds. Her arm, too was right where it had always been, and her neck firmly attached atop her shoulders, not a blemish on the Ōni's skin.
"I think it's time we laid out a few ground rules, Lady Ōni." The man raised his index first.
"Number one : I am not your emergency food. If you think you can snack on me the second I drop my guard, you are sorely mistaken. I will personally extract all your teeth until the only thing you'll be able to chew is going to be umeboshi."
"Number two : At the same time, I can't pretend to order you around. But we'll still need to work together until you've served your purpose. So never ignore my warnings or orders."
"Number three : Absolutely no attacking innocent people. Your days spent rampaging across the countryside? Over. I'd really prefer not to need putting you down." And that was all the man said, still sporting that air of superiority over the inhuman creature. It was then that a softer expression made its way across his visage, and he brought his hand forward.
"Do we have a deal?"
It was a familiar sight, Eiko being drawn to the warmth of it, as if once upon a time, she found herself in a similar place in life, and someone happened to utter those same words. But there was no way someone would care for an Ōni, right? Everyone always considered her a monster, an abomination. Something that tried to pass off as a human but inevitably fell victim to the beckoning of warm flesh and blood.
And just as their hands met, the world went dark yet again, leaving her in an unfamiliar place and with an uneasy feeling creeping up her back and making her blood curl.
- Hajimaru Inn -
Eiko's neck was clasped by a solid steel collar, not necessarily cutting off her airflow, but certainly making it harder for her to breathe and move her head around freely, like she was used to. A robust chain trailed down her chest, wrapped around her arms, and led to a figure sitting at the opposite end of the bedroom…
Kōtaro's eyes were closed, his upper body and arms covered in clean bandages. His pure white kimono had been discarded in favor of a comfortable, navy blue night robe, while his long,dark hair spread out freely over his shoulders. A wristband connected the samurai's body to the Ōni's, and it looked to be just as tightly-secured as Eiko's restraints.
Her ears picked up the sound of a door sliding open, a young boy walking into the room with a tray on which several plates were laid out. It was one of her prisoners, obviously cleaned up and in a calmer mood…until he'd see the fiery red orbs scanning him over like a fine cut of meat that just needed to be properly seasoned.
"!" A sharp inhale left his lips, but a deeper voice coming from the other side of the Inn's bedroom reassured him in due time.
"She won't attack, Shinichi. Leave breakfast here and slowly back out. Make sure to close the door too, I wouldn't want to scare the patrons now that Kiri Village is safe again." Kōtaro had woken up and proceeded to stretch himself out, the boy doing as he'd been told and leaving the pair to fend for themselves.
"Slept well?" He'd sarcastically ask Eiko, laying down a plate in front of her as well as a cup of warm green tea. The smell of human cooking was something…different than that of blood she had gotten drunk over for the past years.
As for the human, he barely paid her any attention, sure as he was that the chain would not give in under her strength. After all, they were linked from that day forward. Half of his soul was embedded into her own, and the same could be said for the Demon Hunter. A pair of relaxed amber eyes carefully watched her every move. Despite being unarmed, a dangerous aura pervaded the room and all of it seemed to be focused around the contraption adorning her neck.
How many days have passed? Everything was so fuzzy… what even happened? Unceasingly Eiko was shifting in and out of consciousness, some moments filled with excruciating pain and anguish, while others lingered with warmth and tranquility. Visions consumed her imagination as her eyelids were sealed, the orbs underneath moving around as she frantically looked around at what appeared in her slumber.
Her body moved and shifted around, be it by her own will or the actions of others… who even dared to touch her body, even as it laid motionless? Did they realize what she was capable of? How hideously she could rearrange their limbs to her liking with a simple yet calculated flick of her wrist?
“I’ll show them… just wait… until I get… my strength… back…”
“Ugh…” It had felt as if she chugged 20 shots the night prior, Eiko’s head throbbing grievously to the rhythm of her increasing heart rate as she stirred awake to the scents of foreign surroundings, yet some were quite familiar at the same time. A chilled yet thick material rested in between her bosoms, clanging as her body shifted to get in a more restful position as her back reclined against the inn’s wall. Inhaling to take a deepened breath of unstaled air, her throat abruptly felt constricted, her crimson hues swiftly fluttering before broadening to see if anyone was to blame for her lack of air.
Upon first glance, the lining of a bulky steel collar would be sighted as it clasped around her neck, trailing into chains that coiled enduringly around her slim wrists and arms. Following the seemingly endless supply of chains, it streamed down across the floor, slithering towards the Samurai that idly rested on the opposite side of her. Burning irises of bitterness drank him in, grimacing as he seemed perfectly unphased by her and having absolute control over the situation.
Hm. She’d test that.
Breaking her fixated attention on him, Shinichi interrupted her glowering stance, swiftly rotating her head to soak him into her eyes. A cheap smirk delightfully played against her rosy yet cracked lips, witnessing his evident trauma he had of her. Eiko was bound and could not lunge at him even if she so desired, but watching as his body trembled just by sheer sight of her elicited a giggle from her gullet.
“You tell me.” Just as sarcastically she replied to his snark question, her arms extending outwards before tugging upwards into a long and much needed stretch, noticing that her wounds were also adorned with thick bandages. Kōtaro must’ve done some extensive work upon her body, the aftermath still leaving her sore and tender as she moved about. Her dismantled clothes hugged around her figure, the fabric drenched in dried blood that was a collaboration of her own and others. “Not fair. You get clean clothes while I get to show off the crimson liquid of others on mine.” It had been far too long since she took in the scents of human food, her nostrils occasionally flaring as she took in deep breaths of the fragrant green tea, miso soup, rice, and grilled fish. It reminded her of Mama, a small twinkle sparking in her eyes from the fond memory, but was soon turned to disgust as she attempted to mask it rapidly.
“Gonna tell me what this hunk of steel is doing around my neck, and what this contact is all about?” It was obvious why she was contained but wanted to hear why from him, ergo the contract was still new to her and she did not know what it entailed. Small droplets of rain began to pitter-patter against the roof, the earthy scent seeping into the inn. Slowly her hands motioned out to gingerly grasp at the porcelain cup filled with steaming tea within her palms, the Oni cautiously bringing it up towards her lips to give it a gentle blow before sipping on it. It may have come to a surprise to the human reagrding how civil she could act despite witnessing her chaotic demeanor just hours… or maybe days before. “How much time has passed since our encounter? While you're at it, what is my fate, human?”
The man's brow furrowed, Eiko's behavior hadn't changed despite almost dying during their first encounter. It seemed like being the "prisoner" to a lowly Human was more of an annoyance to the Ōni ; instead of the sheer humiliation he expected her to display, the creature only sneered at him, nagging the Samurai for not providing her with a change of clothes that would suit her less savage demeanor now that she'd been brought into town. Kōtaro looked away, bringing his knees underneath his chin and tilting his head.
"I didn't think Demons cared for clothes. But, well, you aren't a real fiend, right? For starters, you have a semblance of manners." He was referring to how she took ahold of her cup. Normally, a captive would dunk the contents in their stomach as soon as possible provided it wasn't poisoned. Not that common brews would work on her. "Which leads me to believe there's more to you than meets the eye. But I'll entertain your questions if knowledge's what you're after."
The man stood up, the chain uniting them clinking as he came forward, arms crossed. He squared Eiko up as he did, amber eyes locking with her crimson irises. After a moment of painstaking silence, he partially dropped his guard to tentatively reach for her bottom lip, knowing she couldn't even fight back in this state.
"Hm, for being but a country girl, your looks aren't half bad. Not that I would have guessed while you were covered in blood, guts and your own filth. But, oh well." Back to the topic at hand, he decided to assume his previous position, maintaining eye contact with the Ōni as he did so. Kōtaro didn't plan on seeming weak.
"We've been unconscious for three days and nights, as our bodies healed. One of the children you almost added to your tally were it not for my intervention offered us a room at the inn she runs in her family's stead, and even cooked the food you're enjoying right now. Quite selfless, if I do say so myself. She even combed out your hair completely free of charge."
"The truth is, it was because of them that we survived. That, and sheer luck. The contract isn't a failsafe measure, you know...only those that can completely trust each other may end up surviving." Trust was a strong word, with how diffident they still were towards one another, not even taking into account how their fates were now one and the same. Everything rested on the physical link that bound them from that day onwards. Something felt... familiar about it.
"The pact itself is rather simple : we've become one, and that means that as long as we work together, we may overcome any obstacle in our way. If you plan on collaborating, that is." Something told him it wouldn't have been easy to get her word for it, but there wasn't much point in probing the Demon for more answers. She hated Humans, and deep down, perhaps felt resent at the scorn in the Samurai's eyes. What good could a monster be if they were kept on a leash like some obedient pet, following a master's whims?
"I can tell you aren't pleased with the situation, but it is what it is. I'd rather have given you a swift death but, it's not up to me to decide your fate for the time being…I think your talents are better off employed as an aide to these people. You preyed on dozens of them, and well, now they obviously will want to see you pay for your actions." Kōtaro stopped talking, instead focusing on the defiant gaze she still held up as their gaze crossed.
"Don't you agree, Eiko?" What- how did he know her name? She vaguely remembered his, 'Something-Taro' , having proclaimed it as he barged into her den to vanquish the bloodthirsty fiend.
No different from all the ones who pleaded to be spared by her talons and fangs, or the fools that dared to challenge her. Over time, they began to resemble walking, taking prime meat cuts as opposed to people.
Was this also a result of the contract? Clearly, it elicited more questions. Something he'd have obliged to, in time. There were other, more pressing matters to tend to now that she was awake, too.
"Now get dressed up and let's head outside. We'll need to make you look presentable if we're to gain the village's trust. Unless you plan on hiding away like a coward like you did up until now."
"Would you prefer I put my body on exhibit and not wear any clothes? It's the least I can do." Pursing her lips towards the mug once more she'd take a swift sip of the liquid, appreciating the warmth it gave her as it cascaded down her esophagus. The man was onto something once he mentioned how she was oddly different from her demonic fiends, but her lifelong story wouldn't amount to much - not like he'd believe that she was once a genuine girl trying to make a life of herself with her Mama. Those cavernous crimson hues followed Kōtaro's body closely as he sauntered his way in front of her. An unamused expression speckled against her face, wondering what he would gain by touching her chapped lower lip.
"Flattery will get you nowhere with me Samurai, but the effort was nice." He seemed so familiar to her, as if she known him before all of this transpired. The softness of his voice, the stern way he talked to her, the warmth of his finger that grazed her lip - so soothing, like a nostalgic dream. "Three days, huh? We must've done a lot of artwork upon one another's bodies. I'm a little sad I can't see my beautiful paintings upon your canvas now." Taking her elongated fingers she'd comb them through her seemingly silky hair, free of any knots or tangles despite her recent tussle. "I can't help but wonder how she felt touching an Ōni like that." Something tender and warm played at her heartstrings, never receiving any kind gesture from anyone asides from her Mama. Eiko tried so hard to form relationships with the townsfolk, but despite her efforts she was only met with threats and misery. For the first time in a while, the Ōni felt guilty for her actions towards the children who only wanted to help, but it would be short lived.
Did she really even have a choice with Kōtaro? If she valued her life, she'd need to cooperate with him... besides, he was the first ever human to actually stand his ground against her and live to see another day, that had to amount for something regarding her giving him at least a chance. "You're right. I'm not pleased with this situation, let alone the life that was given to me. What's new?" Sassily she retorted against him, already sick of the idea regarding aiding the people within this village. Regardless if they were not from within her village, what would make them any different than how her people treated her? Better yet, she now possesses a valid reason to receive all of the hate - when before she was nothing but an Ōni child trying to find a safe place within this cursed world.
"Oh, I agree wholeheartedly." Sarcasm saturated her words like sticky tar, Eiko unaware of what would even lie ahead of her despite hints of a possible agreement to have her life spared if she worked alongside the people. She should've been grateful, ecstatic to even get a second chance at life, but instead? She was acting like a spoiled child who was finally told 'no' for the first time.
"I am NOT a coward. My door was always open for ANYONE to come into it. Not my fault no one wanted to pay me a visit." Angrily she stood on her feet, wobbling a bit due to disuse of her legs but swiftly caught her balance. Uncaring to the man before her, she started to strip away her clothing, peeling off her shirt before tossing it down carelessly onto the ground beneath her. Her breasts were perky, her nipples budding due to the slight change in air temperature. "This is on the house, so drink it up." The corners of her lips tugged upwards to give him a playful grin, uncaring if he was embarrassed or enjoyed it. Reaching outwards to snag ahold of the clean shirt, she'd snake her arms in the holes before gravity let the fabric fall against her torso. Next was her bloodied pants, tossing them in the same manner as her shirt before slipping on the new clothes, completing the set. "I do request a shower eventually, I may look somewhat presentable but I sure don't smell like it." Putting a thoughtful index finger against her chin, she wondered about something. "Say, do you have to follow me everywhere I go, including the bathroom and such? At least you have bragging rights, huh? Who could ever say that they spend this much time with an Ōni, let alone a very lethal one..."
Taking her palms she'd flatten out the wrinkles that coated her fabric before giving Kōtaro a firm stare. "Alright, I'm ready whenever you are. Any last minute tips on how I should behave? I don't want to dare make an embarrassment out of you." Eiko snickered under her breath, acting as if this was all but a game. Was there something that could be done to get her to straighten her attitude and actually care for once?
"I thought Ōni were supposed to be wise creatures of the night, not spoiled brats that threw tantrums instead of properly thanking those that aid them." Kōtaro really didn't like Eiko's attitude, but what could he do about it? Even if she was now forced to assimilate the foreign concept of 'society' by being thrown into the daily lives of the townsfolk, that didn't mean she would gladly go with whatever the samurai requested of her. A pact was only a meaningless formality if the ones who broke it didn't undergo any sort of punishment.
"I may not have any authority in this village, for my Lord's domains lie far away from these lands. But while we are forced to co-operate..." The man stepped towards the Ōni as she angrily threw on the clean clothes, the reveal of her figure seemingly having done little to impress the man. His footsteps nearly thundered against the floor, as he sternly pushed the much smaller woman up against the wall and tugged at the collar that linked them. Eiko could feel the cold steel bite into her supple skin as she was forced to pay very close attention to his words.
"I request that you listen to me, and I'll take care of you in return, and make sure no other people can fall prey to your hunger. But should I have to break you in to sear the fact we are now one and the same, I will not hesitate to do so. Do you understand, Ōni?" For all the polite detachement he'd shown up until now, it was hard to think Kōtaro would go so far as to physically threaten her. And yet as their eyes silently locked, each trying to size up the other, the sensation this was not the first time something had happened in their respective lives presented itself again.
"I can allow it, so long as you behave." He asnwered her request. While the smell of decay wasn't there anymore, Eiko has still lived for a significant amount of time covered in filth, be it other people's entrails of her own "meals" making a mess on her.
"And one more thing." Kōtaro stepped back, and turned his back to the Ōni in one further display of disrespect as he stacked the breakfast plates and utensils together, tidying up the room a little.
"I don't like mouthy women, so I'm afraid the marriage offer will have to be post-poned until we've gotten along with one another, and that nasty attitude of yours quelled. It's only fair I get a reward out of this, I think."
Bold words from this insignificant country Samurai aside, he was a strange one, making light of someone else's feelings like that. It remained to be seen whether his proposal was a serious one or not - Humans rarely (if ever) mingled with her kind. They'd come for her parents and slaughtered them, and surely if he'd been as merciless, he'd have done the same with a fully-grown, hungry Ōni. At the end of the day, him forging a contract only proved he was too much of a coward to face death with dignity : he'd opted to expand his lifespan through a loophole, instead of succumbing against a worthy opponent in armed combat, and made her an ally to avoid living with any trace of guilt.
Perhaps It wouldn't have been as bad to associate with the Human as he thought. There was much they could learn from one another, different as they no doubt were.
The way in which she'd been shackled up and shoved out of the room was almost offensive for someone of her value. Every time she threatened to stop and turn around, looking for an opening, a firm hand steered her back in the right direction. No one seemed to be staying at the Inn, but the two children she'd trapped in her lair were waiting for them at the end of the hall.
"Good...morning." The boy said, averting his eyes and shivering as the fiend's eyes went over him as if he was a fine addition to her breakfast. The girl, on the other hand, was definitely staring back at Eiko, stone-faced and uncaring of what she could do if even subtly provoked by an ill-mannered word.
"Kōtaro-san, are you bringing her to the Chief, then? We were hoping you could stay with us a while longer...it'd feel safer having you."
"Unfortunately no, I cannot stay. But I will be back to pay you once she's been administered a fair punishment. Now if you will excuse her, we must be on our way."
"Of course, take care." With that, the two remained behind as the Samurai brought the Ōni out into the Village's streets. It was a sunny morning, definitely not fitting the ominous air that weighed upon Kiri. It was not hard to determine the source of such discomfort. Even it the inhabitants hid in their huts, and only a brave few dared to peek from behind closed doors, she could still smell the fear surrounding her.
It was exciting, if not for those restraints.
"Don't drag your feet, Ōni." Kōtaro whispered in one of her ears, sinking his hand into her skin - down to her collarbone. An inhuman grip that let Eiko know that she wasn't getting away. Not this time, for her crimes were too severe to be left unpunished. A monster that couldn't be left to wander as it pleased was being brought to justice today.
Gradually, the square came into view. A sizeable crowd had gathered there, and right in the middle stood three men, the more refined make of their yukata and better-groomed appearance suggesting their rank among the people of Kiri Village. All the chatter stopped the second Eiko and her 'caretaker' approached. As they came to a halt, Kōtaro rudely forced her into a bow, first by tugging at the chain of her neck, and then by clasping her untamed raven tresses and craning her head forward. She had never bowed to anyone, much less a bunch of stuck-up old men whose only glint of piety for her situation had long since faded.
"We are here today to decide of this...creature's fate. While our thanks to the Daimyō and his most trusted man have already been extended, allow us to once again pay our respects, Samurai." Joining their hands, they bowed to Kōtaro, and he did so in return, albeit not as profusely. Honestly, he always felt uncomfortable when receiving praises after a job well-done. This was no exception of course, although slaying an Ōni certainly deserved a healthy dose of revere.
After the center one had spoken, the Elder on the left stepped in Eiko's direction, and cast down an index finger at her subdued frame.
"Look at her. While she may look like one of us, there is no mistaking it. Her fangs, those accursed eyes, and an animalistic urge to pillage and massacre...Tell me, Ōni. What did it feel like when our people begged for mercy? You didn't spare them, not even the youngest ones. That has me thinking your kind does not feel an inkling of compassion. Or is too primitive to do so."
"The Elder is right! She's a monster!"
That word, the word she never hoped to hear after running away from home all those years ago, tormenting her dreams.
It slowly began, rising up as a chant.
Monster.
Monster.
Monster.
Kōtaro didn't like where this was going. He hoped she wouldn't think of compromising her situation further and ruin his plan at that.
"Do you really think an Ōni would grovel at the feet of a low human and genuinely thank them? You're only fooling yourself with that impression." Despite his failed efforts to obtain a domineering reaction from her, she'd present an inscrutable expression as the naked soles of her feet graced the floors beneath her to walk alongside the Samurai. Eiko's stride was interfered by Kōtaro's strapping physique compressing against her lithe frame, the stiffness of the internal walls of the building nipping at her backside as the gilded manacle provoked cold shivers to tear throughout her body. His tongue was bladed as he spat out sharpened commands, the girl flinching as some words were pronounced boisterously compared to others. "I understand, human." Audaciously she replied as she straightened her posture once he removed himself off from her. the Ōni resonating an annoyed click of her tongue as she followed him towards the exit.
"And one more thing..."
Ah, great. Just when she thought this man was done scrutinizing her, he had thought of more to say and critique. Eiko was no stranger to the awareness of deserving this harsh criticism as well as being physically harmed for her actions, but that didn't stop her from sighing out of her slightly parted mouth and casually roll her eyes.
"Marriage offer? What kind of imbecility is dripping from your maw?" Was this his way of continuing to toy with her, or did he really intend on marrying her? "You can't be serious. Your deep-seated resentment to Ōni's wouldn't allow that fate." Eiko disregarded Kōtaro's remark on his vexation to her ill-mannered mouth as she fixated her attention onto his surprising comment. "He's simply playing with you, Eiko. No need to fuel that thought. Just drop it." The Ōni calmed herself as she was ushered out of the room, her head whipping around to investigate her surroundings. She wasn't necessarily looking for an opening to escape - she was wise enough to know that her chances of being freed were essentially gone - but her positioning was still corrected with an assertive push to her back, correcting her to face the direction she was walking. "I'm not trying to escape, sheesh." Eiko snapped, annoyed by the fact that she couldn't even look around without being reprimanded for it.
Cold crimson orbs scanned the children as they idly stood aside, Eiko locking her eyes onto the bold girl who stood her ground while the boy sheepishly looked away. She wasn't interested in feasting on them, but wanted to get a closer look at the two that helped her despite all that she had done to them. They went out of their way to show her kindness when she did nothing but the opposite. It was far too late to apologize for her actions and thank them, so instead she let out a sharpened snarl before jerking her head harshly to look the other way due to not wanting to acknowledge their presence anymore.
It was already humid as the pair stepped foot out into the open air, the Ōni walking alongside the soul-binding man as she soaked in the sites of the village. Scents of fear trailed inside of her flared nostrils; the nostalgic smell almost intoxicating as she breathed it in out of habit at this point. Kōtaro's murmurs caused her to break out of the hypnotic trance, her feet no longer slugging against the gravel underneath her. His powerful grip caused her to tense up, her shoulder closest to the pressed collarbone rolling in circular motions in an attempt to shake him off. "Have more faith in me, cretin!" Offensively she muttered harshly under her breath, but this punishment was well-deserved. Of course, he was watching her with a close eye, who wouldn't after the crimes she committed? As they approached the square the blurred faces began to grow clearer, the apparent anger and hatred displaying confidently on their faces. It made Eiko want to cower and retreat, not wanting to atone for her sins, but running away was a game she despised. Regardless, even if she wanted to, she couldn't.
Abruptly her head tugged downwards into a formal bow before the Elder of the village, an awkward sound escaping from her lips as her neck was constrained tightly for a brief moment. Eiko did not try to budge from this position, instead she gritted her teeth as widened eyes stared at the dirt under her feet. "These humans..." She growled within her head, despising the aura that saturated the air, knowing that all of this loathing rang out to her and her alone.
Eiko's head was forced to rise as the Elder pressed a bold fingertip against her sternum, her eyes enlarging with surprise as he touched her - doing something that many wouldn't even begin to attempt. It was hard to keep her respectful demeanor in the heat of the moment, the fiends' muscles tensing as the air threatened her of potential chaos ensuing. The urge to slap the man's hand away tickled her conscious, but she could feel the heat of Kōtaro's glare shine down upon her as she was scolded for her lethal deeds. He questioned her, asking how it felt to engage in such treachery, not giving a second thought as she slayed and ate those before her despite their cries to live. Echoes of the word 'Monster' replayed in an endless loop, making her want to shield her ears and lay in a defeated fetal position, but instead she clenched her jaw and balled her hands into closed fists. It may have looked threatening at first, but this was her way of standing her ground without getting feral.
"And how did it feel for your kind to push me out when I tried so desperatley hard to fit in? Everyone wants to talk about what I did but no one wants to talk about taking action for what you did to me from the very beginning!" The chanting soon came to a hush, the group dumbfounded at what the Ōni was rambling on about. Eiko's body began to tremble, the surplus surge of rage and sadness consuming her, reminding her of the pain she experienced as a child trying to grow with humans.
"I resided within the Raketomi Village after my Mama took me in due to slaying my parents. I was only an Oni child. I had never killed a soul back then, but already I was chastised by the village for the sole fact that I was born an Ōni." Eiko bit at the trembling lower lip, attempting to soothe her nerves and put on a brave face, the girl showcasing a different side to her. "I tried to fit in, I tried to make friends, I wanted to belong, but every human aside from Mama was nothing but cruel to me! I was going to fight on your side and lend you a hand in future battles if you would've let me!" Hot tears started to swell within her eyes, her teeth no longer attempting to restrain her quivering lip, allowing her raw emotions to overflow. Kōtaro could feel she was being genuine and not attempting to put on a show. This was real.
"It all started when my classmates brought my Mama into the fight that they had with me. She was a kind woman who did nothing but help a lowlife like me. It was my fight and my fight alone. Mama didn't deserve to be in it. I told them to stop, to leave her out of it, but they continued to belittle her. Something broke inside of me that day, and I even hurt Mama's hand in the crossfire." Tenderly the Ōni brought her left hand to rub at the backside of her right hand, as if to soothe the phantom wound that she placed on her Mama years ago. "I thought if everyone wouldn't accept me for trying to fit in, I might as well become the monster they proudly yelled at me for being, knowing I wouldn't hurt them. Oh, how the tables have turned, wouldn't you say?" A lazy smirk played on her chapped lips, letting out a single chuckle as she reflected on her past actions.
"I am aware that this is no laughing matter, really, but if you want me to atone for my sins maybe your species shouldn't have shunned me out for simply being alive." There was no way that they would've fed into her story or even considered a lighter punishment for anything she said despite it being the truth and how she sincerely felt. If Kōtaro wanted to scold her for being so honest then so be it, but they deserved to know the truth about what happened, at least owing them that much. "Take what I say or leave it, that's for you to decide, but at least now you know my reasonings."
“SILENCE!” The Elder’s voice overpowered the villagers’, the murmurs slowly dying down, so that the man could speak freely, and hand out a suitable retort to the Demon’s desperate struggle, clutching to the life her mother would have wanted Eiko to live, were it not for the same brutality his kind inflicted upon those they couldn’t understand. The Samurai remained silent, but his hold on the chains that bound them together loosened ever so slightly, leaving the Ōni more room to breathe and not worry about further writhing under its vicious grip.
“This is madness, a Human taking in a fiend, and raising her as her own child? That is one bold lie coming from a monster that didn’t hesitate to slaughter entire families out of sheer bloodlust. How can you not regret your actions? And do you think we’d really allow someone that claimed the lives of innocents to protect us? You are far more delusional than we thought if that’s what you were after. Is there anything to add, Samurai?” Kotaro looked at the creature at his feet, then to the villagers, a hand on his sword’s hilt. He sighed, facing the cowardly peasants with a stern expression on his face. “It is clear that this is no ordinary Yokai we are dealing with, that much I can safely say. Whether there’s truth in her tale or not, the fact that she committed unspeakable horrors against Kiri Village’s inhabitants remains, and for that, she’ll need to be punished accordingly. However…”
The words that left the man’s lips next elicited gasps of shock and awe, the old man in the orange yukata barely able to contain his displeasure with them. “You three are not blameless, either. You worked your fellow people to the bone, greedily collected one tax after the other, in order to pay me - when you could’ve simply used that money to welcome her into your community, and solve the dispute before any blood could be shed. Honestly, I should report such a display of selfishness to my Lord, and have you processed. But the kindness your youth displayed makes me think there’s yet hope to be found in this small hamlet, and you should all be given a chance to prove you’re better than this.”
The Humans listened to Eiko’s story intently, the opinion on the Yokai shifting in her favor, despite her fate seemingly being sealed by the man’s conduct toward the authorities. Once her heartfelt explanation was over, few hostile expressions could be seen in the crowd, the shame on their faces evident, clearly regretting having caused a previously kind soul to give into her most primal instincts, and lose sight of what truly mattered, of how her mother had attempted to give her a better life, and show that their Races could co-exist peacefully.
The quieter Elder in the blue yukata placed a hand on his collaborator’s shoulder, halting his venomous tongue before he could spare more malicious words for the derelict Oni kneeling at his feet, boiling with anger after the Samurai pointed out his full awareness of what really went on beyond the Council’s closed doors. This glorified footsoldier pranced into their lands, and expected them to go along with his every wish simply because he deemed it to be the least troublesome solution to the problem at hand? No, he needed to remain calm. Time was ticking for the wretch, and soon he’d get to see her head rolling out on the square, a fine sight for a sunny day like the one they were having.
“We will now declare the Oni’s fate.” The first Elder spoke up, the other returning to his side, and lowering their heads upon hearing his wise decision. Whatever he could come up with would have no doubt benefited the community, and the sooner the white-clad Samurai left Kiri Village, the less they’d have to do to reinstate the loyalty of their subjects.
“We Elders of Kiri Village hereby sentence you to public execution. While yours is a touching story, and the weight of our own misdeeds cannot even begin to be comprehended, what you did was unforgivable, and cannot be associated with a single isolated incident. Yours was a savage, unprovoked, and ultimately petty attempt at revenge on Humans, carried out with unprecedented and unneeded cruelty."
There was a pause, then all eyes fell upon Kotaro, already drawing his sword and stepping to the side, looming over Eiko with every intention to carry out the execution. After all, it was a way to honor one of the few that’d ever bested him in combat, not to mention, earn the praise of the downtrodden almost everywhere he’d end up traveling.
“When you are ready, Samurai.” The man grimly whispered.
The sharp blade slithered out of its scabbard without so much as making a noise, cold steel glimmering in the blue sky above her. It was almost poetic, were it not for the fact she was staring death right in the eye, savoring every last moment she had in this mortal coil. Mama would have never found her, and she’d have never gotten to enjoy the warmth of her hands, or her voice calling her in for supper after a day spent out working in the fields.
Just as solemnly as the Samurai’s sword raised, it came down on her.
However, no matter how long she waited for the steel to tear her neck asunder, and spill a fresh coat of crimson onto the clean robes she’d changed into, that moment never came. As her eyes reopened, she’d find the tip of the katana lodged in the ground, a hair's width away from her face. Of course, the reaction to this display of defiance was an outraged one, though most seemed support Kotaro’s decision to spare Eiko’s life from a gruesome end.
“It’s not for me, or you, to decide how Eiko’s life should be claimed. I shall take her to the Capital, where her actions will be judged, and her story heard. Unless you fine folks have anything you’d like to say to overrule my decision? Be warned, the Daimyo will hear of it.”
The chain fell to the ground, the Oni finally able to take in some much-needed gulps of fresh air, and recover from what she had just experienced, another close brush with death called off by the one that hadn’t hesitated to finish her off after an epic battle. Things were starting to get interesting for the two, though only time could tell as to whether or not their partnership would work out as smoothly as the Samurai certainly hoped it to. He lowered himself at eye-level with her carmine hues.
"Stand up, Oni. We are done with these people, and you can consider yourself free from the burden of excusing your actions, at least for now. Just keep the conversation we had in mind, and honor your end of the contract, as I'll honor mine to the end. Does that sound like a good enough prospect to you, Eiko-san?"
Eiko's lips pressed tightly together, forming a rigid line as she resisted the urge to snap back at the Elder who had branded her a liar. While she accepted her role as a killer with a certain grim dignity, being accused of falsehood stirred a different kind of indignation within her. What reason could she possibly have to lie? Admitting to the lives she had taken was one thing; she had no intention of evading that truth. But fabricating a story about her Mama? It made no sense. Kotaro sensed her simmering anger and intervened, diffusing any potential escalation.
Indeed, Eiko knew she deserved punishment for the horrors she had unleashed upon countless villages, including the unfortunate one before her. However, she had not anticipated the arrival of the man who now stood confidently before her, his hand firmly gripping the hilt of his chosen weapon, ready to redirect the focus onto the trio standing before them. It seemed there were deeper issues at play, hidden in the shadows and shielded from scrutiny. But Kotaro was unafraid to challenge this secrecy, daring to expose a hidden truth to the villagers.
Blinking in bewilderment, Eiko pondered which malevolent force had twisted the situation in her favor, deflecting the villagers' animosity onto the trio in authority. Yet, this alteration didn't alter the reality that they held complete control, regardless of the barrage of defiant words hurled at them like blades aimed at their dignity.
"We Elders of Kiri Village hereby sentence you to public execution."
Naturally, they desired her downfall, and they would pursue their objectives relentlessly. The Yokai remained hunched over, lips curling into a scornful smile as she shook her head in disdain. She knew her actions were unforgivable, and even in death, true atonement seemed impossible. Still, why did a tiny glimmer of hope flicker within her, daring to entertain the possibility of survival? A foolish notion for a Yokai, indeed.
"When you are ready, Samurai."
Eiko remained steadfast in her position, refusing to flinch or even glance back at the man who would soon sever her head. The sound of a blade being drawn echoed in her ears, causing her heart to lurch with dread as fear coiled in her gut. With a gulp, she faced the harsh reality: had Kotaro's offer of a pact, knowing he would face death if her head fell, been nothing but a deception? Had she allowed herself to be manipulated by his words? But in the heat of their battle days ago, facing mortality head-on... no, he couldn't have been deceiving her back then, or now.
"I'm so sorry, Mama... you fought so hard to ensure this future wouldn’t happen to me." Eiko whispered to herself, her words a private lament as she squeezed her eyes shut, a solitary tear tracing a path down her cheek. Memories of her mother flickered behind her closed lids, each one a bittersweet reminder of the love she'd known before facing the end to this cruel world. Instead of the blade cleaving her neck, it plunged into the ground before her. Startled, she opened her eyes, only to see her reflection in the blade, mocking her with a petrified expression, a demon caught in a moment of vulnerability it shouldn't display.
"Stand up, Oni. We are done with these people." Without a word, she rose to her feet, her gaze vacant as she followed Kotaro's lead, leaving the scene behind her. Suddenly, her feet halted defiantly, causing the chain tethering her to the Samurai to jerk in protest. It wasn't for showmanship; rather, she had a sudden change of heart. "Please, allow me to find a way to make amends with these villagers. Just have a little faith in me for a moment." Swiveling on her heels, she redirected her gaze towards the crowd, her hands clenched tightly into fists, feeling their penetrating stares bore into her, questioning the existence of her soul.
"I understand that my actions can never undo the pain of your losses." She paused, squeezing her eyes shut as a wave of sorrow washed over her, grappling with her inner turmoil. "But if it helps you release your anger, please, strike me with your fists." Shock contorted many faces, bewildered by the Oni's audacious plea to subject herself to harm. Some shook their heads in disbelief, while others entertained the idea with faint smiles. Amidst the crowd, a lone man stepped forward, their expression a mix of emotions as they approached Eiko. With a mighty gesture, he raised his hand high before bringing it down forcefully against her cheek, causing her head to recoil from the impact. Strands of her hair tangled messily across her face, but she made no attempt to brush them away, remaining utterly still. A reddened handprint marred her fair skin, the man's breath heavy as he grappled with the realization of what he had just done.
Taking a moment to compose himself, he retreated into the crowd, making way for another person to step forward. This time, it was a woman who took his place. Tears blurred her vision as she struck the Oni on the opposite cheek, causing Eiko's head to snap in that direction. Words felt inadequate in this moment, so the group remained silent, allowing their actions to convey their emotions. Over fifteen people came forward to strike Eiko, some delivering multiple blows, and she accepted each one without protest. Some aimed for her gut, while others slapped or punched her face. With her regenerative abilities, she wasn't concerned about any lasting effects as long as it meant she could bring these people some form of solace.
"I don't see why I should protest to that. You may do as you please, Ōni. But - it's up to these people to look past your misdeeds, and welcome you with open arms back into their ranks. I will only interfere should they turn too careless for their own good." He still didn't let any of the villagers out of his sight for a single moment, the general confusion and hostile glares leveled at the strange pair not fading, even as Eiko pleaded for them to listen and conjure up a suitable punishment.
Kōtaro felt slightly frustrated by this predicament : how could she even get through to a bunch of bigoted, closed-off peasants that didn't know so much as how their own names were written - let alone how rare the sight of one of her kind was? It was still Eiko's choice in the end, so he made way for those that felt like taking the Yōkai up on the offer and release their anguish and torment on the 'monster' they'd seen at last.
When the first man struck her, Kōtaro merely stood by and watched, his knuckles digging into the fabric of his replaced kimono, each fiber of his being ill suited to simply endure the sorry sight she subjected them all to. He was a man of honor, and of action, and while he may have battled to the death with the Ōni not long before, what he saw was still a woman, deplorable as her actions may have been, and freakish as her strength was. She still felt the pain that those angered gestures were dripping in, and on her own skin.
It was sharper compared to the blade of the man that'd reduced her into obedience. It felt raw, the pure expression of the contempt and undying hatred humankind had for her. No matter how hard she tried to be good, the only things people ever seemed to experience when facing her were either fear or disgust, unnatural as it was to see someone like her 'mocking' the beings she hated most.
The samurai kept watch, growing visibly less composed as the villagers lined up to enact their vengeance. Few took delight in dishing out more pain on Eiko's now-disfigured appearance. Even fewer had struck her more than once, last but not least a woman that had leapt out of the crowd wailing out the name of who Kōtaro thought must have been one of the corpses back at the Residence.
She'd gone ahead and hit the other woman so hard as to draw blood out of her nostrils, only to keep kicking her while she was down. Eventually, only the intervention of a group of less unhinged villagers had made it so that she couldn't further harm the prisoner.
"You're a ruthless monster! And you deserve no mercy! Who will give my son back to me? And my husband!? GIVE THEM BACK, ŌNI!!!"
And lastly, an elderly farmer stepped forth, the shimmer of a sharpened, rudimentary carving knife not escaping Kōtaro's eyes. As he stepped forward and raised it to the sky, the man gripped the old-timer's wrist and gave it enough of a squeeze for him to drop the weapon to the ground, plummeting alongside it in utter disbelief, before being joined by a drove of young men and women.
"T-That woman...I was about to kill her. Just like she did with my niece..." He broke out into a sobbing fit, his display of compassion being the only sound that the wind carried across Kiri Village. The samurai and Eiko's presence had only brought harm upon the quaint hamlet, and the so-called 'revenge' many had strived to achieve only served to reveal the depth of the Humans' own bloodlust.
Kōtaro picked up the carving knife and tossed it at the Ōni's feet, arms crossed. He allowed her wounds to close up, and her crimson irises to lock in with his golden hues.
"Take it, and treat that as a reminder of what you will be atoning for. At the same time, do not be mistaken : there are others that will not hesitate to act upon their grief, or the hate they feel for fiends such as yourself."
Turning towards the astonished elders, he let out a tired sigh. The 'bond' that united them proved far more tiresome to maintain than he had experienced in the past few days.
"As for yourselves, repent. You were ready to exploit those you're supposed to protect just to make an impression on one of the Daimyō's emissaries. Well, you have succeeded in making it so that I will not be coming to this village ever again. If you attempt to hinder our travels, I'll personally see to it that you join Eiko in captivity in one of the Capital's dungeons. That is all."
The Ōni felt a slight tug at the chain that was bound to her neck, droplets of her own blood trickling down the sealed wounds as she regained her footing, courtesy of the Samurai that up until now, kept her at arm's length.
"Now come, we'll be returning to the Inn."
------------------
A steaming cup of herbal tea'd been placed in front of the Yōkai, delivered by the young girl that seemingly ran the place all by herself.
Setsuko had spent the last couple minutes listening to Kōtaro's story in utter disbelief, eyes darting to and from the chain that had been tightly secured around the Samurai's arm, causing the fiend's head to dip forward.
"So that is the gist of it. Do you think we could ask you for help one last time?" He asked, sliding a few leftover dango over to his monstrous companion. With such a long journey ahead, they had to plan things out carefully, especially with an Ōni at his orders.
"B-But..." Now she pointed at the creature.
"You tried to kill Kōtaro-sama, and now he's giving you a second chance? It doesn't make any sense, no matter how you look at it."
Remembering how the woman before her didn't hesitate in tearing people apart from head to toe, right in front of her and Gorobei, and watching as, in her words, they 'stopped being so fun to toy it' while bleeding out from missing limbs or exposed organs made her chest tighten and stomach turn in disgust.
"That is what I would say, too. But now that we've split our lifeforce into equal halves, my life is bound to hers. And so is hers to mine."
That meant whichever punishment the Ōni would receive, he'd also need to live with the consequences it could put him in.
"Now that she's calmed down, I have a question : Eiko-san, your comfort in sitting around an Inn and familiarity with Human customs tells me that there's more to your past than meets the eye - you even have an accent and can understand the local dialect, which means : someone had to have taken you in at a young age. Possibly, a Human."
His eyes narrowed. He had let her known of his suspicions beforehand, but now that her life was on the line, she couldn't brush them aside and kill him on the spot, unlike she'd resorted to doing in the past when one of his kind proved to be a bother to deal with.
This man was pushing all her buttons.
And having an immense deal of fun with it.
"Where is this Human, I wonder? If you co-operate and abide by our contract, I see no reason why you shouldn't get to pay them a last visit. It only seems fair to me."
It was all a plan, one to build up trust with the Yōkai and resuscitate what was left of the more humane side to her personality. But if it could prove something to the Daimyō, then it was worth playing off of her emotions and seeing where that would lead the two.
Despite her ability to regenerate, she couldn't escape the acute sensation of each knuckle scraping against her skin or each shoe striking her stomach and sides. Eiko winced and grunted, refraining from retaliating against the innocent people who vented their emotional pain on her. She couldn't resurrect those she had taken the lives of, and no level of violence, retaliation, or even retribution could ever balance the scales for her actions. If only there existed a paradoxical timer she could manipulate, reversing time to undo her killings of innocent lives, perpetrated solely to inflict the same pain she had endured. To undo the irreversible, especially the deaths of the two children that shattered her, but most significantly, to erase the anguish inflicted upon her Mama.
She fought against tears, knowing she had no entitlement to them, yet the salty droplets still betrayed her, a testament to her enduring humanity despite her origins. As the farmer poised to strike her with the very tool he relied on for his livelihood, Eiko welcomed it. If it meant alleviating even a fraction of the burden weighing on his shoulders, she would allow it. Her nostrils tingled with scarlet, her skin burning from the relentless blows as wisps of steam rose from her healing wounds. Yet, in that moment, it appeared he had his own epiphany. It seemed that the divide between Oni and human wasn't as vast as it once seemed.
Clutching the well-worn weapon in her palm, she gazed at it with intensity, committing every chip in the blade and the years of rust seeping into it to memory. Despite Kotaro's advice to keep it, she wanted to hold onto it and stare for a little longer, a tangible reminder of the trials endured and the lessons learned. No words were necessary in that moment; silence held more meaning than any expression could ever convey. She wasn't the sole target of his scolding; his sharp words cut through those around him, urging them to introspect. As she felt the pull of her shackles to follow him once more, she kept her head low and her lips sealed, not wishing to retaliate anymore.
The steam danced elegantly above the tea, its delightful aroma enveloping Eiko's senses. Despite the enticing fragrance, she found herself devoid of any desire to taste the brew. Her gaze remained fixed on the cup, as though lost in a profound contemplation, although her mind was strangely vacant. As her head involuntarily dipped down, she blinked several times to break free from her trance-like state, her gaze now fixed on the ground until the tension released and allowed her to lift her eyes again. Determined not to leave another negative impression, she grasped the cup firmly and pursed her lips to sip the tea, followed by a bite of the remaining dango offered to her. Ignoring the accusatory finger pointed her way by Setsuko, she focused on savoring the meal that had been thoughtfully prepared for them.
"In all fairness, he tried to kill me as well. We're even," she declared with a stark bluntness after finishing the dango, though it couldn't obscure the reality that she was the genuine monster in this situation, with Kotaro merely the victim. She listened intently to the inquiry but visibly flinched when the topic of a human was broached, as if the words inflicted greater harm than any blade ever could. Despite the discomfort, all she could manage was to open up a little more.
"I was found in Hahiko Village and brought to Raketomi Village by my Ma-... I mean, by Hiroto Ikari," she swallowed hard, the name unfamiliar on her tongue after such a long time. She wondered if the name would spark recognition. Was she known to many in other villages? Or was she relatively unknown, anticipating puzzled looks in response? "Either way, the last time I saw her was five years ago…"
Her fingers intertwined, a gesture perhaps meant to quell the anxiety bubbling within. It was ironic how a ruthless Oni can still experience anxiety. "I... I don't even know if she's alive anymore or what she's doing." Through their shared life force, Kotaro could sense her profound sadness and guilt. However, what she had done to Hiroto remained a mystery, yet it was evident that she must have caused her a great deal of pain. "I don't deserve to see her again, not after I brokeeverything she tried so hard to fix."
"Y-You're forcing Kotaro-sama to drag you around the place and turned him into an Undead, and now he's at fault? Did anything even get through that thick head of yours?" Setsuko shouted, gripping the circular tray she was holding. It was clear that her rescue had left the Innkeeper with scars that wouldn't be healing anytime soon, especially considering that the monster that'd reaped up so many innocent lives was now gorging on their food and acting like being around the sole people willing to close an eye on her crimes was almost a nuisance to her. Like she was better than these puny beings walking the earth.
"Now, Setsuko-chan. We're all upset, but this is no time to think of my current state. As far as the contract is in place, she cannot harm anyone - unless I demand it of her. Let's hear what the Ōni has to say, then we'll come up with a course of action for the next few days." Kotaro said, taking a sip from his tea.
Somehow, the taste of it was starting to get more dull. Even its delicate scent did little to raise his spirits, and in fact - he could barely perceive it, unlike the Yōkai at his side who clearly enjoyed the herbal mixture.
What she'd end up saying, however, was quick to shock everyone in the room. Eiko was far from the savage beast they saw her as, in fact, Kotaro was not only well-acquainted with the one that raised her...
The entire country happened to be.
The Samurai stood, up, slamming his open palms onto the table and spilling some of the guests' tea onto the mahogany surface.
"You're telling me, that the one that raised you is the one and only Hiroto Ikari? The Righteous Blade of Kōrakushima? Eiko-san, your adoptive mother is not only a legend for Samurai like me, but for the commonfolk as well. The tales of her adventures across the Yōkai-infested Eastern Lands have been turned into novels! She's rumored to be able to run faster than the wind, and cut down ten men with a single draw of her sword."
Eiko knew her Mama had sworn to never use her sword to harm someone else again, but only to protect those she cared about. Though now that the man had brought it up, the bedtime stories she lulled her to sleep with made a lot more sense, as did her innate ability to somehow always be right at her side when she needed it the most, oftentimes without making a sound.
Except for now, when there was nothing more she wished for than being able to meet her.
"That's true." Setsuko confirmed. "I've grown up hearing nothing but great things about her. I'm sure that she could help Eiko-san prove her innocence if you two could find her. People are bound to listen to her!"
"Well, we cannot exactly do that." Kotaro said, looking at both women. "But we can make it so that Hiroto-san's testimony will sway the public opinion in our favor. If someone with her reputation shows up at the hearing, not even the Daimyo will be foolish enough to upset his people and execute Eiko-san."
A plan was starting to form in his head, and Kotaro couldn't help but think about how much of a genius he really was. Getting the Ōni to open up had been a dangerous, but rewarding gambit nonetheless.
Even so, they would need to find the warrior first, and get her to take her long-lost child back under her wing. Easier said than done, though he had some reassuring words to spare for the concerned fiend.
"Hiroto-san left Raketomi Village on a quiet night, five years ago. She didn't say where she might have been going, but now I think I have good enough information to conjure up a theory regarding her whereabouts."
Kotaro's eyes narrowed as he looked at Eiko.
"She's looking for you, and has decided to travel the entire country on foot as a result. Knowing her determination, she most likely has not given up on the search for her beloved daughter."
It was a bittersweet realization : she might have shown her monstrous side, but Hiroto had not stopped trying to reunite with her for even a second. She really was different from all the other horrible Humans that had tried to make her feel like an unlovable abomination, like the act of mercy she'd been shown had no meaning - and that the love she was shown was nothing but a cruel lie, another trick Humans played on her kin.
"Raketomi Village isn't too far from here, Kotaro-sama! I think you could grab Eiko-san and book it all the way there!" Setsuko chirped, but his serious look made her quiet down and listen to what he had to say.
"No, I doubt it'd be a good choice for any of the villagers to see the Ōni they chased out at their doorstep. Plus, we would have no reason to go there, since Hiroto-san has already been gone for such a long time."
[ Then, what am I supposed to do? ] The man pondered on what decision, to take, but his thoughts were interrupted by the panel door sliding open, and the two boys he had sent on an errand to step right in, arms full of what seemed to be supplies for the trip ahead. Gorobei nearly disappeared under the mountain of clothes and sundries that he had boldly decided to split with his older sibling.
"We're back!" Shinichi said, setting down his pile, and helping the smaller boy lay down the rest. The curious glare the Ōni spared the two did little to unnerve him : he had promised to be brave enough to make up for the other youths, and treat her presence like nothing short of a forced one at the Inn.
"Good job, you two. Keep the spare change." The chain rattled as he shifted his hands below his chin, placing them both so as to better support his head, and add to the air of mystery that accompanied the question.
"Gorobei-kun, did you find it?"
"The uh- you mean the thing you asked..."
Shinichi stepped forward, holding up a rolled-up piece of blue cloth that stood only a little shorter than his diminutive height.
"Here it is! Pay my brother no mind."
Unraveling it, Eiko was surprised to find a pair of practice bōkken waiting for her. The simple design and surprisingly good quality of the wood they'd been carved with was sort of unbecoming of the backwoods Kiri Village, but it was a nice change of view compared to the plain, rustic ornaments she'd seen the villagers call 'weapons' around those parts.
"These both will do." Kotaro stood up, not even needing to remind the Ōni to do the same, and eyed the stairs leading to the ground floor. He then turned to the Innkeeper, raising a brow in her direction.
"You don't mind me seeing what Eiko-san can do, right Setsuko-chan?" He asked, earning a defeated sigh and nod in response.
"Either way, you're just going to do it, huh? As long as you don't wreck the garden, then I am fine with you practicing the afternoon away."
He looked at Eiko next.
"I don't doubt you can hold your own, but using a sword to battle a trained warrior like me is different from clawing your way through a defenseless opponent. Depending on how you do today, I might very well think about giving you a spare weapon of mine."
What a kind offer. Somehow the thought she may have used it to slit that pretty throat of his hadn't crossed his mind...not that it'd be a wise decision, considering their shared life force and current predicament. Dragging around a corpse wouldn't have exactly been an easy task, even with her strength.
Eiko's grip on the teacup almost faltered, the delicate porcelain nearly slipping from her hands as Kotaro's palms struck the table with a startling force. The sudden sound jolted her from her thoughts - she hadn't anticipated such a fierce reaction to her confession. Her eyes widened, catching the mix of excitement and surprise that rippled across his face.
"Yes, that's her," Eiko confirmed with pride, acknowledging her mother as The Righteous Blade of Korakushima. "She reclaimed Hahiko Village, slew my parents, and introduced me to the life of domestication." She spoke without hesitation, every word of her tale true. Time and again, Eiko had witnessed her mother's greatness, watching as she delivered justice not only to their village but to the world, wielding the legendary blade that nearly eradicated crime. Though Eiko embellished her bedtime stories, she knew that many of the heroic deeds she shared were, in fact, her own.
"I'm glad she has a positive effect on all of you," Eika muttered, not caring whether they heard her or not, and for the first time in a while, she smiled. Hearing the constant praise for Hiroto, the admiration and inspiration she sparked in others, warmed her heart. But that familiar ache quickly returned, pulling her smile into a subtle frown. Shame crept in, a reminder of the pain she had caused Hiroto, despite her only ever trying to protect her.
As they talked among themselves, Eiko listened intently, her ears perking up when they mentioned getting her mother to testify on her behalf. Does this mean I get to see Mama again?! The thought raced through her mind, her heart pounding with a rare excitement. But doubt quickly crept in - could they really find her? Even Eiko had no idea where her mother was, or if she was still alive. A frown tugged at her lips again, tears threatening to spill, but she forced them back. She had no right to cry, not here, not ever. She had made her choice, and now she had to live with it.
Honestly, she didn't care if her mother could testify for her or not. All Eiko wanted was to be held by Hiroto again, to breathe in her familiar scent and disappear into the comfort of her embrace.
But most importantly, she longed to apologize - to make amends for the chaos she had caused.
As Kotaro spoke, she lifted her tilted head, her gaze searching his eyes for answers. He seemed hopeful that this plan could work. But when he mentioned that Hiroto had been gone for five years, it didn't shock her - what did, however, was the reason for her disappearance. It felt like a dagger had pierced her heart.
"She's looking for you, and has decided to travel the entire country on foot as a result."
"Oh, Mama..." Eiko's voice trembled as the words slipped out, no longer caring who heard. She bit her quivering lip, trying to stifle the flood of emotions. She knew she had messed up - severely. Who could imagine the hardships her mother had endured, searching for the adoptive daughter who had become nothing more than a disgrace in Eiko's eyes, despite her efforts to save her? Eiko's jaw tightened, her hands curling into fists on her lap as tiny teardrops clung to her lashes. She didn't want sympathy or to play the victim. In that moment, she was just a girl, crying for her mother.
All Eiko could do was remain silent in her misery as Kotaro spoke with the rest of the group, working on a plan to bring her mother back - or at least try to figure out where she was. As she whipped her head around to see the two boys entering, she squinted, struggling to make out their faces as the light from outside momentarily blinded her. To them, it might have looked like she was glaring, but in reality, she wasn't. Her gaze shifted to Shinichi, her eyes locking onto the rolled-up blue cloth he held tightly in his hands, curiosity flickering despite her sadness.
Eiko's eyes followed the cloth as it was unraveled, revealing a bokken with a polished wooden blade that gleamed faintly in the dimly lit room. Without a word, she stood alongside Kotaro, moving in sync with him without intending to. Her curiosity piqued - she wondered who the bokken belonged to. But when Kotaro turned and locked eyes with her, his expression made it clear. He told her that she might be a candidate for the weapon, but only if she could prove herself worthy. The weight of his words hung in the air, stirring a mix of anticipation and uncertainty within her.
"I grew up with Hitoro; of course I can wield a weapon," Eiko retorted, her brows furrowing into a scowl. She bristled at the implication that her only form of defense was her natural ferocity - her teeth and claw-like talons. "If it's a duel you're after, then try me. We've fought before, but this time it'll be with real weapons, at least on my end." Her gaze remained locked on Kotaro, predatory and sharp, though she had no real intention of hurting him. Eiko knew her glare wouldn't faze him - he was used to it by now - but giving it still brought her a strange satisfaction.
"It's a yes, then. Show me the way," Eiko said, nodding toward the stairs that led to the ground floor. She motioned for him to go first, aware that she wasn't trusted to roam freely without his guidance. The chain linking them together rattled softly, the metal clinking as he moved toward the stairs, and she followed close behind. She barely acknowledged the wide-eyed onlookers in the room, their gazes heavy with anticipation as they prepared to witness what was about to unfold. Eiko remained focused, unconcerned with their reactions - her mind was on the task ahead.
On the ground floor, toward the back of the building, there was a door that opened to a small courtyard with a garden - a space just large enough for the two of them to spar freely. As she continued to follow behind him, her eyes lingered on the subtle bounce of his shoulders with each step. Her attention drifted back to the open doors as they stepped outside. She waited silently, wondering if he would keep them chained together or loosen the restraints. She was also curious which weapon he would allow her to use - the newly acquired bokken or perhaps an older one.
Grasping the chosen weapon, Eiko held it firmly in her hands, briefly admiring the craftsmanship before settling into a fighting stance. The weapon required both hands, her right gripping just below the tsuba and her left securing the bottom of the tsuka. Her grip was strong yet relaxed, allowing for both control and fluidity in her movements. She kept her index fingers and thumbs loose, ensuring she could easily guide the weapon with precision and finesse, preparing herself for the session ahead.
Eiko positioned her feet shoulder-width apart, her left foot pointing forward and her right foot angled outward slightly for added stability. Her knees were bent just enough to keep her balanced, her back upright, and her core engaged.
"Begin!"
A voice boomed, signaling the start of their quarrel, but Eiko paid no attention to who spoke. She remained silent, resisting the urge to let her confidence turn into arrogance. She knew better than to waste words when the fight ahead could easily humble her. Eiko was fully aware of Kotaro's skill as a seasoned samurai - she had seen firsthand what he was capable of. This was no time for overconfidence; her focus had to be absolute.
As the session began, she lifted the bokken overhead, its blade angled slightly forward, with her arms bent and the tip of the bokken aimed at Kotaro's torso. Her teeth clenched in determination as she prepared for her first strike, pouring all her strength and focus into this single attack to prove she was not to be underestimated.
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