Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

homura (DarkMudkip/Jikkah)

“Y-Yeah..” She nodded and followed after her quickly, not all that tired, but rest would do her some good.
 
Ebisu blinked and scratched the back of her head. “Are you sure you’re okay with that?” She asked.
 
Ebisu blushed and nodded. “Yeah, let me just get ready for bed first and I’ll meet you in your room.” She said softly.
 
Ebisu nodded and headed off to her own bedroom, changing into her night clothes and setting her hairpin on the vanity as to not lose it. She quickly wrote up a new letter to Tengen, she had encountered another demon, Warabihime, and with the aura she gave off, she was almost certain it was her who was the upper moon they were after.
 
Akatsuru set the spare mat next to hers and pressed it out gently with her hands before she stripped out of her kimono, leaving herself in her nagajuban. She pulled her hair out of its intricate ties and clips before she started to brush it out slowly.
 
Akatsuru wouldn’t get to do anything else, something wrapping firmly around her entire body. She could see in the vanity mirror that it was fabric wrapped around her body, a pink obi, and a familiar one at that. “You really have a big mouth, you know that, right, Akatsuru?” A woman’s voice spoke from the sash, a mouth and single eye appearing. The sash was tight over her mouth, preventing her from screaming, keeping her frozen how she was.
 
She let out a muffled gasp, eyes widening as she tried to break free but the wrap was too tight around her arms. She tried crying out to Ebisu, to warn her not to come, but nothing came out.
 
“You really talked big for someone who stands out like a sore thumb, but I suppose even if you had kept your head down, I still would have eaten you.” The belt seemed to be pulling her into the fabric, observing her lower half first. “Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to take good care of both you and your little girlfriend.”
 
Ebisu opened the door and stopped, finding the room empty. She frowned and looked around, stepping inside. “Akatsuru?”
 
The mats were set up, but the room was oddly empty. She had heard Akatsuru come to her room, so where had she gone? On her vanity, however, was a neatly folded paper.
 
Inside was a letter stating how Akatsuru could no longer bear the troubles of the world, and the weight of being an oiran, and that she had run off to commit suicide. But Ebisu knew it wasn't Akatsuru's handwriting, in fact she had never seen this handwriting before in her life.
 
Ebisu felt like her whole world had dropped away, unable to tear her eyes off the note, breath stuck in her throat. Had the demon come for her already? What was she supposed to do? She looked around frantically, eyes wide and sweat dripping down her face. Was it still nearby?
 
Ebisu ran to the window, but saw now one on the dimly lit morning street. She closed it quickly and moved back to the desk, hoping to find anything else. There was no way she was going to buy this, not at all.
 
Akatsuru would never do something like this, she was always so positive and full of hope. "Born cursed by fire.." she had always said, "nothing can stop me." It had to be the demon, there was no other reason for it.
 
Ebisu hurried back to her room, writing a quick and brief message reporting her findings to Tengen. Once she was done and had sealed the letter, she gave it to one of the younger girls to mail off, leaving her with nothing else to do besides hunt for clues in their own house. How had the demon come and gone so easily during the day? Even if it had gone through the window, someone would have noticed, and if not, the sun would have killed them.
 
It took a day or so, but Tengen got back to her; he told her he would send in his wives to help, and if the demon was more than they could handle, he would intervene flamboyantly.
 
Ebisu could barely sleep or eat, searching each day for any other clues, but came up empty handed. She felt numb, was Akatsuru still alive?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom