Patreon LogoYour support makes Blue Moon possible (Patreon)

『Kodoku no Saibou』(1×1 w/ Jikkah)

She sat up, head still swimming. “Maybe you could just carry me.” She half joked as she stood, redressing as to not traipse around naked.
 
Amaya was surprised at his strength, a little embarrassed to be picked up and thrown over his shoulder so easily. “Wh- I was only joking..!” He face flushed in embarrassment, holding onto him tightly despite her words of protest.
 
Yukimura trotted back toward the brothel Akihime was hiding in, taking the form of a Shiba Inu to make getting around easier. Sneaking in the door after a few ladies as they carried laundry about, he followed Akihime’s scent up the stairs and down the hall, pawing at the door before sitting in wait.

Nana had gone down to the shore once more to enjoy the ocean, this time only accompanied by her ladies in waiting and the royal guard. Her ladies enjoyed the morning on the beach, a few dipping their own feet in the water while the Queen herself swam just offshore, relaxing in the cool morning water.
 
The door slid open and Akihime smiled softly at him; her long hair left down but her oiran makeup still on her face.
"Welcome back, Yukimura. Please, come in." She said and opened the door further. Inside was a man - a politician - who laid on the floor with a talisman over his eyes.

It was peaceful, and a pleasant break from the regular humdrum of Motochika's typical duties. The weather was good for a swim, and Motochika trusted Nana to be on her own.
 
He stood and trotted inside, glancing to the politician before settling his gaze on Akihime, waiting for her to close the door before he spoke. “I have found anything out of the ordinary, lady Akihime.” He reported. “How goes your search here?”

The morning mist was still yet to be entirely burnt off, and as Nana floated just on the surface of the water, a group of men gathered just up the beach.
“The mermaid is still here, my lord, other yokai gather as well, perhaps they too are drawn to the mermaid.” The scout reported back to the Onmyoji leading the group.
 
She hummed softly, "The lamp oil keeps disappearing at night, so the rokurokubi is in fact here." She replied, "None of the other oiran seem to be spiritually inclined or out of the ordinary. There's a maiko though..." She mused softly as she thought it over.

Mouri Motonari stood not far from the scouts as he watched.
"Send the men in, kill the youkai and whoever else gets in your way. I'll deal with the mermaid."
 
His tail wagged, the tightly curled tail thumping lightly against the floor. “Do you want me to follow her?” He asked.

“Of course, you heard him men- advance!” He ordered, drawing his sword as he turned to lead a group of twenty men toward the group on the beach.
Nana was alerted to something being wrong when she first hear the clash of steel, then a shout. She sat upright in the water to see the shoreline better, heart skipping a beat when she saw humans ransacking through the camp they had set up. She dove into the water, zipping to the sandy beach in heartbeats, transforming into her humanoid form once she felt sand. Her yukata clung to her, as she ran for her spear, still dripping wet with sea water.
 
She smiled softly and reached to pet his head, "If you don't mind? Her name is Mayuri, she has a room downstairs."

Motonari moved to throw a barrier around her spear to keep her from it, before making his way to engage her.
 
He relished in the head petting, sneezing and standing up. “Of course, I won’t disappoint you, my lady.”

Nana gasped and spun to face the Onmyoji who was attacking them, baring her sharp teeth.
“My lady!” An Oni lady in waiting brandished her short sword at Motonari, placing herself between her queen and the human. Just behind Motonari was pure chaos: Nana’s royal guard was fighting fiercely against the humans to rush to protect Nana, but there were too many humans. Several of the humans even targeted the ladies in waiting that served Nana, cutting down everyone without discrimination.
 
She smiled more and scratched under his chin, "I know you won't. Please hurry."

"Do not interfere. You will only die." Motonari stated, eyes cold as he looked down his nose at them.
 
He let out a soft whine before heading back out the cracked open door, keeping his nose low to the ground as he slunk through the building in search of Mayuri.

Nana flinched as she watched a royal guard be overwhelmed by three men, crumbling to the ground after taking a sword to the neck.
The Oni held her arm out, her blade pointed at Motonari. “You must flee.” She said, the fins on Nana’s head lowering at the idea. Before she could answer the Oni rushed to confront Motonari, ready to protect Nana at any cost.
 
Once downstairs, many new scents flooded his nose, but one much heavier - whale fat. The stench of lamp oil was heavy here, which was odd as there weren't too many lamps hanging around.

Motonari side stepped and waved his hand, a shimmer of light following his fingers before the Oni's arm holding her blade flew from her shoulder.
 
Yukimura kept his ears on a swivel, moving toward the scent of oil, listening intently for any signs of the rokurokubi.

The Oni cried out in agony, clutching the bleeding stump as she fell to the ground.
Nana moved as fast as she could, snatching up the blade in the severed oni’s hand still on the ground, and swinging to slash Motonari’s throat.
 
There was creaking, but not wood creaking. It sounded wet, like soft bone. It was coming from down the hall.

Motonari lifted a barrier, having the blade bounce off before using a binding talisman on her.
 
His ears twitched and strained, following the eerie noise down the hall, the stench of whale overwhelming now.

Nana was locked in place in an instant, blade halted in the air as she breathed heavily, watching him with sharp eyes. Bright silver scales flashed in the sunlight, webbed fingers gripping the blade tight. “Do you know what you’re doing?” She asked lowly.
 
Reaching the door, he could hear the creaking of bone and soft groaning, like a woman struggling to breathe. The stench of whale fat was thickest here, like it was soaked into the wood.

"I do." He replied, "And frankly, I don't give a damn about it one way or another. You will go to the capitol with me, you will be a gift to the emperor."
 
Yukimura stopped just outside the room, sniffing the crack under the door. This was the room for sure, lifting his head he licked his nose to clear the smell of oil. He would need to report back to Akihime before acting, even if he wanted to vanquish the Yokai on his own. Turning and trotting back down the hallway he came from, he headed back to Akihime.

“A gift..?” Her lip curled in disgust, flinching again when she heard another of her entourage be cut down. “You know not what you’re doing, and what you have done.”

A sudden loud commotion outside of Motochika’s council chambers brought their meeting to a standstill.
“Please, wait, you’re in no condition to walk!”
A young woman pushed open the door, one of Nana’s ladies in waiting that had arrived with her from the dragon palace. She was pale as death and limping badly, the back of her clothes stained a deep red from the long gash going down her back. “My Lord.. Please forgive the intrusion, I have urgent news..”
 
When Yukimura returned, Akihime was waving goodbye to the politician, who seemed quite flustered. She spotted Yukimura and slid the door open more to allow him to slip in.

"Again, I don't give a damn one way or the other." He replied before he looked back at his men dealing with her entourage.

Motochika sat up straighter, his brows furrowed.
"What's going on? Gods, you're wounded, someone get the healer!"
"Yes, aniki!" An oni hurried out of the room and Motochika stood to move closer.
"Easy now, you're safe. Tell me what happened."
 
Yukimura slipped into the doorway easily, moving into the room and turning to face Akihime. “The rokurokubi is indeed within Mayuri-dono’s room, although.. I can’t say for certain if it was Mayuri-dono or not.” He tilted his head a bit. “What shall you have me do?”

The remaining entourage was two guards and a handmaiden, all three of which were dealt with quickly, sparing only Nana. Pearls fell down her cheeks as she cried for her slain people, but she didn’t make a noise, trying to remain composed the best that she could.

The woman fell to her knees, too weak to stand anymore. “Humans are attacking, they’re after Lady Nanahime.. Please, they have a sorcerer with them..!” She shed tears for her mistress’ fate, unsure if she even made it to help in time to do anything useful.
 
Akihime made a noise as she thought, "We can't have you snooping around like that much longer, I'm not sure how long they'll tolerate a stray trotting about the okiya." She said. She exhaled, carding her fingers through his fur as she thought, "I suppose you'll have to come in as a client..."

"Get her onto the ship." Motonari ordered, "The last thing we need is that Big Oni appearing."

Motochika's eyes widened before he pushed himself quickly to his feet.
"Make sure she's properly cared for."
"Yes, aniki!!"
"The lot of you, come with me! We haven't much time, Nana needs us!" He barked, taking long angry strides out of the chambers, grabbing his barbed spear as he left. The other oni were in an uproar as they followed him, angered as much as he for this slight against them.
 
Yukimura had to keep from whining as Akihime pet him. “A client… Like pay for you?” The idea would have him blushing if he could as a dog. “Of course Akihime-sama.”

Nana tried to fight against the talisman, but it was like she was set firmly in stone. Two men moved over, one taking the knife from her hand, and the other picking her up and throwing her over his shoulder, careful to not touch the paper talisman. She could only watch as the group retreated back to the water, where boats waited to take them all back to the ship just off the shore. Nana stiffened her lip as she watched the bodies of her slain companions grow farther away, wincing as she was loaded into the bottom of the boat like a bag.
It wasn’t long before they were all aboard the large vessel, once again slung over the soldiers shoulder.
 
"Don't worry, the madam knows you, she won't charge you...but it'll get you inside to help me with Mayuri.." She told him before turned to cup his face, pushing the skin of his scruff up to scrunch his face gently, and she kissed his muzzle, "You did a great job, Yukimura." She smiled, scratching his neck.

"Nana!!" Motochika's thundering voice carried over the wind easily; the Big Oni had made it to the beach in record time, his eyes burning with anger and hate, "Release my wife this instant!!"
"Oh, great..." Motonari muttered, "We took too long."
 
He looked almost like a regular dog, looking pleased with the attention, tail wagging at the praise. “I’ll get it done, my lady..” He promised.

“Motochika!” Nana saw Motochika and her heart swelled with hope.
“Set sail! We got what we’ve come for!” The man ordered his crew, who scrambled to set sail.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom