A Snow Maiden's Touch
Eh? What's that strange presence I'm sensing?...Hmmm?
My ningen eyes narrowed and looked around hoping to find the source of that strange presence. If only I knew how my simple walk around New York would have me on a journey like none before.
While in the public with humans I'm disguised hiding away my demonic markings and features. As of right now a human would see the appearance of an average height woman with extremely long black hair reaching the top of her knees. Her face is a small heart shaped dark purple eyes and long eye lashes, she has sideswept bangs almost covering her right eye and other bangs frame her face. The young lady clad in a simple purple strapped dress with a lavender cardigan and purple flats.
My name is Setsuko Yukishiro. You are probably wondering what I really look like, my true form. That will be saved for later along with my past.
I continued to let my eyes wander and take in the sights before me. Humans of all ages and sizes going on with their daily lives, blissfully unaware that a dangerous being walks among them. I saw families walking together hand in hand, people hurrying their way to work, an elderly couple sitting together on a bench, and teenagers hanging out with their friends. A small smile spread across my face.
...Even though they have such short lives. These people have something to live for. A purpose. A place where they belong. They make their lives meaningful. Unlike me.
Briefly closing my eyes I saw a glimpse of white snow tainted crimson red with broken arrows and swords littering the ground. Bodies of both human and youkai covered the surface of the white and red blanket.
Shaking my head getting rid of the memory I noticed a small commotion happen in the corner of my eye. A human male who had just come out of Wally's Pet Shop of Wonders was carrying a bowl that contained four small little turtles and a man rushed by bumping the first man's shoulder causing him to drop the bowl. But what amazed me was the speed of the human's reflexes! It was almost like a blur. The suited man had left without an apology and the fast ningen followed him to an alley. My curiosity getting the better of me I followed as well not wanting the interesting human out of my sight. My footsteps not making a single sound as I walked.
Being a youkai I have seen very strange things in my life but it did not prepare me for what I was about to see.
The interesting ningen I was following had stepped on a rat causing it to squeak in pain because of his clumsiness, the suited man with an exact copy of himself approached him.
Yabe...Should I help him? ...No, I wish to see the extent of his abilities.
"Go no further this place is a place where you are not allowed to be in this place. We have been seen in this place by you so this is a place where it will not be left by you" said the suited man and his copy.
They talk really strangely even for humans. What are they?
Seeing a suited man come up behind the ningen who was busy holding off the other copies I narrowed my eyes and tensed my body and jumped from my hiding place.
"Hyah!" I yelled as I jump kicked the suited man away. Backing up I ended back to back with the turtle man. Looking over my shoulder I was face to face with him.
"I figured you could use some help" I said seeing the confusion in his eyes. He nodded and we continued to fight. During the struggle the ningen knocked away a suited man and a container filled with a strange green glowing substance broke on the concrete floor. Unfortunately the ningen's bowl was pushed out of his hands and fell, the bowl shattering as it hit the floor. Before I could turn around to help him, the ningen was hit to the ground where his hand touched the green material and the next thing I knew he was screaming in pain.
I watched in astonishment as his body painfully morphed into a giant black rat. Suddenly I heard police sirens and as quickly as they appeared the suited men vanished. Looking around to make sure they enemy was gone I saw that the turtles had been affected by the goo as well. No longer were they the size of pocket turtles they were the average size of baby human children.
"It seems that the goo has affected them as well" I told the six foot rat. His burgundy eyes showed confusion until they landed on the now larger turtles. Before he had time to comprehend what had transpired a voice echoed into the alleyway.
"Over here I'm pretty sure this is where I heard the fighting!"
Shocked the rat man picked up the turtles in his arms and found a means of escape in the form of a manhole leading to the sewers. As I turned to leave I heard a small soft like whimper, my eyes widened and I turned around and saw the little body of a green turtle hiding behind the trash can. The green substance that was on him had completely sunk into his skin and disappeared.
The poor thing it must have hid because it was scared.
I looked at the little guy with sad eyes. I turned my head to the sound of footsteps.
"Well I surely can't leave you here. Come here little one" I knelt down and opened my arms and slowly but surely the little turtle crawled towards me and into my waiting arms. Taking off my cardigan I used it to cover his small form and headed out of the other end of the alley. Finally, I had reached my apartment not too far from the alley. It was a simple single bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living room apartment.
"Don't worry little Kame... I'll get you back you back to your family, yakusoku yo" I said as I looked into his eyes. They were wide and his eyes were a lovely burgundy color, the little turtle put his hand up to reach my face so I leaned forward and he patted my cheek with his small three-fingered hand. I poked his side and he giggled showing an adorable gap in the front of his teeth.
Grrrhh
Looking at his stomach I smiled, "looks like someone is hungry. But what do I feed you? ...Oh! I know!" I picked him up and placed him in my seat on the couch. Taking a few steps away I heard him whimper, I turned around, "I won't be gone for long I'm just getting you something to eat okay?", I knelt in front of him and nuzzled his face to comfort his worries. It seemed to work as he giggled when my face rubbed against his. Quickly heading to my fridge I took out the one food I've been addicted to since I've integrated into the human world, pizza. Placing it on a small plate I turned around and went back to the living room only to see the little guy playing around with his hands and feet. I couldn't help but chuckle at the adorable sight.
"Little Kame here this is called pizza, it is very delicious. Eat up" I said as I held up the slice to his face. The little one looked at it and sniffed he smiled liking the smell and ate it very quickly after the first bite. That was my same reaction when I had first tried it.
It was getting dark out, the moonlight shinned brightly through the windows.
There was enough light from the moon so the turtle could see where it was going. For the past half hour he had been crawling around the room on all fours, stumbling on its limbs.
"Little one.." I called after him once and a while as he explored the room. Every time I did, the turtle would pause, look at me for a few seconds, smile with his cute gap showing, and continue to crawl around, at a faster speed than before, as if I was chasing him.
Eventually, I joined his little game. I got on my hands and knees and slowly crawled after him.
The turtle squeaked in delight and stumbled around some more.
That little sound was so cute. I didn't even know a turtle could squeak.
After couple times of me trying to grab him and he dodging at the last second. ""you're a smart little Kame, aren't you?" I mused.
Matte! Setsuko remember you have to return him back to his family. You cannot get attached even if he melted your cold icy heart a little. He is not yours to keep!
I mentally cursed myself for losing control and getting attached to the child. But it has been a long time since I've been in the company of another. And this little baby was smiling at me with his adorable little gap.
It was a smile of genuine happiness. This little one was happy to see me.
"Oh no no, little Kame you don't put your fingers there!" I snapped out of my thoughts when the little turtle started to stick his fingers dangerously close to an open outlet. Leaping forward I swiftly pulled him away from the outlet, since I have lived in the human world for a while I know that for an infant to place their fingers in an outlet can be lethal.
Suprised by the sudden grab the little turtle started to cry, tiny little tears rolling down his face as he wailed. Panicking I tried to rock him to calm and comfort him but after a few minutes he continued to cry. Thinking I thought of an idea and took a deep breath and started to sing.
Uta wo utaoo
Daichi no uta wo
Kaze wo ira koo
Hikari abite
Hoshi wa matataki
Mochi wa kirameku
Fuwa fuwa fururin
Negai komete
Uta wo utaoo
Sekai no uta wo
Dokomade ikkou
Sora wo aoide
Hitono Furugoe
Mushi no habataki
Fuwa fuwa fururin
Omoi nosete
Fuwa fuwa fururin
Ashita wa kitto
Fuwa fuwa fururin
Sorani todoku
Halfway through the song the little stopped crying and looked up at me as I finished the lullaby."That little Kame was a special lullaby my mother sang to me when I was a child it always calmed me down" I said as I looked at the turtle softly. Finally feeling tired the little turtle yawned and snuggled into my chest and fell asleep.
Giggling to myself, "Sweet dreams little Kame, and I promise I will find your family" I said as I tucked both myself and the little turtle into bed.