Kuchisakeonna

by ronko45

Torii is a a teacher that allows her students to tell a story during Story Time. One day, after a particular story, mysterious things start to occur. A little Kuro x Torii Rated T for some blood... but I don't think it's alot...

I for some reason like this KuroxTorii thing and I wanted to write a story about it. I guess that's all I have to write up here, and yeah, read on….

Disclaimer: I do not own Nurarihyon no Mago.

Kuchisake-onna

-X-

Torii sat up in her chair, looking around at the myriad of heads facing down at their papers, deep in thought. "You have only a couple of seconds left…" she said.

"No way!" yelled a boy looking up at her in shock. "Time can't have passed already!"

"What? No! Can we have more time please?" asked another child sitting in the back.

Torii shook her head with a smile. "You know the rules. If you want more time you can't go for the prize…" A large clamor erupted after Torii called for them to stop.

"Aww man, I didn't even get close to answering all the questions!" Torii collected the kid's paper and dropped them on her desk.

"Alright now, go play, and when you come back, I'll tell you who won the prize this time." The children smiled at her, and jumped out of their seats, running to the playground that stood behind them.

It was five years ago that Torii began teaching little kids, and it was something she was proud to admit she had wanted to do every since finding out that her old sensei was actually Rikuo's dad's first wife. She wanted to be there, like they were for her, all of them, protecting someone that looked up to you for guidance and support; she wanted to be there for her kids, but not only that, there was someone close to her that initiated this want to help kids. She hadn't seen him in years, but she knew he was always around, watching, and protecting, from the shadows, maybe not her, but all children in general.

Torii took the papers, in her hand, and looked at the first one. Unskilled handwriting was scribbled across the paper, as they tried to answer the various questions from the story they had read just yesterday. Everyday she would give the kids a story, one they chose and told to the class. She picked the first one, and from there, the child who had the highest on the quiz from the last story was able to tell the class. This was the best way for Torii to get the children to want to read, and because they were a small, and close class, they challenged each other in everything that they did.

"Alright kids," said Torii, walking outside into the hot sunny afternoon, "story time!" A handful of the kids yelled to the others, who were farther in the back, and started to race to the Story Time Rug. Torii moved out of the way, as the kids tussled for the spot closest to her chair. When everyone had been inside, Torii walked over to the brightly colored rug, and stood looking at all of her students. "Okay, today's reader is going to be…." She held her pause, loving to see their anxiousness. "…Sean!"

The red haired boy jumped up at his surprise, though it wasn't really a surprise. He and Ren were always alternating between who read, since they were the two brightest minds in the class. Only when they gave up their spots to the others did any other student get to tell their story, and Sean, seeing the look of sadness on his friend's face gave it up to him.

"Sensei, I'll give it to Jin today."

Torii smiled at him. "Thank you Sean, that was really kind of you. Come on Jin, what story are you going to tell us today?"

Jin walked up to Torii, and stood up next to her chair. "I heard about a rumor about a scary lady…" Torii perked her ears up, listening. The kids too, listened intently. "She goes after little kids, just like ourselves, wearing a surgical mask…" Jin's voice had gotten low, and soft. The kids moved closer to him, just to hear.

"Why does she wear a surgical mask?" asked a girl.

"She does so to hide her mouth, which is slit." He made a gesture, showing them just how far the slits went. "When she sees you walking on the street, she'll ask you, 'Am I beautiful…?' If you answer her, then she'll turn you like her, with the same slit mouth."

One of the students looked around the classroom, and held on to one of their friend's hand. "How… how do you get away from her?"

Torii looked at her class. They were frightened, and she had to put a stop to this. "Kids, Jin, stop it. This is too scary for you…"

"Oh come on Sensei, we aren't scared." They nodded, the majority of them, trying to hear the last of the story. Jin approved of this and continued.

"I don't know, all I know is that if you happen to not answer, she'll kill you…"

"Okay Jin, that is enough. Go sit down."

"Aww, Sensei…" he said sitting on the floor next to Sean who gave him a high five.

"No, you shouldn't be telling such scary stories…" Torii said standing up.

"Are you scared of the story?" asked Ren, his deep blue eyes staring at her.

"It's… it's not that…" Torii managed. It wasn't that she was scared, it was just that she had a bad feeling after hearing the story; something felt off to her and it was after hearing the story that she started to feel this way. "Okay I guess that is it for today, and remember, from now on, no more scary stories okay?" The kids groaned, but they nodded before waving goodbye to their teacher.

-O-

The lights flickered on and off as the boy walked forward, on his way to his house. He had stayed out late, hanging out with friends in the back of the school, when his mom had called for him to come back home. He looked back at the light, cursing at the quality of the city when he heard a whisper behind him. He looked back, cautiously taking heed to everything around him. "Who's there?" There was no answer but he was sure someone was behind him. He continued walking, turning back to his original route, when in front of him, he saw her. "What the hell…?" he asked.

"Do you think I'm beautiful?" The boy looked at her and made a face. He was always one to say what was on his mind, never really caring about what his words meant to people. He walked away, yelling back his response.

"How am I supposed to know with that mask on your face?" The woman cocked her head to one side, and moved in front of the boy. "How did you…?"

The woman ripped her mask off, revealing her face. Her mouth had been slit, from her left ear to her right ear. The boy cringed at the sight, almost vomiting. "Am I beautiful now?" He moved from her, trying to sidestep her to run the opposite direction, but she repeated her question, shriller than before. "Am I beautiful?"

"I don't know, I don't know!" said the boy, tears now threatening to fall. He ran, heart beating hard inside of his chest. "Who are you?"

She looked at him, running away from her. "He said he didn't know… he vomited… that means he thinks I am not beautiful…" she muttered to herself. The boy looked back, after having stopped for a breath. He didn't want to stop, but he had too, his breath was gone, and he couldn't afford to pass out on the street. When he stood up straight, he saw her, running towards him with a knife. He yelled out again, starting his escape when she appeared in front of him.

"I am beautiful…" she said, grabbing the boy's face with her slender hands. She held his face firmly, bringing the knife to his mouth. Slowly, she made a thin line, and then, when she finished the line, she slit the boy's mouth. Soon after, she cut the boy in half. The woman walked away, blood dripping from her knife as she walked away from the scene. "I am beautiful… beautiful…"

-O-

Torii threw her sheets off of her, getting up to get ready for the day. She rubbed her eyes, tired still from the lack of sleep last night. She had been awake thinking, for some reason, about the story Jin had told. Why was it so much in her head? She didn't know, but putting it to the side for now, she started to shower. After her shower, Torii turned on the news. She usually did this- listen to the news- since she never really had time to actually watch it. When the TV was loud enough Torii entered the bathroom, brushing her teeth.

"Late last night a body of a young boy was found cut in half…" Torii was freaked out by what she had heard. 'It couldn't be… right after hearing the story… it must be a coincidence,' she thought. "… his face, was brutally slit from ear to ear…" Torii stopped her brushing, and looked at herself in the mirror. 'How can this be… how can…' Her face as well as her eyes, showed the fear that she felt. Her skin grew goose bumps, and she was shivering slightly.

"My kids…" she said softly, "they unleashed what I was a part of those years ago…"

Torii stepped out into the bright sun, feeling the sun's rays on her body, but the chill that had met this morning when she heard the news hadn't left her. Her whole mind had been in a state of paranoia, and as was common with her, her mind began to take a ride to the train of overactive imaginations. She stopped when she reached the door to the school and took a deep breath, clearing her mind and her nerves. She couldn't show her nervousness in front of her students.

It was still a little early in the day when Torii sat back on her desk. She looked at the cubbies, and the desks of the children, wondering how they were, if all of them were able to go home safe the other night. She sighed again, and looked out into the darkness. Her black cloak had hung on the coat rack, shadows cascaded over it. She smiled solemnly, and thought of an old… she wouldn't call him friend per say, but she considered him so. The first student arrived, as far as she could tell from the sound of the car door being slammed, and as she sat up to greet them outside, she could have sworn she saw her black cloak move. Torii rubbed her eyes, and shook her head.

The students sat down with their lunch, talking amongst themselves. Tuna and ham sandwiches littered the table with their milk and apple juice counterparts. A girl with long blonde hair was overheard telling Jin that his story was so scary for her, that she had a hard time getting to sleep that night. The class shook their heads, agreeing. "It's not my fault. My neighbor told me about that…"

"Yeah, but did you guys hear about this…" Sean had turned to make sure the class was listening. "… there was a death, last night…"

"Sean!" said Torii, stopping the child in his tale. "Didn't I tell you no more scary stories?"

The boy nodded, and looked up at his teacher. "But Sensei," said Ren, defending his academic rival, "it's not a scary story, I saw it on the news too. The boy… the one who was killed…." Gasps were heard throughout the classroom.

"A boy was killed…"

"How?"

"Was it the same lady from the story…?"

"Stop it now!" yelled Torii, getting scared looks from her kids. They had never seen her so mad before.

"Sensei, we were just…"

"I know, but please, promise me, that you won't talk about that story again."

A few hours later, while Torii was busy grading some other work that she had given the kids, Sean, Jin, and Ren were talking amongst themselves.

"Hey, do you guys want to try something?" Jin inquired.

"Like what?" asked Sean.

"Well, I want to see if I can actually meet her. I think my neighbor is just playing a joke on me. He likes to do that you know…"

"A joke that got on the news, and got the police involved…?" said Ren, thinking, "I highly doubt it."

"You never know, we should go and see if it's true."

"Well, I'd be down for it if you told us how to run from her, if she's real," said Sean.

"Well, I can't be too sure since my neighbor never told me how to stop her, but we'll be okay, she isn't real."

"So when do you want to do this? I want to see too."

"How about tomorrow night, right after school we sneak out and find her."

"You guys," said Ren, looking straight at Torii, "I don't think we should…"

"Oh stop being a baby Ren," said Sean slapping him on his back. "We can do this, so are you in or out." Ren sighed looking back at his two classmates. He really didn't want to go, but something told him not to let them out alone. "Alright, I'll go too."

It was a few hours later, and Torii had just said her goodbyes to the last of her kids, save for one that was sitting on the steps, waiting for her parents to come pick her up. "Hey, are your parents on their way Kaname?" The girl looked up from her book, standing and dusting the dust from her skirt.

"No," she sighed, "I was just about to walk…"

"Oh no. I'll take you; It'd be no problem."

"It's okay Sensei, I'll walk home. It's kind of close by." Kaname waved goodbye, and Torii walked back inside, still watching her student walk away. She looked up into the sky, and even the though the sun was still relatively in the sky, she felt bad about letting her student walk home alone. It took Torii only ten minutes to make up her minutes to make up her mind. She didn't care if Kaname's home was close by; there was no way she could let her student walk alone, especially when something weird was happening around them.

Kaname walked on, grabbing her book and stealing glances at the words every few often. She would look back up when she saw a light pole, to make she wasn't about to run into it. It hadn't been five minutes that she started to walk home, that she heard a small whisper behind her. "Huh," she said looking up, and about her. It was quiet on her part, all around her. She shrugged her shoulder and continued on her way again, still reading her book.

Again, that small voice was heard, the small whisper that continually made her raise her head from her book. This time, looking behind her, she saw a woman walking toward her. She immediately thought to the boys today, and what the class had been talking about, even after Torii had told them not too. "What is it…?" she said, trying to take a step back, but the moment she had realized who this person was, she was scared stiff. She couldn't move, and as she tried to yell, she found she couldn't talk.

'Oh no,' thought Kaname, 'if I can't answer her question, I'm dead.' Tears ran down her eyes, and her nose had become runny; her book fell from her hand. She saw the woman approach her, a surgical mask on her face.

"Am I beautiful?" Her dark brown eyes searched Kaname for an answer, and when she didn't get it, she asked again, this time more full of rage. "Am I beautiful?"

Torii ran after Kaname internally regretting letting her leave her sight. She should have been more forceful, more tenacious on Kaname, to drive her home. When Torii saw in front of her, a woman appear out of thin air, she tried to run faster, but there was a limit to how fast she could run. She turned the corner, and saw Kaname, standing still. She tried to insult her, but the woman didn't hear her, or care for her; she wasn't a child anymore, so the tale had nothing to do with her. From behind, Torii could see nothing, but she could see the fear that presented itself on her face. Torii ran forward, not caring if she was in danger; her student was in peril, and it was her fault.

Kaname closed her eyes when she saw the knife gleam in the streetlight. She tried desperately to speak to answer the question that was still hanging in the air, waiting to be answered, but she couldn't bring herself too. The cold blade touched her skin, cold against her now flushed skin, and she clenched her eyes, waiting for the pain. She felt the small sting of the jagged blade, and heard a voice, something familiar.

"Kaname!" yelled Torii as she tried to approach her, but she stopped short, hands clasped in relief.

Kaname opened her eyes when she felt wind blowing in front of her, and in front of her closed eyelids, she could swear she saw a shadow racing in front of her. Daring to open her eyes, Kaname saw the only thing that could help her. The man turned to her, as his staff held the woman's knife away. "Go, go to your teacher now."

The monk pushed the woman back as she tried to attack him. Her knife swung voraciously about her as she tried to get back at Kaname. "Am I beautiful…" she asked again. The monk moved his staff away and took out one of his millions of weapons. He chose a sword, and cut the woman in half as she screamed shrilly.

Torii held onto the weeping Kaname as she stared out at the yokai she had been thinking about. He looked at her, nodding his hat before he started to walk away. "Wait," yelled Torii, dragging Kaname with her. "Don't go." He looked at her, not saying anything. "Please, I need to get her home. Can you please meet me at my house…? I have to talk to you. You know what is going on here…" She moved away from the demon, walking towards Kaname's house. When Torii turned around, Kurotabou was nowhere to be seen. She shook her head sadly, walking her student home.

Torii entered her home and threw her stiff on the table. She opened the fridge, and got a bottle of water out of the fridge. She was out for the longest, walking to Kaname's, going back to the school, since she had forgotten to lock up (she was too in a rush), before she got back to her house. She was tired, and that feeling of anxiousness had returned. Sitting on her bed, watching the ceiling with no interest whatsoever, Torii recalled what had happened to her when she was a kid, one of the events that sparked her reason to protect kids.

"What is it that you wanted…?" said a voice from her bedroom door. She looked up, and smiled, saying nothing for a long while. When she was on the street, taking care of a student, she had no time to relish in Kurotabou being with her again. She walked up to the yokai.

"I…" She shut her mouth, thinking what she was about to say. She wanted to tell him how much she missed him, or how much it meant to her that he was here with her, after she had asked him, but it wasn't the time, it might never be the time with him. She sighed and crossed her hands over her chest. "The stories, they are coming back to life. I fear my kids are initiating it, and if I'm correct, like I was part of the story, they will be too?"

Kuro nodded. "Yes, I think so. I just heard about this, and asked the Master Rikuo to let me come by to check it out. "

"So it is happening, are my kids are in danger?"

"I'll have to stop her before she hurts anymore people."

"I'll help you until she is gone okay." She looked up into Kuro's eyes, seeing he had turned away from her.

"I can't protect you anymore," he said frankly.

"I know, but I have to protect my kids." Kurotabou turned to leave the woman's house. "You can stay here if you want…"

"Thank you," Kuro said as he laid himself on her couch. Torii smiled inwardly, as she watched the man get comfortable on her couch. She accepted a long time ago, that whatever feelings she had for Kurotabou would never be reciprocated, but as she saw him again tonight, she couldn't help but to have a little hope. He was a demon that was created to protect children, and she knew deep down in her heart he was there for that reason, and that reason alone, but in her heart, she wished that the demon could be there for her too, if anything.

-O-

The next morning Torii actually had a reason to wake up early enough to make breakfast. It's been a long time since she had people over, especially since she and her other friends usually met up halfway at a restaurant, eating and enjoying each other's company for that night. She moved out of her bedroom, already dressed for the day when she went to the kitchen to make some food. Kurotabou was sleeping, hat over his face, snoring lightly. Torii smiled softly and began her cooking.

"I have to go Kurotabou, will I see you later?" He never looked up at her as she left her house, to go to the school.

Kurotabou truly hadn't wanted to stay with Torii that night, especially since he had known about her 'crush' on him since her younger years. He wanted to defeat the demon that was wreaking havoc and get back to the main house, but it hadn't worked like that at all. He looked up at the food that was on the table for him, he knew, and walked to it, waiting for night time.

-O-

Torii sat on the bright Story Time Rug, looking down on the circle of children around her. She had noticed that Kaname wasn't present; when Torii called her parents, they said she was traumatized by a nightmare she had, and was going to recuperate for a couple of days. Torii clapped her hands and got the kid's attention.

"Okay, today we are going to do something different."

"What, we didn't have story time last week, who is going to tell the story?"

"That's what I was about to say. I want to tell you about Kurotabou." The kids oohed and aahed as Torii said the name. "Has anyone heard of him?" They shook their heads. "Okay, it is said that a long time ago a couple of kids had wished for a protector. The kids were always in danger, and one night, they created Kurotabou, the protector of children."

"He protects children? All children?"

"Yes," replied Torii. "All you have to do is call out for him loudly. Yell 'Kurotabou!' and he will come to your aide."

The kids smiled, looking at each other, relief in their faces. "Kurotabou! Kurotabou!" they chanted, laughing.

"Now, just remember that name, and be ready for the quiz tomorrow!"

"Okay!"

Sean, Ren, and Jin hid behind the school building, after school had finished, inside of the tree house, waiting until just the right time for them to leave and sneak out onto the road. "Okay, time to go look for a monster!"

Torii never before had been in such a rush to go home, in the case that Kurotabou was still there waiting for her, but she doubted that. He was going after the slit mouth woman, and if she knew how well he did his job, he'd catch her and be on his way to the Nura household without so much as a goodbye. She sighed and turned the lights off. Just before she walked out of the door, the school's phone rang.

"Who'd be calling me at this time?" She picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello, Ms. Natsumi," It was a parent.

"Yes, how may I help you?"

There were sobs, and a hint of blues in the woman's voice. "Have you seen my son, Jin Kazuya?"

"Jin? He left with Sean and Ren when the other kids left. Did he not make it?"

"No, none of them made it. I had called the other parents, but… none of them had seen their sons either, and we are worried sick. On the news, there was a young boy… he was…" Sobs had replaced the mother's words, making her incoherent.

Torii gasped, and thought the same. What if they had been caught? "Don't worry, let me go and see if they are around here."

"Thank you Ms. Natsumi…" the mother said before hanging up. 'None of them went back home…' Torii ran outside, dropping all her stuff inside of the classroom. "Sean, Jin, Ren!" Nobody, or anything answered her call. She knew there was no way she'd be able to get to them in time. They were roaming the streets with a murderous woman, from a story no less… if she could've, she would've gone to help them but she had no leads as to where they were. "Kurotabou!" she yelled on the verge of tears.

-O-

Sean stepped out from under the street light, walking into the dark alleyway first. "Come on you chickens... bawk bawk," said the boy pretending to be a chicken.

"I'm not a chicken, I was just waiting for you to go first, and plus," he said turning to Ren who was cowering under the light, "he is the chicken."

"You guys, she's not here; we can leave now."

"No way. We need to stay until we see her," commanded Jin. Sean slapped him a high five. "Come on Ren." The three little boys walked into the dark alleyway, the smell of dumpsters strong on their nostrils. A cat walked in front of them, screeching loudly. The boys jumped back into each other, causing them all to fall onto the grimy floor. "Get off of me," yelled Jin standing up.

Sean helped Ren up, and they looked at each other, laughing. "We were just scared of a cat… it's no problem." There was another sound behind them, and Ren slowly looked back. He had already now grabbed Sean's arm, using him as sort of a shield.

"Did you hear that?" Ren said.

"It was just the cat."

Ren looked at Sean, not convinced. "I don't think so…"

"Come on, let's go further."

"Am I beautiful…?"

"Did you guys hear that?" Ren was now clenching Sean's arm tightly, looking at him. "Please… there is something there, I heard it. It was a whisper…"

"Ren, your hurting me, and if you want to go home, go. No one forced you to come here."

Ren looked at Sean, hurt. "I couldn't let you guys go out here by yourselves; it felt wrong."

"We can handle ourselves okay?" said Jin. This time the voice was louder and all three of the boys turned to the alleyway opening. "Umm, Sean, stop playing…" laughed Jin nervously.

"It… wasn't me…" Sean gulped.

"I told you… there was something out here." In front of them, they saw the woman, full trench coat, and surgical mask covering her face. She was staggering towards them, eyes moving to all six of theirs.

"Am I beautiful…?" the woman asked walking slowly toward them. "Am I beautiful…?" The boys had become speechless; Ren was still clutching Sean.

Ren looked at his companions, seeing they were scared, too scared to think it seemed. Their eyes were closed, and they were sobbing softly. Ren looked back at the woman. She had only been a couple of feet away. Ren thought back to the story they had yesterday. Kurotabou, the demon that protects children. He thought of him, trying with all his might to produce a name, but it was futile. He was just too scared.

"Am I beautiful…?" Her face had come close to Ren's and she asked again. He closed his eyes, still trying to form the words that could possibly save his life. She didn't hear an answer for the longest and she grew mad. "You think I'm ugly?" Ren did nothing. "You think I'm pretty?" Again he did nothing. She yelled at him, ripping off her surgical mask. "Look at me, and tell me!" He managed to open his eyes a bit, but the sight that met him had scared him. He burst out crying, incomprehensible words, and holding back his gag. Her mouth was mangled, slit from one end of the ear to the other. "Am I beautiful?" she said slowly. When he didn't answer again, she produced her knife. "Maybe you're too shy to say what you think…" she mused. She touched the cold blade to his face. His clenched closed; it was obvious the two beside him would be of no use at all.

Ren sucked in the last of his breath and opened his mouth. "Kurotabou! Help me!"

-O-

Kurotabou had heard the woman call out for him. He didn't know what caused him to go to her, especially since just the other day he said that he wasn't able to protect her anymore. He met with her, on the street, waiting for him, face full of tears. She was shocked, it looked, face pale, and eyes puffy. "What is going on?" he asked still taking in her appearance.

"My boys, three of them… are out here somewhere."

"We have to go then, she'll surely find them soon." Kuro stared to run, Torii following close behind him.

"Kurotabou…" He looked back, still keeping silent, meeting her eyes. "Thanks for coming." He was about to make a motion, but he had heard something. Like he had heard Torii calling for him, he heard the voice of a young boy.

"A boy…"

"You hear something?"

"Yes."

"I told them about you the day before, maybe it's them. Hurry, run Kurotabou! Go save my kids!" yelled Torii as she stopped to catch her breath. She was going to follow him, of course, but she couldn't hold him back from saving her kids. She smiled after him; glad she told her kids about him.

-O-

Jin had opened his eyes a peek, only to see that Ren was standing in front of the woman, scared out of his wits. Just like he was. He had gotten hope when he heard Ren yell Kurotabou. In truth, he was thinking about him to, the demon that was children's protector, but he couldn't find it in him to say it. When the knife gleamed in front of him, he wanted to stay quiet; if Sensei's story was true, he'd be alive long enough to be saved. He thought about that but disregarded the notion. He may have been forceful, and a little overbearing, but he wasn't a bad guy. He swallowed the last of his breath as well, and sprinted from beside the boys. "Hey stupid lady!" he said. "You are the ugliest thing I've ever seen in my life!"

Both Ren and Sean opened their eyes. "What are you doing?"

Jin ignored them and went back to taunting the woman. "I bet even your mother was afraid of you!" The slit mouth woman, turned to Jin and growled. Her mouth turned into what looked like a frown.

"Ugly…?" she raged. "You think I'm ugly?"

"Do you not understand either? You must be stupid and ugly, a terrible combination!"

"Stop it Jin, you'll die!" yelled Sean, who seemed to regain his ability to talk.

The woman ran to him, and Jin moved to get out of the way, but the floor had been slippery with grime and mold. He fell face forward. "Jin!"

He groaned before getting up, but was met with the face he had earlier insulted. Her knife went up into the air, and then came down in a flash. Jin covered his eyes. Just like Kaname, Jin felt a gush of air, and the clank of metal against metal. He opened his eyes, and saw the black cloaked monk. "Kurotabou!"

Jin got away from the battle that was about to ensue, going back to his friend in the back of the alley. "You interfere again?"

"Stop hurting these children." Kurotabou produced two swords, using the dual sword technique, attacking her head on. He stopped mid-attack and moved away so she could go to the children.

"Kurotabou… what are you…?" asked Ren when she came close to them again.

"Am I beautiful?" she asked Sean.

-O-

Torii had made it to the alleyway, after searching aimlessly for Kurotabou, and when she was close to the alley, she heard one of her kids, Ren, asking what Kurotabou was doing. Ren sounded absolutely terrified, and when she made her way to the entrance, she saw Kurotabou standing back, as the woman went after her kids. She yelled at Kurotabou, running to him, and hitting him in the chest. "How dare you?" she said yelling at him. "I have to save them, my kids…" she said. She began to run, but Kurotabou had held her back. "What are you doing? I have to get to them!"

"No, just let it go."

"Kurotabou, where is the man that had always wanted to protect kids?" Her eyes were so full of pain.

Kurotabou lifted his hat so that she could see his eyes. They were intense, and they had the same look she had fallen for when she was a kid. "Just trust me." Torii nodded, saying nothing. She had always trusted Kuro to be there for her, and why would she doubt him now? Just because they hadn't seen each other in a few years? She turned to her kids, putting her complete trust in Kuro. When the boys saw her, they called for her. She looked at them straight, and pointed to Kurotabou. "Trust him."

The woman repeated her question, and waited for the boy to answer. Her mask was already removed, and as Sean was about to answer, Kuro yelled the answer that would finally stop her.

"Tell her… she's so-so, just average."

"You're so-so…" Sean stuttered, "just average."

She looked at him, cocking her head to the side. "What…? Average? What do I do…?"

"Run now, and leave the rest to me." Kuro took his two swords and while the woman was confused with Sean's statement he attacked her. She faced him just as the swords cut her in half, killing her instantly.

Sean, Ren, and Jin hugged Torii, crying their hearts out. They had been through much, and again, Torii was glad that Kuro had been there. "Let's go you guys, your parents are worried."

"We'll never do that again!" yelled Sean and Jin.

"What do you mean?" asked Torii crouching to meet them at eye level.

"We wanted to see her, but we didn't know…"

Torii smiled and patted their heads. "It's okay. It's over now. How about we stop telling scary stories at reading time okay?"

The kids turned to Ren, who was still quavering in his shoes. "Thanks Ren," both boys said. "If it wasn't for you, we'd be dead."

"Good job Ren, you are all brave little boys, now let's go." Torii turned back to the alleyway, and saw that Kuro had disappeared. "Thank you Kurotabou."

Later that night, Torii entered her house, more tired than she usually is. She went straight to her bedroom, lying in bed, looking at the ceiling. All of the boys had a happy reunion with their family, and she was glad that everything worked out well. "If it wasn't for Kurotabou…"

"If it wasn't for me…" Torii shot up from her bed, and stared at the demon standing in front of her.

"You're still here…"

"Yes, but only for a short while."

"Thank you Kurotabou, for everything." The man nodded, and tilted his hat as he went towards the front door. Torii followed him out into the living room, towards the front door. "Bye…" she said sadly knowing this to be their last meeting.

"I guess…" he said not turning to look at her, "it wouldn't be a problem if I continued to watch over you too." Torii looked at him, gaping wide, but speechless. Kuro walked of the house, never looking back.

Torii sat on her bed going over what had just occurred at the door. Kuro said he wouldn't mind watching over her… did that mean… "I'm wearing him down!" Torii yelled into her dark room, "I'm wearing him down!"

-X-

A/N: The basis of this story was a Japanese legend/myth/ folklore (one of those) about Kuchisake-onna, the slit mouth woman. I wanted to keep Kuro's feelings platonic, while Torii, even after all these years still continues to like him. I know the death was quick… but I had no other way of killing her off, and making it look flashy. Well anyways, hope you enjoyed this little horror show.