Author Note (24 September 2018)

To alleviate the worries of the readers of my other story: I am not done with the Heel Siblings. Not by a long shot. Those two are going to continue to act out in all their lovable ways for a long time still, and this story being published is not going to change anything in that regard. I may be tardy with publishing from time to time, but I haven't held out on anyone yet. :-)

This new story is basically the result of me not being able to sleep and getting bitten all over by the creativity bugs. The only cure was that I just had to write this. There was no escaping it. Because of that it will serve as my sweet release from the constraints of the Heel Siblings story, which has become considerably harder to write for me in recent days.

The Infernal Moth is going to be a story without an uploading schedule. Maybe I'll publish semi-regularly, perhaps it will be quiet for a while. Rest assured: I have no intention of leaving it unfinished... but at this point the end is nowhere close to on my mind. Its sole purpose is going to be that it has to be a guilty pleasure of mine to write and put my mind off things. If it can't be that, I don't even want to write or touch it. :-)

Some of the early chapters were emotionally draining for me to write. So be aware: this story may not be your cup of tea. Like with my other story, I will try to maintain an emotionally balanced diet between the Serious and the Fluff, but for the early chapters that balance and variety will be lacking. Consider yourself warned. ;-)

I hope you will enjoy this story about success, regrets, fairies and tragedy! ~SilkHandkerchief

Chapter 01: When History Repeats Itself (?)

The people are staring crazily at me as they pass me by.

It is understandable. I must look like I am doing some stand-up comedy routine, rubbing my cheeks, flexing my face and staring into the reflective coating of this antique.. oh wait, it's the latest model at this time, right?

Modern, antique, whatever. I must still look ridiculous. Yet... I cannot help myself. No wrinkles! It is so good to be young again! I can't believe there was a time when I had such simple, black hair. I am truly the essence of youthful charm, huh? Wonderful!

And look! I can jump and skip and clap and touch my toes and not even be out of breath! They did not cheat me, ahahahaa! Howwww wonderful!

The evil charicature-esque laugh of cartoon villainess Catty Claws is what escapes my mouth, but I don't care one bit. I am young again, and can re-live my life a second time in ways incomparable to the first!

Unfortunately, even the resurgence of youth gets old after ten minutes of monkey-like antics. I'm going to blame the pervy old man wearing that vintage policeman uniform, and.. oh. Right. Probably not vintage.

I offer him a friendly smile, and he eventually offers a nod and glances away as I go to find where I'm supposed to be at. Or maybe a better question yet: where the hell am I, anyways?

Well, I could go home. If my hairstyle is any indication, I'm still chasing that idiot around, so the apartment should still be paid for. As I go to feel in my pockets, I indeed find the key I am thinking of. Whew.

What do I say if he's there when I arrive, though? Hmm. Well, whatever. He's just a boy. If I can't deal with the likes of him, would that not be the biggest blemish of my career?

... A blemish beyond that stupid PV of his, that is. Bah; that asshole should have been my stepping stone and yet I gave him royalties for life by associating my name with it.

That damn role didn't even have any lines! Nobody recognised me, so in the end, I got nothing out of it. I 'beat' him? Screw that: I just gave him a boost!

It became his best-selling record, all because I was so damn unprofessional. Kuon said it was karma at one point, and I am still pissed off that he was right about it. A maiden lacking earnest motives cannot get the recognition of any kind of higher authority. And it is true: I would never have earned a spot in his heart otherwise.

But still... had I known back then that the limited promotional release of that PV would turn out as it did, I would have steered clear of it. It holding a place in the top-ten rare butterfly-memorabilia is still a blemish I cannot shed. Why oh why would those IDIOT fans ever consider 1.6 MILLION DOLLARS a good price for a SHITTY sealed package they'll never open?! They are IDIOTS. Complete utter IDIOTS. How do they even function?!

Deep breaths, Kyoko. Dear God. You might be young again, but just how many doctors visits could I have avoided had I kept my temper under control when I was younger? It is worth finding out in this life.

Ooh, I recognise that bench over there! Finally, now I know where I am at! Couples were always sitting there, feeding the ducks and driving me nuts with envy to where I wanted to drag Sho with me to also have that kind of happy experience... but of course I couldn't.

Shit..! I won't have to pretend to like him for too long, will I? I need a reason to dump his sorry ass, or it will be way too suspicious. My Sho-mania was far too advanced to be cured from without a shocker like the one he gave me back then.

"... outanpost... "

Hmm? What's that noise in the distance?

" .. ove it! Move! I'm in a rush!"

Kids these days. Always rushing. I guess it is the same now as it was back th.. in the future. Nothing changes. I try to give my fiercest glare as I look at the two-wheeled tornado that is rushing at me.

" ... Shou-chan's poster! Shou-chan's poster! Shou-chan's poster! Shou-chan's poster! If I rush faster I can make it! Shou-chan's poster! Shou-chan's poster! Dooon't cloooooooooooooossseeeeee yeeeeeet!"

She's by me in but a second. But the moment where I saw her panicked face makes me realize.

That's me.

...

THAT'S ME!

Those damn faeries tricked me! Or at least one of them did. How am I supposed to relive my life when I am still wandering around out there?!

Now what the hell am I supposed to do?

Hide away and live an unrelated second life?

Kill my young self and take her place? I definitely look like her...

... of course you do, you silly old fart. You are her and she is me, except boundlessly more stupid!

Damn it! Dealing with faeries is never simple. I should have known to distrust them even more!

I used to know all that by heart when I was young, but I am ashamed to admit just how much I had forgotten. It is the folly of age to question things that should not be questioned. How could a few dozen questions, thought up on the spot, ever cover all the bases I needed them to cover? Why was I so damn self-assured?!

I should have said 'No! Sayonara!' and gone on with my life.

Sigh.

Kuon, can you forgive me? I truly deserted you this time. I've once again forsaken my filial duties as your wife and instead left you all alone out there in the future.

I'm soo sorry. Kuon!

And then there is that stupid idiot all obsessed about Sho posters, no doubt while cursing your name.. I ask your forgiveness for that, too. She doesn't know any better yet!

.. Wait. Sho posters? Doesn't... Oh hell no. No no no no!

She's going to personally bring Sho his meal after getting the posters.

And then he's going to break her heart! NO!