Submitted for your approval, Mister Shido Itsuka, a fledgling and failing artist, in the midst of his newest works, is under a lot of hard work. Tireless, effortless, and broke, he wants to continue his business, as the best artist he can be. But even so, a slump may befall him… in more ways than one…
Shido, a boy in a black shirt and jeans, with blue hair and fair skin, was working on a small project, using wooden sticks as a frame. He set it up in a wide rectangular box, and carefully added more. But one broke off the frame, and he sighed in anger. He pushed it aside and said, "I don't get it…"
He walked it off and said, "Hopeless…"
He was working in the art studio, from deep in the slums of a dilapidated city, on the third floor, with a huge window on the ceiling. From the window, it shows a huge skyscraper with a rabbit-like stone gargoyle, hovering over to the building, watching over Shido. He sighed and suddenly sat back down to the couch, annoyed by the artistic slump he suffered.
Just then, the phone rang. He then gasped, as he cried out, "Strumm!"
He answered the phone, and was to a small café, across the street. He was greeted to a clerk in black hair and a white apron.
"Shido, it's Jerry," he said, "I got a woman here-."
Shido replied, "20-ish, purple hair, green eyes, cute body, right?"
"On the nose." Jerry said.
Sonia called out, "Tell him I've been waiting for half an hour!"
Jerry said to him, "She's been waiting for half an hour."
Shido said, "I'll be right over."
He put the phone down and got dressed, and then proceeded to leave to the café.
Tales of the Bizarre #48:
"Lover's Vow"
Minutes later, Shido arrived at the café, as Sonia was reading a newspaper. She called out, "Another coffee with cream, please?"
Jerry served the woman, in a black business suit, with a yellow tie, a cup of coffee. She, along with a drunkard in black hair, was moaning in his bar stool, having a cup of ginger ale. Apparently, he gets drunk by him. Sonia then said, "Give him what he's having."
Jerry poured the ginger ale to him, and said, "It's on her."
He gave her the bill, "500 Yen."
She placed a 1,000 Yen coin down and said, "Keep the change."
Shido found Sonia and apologized to her, "I'm sorry, Miss Strumm, but I was working on a new project."
They hugged, as Shido sat down and said, "Uh, coffee, black."
He said to Sonia, "So, did you get my check, or a small wad of cash? I'm just curious."
Sonia rubbed her eyes and confessed, "Uh, neither. Origami says that she hasn't moved any of your things for four months."
The drunkard said, "Origami Tobiichi; owns a gallery in West Kobe."
Sonia explained from Origami that if Shido's stuff is not hauled out by Wednesday, it's useless junk.
Shido pleaded, "Sonia, you have to convince her-."
Sonia barked, "I can't convince her anything!"
"Strumm, you're my agent."
"No. Your artistic vision isn't just for monetary community."
"Sonia, I'm broke. I can't live on nothing."
"And I can't live on 10% of nothing!" Sonia complained.
Shido growled, "You're a monster…"
Sonia smirked, "No. I'm your agent. And for an agent, being a monster is just credentials."
She placed a small bill under his cup, and she said, "I'm sorry, Shido." And left the café.
Shido sighed, and lifted his cup, showing a 100 Yen Bill (about $1 US). Shido growled, and crumpled it up. He roared out, "WELL, FUCK YOU!"
He calmed down, as Jerry said, "Easy, boy…"
Shido groaned, "What am I supposed to do now?"
He took a drink of coffee, and was completely upset.
Minutes later, Shido was drowning in liquor, from Jerry, as he said, "Van Gogh… Picasso… Degas… Rodin… How did they get successful? They had no agents."
The drunkard spoke, "They died."
Jerry said, "Time to go, Itsuka. Closing time."
Shido asked, "What about Maeda?"
Maeda passed out on the bar, with his head resting, after too many drinks. Jerry said, "He'll come around. We'll let him out, in the morning. Come on. I'll take you home."
Shido moaned, "Probably where I'll end up…"
Jerry helped Shido up and left the café.
XXXXX
Later, Shido was lying by the wall, as Jerry locked up the back door. A banging sound was made, as Jerry looked around. He heard a loud thud from the trashcans, and then armed himself with a pistol. He looked into the alleyway, and found a figure, looming inside the alley. He aimed his gun at the figure. The unknown figure emerges, as Jerry was frightened. He aimed his gun, and cried out, "Oh, my god!"
SLASH!
The being slashed his right hand off. His severed hand flew towards Shido's feet, as he jumped out of the way. He saw Jerry, as the being slashed the right side of his face off. He pleaded, holding his right arm, sans hand. He sobbed, "Help me… Just run away…"
SLASH!
The figure decapitated Jerry, by the neck, killing him. Shido screamed in horror, as the figure appeared towards him. He saw the figure, which is, in reality, a huge demonic rabbit creature, with long rabbit ears, razor-sharp fangs, and bat wings. It has furry pink and purple skin, and with red talons for nails.
"OH, JESUS CHRIST!" Shido gasped, as he ran to the door to the café.
He banged on the door and cried out, "MAEDA! MAEDA! OPEN THE DOOR, MAEDA! MAEDA, OPEN THE DOOR! PLEASE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
Maeda was still passed out, in the bar, as Shido slammed his fists to the door. The rabbit monster appeared towards Shido and hissed at his face. It sniffed onto him, and hissed. Shido sobbed, "Please… Just… don't kill me…"
The creature held its talons up, and it spoke to him. He said to him, "Do not worry. I'm here for your life… in exchange for a promise…"
Shido said, "Deal. What is it? What do you promise?"
The monster said, "No… What you promise… You must swear that you never saw me, ever… You must say that you never saw me… Never say anything of what I speak as, never say what I look like, never repeat of what I said… only then, I will let you go… Promise FOREVER…"
Shido sobbed, "You've got to be kidding me… That is ridiculous!"
It snarled at him, as he whimpered, "I… I promise…"
The monster held its right claw up and snarled, "Cross your heart?"
SLASH!
It nicked his chest, as he winced and screamed in pain. He cried out, "OKAY! OKAY! I PROMISE!"
The rabbit-like monster flew off, into the night sky, disappearing from where it came from. Shido kneeled up and held his chest. He moaned in pain, "ungh… Crazy rabbit…"
He proceeded to rush off home, scared and panicked, knowing if the monster will show up, again. He arrived at a corner and vomited into the trashcan in the corner, as he was repulsed by the monster that slashed him. He looked around, fearing that the rabbit monster would return. But as he was looking around, he heard footsteps. A woman in dark plum hair, wearing only a tan trench coat, was walking down the alley, timid and scared. Shido saw her and grabbed onto her, clasping his hands onto her face, covering her mouth. He shushed her, as she was screaming. She muffled in her screams, as he whispered, "SHH! Shut up! I'm not going to hurt you… It's dangerous, out here…"
The woman pleaded, "Please, sir… Let me go…"
He said, "No. I won't hurt you. Alright? Just be quiet…"
She tried to run off, but he cried, "No, you idiot! It's dangerous down here, what are you even doing here?"
She cried, "I was gonna get a taxi!"
He said, "Look, it's fine… No one in this area would get a taxi from here. But if you want one, you come to my place, and you can use the phone, to dispatch one."
He walked off, and said, "Look, my name's Shido Itsuka. I live just around the corner. Follow me…"
Shido walked off, as the woman followed him, cautiously. She said to him, "I'm sorry. I thought someone was following me, like a stalker…"
"Well, that wasn't me." He said, "I'm pretty sure of it…"
They arrived at the front door, as Shido was unlocking it. He asked her, "So, why are you here, this late at night?"
Tohka said, "Well, I was supposed to meet some friends here, but I got lost."
He opened the door and stepped in. She went in, heading to his studio.
They arrived at the third floor, as Shido headed straight for the phone, near the counter. The woman asked him, "So, what were you doing, out this late?"
Shido said, "Oh, just… having an argument…"
"With your girlfriend?"
"No, but she is female… My agent dumped me, tonight."
"Oh, I'm sorry…"
"That's alright. I'll order you a taxi, okay?"
He went to the phone, and dialed the number to the taxi company. He heard a message, "Hello? We're sorry, but services are closed. Please call tomorrow."
He put the receiver down, and then said, "The line's busy… We'll try again, later…"
She said, "Well… Can I, at least, spend the night here?"
He said, as he was upset, "I suppose so… By the way, I haven't known you, yet. What's your name?"
Tohka introduced herself, "Tohka. Tohka Yatogami."
Shido smiled, "Tohka…"
Tohka offered if she wanted something to drink. Shido said, "Sure. Can you, uh, give me a minute?"
He went to change, as Tohka looked around his studio. He offered her a bottle of juice, and then removed her trench coat. She was wearing a purple blazer and blue skirt. He asked her, as he was putting her coat up, "So, where are you from, Tohka?"
Tohka explained, "Well, I grew up in Kyoto… sort of. I had a boyfriend in Tokyo, and we dated for two months. But it didn't work out. So I dumped him, and left."
He removed his shirt and saw the three claw marks on his chest. He moaned in pain, as he reached for the iodine. She said to him, "You know, you're the first real artist that I've ever met."
Shido said, sarcastically, "Yeah? Tell that to my agent."
Tohka saw the marks and asked, "Did she do that?"
Shido said, as he prepared a cotton ball to swab, "This? No, no, just… Well, let's say that I had a run-in with a steel fence… and a bottle of scotch."
She took the bottle and said, "I'm sorry."
She moistened the cotton ball in iodine and gently nursed his wounds, dabbing the cotton ball gently onto his scars. He asked, "Say… Did you try that taxi again?"
Tohka shook her head NO, and said, "Nope."
Shido said, "Well, maybe we'll wait until morning…"
She agreed, and continued to nurse Shido. She blushed, as she was pressing the ball onto his second wound. She asked, "Do you have any bandages?"
Shido said, "I think I have a first-aid kit… in the closet…"
Tohka blushed, as she witnessed his bare chest. She whispered, "Sorry…"
He continued, as he winced in pain, as the iodine stings lightly.
XXXXX
One hour later, Shido was sitting in bed with Tohka, as he removed her blouse. She blushed, as she undid her bow. He rubbed his hand onto her bare chest, and she moaned heavily. They began to kiss, as Tohka whispered, "Shido…"
They hugged each other, as he whispered, "Be careful…"
They went under the covers, and started to have sex. Tohka moaned, as Shido was rubbing onto her bare body. She moaned heavily, as she was feeling relaxed and blissful. They continued onward, all night long, until they went to bed.
The next morning, Shido was busying drawing on black paper, using a piece of white chalk. He began to draw a figure on the paper. It was a rabbit-like creature that he saw, last night, the same rabbit monster that attacked him, which led to meeting Tohka. He did it, secretly and privately, as he remembered its face. He finished, but was curious.
"Good morning." Tohka said, as she was in her white shirt and panties.
Shido put the paper away, and then said, "Uh, hey. Good morning."
Tohka smiled and said, walking to him, "Last night was very important to me…"
He grumbled, as he ripped up the portraits. He said, "It was a nightmare."
She sobbed, as she turned away in sadness. He said to her, seeing her cry a bit, "No, no, Tohka. Not you. Last night, everything was a nightmare, until I met you. It was very good. I needed it… I need more of it…"
Tohka blushed, as she unbuttoned her white shirt, "I do, too… How about right now, baby?"
They started to make out on the table, kissing and rubbing each other. As they were making out, police sirens were blaring, as a voice called out, "HELP MEEEEEEEEEEE!"
It was Maeda. He was hollering outside, as police cars were driving by. He stopped and said, "Oh, look… I have to go see what that is… Please… Wait for me, okay? I'll be right back."
Tohka nodded, as he left to go outside. She nervously waited, and was worried.
When he stepped outside, the café was closed down, wrapped in yellow caution tape. An ambulance and two police cars drove by the back way, as they carried Jerry's dead body away, in a black body bag. Maeda was being restrained by two policemen, as he was still inebriated. He cried out, as Jerry's corpse was rolled in, "THAT'S MY FRIEND! THAT'S MY FRIEND! SOMEONE KILLED HIM! SOMEONE CUT OFF HIS HEAD!"
Shido witnessed everything, and went back inside. He returned to his studio, and then called out for Tohka, "Tohka? Hey, you there?"
He looked around the entire studio and room, and saw that Tohka had already left. He moaned in disappointment, "And you had to leave, somehow…"
He was upset that his one girl he loved left him. He sighed, as he was upset, "Yeah, I would've left, too…"
XXXXX
Days passed, and Shido never saw Tohka, again. He was too busy with drawing the portraits of the rabbit monster that he witnessed, a while back. He drew one, using white chalk for the detailed lining, and red for the crimson night sky. The rabbit was perched on the ledge of a log. As he stared down at the picture, and heard Jerry's voice, from the day that the devilish monster beheaded him. His cries shouted out, as Shido was frightened. He also remembered the moment, when the monster said that Shido vowed to never mention anything about the monster that attacked him.
The intercom buzzed, as he stopped working. He pressed the button and asked, "Yeah? Who is it?"
It was Tohka. She answered, "It's Tohka. Can I come up?"
Shido said, "Yeah, sure. Hang on."
He buzzed her in, as Tohka was heading up to the third floor. He waited for her to show up, but then saw his pictures he drew and ran to his art table. He scrambled his chalk pictures into a neat pile, and hid them in the drawers. He locked it up, as a knock on the door was made. She called, "Shido? It's me."
He ran to the door, as she stepped in. She said, as she was worried, "I know what you're thinking… My friends were there, I returned to them… but one of my friend's boyfriend came back-."
He pleaded, "I'm sorry… I didn't ask anything. I'm just glad to see you, again…"
She looked around the studio, and said, "Thanks… If it's alright with you, you want to go out with me? Maybe you can showcase your art to others that I know of. I called a friend of mine; actually, she's a friend of a friend of mine. She owns a huge art gallery on Hudson Street. I told her how wonderful I thought your work was, so she'd like to come down and see it."
"Who is it?"
"Izayoi." Tohka said, "I don't remember the rest of her name."
Shido asked, "Wait… Izayoi? Miku Izayoi? A friend of a friend? Jeez Louise…"
Tohka smiled and responded, "Well… I hope you don't mind I did this."
He explained, "Yes, but… Miku Izayoi… She is a popular idol and an artiste. Of course I don't mind! Izayoi owns the hottest gallery in town!"
He held her and smiled, "It's what I always wanted."
He asked if she wanted to come with, and she said yes.
XXXXX
At the museum, a lot of people were enjoying work done by Shido, and they were amazed by his usual work. He even had an old painting, in cardboard, and framed in planks of plywood. The people enjoyed his artwork, as Shido was in a suit, while Tohka was in a dark purple evening gown. She said, "I told you. It's awesome… Izayoi sold one of your paintings to a nice couple for 2.56 Million Yen (over $23,000 US). You're a smash~!"
He was amazed, as he said, "Wow… I'm rich!"
She giggled, "And more… I told you. Miku Izayoi loved your work."
As the patrons were enjoying the art, a man in a brown jacket appeared. It was Maeda. Shido saw his face and gasped, "Damn… Not him…"
Tohka asked, "What? Something wrong?"
Maeda saw him and smiled, "Shido~! Hey, buddy! Haven't seen you in a while… Excuse me…"
"Hey, Maeda." He shook his hand.
Maeda asked, "So, what have you been up to? I haven't seen you around, pal."
Shido said, "Oh, you know… Working…"
Maeda said, "Yeah… Café closed down, since Jerry died… Did you know anything?"
Shido gulped, and said, "Uh, no… Not a clue…"
In front of him, Tohka, and the people enjoying his work, Shido did promise the monster to not mention it. He lived up to the promise.
Tohka introduced herself, "I'm Tohka. Nice to meet you."
She asked Shido, "Hey, who's Jerry?"
Shido said, "Oh, a guy that ran the café… when I hung out, having coffee."
"Oh, that's sad. What happened?"
"It's a long story, Tohka."
Maeda said, "He died. In the alley, out back. What's worst, is that his head was sliced off, clean…"
Shido told Tohka to leave, as he whispered to Maeda, "Nice meeting you, Maeda."
Maeda asked him, "You know something, don't you?"
Shido barked, "Maeda, I swear to god, sober up, before someone lights a match into that stink farm of a mouth."
Tohka left the museum, as Shido told Maeda, quietly, "Look… I know what I saw. But I can't say more. I told the cops everything I knew, which is exactly nothing."
He left, as Maeda was confused, stranded in the museum, confused and a bit drunk.
XXXXX
Shido was home, that night, coming home from his art gala success. He removed the stuff from his pockets, mints, matches, spare change, and a cell phone, and sat down. He reached for his left rear pocket, and found a napkin, drawn in red ink, of the face of the rabbit monster.
"Promise… forever…"
Tohka returned, as Shido gasped, hiding the picture. Tohka asked, "Hey… So, are you sorry that you met me?"
Shido said, "No, I'm not… But I'm happy for you… You took care of me."
Tohka asked him, "So, what was it that happened, the other night? Your friend… he said that Jerry, a guy you know… died…"
Shido said, "Sit down, Tohka. We should talk…"
He said to her, "Listen, what happened that day, you have to promise not to tell. It's between us two."
She smiled, "I promise."
He explained everything, but left out the monster that killed Jerry:
"Anyway, before we first met, Jerry took me home, after my agent shafted me, that night. And from that I saw, a mysterious figure appeared, possibly a serial killer, and hacked off his right hand, followed by his head. Then he… well, he ran away, but not after he struck me in the chest. And the police came, and chased after him…"
She said, "And all this happened, the night we met?"
He nodded, and said, "It's true… It was horrible…"
She smiled, and then said, "You would've told me sooner…"
He asked, "Huh?"
She kissed him and said, "I'm glad it wasn't that serious… Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me… And I hope the guy gets locked up for that."
She kissed him again and said, "Anyways, I'm glad we met. I was worried about you, suddenly, and it was a magical evening…"
He said, "Let's make it even more magical."
He held her in her arms and threw her into the bed. He pinned her down and began kissing her. She giggled and said, "I love you…"
"And I love you… But let's keep this between us, baby…"
They continued to kiss and make out, lying on the bed, making out and having sex. From that day on, Shido and Tohka became boyfriend and girlfriend.
XXXXX
One week later, Tohka appeared by Shido, as he was drawing on his table. She said, as she kissed him, "Hey… Shido…"
He said, "Hey… Listen, thank you for that magical time we had. And don't worry. With the money I'm making, I'm going to take care of you. You can have anything you want…"
She said, as she held his waist, "Will you… give me some new stuff?"
He asked, "What would you like?"
She replied, "Well, you know… Milk… cookies… a new bed, small… diapers… uh… baby clothes…"
He gasped, as he asked, "Wait… Tohka! You mean-?"
Tohka giggled, as she blushed. She said that she is pregnant. He asked her, "When did-? We going to make this child legitimate, or what?"
He then kneeled to her, "Well, lemme try again… Tohka Yatogami… Will you marry me?"
Tohka smiled and said, "Oh… I don't know…"
"But… I gave you a child, right? How long were you pregnant?"
Tohka confessed, "Uh… two weeks… We had sex, after our success with Izayoi's galleria. And I… well…"
She blushed, and then asked, holding up a pillow, "Will you marry me, like this?"
She stuffed a pillow into her belly, showing her impregnate stomach. Shido then chased after her, as they laughed. Tohka suddenly tripped down, and fell to the mattress. She giggled, as Shido pinned her down. They started to kiss, as Tohka said, "Oh, Shido… You made me so happy…"
They continued to make out and kiss, as they prepared to start a family, together. Shido still remembered what happened that day, but forgot about it, and never told a soul about it. It was because that rabbit creature brought these two together. And it was for the greater good, as they were living happily, with Shido now a successful artist, and Tohka a newly-made mother.
Time passed, and Tohka and Shido got married, and raised a family, in their own private home together.
Ten years later…
Ten years passed, and Shido's art studio was renovated with newly painted walls and clean floors. His studio was cleaner and brighter, complete with new furniture and an extra room for Tohka's two kids: both a boy and a girl.
Tohka, with her dark plum hair even longer, and wearing a black evening gown, went to Shido's desk, as she was looking for the scissors. She opened the drawer and found them. But she also found a piece of drawn paper. It was a piece of Shido's drawing of the rabbit monster, from ten years ago. Tohka looked at it, and was worried. She looked at the piece, and then said, "I wonder…"
The door opened, and a girl with dark blue hair appeared, wearing a purple dress, running to her mother, "Mommy, Mommy! Look what Sonia bought for me~!"
She showed her a bracelet that Sonia bought for her, which was colorful, with shiny gems on it. A boy in dark plum hair said, wearing a black uniform, "This woman took a picture of us, a million times."
Sonia appeared, in her suit, with shorter purple hair, as she explained, "I'm sorry, Miss Yatogami. These kids ran me ragged, a dozen times. These kids have the metabolism like a hummingbird."
Tohka went to her daughter and Sonia asked her, "Ooh, is there a party going on, tonight?"
Tohka explained, "Yes. Shido and I are celebrating our tenth anniversary of the night we first met. Married for nearly nine years."
Tohka's daughter asked, "You mean, the night you thought he was gonna mug you, in the alley?"
Tohka said, "Oh, yes, darling. It's also the anniversary that Miss Strumm here gave your father the shaft."
Sonia huffed, "Yeah… He told me I had to murder three more agents, using my musical gift, before your mother insisted on letting me represent him, again."
Shido appeared, in a leather jacket, and laughed, "And… You're still on three months' probation~!"
He joked, as Sonia snuffed, "Whatever. YOU find someone else that will babysit the spawn of hell, on a Saturday Night!"
Tohka huffed, "Oh, Strumm!"
Tohka's daughter tackled her down, as Sonia laughed. She giggled, and Tohka giggled, too. Shido was playing with his son, as Tohka watched on. She felt happy, as she saw her husband, her children, and Sonia, laughing and playing together.
XXXXX
At the alleyway, Tohka and Shido walked down the alley, together. Shido said to her, "Ten years… It's been ten years… Times have changed."
Tohka smiled and said, "Changed for the better, I hope."
He said to her, "You know, the day that I met you, I almost died."
She said, "I know… Why? Whatever happened that day?"
He answered, "Well… Let's just say that… my life started again."
They continued to walk down the alley, reminiscing about the day they met.
Sonia left to the door and said to Tohka, "Happy anniversary. And you know, you saved Shido… from people like me…"
Tohka nodded, and was a bit sad. Shido said to Sonia, "Well, it's fate that brought me to her. And she saved me from myself."
Sonia said, "Time to go. I'll see you around. Besides, this kind of sincerity is going bad for my self-image."
Shido and Tohka giggled, as Sonia smiled and waved goodbye. "Good night, Shido…"
Tohka said, "Goodnight, Strumm."
Sonia walked down the stairs, as Tohka shut the door. Then she left to the front door, and left Shido's house. She saw a taxi drive by, and rushed to it. But it ran past her, as she groaned, "Nuts…"
She held her cellphone up and said, "Well… True what they say… You can't get a taxi here, in this dump. You can't get any cab in this neighborhood, period."
She called the cab company and said, "Yes, hello? Yeah, can you get me a taxi? I'm at…"
Meanwhile, inside the bedroom, Tohka was in her lingerie, getting ready for bed. Shido then said, as he was thinking, "You know, seeing Sonia waiting for a cab… it reminds me… We should move away to another part of the city. Countryside area, a huge house, widespread backyard for the kids to play in."
Tohka said, "No. The kids would hate it, as much as you would."
Shido said, "Then, for you, baby."
Tohka smiled, but confessed, "I'm sorry, Shido. But there's nothing you can give me that I already have."
He then thought, and said to her, "Yes, there is. I wanna show you something…"
He said to her to wait here, in the bedroom, as he turned off the lights. He went to the closet and pulled out a small box. He opened the box, as she asked, "What's in it?"
Shido said, "I've been working on it, for years. I kept it secret… and now, we can share it together."
Tohka smiled and said, "Anything… Sure… Show me."
He pulled out a small clay figurine of the same rabbit monster that attacked him, long ago, right down to its detail and texture. Tohka asked, "What is that?"
Shido said, "Something that, uh… popped into my head… No one has ever seen this."
She said, "It almost looked real to me…"
He said, "Can you keep a secret? I know we are saying it's a secret… but I can't hide the truth, any longer. This creature I build… is the one that attacked me and Jerry, ten years ago. This being killed Jerry."
Tohka gasped, "OH! You mean, it wasn't a serial killer?"
He explained, "No, it's not… After it killed Jerry, it promised me to not tell anyone. I knew I was gonna die, but it spoke. It turned to me, and it spoke. If I promised never to tell anybody what I'd seen, it wouldn't kill me. So, I never told anybody…"
She responded, feeling sad, "But… You told me, did you?"
"Yes… But we kept it a secret, between me and you. And we made a promise. My secret is safe with you…"
"Yes… I did… But why did you lie to me, all those years ago, about a serial killer?"
"Because, Tohka, you're the most important thing in my life. And you and I kept it a secret, long ago."
"I never told anyone… No one would believe me, anyway…"
Shido hugged her and said, "I'm glad you did… But, let's promise. I don't care what that creature said… I want to promise you… Never told anyone about this creature… This is between you and me, and only because this is a secret between us…"
Tohka giggled, as he continued, "Tohka Yatogami, you changed me… You made me what I am… You brought me ten years of happiness… ten years of success… ten years of a perfect life… I'm telling you this, because I love you. You deserve everything I can ever give you. And the only thing I've never given you the truth… about what happened, the night we met."
Tohka was smiling, but frowned a bit. She nodded and said, "Well… I have a confession to make, dear… You see, I, too… I knew of the demon that attacked me, the night we met… and…"
She sniffled, as she said, "And… it killed one of my friends, and… told me to never tell a soul… But I'm glad… that I met you… Ten years… of happiness… I love you, Shido Itsuka… I always do…"
Tohka was crying, as Shido smiled. She took the figurine and walked away. Shido asked, "Why are you crying? I told you the truth. I'm not making this up!"
Tohka sobbed, as she clutched the figurine in her hands, and said, "No… It's not it… You would keep a secret for so long, likewise myself… And you told me first… but lied to me, ten years ago… But I'm okay with it. My heart beats for you, Shido Itsuka… And I love you, always and forever… A promise… kept… a vow… sacred… Shido, I'm so glad… I'm… so… glad…"
She wept, as he asked, "I don't get it. You had a run-in with that monster, and you told me so, yourself."
She sniffled, as she clutched it tightly, "That's because I knew it was love at first sight… And nothing can change that…"
He said, "Then why are you crying?"
She calmed down, and then sniffled, "You… You told me everything… But…"
"But?" He asked, misunderstood.
She grasped the figuring tightly, and suddenly, it snapped in two. Tohka turned to Shido, with a sad look on her face, and screeched in a heartbroken cry…
"YOU PROMISED THAT YOU'D NEVER TELL!"
Shido gasped, as Tohka destroyed the figurine, and then, suddenly… red talons appeared from her hands, as she was wailing and crying. Shido gasped, as he cried out, "TOHKA! WHA-? WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?"
Tohka was bulging a bit, from her body, as she shrieked, "I LOVE YOU, SHIDO ITSUKA! BUT YOU WEREN'T SUPPOSED TO TELL ME ABOUT THAT! YOU BROKE YOUR PROMISE, YOU STUPID IDIOT! I HATE YOU!"
Her hands produced into claws and scales, as she shrieked in pain. The uproar woke the kids up, and was sitting together in fright, hearing a scary noise, which happens to be from their mother.
Shido pleaded, "You don't hate me, Tohka! I love you!"
Tohka yelled, "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT?"
She roared and cried in a demonic howl, as blood oozed from her skin. Scales and claws produced all over her body, as she ripped off her skin and hair, revealing a flesh-colored body. Her skin slowly melted off, producing a newer layer of skin. Shido was shocked and frightened, as he was witnessing Tohka's horrific metamorphosis.
"Oh, god… No… NO!" He wept, as he held his head in disgust and fright.
He pleaded, "Tohka, please stop! Jesus Christ, just change back!"
Tohka sniffled, as she wept, "I… I can't…"
Her hair fell off, and it sprouted rabbit ears. And then, it grew demonic wings from her back and spine, as Shido was in complete fright and disgust, witnessing what he actually saw. Tohka Yatogami, the girl that saved him, ten years, transformed into a rabbit-like monster; the very same monster that attacked him, and pleaded to him to keep his word of not telling a soul about her.
He sobbed and pleaded, "Why? NO!"
The kids were screaming, from the other room, as he said to her, "The kids… They woke up, with you screaming… Please, what did I do? Change back!"
Tohka spoke, as she hissed, "It's too late… You betrayed your vows…"
Shido was in complete shock, as he cried out, "No… Tohka, why didn't you say anything? This is a secret between you and me! I would never tell anyone else, even you wouldn't tell a soul!"
She said to him, as she held his arms, "No… Shido… I know you would trust someone… But I distinctly said… "Tell nobody!" I said to not tell ANYBODY! And you broke your promise!"
Tohka howled in sadness. Shido yelled, as he broke free, "NO! IT CAN'T BE!"
He dropped to the floor, as he went to his kids. He shrieked, in complete shock, "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
He saw, with his own eyes, Tohka and Shido's children were turned into rabbit-like hatchlings, with small demon wings, twin horns, and faint blue fur all over them. Shido was sickened, as he pleaded to the monster that was once Tohka, "Tohka… I'm sorry… Please… Don't kill me. We promised. We promised to keep it a secret… Tohka! Please, don't kill me!"
Tohka tackled him down, and was crying, "Shido Itsuka… I loved you, but I can't do this… I love you, so much… Don't make this hard among yourself… Never again…"
He sobbed, "I'm so sorry… Tohka… Please stop… I'm so, so sorry…"
Tohka closed her eyes and whispered, "Shido… I am sorry… Your secret is always safe with me… But you broke your vow, and that sealed our destiny…"
She wept, as she kissed him. She said, "I'm sorry… Goodbye…"
She opened her jaw and bit onto Shido's neck. In one huge chomp, she chomped off half of his neck. He dropped to the floor, bleeding from his bitten neck, and croaked. He let out a death rattle and died out. Tohka roared up high, in sadness and pain, as her two children, her offspring that she gave birth to, from Shido, hugged her legs, and were crying. They snuggled by her, as Tohka bowed her head in sadness, knowing that she killed her one true love.
Meanwhile, in the alley, a cab drove by, as Sonia stopped it.
"YO! TAXI!" The cab stopped.
The driver called out, "Sonia Strumm?"
Sonia said, "Yeah, that's me."
She stepped in, but as she was about to step into the taxi, Tohka, along with her two children, flew off through the glass ceiling, and let out a huge demonic wail. She and her children disappeared into the night.
Sonia went in the cab, as she ignored the sound. The driver asked her, "What the hell was that?"
She shut the door and said, "I don't even want to know. Take me downtown."
The taxi drove away, with Sonia in the back seat. She grew worried, as she felt uneasy. As the cab drove away, Shido's body remained in the house, still with his neck bitten off.
Hours later, dawn came, and Shido was still lifeless and dead, with blood pouring slowly from the bite marks from the rabbit monster that was once his wife. And up above the destroyed window, hovering over Shido, was the same stone rabbit gargoyle, on the ledge of the huge skyscraper, watching over his dead body. It looked down on Shido, except with its eyes closed, and hugging its two babies, looking very sad.
Tohka Yatogami was that same rabbit-like gargoyle that came to life, and killed the café clerk… and even her own true love, Shido Itsuka. She was never awakened again.
"If a promise you don't keep, it'll haunt you in your sleep… And as you like beneath your quilt, you'll have a conscious full of guilt…" – Jack Riley, 1998.
Portrait of a solemn vow, kept from a man that knew everything, and promises to keep it a secret. He vows to keep it with his one true love, and forevermore. But sometimes, if you keep a promise that you are never to tell a single soul to, you have to keep it… or else, bad things will happen.
Just the case of Mister Shido Itsuka, famous artist, now deceased, who broke a promise to the creature he ever loved… in the "Tales of the Bizarre"…
Miz-K Note: Special thanks to IcebatofValikinRRBZ8 for the pairing of Tohka Yatogami and Shido Itsuka from "Date-a-Live".
While this is a "Date-a-Live" fanfic, and my first stand-alone one, this fic is obviously a correct choice, but with my own style of horror and romance. And I apologize for the gory effects from what you just witnessed. Please note, as I said before: NO anime characters were harmed, during the filming of each fanfic.
Good night out there, wherever you are…