4

Disclaimer: I'm disclaiming this disclaimer, as it's no disclaimer of mine. Also, sorry this chapter took so long. I have four stories to write if you include this.

"Uhh..." Mari's eyes looked about the sky. "...Renko?"

"Yeah?"

Mari looked back to her. "M-maybe we should turn around."

Renko, of course, looked at her oddly. "We just spent hours getting here, and now you want to leave? Why...?" Behind her, Mari could see spirits flying left and flying right.

Mari swallowed, answering, "It's a bit scary."

Renko rolled her eyes, retorting, "Do you really want to camp outside after giant flaming skulls zipping about?" Before Mari could take back her decision to turn back, Renko added, "As big as their mouths are, you want to sleep when they might sneak up on us?" Interrupting Mari as she opened her mouth with fright, she asked, "Wasn't this your idea?"

"Stop, stop!"

Renko and Mari equally flinched at the blonde's shout, before turning their eyes skyward. Ghostly skulls of all shapes and sizes stared back.

Mari took a cautious step towards the building.

Renko grabbed her friend's arm, taking her along as she began running. In that same moment, the skulls started dive bombing towards them. They wouldn't make it. Mari knew they wouldn't. Renko defied that fate, but likewise knew that it wasn't likely to succeed. The skulls were faster than they, and their distance from the two shorter than their own destination. As the screams of tortured souls became akin to a deafening dirge, they slowed to a crawl at the cry of a cat.

"Nyahaha~" It didn't take the two to realize their fanged doom had stopped short of biting. "What are a couple humans doin' down here, huh~?"

Renko looked to the flicking tails of a predator, whereas Mari saw the boundary of cat and human in the dark. Renko noticed the gleaming grin of teeth sharper than a human's. More cat-like, if one wanted to be on the nose. Mari, on the other hand, saw the difference of hunger and satisfaction, as well as some odd ones less simple than the spider's from before.

Snickering, the cat asked, "Cat got your tongue?" She grinned all the wider at getting at least one groan from the two, emanating from the brunette.

Mari, being blind to those things that weren't so bathed in blue flame, asked, "Am I missing something?" The border gave her a hunch, though the Spider gave her a warning she would take to heart.

The cat chuckled a bit, answering, "A lot of things, I imagine. Humans tend to miss a lot that goes on under their cute little noses..." The kasha let out a dark chuckle. "Or see that which is right in front of their eyes?" Mari huffed at the jab.

Renko, of course, rolled her own. "Be that as it may, not all eyes are created equal, even among humans."

The kasha's obviously cat-like gaze cut back to the brunette's gaze. "I suppose that's true enough. After all, you can see, can't you..." Her cheeks split in a cheshire grin.

Once more, Renko rolled her eyes. "Can we go? You don't seem to be eating us, and they don't seem to be eating us, so, unless someone plans to eat us, we need to find shelter."

Orin was more than a bit taken aback by the question while the ghastly skulls shared looks amongst themselves. Either this human had a lot of balls, or had lost her marbles. She could see her, and saw the ears and tails, yet seemed as blase about her as if greeting a neighbor.

Orin wasn't sure how to feel about failing as a youkai, though felt just a little bit happy as a person. After all, rare was it that she met a human, let alone one that didn't hate her. ...Or, a living one, at least. Dead ones were a dime a dozen, and in fact were something not dissimilar to friends of a sort. Or stalkers. ...Angsty teens? Seriously, the souls of the damned could bitch like there was no tomorrow. Sometimes she felt a little jealous of Okuu up until her chest stared at her with the intensity of a thousand suns for the umpteenth time.

And then she didn't feel so jealous.

This led Orin to claim, "You're an odd human."

Mari agreed, "She's a very odd human."

Renko nodded along, claiming, "I'm told that a lot."

Mari sighed, pointing out, "You're not supposed to agree, Renko."

"I didn't agree. Simply stated how often I'm told it."

"You didn't disagree."

The kasha couldn't help but chuckle. "You two sound like a married couple." Renko gave her a flat look, and Mari glared off to a particularly detestable patch of air. "What?" She gave the two a grin like the cat that got the canary.

Mari huffed for her part. "If you're just going to tease us, I think we'll be going..."

Orin chuckled, pointing out, "That any way to talk to someone that just saved your skin?" Skin looking more than creamy enough to keep around. Maybe Master needed some new pets.

Mari sighed, before saying, "So long as this doesn't lead up to you eating us, thanks."

Renko nodded, saying. "Agreed."

"Well, maybe not eating you." Orin snickered a bit. She had to admit that brunette was entertaining if nothing else. Might cheer up Okuu.

Mari rolled her eyes, continuing, "Now, if you'll excuse us, we have nowhere to stay that doesn't involve being covered in deadly spiders. So, if you'll excuse us miss scary... whatever you are, we need to go beg the owner of this place—"

"By the way, I live there~" Orin unsubtly pointed at the palace behind her with a thumb, not that she was seen by the one speaking.

"—"if you'll let us in." Mari's hands slapped together as if to pray.

Orin let out a laugh. "Me? The owner? Fat chance!"

Mari looked at her oddly. "Then... what? Wife to them?"

The cat's grin grew wider. "Ohh, if only. No, you're way cold. I'm her pet! But it's just fine if you come in~" After all, Master spoke of guests.

Renko asked, "We don't have to put on collars, right?"

"Only if you want to~"

"Noted."

Mari looked her friend like she was crazy. "Renko, are you seriously gonna act as if there's nothing wrong with that?!"

Renko helpfully pointed out, "She looks happy enough, so I'd call that a good sign. Name's Renko, and this is my friend, Mari."

"Name's Rin, but my friends call me Orin."

Mari asked, "Renko, are we really on first name basis with her? We nearly got eaten on their lawn!" After a moment, she added in the vague direction of the kasha, "And it's Maribel."

Shrugging, the brunette answered, "Nice to meet you, Orin. It's a pleasure."

"Ohh, the pleasure's all mine..."

Mari grumbled at being brushed off, muttering, "And she's creepy, too..."

Orin teased, "What do they say about beggars and choosers?"

And with that, the all too cool brunette, the flippant redhead and the annoyed blonde made their way for the great halls of Chireiden. However, the master of this old hell was absent, having headed on an outing to the surface. But why would one so shunned and so thoroughly rejected by the world above dare travel there?

To the very heart of the human lands: the Human Village itself.