Curse of Each Season
Death of a Noble One
"Wah!" Teto's foot slipped on a mossy rock. Ritsu quickly moved to support her, and she fell into his arms.
"Watch your step."
"Ah, thanks." She leaned forward and stood up again.
Teto, Ritsu, Momo, and Ruko stood in a forest clearing. Most of the trees where still bare, looking like hands with long, slender fingers reaching into the air, but some had begun to grow buds. Winter still hugged the forest air, and it was noticeably chillier here. The ground was muddy from the melted snow, and it wasn't very stable. Still, through all the dreary reminders that winter was still clinging on, birds chirped, baby animals could be spotted from place to place, and flowers poked their green stems from the slippery earth.
"It's a bit dreary out, but it's refreshing to breathe forest air, isn't it? I'm glad we decided to take a walk." Momo surveyed her surroundings and brushed a lock of pink hair behind her ear.
Yukiko stood by Momo's foot, but wasn't making any noise. With a rare serious expression was cast upon his canine face, he sat like a statue on the damp soil. Momo reached down to pat his furry head.
Ritsu put his arms behind his head. "Fresh air is refreshing, but it's a bit dangerous out here. We're on a mountain, so the land isn't exactly flat. I'm worried about landslides."
Teto slapped him on the back in a good-natured way. "Aww, have some fun, Ritsu! It's spring, the season of life!" She threw her hands in the air and threw her head back. "The weather's warmed up some, hasn't it? Let's be happy!"
"You've got quite a bit of energy, don't you?" Ruko mentioned to Teto in a friendly way.
"Yep! It's spring! Of course I've got energy!"
Ritsu had informed Ruko of the Curse of Each Season while he traveled with her. Still, she hadn't mentioned anything directly about it since she arrived. Maybe she pitied Teto.
"Well, energy is good. I suppose you'll need it." Ritsu gave her a quick smile as he moved down a forest path. "Let's take a walk, I don't like standing around."
As they stepped down the path, Teto picked any stray flowers she saw.
"Teto-chan, if you pick all the flowers now then there won't be any when spring really gets going," Momo informed Teto gently.
"Okay, I just wanted to bring some home for Ted and Mako. They should have come with us, they're such party poopers!"
Ritsu chuckled. Teto was not only more full of energy, but she was far more childish. It could become difficult to get her to sit down and be serious. Still, her happiness was far more refreshing than the wintry woodland air.
They walked on for a while, occasionally talking. Mostly they were silent, and listened to their own footsteps. The sun was beginning to set, and it began to turn the trees red.
"It'll probably get cold soon, after the sun sets. I didn't bring a lamp or anything, so we'd better go back." Ritsu turned to the others and curled a lock of his red hair thoughtfully.
Momo and Ruko nodded to him, agreeing with his suggestion.
"Er, guys, where's Teto?" Ritsu stopped playing with his hair and a look of worry spread across his face.
Momo got an alarmed look as well, and she began to look around, fretfully. Yukiko, who stood at her feet, abruptly leaped away, with surprising agility. Momo didn't seem to notice that her furry blue friend had left her.
"Eh, she was right behind me, I don't know where she could have gone." Ruko started fiddling with a loose piece of string from her clothes. She was clearly guilty, as if Teto's whereabouts were her responsibility.
A high pitched scream rang through the air. Instantly, the three knew something was awfully wrong.
"Damn it," Ritsu cursed as he sped off into the forest.
"W-w-wait up!" Momo stuttered nervously as she dashed after him. Ruko followed in a guilty silence.
Another scream sliced the chilly air. It made Ritsu sick to his stomach, but he continued to follow where the frightened shriek sounded from.
Ritsu burst into another clearing where a monster stood with Teto in its claws.
The spirit looked similar to a bull, except for the fact that it was twice Ritsu's height and had six legs as well as a pair of arms. Two pairs of curled horns extended from its head, which was turned to stare Ritsu down with beady, orange eyes. It turned its muscular body to face him. Orange and yellow fur patterned its back and sides. It was revolting, and smelled like a rotting pile of garbage. With its greasy talons around Teto's neck, it bared a full mouth of chipped, yellow teeth.
Momo let out a scream as she entered the clearing and set her eyes on the beast. She gagged, turning away. Ruko stood in disgusted awe at the monster.
Only then did Ritsu notice the small blue dog that stood a few feet in front of him. A strong breeze ruffled his fur. Yukiko let out the loudest rolling bark Ritsu had heard from him yet, growling ferociously even though he probably wasn't even a hundredth the size of the burly beast before him.
Yukiko's fur began to bristle into what looked like icicles, and then, in a whirlwind of ice and wind, Yukiko transformed into the familiar, great, serpentine ice spirit. Its blue scales rippled and spiked in determination to protect its loved ones.
It reared back and bared white dagger-like fangs. Its blue body writhed and its eyes narrowed at the fat, grotesque monster that stood before it. The ice spirit parted its teeth and flicked a silver tongue in the air.
The bull-like soul let out a dry chuckle. It separated its oily lips and began to speak.
"IDIOTIC HUMANS, MESSING WITH SPIRIT'S BUISNESS. OBNOXIOUS IS WHAT THEY ARE. DETESTABLE, FOUL, STUPID."
The ice spirit flared its nostrils and growled deep from its belly.
"YOU DON'T EVEN SPEAK. WHAT A WEAK AND USELESS SPIRIT." The filthy beast released a dry laugh.
It began to squeeze Teto even tighter, and that was when the ice spirit threw itself into action.
It reared back and then forward, throwing its full weight into the attack. It struck with icy jaws and frozen fangs, clawing at the enemy's belly while being mindful not to harm Teto, who was pounding at the orange monster with small fists. The ice spirit was barely scathing the monster, and Teto's efforts were just wasted energy.
Ritsu cursed, scowled, and pushed away from the earth with one foot, sprinting to the bull spirit's left side. Hastily muttering an incantation, a burst of green light flashed from his palm and a long sword materialized in his hand. Grasping it tightly, he leaped into the air just as the bull spirit released Teto and roared, delivering a devastating blow to the ice spirit's head. Teto fell to the muddy soil below, and the ice spirit flew back, crashing into the trees. Quickly steadying itself, it slid forward and persisted to fight with determination, but blue blood dripped from a large wound on the side of its head. Ritsu sliced the sword through one of the orange fiend's arms, completely severing it. It fell to the ground, and the monster screamed in pain and anger.
Growling and spitting, it threw another attack at the ice spirit with double the power of its first attack. Red sparks flew. The ice spirit fell back, crying in agony. In a rage, Ritsu flew at the monster again, but this time aimed for the beast's heart. Stabbing the monster, Ritsu held on the hilt of the sword until he was slapped away by the bull spirit's claws. Hitting the ground roughly, he watched as the beast burst into a cloud of smoke, sparks and fire.
Taking a second to breath, Ritsu stood up and wiped his mouth. He turned to where the ice spirit had fallen.
All that lay there now was a small ball of blue and white fur. Ritsu limped over to Yukiko's limp body.
Momo leaned over the small dog and cried loudly, like a child.
"Y-YUKIKO! W-what's wrong? Wh-why are you just lying there? Yu-Yukiko!" Tears slid down her cheeks as she stroked the small shishi's furry mane. She drew a ragged breath and let out a cry of anguish. The clearing was painted a noble shade of gold as the sun set.
Ritsu's breathing was ragged as well. He noticed Teto standing to his right. Her face was red as she wiped away tears. Sniffling, she sobbed silently, trying to be strong.
Ruko was choked up as well, with a hand over her mouth. She wore a shocked expression on her face as fat tears rolled away from her eyes.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, Teto stepped away from Yukiko's dead body, and wandered across the clearing. She gathered the bouquet of flowers that she had picked earlier.
"We should have a funeral for this noble ice spirit." She rubbed her wet eyes and wiped her nose.
"Teto, when a spirit dies, they disappear," Ritsu told her, very gently.
"We don't have to bury him. Please, Ritsu." Momo looked up form Yukiko's body with swollen eyes and an expression full of sorrow.
"Of course." Ritsu tried to stay composed, but his voice cracked and tears began to spill from his eyes as well. Quickly wiping them away with both hands, he let out a ragged sigh.
"Wha-what's happening?" Momo stuttered.
Bubbles of silver light began to float away from Yukiko's body, and he began to fade away. The blood dripping from his head dissolved into white dust, and he opened one eye halfway.
"Yu-Yukiko…" Momo whispered sadly.
Ruko let out a loud sob.
Yukiko smiled in a silly way, and opened his mouth.
"Thank you, everyone."
And with his final and only words, Yukiko disappeared just as the sun dipped below the horizon.
"Yu-Yukiko, w-we should be the ones thanking you," Teto said to the ice spirit.
But he was already gone.
Haah, just as I started writing that death scene, Miku's 'Hirari, Hirari' started playing on my computer. Th-that was sad, yupyup.
Anyways, sorry that I killed Yukiko-chan. I've had his death planned for a while, though. Hopefully you didn't get attached to him or anything. Ehh, I'm sorry…at least it was a noble death.
Oh, and yeah, for some reason Yukiko learned to talk just before he died. Yeah, I don't know.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou for reading, and review, even if you don't usually.
Oh, and yeah, Yukiko and the ice spirit are the same being. Who saw that coming? Raise your hand.
I'm going to go sulk now. Be wonderful, always and forever. ~Meimirigu