Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun, and the only things that belong to myself would be Usagi the mimic, and Moegi the japanese beetle. Everything else belongs to their rightful owner.

Author: Jeez, that last chapter was huge!

Yukari: Was it really?

Author: That is so...

Yuuka: Stealing the pestilence's line, I see.

Author: You make Rumia sound horrible by calling her that...

Yukari: I will admit, perhaps unleashing her upon the land was not my wisest decision.

Yuuka: You are responsible for hundreds of deaths by proxy.

Yukari: Even without her I would be responsible for nearly as many deaths by proxy.

Yuuka: And you are fine with that?

Yukari: Tough choices must be made.

Yuuka: That didn't answer the question, you realize.

Yukari: Ufufu... That it did not~

Yuuka: Being difficult, I see.

Author: That is just the way she is.

Yukari: Ohh, hush, you.

Author: Anyways, there's something I really should say.

Yuuka: Really, now.

Author: Yeah. This story is the best place to say it. You see, all of my stories are connected. If you only read 1 Dreams of Paradise and 2 Frozen Paradise, you're missing out on a good chunk of my story! As such, I recommend to all of my readers that they read the whole story.

Yukari: That's rather pushy of you.

Author: It's just a public service announcement pertaining to the story, that's all. Anyways, with that said, do you know the significance of this chapter?

Yukari: I am sure that you will tell me.

Author: It's the final chapter of the party, in theory!

Yukari: Somehow you don't sound confident.

Author: Well, I wouldn't want to jinx it or anything...

Yukari: How on earth would you jinx something in this situation...?

Author: Well, I could always get an awesome idea for a new pair to follow!

Yuuka: Wouldn't that be a good thing?

Yukari: Yes, that certainly sounds like a good thing...

Author: As has been stated in a review, I've been doing this party for something like a year.

Yuuka: And?

Yukari: I wouldn't say 'doing', as you've been notorious for those breaks you take to give yourself something more interesting to write.

Author: ...A year is a long time.

Yukari: Even for the human life span, it is but a small fraction. I would say the exact fraction, but your life expectancy is a bit of a wild card of sorts.

Author: ...That honestly sounds like a bad thing, Yukari.

Yukari: Ohh, don't get me wrong, you'll likely live to be quite old for a human. It's just that I have next to no information on the lifespan of people like you.

Author: Fair enough. Anyways, how about we get on with the show?


Author: Ohh, right, one more thing. This may be the last chapter for a little while, as I'll be going through 1 Dreams of Paradise to edit it to a point that I'm satisfied with. Also, I need a refresher. The rate will be rather slow, as it's a 210k word story. But fear not, for I shall be writing new stuff every 10 chapters of DoP that I update! It will only slow update speeds, not outright stop them. Of course, there's no guarantee that this will be what I'll update. I do have other projects, such as 0 Tragedy of the Tenth Year, and my project to write the happenings of every game from the PoV of every boss, not to mention that I could update Kamishirasawa Keine's Youkai Ecology Class. Or, heck, I could even finally start that one story back up... I think it was called Realm of Nightmares or something bland like that. I already have ideas for nightmares I could write. Really, all of my incomplete stories are subject to this. Or maybe I'll just continue this story! I mean, it's not like I'm tired of writing it or anything. I just have many ideas I wish to see executed!


Author: Ohh, and the reason for the long time it took to get this chapter out? [Insert good excuse here], not to mention [Insert even better excuse with details of the excuse here] But really, my power was out for a week, and the length of this chapter isn't doing me any favors. I also had loads of writers block at the end.


Late night, Jack's Mansion, Kasen's PoV:

I have been faced with a daunting task. Not an impossible one, but a daunting task regardless. In truth, I see nothing as impossible. Just improbable. I looked to the giant of a blue oni beside me as we walked. Impossible is just a placeholder until it has been done. I thought that it was impossible to fly without wings or magic, but humans of all things apparently found a way to do so in the outside world. Right now, I'm faced with a so-called impossible mission. No child - not even a youkai child - has ever defeated a fully grown oni, at least as far as I know of. If only I was at least an adult, I might stand a chance without doing something drastic. The mortality rate among non-onis that fight onis is a bit high for my tastes to just let myself lose. I would be failing Kosuzu, and myself, were I to die from something as simple as a fight. I would be failing my parents and sister, too.

They raised me better than to lose a fight against even a prize fighter of an oni. And that's exactly what he is; a prize fighter. No oni would have that many horns without being one; the base number of horns an oni is born with is one, after all. I wonder how many hornless lost to him? Cock-sure young oni most likely, who thought they could take on the world. Disgraces, really. I, too, am a disgrace by that line of thinking, however. I lost it after all. My horn, that is... To my sister.

But that's not important right now. I must live in the present, and forget the past. Soon, we arrived at a steel gate that was being watched by... ...Am I seeing this right...? I rubbed my eyes and looked again. I looked to our guide, and looked again. The gates are being watched by our guide, Kana. Two of her, to be exact, dressed for battle. One was in roman-style armor, and the other much like a knight. The helmets and gauntlets were the only pieces of armor they wore, so it wasn't exactly hard to tell who they were. How on earth...? I mean, it is far from the first time I've seen someone split their body in two, what with the Deva of Skill being... quite close to me... but they all seem to be normal size. As far as I could tell, they were simply the same spirit. But how on earth is that possible?

The two ghosts before us crossed their spears, and spoke as one. "Halt! Nobody is to enter the colosseum without an escort!"

Clearing her voice, the Kana that had lead us here asked, "Excuse me?"

One of the two guards raised the visor of their helmet. "Ohh! Hello, Kana."

The Kana that had lead us hear replied, "Yes, yes, Hello. If you would excuse me, I have visitors to attend to that need to fight some place safe, Kana."

The one that had been quiet since the declaration asked, "There's to be a fight? Why weren't we informed?"

Sighing, the Kana that had been the leader of our band of youkai replied with a hint of annoyance to her voice, "Because it just suddenly came up~ These two need a place to fight where they won't drag others into their fight, you know."

Snorting softly, the knightly Kana replied, "Can't they simply not fight? They seem to be pretty calm as of right now..."

At that, I suddenly found myself being lifted up by the collar, and the oni growling unconvincingly.

Shaking their heads, the three Kana's said, "That was terrible. You need more oomph before we'll let you through! From the top~"

I simply crossed my arms, and gave the oni a stern look, while he shouted at a volume that you would think would deafen you, saying, "To new hell with thi-!" He doubled over in pain at that, dropping me, where I landed with a roll to avoid perhaps being crushed.

From the look of things, the unarmed Kana had rushed in, reached through his chest, and attacked a rather vital area, judging by how her hand was passing into the sternum. So she slapped him in the heart, did she? Effective even against an oni. I couldn't help but clap a bit at that. That was actually rather impressive, really.

Suddenly a man with a somewhat sharp, high voice with the slightest hint of sinister to it said from behind me, "Now, Kana, what have I told you about attacking guests?"

Grinning the brightest I've seen of her yet, Kana replied, "Why, Master Jack, you said that I should only hurt them if I have to, and to go easy on them, lest they die!"

I blinked at that, I spun on my heel to find that there was nobody there. And then I heard a giggle from the maid, and spun around faster this time, seeing the tail-end of a cape fluttering into the direction I had turned towards. Not giving him time to escape this time, I spun even faster, whipping my head to chase the fluttering cloak, and my eyes came to a man in black knightly armor, with pointed gauntlets, pointy greaves, and a flaming pumpkin for a head, with the largest grin and the happiest eyes carved into the thing. It was quite the intimidating sight, really; he was a full two heads taller than me. I mean, yes, Kosuzu is rather short, but that's still quite substantial. Not nearly as tall as the oni, however. He's a giant even among oni!

Throwing his head back, and letting out a jovial cackle that echoed throughout the halls, Jack said, "What have we here? A child? Against an oni? I would tell you that that's suicidal, but those eyes don't say child!" And then he cackled again.

Raising a brow at just how jovial he is, I replied, "I have little choice in the matter."

Tilting his pumpkin, Jack asked in the most over enthused way, "Why's that? Did the big bad man insult you? Force you to drink or fight, and you wisely chose the one you may survive? Perhaps you're defending someone?" Leaning in quite close to me, quite quickly, he finally asked in a low voice, "Or did you need to protect a secret, and were unwillingly thrust into this fight for your very life?"

I frowned deeply at that. Does he know? Or maybe he watched... Where was he? Why didn't I see him? The ceiling, perhaps? But why on earth was he even watching us? Did he perhaps recognize my body? I've changed much about how I look, but I would imagine that some might be able to tell who I am. But they would need to know me well. And then it hit me. Growling, I whispered, "Yukari..."

Cackling madly, the man replied, "Correct, my sweet!"

Furrowing my brows, I demanded, "What do you want?"

Cackling once more, he quickly threw on the melodrama, and brought the back of his armored hand to his head, and proceeded to look as hurt as a man without a real face could. "Ahh, you wound me, my sweet~" He proceeded to swoon a bit.

Frowning, I replied, "I'm not your sweet."

Taking out a red heart-shaped box with a ribbon on it, he lifted the lid and offered it to me, showing me that it was full of chocolates. "Sweets for my sweet?" A few were missing.

Blushing, I couldn't help but stammer, "W-well, maybe one would be fi-" What am I saying? ...This has to be another side effect of this body. There is no way that I am this weak to advances normally. I'm used to oni after all. Their advances make his seem like the work of Casanova in comparison. That has to be it. As I was fighting with myself, I didn't notice him pick out a chocolate and pop it into my mouth. Blinking, I bit the perceived threat, and a sour liquid poured out of the deep wound in the orb of chocolate, and I suddenly felt better, somehow. As if all of the stress of this upcoming battle had faded away, and I was filled with confidence.

I couldn't help but smirk with the utmost confidence as my worries washed away, while the man in armor stashed his box from whence it came, and declare, "Now then, to the arena! Kana, prepare my seat! I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

With the sound of steel sliding against steel, the guards uncrossed their weapons, letting us all through. Speaking as one, the three Kana's said, "Right this way, sir."

And so the large gathering continued to move on, the guards coming with us, with Jack at the fore, maid-Kana at his side. Soon, we came to a crossroads of paths. Two were gated off, which were to the sides, and there was an opened portcullis to the front. The armored Kana's took each side in unison, opening both doors, and began to speak as one. "This way for spectators."

Jack gave me one last lingering look, before cackling and leading the way into the left door. At the same time, the maid Kana said, "Fighters follow me." She began to head out through the open portcullis that was just large enough to fit the oni through it, and we followed. When we were outside of the hall, I couldn't help but look around in amazement. We were in a colosseum now. It wasn't large for a colosseum, but it was large enough for our purposes. It looked well maintained, and new enough, which is to be expected of such a thing. We're probably not in Rome after all. There were also weapons lining one of the walls, with numerous duplicates of the more popular weapons, such as swords and shields. I couldn't help but wonder what sort of madman would feel they needed to build a colosseum in their home, but then I remembered who I was talking about, and left it at that.

Grinning, Kana asked, "Now, do either of you want a weapon?"

I was about to decline, and even held up my hand to do so, but the oni said, "Give the little human a weapon! She's too puny to hurt me."

I couldn't help but narrow my eyes, but look to the wall. "I'll take a gladius."

Kana vanished for a bit, and one of the gladius' floated down from being too high on the wall for me to reach it, and began to make its way towards me. Snatching it out of the sheath, I began to test the weight. Shaking my head, I said, "Something smaller. A kris, perhaps."

I felt the gladius suddenly be plucked from my hand by the still hidden Kana, and returned to the sheath, before being returned to the wall. Moments later, a small wavy knife floated down, the only one of its kind. It would seem that they didn't expect anyone to want two. Well, that suits me just fine; I had no intention of using two. Plucking it from the invisible hand, I began to make stabbing motions, and twirling it in my fingers. This would do nicely.

Guffawing, the oni commented, "You're using that tiny thing? That's a toothpick to me!"

Smiling, I replied, "It's not the size that matters; it's how you use it." The kris is meant to slip between ribs. I may be able to drive it in deep enough to actually injure his lungs or heart.

Grinning, the oni replied, "I've heard that line before, but not about a knife!"

Sighing, I simply shook my head. "And I'll need a buckler, please."

Once more vanishing, the maid soon returned with a small shield. Accepting it, I began to strap it to my arm, and sighed, preparing for the worst.

Guffawing yet again, the oni said, "You think that'll protect you?"

Frowning, I replied, "It's the most I can easily lift."

Suddenly having an echoing voice that reached the farthest corners of the arena, Kana reappeared, saying, "Are you ready for a fight you won't soon forget?" The crowd murmured confusedly amongst itself at that. ...Wait, does that mean she knows who I am? Just how many people has Yukari told...? Did I truly do something that deserves that sort of treatment...? "I said, are you ready for a fight to remember?!" She got a little cheer that time. "I can't hear you!" The cheer was much louder this time. She's real good at working the crowd up, isn't she?

I began to back away from the oni while given the chance. I would need space to judge his speed, or else I wouldn't be able to properly dodge the first hit. And if I can't dodge the first blow, what chance would I have at dodging others while injured. And so I made my way for the wall, keeping my eye on him the whole time. While oni don't lie, and are an honest bunch, there is no guarantee that all of us have honor. His number of horns makes me question his, for example. And so, I'll just back away slowly until I reach the wall, carefully watching him as I go.

Wildly gesturing to the great oni, Kana shouted, "In this corner, weighing in at half a ton, we have the titanic terror, the big beluga, the monster of a man: Rex King!" ...What an odd name... I would ask if having two titles that mean the same thing would negate each other, but that would result in me being smacked on the back at the very least. Seeing as I'm a weak human right now, that would likely kill me. He got a good bit of cheers. Adding afterwards, she said, "With no relation at all with Jack King, the Pumpkin King!" ...Was that really needed?

Wildly gesturing to me on the other side of the arena, Kana added, "And in this corner, weighing in at a fraction of his weight on the start of the second digit, we have the elite erudite, the future oni defeater herself: Moooooootori Kosuzu!" I let out a held breath at hearing her name. Good, the ghost knows not to use my name. Strangely, the cheers that I received were even louder than his. I couldn't help but blush a bit at being the crowd favorite. I suppose this had something to do with wanting to encourage me to put on a good show? I couldn't help but grin a little as the arena quieted down. So I'm popular, am I? Even if they're only egging me on, I can't help but feel a bit happy at that; I'm used to being the unpopular fighter, due to my nature as an oni that avoids conflict. I still doubt that I'll enjoy this fight, but I just might be at least satisfied with this victory. Of course, I call it a victory, but can I even hope to defeat this oni? He's far from the novices at fighting I'm used to facing, so I'll just have to hope that I can call this a victory when I am through.

Looking to me, and then to the oni, Kana asked, "Fighters, are. you. ready. to. rumble?!"

Throwing his fist into the air, King roared loud enough to make me wince from this distance, "Hell yeah, I am! I've been ready for this fight my whole life!" ...Did he just say that he's been preparing to beat on a little girl his whole life...?

Sighing, I shouted over the Kana, "Yes, I suppose I'll never be ready, but I'll still do it!"

Vanishing from sight, Kana shouted, "Round one: Fight!" I doubt we will need a second, somehow... Of course, I could hear the other King cackling at Kana's declaration, so I had to wonder if it was some form of inside joke.

The lumbering behemoth of a man suddenly began to charge for me at the moment the geist had declared the start of the fight. I focused my all into watching him, and preparing myself. He's not running full-on, his gait is too narrow for that. He could be faster. His foot-falls lack elegance; they are sloppy and heavy. Could that be all the footwork he has, or is he holding back on that as well? He didn't give me much time to admire his footwork and make a plan, but it was enough. He cleared the distance between us in only ten steps, going from the center of the arena, all the way to the edge. I would be impressed with the potential rate of his movement if I weren't about to be kicked. And so I dived to the side, tucking and rolling as his massive foot displaced the air where I had once stood, creating quite the gust that sent my hair flying. Laughing, the oni shouted, "Very good! You can at least keep from getting hit! But will that last, I wonder?!" With that said, his hand shot towards me, but I had already spun around to face him after rolling, getting back up, so I simply hopped back, out of his reach by just a bit. And what a reach it was; his arms were nearly two metres long. And so he stepped towards me once, closing the distance, and reaching for me. But I had anticipated that, and rolled to the side. I would try to sweep his feet out from under him, but at that weight my little girly muscles wouldn't stand a chance.

Once more I got out of the roll, and immediately spun around to face him, backing away. Slightly annoyed, I shouted, "Take me more seriously!" I need to know what his limits are. Already I know his reach, and already have I exploited it, but I still need to know his actual speed before I can come up with a strategy. If I can't dodge him at his best, then this is futile. Not to mention that I have to end it quickly, or my body will tire; she's not in any sort of shape. She's light, but her muscle is that of someone whose hardest work is carrying a stack of books from point A to point B. As such, her muscles could be weaker, but they could easily be stronger with proper training. But I suppose not everyone sees point to get in shape. You would think that if she were so afraid of Rumia she would at least train her legs and cardiovascular system to be good at running from threats.

Throwing back his head and laughing, the oni replied, "You've go guts, kid! I like guts!" I used the opportunity given to put some space between us. I need at least enough space to dodge his full speed, or else this will end poorly. "Because you asked so nicely, I'll stop going quite so easily on ya! Let's see you dodge this" After being so nice as to warn me he was about to attack, he bounded towards me, clearing the distance I had put between us in only two steps, and pulled back his arm to attack. He telegraphs far too much. I dodged to the side, avoiding the attack with... relative ease. So long as I can keep an eye on him, this should be... quite possible. Not easy, but I feel I can win, if I use my trump card just right.

And then, I suddenly found my world blurring as my legs came out from under me, and I did a flip. I got careless! I then found his hand wrapped around my leg, and he lazily tossed me over his shoulder, sending me clear across the arena, and smashing into the opposite wall. I gritted my teeth the moment I had realized that he had me, so I managed to not bite off my tongue, but the moment I impacted with the wall, I cried out in pain, and fell to the ground as the oni let out a roar of a laugh. "You underestimated me, didn't you! You really shouldn't do something like that against an oni! Next time I might actually hit you!"

I couldn't help but growl as I tried to get my breath back, standing up on wobbling legs. This body isn't used to pain, so it was quite difficult to steady myself, but I used the wall I had impacted with to pick myself up. Looking to the wall, I was pleased to find that there were no cracks or any sign of my impact. That means the impact wasn't as bad as it felt. Which means I still stand a chance. Good. I couldn't help but growl low in my throat. He was nothing compared to my sister. If I can't beat a small fry like him, I don't deserve to meet my sister again. To face my sister again. I looked around, and spotted my buckler and kris a few feet away from me. I wobbily made my way towards them. I would need them for the explosive finish, so I was quick in picking them up. Well, quick, all things considered. I was actually quite slow. With my weapon and defense in hand, I began to work on steading myself. He was getting nearer and nearer with every passing second. Before, he was 40 steps away. Now, 20. I only had a bit over 20 seconds left before he was upon me. 20 seconds to prepare myself for the coming fight. I knew just how fast he could move now. I hadn't seen it, but I had felt it as he swept my feet out from under me.

I began to roll my shoulders alternatingly. He was now 15 steps away. I took a fighting stance, and concentrated on clearing my mind, closing my eyes. See with the mind's eye. My flow has been crippled by this body, but the flow still exists. I can feel it; I just need tap into it. Tap into the surrounding ki. Let it flow through me like water. I am the tap, and I need to focus it into my body to make use of it. I heard a laugh as the oni sensed that I was doing something. "So this is it, huh? You want to finish this in a single blow?" I said nothing, ignoring him. I gathered ki en mass into my hands. It would soon need to be used, and I'll need to focus everything that Kosuzu has into this to stand a chance. 10 steps. I couldn't see it, but I could sense it, even with the dull senses of a human. I was focused as much as I could be at this point, and I could feel the ki really building into my hands now. He was only five steps away. "Not going to say anything, huh? Well, that's just fine. We'll talk with our weapons! I'll use my fist, and you can use your toothpick!" With that said, he began to charge, turning 5 steps into just a single bound. He was grinning like mad, and pulling back his arm to strike. I deployed my shield, and infused it with that hand's half of the focused ki. He grinned all the wider, and he punched at me with a great bang. His fist collided with my buckler, and it had exploded with the gathered ki, breaking my hand, and sending me spinning, while canceling the force of the punch. For the second half of my little trick, I quickly used the built momentum with gusto, slamming my blade between his ribs. It penetrated as deep as it could, but that didn't matter; the blade was only the delivery method. The ki was my weapon, and it detonated within his chest with a muffled bang, pulverizing organs, or so I hoped. Because, if it didn't, I had just broken Kosuzu's hand for nothing, and likely doomed myself.

We stood their in silence for a few moments. Our eyes were locked, and we were both grinning, him more than me. And then, just like that, he fell backwards, landing with enough force to bounce me into the air a little. He was sprawled on his back, and looked to be in pain. And then, getting all the confirmation I needed, he coughed hard, hacking up blood into his hand. Groaning, the oni asked, "What did you do to me...? Can hardly breathe..." In the background, the crowd began to roar. Even his posse of oni were cheering for me, not caring a whit for their fallen leader. At least, I would assume he was the leader; he certainly has the most horns.

Staring down at the blood-slick kris, I replied, "I destroyed your left lung with a detonated charge of ki."

Snorting, Rex replied, "'Sthat so...? Guess I lost..."

Shaking my head, and falling down on my rear, I replied, "No, this is as much your win as it is mine; you broke my hand."

Snorting again, the giant of a man replied, "An oni's lung and a human kid's hand are real far apart in their toughness. Trust me on this; you won. Don't doubt that for a second, kid."

I couldn't help but grumble a bit at that. I didn't want to win. "Fine."

If I win, that means he'll probably offer up a horn. And, when I decline, he'll be hurt. Grinning, he replied, "You don't sound like you want to win!"

Sighing, I began checking my hand for the extent of the injury, and replied, "Why would I want to win; I don't even like fighting."

Grinning all the wider, he said, "You don't like fighting."

I wiggled each of the phalanges purposefully, learning the extent of each fracture, and wincing with every motion of every one. They were all broken, if the pain was any indication. Chances are that the bones won't heal properly unless we get Kosuzu to Eientei soon enough. Or perhaps they'll just re-break the bones to get them to set properly. "That's what I said, yes."

He began to laugh, but it was cut short by him hacking up blood. After he had regained his composure, he said, "You don't like fighting."

Raising a brow, I replied, "Putting emphasis on a word changes nothing, you know."

Throwing his arms out, he asked, "How can you not like-?!" His question was cut short by more hacking. When finished, he weakly finished, "Fighting..."

I thought on how best to answer that question a moment, before realizing that I should go with something Kosuzu might say. "I prefer a good book. As you can see, fighting doesn't end well for me."

Furrowing his brows, he asked, "Doesn't end well...? You blew up the lung of an oni... Of a strong oni." It was becoming apparent that he was trying hard to not raise his voice, lest he aggravate his injury further.

I would question the use of the word strong when a human could defeat him, but that would only result in my demise. "I also broke every phalange in my left hand to do it."

Raising a brow, he asked, "Every what?"

Sighing, I replied, "Finger and thumb bones."

Blinking, he asked, "Well, so what? That only takes like a week to heal." I gave him a dry look at that. Does he honestly think that...? Looking confused at the look I was giving him, he asked, "What?"

...He honestly thinks that. "Humans are not so quick to recover."

Giving me an odd look, he asked, "Two weeks?"

Sighing, I answered, "Bones can take months to mend. And, even ignoring that, it can heal badly."

Eyes widening, the bear of a man gaped a bit. "That long? That sounds terrible! I can hardly wait a week for the things to mend! Waiting months sounds..."

Raising a brow, I offered, "Maddening?"

Nodding, the oni replied, "Well, yeah! How in old hell do you handle so much down time?"

Sighing, I replied, "I suppose I'll find out, now won't I? This is my first broken bone after."

Gasping, the oni asked, "But how? I break one every year or so!"

Sighing, I answered, "Well, for one, I'm only a teenager."

Quirking a brow, he asked, "A what...?"

Sighing once more, I replied, "A teenager is from thirteen to nineteen."

Gasping, he asked, "You're that young and this strong? I can't wait to fight you when you're 1000!"

Shaking my head, I replied, "It's too bad that humans quickly become weak after 30; there's no way that I'll live to be 1000."

Frowning, the giant shouted, "Then-!" He began to hack up more blood. "Then let me make you an oni... You're easily good enough to become a deva..." How right he is... Although, I wasn't nearly that strong when I was a deva. And it cost me...

Shaking my head, I opened my mouth to speak, but suddenly I felt the strangest sensation, before suddenly having been looking down at Rumia. "...What in the world?"

Tilting her head, Rumia asked, "What's wrong?"

I blinked, and suddenly realized something quite important. That wasn't Kosuzu's voice that I had spoken in. That was a womanly and rather mature voice. A familiar voice. My voice. I quickly looked to my right arm, and was quite happy to see my false arm. I looked to my left arm, and was happy to see my shackle. "I'm me again..."

Blinking, Rumia asked, "What? So you switched back?"

My eyes widened at hearing that, and I asked, "Why do you know about that?"

Sighing, the blob given human form answered, "When you've been around humans as much as I have, you start to notice little differences. You lack something she has, so I noticed without her even having to say a word."

I couldn't help but frown at hearing that. I opened my mouth to reply, but snapped it shut as my eyes widened in realization. If I'm here, that means that Kosuzu is now alone with that oni at the worst time. "Wait... Kosuzu!" I began to rush off at break-neck speeds, barging through the crowd like they weren't even there.

Rumia kept pace with me, and asked, "What's wrong with Kosuzu?!"

I would have wondered why she cared, but I was too focused on reaching her before it was too late. "I just defeated an oni in her body!"

Eyes widening, the darkness youkai asked, "Is that so?!"

Rushing down the hall that leads to the arena, I replied, "That is so!"

There was silence between us for a moment, before she asked, "What's that mean?"

Sighing, I replied as we ran, "To defeat an oni in combat earns you the right to become one. I can't even begin to imagine how much that would hurt her, becoming such a thing. She just might snap."

Snorting, Rumia replied, "Humans are really adaptable! They don't break easily."

I began to try and wrap my head around such a statement. "Comparing the breaking of humans to the breaking of youkai is like comparing a twig to a tree."

Sighing, Rumia replied as she ran, "Not physically... Youkai break easily mentally! Humans are really hard to drive crazy, though. Takes a lot of effort."

Raising a brow, I asked, "You know this from experience?"

Nibbling her lip in thought, Rumia replied, "I've just had time to compare the two. If I eat a human without my venom, they don't go crazy even with all the pain. Youkai, on the other hand, snap real easily! The regeneration works against them when it comes to torture, too."

I looked over my shoulder at her as I ran, and found her to be smiling brightly. "...It's truly frightening that you've tortured enough people to compare..."

Giggling cutely, Rumia replied, "I've had a lot of bad people to deal with!"

Soon, we passed the threshold, and we entered an arena that was mostly bare, save for walls that were decked out in weapons, a massive blue oni that was looming over- "No, I was too late...!" I gunned it, and ran hard for Kosuzu, shoving the oni out of the way to reach her even a moment sooner. Kneeling down at her side, I said, "Kosuzu, it's going to be okay..."

Looking to me with puffy red eyes, tears leaking down her cheeks, and a crack in her voice, she replied, "It's not...! I'm... I'm an oni! I'm a youkai! I can't go home! I'll be chased out of town if I even try to go to the human village... I'll have to... to live with youkai from now on... I'll never see my books again..."

I shushed her gently, and replied, "That may be so, but I think I might have a way to fix this."

Looking at me with eyes as wide as dinner plates, Kosuzu immediately calmed down. Her nose still leaking, and her voice still cracking, she asked, "You do...?"

Nodding, I replied, "I think I do."

Sniffling, Kosuzu asked, "How...?"

I looked over my shoulder, and found Rex and Rumia to be watching curiously. Looking back to Kosuzu, I replied, "I'll tell you later."

Lip quivering all over again, she asked, "Y-you're just trying to calm me down, aren't you...? Th-there's no hope, is there...?"

Waving my hands in front of my face, I replied, "No, I really have a plan! You'll just have to trust me!"

Frowning, Kosuzu replied, "Trust you...? This is all your fault! What, did you want to teach me some kind of lesson? Well it failed... I don't feel any differently towards youkai..."

I flinched at the blame being tossed my way, and replied, "No, Kosuzu, that's not it at all... Just because I would like for you to be more accepting of-"

Interrupting me, Kosuzu screamed, "You ruined my life! Are you satisfied?!"

I gritted my teeth at that. If she was going to be this, I would just have to... "Fine. My plan is to have you fight a hornless oni for your horn..."

The oni to my back gaped at that. "You talking about throwing a fight?!"

I sighed at that. And this was why I wanted to avoid this. I turned to face the oni ask asked, "And if I was?"

Cracking his knuckles with a pop like crushing four walnuts at once, the oni replied, "I'd stop you."

Sighing, I replied, "You know as well as I do that a horn cannot be removed unless the owner fights to their fullest.

Raising a brow, and deflating just a bit, the hot-blooded oni cooled his head, and thought a moment, before asking, "...How did you know that? You're just a human..." There was a cackle from the most informed man in the peanut gallery. Everyone near his seat jumped a bit at the shrill thing.

I flinched at both the question, as well as the cackle, and replied, "That isn't important."

Looking to me with hope in her eyes, Kosuzu asked, "You mean, there's a way I can get rid of this horn...?"

Frowning, the oni asked, "You asked for this! Why do you just wanna get rid of it?"

Sighing, I answered, "She was only in control of her body after you asked."

Pouting, Kosuzu added, "All I said was 'Yes?'..."

Scratching his head in confusion, the oni said, "Yes mean yes."

Shaking my head, I replied, "She wasn't answering yes. She was asking yes."

Blinking, the oni replied, "Ohh. So, let me get this strait... I just gave away a horn to someone I didn't even fight?"

Thinking on that a moment, I replied, "Technically, yes."

Frowning, he said, "Well don't that just beat a-!" He began coughing again. "All... Then who did I fight...?"

Shrugging, I simply answered, "You fought me." If I was already honest to him up to a point, I might as well say that much.

Raising a brow, he looked to me. "...Huh. Still a human." Grinning, he asked, "Want a rematch, then?"

Sighing, I replied, "I do not want your horn."

Frowning, Rex asked, "You think I'll let you win a second time?"

Nodding, I replied, "Of course. My reach is greater in my own body. I would be able to win without breaking my hand this time."

Blinking, Kosuzu asked, "I-is that why my hand hurts so much...?"

Chuckling, the oni said, "This kid's made of tough stuff for a human... To think she was screamin' in pain just a bit ago..."

Sighing, I replied, "Sorry, but I had no other choice. On the plus side, the wound should heal quicker now that you are an oni. Not as quick as an oni, but still quicker."

Eyes widening with hope, Kosuzu said carefully, "You say that like I'm not an oni..."

Smiling, I replied, "Not quite yet. I would give you a week before you are fully an oni."

Frowning, Rex said with great suspicion, "Convenient info to have... Even I didn't know that..."

Forcing a smile, I replied, "I am quite well informed." Talking before him is so risky, when the subject hits so close to home...

Smiling like she just found a treasure chest with a metal detector, Kosuzu asked, "Honest? I'm not an oni yet?"

Sighing at how badly she doesn't want to be an oni, I replied, "Only through what makes an oni and oni. You have not been fully, or even partially infused by the magic in the horn as of yet. It needs time to transition you from one to the other. As of right now, your strength would likely not be much beyond that of a human, your nose not any sharper to a degree that can be noticed, your hearing about the same, and your durability far from the levels you will be experiencing soon."

Grinning, Kosuzu pumped her fist, right as we heard the sound of a bell tolling, and Kana appeared again. Grinning, Kana shouted in a voice that easily filled the stadium, "It's time for the grand finale of the party! Everyone, to the ballroom!" With that said, she vanished from sight again. I really hate when ghosts do that. Just appear, and disappear moments later. If you're going to appear, stay visible. Don't vanish into thin air. It makes you hard to catch.

Grinning, Rex boomed, "I can't wait to see what's-!" He began to cough again. "going on... C'mon, you guys, let's go see..." With that said, he began to make his way for the exit, rubbing his chest where I had stabbed him.

Staring at the oni a moment, Kosuzu asked, "...Are all oni this friendly...?"

Sighing, I said, "I have only met one that isn't."

Rumia grinned, saying, "You must have lead an interesting life~"

From across the arena, Rex shouted, "What are you three waiting for? Get the lead ou-!" Once again, he began to cough. "Out..." Huh. I heard that from this distance. I couldn't help but smile at that; I certainly have my hearing back.

I couldn't help but smile at his antics. The honesty of oni was the one thing I missed about them. They really don't beat around the bush. I wouldn't be surprised if he tries to get us drunk soon, though... Which could be disastrous if I don't dissuade him. I never have been too resistant to sake, by oni standard. Of course, at least my survival would be guaranteed, even if I have to rely solely on my liver. I would need to make sure he doesn't give Kosuzu too much, though. He doesn't seem to know much about humans, so he is likely to get carried away. But these are concerns that have yet to pass.

Cradling her shattered hand, the fresh oni and I made our way for the oni of numerous horns as he waited for us. Rumia was close behind us, curious about what could be going on. Soon enough, we had caught up to the oni, and so the four of us made our way for the gate.

When we made it through, the rest of the oni's posse were waiting for him. Rubbing the back of his head, the oni said, "Guess I've still gotta practice if a little human can beat me, huh...?"

The gaggle of oni rushed past him, and proceeded to mob Kosuzu, all picking her up as one, and toss her into the air. Of course, being oni, they tossed her a bit high, and she proceeded to shriek. I couldn't help but sigh at that. Of course they'd want to celebrate her victory. They are oni. All smiles, the bunch of oni shouted all sorts of compliments as Kosuzu landed safely in their grasp. I'm honestly surprised they aren't crushing her. Most oni really don't know their own strength, leading to accidents. I once had my shoulder dislocated for the trouble of teaching an oni to handshake. Perhaps his group are all more aware of their strength? That would make them some of the strong oni, in a sense. Certainly they would have an easier time getting along with those outside of their species. Heck, the fact that she isn't ramming into the ceiling says a lot about their control.

Looking quite frightened, Kosuzu shrieked, "L-Let me down~!" Of course, a moment later they tossed her into the air again, grinning like idiots. Landing in their grasp again, she demanded, "Help me!" She was looking to me as she fixed herself to not be quite as disheveled as they had made her. Of course, then they threw her again, thus making her efforts pointless.

Looking to the one who I was certainly getting the vibes of leader from, I said, "Are you just going to let them throw her all day? We should be headed to whatever is going on, you know."

Chuckling, the oni that seemed to be above the rest replied, "Sure thing, kid."

Raising a brow, I replied, "I am not a child. That would be Kosuzu."

Grinning, Rex said, "Alright, that's enough, boys."

Getting tossed one last time, Kosuzu yelped, "Kasen~" She looked to be both enjoying herself, and to be wincing.

Blinking, the leader asked, "What...?" He looked to me. "I know that name from somewhere..." He was stroking his chin at this point. "...But where?"

Breaking out in a cold sweat, I stammered, "Y-yes, I'm Ibaraki Kasen, the human hermit..." Maybe I should have changed my given name, too...

Frowning, the oni said, "Huh. Don't know that family name... Must be someone with a similar name." At that, I let out a sigh of relief. Now drop it. "But who was the other person...?"

I couldn't help but gulp at that. "So, uhh... Shall we get going? The party is waiting, is it not?"

Grinning, the bear of an oni boomed, "Right!" He proceeded to cough some more. "Onwards to the rest of the party... Careful with the little hu- hornling!" Once more he coughed. "She's still pretty fragile... I broke her hand, after all, with just one punch." On that note, perhaps that would be why she wasn't enjoying being tossed around. I hadn't considered that.

And so we continued on, heading down the path towards the ballroom, Kosuzu held high by her personal oni squadron. She looked tiny when compared to the hands that were holding her up, even if the oni involved didn't really compare to their giant of a leader. They were quite tall compared to most humans, though. Easily 8' tall.

Soon enough, we came to the ballroom, and the lights had been dimmed, an eerie fog settling in. Frowning from her perch, Kosuzu said, "It sure did get creepy in her since we left, huh...?"

Giggling, Rumia replied, replied, "It really brings out the blood on the walls~ If I didn't know better, I'd say it was human!"

Gulping, Kosuzu asked, "But it's not, right...?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "They wouldn't be able to easily obtain enough human blood for this. There is absolutely no way that it could be human blood."

Sighing with relief, Kosuzu said, "Good..."

Giggling, Rumia replied, "Besides, the walls would be licked clean in that case."

Paling, Kosuzu asked, "W-why is that...?"

Sighing, I replied, "Because, while they are a minority here, there are enough man-eaters that the walls would be licked until they sparkle."

Grinning, King replied, "Of course, none of them would be interested in a hornling like you. Heck, they'd sooner nibble your mom over there!"

Furrowing my brows, I replied, "For one, I am not her mother. I have never had a child, and I likely never will have a child. Secondly, they would likely die if they tried it."

Smirking, Rex replied, "I don't know, I'd gladly give you a kid. You gave me one-" He began to cough once more. "Hell of a fight..."

Sighing, I replied, "I shall ignore that."

At this, there were confused murmurs among the bushel of oni that held Kosuzu aloft, all wondering when we could have fought, and many of them discussing how their boss must have won that one, what with my arm being bandaged. I couldn't help but chuckle at that, while he simply grinned. I'll just let them think that, if he doesn't expose it. I'm sure he'll use this as a chance to make her enjoy being an oni. Only time will tell if it works.

Soon enough, we came to where the youkai were all gathering, and found that there was a balcony high above the crowd. Of course, this was where a certain annoying pumpkin-headed dullahan was standing, illuminated by the lone light in the room. A spotlight that penetrated the darkness that was shrouding the grand room. There was a fair bit of chatter going on, but as soon as the pumpkin-headed man cleared his throat into his steel staff that amplified his voice, the chatter died down.

The ever present grin on his 'face', the dullahan announced in a booming voice that filled the whole of the room, "Ladies, and not-ladies, I have gathered you here today to announce the winners of the contest!" ...There was a contest? "Now, I know what a lot of you are thinking! 'But Jack, what contest could that be?' Well, I for one think you all should have paid closer attention, and looked at all this party had to offer! The pumpkin carving contest, of course! There was a depressing lack of participants, you know!" I noticed that Rumia perked up a bit at the mention of the contest. So she had entered? I wonder how she did? "And so, I shall start showing off the top three participants' pumpkins! In third place, we have this lovely pumpkin pie!"

Suddenly, a nun appeared with a smile beside Jack, who, to my surprise, didn't jump. Of course, there were confused murmurs among the crowd, but I just assumed that she was somewhat like the Blue-White, and just went with it. Curtsying, the nun said with surprising volume for not using the metal stick, "Thank you for the praise, Sir knight. I baked it to the best of my abilities, after being allowed to use your kitchen for a few minutes."

Cackling, Jack replied, "A few minutes! Truly commendable work for being made in such a short span of time! I'm honestly not sure how it's even cooked thoroughly, but it is!"

Smiling, the maid replied once more with great volume, "Why thank you, Sir knight. I do try to do my absolute best~"

Continuing his eternal grin, Jack added, pulling a small bronze trophy out, "And here is your prize for this wonderful bit of work. You shall make an excellent wife." He proceeded to cackle, offering the small trophy to her.

Giggling, and giving Jack a little shove, she said, "Ohh, stop. You're going to make me blush if you keep the compliments coming out at such a rate."

Going on one knee, Jack took one of her lands and pressed his grin to it. "I mean every one of them! Whoever has a sister like you must be the luckiest person in the world."

Now actually blushing from the attention, the maid simply said, "Charmer..."

Rising from his knee with his ever present grin, which looked smug somehow, Jack asked, "And what would your name be?"

Taking back her hand with a smile, the nun answered, "Yumeko. Just Yumeko is fine. I have no family name."

Tilting his pumpkin to the side, Jack asked, "No family name? There must be some kind of reason for that!"

Looking a little sad as she hugged the trophy to herself, she replied, "Well... it is a long story... I am... sure you must be a busy man."

Shaking his pumpkin, Jack replied, "For a pretty lady like you, I have all the time in the world." Turning to the crowd, he asked, "Who here would like to hear the lovely Yumeko's story?" There was a weak reply of yeas. "Pulling the head of the steel match from the shaft, he asked into it with more fire, "I said, who wants to hear a story?!" This time the response was far louder, as more people replied to match his fire. "The floor is yours, Miss Yumeko."

Sighing with a smile, Yumeko replied, "Ohh, you're terrible, putting me on the spot like this... Do you all really wish to hear it so badly?" She received quite the cheer at that. "Well, if you insist... Where to begin, though... Well, I might as well begin at the very beginning. My sister and I - I have a sister, but I haven't seen her in a very long time - we were orphaned at a rather young age. This happened quite some time ago. Quite a long time, indeed... I believe it was in the 10th century? Or was it the 11th...? Well, it has been a very long time. Especially for me... I spend most days as at least three to take care of the palace. Ahh, that's right, I never did say that I have control over time, did I...? Well, Time, the Father at the church we were raised... he taught us the ins and outs of the concepts of time. He knew quite a lot, which was second hand from his teacher, who learned from his teacher, and so on. By the time we truly understood the concept of time, my sister and I realized that we hadn't aged a bit. We asked Father Time about this, and he told us that he had taught us all he knew, and so we now... existed outside of time itself. We were as a broken clock would be. Time no longer affected us. When we reached the age of eighteen, which wasn't far off at all, we both decided that we would become nuns. Father... he was overjoyed. He took it upon himself to teach the two of us things that were of our wildest dreams. Ways to bend time to our will..."

Tearing up with a smile on her face, Yumeko continued, "I don't remember much of him but of his lessons on time. He taught us to never stop time. And I never have. I merely slow it." Frowning, she said, "But, my sister... she wouldn't listen. So one day, she... she stopped time, and was gone... Just like that, she was gone." Her voice had become soft, and delicate by this point. "I don't know what happened to her. I likely never will. Maybe she's still alive. Maybe she isn't. But... she lives on through me."

Taking a deep breath, she continued. "One day, there was a fire, and... Father, he helped me to safety. But there were still orphans inside of the church. So, he rushed back inside. In an instant, they were all outside, but he... The building collapsed in the next instant. He died a hero... After that, I left the job of caring for the children to the other nuns, and I left, never returning to that place. I spent hundreds of years, which were truly only a handful of years, looking for what I could do. I spent a good bit of that time playing the hero, and rescuing people. I grew strong with all of my effort in moving bodies. You see, moving through time is... much like swimming through water. To move a body is no small feat on its own, but to move them through water is quite a bit more difficult. I built up quite a lot of muscle. But eventually..." Smiling once more, and looking to someone in her captivated audience, she said, "Eventually I found a purpose. I've spent the rest of my long life fulfilling this purpose, and taking care of Lady Shinki and those that live in the city of Pandaemonium. We both dote on her creations a bit, I'm afraid... As for my sister... I still have not heard word from her. I... had a family name, and a name in general, but... I have sadly forgotten it. Lady Shinki gave me a new name to call my own. That name is Yumeko." She ended that with a smile.

I couldn't help but tear up some at the sad story, and I wasn't alone; even some of the rough, tough oni got a little emotional over it. Kosuzu wiped away some tears, and said, "That's so sad..."

Clapping, Jack said, "A wonderful tale! It must have been and awful long time ago for you, huh?"

Nodding, Yumeko replied, "That's right. Something like 3000 years, due to my habit of slowing time to get work done faster."

There were murmurs among the crowd at that, and Jack shouted, "Wow! You're older than I am!" He proceeded to chuckle, while even the oni paled at his lack of tact.

Giggling, Yumeko replied, "I suppose that's true, isn't it? And furthermore, I have remained human even as I surpass the average life-span of my fellow man so many times over."

Cackling, Jack replied, "But what makes one human, exactly? Could one that has stopped aging truly be considered human anymore?"

Smiling while most of the crowd were impressed by just how little tact he had, Yumeko replied, "I am afraid I am not a philosopher. As far as I am concerned, I am but a simple human maid with a gift. Now, I believe that it is time that I stop hogging the spotlight; you have other prizes to give out, yes?"

Chuckling, Jack replied, "That's right! Let's have a round of applause for our third place prize winner!" The crowd complied, and the room was filled to the brim with applause. Setting down the pie as the maid vanished with a smile on her face and a bow, Jack picked up the next pumpkin. Hefting it high into the air, he positioned it on his shoulder, his pauldron getting in the way only half as much as the pumpkin already resting between his shoulders. Of course, holding it in such a way caused his flaming pumpkin to wobble, before falling from his neck, falling over the balcony with a splat. Cackling, the now headless knight shouted, "Well, that went poorly! Maybe I should have just held it in front of myself!" With that, he placed the second place prize winner on his neck, and it lit up with a green flame like a pile of dead leaves.

I couldn't help but raise a brow. "You would think he'd know how to keep his pumpkin from falling off by now..."

Raising a brow, Rex asked, "That happen a lot? Only seen it once, myself."

Sighing, I replied, "This happens once every party that he holds. I think it might just be his excuse to wear a new pumpkin. Notice that he had made a neck hole in that pumpkin already. He was expecting that to happen."

Blinking, Rex replied, "Wasn't his last party about a hundred years ago...?"

My throat went dry at that. I had only one way out of this, but I would have preferred to not use it. After all, the less oni know about me, the better. Not to mention that hermit flesh is potent magical delicacy to youkai. Oni, while somewhat less likely to eat people, are still youkai. "H-hermits experience long lives..." Bending the truth is something I would prefer to do to struggling to lie. After all, I never said that that is why I live as long as I do; I merely stated a fact. Hermits do live for quite some time. I never said that I was that type of hermit.

Raising a brow again, he replied, "Ohh. Really? Never knew that."

Nodding, and letting out a held breath, I replied with a careful smile, "That's right." I'm honestly shocked that he doesn't know much about hermits; such things are common knowledge among most youkai after all.

As we were talking among ourselves, we didn't notice as a needle pierced the wall beside Jack. Tilting his new head to the side, Jack asked, "What do we have here?" He watched as it began to cut a circle through the stone wall, stroking the flaming chin area of his pumpkin.

The audience went back to paying attention to Jack as the needle completed its circle, and the section of wall within the circle vanished into mist. Not a moment later, a certain blue-haired hermit popped her upper body out of the hole. I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at her.

Noticing my eyes being as they are, Rex asked, "What's your beef with her?"

Ahh, oni. Never an ounce of tact. "...She's a fellow hermit. I have never seen eye to eye with her for... various reasons.

Raising a brow, Rex asked, "What kinda reasons?"

Sighing, I relented, saying, "Well, she can be a bit twisted. She keeps a corpse as some sort of pet, for one."

Furrowing his brows, he replied, "What the hell? That's just wrong!" He coughed some more. "The dead should be allowed their rest. They've done all their fighting already. Their time has past. Bringing them back after that is just..." Well, at least we see eye to eye on something.

Cackling, Jack said, "You know, it's rude to make holes in your host's walls! Who's going to pay for repairs?" You could just about hear the pout in his voice

Seiga smiled sweetly, and replied, "Ohh, you needn't worry about such a thing; the hole will seal itself, given enough time. "

Suddenly, a familiar pale woman leapt from the ground all the way to the balcony, her charm fluttering as much as her skirt. I couldn't help but frown at the sight of Seiga's pet, Yoshika.

Noticing my frown, the oni asked, "That the dead thing?"

Nodding, I simply replied, "It is." I was beginning to miss having Kosuzu down here.

Tilting his head, Jack asked, "And who might this be? I'm afraid I was only expecting one prize winner!" Taking one of Yoshika's outstretched hands, he pressed the mouth of his pumpkin to the hand, simulating a kiss. I felt a little uneasy at the sight of someone kissing any part of a dead woman, simulation or otherwise. For her part, Yoshika simply groaned. It wasn't a negative sort of groan, but instead one of confusion.

Tittering, Seiga replied, "Why, that is my little darling, Yoshika. She is a jiang-shi."

Tilting his head, he asked, "What is a jiang-shi? It sounds Chinese! Don't think I've ever been to China before, now that I think about it!"

Smiling, and scratching Yoshika under the chin, Seiga replied, "It translates to stiff corpse in your tongue"

Thinking a moment, Jack soon cried, "I kissed a corpse!" He proceeded to make many spitting sounds, and wiped his pumpkin's mouth on the back of his gauntlet.

Frowning, Seiga replied, "Ohh, don't be like that. I can assure you that she is as clean as a new whistle. I bathe her myself, and even treat her for rot."

Shuddering, Jack whined, "But she's... dead!"

Crossing her arms under her chest, Seiga decided to change tactics. "And you aren't?"

Stroking the chin of his flaming pumpkin, Jack replied, "Hrm. You're right!" He proceeded to cackle. "I never thought of it that way, Miss...?"

Smiling, Seiga replied, "Kaku Seiga. It's a pleasure to meet such a... reputable youkai as yourself. Not to mention that I'm afraid you are the first undead I have met in a long while." With that said, she offered Jack her hand.

Taking the hand gently in his gauntlet, he took a knee and pressed the flaming mouth of the pumpkin to her hand, and after a moment stood back up. "It was a pleasure meeting you, Miss Kaku."

Tittering, Seiga replied, "My, those flames are quite chilly! And the pleasure is all mine, Mister King. The pleasure is all mine..." She wore a mysterious smile at that point. She looked to be plotting something, if you ask me.

Throwing his head back with a laugh, Jack picked up a silver trophy larger than the last, and offered it to Seiga. "I believe this is yours, young lady."

Giggling, Seiga took the trophy. "Ohh, you charmer... You make me feel young again."

Sounding amused, he replied, "Then my efforts were not in vain!" Turning back to the crowd, he continued, "Let's have a round of applause for Kaku Seiga, and her partner Yoshika!" Of course, as is expected of them, the crowd gave quite the ovation. Kosuzu and Rumia joined in, either not hearing what I said, or not caring.

With her turn out of the way, Seiga retreated back into the wall, and Yoshika carefully aimed herself, before hop-diving her way through. The hole continued to sit there, showing no sign of closing just yet. Jack stared at the hole a few moments, before sighing, and turning back to his audience. "Now, then, drumroll, please." He didn't get a drumroll from the live band on the other side of the room. He did, however, get something similar to a drumroll. It was an amalgamation of the same two notes played over and over by the strums of a guitar, the little sharp sounds of a flute, and the banging of a piano. "And the winner is...!" And then they played one loud note. On that note, Jack held up what looked like an orange head. "This!"

Gasping, Rumia asked, "I won?"

I couldn't help but raise a brow at that. "You made that? I had no idea you were so skilled, Rumia."

Leaning over from the edge of the hands keeping her aloft, Kosuzu said, "Nice going, Rumia!"

Ruffling Rumia's hair, Rex said, "Way to go, kiddo! Go get your prize!"

Crumpling a surprisingly low amount due to the administered ruffling, Rumia said with glee, "Ehe... I won!" As soon as the oni had released her head, she began to fly for the balcony in a fashion far less flashy than suddenly appearing, or cutting a hole through the wall and popping out, but Jack hardly minded. Not everyone had flashy methods to get about. Instead of something flashy, she simply held her arms out to the sides as she spun gleefully through the air a few times, doing not one, not two, but three barrel rolls. Landing atop the railing of the balcony, Rumia grinned. From where she was standing, much of the audience could see quite the sight. I for one was quite happy that I wasn't under her. I hardly was interested in seeing her underwear. It didn't help that she looks like a child. "I made that~" As they were, they were both the same height, thanks to the railing.

Chuckling, Jack warned, "You know, the crowd can see up your skirt, little one!"

Giggling, Rumia asked, "Is that so~?" She made no effort to move from her perch.

Sighing, Jack put his gauntleted hands on his hips and asked, "Do you want people to see your panties?"

Grinning, Rumia answered, "They can't~"

Tilting his new pumpkin to the side, Jack asked, "Then why stay there?"

Shaking her head, Rumia corrected, "I mean that there's no way that they can!"

Tilting his gourd the other way, the Headless Horseman asked, "And why not?"

Snickering, Rumia replied, "Because you can't see what isn't there~"

Staring at Rumia incredulously, Jack asked, "You're not wearing any?"

Giggling, Rumia replied, "Why would I? Then people might see my underwear while I fly!"

Tilting his flaming head once again, Jack exclaimed, "Yes, but there is so much more of a purpose to underwear than to hide them! They are guardians of modesty to those that wear skirts! If someone sees your underwear, then that means that they didn't see your 'important place'! Do you understand what I am saying?"

Humming thoughtfully, Rumia looked off to the side, before looking back to Jack. "But I don't have any underwear!"

Staring at Rumia a moment, Jack eventually said, "Well, then!" He started to rummage through his armor, before pulling a pair of lacy black panties out of seemingly nowhere. "Will these do?"

Accepting the garment, Rumia gave them a light sniff, and said, "...Why do you keep clean panties on you? They haven't been worn before!" As she asked that, she was in the middle of equipping the underwear that were a tad too large for her.

After a moment, a certain ghostly maid began to appear, who looked far from pleased. "Sir Jack what do you think you are doing, giving away my underwear like that?"

Looking as though he was trying to, and failing to loosen the collar of his armor, Jack replied, "A-ahh, Kana! Well, I just thought that she could use a pair of underwear, and I was sure that I had a pair on me somewhere, so..."

Frowning, and pulling a brown paper bag out from a non-descript location, Kana added, "And you didn't think to ask me to bring her some unsoiled underwear."

Tilting her head, Rumia said, "But they aren't soiled? They're as clean as if nobody wore them! Smell like it, too~"

Ruffling Rumia's hair, Kana replied, changing the subject from the scent of her underwear, "I'll trade you what's in this bag for my underwear~" She offered the package, opening it up for Rumia to see inside.

Rumia looked inside, and quickly began tugging off the underwear, and got them off of one leg before she began to trip over them, tumbling to the ground with a wet smack. Moments later, after regaining her bearings, she flipped around, and tugged the underwear up and off of her body, her groin pointed in the direction of the crowd, but thankfully being blocked by the supports for the railing. That was certainly a short-lived instance of getting Rumia to wear underwear. I wonder what could have motivated her to hurry so very much?

Chuckling, Kana exchanged the underwear for the bag of... whatever it was. Rumia gleefully stuck her face into the back, crying, "Meat~!" Ahh, so that's what it was. A bag of meat and hopefully some of those modern fundoshi. ...I hope she doesn't eat both in her eagerness, if so. That would be unfortunate for those that might look up whilst she is flying overhead.

While Rumia was busy slurping her meat, audiable cracks and crunches heard drowning out much of the deafening silence, Kana began to whisper something into Jack's 'ear'

Nodding, Jack exclaimed, "You have a point, Kana! I really should get to calling upon our benefactor! After all, she is needed for the grand prize!" Clearing his throat, "Ohh, Yukari!" Cracks and crunches with the occasional slurp greeted him. "Calling all young and pretty girls!"

A rip in space appeared, and the gap hag herself popped her head out of it, looking about while her head was upside-down, her hair defying gravity to remain as it would as if she was subject to the gravity from within the gap more than that of the area her head was in. "Who dares call upon the great- Ohh, it's you. Hello, Jack. It's nice to see you again." She proceeded to hold her hand over her mouth and let out quite the yawn.

Cackling, Jack replied, "Same old Yukari! Always sleeping."

Frowning, she replied, "I was waiting."

He gave her a long stare from his pumpkin.

Looking away, Yukari replied, "...While resting my eyes."

Cackling once more, Jack replied, "Of course, of course. Same old Yukari. You never do change, do you?"

Sighing wistfully, Yukari answered, "You would be surprised by how much I change."

Chuckling, I muttered, "I have to agree on that point..." She certainly has changed much since I first met her. For one, she never used to look like that. She looked better in her old kimono, if you ask me. Then again, I suppose that the purple does match her new eye color.

Raising a brow Rex asked, "You must be pretty darned old, Kasen. Never seen Yakumo look any different than she does, save for her outfit."

I flinched at hearing that. Not because I cared about being called old, but because I hadn't intended for him to hear me. "Well, erm... You could say that."

Grinning, the oni asked without tact, "So, how old are you? First time I saw the Yakumo was about a thousand years ago!"

Chuckling, I replied, "She's changed in that time, you know."

Raising a brow again, he asked, "Really?"

Nodding, I replied, "Her eyes didn't used to be purple. They were... I believe blue. Or were they red...?"

Snorting, he replied, "Well, I'll bet a change like that's as easy as changing underwear for someone like her!"

Back up on the balcony, Yukari said, "Now, where is she..."

Tilting his head, Jack asked, "Where is who?"

Eyes lighting up, Yukari grinned. "Watch and see~"

Suddenly another tear in reality opened up, and a certain miko fell from it. For a moment, I mistook her for Reimu, but she lacked the napkin holders in her hair, not to mention the ribbon. Rubbing her rear, the miko said, "Ohh, that's gonna sting in the morning..."

Rumia suddenly stopped with the sound of eating, and yanked her face free of the bag. "Mima?!"

I blinked at hearing that name. "Ahh, so it's just the antiquated Hakurei maiden who nearly destroyed the barrier in her foolishness." Stroking my chin with my bandaged arm, I asked, "...Didn't she die along with her sister a while back? What is she doing walking the earth once more?"

Chuckling, and standing up, Mima asked, "What is it, Sunshine?"

Raising his brow, the oni beside me said, "Sounds like you've got a great story to tell!"

Suddenly, Mima found herself being tackled back to the ground be a happy youkai on the balcony. "I thought I'd never see you again! ...Again!" ...So she died, and came back? At least, that's what they are making it sound like.

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, not really; I only know as much as I just said. Of course, I question the truth of that story, but I do know that something must have happened to the mikos. That is, if the rumor of their death destroying the barrier is true. But seeing as there was never any talk of other reason that the barrier went up..."

Sighing, Mima replied up on the balcony, "You're not gonna get rid of me so easily, you know."

Beside me, Rex asked, "Barrier?"

Up on the balcony, Rumia exclaimed, only to be interrupted, "But-!"

Sighing, I replied, "126 years ago a barrier was put up around Misty Lake, Youkai Mountain, the surrounding mountains, the Great Youkai Forest, the Forest of Magic, and the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. Basically, it's centered on the lake, and stretches out hundreds of miles, encompassing quite a lot of land."

Up top, Mima replied, "No buts. I managed to survive ten years on a mountain full of youkai, didn't I? Heck, it wasn't even the youkai that killed me, it was Yukari!"

I blinked at hearing that, and spoke before he had a chance to throw in his two cents. "Wait, Yukari killed her? Why on earth would she...? I must be missing quite a lot of the story, in that case..."

Clearing her throat, Yukari asked , "Are you quite done with your little reunion?"

Rumia was the first to reply with a pout, "No..."

Next, Mima glared at Yukari, ignoring the rhetorical question. "You put us through hell to turn Saruno back." I rose a brow at that. Who on earth is Saruno? I'm afraid I've never heard that name before. It does feel vaguely familiar, though, somehow.

Smiling, Yukari replied, "Still human, I see."

I couldn't help but raise my brow curiously at that. "When wasn't she...?" I stroked my chin in thought, I muttered, "Could that be why she is alive? Perhaps she was undead? Ahh, or perhaps she is trying to become something other than human. If so, I have to wonder about her method for doing so... There are many."

Frowning, Mima replied from the top of the balcony, "No thanks to you." So this is Yukari's fault? I have to wonder what she did...

Getting between the two of them, Jack said, "Ladies, please, cease these hostilities! This is supposed to be a happy occasion!"

Growling, Mima replied, "She turned me human." I hardly see a problem there. Although, that does raise the question of what she was. Did Seiga perhaps bring her back to life? I could see her making a zombie out of a holy woman. And then Yukari could have done... whatever it is that she did. ...But if that were the case, why would Mima resent the assistance given?

Yukari produced a fan, and opened it before her mouth to hide the grin you could hear in her voice. "Once a human, always a human."

Grumbling a moment, Jack asked, trying to defuse the situation, "Can't you two just put the past behind you?"

Frowning, Mima answered, "The wound is still wide open; it only happened two weeks ago."

Looking far from angry, Rumia asked, "So you're the reason that she's alive again? Why she remembers me again?"

Looking to Rumia, and then to Mima, Yukari's eyes looked just a bit pained, before that expression left her face as quickly as it had come across it. Snapping her fan shut, Yukari's face was one of indifference. "...Mima, there is something I should say."

Furrowing her brows, and crossing her arms under her chest, Mima asked, "What?"

Tapping her closed fan against her palm, Yukari simply replied, "Miko... She wants me to apologize for what I've done to you. All of it." So she's alive as well? People just don't like to stay dead these days, do they?

Staring at Yukari in disbelief, Mima asked, "...My sister's alive?" So she didn't know either?

Shaking her head, Yukari answered, "No, she is not."

Raising a brow, Mima asked, "What, so you're disturbing her rest?" Yukari shook her head while giving Mima a dirty look. "Then how the hell did you...?"

Sighing, Yukari replied, "I had a dream, that is all." ...So she isn't alive.

Frowning, Mima said, "After all you've done to me, I don't think I believe that something so simple could bring about so much change."

Frowning right back at her, Yukari replied, "It was like she was there with me..." Shaking her head, Yukari said, "Never mind that. There is something else that I am here to do."

Raising a brow again, Mima asked, much to the joy of Rumia, "Is that so?"

Smiling, and looking to Rumia, Yukari answered, "I am here to give the winner her prize, of course."

Blinking, Mima said, "I know I didn't win anything, so... Rumia?" Noticing the toothy grin of the dark youkai, she quickly said, "I hope I'm not the prize!"

Giggling, Rumia replied, "I don't think that is so..."

Tittering, Yukari replied, "That is so." This is starting to get slightly strange, the amount of that phrase being used.

Furrowing her brows, Mima asked, "As in I am the prize, or I am not the prize?"

Chuckling, Yukari replied, "You of all people should be able to tell the intentions of someone saying that term."

Frowning, Mima replied, "Well, sorry, but I'm more than a little rusty. I have only been back for the last two weeks. Before that, I hardly even remembered myself, let alone other people." So she has been human for two weeks? No wonder I hadn't found out about her being alive.

Smiling, Yukari said, "You're welcome for reminding you of who you once were."

Grinning, Rumia replied, "Thank you, Yukari~"

Huffing, Mima said, "I would rather you have kept me that way."

Giggling, Yukari replied, "Well, you have a simple method to undo what I have done, do you not?"

Grumbling, Mima replied, "I would rather have a guaranteed method. Think of it as a way to redeem yourself in my eyes?"

Tittering, Yukari answered, "I think not."

Furrowing her brows, Mima asked, "And why not?!"

Smirking, Yukari replied, "This method is far more entertaining to watch."

Grumbling to herself, Mima asked, "You watch me...? I mean, I hardly expect any less from you, but that's more than a little bit of an invasion of my privacy..."

Smiling, Yukari replied, "As I always have. Well, other than when I am asleep. Then I simply have Ran watch you, and relegate the story of what interesting things you did, to me."

Smirking, Mima asked, "So, in theory you watch me, but in practice she watches me."

Frowning, Yukari said, "How rude."

Chuckling, Mima replied, "It's just the truth."

Visibly offended, Yukari replied, "I will have you know that I sleep far less than 'all day'."

Raising a brow, Mima asked, "Then how long do you sleep?"

Giggling, Rumia asked, "So, what's my prize?"

Smiling, Yukari ignored Mima in favor of Rumia, replying, "Why, whatever you want."

Smiling brightly, Rumia asked, "Is that so~?"

Shaking her head, Mima replied, "Within reason, I'm sure"

Nodding, Yukari replied, "That is right. Anything at all, so long as it does not trouble me to give you."

Stroking her chin, Rumia's face lit up, and she motioned for Yukari to near. Instead of nearing, Yukari instead opened a portal between her ear and right in front of Rumia. Rumia, unsure of what to do for a moment, eventually leaned her face up to the tiny gap, and began to whisper. Mima, of course, rose a brow, no doubt concerned by the secrecy.

Smirking, Yukari replied, "Well, while I could do that, somehow doubt you truly want that."

Raising a brow, Rumia asked, "Is that so...?"

Giving a somewhat frightening grin, Yukari replied, "Well, if you want it so bad, I would, of course, be able to deliver. I would just need to open a gap and take a knife to it once again, this time simply removing-"

Waving her hand in front of herself, Rumia shouted, "N-no, no, I don't want that!"

Smiling in a friendly manner, Yukari said, "Then be careful what you wish for."

Scratching her chin a moment, Rumia eventually lit up again in realization. "Then... how about give me a few days together with Mima before she kills herself?" She gave her a sweet smile.

Smiling, Yukari said, "Ohh, is that all? I can easily give you an all expenses paid vacation. But where would you like it to be to?"

Blinking, Rumia said, "Uhh... I'm not sure...? How about you choose somewhere you think I'd like!"

Raising a brow, Mima asked, "Are you sure this is all you want? We could probably do that on our own... It's not often that you receive a favor from Yukari. You could even wish for something crazy, probably, or for a bottomless sack of fresh meat!"

Rumia perked up at the mention of meat, but ultimately shook her head. "This is all I want."

Fanning herself a bit to think on it, before snapping shut her fan, Yukari replied, "Very well. A three night vacation to a different location each night should do~"

Nodding, Rumia replied, "I like that one!"

Grinning, Yukari said, "Well, I suppose I should be sending you off, then. Your trophy and small sum of prize money shall be sent some place safe while you are on your vacation." Looking to the crowd as a gap swallowed up Rumia and Mima, Yukari said, "Well, that's all for the party. Of course, you won't be forced to leave for another hour, but if you wish to leave now, just exit the building~" With that said, she sunk back into her gap, and it sealed behind her, nearly removing an inch of hair as it followed after the bearer of it.

Most of the youkai began to head for the exit, but many wandered off into the party. With a grin, Rex shouted, "I know the perfect way to spend the next hour!"

Deciding it best to humor him, I asked, already knowing the answer, "And how is that?"

Punching a fist up into the air, the oni shouted, "Let's get wasted!" There was a general consensus among the oni as he coughed.

From her perch atop the hands of the oni, Kosuzu weakly shouted, "Y-yeah! Let's... do that...!" She sounds conflicted. I suppose this will prove whether or not the horn makes you desire sake. I know I certainly lost my desire for sake when I lost my horn... Not that I had a great need for sake, of course.

With that said, the hoard of oni began to cart Kosuzu off to who knows where. Rex and I of course followed close behind, not wanting to be separated from the rest of the group. As we made our way along, Rex exclaimed, "I remember where I heard that name from!" He proceeded to cough a bit.

My blood ran cold. I tried to hide it, but my pale complexion was a hint to the observant. Recovering as best I could, I asked, "And... where would that be?"

Grinning, he replied, "That deva that went missing after the battle with the astral knight. I think she was the deva of-" He began to cough again. "Wisdom..."

I swallowed unconsciously. He was right on the mark, and downplaying myself as unimportant as well as something other than an oni just became quite a bit harder. Taking a breath, I steeled myself, saying, "She must be quite wise to deserve such a title."

Nodding, he replied with a snort, "You could say that. Always tried to make oni better themselves, or told stories with morals. Nobody really listened to her, though."

Yes, that sounds sadly accurate. I couldn't help but sigh at the memory, and replied, "Of course not. Oni just want to drink and fight, and fight and drink, and drink while fighting."

Grinning, he replied, "You sure know oni well!" He proceeded to cough.

Smirking, I replied, "Hardly difficult information to attain. One must simply be in the company of an oni. They are usually trying to push alcohol down your throat, drunk, or trying to fight you. It's only those with a bit more brain to their brawn that do much of anything else. Like the deva."

Raising a brow, he asked, "You've met a deva?"

Nodding, I replied, "The deva of skill."

Eyes lighting up in recognition, he replied, "Ahh, Suika left for the-!" He began to hack. "Surface a while back, didn't she..."

Nodding once more, I answered, "That's right." And I have had a hell of a time avoiding her... And then Yukari threw a wrench in that plan.

Stroking his chin, he asked, "When'd you meet her?"

Trying to not grumble, I said, "In the last couple of days."

Eyes widening, he asked, "In the last couple of- Do you think she's here?!"

Nodding, I answered, "What oni misses a party that was broadcast across the entirety of the land?"

He stared at me a moment, before stroking his chin a bit. "Where do you think she'd be?"

Snorting, I replied, "Where do you think an oni would be in a... party..." Ohh gods, odds are that we're going to meet up, if we're going to the optimal place for a drink!"

Raising a brow, he asked, "What's wrong?"

How annoyingly observant of him... I hid my annoyance, and replied, "There is something I must do, I'm afraid. Can I trust you to look after Kosuzu?"

All appearances of amusement suddenly drained from his face, and he furrowed his brows. In the most threatening voice I've heard in some time, he said, "You're drinking with us."

I let out a sigh. I knew it wouldn't be that easy. "I really must be going."

Frowning, the man replied, "If you're afraid of drinking with oni, but not afraid of fighting me, you've got strange priorities for a human. I'm pretty good at not killing humans!"

Shaking my head, I replied, "It's nothing like that."

Furrowing his brows, he asked, "Then what has you so spooked?"

I bit my lip at that. If I reveal anything, I may be found out to not be quite as missing as I was thought to be. At least, if they can figure it out from there. On the other hand, if I simply don't talk about it, I'll meet Suika. At least, if she is even here. I mean, there is the chance, however slim, that Suika's standings with Yukari has slipped over the years... Ohh, who am I kidding, Yukari reunited us not long ago. I wouldn't question if Suika simply asked her for help with finding me, and that's the reason that she brought us together. But if I say nothing, there's a chance that she won't bring up our relations when we do find her, sparing me the issue of word spreading that I've been found. Seeing as this guy seems pretty perceptive... "No, it's nothing truly important." That is not a lie; in the grand scheme of things, it is unimportant.

Raising a brow, and crossing his arms, he simply gave me a look, stopping in his tracks.

I began to sweat. Maybe it would have been best to just say it. Less suspicious. This oni is really a pain in my side... But what can I really say to get out of this? Ahh, I know! "S-so, how about that, erm... 'booze'!"

He gave me a lingering look, before turning back towards the direction the party had gone, and began to walk once more. Letting out a sigh of relief, I followed after him.

Soon, we caught up to the group, and I couldn't help but shake my head at what I saw. "Kosuzu, you really shouldn't be drinking so much..." They certainly work fast, I'll give them that...

Grinning, Rex said, "Aww, let her have her fun!"

Bottom-upping her mug of booze, Kosuzu pulled it away from her mouth, stumbling. "Buh... it'sh sho niiiishe~ Even if it burnsh on da way down~ Tashtesh lihke pumpkinsh~"

Chuckling, Rex said, "Man, she's a real lightweight..."

Shaking my head, I said, "Well, what did you expect? She's only a child."

Snorting, he replied, "If it's size that you think's the issue, than that's just silly."

Shaking my head in a negative, I answered, "No, that's not what I meant. After all, I've met a certain tiny oni that drank me under the table. It's experience." Also not a lie. Suika has drunken me under the table on numerous occasions.

Suddenly I felt a pair of small hands covering my eyes. "Guess who!"

My heart skipped a beat at that. "...Hello, Suika."

Likely grinning, Rex said, "Well, I'll be! If it isn't Suika!"

Hands still over my eyes, Suika said, "Hey, long time no see, uhh... Ryu?"

Chuckling, Rex replied, "Rex! Damn, has it been so long that you forgot my name?"

Hands still covering my eyes, Suika replied with unashamed honesty, "Well, we never were all that close, really! Sure, we've shared a couple drinks, but I've shared drinks with just about every oni I've ever met."

Not hurt at all, Rex replied, "True enough!" He bagan to cough a little.

Giggling, Suika said, "On that note, I don't think I've ever met that oni over there!"

Clearing my throat, I said, "Suika, can you please remove your hands from my eyes? I can't exactly see, here..." Let's see if I can avoid her bringing up anything...

Not a moment later, the hands covering my eyes were removed, and I could see again. I turned around to face Suika, and found that she was in fact here. Just as I had thought. I mean, I had already known, but getting visual confirmation reinforces the gravity of the situation I'm in. "Suika." What I didn't expect was to see a celestial near her, stuffing her face with sweets with reckless abandon.

Looking back to the celestial, Suika shouted, "Hey, Tenshi, there's someone you should meet over here!" I began to internally pray. Please don't let her introduce me as her sister.

Looking over her shoulder with crumbs all over her cheeks, the celestial stared at us, before going back to eating. Yes, please keep doing that! Don't get an introduction!

Grumbling, Suika aimed her hand at the celestial, and suddenly she was starting to slide across the ground towards her. At first it was but an inch per second, but soon enough she was knocked off her feet by the pull, and flapping her little wings wildly in an effort to right herself, before being caught by Suika.

Growling, the annoyed celestial asked, "What?!" ...Please, if there is any deity that is looking to grant a miracle, make Suika not introduce me as her sister!

Grinning, while holding up the celestial by the butt, Suika said, "Tenshi, introduce yourself!"

Huffing, Tenshi said, "You just did."

Frowning, Suika replied, "Do it properly, now! She's a very important person!"

Rex rose a brow at hearing that, and looked to me. I couldn't help but lose a shade of color at that.

Growling from her seat atop Suika's hand, Tenshi said, "Tenshi, of the Hinanawi clan..."

Offering a hand to shake, I replied, "Ibaraki Kasen. It's nice to meet you." She took my hand, and we began to shake hands.

Frowning, Suika asked, "What? You went and changed your name on me? Why the heck would you do something like that? It's Ibuki!" ...Dammit... I slipped up.

Cringing in pain, Tenshi shouted, "Oww, oww, oww- Let go, dammit!" She proceeded to kick me in the head, and I flew a short distance, tumbling across the ground, and landed on my feet in a crouch. Why did I have to meet up with my sister?! Everything is ruined now!

At all that had just transpired, Rex simply blinked, before throwing back his head in laughter, which quickly ended do to pain. When he had finally get his senses about him, he asked, "You mean to tell me... she's that Kasen? The Deva of Wisdom? No wonder she was able to beat-!" He began to cough. "Me..."

I quickly leapt up, and clamped his mouth shut with my strong arm. "Shhh! I can't have this getting out!"

Raising a brow, he asked, "Mph mph?"

I looked to the rest of the oni, and found that they were too busy with making Kosuzu drink copious amounts of alcohol to listen to what had been said. I wiped my forehead with my missing arm in relief, and said, "Good, they're too distracted with booze to do anything." Looking back to him, I asked, "Will you keep this quiet?" He simply rose a brow. Sighing, I said, "Look, there's some things I'd rather not get out. Will you whisper when I remove my hand from your mouth?"

He sighed, and nodded his ascent. Thus, I released him, and he whispered at the volume most would consider to be normal talking, rubbing his mouth, "Jeez, you really are an oni... My lips actually hurt after that."

Sighing, I replied, "Sorry, but I had no choice. You were too noisy for my liking. Now, how about the of us relocate to a place we can discuss things in peace."

Frowning, Suika said, "And leave behind this booze? We only have an hour before this ends! I wanna get my full before that."

Grumbling from Suika's hand-seat, Tenshi asked, "Will you let me down already? As nice as my bottom must be, I'd rather not have your filty hand- Wah!" Suika dropped her unceremoniously. Tenshi, of course, proceeded to fall on that very same bottom, before glaring at Suika.

Rubbing her rear, Tenshi said, "That hurt!"

Snorting, Suika replied with a lazy grin, "Doubt it. You celestials are made of even tougher stuff than oni!"

Grumbling, Tenshi got up, and dusted herself off, before pointing at the diminutive oni, and shouting, "Apologize to my bottom" She was completely serious, mind you. She also proceeded to turn around, helpfully gesturing to her rear end, as if Suika were too stupid to get the message. Even oni have limits on having trouble understanding things.

The three of us simply stared at her like she just said something crazy. Which would make sense, because she just said something crazy.

Looking from the bottom to Tenshi's face, and back to the bottom again, Suika said, "...I'm sorry, Mister Bottom?"

Furrowing her brows, Tenshi corrected, "That's Miss Bottom!"

Once more the three of use were staring at her, before Suika said, "...Sorry, Bottom."

Crossing her arms, Tenshi corrected again, "That's far too familiar! You barely know my bottom!"

Frowning, Suika replied, "Okay, I think I've said sorry enough."

Nodding, I added, "Yeah, you're asking a bit much now."

Nodding along with me, Rex said, "You're blowing this way out of proportion. Just slug her one and-!" He coughed some. "Get it over with..."

Looking between Rex, then Suika, then Rex, and finally Suika again, Tenshi proceeded to listen, delivering a swift kick to Suika's shin.

Jumping, Suika shouted, "Oww!"

I couldn't help but raise a brow at that. Just how hard must she have kicked her for it to hurt? Rex looked to be thinking about the same thing, as his brow was also risen.

Sighing, I asked, "Better?"

Nodding, Tenshi replied with a pout, "Yeah..."

Sighing, Suika quickly became serious, looking to me. "Talk."

Swallowing, I looked to Rex, and then Tenshi, before looking back to Suika. "Can't we talk some place a bit more... private?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted it, going by the look she gave me. "Alright, alright! I'll talk..." Collecting my thoughts, I thought of how I could say the least I had to. Nodding to myself, I said, "I have been in hiding for the longest time. Recently, I got an idea."

Raising a brow, Suika repeated, "An idea."

Nodding, I replied, "That's right."

Sighing, Suika asked, "And that idea would be?"

Biting my lip, I said, "To change my name. It would give me the ability to go out of hiding, and give me the freedom to interact with people once again. I mean, not that that had stopped me before, but I had to avoid giving my name."

Snorting, Suika said, "That's not exactly hiding."

Shaking my head, I said, "I only talked to a handful of people during that time. But now... Now, I'm able to move freely with more than my pets for company."

Frowning, Suika replied, "I left the underground in part to look for you, you know."

Sighing, I replied, "I heard that the oni went underground... They never did listen to my lessons on not getting tricked... Was leaving the mountain really the answer, though?"

Shrugging, Suika replied, "You know that oni take the most direct route." Snorting, she added, "Heck, one time I saw one run right through a wall to get somewhere quicker. My point is, what's the easy way out of a bad situation? Oni don't like thinking too hard. So we all decided that enough was enough, and we left."

Sighing again, I said, "I just don't like when people give up... Oni give up too easy when it comes to mental problems. If it can't be punched away, they just up and give up, even if they try."

Grinning, Suika said, "Was funny how long it took an oni to punch a chess set that was brought down from the surface. Man is that game complex..."

Smiling, I replied, "There are more difficult problems in life than chess."

Snorting, Suika asked, "Like?"

Shaking my head, I answered, "The list is far too long to say aloud. Not to mention that it's subjective. The problems of an oni and a human are as different as ice and water. Similar, but still very different."

Raising a brow, Suika asked, "So, you're still doing the pet thing?"

Frowning, I answered, "It's not a 'thing'. They kept me sane through the millennia..."

Giving me a flat look, Suika said, "Sane."

Nodding, I replied, "That's right."

Raising a brow, she asked, "Do you still think you can talk to them?"

Frowning, I shouted, "I can talk to them!"

Raising a brow as well, Rex asked, "You can talk to animals?"

Smirking, I asked, "What would be the point of having pets if you can't understand them?"

Shrugging, Rex replied, "Not sure... Guess they'd be like... buddies you can't talk to or drink with."

Crossing my arms, I said, "You can't fight them, either, if you thought you could."

Grinning, he said, "Maybe not the small ones!"

Shaking my head, I replied, "No. Even the large ones wouldn't survive a battle with an oni."

Stroking his chin, he replied, "Well, maybe if you held back."

Pinching the arch of my nose, I answered, "Only if it were a youkai. But what sort of youkai would want to be a pet?"

Shrugging, Rex replied, "Well, that mind reader has youkai pets, doesn't she?"

Raising a brow, I asked, "Mind reader? I didn't know there were any around... Besides, didn't they die off long ago?"

Shaking her head, Suika replied, "Nah, there's two satori left back home. Well, one's back home, while the other wanders the surface, or something like that."

Raising a brow as well, Rex asked, "There's two? Huh. I thought there was just the one..."

Stroking my chin, I asked, "So the underground has a mind reader?"

Shrugging, Suika answered, "Well, it's where all the youkai the surface doesn't want go! No idea who decided that sending the rejects to us. They're a fun bunch, though." Grinning, she added, "And there's this hashihime that Yuugi loves to tease."

Raising a brow, I asked, "Who's Yuugi?"

Blinking, Suika threw back her head and laughed. "You really are out of touch, aren't you! She's the new deva in town!"

Eyes widening, I asked "What? New deva?"

Nodding, Suika replied, "Yeah, it happened a thousand years ago! She took on the deva of strength and won! Deciding that her time had passed, Sazanami gave up her title to the newcomer. Can't exactly be the Deva of Strength when there's someone stronger, right?"

Biting my lip, I asked, "And... has anyone replaced me?" I was hopeful, to be sure.

Snorting, Suika replied, "Nah. You're one of a kind, sis!"

Sighing again, I replied, "I see..."

Patting me on the back hard enough that I stumbled a bit, Suika said, "Why don't you just come back? Sure, you won't get the same respect as before, but..."

Raising a brow, Rex asked, "Why wouldn't she get the same respect?"

Snorting, Suika answered, "Well, this idiot decided to fight me for-" I proceeded to clamp my good had over her mouth.

Blinking, Rex asked, "For what? ...Wait..." Eyes widening, he went on. "You mean to tell me that that's where Suika got her second horn from?"

Sighing, I simply nodded, and let go of Suika's mouth.

His eyes continued to grow at the implications. "That's hu-!"

I quickly launched myself at him, clamping his mouth shut. He also coughed a bit at shouting "Shhhh!"

Crossing her arms, Tenshi said, "If it's so important, why in bhavaagra would you wager it? Idiot."

Shaking her head, Suika said, "It's not as simple as you make it sound. At least, that's why she did it."

Frowning, I replied, "I had to. There was no other choice..."

Sighing, Suika said, "There's always a choice. You just chose poorly. ...Aren't you the one that's supposed to be saying stuff like that, Kasen?"

Smiling, I said, "Well, at least I can claim partial success in my teachings."

Snorting, Suika replied, "I've had a long time to grow wiser since you left, Kasen."

Sighing, I replied, "Can you not at least give me the satisfaction of feeling like I actually made an impact...?"

Chuckling, Suika said, "You know I can't go tellin' lies!"

Frowning, I replied, "There's a difference between saying nothing on a subject and lying."

Waving it off, Suika said, "Ehh, close enough for my tastes."

I let out a sigh at that, shaking my head. "That sounds like an excuse to think less to me..."

Stroking his chin, Rex asked, "So, you lost your arm to the hundred horn, decided to regain your honor even though you had done something worthy of song, so you bet your horn on a match with the most skilled oni around. That sounds pretty dumb even to me... You could have just fought a prize fighter. Why'd you want your sister's horn, anyways?"

Grinning, Suika answered for me, "Bein' wise doesn't make you smart!"

Grumbling, I said, "Thanks, Suika..."

Chuckling, she added, "Besides, she lost a good bit of blood before the match."

Raising a brow, Rex asked, "When the hell did you two fight...?"

Grinning, Suika helpfully replied, "If I remember right, it was a couple hours after the end of the fight!"

Rex simply gave me a strange look, while Tenshi said with a snort, "Wow, that's stupid even for an oni..."

Sighing, I replied, "Okay, maybe I wasn't in the best state of mind after losing all that blood."

There was a long moment of silence, before Suika asked, "Anyways, hows abouts we get to drinkin'?"

I let out a sigh at that. "Same old Suika... You never do change, do you?"

Snorting, she replied, "Of course not!"

With that said, the atmosphere around the group lightened as we headed for the gaggle of oni with a partially turned Kosuzu just chugging away at a mug.

Grinning, Suika asked, "So, who's the little hornling?" Not giving me a chance to answer, she added, "Whoever she is, she sure is holding her booze like a champ!"

Chuckling, I replied, "That hornling is Kosuzu. Through certain circumstances she became an oni."

Grinning, Rex said, "She totally took me out is a single blow!"

Crossing my arms, I replied, "It was an all-or-nothing attack that broke her left hand in... many places. It involved getting punched by Rex here, and then using the momentum coupled with an explosive charge of ki to end the match in a single blow."

Raising a brow, Rex asked, "So all of that was planned? Jeez..."

Whistling, Suika replied, "She took out Rex of all oni? Sure, he's hardly the strongest, but he's one of the tougher ones. How the heck did she do it?"

Sighing, I replied, "A kris with all the ki she could concentrate. It blew a hole in his lung, really."

Whistling again, Suika said, "Damn, penetrating the hide of an oni isn't an easy task! Not as hard as a celestial, but it's certainly not easy, either."

Grinning, Tenshi replied, "Oni skin? Tough? The Sword of Hisou cut through it like paper!"

Snorting, Suika replied, "Yeah, well that thing felt like fried beans in sword form."

Raising a brow, Tenshi said, "Yes, my sword is delicious like human food. Wanna taste it?" Out of nowhere a blade of scarlet energy appeared in her hand, and she pointed it at Suika's nose, the very tip of it only an inch away.

Suika grinned bravely at that, and said, "Fried beans are lethal to oni. Burn a hole right through us."

Blinking, Tenshi replied, "Ohh. And here I thought that was supposed to be your way of talking tough..." With that said, the blade dispersed into mist.

Snorting, Suika said, "Why in all the hells would I need to talk tough? I am tough! Sure, not as tough as Oota was, but I'm one of the toughest oni around! One of the strongest, too! Heck, even if I didn't have my strength, or my toughness, I'd probably still be able to kick the rears of most people around in a fist fight!"

Grinning, Tenshi said, "We should fight again some time! Only you and Iku are any challenge to fight up in heaven..."

Grinning right back, Suika replied, "Damn right, we should! It's loads of fun to fight you! Heck, that sword of yours makes it a pretty even fight, too!"

Whistling, Rex said, "Wow, you mean to tell me that there are people on the surface that can give Suika trouble?" I was also honestly impressed that Suika had found someone as strong as that, really. I was never able to give her much of a fight, much less when it mattered most, so it makes me happy to hear that she's found someone.

Smiling, I asked, "So, when can we expect children?"

Tenshi simply blinked, as if trying to figure out what I just said, while Suika simply roared with laughter, and put an arm around Tenshi, pulling her close. "How about next week!" She had the widest, most playful grin on her face.

Of course, Tenshi sputtered embarrassedly, red in the face for more reasons than one. "W-w-what?!"

Grinning, Suika said, "Well, fightin's how oni select mates! If we find someone just as strong as us, we know we've found the one!"

Tenshi began to try, and fail, to flail herself free of the iron grip of the oni. "L-let go of me! Unhand me! I don't wanna get married to you, you raging lesbian!"

Grinning wider, Suika teased, "I'm gonna marry you~"

Tenshi proceeded to beat on Suika. "Don't you dare!"

Tightening her grip to the point that Tenshi let out a cute little squeak, Suika continued to tease, "I'm gonna~"

Drawing her sword from the surrounding air, Tenshi shrieked, "I'm gonna cut myself free if I have to!"

Pouting, Suika said, "Aww, you're no fun..."

Growling, Tenshi bristled, "I don't feel you letting go..."

I quickly intervened by grabbing her sword arm with my good hand as Tenshi pulled back to strike. "That is quite enough, Suika."

Suika pouted up at me as well, saying, "You're no fun either!"

As I held her, she drew the blade with her other hand. Seeing as I only had one hand the work with, I quickly said, "Suika."

Letting her go with a grumble, Suika said, "Fine, fine, I'll stop. Jeez, you're worse than Mom!"

Raising a brow, I retorted, "Seeing as she was an oni, that is hardly a difficult task. At least I'm not hitting you."

Frowning, Suika muttered, "I'd honestly prefer that..."

The celestial and I proceeded to attack as one, each of us punching her in the gut. Of course, my attack was the one that sent her flying a few feet away, gasping for air. I couldn't help but smile at the celestial, while she grinned back. Then, I said, "Please take care of my idiot sister."

Growling louder, Tenshi shouted, "We aren't getting married!"

Getting up while holding her gut, Suika said, "Good punch... you guys..." She was still having trouble breathing. Even an oni's diaphragm has its limits.

Chuckling, I replied to the celestial, "One never knows what the future may hold."

Crossing her arms over her chest, the sword vanishing into mist, Tenshi replied, "Ain't happening. No way, no how. We're only friends, and I'd use that term loosely. She's more like..." She gave a short pause to think of a better designation. "A rowdy neighbor." She nodded to herself at saying that.

Smirking, I replied, "You remind me of myself a bit, really."

Raising a brow, Tenshi looked me over. "I don't think I like that."

Grinning, Suika added, "Yeah, she's right! You're just as high strung as she was!"

I gave Suika a glare at that. "I am not high strung."

Snorting, Tenshi remarked, "You look plenty high strung to me..."

I gave Tenshi the same glare, and replied, "I am not!"

Grinning wider, Suika asked, "What would Kasen say in a situation like this... Something like 'That is a flimsy defense'?

Grumbling, I replied, "Fine. I..." I forced myself to say the rest. "I may have once been, but I have relaxed considerably over the last ten thousand years, Suika. ...Also, don't talk about me like I'm not here."

Whistling, Rex asked, "Has it really been that long?" Grinning, he added, "Time sure flies when you're having fun, huh?"

Sighing, I replied, "I've mostly just been training over the last ten thousand years, so time has passed slowly."

Raising a brow along with everyone else, Suika asked, "Training? For what?"

Blushing, I replied, "It's embarrassing..."

Crossing her arms over her washboard of a chest, Suika said, "Sisters are supposed to share even the embarrassing things."

Looking between Tenshi and Rex, I said, "Yeah, but there's more than you here." I proceeded to look around at all of those that could potentially hear that I hadn't already looked at, and quickly added, "A lot more."

Tenshi, annoyed at my reluctance, replied, "Ohh, just say it, you big baby."

I frowned, saying, "I will not be persuaded to say it around others."

Grinning, Suika replied, "I could always make a singularity around your head, put a tiny me in it, and then you can talk to that!"

Crossing my arms, I replied, "Ohhhh, no. I'm not falling for that twice. I thought you were going to crush my skull when we tried that..."

Snorting, Suika answered, "You survived, didn't you?"

Glaring at her, I replied, "My hair didn't!"

Snickering, Tenshi asked, "You were bald?"

Sighing, I replied, "My hair was compressed into something not unlike a helmet."

Grinning, Suika added helpfully, "A nice and pink helmet!"

Grinning as well, Rex said, "There's a dirty joke in there somewhere..."

Raising a brow, Tenshi asked, "Well, why not have it cleaned if it's dirty?"

Rex and I just stared at Tenshi, while Suika cleared her throat, correcting, "He meant perverted, probably"

Furrowing her brows, Tenshi said, "Well, he should have said that! Stupid pervert..."

Ignoring Tenshi's remark, or just not caring, Rex said, "So, hows abouts we get drinking!"

Grinning, Suika shouted, "Great idea! Haven't had nearly enough of this stuff to get sick yet!" Looking to me, she asked, "You comin', Kasen?"

Huffing, Tenshi said, "What, do I not matter when your dear sister is around?"

Chuckling, Suika replied, "Well, I'd be lying if I said I cared as much now that I have her to drink with again!" Tenshi simply grumbled at the honesty, obviously wanting a different answer.

Trying to defuse the situation, I said, "Well, can't we all drink together? You needn't focus on me so intently... Besides, if you focus all of your attention on me, you just might make me drink the entire barrel. I can't drink like that anymore."

Frowning, Suika said, "I'm sure you'd be able to keep pace with me just fi-"

Cutting her off, I said, "Suika, stop. I'm not an oni anymore. I would die if I tried to drink like an oni, and you know it."

Grinning, Rex said, "I wouldn't mind losing a horn for a deva! Let's fight, and then you can drink as good as new!"

Chuckling, I replied, "It's sweet of you to offer, but there's only one horn for me, and it's right here." I proceeded to grab my horn. The one that Suika wore a ribbon on.

Snorting, Rex said, "Then fight Suika for it! Seems simple enough..."

Shaking my head, I replied, "I'm not ready."

Frowning, Tenshi accused, "Coward."

Frowning, and looking to Tenshi, I asked, "Excuse me?"

Crossing her arms over her chest, Tenshi answered, "You heard what I said. You're as bad as freaking Yukari..."

Frowning, Suika defended, "Hey, Yukari's not as bad as you think! Just gotta get to know her!"

Glaring at Suika, Tenshi replied, "And I think you're out of your mind if you think I'll believe that."

Crossing my arms under my chest, I replied to the earlier accusation, "I'm not a coward."

Pointing at me, Suika said, "She wouldn't be able to say that if it wasn't true!"

Scowling, Tenshi replied, "Maybe she just thinks it's true... Doubt your stupid little no lying thing applies to things you don't know are lies."

Nodding, I replied, "Precisely." Thinking a moment, I quickly added, "But I don't think that's the case."

Chuckling, Suika replied, "Hows abouts we get to drinkin'? Long overdue!"

Crossing my arms, I said, "First, I want the two of you to swear that you won't blab about my being so close to the oni community."

Frowning, Suika replied, "You know oni can't lie!"

Nodding, Rex added, "Yeah! Swearing on something like that would ruin our honor, as we'd quickly have to break it!"

Frowning right back at her, I answered, "I never said that you should."

Raising a brow, Suika asked, "Then what are you talking about?"

Sighing, I answered, "You don't have to lie. Just avoid the question at all costs."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Suika replied, "And if we say no?"

Sighing, I answered coolly, "Then I would kill you both."

Whistling, Tenshi said, "Cold blooded! I think I like you!"

Frowning, Rex asked, "You'd kill your own flesh and blood, just like that?"

Chuckling darkly, I replied, "There's only one way to find out, now isn't there..."

Frowning as well, Suika said, "You shouldn't talk about killing fellow oni so easily!"

Snorting, I replied, "It wouldn't be the first oni I had a hand in killing."

Sighing, and shaking her head, Suika replied, "That was terrible..." Thinking a moment, she asked, "Wait, you said two. There's three of us."

Crossing my arms, I replied, "But only two of you are oni."

Raising a brow, Tenshi asked, "You trust me more than your own flesh and blood? I mean, yeah, I am pretty great, but that sounds fishy."

Sighing, I replied, "Would you trust oni with secrets? A race known for drinking, lifting mountains, and not being able to tell a lie?"

Snorting, Suika said, "No idea who spread those mountain lifting rumors. An oni that could do that would probably have to have some sort of gravity power!"

Everybody present looked at Suika funny at that, save for me, as I already knew what she'd say. Deciding that nobody else was going to ask, Tenshi said, "Suika, your power is over gravity."

Snorting again, Suika replied, "No, it's not."

Furrowing her brows, Tenshi said, "Yes it is!"

Shaking her head, the dual-horned oni simply replied, "Nah."

Interjecting, Rex asked, "If it's not, then what is it?"

Grinning, Suika replied, "I can manipulate density. Let me tell you, using that power on myself was the best idea I ever had!"

Crossing her arms, Tenshi replied, "Sounds like gravity's included in there, from what I've seen you do!"

Shaking her head, Suika replied, "Nah. Even with my power active, things are still subject to the whims of gravity, for one. The closest I can get to gravity is when I make a singularity. Sure, I can make a singularity, but that doesn't mean I can make things lighter. Just smaller or bigger. Or into a mist. Or turn them into multiple. But definitely not lighter. I can't make gravity any weaker. Besides, that'd be pretty dangerous!"

Raising a brow, Tenshi said, "You nearly crushed me with a singularity one time."

Crossing my arms, I said, "You know, I don't hear either of you swearing that you won't tell a soul."

Snorting, Suika replied, "You know, if I were into the whole manipulation thing that Yukari does, saying that I wouldn't tell a soul could mean that I wouldn't tell a disembodied soul."

Blinking, I replied, "Good point. Swear that you won't tell anyone."

Huffing, Suika replied, "Fine, fine, I won't tell anyone your secret."

Nodding, I replied, "Good enough. Rex?"

Sighing, Rex replied, "Well, if Suika thinks she can go without telling anyone, then I guess I'll follow her lead. I swear on my horn that I won't tell anyone."

Staring at Rex's head, Tenshi asked, "Which one...? You have like 20..."

Grinning, Rex replied, "Nineteen. And it's just a figure of speech."

Whistling, Tenshi replied, "I heard from Suika how you guys fight for horns. You sound like a pretty fun fight!"

Chuckling, Rex answered, "Come to the underground some time and we'll see!"

Grinning, Tenshi replied, "Maybe I will..."

Snickering, Suika said, "Hey, maybe you should try hiding out in the underground! Lots of fights to go around! Just change your name, and you could have fun while making a name for yourself as you hide out!"

Grinning, Rex said, "I wouldn't object to having a pretty lady that's as strong as a deva around to practice on!"

Snorting, Tenshi replied, "I'd give you more than a little practice, you know."

Grinning still, Rex replied, "And I'd love every moment of getting beaten up by you!"

Raising a brow, Tenshi asked, "What sort of masochist are you...?"

Still grinning just as much, Rex replied, "You have to be a masochist to enjoy fightin' enough to enjoy being beaten? The way I live my life, I'm beaten all the time! However, I win more than I lose! I take on riskier fights the more horns I've got. Haven't dropped bellow five since I started this habit so many years ago!"

Grinning back, Tenshi said, "Finally, someone that understands me!"

Snorting, Suika said, "Seems Tenshi made a new friend. Makes sense. Oni get along well with people that enjoy fightin' and drinkin', so yeah, makes perfect sense! Sure, she doesn't like drinkin' much, but still."

Sighing, I replied, "I hope she doesn't cause a cave-in..."

Chuckling, Suika said, "Knowing her?" She gestured to Tenshi with her gourd, before taking a swig. "...She'll probably cause one the moment she finds Yuugi. But hey, Yamame's good with cave-ins! Never seen her networks of webs fail at keeping a rock from falling on the town."

Raising a brow, I asked, "Webs? ...Some sort of spider?"

Nodding, Suika replied, "That's right. She's an earth spider that controls disease that was banished to the underground a good while back. Apparently everyone was afraid of her, the cowards. The humans banded together, and started to hunt her down. This was after all she did was help some humans with their illnesses, or so she says. Somehow that doesn't sound like the whole truth. Every fire starts with but a spark, after all. So, what could the spark have been? That's what I wonder." I couldn't help but raise a brow at that. Suika, being far from blind, asked, "What?"

Chuckling, I answered, "You certainly have grown well, Suika."

Frowning, Suika replied, "Ohh, don't start this. We're supposed to be celebrating the new oni or whatever, not reminiscing."

Sighing, I replied, "Can't your sister talk about how much you've changed. I mean, I wasn't exactly hoping to meet you here, but if I have to, I at least want to talk about the changes that have happened in you."

Sighing as well, shaking her head, Suika said, "Fine, fine, just get it over with."

Smiling, I replied, "You haven't grown any larger in this whole time, have you."

Grumbling, Suika crossed her arms over her chest. "Shut it."

Grinning a bit, I added, "You brought this upon yourself, you know."

Sighing again, Suika replied, "Yeah, yeah. I really thought that I had growing left to do."

Smirking, I replied, "You were in denial, and wanted to be sexy."

Grinning at me, Suika replied, "Bein' sexy ain't a problem anymore! Even if I look like a little girl, I've figured out that men are easy as hell to get hard if you know how."

Snorting, I said, "Spare me the details of your drunken antics."

Grinning wider, Suika said, "I guess that means you're still a bit of a prude!"

Sighing, I replied, "Let's just get this drinking out of the way."

Chuckling, Suika asked, "You sure you don't want to delay it another couple minutes?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, I think I shall man up, as they say, and drink."

Grinning once more, Suika replied, "Hey, buck up! This stuff wasn't made with a wine worm, so you've got little to worry about! Heck, I'd be surprised if you got more than a buzz..."

Sighing again, I said, "You know, alcohol tolerance does fade over time."

Snorting, Suika replied, "So? You're still an-"

I pressed a finger to her lip. "Enough about that subject. We're about to enter the drinking circle."

Grumbling, Suika said, "I wasn't about to spill that easily..."

Sighing once more, I replied, "I'm only being careful. I don't think I'm ready to re-enter society just yet."

Raising a brow, Suika asked, "And when will you be?"

Sighing yet again, I asked, "Suika, have you... grown any more skilled since I left?"

Blinking, Suika said, "...I guess? I feel like I've run out of room to improve, though."

Chuckling, I replied, "Then maybe some day I can return."

Raising a brow, Suika asked, "What?"

Crossing my arms, I replied, "Before I can return, I need to become an oni again."

Blinking again, Suika rose a brow. "...And?"

Sighing, I replied, "I'll only settle for my horn."

Her other brow went up, and she said, "Ohh..."

Nodding, I replied, "That's right."

Rubbing the back of her head, Suika asked, "Isn't that asking for a bit much? I mean... you lost an arm."

Frowning, I replied, "I also have been training the whole time I've been missing."

Her eyes widened. "The whole time?"

Nodding, I replied, "More or less."

Crossing her arms, Suika said, "You've been training."

Frowning, I said, "You don't believe me."

Rubbing the back of her head, Suika replied, "I might not, but you have to admit, that is a pretty crazy thing comin' out of your mouth. The one time we fought was the only time I've seen you in action! Sure, you're stronger than an ordinary oni, but you'd lose even to Rex over there." I couldn't help but chuckle at the person she used as an example. Raising a brow, Suika asked, "What's so funny?"

Chuckling as well, Rex said, "She beat me with a pretty major handicap."

Raising a brow, Suika asked, "What, with one arm tied behind her back? Impressive, if so!"

Shaking my head, I replied, "Bigger than that."

Blinking, Suika asked, "A leg?"

Sighing, Rex simply corrected, "She was a young girl at the time. And human."

Suika's eye widened at that, before she blinked, and looked to Kosuzu. "Don't tell me..."

Nodding, I replied, "But don't tell the rest of the oni. They have their excuse to party, and Kosuzu seems to be taking to being an oni like a fish to water. Not to mention that telling them would raise uncomfortable questions that I don't want to have to avoid."

Whistling, Suika replied, "Damn, even I'd have trouble beating him as a little human girl..."

Grinning, Rex added, "And she beat me in a single attack."

Eyes widening, Suika asked, "How the...?"

Sighing, I added, "At the cost of shattering every bone in her left hand, while using a kris and a buckler. I was given plenty of advantages."

Shaking her head, Suika replied, "Kasen, that's too great of a feat to hope to downplay. Even Yuugi was an adult when she won to that Meiling woman. You've done something that is worthy of devahood in and of itself!"

I blinked at that, and asked, "I have?"

Sighing, Suika said, "Tell me, how many human oni do you know of?"

I quickly realized just how big of a deal this was. "...Kongara and the new deva..."

Nodding, Suika replied, "Exactly. You've done something that Kongara did by cheatin', and Yuugi did by bein' Yuugi. And you did it as a young girl."

Gulping, I looked to Kosuzu with worry in my eye. "I've really messed up. ...No, this is Yukari's fault. All of this."

Furrowing her brows, Suika asked, "What? How the heck is it Yukari's fault?!"

Sighing, I replied, "For one, we're only even here because Yukari switched our bodies. Secondly, she switched us back at the exact worst moment to do so. She switched us back right after Rex asked if I wanted a horn."

Frowning, Suika said, "I'll have to talk to her about that..."

Crossing her arms, Tenshi replied, "You should just punch her stupid face in."

Snorting, Suika grinned. "Might do that, too!"

Blinking, Tenshi said after a pause, "...I want to watch that."

Chuckling, I added, "I might enjoy seeing that as well, after all she's put me through tonight. It's like she wants my secret to get out..."

Snorting, Suika replied, "Maybe she does. Never can tell with her. Sometimes she likes to set up interesting situations that could mess with other people's lives just so she can entertain herself."

Tenshi and I asked as one, "Why are you her friend, again?"

Sighing, Suika replied, "I wonder that sometimes, too... Although, she's a pretty fun drunk. Always tries to impress with little tricks using her power."

Tenshi looked around shiftily, and said, "Hey, uhh... I gotta use the bathroom. I'll... be right back." With that said, Tenshi hopped on a keystone, and sped off over the crowd, no doubt up to something.

Snorting, Suika replied to nobody in particular, "Either she really had to go bad, or she's up to something again..."

Nodding, I replied, "My money is on the latter. That didn't sound like the truth, or even a half truth. It simply sounded like a bold faced lie. Not to mention the suspicious eye movement..."

Sighing, Suika asked, "Think we should tail her?"

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, she wants her privacy, so let her have it. If the miko need get involved, then so be it. It would be good for her to have another incident under her belt." Thinking a moment, I quickly added, "...The miko, not the celestial."

Raising a brow, Suika asked, "You look out for Reimu?"

Nodding, I replied, "I do, and it has nearly had us run into each other on numerous occasions."

Furrowing her brows, Suika asked, "Why were you avoiding me?"

Sighing, I replied, "You already know the answer to that."

Rex chose this moment to interrupt, saying, "If you guys are gonna fight, I'm gonna get something to drink for the show."

Shaking my head, I replied, "We aren't going to fight."

Crossing her arms, Suika said, "I don't know about that. Maybe we should do it just to get you to stop hiding!"

Frowning, I replied, "I'm not going to fight you until I'm good and ready."

Frowning right back at me, Suika asked, "And when will that be?" Just as I opened my mouth to reply, she answered her own question. "I'll tell you when! Never!"

Frown deepening, I shouted, "My fear of facing you is justified; you're a deva!"

Floating down on her stone, Tenshi said, "Alright, I'm back. What did I miss?"

Glaring at me, Suika said, "Yeah? Well, guess what? You're one too! And you know what else? Everyone misses you! It doesn't matter if you lost to me, you still abandoned our people!"

Sighing, Tenshi remarked, "A lot, apparently..."

Patting Tenshi on the back a bit too hard, and sending her to the ground, Rex replied, "Ehh, it's just what family does, isn't it? Bicker and fight! The family that fights together, stays together, I always say!"

Raising a brow, and placing her hat back atop her head, Tenshi replied, "What...? That sounds really... stupid."

Snorting, Rex replied, "Maybe. But they're oni, and oni don't really think too deeply into stuff!"

Glaring, I said, "I think quite deeply on matters, thank you very much."

Chuckling, Suika replied, "Just two is far from the majority, Kasen."

Raising a brow, I asked, "Two?"

Frowning, Suika said, "Hey, I think about stuff more than I used to, now..."

Chuckling, I replied, "Ahh, you meant yourself. Although, color me surprised that you would consider yourself a thinker."

Crossing her arms, Suika replied, "Well, when compared to your average oni, I'm overthinkin' everything!"

Thinking a moment, I stroked my chin with my bandaged arm. I always enjoyed the texture of it on my chin, not to mention being able to not worry about my strength. It's one of the few perks of losing my arm that I have. "Well, I suppose that is rather easy."

Snorting, Suika replied, "You ain't kiddin'! Some of the dumb stuff they do is pretty comical!"

Smiling, I asked, "Such as?"

Stroking her chin as she thought, Suika's expression quickly lit up. "Well, one time there was this one that didn't want to fight be-"

Widening my eyes, I interrupted, "There was an oni that didn't want to fight?"

Sighing, Suika asked, "Can I finish my story, or are you going to keep doing that?" I was silent at that. "Good. Anyways, he didn't want to fight because he was busy drinking."

Sighing out of disappointment that there wasn't another oni like me out there, I said, "Ohh."

Nodding, Suika replied, "Exactly. Anyways, there was this other oni that wanted to fight, and he wouldn't take no for an answer! So, the drinking oni smashed him over the head for bothering him, and a brawl started!"

Snorting, Rex replied, "Sounds like a pretty standard course of action."

Grinning, Suika said, "Hey, you guys wanna finally get to drinkin' before the party is over?"

Sighing, I replied, "I suppose a few wouldn't hurt."

Grinning as well, Rex said, "I'm always up for drinking! Especially with pretty ladies!"

Snorting, Suika said, "You just want in my skirt, don't you?"

Shaking his head, Rex replied, "Nah, you look like a little girl."

I couldn't help but chuckle at the bluntness of an oni. It was refreshing, to say the least.

Snorting again, Suika replied, "I'm sure you couldn't handle me anyways~"

Snorting as well, Rex replied, "Not much to handle! I guess Kasen got all of the land in your family!"

Pouting, Suika replied, "Yeah, well I'll bet you hardly have any oni steel goin' on over there!"

Grinning, and grabbing the edge of his loincloth, Rex said, "Well, I could always show y-"

Blushing a bit, I interrupted, "That's quite enough, Rex. No exposing yourself in public."

Chuckling, Rex replied, "I was only kidding! Damn, you really are no fun!"

Sighing, I replied, "Well, when you make vulgar jokes like that, you should be prepared to be taken seriously."

Interrupting the back and forth between us, Suika shouted, "Booze!" She then proceeded to run for the refreshments.

Sighing again, I said, "I suppose we did make her wait a tad long, by oni standards

Chuckling, Rex said, "Let's go get some wine or whatever this place has!"

With that said, the party made our way towards the barrels of 'booze'. They were obviously prepared for oni, as they have quite a few barrels in reserve.

When we reached Kosuzu, the oni were chanting that she should drink more by way of the word 'chug'. From the look of things, they had been enjoying themselves quite a bit, and Kosuzu looked less drunk than I expected. Either there is some magic left in that old horn, or she's not as new to alcohol as I thought. Off to the side, Suika was busy getting herself a drink, while Rex simply chuckled, and Tenshi watched the goings ons without seeming to care for what was going on.

I decided to make my way over to Tenshi for starters. Kosuzu can wait. Tenshi looks annoyed by something. ...Admittedly, I've yet to see her look all that happy. "Tenshi, was it?"

Sizing me up, Tenshi ask with a bit of annoyance to her voice, "What do you want...?" I'll take that as a yes.

Sighing, I replied, "I just wanted to get to know my sister's friend is all."

Frowning, Tenshi replied, "We aren't friends."

Thinking a moment, I then offered, "Ally?"

Shaking her head, Tenshi replied, "More like sparring partner."

Smirking, I replied, "You know, such a title is rather important in the eyes of an oni. If she caught you calling her your sparring partner, she might misunderstand your intentions..."

Blushing, Tenshi corrected, "F-fine, we're friends!"

Chuckling, I replied, "That's better. You wouldn't want the wrong idea to get out among the oni, after all. Already you fight a lot, right? If you added that... Well, let's just say that oni would think you're an item.

Blushing furiously now, her face red from ear to ear, Tenshi replied, "We aren't anything like that!"

Chuckling at the reaction, I had to stop myself from patting her head, she was just being that cute. "Anyways, is everything alright?"

Still blushing a bit, Tenshi asked, "Huh...?"

That can't possibly just be her natural resting face, can it? I would feel for her if it was. "Well, you looked like something was bothering you."

Looking away with a huff, Tenshi replied, "It's nothing..."

Sighing, I replied, "Of course. Well, if anything is bothering you, just tell me. I'm far less... blunt... than others of my species. I can handle delicate situations without fracturing them."

Looking at me from the corner of her eye, still slightly pink from lingering embarrassment, Tensi mumbled, "I don't like being ignored..."

I blinked at that. Had I been Kosuzu still, might not have caught that, but as I am now... I looked to Suika, and noted that she was busy with drowning herself in whatever alcohol that might be. My guess is some sort of pumpkin brandy, going by the scent on the air. I may not be much of an oni, but I still have an easy time when it came to telling what alcohol was what by scent alone. I may not like the poison, and thankfully my body doesn't fight me much any more, but I'm still an oni. I may have lost my horn, but these things leave an impact on you. Sighing, I said, "Well, not everyone is ignoring you."

Crossing her arms over her chest, and now turning to me, the celestial said, "Really."

Chuckling, I answered, "Really. I mean, I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

Staring at me, she said, "...I guess that's true."

Smiling, I asked, "Why don't you go drink with Suika? Or you could try to get along with Kosuzu. She would probably like you, as an ascended human."

Shaking her head, Tenshi answered, "I don't like drinking all that much."

I rose a brow at that. "And yet you call an oni a friend? You are a strange one." Tenshi frowned at that, but I continued, "However, I'm an oni that doesn't like drinking, so I suppose we are both strange."

Frowning deeper, Tenshi asked, "You're a lot stranger than I am. Besides, are you even one anymore...?"

Nodding, I replied, "All I have lost are the filtering that the horn provides in place of a liver. Truly being like an oni would slowly kill me. Not to mention that I have likely lost the chance to be respected due to my lack of a horn. But enough of that. Let's go drink with Suika."

Frowning even deeper, Tenshi said, "If you hate it so much, why do you do it?"

Smiling, I replied, "Because she's my sister, and this may be the last time I will let her see me for a long time. I would have preferred to never be found by her, but this is fine too."

Sighing, Tenshi replied, "I hate the way it burns." With that said, she began to head for Suika.

I couldn't help but raise a brow at that. Is that the only reason she doesn't? With cheering her up done, I headed over to Kosuzu.

When I arrive, I find that Kosuzu is going just as the chanting oni say, and chugging the foul fluid as quickly as possible, not even breaking to breathe. I had a feeling that they had just goaded her into downing the whole mug in a single breath, which I will admit was quite impressive. The crowd of oni proceed to cheer as she finishes her mug. I couldn't help but sigh. This is going to be more difficult than I hoped. The crowd noticed my approach, and proceeded to check me out, their eyes just about licking every surface of my body. One of the things I dislike about oni; they really have no shame, or sense of stealth. At least wait for me to turn away before you do as such... Sighing, I said, "Kosuzu."

Perking up at hearing her name called, she turned to me on unsteady legs. "Ahh, Kashen... It'sh... it's niiice... to shee... you?" She looked a bit baffled by the way her tongue was disobeying her.

I couldn't help but chuckle a bit at her inability to properly articulate her words. "Would you like to share some drinks with Suika, Tenshi, and I? I'm sure Suika would like to meet the new hornling that took down Rex." While not the whole truth, half truths are A-Okay by oni standards.

Lighting up, Kosuzu said, "Shhure thing... Kash... Kasssen!" I couldn't help but find the trouble she was having cute as the party of oni surrounding her began to murmer.

Sighing, I added, "And It's just us. We will be talking about important, boring things with your queen or whatever you call them..." I knew that she was a deva, but I was trying to fein ignorance to the matter. Also not a lie; I am merely feigning ignorance without actually saying it in a way that constitutes a lie. I have to make them as least interested in us as I can, and that should help. Damage control, and all that. I would rather not have them around for when we all gather after all. Who knows what they might mistakenly say... Oni have far too little guile for their own good, to be honest.

There were many disappointed sounds coming from the oni, and so I added, "Don't worry; you shall get your star of the hour, your fighter, and your queen back soon. We just wish to talk about very boring things with them."

With that said, I scooped up Kosuzu like a bride, and began to make my way towards the other three. Kosuzu, for her part, seemed utterly baffled by the sudden change for a moment, and began to look around. She was quite light, even on my missing arm. Soon enough, she looked towards me, or to be exact, my breasts, which was the first thing she noticed. I suppose they are level with her- "Kosuzu, please stop touching my breasts."

Giggling, Kosuzu replied, "But they're... right in my fashe! How can I... I not touch them?" She proceeded to feel her own breasts, and then moped. "Why won't mine grow...?" She was looking at me with the largest teary eyes I have seen in quite some time. I think the humans refer to them as puppy eyes. I'm unsure I want to know why they refer to sad-looking people as a young pack hunting animal. Wolves are rather vicious unless you train them properly. Rather cunning, too. My brow twitched ever so slightly as Kosuzu hugged herself into my breasts. I honestly wasn't sure how to take that, until she muttered, "I'm never going... going to grow, am I...?"

Sighing, I returned the hug a bit as I walked, and said, "Don't think like that. Besides, being an oni, even for a short time, will likely jump-start your hormones into causing you to grow. Furthermore, being an oni, even for a short time, will cause you to grow at least a little larger than you would have in size, hips, and bust."

Blinking, Kosuzu asked, "Y-you mean... oni grow more than... than humansh?"

Nodding, I replied, "I gave her a dry look, and replied, "Have you seen most of the oni at this party. I'm a relatively small oni, and I'm already six feet tall..."

Thinking a moment, Kosuzu asked, "And... what about Shuika...?"

Chuckling, I replied, "She isn't most oni."

Frowning, and removing the mug from her lips, Suika replied, "I heard that!"

Blinking, I looked down at Suika, who was sitting at some seats before me with the rest of our party. "Ohh. I suppose we've arrived." I proceeded to set down Kosuzu, where she blearily looked around at her surroundings.

Grinning, Kosuzu said, "Hey there, Mishter King, Mishh Shu... Suika, and, uhh..." She stared at the celestial who was looking more and more irritated by the moment. "...Mishh Peachesh!"

Tenshi quickly stood up, and shouted, "What?!"

Smiling sweetly, Kosuzu replied, "Well, you... you've got thoshe nishe big fruitsh on your... hat!"

Quickly getting between the two of them as Tenshi drew her sword, I said, "Now, now, let's be reasonable."

Clearly angry, Tenshi said, "She insulted my hat!"

Tilting her head, Kosuzu asked, "Huh...? But I shaid nothin'... nothing like that? They're pretty pretty~"

Blushing, her sword evaporating, Tenshi replied, "O-Ohh. I see." She proceeded to sit back down.

Chuckling, Rex finally said, "Mister King? Just call me Rex!" He began to cough.

Blinking blearily a few times, Kosuzu eventually said, "Mishter... Rex."

Grinning, the colossal oni replied, "Heh. Close enough!" He coughed a little after that.

Taking a swig from her mug, Suika asked, "So, what's this business with switching bodies?"

Suddenly we had the rapt attention of the table, and I couldn't help but sigh. "Well, it started when Yukari switched Kosuzu's and my body shortly before I met with you." Suika proceeded to nod, and I continued, "After that, we headed to the human village, and tried to figure out what to do about this. Eventually, Yukari came by with a proposition: Enter the party, and she will undo the change. We agreed to that, as we really didn't want to stay switched. Kosuzu was quite lucky that my missing arm was weaker, or else she would have needed far more help with things. Already my lungs were giving her a little trouble with drinking with a straw."

Raising a brow, Tenshi asked, "What in heaven's name is a straw, and what does it have to do with your lungs...?"

Sighing, I replied, "It's like a reed. It's a hollow tube that you suck fluids through, such as a drink. It's for those that are far too lazy to simply pick up their drink. I also cannot imagine it being easily cleaned." I noticed the pout on the young drunk's face, and amended, "Of course, it was actually beneficial that she own such a thing in this instance; without it, I would have had to pour the tea down her throat. Far from an enjoyable experience, even if she did nearly choke on the straw at one point. Anyways, after that, we were gapped to the party. Far from an enjoyable experience. I found that Kosuzu's body feels pain far more than mine does by way of landing on my rear. After that, the maid ended up learning more about me than I intended, and we headed in. After that, we ran into Rex and his friends, my secret nearly got out, and I was forced to distract by way of challenging him to a fight. Well, Kana returned, and told us that we couldn't fight there to me relief, but quickly added that she would take me somewhere that we could, to my great irritation. Kosuzu and I split off at this point, apparently due to Kosuzu wanting to meet with the person that is her greatest fear. While we were apart, I discovered that there was more than one of Kana somehow, and then met with the host himself, Jack King."

Quickly after that, Rex added, "No relations."

Snorting, Suika said, "I'd be confused if you told me you were related to a dullahan."

Raising a brow, I asked, "You know Jack well enough to know that much?"

Nodding, Suika replied, "Yeah, I met him a while back. Yukari introduced us. Real nice guy. Likes to play pranks and toss pumpkins around."

Continuing, I said, "Anyways, after that, Rex and I fought-"

Grinning, Rex interrupted, "And she won! As a little girl! With a single blow! Can you believe that?"

Grinning, Suika said, "She must have really trained hard over the past however many millennia."

Sighing, I said, "Well, that's true enough, I suppose. I even took on a single pupil. Hong Meiling."

Blinking, Suika asked, "The gate guard to the devil's place? The one that lost to Yuugi a thousand years ago?"

Nodding, I replied, "The very same. She's quite a lot stronger now thanks to my training. I mastered dozens of styles of martial arts in my time among humans, and turned them into a rather unique fighting style. Of course, I hadn't actually tested it out on a worthy opponent, but I taught Meiling all I knew. She took to it like a fish to water, and even ended up teaching me a thing or two. You see, she was my first opponent that was nearly on even ground with me after all of that training. Together, we honed our skills into rather deadly blades. Of course, I have a rather large handicap, but I have grown quite capable of covering my weaknesses; she has never once defeated me. However, I doubt she will be getting her original horn back if what you said about Yuugi becoming the deva of strength is true... If she can't beat me, and I can't beat the original deva of strength, there's no way that she stands a chance."

Whistling, Suika asked, "So, you made your own fightin' style just to fight little ol' me?"

Nodding, I replied, "That is the gist of it, yes."

Grinning, the two-horned oni replied, "Well, let's fight!"

Shaking my head in the negative, I answered, "No."

Frowning, Suika asked, "And why not?"

Sighing, I answered, "For one, we have less than an hour until the end of the party."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Suika replied, "Well, we'll just have to make it quick!"

Chuckling, I said, "Secondly, this is supposed to be a celebration, and we're among those that should be cheering on Kosuzu."

Frowning, Suika asked, "You mean the person that apparently didn't actually win against him...?"

Grinning, the loser of that fight said, "Hey, even if we're cheering for the wrong person, it was still a fight worthy of telling the tale of to future generations! It's a first. Even if it isn't quite fair to say that they were young, they still had the physical limitations of a young body! I'll drink to that!" With that said, he knocked back his mug of drink.

Smiling, I replied, "I hope you will hold those tales for when you don't have to hide my secret."

Guffawing, Rex said, "I'll leave out your name until then, don't you worry, missy!"

Sighing, Suika said, "Then, next time we meet. I want you to return already!"

Chuckling, I replied, "I'll return in due time. For now, how about we just drink to the battle fought today?"

Her face quite red, Kosuzu added, "And my hand'sh shacrifishe..."

Giggling, Suika said, "To a great fight I'm sore that I missed, and Kosuzu's quick recovery!" Suika held her mug aloft.

Grinning drunkenly, Kosuzu said, "To a fight I wish I shaw, and my... hand!" She too held her mug up.

Chuckling, Rex said, "To the fight I've lost the fastest in a long, and to the hand I broke!" He held up a mug as well.

Sighing, Tenshi said, "To a fight I wish I could have been a part of, and the hand of a weakling." She took the mug before her, and rose it up.

Smiling, I said, "To a good fight, Kosuzu's recovery, and to many more worthy fights and all that." I rose the mug before me with a chuckle.

With that said, we all knocked back our mugs. I was the first to stop drinking, as I had to pace myself. Tenshi was next, who rubbed her throat. The two true oni at the table finished their mug in one go, slamming their mugs down on the table at the same time. A few moments later, Kosuzu did the same, looking about ready to pass out. After this point, Tenshi and I paced ourselves so as to minimize our drinking, and Kosuzu quickly passed out finally. Who would think that such a tiny body could contain so much alcohol? I mean, sure, there's Suika, but she's a natural oni. Kosuzu is still a fresh oni, and is really putting me to shame when it comes to drinking. You would think that she would want to stay an oni with the way she is acting. Sure, part of it is the horn, but I only rarely drank even with my horn.

Soon enough, I found out the hard way that the hour was up, when a gap suddenly swallowed me up. I can only assume that much the same happened to the rest of the party.

Before long, I was dumped on something soft. Looking around, I found myself to be home, in my bed. I couldn't help but smile a moment, before something suddenly fell on me, my skull connecting with something pointed. Thankfully I have the durability of an oni, or else... "Kosuzu?" Kosuzu now lay in my lap, snoring like she was having a wonderful dream. She was also kicking her legs like a sleeping wolf. "Aww..." I couldn't help but scratch under her chin, also like one would do with a dog. Or a wolf, in my case. Wolves make rather good companions, what with their pack mentality. Of course, I only keep a single wolf, but still. She is rather sweet.

The figurative bubble on her nose popping, Kosuzu suddenly snorted. "Mmm...?" She awoke to me scratching under her chin, of course. "Mmm..." She couldn't help but lean into my skilled bandage fingers.

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Enjoy that, do you?" I redoubled my efforts, and she began to kick her leg again.

Moaning softly, Kosuzu said, "Feelsh good..."

I couldn't help when I blushed at the sounds she was making, and proceeded to stop.

Pouting, Kosuzu looked up at me with pleading eyes.

Crossing my arms, I replied, "No."

Frowning, the new oni asked, "Why...?"

Sighing, I answered, "Because you are making me uncomfortable."

Sighing wistfully, Kosuzu said, "But you're sho good..."

Shaking my head, I said, "No means no."

Pouting, the girl with the horn said, "Fiiiine..."

Chuckling, I replied, "Just go to sleep, alright?"

Kosuzu proceeded to close her eyes.

Raising a brow, I said, "I meant somewhere other than on me..."

Kosuzu was silent.

Blinking, I asked, "Kosuzu?"

She proceeded to snore some more.

Sighing, I said, "I suppose I should go to bed as well... And I can't even get a glass of water with her in my lap." I sighed again. "So be it. I will bear the hangover."

With that said, I leaned back, and was soon asleep.