Three worlds intertwin
Here is the fourth chapter of the story.
Chapter four: The mysterious box and meeting Mayuko
Turns out, cleaning the storehouse was bad. There were many items pilled up within the building that it took about an hour for Nariko to carry everything out. She had to be careful when it came to moving some of the delicate items out of the storehouse. During that time, Nariko found herself sneezing a lot when dust went up her canine nose. After sneezing a few more times, Nariko had to go back to the house to grab a bandana from the closet to cover her nose and mouth from the dust. Once she got all of the books, scrolls, clay pots and boxes out of the storehouse she got to work in cleaning the floor. Nariko was about to grab the broom when she noticed one more item within the storehouse. Lying upon the floor was a large, ratty old rug with dust collected upon its surface.
"Better get that out before I start," said Nariko as she leaned the broom up against the storehouse wall.
She walked over to the rug before kneeling down and began to roll it up. When she did, Nariko discovered two steel doors hidden underneath the rug. The she-wolf blinked in surprise before placing the rolled up rug down on the floor. Nariko raise up a curious eyebrow as she inspected the doors she had found.
"Do these doors lead down to a cellar or something?" voiced Nariko as she looked down at her finding for a moment before frowning. "I'd better leave them alone for now. Mr. Shigure had written about cleaning the storehouse, but there was nothing on the list that said about cleaning out a cellar. So its best not to poke my nose into places where it doesn't belong."
Nariko then picked the rug up and carried it outside where the other items were. She placed the rug on top of some of the boxes before she went back inside to start sweeping. It took around an hour to clear out the dust and cobwebs within the storehouse, along with mopping the floor and shelves within the building as well. Once that job was done, Nariko got to work in cleaning the items she took outside and placing them back where they originally belonged. The first of the items that Nariko decided to clean was the rug. Nariko started shaking out the rug to get the dust off of it, while trying not to inhale the dust particles in the process. Nariko let out a couple of coughs and sneezes as the dust passed through the fibers of the bandana she wore over her nose and mouth.
"Now I really wish I knew how to change back into my human form," grumbled Nariko as she glared down at the rug. "It would make cleaning so much easier without having a sensitive nose getting clogged with all this dust."
"Seems like you could use some help," spoke Sumako as the she-wolf looked up to see the woman walking towards her.
"Yeah," replied Nariko with a smile as she glanced down at the rug again. "This thing is in need of a serious shake out."
Sumako looked at the rug as a light frown appeared on her face before she spoke: "Where did you find this rug?"
"I saw it laying on the floor over top of a double door cellar," replied Nariko as Sumako grabbed the other end of the rug. "But if you're wondering if I opened it, then you will be happy to know that I didn't. I know better than to let my curiosity take over and get me into trouble. Also, there wasn't anything on the list that said to clean out the storehouse's cellar."
Sumako smiled at Nariko before looking down at the she-wolf's feet and saw that they were bare: "I see that you don't have any shoes or sandals on your feet."
Nariko blinked before looking down at her feet and blushed underneath her fur in embarrassment: "Oh...uh...sorry. I've been walking around barefoot ever since I escaped from that facility, so I'm kind of use to not having shoes on my feet."
"That's understandable," said Sumako as she and Nariko began to shake the dust out of the rug. "But you'll have to remember to put shoes on next time when you decide to go outside."
"That or sandals," spoke Nariko with a chuckle.
"That's also optional."
After a minute of shaking, the two finally got most of the dirt out of the rug. They soon took the rug back into the storehouse and laid it back down on top of the doors of the cellar. As they did, Nariko couldn't help looking at the cellar doors one last time before the rug covered them once again. Once that was done, Nariko and Sumako walked back outside again.
"Now it's time to clean up the other items," said Nariko as she pulled the bandana down from her face.
"You need some help?" asked Sumako in a gentle voice.
"Yeah," replied Nariko as she turned to look at Sumako. "I would really appreciate it. Cleaning the storehouse by myself is no easy feat."
"I'm surprised that Ushio isn't here to help you," said Sumako as she began to dust one of the clay pots.
Nariko picked up one of the books and gently began to dust it before she spoke to Sumako: "Well...when Ushio saw that we had to clean the storehouse he seemed to tense slightly."
A sad expression appeared on Sumako's face when Nariko mentioned how Ushio had reacted to cleaning the storehouse. Nariko glanced over at Sumako and saw the depressed look upon the woman's face. The young she-wolf softly frowned before she spoke to Sumako in a gentle voice.
"Did...something happen in that storehouse that made Ushio have a fear of going near it or something?"
Sumako didn't answered for a moment, but when she did Nariko was surprised by the answer that was given to her.
"The storehouse...hold's some fond and painful memories for my son."
Sumako became quiet after that as she continued to clean the clay pot she was holding. Nariko gazed at Sumako for a moment before she turned her attention towards the storehouse. A light frown appeared on her face as the young she-wolf thought about what Sumako had just said. This place held both fond and painful memories for Ushio? What did she mean by that? Nariko stared at the building for a moment longer before she decided to continue on with dusting the old book. She and Sumako were quiet as they worked before Nariko decided to ask the woman a question that didn't revolve around Ushio's past.
"So...does Ushio do any kind of sports?"
Sumako turned to look at Nariko in surprise before a smile appeared on her face: "Ushio is quite skilled at all kinds of sports. Though he prefers to do art above all else."
"He's an artist?" asked Nariko as she placed the book she held down on one of the boxes.
"Yes," replied Sumako before she let out a chuckle. "Though, he's not the most talented of artists. He's been taking up art classes and his works are getting better, but they're not near professional yet."
Nariko huffed in amusement as she pick up another dusty book: "Well, to each his own I guess."
"Do you have any hobbies that you like to do, Nariko?" asked Sumako as she placed the scroll she held down before picking up a clay bowl.
Nariko paused as she thought over Sumako's question, before she turned to look at the woman and answered with a sheepish smile.
"Well...back when I was still living at the orphanage I did street dancing. Dancing has always been my passion, and when I dance I feel more free in my movements. Though I'm also a little shy when it comes to dancing in front of crowds. But I'm okay with performing in front of the kids in the orphanage whenever they needed cheering up. I guess it's because I don't have to worry about being judged, or criticized by people who think my dancing doesn't match up to their standards."
"Sounds to me like you really love to dance."
"Yeah," replied Nariko with a smile as she started dusting down the book in her hand. "It's also been a dream of mine to be a professional dancer and perform in front of people. When I was confident enough to actually dance in front of a crowd that is."
Nariko then paused in her dusting as her smile turned into a sad frown before she spoke again: "But...I don't think I'll ever be able to achieve that dream now. Not after changing into this form. You already know how people hate beastmen for being different and unnatural, right?"
Sumako sadly gazed at the young she-wolf and nodded her head as she silently answered Nariko's question.
"Then you know that I can't dance in front of people looking like this. They'll only see me as a freak of nature instead of a person who's passionate about dancing."
Silence descended upon the two females as Nariko's words hung within the air. Nariko stared down at the book she held in her hands before blinking in surprise when two arms slowly wrapped around her. Sumako had walked up behind Nariko after placing the clay bowl she had been holding on the ground, and wrapped her arms gently around the young she-wolf.
"You're not a freak of any sort," spoke Sumako in a gentle voice. "You are a girl who has a kind and selfless heart when it comes to caring about other people. You also have the same feelings and passions as other people do in this world."
Nariko stood shocked for a moment as she processed what was happening. It had been a long time since anyone had hugged her, but this hug was different from the ones she had known. The hugs that the adults at the orphanage had given to her were those of kindness and sympathy, but Sumako's hug held warmth and safety. It was a feeling that Nariko had never felt before in her life. Slowly, a small smile appeared on Nariko's face before she raised her left hand up to gently touch Sumako's right arm.
"Thank you Mrs. Sumako," said Nariko in a soft voice. "I'm glad to know that there are some people in this world that don't see beastmen as freaks."
The two stood in silence for a moment before they got back to cleaning the items. Nariko and Sumako continued to talk with each other as they exchange questions or talked about random things. That seemed to help pass the time because later, all of the items were back in the storehouse. Nariko stood in the middle of the storehouse as she clapped her hands together to get rid off the dirt that collected on her palms.
"That was a lot of work," said Nariko as she placed her hands on her waist.
"At least we got it done just before lunch time came around," said Sumako with a smile as she stood beside the young she-wolf. "So how about we head back in and I'll start making something special for us to eat?"
"Sounds good to me," agreed Nariko with a nod of her head.
The two females were about to turn and head out of the storehouse when they heard a small thud behind them. Nariko and Sumako both turned to see what had made that noise. They quickly spotted a small box on the wooden floor near one of the bottom selves. Nariko walked over to the small box and knelt down to pick it up. Once she did, Nariko began to examine it with a curious expression upon her face.
The box was about the size of Nariko's hand and was made from the wood of a Japanese oak tree. The surface and edges were smooth to the touch, and looked to be in good condition. Carved onto the lid of the box was a four pointed star or diamond and four kanji markings that sat on each corner of the box. Attached to the box was a golden clasp with etching designs upon its surface.
Nariko frowned as she looked over the four kanjis that were carved onto the box's surface. The young she-wolf looked them over carefully before Sumako came to crouch beside her. The woman looked at the box that Nariko was holding with a light frown upon her face.
"Strange...I don't believe I've ever seen this little box before," spoke Sumako as Nariko turned to look at her.
"I guess it was hidden amongst all of the other items within the storehouse," said Nariko as she looked down at the box again. "It seems to be in good condition though and I don't see any scratches on it."
"Well you best put it back where it had been before," said Sumako with a smile. "We don't want anyone to accidently step on it when they come into the storehouse."
Nariko nodded as the two of them stood up from the floor. The young she-wolf looked around the shelves for a moment before finding an open spot to place the box on. Nariko gently set the small box on the second shelf and turned to walk away, but stopped when she heard the sound of wood sliding against wood. She quickly turned around before she caught the little box when it had fallen off the shelf.
"What the heck?" muttered Nariko in confusion before she placed the box back on the shelf.
Once she did, Nariko stood in front of the shelf and waited for a moment. She watched as the box began to slide forward before Nariko caught it when it fell off the shelf again. Sumako had also been watching with a curious expression upon her face.
"Okay, now this is getting weird," said Nariko as she turned her gaze towards the shelf. "Are there mice scurrying around here or something?"
"That or it could be a little youkai playing a prank on you," answered Sumako with a frown.
Nariko looked at Sumako in befuddlement before speaking: "Youkai? You mean like the ones that Mr. Shigure told me about?"
"Yes," replied Sumako with a small smile. "There are youkai that like to cause harm to people, while there are others who like to play harmless pranks."
Nariko hummed thoughtfully as she looked down at the little box within her hands with a light frown upon her face: "But why would they be interested in pushing this box off from the shelf?"
"I'm not sure. In any case, why don't you hold onto that box for now until my husband comes home to deal with this little youkai."
"Are you sure?" asked Nariko as she looked at Sumako with uncertainty.
"I'm sure," replied Sumako with a nod of her head.
Nariko gave Sumako a smile before looking down at the box in her hands: "Alright then. I'll make sure to keep this safe until Mr. Shigure gets back from his trip."
With that, Nariko and Sumako headed out of the storehouse. They just got outside when they heard voices coming up the road. Nariko recognized Ushio's and Asako's voices, but not the third voice that spoke.
"Man...I spent the whole day getting ready for nothing," grumbled Ushio angrily.
"Oh, quit complaining Ushio," said Asako. "Besides it'll be good to introduce Nariko to someone new."
"Well as long as it's only Mayuko and not any of your other annoying friends, then I guess its okay."
"What did you just say?"
"Come on now you two," spoke an unfamiliar female voice calmly.
Nariko grew a little nervous when she heard the new voice before Sumako placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. The young she-wolf glanced up at Sumako and saw the reassuring smile upon her face.
"It's alright," spoke Sumako in a gentle voice. "Mayuko is one of Ushio's trusted friends and she's also a very nice girl."
Nariko's face held a look of doubt before she turned to glance back at the stairs when she heard the sound of feet coming up them. The she-wolf saw Ushio walking up the steps first, while Asako and another girl followed behind him. Asako was wearing a bright red short sleeved shirt, skinny blue jeans that were held up by a brown belt and white sneakers. Around Asako's waist was a green fanny pack with a white strip going across its top surface. Nariko then turned her attention on the new girl and she couldn't help staring at her in wonderment.
The new girl looked to be around the same age as Ushio and Asako. The girl had long golden blonde hair that grew down to the middle of her shoulder blades, light brown eyes and fair skin. She wore a pink short sleeved top, a white skirt that went down to her knees and white slip on shoes. Hanging from the girl's left shoulder was a little pink purse with a single white oval design on it.
Nariko felt a calmness wash over her as she stared at the new girl curiously. The young she-wolf could sense a gentle warmth radiating from the girl like the one she always feels from Sumako whenever the she-wolf was around the woman. Nariko watched as the trio came closer before the young she-wolf shyly back up to where she half-hid herself behind Sumako. The woman gave Nariko a gentle smile of reassurance before she turned to look back at her son and his friends.
"Welcome back, Ushio," greeted Sumako with a smile. "Asako. Mayuko, welcome also."
"Good afternoon," greeted Asako and the new girl together.
"What brings you three here to the temple?" asked Sumako with a knowing smile.
"Well I wanted to introduce Mayuko to Nariko," answered Asako as she gestured to the girl beside her.
Ushio frowned as he glared off to the side and began to mutter under his breath: "Yeah, though you two had planned to head to the shopping mall today, while dragging me along in the process."
Asako heard what Ushio had said and quickly punched him in the head. Ushio let out a yelp before he turned to glare at Asako in anger and confusion. A sweat drop appeared on the side of Nariko's head as she frowned at Ushio's stupidity. She then turned her attention onto the new girl, now known as Mayuko, and saw the surprised expression upon her face. A look of wonder and amazement was also mixed into the girl's features, before a kind smile formed on her face.
"I'm guessing you must be Nariko," said Mayuko in a gentle voice. "My name is Mayuko Inoue."
Nariko gazed at the new girl in surprise before a soft smile appeared on her face. The young she-wolf walked out from behind Sumako and bowed while speaking to Mayuko in a polite voice.
"It's nice to meet you," said Nariko as she straightened up. "I'm guessing you're one of Ushio's friends, right?"
"Yep," replied Mayuko with a nod. "We've known each other since childhood."
"I see," said Nariko in understanding.
"You know, when Asako told me that she befriended a beastman for the first time I became curious. So I asked her if I could get a chance to meet you before we went shopping today."
Nariko nodded before speaking: "So what were your thoughts about beastmen after hearing about them?"
"People always kept saying how scary beastmen looked," replied Mayuko with a sad frown before it changed into a cheerful smile. "But now that I'm meeting you face-to-face I can see that you aren't that scary. In fact, I think you look very cute."
A blush formed underneath the fur of Nariko's cheeks at Mayuko's complement. She then looked down at the ground in embarrassment, while awkwardly scratching the back of her head in the process.
"Um...uh...thank you, I guess," muttered Nariko in a shy voice.
Ushio, who had turned away from Asako, watch the conversation between Nariko and Mayuko. He smirked when he saw the awkward expression upon the she-wolf's face.
"Well, well, looks like the little puppy is embarrassed!" exclaimed Ushio as he pointed at Nariko.
An anime tick mark appeared on Nariko's forehead before she shot forward and beaned Ushio on the head with her fist. Ushio groaned as he crouched on the ground, while holding his head in pain before he glared up at Nariko.
"What was that for?" groaned Ushio in anger and confusion.
Nariko only huffed as she turned her head away from Ushio. Mayuko giggled quietly to herself as she was reminded on how Asako would get into spats with Ushio once in a while. Asako looked down at Ushio with a frown, while placing her hands on her hips.
"You seriously need to think before you speak," said Asako with a sigh.
Ushio frowned as he glanced up at Asako in confusion and frustration. Sumako soon decided to step in before things got out of hand between the young adults and she-wolf.
"Alright everyone, that's enough," spoke Sumako in a gentle yet firm voice. "I'm just about to head inside to make some lunch. Would you three like to stay and have lunch before you all go to the mall?"
"Sure, we'd love to," answered Asako with a smile.
"You guys go on ahead," said Nariko. "I just need to lock up the storehouse."
Asako and Mayuko nodded before the two of them began to follow Sumako into the temple. Ushio, who had stood up from the ground, looked up at the storehouse with a sad frown upon his face. Nariko noticed this, but decided not to say anything as she turned and walked towards the door of the building. She used one hand to hold the small box, while using the other to push the door closed. Once that was done, Nariko proceeded to lock the door after pulling out the key from her pocket. After that, she tucked the key back into the same pocket and began to walk towards the temple gate. Nariko paused when she noticed that Ushio was still staring at the storehouse with a distant look upon his face. The young she-wolf sadly frowned before smiling when an idea came into her head. She then lifted her right hand up to the side of her mouth and shouted out at him.
"Hey, Ushio! When you accompany Asako and Mayuko to the mall, are they going to make you pick out a tuxedo for when you'll marry Asako someday?"
Ushio's sad demeanor changed to a look of anger and embarrassment before he turned to glare at Nariko: "That's none of your business, you little furball!"
"But you and Asako are dating, right?" questioned Nariko with an anime cat grin on her face. "Then that means it's only a matter of time before you pop the question to her, Bushy Brows!"
Ushio's face began to turn red before he shouted at Nariko: "I told you not to call me that!"
The young she-wolf only responded by playfully sticking her tongue out at him. She then turned and ran into the courtyard with Ushio chasing after her. He continued to chase Nariko around the temple grounds, while spouting out curses at the she-wolf, only to have her respond with smart mouth remarks. They continued their little game of pursuit for a while before Sumako called them in for lunch. We soon find the four all sitting within the living room as they ate rice balls at the chabudai table. In the rice balls were red snapper bits that were seasoned with fresh herbs. Sumako had already eaten her lunch before she went out to buy some groceries for a supper she had planned for tonight. Nariko took a bite out of her rice ball and chewed for a moment before letting out a happy moan.
Nariko's tail wagged happily behind her before she swallowed and shouted out in joy: "So good!"
"I bet it's been a long time since you had something this tasty to eat, huh?" questioned Mayuko with a smile.
"You could say that," said Nariko with a small smile.
"Well you should come over to my parents ramen shop sometime," offered Asako with a smile. "I can cook up something that will really make your taste buds sing."
"Thanks. I'll think about it," said Nariko with a nod before quietly thinking to herself. 'Just as soon as I figure out how to change back into my human form.'
The foursome continued to eat for a while before Ushio spoke as he turned his attention onto the little box that sat on the table: "So...Nariko. Where did you find that box?"
Nariko blinked, then looked down at the box before she answered Ushio's question: "I found it in the storehouse. It fell off from one of the shelves just when your mother and I were about to leave."
"Why didn't you put it back?" questioned Ushio with a frown.
"I tried," replied Nariko with a frown. "But when I put it back on the shelf it suddenly slid off. It was like something had deliberately pushed it off."
"That's weird," muttered Asako with a light frowned upon her face.
"Do you have any idea on what could have done that?" asked Mayuko curiously.
"Well there are two theories that Mrs. Sumako and I came up with," replied Nariko after taking another bite of her rice ball. "My first idea was that a mouse might have pushed the box off the shelf."
Asako and Mayuko hummed at the idea, while Ushio only took another bite of his rice ball. His face held a look of uninterest as he continued to eat his lunch before Mayuko spoke again.
"And what was Mrs. Sumako's idea?"
"She thinks that a little youkai must have moved into the storehouse and was playing a prank by pushing the box off the shelf," replied Nariko in a casual voice.
At the word 'Youkai' the three females heard Ushio let out a choking sound before they turned to look at him. They saw a look of distress upon Ushio's face as he pounded a fist against his chest. He then grabbed his glass of water on the table and quickly drunk its contents down. Nariko, Asako and Mayuko watched in concern before they relaxed when Ushio's expression changed to relief.
"You okay?" asked Mayuko with a disquiet expression upon her face.
"Y-yeah," replied Ushio with a large smile as a sweat drop appeared on the side of his head. "I was just caught off guard by what Nariko had said. But come on Nariko, you'd have to be pretty stupid to believe that youkai exist. Not to mention believing it was the one responsible for pushing the box off the shelf."
Nariko frowned as she stared at Ushio suspiciously before speaking: "Then why do you look so nervous all of a sudden?"
Ushio blanched before looking off to the side to avoid eye contact with Nariko: "Nervous? Who's nervous? I'm definitely not nervous!"
Nariko narrowed her eyes on Ushio for a moment before she turned her attention back on Asako and Mayuko: "Anyways, even if it was a little youkai playing pranks. I'm sure it's not going to cause too much trouble, but I am curious as to why a youkai would choose to push this box off the shelf."
The three girls, plus Ushio who had finally collected himself, all turned their attention to the little box on the table. Asako stared down at the box with a thoughtful expression upon her face.
"Its certainly a strange looking box," she said with a light frown. "I've never seen a design like this before."
"Do you think it might be from the western continent or something?" asked Mayuko curiously.
"I don't think so," replied Nariko before she pointed to the four kanjis on the box. "Take a look at the kanjis that are carved on the corners of the box. It looks like it could have been made here in Japan."
Ushio frowned as he leaned closer to look at the kanjis: "They sure are written strangely."
"Well they aren't that hard to figure out," spoke Nariko as she began to point out the kanjis to Ushio, Asako and Mayuko. "The first kanji on the top left says 'Beast', while the kanji on the top right says either 'tear' or 'tear drop'. Then the last two on the bottom corners of the box spell out 'Soul' and 'Jewel'."
"Beast-tear-soul-jewel?" muttered Asako in confusion.
"I wonder if that's the name of the item inside this box?" voiced Ushio with a frown.
Nariko looked at Ushio as she answered his question: "Maybe."
"Do you think we should open it and see what's inside?" asked Mayuko curiously.
Nariko crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down at the box with a frown. The young she-wolf was about to say something before Ushio suddenly snatched the box up from the table.
"Well since its from the storehouse. I'm sure there's no harm in seeing what's inside it," said Ushio with a smirk.
Nariko turned to glare at Ushio in anger: "Hey! You can't just..."
But her words trailed off when Ushio tried to open the clasp on the box. Yet when his fingers touched it, Ushio was met with a sharp zap of electricity that sparked across the clasp's metal surface. Ushio let out a yelp of surprise and pain, while dropping the box in the process. Nariko quickly caught the box before it could hit the ground and placed it back on the table.
Ushio shook his hand franticly to easy the burning sensation from it: "Man, that hurt!"
"Are you okay, Ushio?" asked Mayuko in concern.
"Y-yeah," replied Ushio as he looked down at his hand to inspect it. "But that was really weird."
"You're telling me," muttered Nariko with a frown.
"In any case, let's take a look at your hand," spoke Asako as she gently took Ushio's hand into her own.
Ushio frowned before looking away with a blush appearing on his cheeks. Asako inspected Ushio's hand for a moment before speaking again with a smile.
"Well, looks like you go off easy. I don't see any burn marks on your hand or fingers, thank goodness."
Ushio took back his hands and crossed his arms over his chest: "Then stop fussing over me like I'm some little kid."
Asako frowned at Ushio, while Nariko and Mayuko playfully smirked as they could still see the blush on Ushio's face. Nariko quietly chuckled to herself before turning her attention back onto the box. A serious expression appeared on her face as she gazed down at the item in front of her.
"I wonder if this box has a barrier seal on it," voiced Nariko.
Nariko remembered reading stories about how priests or monks would seal away monsters that terrorized people in ancient times. There were also stories about priests and monks placing seals on magical items that should never fall into human hands. If that was the case, then Nariko wouldn't be surprised if someone had placed a seal on this little box. Mayuko, Ushio and Asako looked at Nariko in surprise for a moment, before they turned their attention onto the box.
"Probably," spoke Ushio with a frown. "If so, then it'll be pretty hard to open it up to see what exactly is inside."
"We should probably wait until your dad gets back," suggested Asako as she turned to looked at Ushio. "After all, he knows more about seals than anyone else we know."
"Agreed," replied Nariko as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Until then, we should probably leave it alone for now. I don't want to find out what would happen if we try to force this box open."
Mayuko and Asako nodded their heads in agreement. Unfortunately, Ushio didn't seem to agree with the idea for he was curious to know what was inside the box. Yet he relented when Asako gave him an angry look and pouted as he begrudgingly concede. Mayuko decided to change the subject by speaking in a chipper voice.
"Oh, I almost forgot!"
Nariko glanced over at Mayuko as the girl grabbed her purse and zipped open the main pouch. She then stuck her hand in and pulled out a white smartphone.
Mayuko turned on her phone and began to look for something while speaking in the process: "I'm not sure if you're interested, but I thought I share this song that I came across a few days ago."
Nariko smile before talking in a cheerful voice: "Sure, as long as it doesn't take time out of your schedule."
"Don't worry, it won't," reassured Mayuko before she found what she was looking for. "Here we go."
Mayuko tapped the screen of her phone before placing it down on the table. A second later, music started to play out on the smartphone's speakers. When it did, Nariko's eyes widened when she quickly recognized what was being played on the phone. It was the song that Michiru and Nazuna had introduced her to when the three of them had gone to the park together. The she-wolf continued to listen to the song as memories of her human life began to surface. Nariko remembered when Michiru invited her to the park where the three of them hung out together for the first time. It was when Michiru offered Nariko a vanilla flavored macaroon, and the young teen had instantly fell in love with the sweet cookie. That was one of her most treasured memories that Nariko held close to her heart. Nariko was brought out of her memory when Asako started to call out her name. The young she-wolf blinked in surprise before she turned to look at Asako in confusion. When she did, Nariko saw the look of concern on not only Asako's face, but also on Ushio's and Mayuko's as well. That was when the she-wolf felt tears running down her furry cheeks. Nariko slowly raised her right hand up and began to wipe away the tears.
"I...I'm sorry," said Nariko in a soft voice.
Asako, who had crawled over to Nariko, sadly stared at the she-wolf for a moment before speaking in a gentle voice.
"Did that song remind you of something from your past?"
Nariko nodded her head once she had collected herself: "Yeah...this was the song that Michiru and another friend of mine had shared with me."
Mayuko looked at Nariko as a sad expression appeared on her face: "I'm sorry. I didn't know that this song would cause you to remember something sad."
"No...it's alright," said Nariko as she gave Mayuko a reassuring smile. "It's just...it's been so long since I've heard 'Night Running' again."
"Asako told me a little bit about what happened to you," spoke Mayuko in a gentle voice. "But she didn't really give me the full details of what your life had been like."
Nariko's expression softened: "Then I guess you should know."
Nariko then began to tell her story to Mayuko about what had happened to her, while keeping the truth about her being human out of the story. She also made sure to leave out the part about Nazuna also being held captive at the facility, and abandoning her there afterwards. Mayuko listened intently to Nariko's story before the young she-wolf finished. Mayuko then stood up and walked over to where Nariko sat before lowering herself down to the floor. She then brought the young she-wolf into a hug, which surprised Nariko for a second before she relaxed into Mayuko's embrace.
"I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that," said Mayuko as she patted Nariko's head.
Nariko remained quiet as she let Mayuko hug her for a moment before the young she-wolf pulled out of her embrace. The she-wolf gave Mayuko a smile of thanks before Ushio spoke up.
"Hey Nariko. Can you tell us what you and your two friends did back in your old hometown?"
Nariko blinked at Ushio in surprise before smiling. She then began to tell the trio what she had often done with Michiru and Nazuna back in her old hometown. Nariko told them about how she would spend each day with her friends after they had finished school. They would either hang out at the park and eat either ice cream or macaroons together. They would also go to the arcade or play at the basketball court where Michiru taught Nariko how to play basketball. It was about a minute later that Asako reminded Ushio and Mayuko that they had to head out to the mall. Ushio let out a displeased groan as Asako dragged him out of the house. Mayuko stayed behind to talk to Nariko for a moment as the young she-wolf stood by the door to see them off.
"I'll get you something cute from the mall," said Mayuko with a smile.
"Oh, no. You don't have to do that," said Nariko as she politely declined Mayuko's offer.
"I don't mind," insisted Mayuko before she turned to follow after Asako and Ushio. "I'll pick out something cute for you to wear. See you later Nariko!"
Nariko raised a hand up and was about to call out to Mayuko to tell her that she didn't need to buy anything for her. But the young she-wolf soon decided to just wave goodbye.
"You three take care of yourselves!" called Nariko with a smile.
"We'll be back before you know it, Nariko!" shouted Ushio as he waved goodbye to the she-wolf.
Asako and Mayuko also waved goodbye before the three walked out through the temple gate. Nariko stood outside the front door for a moment, before heading back inside the house. She made sure to close the door behind her before heading towards the living room. She made herself comfortable on the floor before resting her head and arms on the chabudai table. Nariko then let out a sigh as she closed her eyes, while resting her chin upon her folded arms.
"Looks like I'm by myself for a while," muttered Nariko quietly to herself.
She continued to lean against the table for a moment before the young she-wolf felt the shadowy presence appear within the room. Nariko smirked as she sensed the phantom creature lay itself down in front of the open living room doors.
'Well...not completely by myself,' thought Nariko quietly to herself.
The she-wolf then opened her eyes and stared at the little box that still sat on the table. Nariko sensed that the shadowy presence was also looking at the box too before she quietly spoke to herself.
"I wonder what could be inside this little box?"
The phantom remained silent as it rested within the light of the sun, while Nariko continued to stare intently at the box. After a while, the young she-wolf let out another sigh before sitting straight up again.
"Well, can't sit around staring at this box all day," said Nariko with a smile. "I got some chores to do."
She stood up from the table and turned to walk out of the room. The shadowy presence watched Nariko leave the room before its gaze turned towards the box once again. The phantom creature's eyes narrowed as it glared at the box suspiciously for a moment before it disappearing from the room. When it did, a soft blue aura began to glow around the box for a moment before disappearing.
To be continued
And there you go. Okay, so I'm thinking of bouncing this story around on the two articles of the two Animes. So when I'll post the next chapter, I'll place the story in the 'Ushio and Tora' section. It will stay there until I finish chapter six. That's when I'll switch it to the 'BNA' section. After that, I'll put it back in its original place within the crossover stories. The reason for this is because I want people to be a little more aware of the crossover story, and to see if I can get more reviews on it. Until then, I hope you enjoy this chapter and keep on following it.
White Hunter, howling out to you and creativity!