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Enjoy.
Satori flinched as the door was thrown open, drawing the attention of everyone not currently passed out.
"Yuugi!"
Yuugi's back!
About time!
"Finally! We were startin' to run out here!"
"What kept ya?"
Please don't notice I drank from your dish…
"Who's the girl?"
It was overwhelming for Satori as her ears and mind were simultaneously assaulted by numerous voices, spoken and unspoken. Now that their attention had been grabbed their thoughts were no longer an indistinct mass like before, coming through loud and clear.
"Yes, I'm back! And look what I got!"
She raised the sack high, eliciting a round of cheers from her audience. A couple oni came and took the bag from her and started tossing bottles of alcohol across the room. Despite their various states of intoxication each bottle was caught with ease, a true testament to the hand-eye coordination of oni.
At least where liquor was concerned.
"As for my acquaintance, don't worry about it. There's plenty of room at our table, isn't there? And plenty of booze, too!"
Another round of cheers filled the air as Yuugi led Satori to the far end of the massive table and urged her to sit. "Urged" being the polite way to describe pushing on Satori's shoulder with all the weight of a falling tree and forcing her to sit down least she lose her arm.
The table shook as Yuugi plopped down to join her. Satori nearly jumped out of her skin when she did, her cloak falling open slightly. She hastily readjusted it before anyone could make out her third eye.
Calm down girl! We aint gonna eat ya.
"Jumpy there, aren't ya?"
"Um, yes. I don't get out much…"
"No kidding. Now, whatcha want to drink? We got sake, we got beer, we got some fancy imported stuff that I don't even know how it ended up in Gensokyo in the first place…"
Case in point Yuugi snatched up a corked bottle and peered at the label. Satori was very out of practice on her English but she was pretty sure the big bold letters said "RUM." She could tell from her thoughts that Yuggi had no idea what the word meant, but she didn't let that stop her from ripping the cork off with her teeth, spitting it at the nearest oni, and taking a large swig.
"Bleugh! Now that is what you call revoltingly sweet! Whoever came up with this doesn't know what real booze tastes like! Here, try it for yourself."
"No thank y- mmh!"
Satori couldn't even get a full sentence out before the bottle was shoved in her mouth and she found herself choking on the sweet liquid. And Yuugi was right, it was terribly, horrendously sweet. If she had to compare it to anything she would have to say it was similar to how Okuu felt when she once ate an entire tube of frosting in one sitting. Satori was almost certain that her own teeth started rotting from how horrid the overdose tasted to the hell raven. Okuu and Satori both stayed away from desserts for quite a while after that incident.
The smaller youkai started sputtering and frantically beat at Yuugi's arm as rum spilled down her front. Thankfully the oni got the message and pulled the bottle away, letting Satori double over in a coughing fit as she struggled for breath. Around her she could hear the other oni roaring with laughter at her reaction. She did her best to ignore both it and the feeling of heat gathering in her cheeks, focusing instead on trying to get air back into her lungs.
A large hand settled on her back, surprisingly not knocking the wind out of her for once.
"Sorry about that friend, looks like I overestimated your constitution. Something tells me you don't drink much, do you?"
*cough* "N-No." *cough**cough* "Only wine on occasion."
"Ha! Wine, how weak. You need to try some real booze! Let's see..."
Yuugi casually threw the bottle of rum to another oni, presumably one with a major sweet tooth, and picked a nondescript one off the table. She gave it a quick whiff and curled her nose up at the scent.
"Oof. Yep, that'll do. Hold this."
She tossed the bottle to Satori, the smaller girl only barely reacting fast enough to catch it. She gave it a curious sniff herself and regretted it as she had to hold back another coughing fit. A few more empty bottles and dishes were swept aside as the oni slid a large flat drinking cup closer to them. She took the bottle back and pour some in the cup.
"Now this," she began, lifting the cup and gently swirling the contents around. "Is the Hoshiguma Dish, a special artifact of mine that will turn even the worst swill, such as this crap, into the finest liquor in all the land."
She brought the dish to her mouth and gave it a sip, a pleased smile crossing her face as she lowered it.
"Ahh, perfect. Here, have a drink."
She held out the cup and not wanting it forced on her again Satori took it. It was clearly designed for the massive oni who sat beside her judging by the size, forcing her to use both hands just to hold it. She gave it a sniff. If anything she could say that the smell was certainly better.
Oh, what's this?
New girl gets to use the Hoshiguma Dish?
What makes her so special?
Lucky…
The sudden onslaught of surprised and envious thoughts gave Satori pause just as she was about to take a drink.
What's wrong?
"I don't want to upset anyone…"
Instantly Satori knew she messed up by responding to her thoughts and cursed herself, but thankfully Yuugi didn't seem to notice her slip up.
"What do you mean, 'upset anyone'? Who's upset?"
She turned her gave to the other oni, giving them a stern look.
"Oi, any of you lot got a problem we me giving my special guest some special treatment?"
A chorus of 'no's and 'not at all's and head shaking were the immediate response. Their thought, however, told a different story.
Where did that come from!?
How could she tell!?
Since when did Yuugi become so perceptive?
Again Satori cursed herself. This was exactly the kind of situation she hoped to avoid and here she was, stirring up trouble where there previously wasn't any before. The collective feeling of joy and cheer had died down and given rise to confusion and suspicion. All caused by her and her big mouth.
"See, no problem. Now drink up!"
She gave her a careful pat on the back, having seemingly figured out the right amount to strength to use with the smaller youkai.
"If you insist…"
She raised the dish and took a tentative sip. It was… pleasant. Very pleasant. The taste was near impossible to describe but the effect wasn't. Warmth spread through her, loosening her muscles and putting her mind at ease. In fact it was the most at ease Satori had felt in a long, long time. She raised it for a second sip, then a third. She was going on a fourth when Yuugi pulled it away from her with a laugh.
"Hahaha! I knew you'd be impressed, Little Miss Wine Drinker!"
The tension broke as laughter once again filled the room at Saotri's expense, only this time Satori managed to smile along with them, just a little, even as her face heated up once more.
She blamed the booze.
"Haha, look at that, finally got you to loosen up a bit, didn't I-"
Satori looked up and saw confusion etched into the oni's face as she stared down at her.
What is that?
"What is what?"
Yuugi locked eyes with her. Satori felt like she was being examined, so intense was her gaze, and not another thought was heard as she studied her. She stared for a moment longer before, without word or thought, she brought forward her other hand and pointed straight at her. Satori followed its path, only to have her heart suddenly drop through her chest.
Her cloak must have shifted when she took a drink, otherwise how else would her third eye have slipped free from its confines?
Satori looked around. All the other oni were too enraptured with their revelry to pay her any heed. That was good. It didn't do anything to help with Yuugi, but at least she didn't have to worry about being mobbed by everyone else.
Not yet at least.
"Oh, um, this. Well that's-"
"I still haven't said anything."
Satori shrunk back and braced herself. This was always the worst part, watching as someone puts the pieces together and realizes who she is. Or rather, what she is. And it always ended the same way.
"So," Yuugi began, rubbing her chin. "A satori, huh? Nobody's seen one of your kind in a very long time. Rumor has it that they all died off except for the one living in the Palace. I never believed them, of course, I know your kind are excellent at staying hidden. I've been around a long time and you're the first I can ever recall meeting. Lucky me, right?"
That… was not what she was expecting. Not at all. In all her many altercations with other beings (who weren't animals) not once had she been met intrigue rather than scorn. Yet here she was, staring up into the inquisitive eyes of a towering oni, the very last person she'd ever expect this from.
Satori was out of her depth, plain and simple.
"Huh?"
"What, didn't hear me right? I said I've never seen one of your kind before."
"No, I heard you. It's just that we satori aren't normally met with such…friendliness."
"That makes sense. Most folk don't care much for having their mind read, after all."
"Yes, I know. But you aren't bothered by it?"
"Bothered? Ha!"
Yuugi gave a hearty laugh and slapped Satori on the back, doubling her over.
"Why should I be! I aint got nothin' to hide! Haven't you ever met an oni before today?"
"Yes…"
"And what happened?"
"I was… chased away by an angry mob."
Satori looked away from Yuugi out of shame. She wasn't royalty by any means, but as Mistress of the Palace of the Earth Spirits she at least tried to act with the dignity expected of that title, and admitting to stirring up trouble and being run out of town did not do her any favors in that regard.
"Ah," Yuugi began. "I see. Well, I can't speak for every oni under the earth, but you don't have to worry about that with me. Like I said, I got nothin' to hide. In fact…"
Yuugi shifted where she sat, and a moment later grabbed Satori and spun her around with a yelp, leaving the two facing one another. She placed her hands on her knees and leaned down until they were eye level.
"Read my mind right now."
Satori stared, once again dumbfounded by this strange oni.
"…huh?"
"Read my mind. What, no one's ever asked that before?"
"Never…"
"Oh. Well, now somebody is, so go on. Read me."
Satori still wasn't sure what to do. She was hated, despised even, for her gift, and now someone was literally asking for her to use it on them. Not even her pets ever requested it of her. It was just a common fact of life at home that your mind would be read, no need to ask. But Yuugi was, and being very patient about it too.
Slowly she took her third eye in her hands but paused as the last bits of hesitance clung to her. With a nod of encouragement from Yuugi she raised her third eye, resting it in her hand over her left. She took a breath, focused her gaze on Yuugi, and looked inside her heart.
…
…
…
The smell hung think in the air. Heavy and sulfuric. It filled her nostrils and blotted out all other scents, but she did not gag. No, such minor trifles were nothing to an oni such as her. In fact she did the opposite and took a deep breath, taking in the aroma of a job well done.
Of another city conquered and pillaged.
The city was quite large. From where she sat in the town square she could see the neighborhoods blazing on the hillside a mile away, and between there and her were many more shops, temples, and homes smoldering in ruin. Even if they weren't burning not a single building was without catastrophic damage, all but beyond repair.
Although she sat in a crater indulging herself to the spoils of the now levels brewery behind her she could still hear the rest of the oni army tearing the place to pieces. Roars of bloodlust and screams of terror echoed across the ruined city as the more battle hungry among their ranks sowed chaos through the streets. Sometimes a cry of triumph might piece the sky as one of her soldiers won a pitched battle against the city guard.
Or what was left of them.
The ground shook, and a second later a deafening boom drowned out all other sounds. She turned her head and peer through the black plumes of smoke. There, off in the distance, a large, shadowed figure moved through the city. And large it was, as all she could make out was the massive legs and feet of the figure descending through the low-hanging black clouds, taking one earthquake of a step at a time.
She let out a booming laugh and raised her drink to the distant towering figure.
"Haha!" she thundered. "Here's to another city fallen to our might, Suika! Let's seeKasen try and top this!"
Suika heard her, but the response she gave could only best be describes as a roar of agreement, rattling the city and threatening to rupture her eardrums. But she did not flinch, and instead threw back her head and downed the bottle in her hand.
With a hearty sigh she leaned back and took in the scorching, sulfur-scented hell around her.
Most definitely a job well done.
…
…
…
Like a whirlwind the world came flooding back.
Pulling herself out from another's mind always felt like having her head pulled out from under water. It had been a very long time since Satori had preformed a 'deep-dive' into someone's psyche, so it took her a few moments to gather her bearings. Even as the sounds of the drinking party brought her back to the present she couldn't quite get the scent of burning rubble to leave her nostrils.
Soon her vision refocused and she saw Yuugi looking at her expectantly.
"Did you do it? Your eyes went kinda funny there for a second."
Satori was about to respond but cut herself off, the full context of what she witnessed hitting her like a brick.
"Yuugi Hoshiguma," she said. "You're Yuugi Hoshiguma, one of the four Devas of the Mountain…"
"One and the same! So what'd yeah see?"
Satori swallowed, her throat having gone dry.
"Burning…"
"Oh, so you saw my old self, huh?"
She leaned back on her arms, gazing at the ceiling with a distant look in her eyes as she took a large drink.
"Ah, the good old days. Back when me and the girls would go out and hit the nearest town, burn it to the ground and drink over the flames."
"I'll drink to that, boss!"
One of the nearby oni, rougher looking than Yuugi with two back-swpet horns, one broken off halfway up its length, overheard that last bit and threw back the rest of their drink. Yuugi gave a cheer and took a swig in agreement before returning to their conversation.
"Let me tell you, we had a blast back then. No masters other than ourselves with all the lands as our playground. I could tell you stories of the towns we razed, the cities we ravaged…"
She sighed and leaned forward, silently gazing into her sake bowl. Satori didn't dare utter a word, half from fear of just who she is and half from respect, also from who she is. Yes, she's likely the most dangerous person beneath the earth right now, but she was still a living legend among youkai, and while she may be an outcast among outcasts Satori was still a youkai herself. Respect was the least she could give her.
"But," Yuugi began again. "Those are times long past. We had fun, fought, did as we pleased, but all good things must come to an end. The war of our own making has passed, our reign has ended, now all we can do is drink and reminisce."
She took another long drink and sat in silence, her mind quiet. Even so Satori could tell that she was having a moment for recollection so she held her tongue, letting silence hang in the air between them.
After a few minutes Yuugi started, looking at the mind reader with wide eyes.
"Sorry! Got so wrapped up in my memories I forgot you were here!"
She could have sworn she saw a blush creep up on the oni's cheeks but wrote it off as all the alcohol she's had.
"Where were we again? Oh that's right, mind reading. Can't say I really felt anything odd. That normal?"
"Typically. You'd have to be very familiar with it, or I would need to focus much more, for something to be felt."
"Hmm, interesting. And I take it this is what you use to read minds?"
She pointed a finger to her third eye.
"Yes."
"Hmm."
Yuugi hummed as she examined the unblinking eye. She tilted her head one way, then the other, and without warning made to touch it. Satori reacted fast, pulling her eye away and hiding it back under her cloak. A few oni raised an eyebrow their way before going back to their drinks.
"Please don't touch that!"
"I was just gonna feel the eyelid, not poke it in the, uh, eye."
"It's not that," Satori explained. "Touching a satori's third eye is a very intimate gesture, something only done between those with the deepest of bonds. Feeling the eyelid would be akin to a kiss on the cheek."
She caught a stray thought and her face heated up.
"A-And yes, two satori touching third eyes is very, very intimate."
"I know what you mean, we oni have something similar."
She raised a hand and knocked on her horn.
"It's not just anyone who can touch an oni's horn. They're more sensitive than you would think."
Satori felt incredible awkward, like she was having to give someone The Talk, Satori Edition. She worried that this conversation continue but thankfully Yuugi's curiosity on the matter seemed to be satisfied.
"Anyways, there's one other thing I've been wonderin-"
"Satori typically use hypnosis and other mind tricks to protect themselves from other."
"…you do that often?"
She sighed.
"Yes. A racial trait, you might say."
"Well no wonder you stay away from others." She paused to take a drink before continuing. "So, what are these other mind tricks you mentioned?"
"Every satori is different, just like normal youkai. Mine is power copying."
Yuugi's eyes lit up at that.
"Power copying you say? How's that work?"
"Well, I read the hearts of my opponents, find what powers they have, examine their memories of how they channel their magic to use them, and then mimic the process with my own magic. I can also use their memories of other's powers and make copies of those, but the process is more difficult."
"So, what you're saying is that you have hundreds of different powers at your disposal?"
Yuugi inched closer as she spoke, unmistakable anticipation building in her voice. Satori saw images of combat flying through her mind and felt a pit form in her stomach as she realized where this conversation was heading.
"Uh, no. I can only copy the powers of those near me and only while they remain near me, and they aren't nearly as powerful as the original attacks."
"Damn, that's a letdown. But, it could still make for an interesting fight…"
She could see it in her head now, the two of them facing off on the field of battle, with Satori looking far more imposing in Yuugi's thoughts than she had any right to be. And even though she could see the answer she still asked, if only out of politeness.
"What do you mean exactly by 'fight'?"
An audacious grin spread across her features.
"A sparing match, me and you. My strength against your power copying. What do ya say?"
"I'm, uh, not so sure. You see I can handle myself against humans and weaker youkai, but really I'm not that strong. There's no way I could possibly match you, let alone beat you in a one-on-one fight."
"I hear ya, but don't worry I got just the thing."
She raised the Hoshiguma Dish, refilled it, and held it aloft in one hand.
"A little trick of mine. If I fill this up and take it with me to the fight I'll have no choice but to split my attention so none of it spills. This way I can hold back enough so I don't immediately flatten my opponent."
"I'm still not sure…"
"Oh come on!" Yuggi put on her best winning smile, evidently very eager to test her might against her. "I mean, I did help you loosen up, didn't I? It'd be the least you could do."
That gave Satori pause. She was right in that she felt better. In fact this whole strange sequence of events, while stressful in their own right, did managed to ease the feeling of tightness in her chest. She was still horribly anxious, of course, about all that's happened since she woke up, but this reprieve kept her from becoming consumed by her own thoughts. Plus, Yuugi had been nothing but a gracious host, and Satori couldn't let that go unrewarded in good faith.
She heaved a great sigh, already regretting the words before she even spoke them.
"Okay, I agree. A sparring match it is."
Hope you enjoyed. As always, feel free to leave a review, otherwise thank you for reading and stay turned for more!