This is the Cirno News Network with a breaking news story. Raid on the railroad, as another cargo train heading south from Monroe, Virginia has been attacked and robbed by bandits. Taking place during the dead of night, when local wildlife and monsters are at their highest peak of activity, proved to be the biggest advantage, as the rail company had not posted night shift guards due to the danger posed to humans. The railroad company has yet to comment on the raid. More on this story as it develops.

Thank you, and enjoy the show. This has been THE STRONGEST! Now back to your irregularly scheduled fic.

Touhoumon: Gray Version
Chapter 2: Meeting, Greeting, Skinning

Of course, my newest… companion might have something to do with that. But as she was now, she was not intimidating at all. Looking past the obviously monstrous features, what with the large red wings sprouting out of her back, not to mention the smaller one on her head, I found myself struck by how human she looked.

I nearly paused when I realized what I had just thought. I couldn't let myself denigrate into that line of thought. They were all monsters. The sparrows just as much as this winged girl. A different type of sparrow? Tokiko, she called herself… It was definitely foreign, not something you'd see around these parts. Of course, such names weren't that uncommon around the capitol and the containment area. At least, I believe so. I had never been past the city nearby in my life, so I could only go by the rumors.

Still, I should be careful. The stories about the other monsters still haunt us to this day. Dad nearly has a conniption when we're to recite it, but recite it he does, as he knows how important it is. For we must remember that every rose has its thorns.

And that even a sweet innocent looking girl can destroy so much, so easily.

But I had let my mind wander once again. With a shake of my head, I tried to focus back on the ride to the house.

Still, we pulled into the driveway just as the heat of the sun was starting to beat down. It wasn't quite noon, but the sun had been out long enough to actually warm this planet. Still, there wasn't much to be done about the heat, except stay in the shade and fan myself down if it became too much.

With a final push of the pedals, I pulled the trike up beside a large metal shed. Vaulting off of it, I began undoing the various locks that kept said shed hut. We honestly didn't need to go this far in guarding the contents of this building. There was nothing of to great of import in there. Simply a slightly used butchering table, and a few various cutting implements. However… It is always for the best that things are kept locked up. After all, what's to say one of the monster sparrows won't simply slip inside, ready and waiting for an unwary man to open the door.

It is yet another reason that I carry a shotgun, around.

After unlocking the door, I turned to open a few of the shutters in order to let the stench out. Well, perhaps it would be more apt to describe it as in preparation for the stench of skinning. After a few more moments, I turned about, only to find the deer carcass gone. I ran over, panicking slightly. Are they out and about? Are they after me? And where is my monster?

A short flip of the paper answered my last unasked question. Spinning around again, I found the girl sitting inside of the shed. How she had gotten inside so quickly, I had no idea. But she was perched on a workbench, still happily flipping pages. And lying on the table was the buck. I couldn't help but goggle between her and the deer for a few seconds, before I was able to shake the surprise out of my head.

Quiet one, isn't she? But she was still helping me willingly, so I guess it was a good sign. I had to remind myself again, though. It, not she. It can never be she.

Eyes darting back from the door to her, I asked, "So, can you watch over this for a minute? I don't want it to be taken away by anyone."

Sparing the briefest of glances, the creature just shook her- its head. "If you say so. I'll be here as long as I have my book. But no funny ideas!" She looked down, face turning slightly red. Don't want you trying to do something funny… And remember the food!"

Unable to keep myself from grinning, I slid out of the door. "Yes, I will, if you will too." Without waiting for an answer, I strode away, heading towards the front door. As much as I would have preferred to keep a constant eye on her, I had a feeling that this current arrangement might last longer. Besides, if I couldn't trust her with something as simple as this…

Bah, there I go again.

Anyways, I opened the door, which squeaked noisily as wood scraped against old wood. I heard all movement within the house cease for a second, before scraping of the chair was followed by heavy footsteps. With an odd look on his face, my father emerged from the narrow corridors. "Back already? That didn't take long." Eyes glancing about while the hair on his arms rose, he asked, "So, did you see anything interesting or if it was just a short run? It's usually hard to tell."

For the briefest of moments, I entertained the thought of saying nothing was wrong. But considering I have on of the monsters reading a damn book in the shed guarding the kill, I suppose I shouldn't have even let that grace my mind. "Nah… something did happen, after the kill." Raising his eyebrows, he waited for me to continue. "Ran into one of the monsters. …Different than the others. Not a sparrow at all."

"Damn…" He sighed, slumping on a nearby wall. "It's bad enough just with the one odd set of them. But with a second? They'll be tearing into each other like mad, not to mention anything that stands between them." Hand now covering his face, he let out a long-suffering sigh. "So, what did you do? Manage to kill it? Did you have to use… that?"

I nodded to him. Grimacing, he shook his head. "Already… must have been strong, that one." His eyes searched me, still wondering something. "But if that was the case, you'd be even later than you were. Was the kill that small?"

Well, now for the fun part. "No. The monster wasn't sent away. She came back out." Before he could interrupt, I continued. "I didn't know if the thing had failed or whatever, but it didn't send her away. I was going to leave her in the forest, but she decided to come along with me."

I could see that he was rapidly realizing what I was saying. "You mean one of those monsters is here? In daylight?" Before I could even say yes, he cut me off. "No matter. We need to go out and put it down. Even if it decided to follow you home like a dog, it's still as rabid as any of the others.

Before he could march out, I cut him off. Who knows why I was so determined to defend the girl. Was the fact that she could talk that made all the difference to me? She looked human, in the same sense that the sparrows looked human. She could speak like a human, unlike the rather incomplete vocabulary the sparrows used. So if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, what does that make it?

A vicious man eating duck, I would have said then.

All the same, I cut him off. "That's not all there is to it. Apparently… she can speak. Not just gibberish, but like we can."

"So they're getting smarter, what of it?" Perfectly logical answer, really.

"Because I think I can reason with her- it." He snorted slightly at my mistake. "Yes, I'm aware. But it helped me carry it back to here. And now it's out there guarding the shed."

Father sighed once more, bringing his palm to his face. "So, you let that thing come back, and left it alone, in our house, next to what is our next month's pay."

I suppose it may not have been the best idea, but what more could I have done? "Should I have let it folio me into the house proper? It didn't seem intent on letting me out of its sight." When I saw his shoulders drop, I sighed internally. Maybe I had gotten through.

"Maybe." He glanced back over his shoulder, to where I presumed mother and sister were. "But I still need to see this for myself… Dammit, did that ball malfunction? Why did it let it stay."?

Glad to see that I had got my way, I motioned back through the hallway. "Give me a second; I promised it I would find some edible food that isn't red meat. I don't suppose we have any pork left?"

"We may have some salted in the cellar. You'll have to go check." At this point, he had turned away, heading back to the front room. Possibly to grab his gun, or possibly to take a drink. If there was one good thing about this day and age, it was that there was no one to stop the production of 'shine. It just meant that you had to be careful, and know whom you were buying from.

On that note, I headed on down the hall. I needed to go check for that meat. And I needed to get sister. After all, what more could she want than a new kill to clean? Although, now that the thought crosses my head, I'd rather not have the answer to that question.

I wonder where he could be. Stupid human. Took me to his home though. Odd one, to trust so quick. But still, my belly aches. Is he coming with food? Can't eat him now, so what to do? Deer is very smelly, so should I stay, or should I go?

No, no… I can't go. Mind tells me I can't. But why? Never been bound to a human before. So why now? Because of that ball? Grr. Stupid ball. Messed with my head. My head is my own… No one should mess with it.

At least he doesn't seem to know. Too nice maybe? Or doesn't care about it. Still, is taking forever. They planning to come kill me, perhaps? Wouldn't be the first time. Humans always the same. Beat me up when I am weak. I try to fight back when strong… but humans strong too. Beat me. Like now. Bound as if by rope and chain.

Can do nothing I suppose. Still… let me keep book. Maybe he has other books? Hope he brings food soon. Perhaps book too. Would be nice. Maybe could think then.

Sweating profusely, I found my way out of the house once more and headed to the shed, sister in tow. This one time was why I was jealous of her, more than anything. She never did seem to mind the heat such as this. And her body didn't either, as she never bothered to sweat. It was the same in the winter, as she was met with nary a shiver by the cold mountain air.

Sometimes, I wonder if she had simply grown cold, or if she had forgotten how to feel.

Still, she followed out as silently as ever, book clutched to her side. Another manual or something similar, containing health records and methods on how to treat people. She claimed that it helped her visualize while cleaning the animals. Plus, she could use it to approximate where we might be injured. Some practice is better than no practice at all, she would say.

I still think it's a wee bit creepy, but I ain't gonna be mentioning that to her face, too much.

When we reached the shed, we found our father pacing about out front of it. Had an old rifle in his hands. Thirty caliber. I raised my eyebrow at him. Something this large, at the range he was saving it for, would be hard to hit well with. Too unreliable.

Then again, it's not like small caliber can put down one of the monsters. Buckshot only works due to sheer volume. Slugs would more appropriate, but you can't hunt that well with a miniature cannon. Well, I suppose you could. A bad shot or unlucky hit, though, and your kill gets splattered into the four winds. And it creates such a horrendous stink too.

As we approached him, our footsteps on the ground caused him to look up. "Aye, boy, see you've finally got here. But bringing your sister along already? Shouldn't we make sure that the monster is-"

"No." At the soft words, we both turned to her. It is always so shocking when she does speak. A low, quiet voice. But somehow, they are powerful enough on their own to make one listen. "I am well aware of the risk. But this one is different, brother says. I wish to see this for myself, if it acceptable."

We blinked wildly for a few seconds, before father's shoulders sagged once more. "Alright, if you insist. But… just stay behind me, at least for now." Seeing her nod her head idly, he turned back to me before tilting his head at the door.

Taking the hint for what it is, I approached the door and pulled on the handle. It swung open, bathing the room with more light than the ventilation shutters could ever hope to provide. In the middle of the room still lay the carcass, its dead eyes canvassing the entire room about us. My eyes searched for the monster, only to find it in the same place it was before. Its eyes were still tracing over its book, devouring every line within. However, once my father emitted a small choking noise at the sight, her eyes flipped up and met mine.

"Human? You're back? Did you bring…" Her eyes darted around to my father, before narrowing. That odd red wing on her head lowered, to the point that she was peering through the feathers at us. She nearly growled, "So, you've come to put me out of my misery? Like all of the other humans?"

Chancing a glance at my family, I quickly held my hands up. Just because she can't hurt me doesn't mean she can't hurt my family. "No, no… Nothing of the sort. They just needed to find out that you wouldn't kill us at the first opportunity. That you're different from the rest of your kind."

Her eyes narrowed further at that, and her wings began to beat angrily. "My kind? Those creatures are not my kind. They are abominations. Unnatural." Even as she spoke, her wings began to droop, followed by the rest of her. "But I see how you believe that. Humans can't trust my kind. We do eat you. Well, we are supposed to eat you." She looked down, knowing the reaction her words would have. "Still, did you do what I ask? Have you brought anything to eat?"

Before either could react, I tossed a small sack towards her. Deftly catching it in one clawed hand, she tore it open, revealing a few cuts of the salted meat. She sniffed at it noticeably, before tearing off a piece of it with her mouth. Gulping down the sliver without even bothering to chew, she seemed to smile. "Not best… not frog. Still good. Thank you, human."

As she went back to her meal, my father seemed to try and put his foot forward. "What do you mean, you're supposed to eat humans? You say that as if your kind could eat anything."

She gave him a level glance as she tore off more meat. "I am a monster. My kind are all monsters… created because of human's fear. Born to stoke their nightmares. Live to ambush and frighten, and even eat. So we were supposed to. There was a time when that wasn't the case, but it barely lasted two centuries. And it all fell apart fifteen years ago."

"So around the time of the explosion…" Now that was curious. So the monsters and the explosion were actually connected? Created because of humanity's fears? That sounds like some sort of accident some of the fancy scientists and whatnot had made.

I couldn't ask any questions, though. As much as my father was a good man, he could be impatient at times. And being patient in front of something that openly admits that it is supposed to eat humans is not one of his strong points. Not that it's one of mine either. "So, what is your plan? Wait until we're asleep and come after us?"

"Enough." My sister took that moment to stride forward. "I believe you are only inciting it. Now… it is my turn." With a quiet grace, she glided across the floor in order to see the monster face to face. "Little brother, does this one have a name?"

I answered as I nodded absently. "Tokiko is what she calls herself. Or it's what she told me." What was she trying to do?

"Tokiko. Interesting name. Foreign, not from around here." She walked up to her, placing one hand on the monster's arms. "You've come from far away… have you not? Yes, I can see it in your eyes. The sparrows are full of innocence, even as they slaughter. But yours are full of age and worry." She tilted her head. "You've lived many a year, have you not?"

The headwing of the monster fluttered slightly. "Yes, I have. Nearly fifty years I have walked with feet like a human." She seemed ashamed of the fact, shrinking up even as my mouth dropped. It was hard to believe anyone could live so long in these times, alone. True, the monsters were tough, but to survive half a century? Even humans in the cleanest of towns struggled to live that long.

I suppose it's even more surprising, when the monster would otherwise look like a teenage girl, a year or two younger than me.

"I see…" Sister raised her hands up to the face of the monster. "May I see?" With but a bare nod, she reached forward and propped open the jaw. "Hrm…" She seemed to be examining something. As to what purpose, I didn't know. However, she soon answered what was on our minds. "Teeth are different from the others. Sparrows have a more lupine arrangement of their dental structure. This one has much less pronounced canines… Although she has multiple of that tooth. Molars seem more fit for slicing instead of chewing."

Well, I suppose that it was only partially answered, so I had to venture forth for further explanation. "Which means, sister?"

She turned towards me and smiled softly, still not releasing her hold on the monster. "It means she should be fine. She won't be harming us. Will you Tokiko?"

The resulting garbled speech as the monster attempted to answer with her mouth locked open made both my father and myself chuckle slightly. After a few moments, she managed to extract herself from my sister's grasp. "I suppose I won't. Does that mean that there will be more food? And no… shooting me?"

I glanced at my father. It was his house, after all, so I couldn't really offer the monster sanctuary myself. But she hadn't done anything untrustworthy… except attempt to eat me. He seemed to think for a moment, before wearily sighing. "Joy? You think that this thing will cooperate, and not be a threat?" At her nod, still bearing that soft smile, he shook his head. "Very well. You can stay out here. Would the garage out back be good enough for you?"

I gave him a look. "Back there with the diesel? There's not much of a place there she could lay, unless you want to make her sleep in the bed of the truck." Which, moments after I mentioned it, suddenly made a lot more sense. I suppose I should think a bit more before I speak.

"Yes, back in the garage. As… friendly as this one might be, I'd rather not have it in the house." Logical, I suppose. One wouldn't invite a fox into the henhouse, after all. Just the same as one wouldn't have a henhouse without surrounding it with barbed wire and thick stakes.

Even so, the monster brightened up at the prospect. Wing on her head immediately lifting up, she smiled widely. "Thank you, then. It'll be nice, having a roof over my head once more… Better than the tree tops, at least." Her grin widened, exposing many of those sharp teeth inside her mouth. "I suppose you're not too bad, for a human."

My father shivered, before turning to me. "Alright boy, ye get on out of here." With a shove of his thumb toward Tokiko, he continued with, "and get it out of here. Your sister and I are about to get this thing skinned and clean. We don't want any of the sparrows to come out and try to get at it when they smell the blood, now do we?"

Guard duty, it seems I'd be having. And in the heat of the day, too. Still, it had to be done. And there was enough shade under the shed that I'd not worry about it too badly. I'd just need a bath. Or I could take a jump in the creek once the sun goes down. "Alright. Come on Tokiko. Seems like we're keeping out intruders for now."

When I finally sought her out with my eyes, I found her watching my sister. There was an odd look in her eyes as she caressed one of the hacksaws we had for cleaning our kills. "Tokiko, come on. They need to be getting to work." My sharper tone seemed to snap her out, and she leapt to her feet and followed me out the door.

Bringing my hand up to protect my eyes from the harsh sun, I leaned against the wall and settled in. My hand rested on the butt of the gun, as it rested on my back. She seemed to take the prior events in stride, dusting off a spot of ground and settling down. A small laugh passed my lips as I saw her headwing move to shade her own eyes. I suppose that having such wings would be an advantage in more ways than one. Although the very idea of a third wing on the head… Probably not something to think about too hard.

One thing, however, was noticeable. Her eyes were not tracing across the pages of her book, as it lay open in her lap. Something was on her mind. After a few more seconds, I decided to breach the subject. "So, what is on your mind?"

Not turning to face me, she muttered under her breath. "Your sister. She is… different, than most of your kind out here. She reminded me of another. Or perhaps several others. Seemed to be entranced by her tools."

Now that was an intriguing statement. Were there more like her out there? I've heard rumors to that effect, but it was not something that we worried about. As far as we cared, there were only sparrows, for sparrows were all we saw. "What do you mean by that?" I wanted to ask more, about what other kinds of people there were, but how could I ask it? What other kinds of monster were there?

She blinked, and looked at me. "There were others. Lots of others. Most like me. Some, more than what I am. Some less." She blinked, and looked up at me. "Some even human like you, but powerful. They could destroy me easily in a fight." Her wings drooped once again. "They did many times, actually."

That was a surprising statement in and of itself. A human that could go toe to toe with one of them? Even the little ones were stronger than all by the largest, and even then, the sparrows were fast. A man had to fight smart to beat them. At least, any man that I know. "How could a human be able to… beat one of your kind up? I know I couldn't take you. When I lost my gun, the only thing I could do was…" I trailed off, spotting a fearful look in her eye. What did that thing do to her?

She was quiet again for a moment. "They had faith in themselves. In something more than themselves. Faith in magic, something supernatural, something beyond. Her wings flapped, as if to emphasize the point. "It is easy for my kind to believe in it, because we were created by it. But the humans, when they focused it correctly… They were formidable. Rare, but the sheer power they could call to their hands was unimaginable." She shivered once again at a long lost memory.

"There were a few. One human that was obsessed with her knives. Lethal, too." Unconsciously, she began to rub her collarbone. "Could throw a knife from a hundred yards and split the hair on your head. Much less the flesh of your body. It is a pain that I knew many times." She looked up, eyes searching the sky. "Others were similar, both monster and human. One with her dolls, more than a few with their swords. The second strongest with a furnace that could fling light and love in a lethal blast that tore through the world."

As one would imagine, I was quite beyond speechless. Magic? Sure, I knew what that was, but it was something relegated to the fairy books. The sparrows were an aberration, a monster, but something that could have been created by man. Does she mean to imply that this was not someone's fault tinkering away in a pre-explosion lab, manipulating the life that is in our blood?

What could I trust more, though? One of the monsters, or the theories that had been floating around through the years. I don't think I could trust the monsters, though. Maybe I could trust Tokiko. Maybe. "Why would she attack you? Did you do something?" Like try and eat someone.

Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at me. "No, nothing. Especially nothing like that." She sighed, looking away with her headwing moving to block as much of her face as possible. "I just existed. I was weak… Weaker than most. And since I couldn't protect myself, I was open to attack. They could do what they want. Stab me. Injure me. Steal from me." Her hands gripped her book, knuckles starting to turn white. "They always steal my books. Always."

Frowning, I walked closer to her. Kneeling by her side, I placed a hand on her shoulder. "Why would they do that though? Why steal? Did the other monsters want the books like you do?" I'll be damned for treating her so much like a real person, but still, her sitting like this… I can't help this feeling.

"Because they can. It's an easy power trip for them." She laughs dry. "And the monsters, as you call them, never did anything of the sort. It was only the humans." She clenched her fists. "I was nice to the humans. I always did all that I could to help them. All that I could to fit in. And what did they send their champions to do? What did they allow them to do to me?" Pulling her knees closer to her chest, she curled up as tightly as possible. "All because I was a monster. And if I was a monster… I might as well act as one. Isn't that right, human?"

There was only one thing I could say to that. "Damn…" So was that why she was so set on attacking me? Determined to give the humans the treatment she had been given, so to speak? Either that, or the girl knows how to tug on heartstrings. But what could I do besides stand here with her? "So, where was this place? This place that has… magic?"

She took a few moments to herself, staying quiet the entire time. She sniffed quietly, attempting to keep the teardrops in. Can monsters even cry? "Far away, across the sea. It was once called Gensokyo. Located in Japan. Nippon. Whatever they were calling the place at the time. I left before the humans ever figured it out."

So she was from the Far East. I hadn't heard much at all about that land. We had a few lessons about the war from nearly a century ago. We still had a lot of vehicles around, both usable and not from that part of the world. I knew there were a large number down near the capitol, but it was the same for most former foreigners. They tended to congregate nearest the larger cities.

Still, it explained the name of the girl. But for her to travel as far as she had, and especially across the sea… Either she flew, or caught a ride on a ship. And to go that far, she really wanted to get away. "Why go so far? Why would you leave?" I could ask the most obvious question on my mind later.

The monster shook her head out at the answer, her teeth baring in a silent growl. "Because of those… abominations. The sparrows as you call them. I don't know where they came from, but they appeared one day. After that explosion, as you called it." At my querying look, she answered. "We never used the electricity nearly as much as you did. Only the kappa used it to any great effect. All others had too much trouble making it work. So we never noticed the effects."

She shook her head as fingers dug into the dirt. "Then they showed up. We all recognized them. They were… caricatures. The sparrows around here looked a lot like another of my kind. A night sparrow. Mystia Lorelei."

I blinked. "So is that why they all say-"

"Yes, it is." Tokiko shook her head. "But it wasn't the only one. There were over a hundred different types. One for every monster, for every being of power. And one even for a few of the humans. But they were not perfect copies. They were weak, dumb, and simplistic. The majority of them were idiots, at best. But the worst thing was how quickly they bred."

Now that was a mental image that I did not want. The thought… Not even going to go there. Sick. "Is that why you left? You were forced out?"

I only received a negative shake of her head. "No, not at all. The ones in power in the land were able to keep them in control. But still, it reached a point where they bred faster than they could be effectively culled. So, instead, they forced them out." Growling, she continued. "But these creatures make a mockery of us. We may by definition be… man-eaters, but we are intelligent enough to make our own decisions. These creatures are not able to."

"Imagine… Imagine, will you, someone with your own face. Younger and dumber, yes, but still your face. Now what would you do if there were dozens of them everywhere, committing atrocities? Killing, slaughtering… What would you do? I couldn't take it anymore, so I left. And I kept moving the entire time, to stay away." Her wings now had moved to wrap around her legs, blocking her off from the outside world.

I squeezed her shoulder, reminding her that I was still here. "I think I would have done the same thing. But there are none of them here, only the sparrows." I may be getting myself killed for saying this, but what could I say? This monster was acting less and less like one every minute. "Maybe you can stay here, make a new life. Away from all of those copycats?"

She finally, finally turned to face me. Peering shyly from under her headwing, she offered me a smile. Not the simple one from earlier, nor the cheeky one that she managed to creep us out with. It was one that shook slightly as she gave it, as if afraid that she might lose it at any second. I couldn't help but be hit with the fact that not only did she look like a girl. Indeed, she looked like a pretty girl.

I nearly had to hit myself to keep the thought in mind. She's not a human. She's one of them. But then again, she wasn't the same as the ones we knew. And from the sound of it, the humans she knew were almost as monstrous as the monsters. So what did it really mean?

Best to leave those thoughts to philosophers. Tain't my job to be deciding that. I simply patted her on the shoulder once again. "As long as you don't try and eat any of us, I think it will be fine."

Nodding quickly, she averted her eyes, that same small smile on her face. "I think I can manage that. Would rather find some nice frogs, as I said earlier." The thought of her simply swallowing the frog whole crossed my mind. Considering what she admitted herself to be, I wouldn't put it past her.

A few thoughts were burning in my mind, though. How could she speak English? Well, either she learned it through some book, or spoke it before she left. Or I could just blame magic, but that seems so simplistic. Still, she said that we call her kind monsters, and they are not exactly the same. So… "If I may ask, what are you?"

She looked back up from her book, where she had been staring for the past minute or so. "I was originally a created ibis. A bird. I didn't have these wings just for show, after all." At that statement, all three of them flapped, producing a sizable volume of air that buffeted me. "But you're talking about our kind… We are called youkai. Creatures that have lived so long, that they have gained a human form. At least, for the most part, we are."

Wait, that must mean, "You said you've walked for fifty years. Does that mean before…"

She grinned again, this time a bit cheekily. "I was a bird? Yes. They say one must live to a hundred years to become a youkai. I can't tell you, since I wasn't conscious at the time… But I was, at one point."

I had to shake my head at that. This girl was born in the 19th century? That's… unbelievable. "I probably should stop asking. I'd rather not die from shock before they're done with the deer."

Her grin tightened a bit. "Well, if you want to die after… Well, I know someone who could make a surprise out of anything. But maybe knew would have been the better word."

"I'll pass, thank you very much." I kept to my decision and stayed silent. I didn't want to be surprised too many times. They should be done soon, anyways. And I don't know if my father was ready to see me so chummy with one of them. A youkai, or whatever. Funny word, that one. Shouldn't all the words we speak be funny to her though?

Before I get curious enough to ask, however, they finally leave the shed. Sister walks out with a spring to her step, while dad follows her. Both have a few splatters of blood over their clothes, but such splotches are small. Aprons do take the blunt of any of the work, after all.

My father heads over to me while keeping his eyes trained on my sister. "Listen, go ahead and take your new… well, it, and show her where she's sleeping. Once she knows, see me out in the fields. We'll be taking care of the crops today. And if she relents, let her come along. Another hand will always help." He sighed as he is wont to do. "I'll be making sure your sister here doesn't do anything too far… You know how she is."

Indeed, I did.

So, maybe I'm crazy, but this human isn't as stupid as the others. He's actually being nice, and it sounds like he means it.

Oh, I can tell he's still wary. And it's probably a good thing. If he wasn't wary, I'd be concerned. …I did try to eat him, after all. Still, There isn't any reason for him to be this nice. Or for his family to be this… accommodating.

Maybe they are setting me up. But it isn't like there is any other choice, what with the ball and… whatever it did to me. If he's only nice because he feels safe.. Well, I can't complain.

Still, the bed of this truck isn't really a bed. Hard metal, like when I took a nap and woke up in one of the kappa's chambers. The roof over my head and the cooler air more than made up for it. He told me I could scrounge up some blankets, and that maybe it would be more comfortable that way.

Apparently, we need to go help in the fields now. Isn't that what the Aki's used to do, before… Well, all the humans used to do it. I suppose it is safer, as the abominations won't eat any of it. Granted, I'll barely eat any of it myself, but I know the food would be for them. Maybe that way I can have more of that pork. It was too salty, and too red. But it was different, in a good way, so maybe I could get used to this.

Maybe I finally found someplace new.

A/N Well, howdy all once again. We've got another edition right here of Gray version, since I was stuck on a wee bit of a block. I wanted to be typing up something so I could keep in the habit, and the next chapter of Sublime Soliloquy wasn't wanting to be written. Perhaps now I'll have gotten it out of my system, and I'll be ready to update.

That, or I will realize I have more ideas for this, and write another chapter. Digressing. This chapter is a bit low key, as we needed the infodump badly. I wonder how traumatizing it would be for anyone to see real life copies of themselves. Especially if they are little more than rabid animals, eating people and fighting whenever they can. No one has ever brought this up in the Touhoumon games, as everything is just a puppet or a doll. Well, that ain't the case here, to use my vernacular.

I hope you're not too worried that I've removed so much of the 'mon series, even though any prospective story leans towards another game series. Yes, the sister is named Joy in case you didn't catch it, and is effectively our nurse. The Pokéballs, for better lack of a meta term at the moment (as I've just been calling them balls in my head), will come more into play later. They're just not important right now. And I'm not gonna try and create some convoluted explanation while attempting to both explain why they are, and not give away future plot.

But enough of editing the author's note for reposting. I'll have the third chapter edited and fixed up soon enough. So until then!