Chapter 34: Choice

Tatsumi was strolling to Natsuno's house, like it was nobody's business. When he rang the doorbell, Mr. Yuuki charged out and stabbed him with a butcher knife; the man was deep in a well of grief driven insanity—he actually laughed like a maniac.

"I did it, Natsuno! I killed an okiagari. Don't you see how dependable I am? Atelier Koide is reopening after renovation! There are lots of detailed ideas in the okiagari section! If I get exhausted, I'll become the yolk in a boiled egg! I Can see Azusa's happy face!"

In the middle of Mr. Yuuki's insane nonsensical speaking, Tatsumi took off the pair of sunglasses he was wearing, "Hi!"

Natsuno sighed, "Excused him; I think he's lost it. Can you really blame him?"

"Your mom leaving him without a word, and you coming back after you were supposed to be dead—I get it!" Tatsumi pulled the knife out of his side like it was nothing, "Hey pops, may I come in?"

Mr. Yuuki stopped speaking and answered, "The showroom has been open since this morning. Please come in."

"Not the most stable of minds, huh?"

"Not even close to describing it."

Later,

Natsuno, "So, what do you want?"

Tatsumi, "I wish you'd told me that you had risen."

"I didn't realize I was obligated to. Then again, it's not exactly as much 'rising' as it is 'transforming.'"

"Well, I suppose that's true. Do you know about 'Jinrou?'"

"That refers to people like you and me, otherwise known as 'daywalkers,' right?"

"You're a smart young man, just as I thought. Jinrou is a subspecies of shiki. Including you, I've only seen four of them. You could say that we're a rare species. Sunako named us Jinrou. In movies, a vampire is often accompanied by a wolfman, right?"

"I wouldn't say we're wolfmen; we don't shapeshift."

Tatsumi squeezed his mug so hard, the handle actually popped out of place, "By the way, regarding Akira Tanaka, one of your few friends...I haven't seen him around much lately. I wonder what happened."

"Beats me. I haven't seen them since...well, you know. Wait, are you implying that I know something?"

Tatsumi got up out of the chair, "Well, might as well tell Megumi..."

"Not you...I want to do it myself, got it?"

"Okay, okay. Sheesh! By the way, Sunako wants you to join us. But, honestly, you look biased about it..."

"On one condition!"

"That was fast! What is it?"

"That Megumi, Tohru, and Ritsuko be restored back to the living."

"Aha! Kid, that's impossible!"

"Actually, Connor has two vials of antidote for the former two, and holy water for the latter. An old trick, apparently."

"Oh, Okay, fine!"

Yamairi:

Masao was strolling, when Atsushi drove like a maniac down the mountain, almost running him over.

Masao, "W-What was that all about?!"

Inferno, "What is with the undead these days?"

Tira came up, "That's the son of the liquor store owner. Looks like something inside him broke free after he was freed from his dad. I heard that he's happily going around killing people, saying that he gained the privilege to kill."

Abyss, "What the hellfire! Isn't he getting too carried away for a newbie?"

Lower down the mountain,

Yoshie and Tohru were passed by Atsushi, who had Chizuru riding with him.

Yoshie, "Jeez...Chizuru is letting him run loose like a wild animal."

Tohru, "Doesn't Sunako say anything?"

"She's lenient with Chizuru."

"Lenient?"

"They're relationship is special, as if they were a mother and child. And Chizuru is the child. Oh, and Sunako's got a high opinion of you. She's eyeing you for a high position. I want you to come and patrol the okiagari hut in the east mountains with me, although not for that reason."

When they reached their destination—a secluded hut—Tohru was shocked to see who was inside; Ritsuko Kunihiro.

Yoshie, "Good morning! Since I heard some noises, I thought you might have..."

Tohru, "Ritsuko..."

She tried speaking, but nothing came out. Until she figured out the trick. "Y-You guys...rose too?"

"Oh? So you didn't even need us to explain it to you. "

"I was right. I remember what happened to me, at least. I was having intense hyperpnoea, so I looked for a bag in order to treat myself, but I couldn't find one near me. I tried to find one somewhere else, and then I lost consciousness. I must've died after that."

"Sounds likely. If you know what happened, then that simplifies things." Yoshie handed Tohru a bag of clothes for Ritsuko. "Tohru, teach her the absolute basics and feed her."

"Me?"

"I have a feeling that some others will rise tonight too, so I'll leave things here to you." Then, Yoshie teased him, "Don't peak on her while she changes. I'm counting on you."

After Yoshie closed the door, Tohru kept facing the wall, and handed the bag to Ritsuko. "A-Anyway, go ahead and change into these clothes. I'll be outside."

She politely rejected, much to Tohru's surprise. "I don't need them. I'm dead, so burial clothes are enough. I don't need any food either, since I don't want to kill anyone."

"Everyone says that at first, but they give in to starvation and attack. It really is a severe starvation."

"My mother must be dead by now. The last time I saw her, she lost a lot of her blood from a massive wound from a blade. That same time, my sister, Midori, was taken. For the time being, I'll try and see if I can resist, since I don't want to hate myself. Don't I have that freedom of choice?"

Days later:

It was the day of the Kagura dance festival. Nightmare was ready to unleash himself.

"It is time! Time to wage war!"

Ozaki Clinic:

Dr. Ozaki was treating himself from Chizuru's bite. He couldn't help but writhe in pain.

Later,

Chizuru was handed a form by Ozaki.

"This is perfect. Thank you. It must've been a lot of work rewriting this many charts."

"Not really. When I tried to do things by following your instructions, I was able to proceed as if I was possessed."

"Sunako will be happy when she sees these too. She's lenient to those who're useful."

"I'll try to be useful to the utmost so she'll keep me alive."

"Is there a festival going on?"

"Yeah. It's the November Kagura Dance."

"I can't wait until all the villagers are shiki. When that happens, I'll really be able to walk around freely. I'll go shopping. I'll stand around and chat with my friends, too. It's like playing house, isn't it?"

"Is that what you guys want?"

"Well, we want a safe home, a safe place where we don't have to hide. Just a little longer. We'll get it done soon."

"Will it go smoothly?"

"Sunako says that the final stage is difficult, but now that we've come this far, it's as good as success, right? You were the biggest threat to us, but you're no longer our enemy, so..."

Ozaki scoffed, "No longer your enemy, huh? Chizuru. Let's go out on a date."

"What? What's with you, Doctor?" She laughed.

"I'm going to die soon. At least let me have some fun before I die. Besides, you're so curious about the Kagura."

"That is true, but...I can't go to a ritual."

"If you don't go near the crucial place, you'll be fine. Besides, by going out in public, you can dispel the villagers' suspicion."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah."

"You're right. This is a festival! It wouldn't be fun to hide."

"Okay, now that that's decided..."

Later,

"It'll be a bit odd for us to be walking around together, right? You were trying to peel the skin of a taro potato, but the knife slipped"

"A taro potato?"

"Yeah. You cut the base of your thumb. I treated you for that injury."

"Th-That's unexpectedly detailed."

"That's what makes it realistic."

She giggled again, "Yeah, you're right. Taro potatoes slip easily. Long ago, I often cut my hand."

"And just how long ago was that?"

She went from cheery to angry, "Don't try to find out a woman's age like that."

Dr. Ozaki couldn't help but laugh, "Were you married? Any children?"

She smiled again, "My husband didn't stay by my side long enough to give me children. He went and died in battle in the south."

"You look happy, as if you're staring at a ring with a huge gem."

"Yeah. That feeling is very close. It's strange...I wonder if I want to go back to being human. I thought I didn't care about things like that anymore. Now, let's go!"

"To show off the bandage?"

"Yeah, that's right. I'm so proud and happy about it. Is that strange?"

At the festival:

Old man Ookawa's wife, Kazuko, was unloading beers from the store when Ozaki introduced her to Chizuru.

"Good evening, Kazuko."

"Good evening."

"G-Good evening."

"This is Chizuru Kirishiki, the mistress at Kanemasa."

"Oh, hello."

"She asked me what this lively music was, so..."

"Oh, we're having a festival today, though it's not like visitors from outside the village would come."

"I've never seen a Kagura dance up close before. Since I grew up in a big city, I didn't have a chance to go to festivals and annual events." She paused for a moment when Kazuko noticed the bandage on her arm. "Oh, you've noticed? A taro potato slipped from my hand."

Kazuko couldn't help but find it so relatable that it was funny. "Oh, that often happens to me, too."

"Maybe I'm a careless person by nature. I injure myself so often that my daughter says you can't tell if I'm cooking or being cooked."

"Oh my!"

Later,

"How easy it is! Their faces all said, 'Oh, what were we worked up about?'" Chizuru stopped; they were right across from the center of the festival—the religious part.

"Do you wanna go?"

"I want to go, but I can't. I'm really scared. I already fee weak in the knees."

"Would that actually harm you?"

"I don't think it would, but..."

"If you're scared, then hold my hand."

The fear was replaced with confusion. "Isn't this scandalous in a way?"

"Who cares."

"Then just as far as I can go...But don't force me."

"I know. Besides, I can't disobey your orders."

"Oh yes, you're right."

Almost inside, Munehide greeted them. "Oh, Doctor. And you are the Mrs. Kirishiki, right?"

"That's right. She said she'd never seen a Kagura dance, so...Bit it seems that she isn't feeling well. Would you like to go back?"

The sight of so many religious things was getting to Chizuru, however she refused to yield. "I-I'm okay. Just a little longer."

"Okay. Munehide, it's very crowded here. If you don't mind, could you walk with us and become a shield for her from that side?"

"Sure, I don't mind."

Many of the individuals there turned.

Munetaka, "Junior Doctor!"

Takeo Shimizu—Megumi's father, "He's with that Kanemasa woman..."

Everyone gathered around them, Chizuru was getting closer and closer to breaking. Finally, she couldn't hold it in any longer.

Ozaki, "What's the matter?"

"I-I'm going home!"

"Wait!"

"I don't feel well."

"It'll actually be more work going back. You're sweating a lot! Rest at the shrine office a bit."

That made her start to freak out. "No, I'm going home! This is an order!"

"Okay. Then...Mr. Shimizu, please give me a hand."

"What's the matter?"

"She says she doesn't feel well, so I want to bring her to the shrine office."

The word "Shrine" made her freak out every time it was said.

"Sure. Now, ma'am..."

"What're you doi..."

When Takeo touched her, something was very wrong. "What the?! She's very cold!"

"Doctor, I said I'm going home!"

"Her body temperature decreased, so she's having symptoms of bradycardia. Please hurry."

"Okay!"

Chizuru finally snapped, "Hey, what's wrong? Can't you hear me?! I'm talking to you!" When she freed herself, the doctor's sleeve fell, revealing a second, older bite mark. He grinned at her in a rather disturbing manner, much to her shock. "No!"

Munehide, "D-Doctor! What happened to her?"

Ozaki's simple response, "It looks like she's scared of the shrine or something."

Takeo noticed something else. "The scent of this woman...In the days from the time Megumi collapsed and until she died, there was the lingering scent of an adult perfume for some reason. This is that scent."

Chizuru fell to the ground.

"Don't let her escape. She's an Okiagari. She's the one who killed your daughter."

Takeo's rage broke out. He actually pulled her backwards by her hair.

"Shimizu, her neck! Check her pulse! We have to check if we should call an ambulance or not."

Chizuru, "No!"

Takeo was shocked when he touched her neck; "There's no pulse! She's an okiagari! She's the one who killed my daughter! She killed my little Megumi!"

Ookawa, "What nonsense!"

"It's not nonsense! She has no pulse!"

Ookawa touched her hand, and saw for himself. "She certainly has no pulse. And she's as cold as ice."

Megumi's mother, Hiroko, came up. "It can't be!" She put her ear on Chizuru's chest. "I-It's true! I can't hear her heartbeat!"

Everyone there came up to see, and were all shocked. Suddenly, a car came rushing in; Seishirou Kirishiki. The car was stopped by Ookawa, who saw that the driver was his own, late son.

"Atsushi..."

"P-Pops..."

Seishirou pointed a double-barreled shotgun at the old man's face. "Would you make way for us?"

"Atsushi!"

In fear, Atsushi put the vehicle in reverse.

"A-Atsushi, what are you doing?"

"I can't! There's no way I can beat my old man!"

The car was stopped from the back; this time, it was being pushed down—by none other than Nightmare. "Weakling!" The knight was using his foot, before using it to kick the car forward. "Tremble in my darkness." He pointed Soul Edge at Ookawa, until he spotted Chizuru. "Another useful one!" He made his way to her—the villagers were throwing rocks at her, and one of them hit Nightmare in the head, making him turn in anger. He approached the one who threw it, and cleaved the man, diagonally, with Soul Edge. "Foolish mortal." He glanced at the other villagers, frightening them, before going back towards Chizuru, grabbing her by her head with his gigantic claw hand, and hitting her head on the floor, incapacitating the shiki, before dragging her off. "You fail to comprehend my power, mortal fools. I will return...to show you...a real NIGHTMARE!"

How will Connor explain Soul Edge, Inferno, and Nightmare to the villagers now? And what does Nightmare have planned for Chizuru, and all the other captives? Find out later.

I originally intended on Nightmare coming in when they were about to execute Chizuru, but I had little time to add that.

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