Special Side Chapter:

Mother, how are you right now?

I'm sorry that I haven't written to you for so long.

It's been a year since you left; I'm doing great right now. You don't need to worry about me, because I'm not alone anymore.

Right now, I have a companion…

"You stupid thieving cat!"

It was around the second day of the sakura's bloom when she came into my life.

"Reow!" I cried as I crashed into a trash can.

"You're a hundred years early to steal from me you thieving cat!" The Kibagurui* howled in anger. "H-Hey, isn't this enough? The kid's all bruised up." A Nuribotoke* who has been a bystander for a while spoke, unable to watch anymore. However, the Nuribotoke's kindness only earned himself a punch right in his face from the furious Kibagurui as he flew into the sky and crashed right into an innocent gyoza stand at the opposite side of the street.

Upon the violent scene, whispers began traveling around the youkai as they flooded in to watch what the commotion was about.

"Say your prayers you brat!"

"What…" I coughed and spat out some blood before continuing, "what kind of youkai would pray…?" I choked out more blood, feeling pain rushing throughout my body. But I held on, not wanting to show any expressions this fang freak wanted. "Or do you do something stupid like that? You're just a piece of mouth…you must have a lot to talk about." I hissed, and it was a bad idea for that the Kibagurui looked even angrier than before.

"You damn cat!" He screamed, raising his large hand as I gasped. I quickly shut my eyes, not daring to meet my fate as the light before my eyelids faded.

I waited.

And waited…but strangely, I felt nothing.

"Wha-…What the hell are you doing?" I heard the Kibagurui suddenly screamed. At that, I parted my eyelids slightly for a peak at the situation. The first thing I saw was a single piece of white feather, gliding gracefully by my eyes.

That was the first time…I met her.

The being from that other world human fantasizes in.

She looked as though she had walked out from a picture. A tall woman with long stream of white hair stood with her back straight and her chin up. On her narrow back spawned a large pair of beautiful swan-like wings and silvery eyes that reflected the world before her like a mirror.

She stood gracefully by the hideous Kibagurui side, making her beauty even more radiant. Her fair skin illuminated within the dim light of the lanterns that lit the street. My ears twitched, able to pick up the sounds of gasp and whispers of awe coming from the crowd around us.

With the gasps of bystanders, it confirmed this beautiful woman's existent. It wasn't my imagination.

An angel.

An angel from those human fairytales…it actually exist.

Yes…that was the day…

"Who are you! W-What are you doing?" The Kibagurui shouted as my eyes trailed up to the woman's other pale and delicate hand that was sliding up the Kibagurui's head. While one hand was gripping against the Kibagurui's wrist, she was rubbing the side of his head with another. Though despite what the Kibagurui says, he never struggled against her.

The Kibagurui's cheeks were completely flushed.

Even he was enchanted by the angel's beauty.

"Who am I?" She spoke softly, her voice almost sounded like melody. A surreal voice…I had never heard anything so beautiful in my entire life. Then…a crackling sound of bone began disturbing the silence.

The very day…

"E-Eh?" I mumbled softly when I blinked. I raised my paw, rubbing my eyes and looked back to the angel's face. "Eh?" I couldn't help but repeated. That angelic face that was glistening a moment ago was now unimaginably dark.

Her silvery eyes were narrowed into a dark glare, her rosy lips curved up in a smirk. I didn't know if my head got messed up when I received the blow, but I swear I was beginning to see this strange menacing aura wrapped around her pure figure.

"I happened to be a victim…" she grasped the Kibagurui's hair with the very same hand that was gently placed there seconds ago, "of that fool you send flying into." She suddenly snapped. Then with a thrust, she smashed the Kibagurui head first into the ground. The impact was so hard that the cement had crumbled, forming a crater around them.

…Where I met the reincarnation of a devil.

I stared with jaw dropped just like all the other youkai as the Kibagurui's body went limp…either dead or unconscious. "Filthy dull fang." The angel snapped as she dusted her dress seeming to be made of silk. "U-Um!" I mumbled in my throat as I struggled to speak.

Hearing my voice, the angel slowly turned as her silver eyes reflected my wrecked image. "Umm…Thank you for saving me…" I thanked with a smile. But my smile didn't last long when I flinched at the cold gaze she was giving me.

"…Did I save you?" She said uncaringly as I sweat dropped, unable to comprehend where that angel that flew in a moment ago went. Now that I gotten out of trance, I noticed how her white dress was stained by something…something like sauce.

"These gyoza* are inedible now thanks to you." The angel said before she suddenly pulled out a plate of smashed gyoza and threw it onto the Kibagurui. I stared, speechless as she crouched down beside the Kibagurui and began searching through his kimono. A second later, she pulled out a wallet.

She fumbled around with the wallet, pulling out every bill she could find, leaving the coins untouched. After she completely emptied out the Kibagurui's wallet, she casually tossed it away and shot it perfectly into the garbage can by the alley that was within her blind spot.

"Hey kid." She suddenly spoke as I felt myself stiffened, knowing that she was calling for me. "Yes?" I whimpered, wondering if I will be suffering the same fate as that stupid mouth. The angel raised her hand and dropped a couple of bills right in front of me.

"To not even teach you simple things as not to steal, what a disgraceful parents you must have."

She spoke coldly with a gaze that was obviously looking down upon me. "I…I don't want to hear it from someone who's also doing something so disgraceful!" I snapped; pointing my paw to the money clutched in her glass-made hand.

"These are fees for the damage he did. Don't compare it to thievery you pocket picking rodent."

"Rodent?" I hissed.

"I don't care what you talk about me but I won't forgive you if you talk bad about my mother!" "Oh? Did I say anything wrong?" She snapped. "To let her own kid go around pocket picking, your mother must be shameless."

"Shut up!" I screamed and flung myself at her.

I raised my paw, tightening my muscles as my claws stretched out. I slash my claws at her, aiming to scratch up that beautiful piece of work painted on her face.

However, the devil just smirked at my attempt.

With a simple side step, she dodged my attack. Before I could react to what had happened within that millisecond, I suddenly felt a strong force squeezing down at my tails. "Reow!" I screamed, hung upside-down with my tails feeling as though they're going to be rip off any moment.

"Weaklings shouldn't bare fangs."

The devil said as she lifted me up so that I was eyelevel with her. I hissed at her. Although her face was in range, I couldn't find myself to do anything. The flesh at the joints of my tails and my tailbones felt so painful that I feel as though if I move, my tails will really be pulled out for good.

"What's wrong? Not going to scratch me?"

The woman taunted, waving me around as I felt the pain at the joints of my tailbones increased. "Y-You!" I snapped as I thrust my claws paw at her. But she just simply tilted her head as my paw entered her stream of silky white hair.

The world around me spun as sharp wind sliced through my layers of fur.

By the time I could react, I felt my back slamming against the hard cement ground. I choked out a cough, feeling the air knocked out of my lungs as I struggled to breathe. "Weaklings shouldn't go around picking fights. You'll only make a fool out of yourself." I heard the devil said mockingly.

"Farewell, little thieving cat."

That taunting voice echoed against my eardrum. When I quickly looked up to her, I found that the winged woman had disappeared, leaving behind only traces of feathers.

"D-…Damn it!"

I screamed as I slapped the money away from me. I quickly glanced around the crowds before at the empty sky. Groaning in pain, I slowly pulled myself onto my paws. As I moved, I could feel immense pain digging at my back and tailbones.

The Kibagurui was still lying unconscious in the crater and the crowd went back to minding their own businesses. "Damn it!" I cursed again, my knees unable to support my weight as I collapsed back down.

I never felt so pissed in my entire life since that day.

But I wasn't angry because of my weak body.

I was angered by that woman's word.

And worst, I couldn't do anything about it.

When she badmouthed about mother, I couldn't do anything at all. I couldn't defend mother's honor. It was completely infuriating. I laid there, my face against the cement as I felt tears dripping down the tip of my nose.

Later that night, I left the city.

I isolated myself into the forest, not in the mood to even see a single youkai or ayakashi let alone talk. I scaled up the mountain, leaping over rocks and roots as the moon rotated over my head. After hours of walk, I finally reached the top.

The darkness before my eyes was filled with pink.

Before me, the sakura were blossoming vividly under the soft ray of moonlight. I smiled slightly. Forgetting the previous anger, I quickly rushed under the countless sakura trees that grew on the top of this mountain.

Our mountain.

However, it wasn't long when my memories of this place shattered by the sounds of laughter and smell of food. I followed the scent and the source of the sound.

Soon, I came into a little opening where the air was lit by the flickering camp fire. Around the fire sat 4 Onmyoujis, drinking, laughing loudly, and disturbing the nature's air. "They're…!" I gasped upon one of the familiar crest on the Onmyoujii's clothe. My irises that were rounded in the night immediately reverted back to its slit form.

I bared my fangs, growingly softly as my claws dug into the earth.

"Bastards!"

I screamed, my hind legs kicking off the dirt as I charged towards the group. But before I could expose myself before them, I felt a force grasping my tails and something cold slapping down against my muzzle to trap me in silence.

Everything before my eyes was then a blur as silence filled the air.

"Hey, did you hear something?"

A voice of one of the Onmyouji spoke as I quickly gotten over the dizziness only to find my four paws bounded by a single marble white hand. There was also a similar hand clasped over my muzzle that had been preventing me from speaking.

'What the heck?' I thought as I tried sniff at the hand that was covering my nose.

There was nothing.

This hand…it's clean. Too clean.

Every living beings whether youkai or human all carries their own individual scent. There are no exceptions. That was what mother had told me.

However…this hand, I couldn't smell anything coming from it aside from the mellow scent of liquor.

"It must be your imagination."

"Guess you're right, hahaha!"

I heard the Onmyouji laughed casually as I felt blood began racing through my veins again. I immediately began trashing around, trying to free myself from whomever's grip this was. However, the person or youkai had a firm grip on me as I found us speeding down the mountain.

"Hmm! Hmmwaa! Let go!" I snapped, tearing my muzzle free before sinking my fangs into the hand. The space around us then froze as I felt my ears twitch upon a strange crackling sound. "What is this?" I snapped, quickly pulling my fang out and spat out two tiny little white feathers that were caught on my tongue.

When I looked down, I found myself staring at that same white hand that was now like a broken glass vase with the edge of the crack revealing tiny bits of feather.

"Looks like you didn't learn a lesson." That familiar voice spoke before the hands that were bounding my paws disappeared. With a flip, I landed gracefully onto my feet and looked up to find that it was the winged woman earlier this evening.

"You!"

I hissed as she plucked out another feather from the…the crack I made on her hand. "Don't you know those Onmyouji are from the Tsugimoto Shrine. Are you trying to dig your own grave?" "Why do you care?" I spat. Each of my words was dipped in venom.

"I don't." The woman replied simply. "I was just enjoying my sake under this beautiful night and the newly bloomed sakura. If you want to die, die elsewhere. Don't contaminate this scenery." "Contaminate?" I hissed at her.

"They're the ones contaminating it! This mountain's…This mountain was my mothers! They're the one who stole it!"

I blurted out of anger. At that, the woman stopped looking at the wound on her hand and gazed down at me for the very first time since our second encounter. "Your mother's?" She mumbled as I felt tears threatening to fall.

"This mountain used to be ruled by my mother! But then those Onmyouji from the Tsugimoto Shrine came! They lied about my mother eating humans who come to this mountain when we never so much as to touch a strand of a human's hair! They killed her just because they wanted this mountain!"

I cried, my body quivering from anger at the memories of my mother's corpse at the hands of those Onmyouji.

"…And?" The woman spoke after a long moment of silence. "What do you want? A pat on your back being told oh you poor pitiful child? Unfortunately for you, sympathizing isn't my specialty." The woman said as I looked up to see a smirk playing at her lips.

My eyes were wide open, filled with disbelieve at this heartless woman.

How could any youkai with a look like that have such personality?

How could anything like her exist in this world?

"Don't flatter yourself! I wouldn't want your stinking sympathy!" I screamed at her. "I can't imagine any fools feeling flattered over such pity thing." She said back as she began walking away.

"If you want to die on this mountain, do so 7 days later when the sakura withers. It will be a shame to let such beautiful flower be stain by your worthless blood."

Just as she said that, I flicked my tails, hitting a pebble off the ground and sending it flying towards her. Without even looking, the woman shifted her wing and slapped the pebble away with those pure white feathers.

"I don't care what your situation is, but I absolutely hate seeing weaklings like you who looked as though you're the most misfortunate being in this world." The woman huffed. "What? What do you know?" I growled; my fur puffed as the muscles all over my body tightened.

"Do you think killing those human would return the time that you lost? Don't kid yourself. In this world, there are millions who suffered greater than you by ten fold." Woman spat as she began walking off as her large wings stretched.

"If you have time to ruin yourself in your self pity, why don't you stop and think what you really should be doing, you dirty cat."

Those were the last words she said as her silvery eyes pulled away from me. Then with a flap, she took off into the air and disappeared into the horizon.

For the rest of that night, I didn't move from that spot.

I was so shocked by that woman's word that I had no idea what I should do.

When I stopped and thought over the woman's word, I suddenly realized that perhaps that was exactly what I've been doing. I had been so caught up in mother's death that my life never moved for the past 4 months.

It was strange…to be actually taking a stranger's talk seriously. But everything she said to me I couldn't help but find sense in. And surprisingly just as she said, I think I really may have felt sorry for myself of everything that had happened.

However, I couldn't find the answer to the meaning behind the last words she said before she left.

On the 5th night since the sakura bloomed, a shower of rain sweep across the land along with strange gossip.

"A typhoon?" I said as the old Keukegen* at the gyoza stand nodded. The street was in silent. The air around us was moist and filled with nothing but pattering rhythm of the rain. "It seems like it hit pretty hard, though it was strange how we felt nothing here. I heard it was so strong that the Tsugimoto Shrine was torn to the ground." Said the Keukegen.

"And what's really surprising was that none of the human that was in it at that time was actually hurt. What was now at the scene was nothing but broken pieces of wood and strange white feathers scattered over the area."

"Feathers?"

"The human believed that was an angel who had saved those human's lives for that no youkai nor bird could bare such beautifully white feathers." The Keukegen laughed as he arranged the gyozas onto a plate. "Humans are silly aren't they? Believing in strange myths like that." Keukegen chuckled as he placed the plate of gyoza in front of me.

"What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?"

"Ah…I don't have any money." I mumbled softly, feeling my stomach rumbled at the sweet aroma of the food. "Oh don't worry about it! You guys paid me more than the money I needed for the damage fee of my stand after all." "Damage fee?" I whispered softly, not exactly understanding what the Keukegen meant.

"Of course I meant that Doji from few nights ago."

"Doji? What's that?" I mumbled softly, though for some reason, I felt as though I already knew the answer. But still, I wanted to confirm it…

"That youkai with wings of course. You are such a lucky child, to have a gentle beauty like that for companion-Ah, hey! Where are you going?"

I left for the mountains immediately. For the first time in my life, I didn't felt the water that were seeping through my fur bothering me at all. I probably didn't even felt it at that time as I raced under each and every sakura, seeking for any sighs of feather.

"She's…not here…" I panted softly, completely worn out by all the running as I stared down at my mud filled coat. I glanced around the area again, finding no sign of living soul anywhere.

"Maybe she left already…" I mumbled to myself, feeling a strange sadness and regret itching within me. Thinking back, those rough words she was spiting in my face before might could simply have been warnings for me. And the money she tossed at me…perhaps it wasn't from mockery as I thought it was.

She might have actually been a kind person after all…was what I thought as I soaked myself in the rain.

Yet I was being too paranoid and even bit her.

"…Ugh?" I mumbled softly, snapping out of trance as I suddenly felt the air around me dry. "The rain stopped…?" I wondered out loud to myself, but that wasn't it. I could still hear the pattering sounds of rain hitting against the dirt and puddle. When I shifted my gaze up from the ground, I found the rain still dripping down from the grey sky.

I glanced at myself, then at the scenery before me. There wasn't a droplet of rain at my side. Curious by this, I lifted myself and immediately discover the reason. Right above me, I found myself staring at a large, outstretched wing that was hovering over my head.

On the tree branch, there she was.

She sat elegantly, her long legs dangling over the branch as she held a sake cup within her pale fingers. Her silver eyes were staring into the horizon, unblinking as she took a sip from the liquid in her cup that was mixed together with the tears of heaven.

"You're…" I whispered softly, but stopped when I realized I didn't know what I should say. Thank you? But then, what was I thanking her for? I drowned myself in silent while she just acted oblivious to my existent and continued on enjoying her scenery.

Neither of us spoke in the rain.

Strangely, I didn't feel uncomfortable. I actually found myself to like this awkward silent. Giving up on finding the right speech for the angel above me, I laid myself into the mud and stared at the patterns of raindrop at a puddle before me.

Minutes passed…and then hours.

I didn't know how long, but both of us just remained as we are.

When the sky began to lighten, the shower of rain had finally ceased. The cloud were cleared from the sky, revealing dawn that was approaching the land covered by a thin layer of mist.

Upon hearing the sound of flapping, I opened my eyes just in time to see the angel landing soundlessly onto the ground before me. She folded her wings, as my eyes caught droplets of water sliding down her beautiful coat of feathers.

She said nothing but giving me a quick glance with her silvery eyes and began walking off.

I stared after her back, then back to the sakura trees behind me.

"What I should do from now on…" I mumbled softly to myself as I smiled, finally finding my answer. "Sorry mother. I won't make you worry anymore." I mumbled softly, taking one last sniff at the sakura filled air before dashing after the woman who helped me move on…

I won't do anymore stupid things.

I am also not alone anymore.

From now on, I promise you I will live out my life to the fullest.

I want to live protecting her…the one whose life was bounded to misery. I don't meant to sound like boasting, but as a youkai who knew what it felt like being pushed to the edge, I don't want to see her like that as well.

I knew that she, Miu-san, is much stronger than I am. Miu-san is much older than me with more experiences in life than me. And that Miu-san has much stronger resolve than any youkai I've ever know. I know she doesn't need a youkai as weak as me to protect her…but as I tagged along with her, I discovered that Miu-san may not be the person she seemed to be.

Miu-san speaks sarcastically and acts like a sadist most of the time…but there was something off I can't really explain. Sometimes, Miu-san would gaze towards a certain direction no matter where we were with eyes that mother had when mother was missing father.

So I wanted to stay with Miu-san.

That's why, I don't think I will be able to visit you much, mother.

I won't stand still anymore. There's no need to worry about me anymore.

"Tama, what are you doing?"

A voice snapped as I jumped slightly and quickly turned to find Miu-san. She was beneath a sakura tree that was already filled with tiny buds. Miu-san stood with her wings neatly folded behind her back, her long silvery hair fluttering gently in the wind. Miu-san's long marble white arms were crossed, her mirror-like eyes reflecting my image.

"Miu-san!" I gasped softly. But then my eyes immediately caught the tiny stains of crimson upon the edge of her lavender dress. I didn't need to sniff it to know that it was blood. It was a scenario that I had gotten used to after 2 years of traveling with Miu-san. However, I never learn the reason as to why there were youkai and ayakashi after Miu-san night in and night out.

It was one of the conditions Miu-san had placed if I wanted to stay with her.

The condition was that I can never question about Miu-san's background or anything that would be happening around us.

"A letter?" Miu-san said as she quietly walked over. "It's nothing!" I gasped, quickly looking back at the letter that was still burning in the fire. "It's just…it's for my mother." I said but at that, I noticed Miu-san's wings twitched slightly.

"You…actually believe in those human customs?" Miu-san spoke in a dull tone with a gaze that clearly indicates how she was looking down at me. That very same gaze she held when we first met.

"Leave me alone!" I snapped, quickly blowing the fire and tossing more sticks into it in hopes of having my letter burnt faster. "You nagged at my back for three full days, delaying my schedule and making a long way trip here just to burn a worthless letter?" I flinched slightly at the irritated tone Miu-san didn't even bother hiding.

"It's not worthless! It's for my mother to know how I'm doing!"

"And should I care?" Miu-san spoke in such a cold tone that I couldn't help but shiver. I could even feel the invisible weight slamming against my back. "N-No…" I mumbled softly. "You have five seconds. Late and I'll leave you here." "Ah! Miu-san!" I gasped as I quickly turned to see my letter burned out just in time. Quickly putting out the fire with the nearby mud, I rushed after Miu-san and leaped onto my special spot at her shoulder.

This time…

"Even though Miu-san is an angel, you sure don't act like the ones from those human's story."

I mumbled, too carried away by the moment to even realize what I was saying.

"UREOW!"

I screamed as I slammed face first into the ground. "I thought I told you that if you compare me with any of those mythical beings from those silly human's fantasies again I will give you away to that broken down Tsugimoto Shrine." "B-But you have their wings!" I argued back, only to by pulled up by my tails…the typical place where Miu-san seemed to grown a liking to grasp.

"Reow! Miu-san! They're going gonna snap! They're really gonna snap!"

I will live on and with my life, I will protect –

"From your words, it seems like you're suggesting that Doji are rip-offs from those human fantasy, Tama."

"No, I don't mean that…And my name is Yama!"

–Those unfortunate souls who crossed paths and fell under the unreasonable judgment of this devil.

"Hey Miu-san, Miu-san. So where will we be going in such a rush? Can you tell me now?"

"I have a date, in Kantou."

Kibagurui – a nasty creature with sharp teeth, and can pull his entire body together to form a giant floating, fanged mouth

Nuribotoke – an animated corpse with blackened flesh and dangling eyeballs

Keukegen – a creature made of hair

Gyoza - Chinese dumpling (Jiaozi). Known as potstickers in America