Chapter 4 - Nothing but Regret

"SHE'S A WHAT?!"

"Anais is a Yo-Kai. I saw her with my own eyes," Baku calmly replied to the shocked boys the next morning when Nate

was getting ready for school.

"I can't believe this…Anais ISN'T human…" Whisper stated slowly with bewilderment, but he then suddenly perked up with a huge smile, "I'M NOT CRAZY AFTER ALL!"

"Nyo, you're nyot, but what's your plan nyow, Casanyova?" Jibanyan questioned flatly.

"Uh…"

"Well, I think you should come clean, Whisper. Don't you think she deserves to know that you know she's a Yo-Kai?" Nate suggested.

"Are you insane, Nate?! Then she'll know I invaded her privacy!" Whisper pointed out with fear, "what am I going to do…?"

"Nothing."

Everyone turned and gasped when none other than Kyuubi, in his full fox Yo-Kai form, was now standing in Nate's room.

Jibanyan suddenly screamed in terror, as he suddenly dove under Nate's bed again.

"Y-you're…" Nate whimpered.

"Kyuubi? Yes, that's me—and you are right to be afraid in my presence," Kyuubi growled.

"Goodbye," Baku sang quietly, and she suddenly disappeared.

"Listen, you ghostly little ingrate—Anais. Is. MINE. I want you to stay away from her," Kyuubi demanded with an even deeper growl, and he walked up to Whisper while easily towered over him.

"B-but do you even know Anais loves you?" Whisper whimpered when he finally got the courage to speak.

"I don't. Don't you get it? She's just a pawn, and if you want her perfectly safe, you'll stay away from her. Am I clear?" Kyuubi hissed while poking a long and sharp claw in Whisper's face.

Whisper really wanted to let Anais aware that he knew she was a Yo-Kai AND that she was in danger…but how could he? He couldn't break Anais' heart. He couldn't fight back Kyuubi. What COULD he do?

Whisper nodded.

"Good. Then I NEVER expect to see you again—or else you'll pay dearly too."

With that, Kyuubi disappeared with a simple snap of his fingers.

…

"I-is he gone yet?"

"Yeah, he's gone, Jibanyan," Nate replied, making the cat Yo-Kai crawl back out from underneath his bed.

"W-well…at least Kyuubi's too busy to try and kill you instead of me anymore," Jibanyan pointed out with a nervous chuckle.

"Again, not helping, Jibanyan," Nate grumbled.

"But he's right, Nate. Kyuubi WILL be out to get me if I don't stay away from Anais…but how could I stay away from her now when she could be in grave danger?" Whisper ranted on, as he worriedly floated back and forth.

"I don't know…I'm starting to think Kyuubi kept a close eye on us the whole time," Nate wondered aloud.

"And he'll KEEP us under lockdown until he finally gets what he wants," Jibanyan informed with fear.

"Well, he won't get it this time."

"What?" Nate and Jibanyan asked in unison, shocked at Whsiper's sudden burst of courage.

"Kyuubi clearly has no heart, which is why he steals the hearts of other women—but Anais is no trophy to be won, she's MUCH more—especially to me. I don't care how much that fox threatens me, I WON'T stop fighting for Anais, even if it kills me!"

But as Nate and Jibanyan were happy with Whisper's new confidence, no one noticed the pink creature floating outside Nate's bedroom window while listening in on the entire conversation.

Anais wasn't her usual cheery self today, even though it was Friday, so it was pay day for her…but that still didn't make her happy.

She waited sad and alone at Mount Wildwood again for anymore tourists to show up, but not only was it Friday, it was also the night of the middle school dance at Springdale Elementary School, and Whisper was determined to finally ask her to accompany him as a fellow chaperone for the dance.

The said butler Yo-Kai had once again transformed into his human form while once again dressed up into some dress clothes, as he was now walking up the stairs towards Anais.

He soon found her just standing there, sulking her head down at her clipboard, and he was happy to see her…but he was still kinda nervous.

"U-um…good day, Miss Anais," Whisper greeted while scratching the back of his head as he approached her.

"Just stop."

"What?" Whisper questioned, making him stop in his tracks, and he was shocked when he saw Anais slowly glance up at him with a death glare.

"Why don't you try respecting my personal boundaries—Whisper?" Anais growled.

"What?! How do you know my name?!"

"You honestly think I didn't notice when Baku came into my room that one night, and when she saw me as a Yo-Kai? You think I didn't follow her back to your house to find out who sent her and why? You think I LIKE it when people disrespect my privacy?!"

Whisper could practically feel Anais' death glare burn through his head, as he winced back in fear.

But with his cover blown, Whisper just sighed in defeat…and he then revealed his true Yo-Kai form to Anais, but that didn't make matters any better. Whisper just floated there silently, as felt too ashamed to speak.

"Yeah, I was a Yo-Kai from the beginning. And yeah, I saw you and heard everything you said when I was around, and I thought it was kinda cute that you had a love-at-first-sight crush on me…but now…now, I'm starting to think that maybe I SHOULD have accepted Kyuubi's offer to go to the dance with him. At least HE respects my privacy," Anais calmly explained, but Whisper could still see the raging fire in her eyes.

"Anais, please, I'm very sorry about what I did! I never wanted to do it, but-!" Whisper tried to explain, only to be interrupted by Anais.

"Then why? Why'd you do it? Why couldn't you have just been patient with me?"

…

"I…I…I was scared."

"Of Kyuubi?"

Whisper only nodded.

"That's no excuse, Whisper. Feeling greatly outnumbered for winning a girl you think is just some trophy is not worthy of any redemption."

"What?! No, Anais, I don't think you're a-!" Whisper tried to correct, only to once again be interrupted.

"But nothing! I don't ever wanna see you again, Whisper—goodbye."

With that, Anais poofed away(being a Yo-Kai, and all), and Whisper was left there alone with nothing but regret.

Well...that could've gone better.

But don't worry, guys, the ending will by happy. And speaking of endings, there's only two chapters left, so buckle down and get set!

Until the next chapter, I'm TRikiD, bye-bye!