Horror Setting
Part 1
The blackness inside my eyelids became apparent. I woke up having a splitting headache and some dizziness. For some reason I feel dirty and sweaty, like I went to bed before taking a bath?
Clearly I went drinking last night and got myself a nasty hangover.
Whiteout so much as bothering to open my eyes I used my vision to make my origamis float in and out of my sleeves.
My headache went away after I sacrificed the toxins in my brain to fuel my vision.
Now that I'm feeling much better is time to wake up.
I decided it was time to open my eyes and look—"Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!" I screamed a the top of my lungs.
Gazing at me from the slightly open door of my room where a terrifying pair of golden eyes… wait is that Xiao?
"Xiao… is that you?" I asked, still a little on edge.
But no response came. The pair of eyes simply disappeared from the corner of the door that was left slightly open…..
I quickly jumped to my feet. Something's up here.
I'm very familiar with the act of waking up in the middle of nowhere and not know where I'm standing. But this feels different.
I need to analyze what's going on and what's the last thing I remember. Or I could try to find the deer and ask her…
The deer, yes we where hunting for some Adeptus Temptation recipe and we found it after climbing every mountain on the damn horizon, but the deer said she lacked the ingredients and then….
…. And next is nothing. My memories end after.
Doctor Baizhu told me once that a memory I lose will be never be recovered, but he also diagnosed that I only seem to forget irrelevant things.
I'm inside a house and thought strange it might be, I was resting on a bed and if I can't remember how I got here then it mustn't be important.
But then, why do I feel so spooked?
I decided to calm down and analyze myself better.
I'm wearing my pants and socks, my kimono and haori too plus I'm all covered on… dirt?
But I'm still inside a room right?
This must be something like an Inn of sorts. There are two beds here but the other one looks untouched. Whoever that bed was meant for, hasn't used it yet.
And going by my traveling companions, this would be mine and Xiao's room.
Now I'm even more sure it was Xiao by the door just now, but why would he leave so suddenly?
Or could I just be overthinking this?
I stuck near the window to take a look outside. There was a small hole in the wall near the window, a sign this building has seen better days.
The caws of crows reached my ears and the humid storm air my nostrils. But what caught my attention above anything else, was how quiet everything was.
Looking at the village trough the window, I can see there wasn't a soul out and about.
I tried opening the window but couldn't. It was stuck harder than I thought possible—
"Aaaaaaahhh!" I freaked out and jumped en guard.
The window was bolted down to its frame. Something definitely—
Click, the doorknob made a sound.
I tried grabbing my sword but forgot where I had put it. Then just as I raised my fist and prepare to defend myself, a deer walked in.
"Oh, good morning Simp, do you want your breakfast?" The deer greeted me with an air of 'good night peace.'
"Deer, thank the Archons you're alright! I just woke up and I can feel every inch of my being just—"
"Is this going to be another day of you acting up for nothing isn't it…? Here let me bring you up to speed before you cause trouble. There's a storm coming, we rented a house here at Qingce Village to wait it out. Mona is in the living room writing her astrology columns, and I'm letting Xiao pick dinner today just so you know. As for breakfast I'm making Lotus Seed and Bird Egg soup for everyone." Deery said.
The smell coming from the kitchen soon followed. It seems she was already busy with breakfast before she showed up here.
"We are inside a small house that we rented for a few days while the storm goes away, so we have the whole place to ourselves. Don't leave the house today you hear?" The deer informed me, ignored me and turned to leave.
The heck is up with this nonchalant girl?
"Wait! There's definitely something strange going on here!" I said.
"Sighs…. Oh really, then what is it?" The bossy deer rested her hands on her hips and faced me.
Is it just me or her attitude is just asking to get 'honored' this morning?
"I'm telling you something is going on here. I mean just look, the window is bolted in dozens of nails for crying out loud!"
"I bolted that window so you couldn't get out."
"The abyss you did!" I accused and rose my guard back up.
It would seem the day has finally come. This dangerous fluffy tail creature has gone full psycho and made her first attempt to lock me down and away from civilization…
"You got drunk to the point you passed out when we got here yesterday and this is a peaceful elderly village. So I decided to efficiently lock you inside for the night in case you woke up. Don't go making weird assumptions alright?" She defended.
Strangely flushed in red I must add. Maybe this wasn't it but I feel like she's getting practice for the inevitable day she reveals her true colors.
And she just lied to me.
"What you just said still doesn't makes sense, because I never go to sleep when I'm drunk." So I lied too.
And thought it was just as small as a blink, I caught a fright in the deer facade.
"Y-yes you do, you literally drank yourself to sleep yesterday!" She lied like the lawyer she is.
"Deer, I need to know myself and my habits very well in order to get out of bed every morning, and I don't go to sleep after having a drink, and I never drink enough to pass out, period." I lied and also told a half lie this time.
"What!? But I've taken you home so many times when you get drunk!! Did you forget again? You always fall asleep the moment there's a bed before you—"
"BUT of course, that's not all that there's to it!"
I pointed at my whole self to emphasize my clothes. Why would I be this dirty if I just fell asleep near the bed?
"I'd always sleep in underwear you know? Why would I wake up fully dressed like this and dirty? Unless of course, someone dragged me here trough the streets."
"What did you want me to strip you!? Haven't you heard I brought you here yet!? And of course I had to drag you trough the street's after you had so many you immediately fell flat— Eek!"
"Aha!" I said and slammed my hand against the wall.
"Kya!" Cried the deer when she got caught between me and the wall.
I caught her red-handed. Of course I hadn't forgotten this time how she brings me home when I'm drunk.
I don't think I could forget that encounter with her grandma even if I tried. And because I didn't forget, she fell for my trap.
It was a lie that I don't go to sleep while drunk, but the part about never drinking till passing is an absolute when I'm not home.
I always make sure to rest in a place where I find myself safe. I would never drink till passing out and risk something unsavory happening on the streets. Too many people hate my honor obviously.
The fact she had to drag me trough the streets while passed out means it wasn't my choice to drink so much.
Sometimes uncovering a lie involves telling another's. This lying little lawyer is going to answer me a few questions right now.
"You know deer, I truly never ever drink till passing out unless I'm back home, so how come that happened? Sure I don't remember how, but this just reeks of deer's tampering with my drinks!" I accused.
"W-wait please give me some space I a… I need you to stop tickling me— I swear I can explain!"
"Go on, I'm listening." I replied.
Greatest lawyer of Liyue or not, she's still a deer. And when you catch a deer between a wall and a predator, her prey instinct kick in and she turns into a reddish nervous wreck.
I blew air on her neck and poked her belly button to hurry her up with the excuses while she trembled all panicky. Then the door flew open, and a Jade lance tapped me on the shoulder.
"Get off her." A cold voice commanded, and I turned around theatrically to reverse the situation.
"Xiao! The deer had her way with me can you believe that!?"
"What!? I did not such things—"
"She knocked me out and won't even tell me what was up! Can you believe her!? How am I supposed to live whiteout knowing!? What if she took my kidneys or something!? " I shook Xiao by the shoulders.
He slapped my hands away and turned his back on me.
"If you're this lively in the morning then you're better than most." Xiao began walking out our room.
"Wait Xiao! If the deer wants to lie at least you could tell me what I was doing yesterday. Isn't that right my friend?"
But Xiao didn't even stop to look at me.
"Annoying. Is nothing for you to concern yourself with." He said.
"Wait but I want to know!"
I asked again but no sound other than the tap on wood could be heard walking away.
My, ignoring your friends is a bit rude.
"Oh right Xiao, the deer said it was my turn to pick dinner, so today she'll be making us some Pile 'Em Up." I told an innocent lie.
My, what a dishonest morning are we having around here. Everyone woke up with the lies on point today.
For a moment there I heard a furious and rapid throttle on the floor before Xiao stuck his head back inside the room.
He was looking over my shoulder so I turned around to find the deer waving off desperately to deny my little lie.
It would seem these two where up to something yesterday that they don't want me to find out about, and having teased them really makes my day.
I turned back to the door but Xiao had already left, so I walked out of the room too.
I'll drug whatever Xiao is asking for dinner tonight and then I'll corner the deer to the wall to resume the interrogation. In the meantime let's see what hatty is doing.
I exited my room following a small corridor with one more room and a bath, then I reached the living room where I found a table with an astrologer eating a carrot with one hand and writing with the other.
"Morning hatty." I greeted her.
She looked up to me like I had offended her profession.
"I know memory isn't your forte, but you could at least stand to remember my name. Humpt!" She didn't deign to look at me.
"Oh come on hatty, you know I'm just trying to be friendly… Wait I know, why don't you read my future for today so we'll have something to talk about?"
"I am Astrologist Mona Megistus, meaning 'The Great Astrologist Mona.' If it is divination you seek from me, then I ask you respect my name by learning it wholly, here and now." The Great Airs puts on some.
"Eh what a great name. My mother just thought I would spend my entire life chasing after girls when she came up with mine."
Some parents could really stand to give their children better non-nonsensical names.
Hatty inflated wider when she saw I liked her name.
"Mona Megistus, the Astrologist— we came up that name together, the old lady and me. She said it had a nice ring to it… But then she started calling me 'Meg' for short, which I hate, because obviously Mona is already sufficient for a shorter name— No! You are NOT allowed to call me that, it's embarrassing!" Meg said.
"Sure thing, Meg."
"Gah! I knew I shouldn't have told you!" An embarrassed Meg dug her pen on her papers.
A heavy object fell to the floor with a thud.
"Whoops, I dropped my wallet. Oh my Mora, It was so fat and full that it torn trough my pocket and fell off. Could I have a divination now, Meg?"
I picked up my dough and stole a glimpse at the proud Astrologer by the table. She gulped big time.
"A-astrologers must rid themselves of material desires. Only by ridding ourselves of clutter can one see the true world around them." Meg gave herself a self-supporting speech.
I was about to make fun of her when some deer kicked my butt as she walked past me.
"Don't let him it get to you Mona, he really won't remember your name once he sets on a nickname. But well, at least I don't think he's using yours out of spite…? I remember he said my name once on the day we met, then right afterwards he got 'honorable' with my client and I bonked the 'honor' out of him and since it's been deer this, deer that, savage, bottom of the food chain, etc." The deer reminisces of the day we met.
She walked around the table and went to the kitchen to finish up our breakfast. I sat on the other side of the table from Meg.
"Well tell me something. Is going to be a long day to whether the storm otherwise. Let's chat!" I bothered Meg.
She put down her pen and looked at me, confused.
"You want to chat… for fun? Oh… I don't usually have spare time for such activities, especially when I have so many columns left to write… And since it's you, I'm sure it won't be worth it. Innamorato." She denied my friend request.
I leaned forward on the table and whispered.
"Can you not use that name before her?"
"Your worries are foolish, she knows not what to make of that name and won't inquire so long as she doesn't connect it to your other life. I only used it to let you know I wasn't kidding back then. And besides, you don't use my name either, right?" Meg whispered back.
Having reached an impasse with this great astrologer, I placed some Mora on the table.
"Do I win in the end?" I decided to cut straight to the chase.
If she's the real deal then this could be really useful. What's best for morale than knowing you win and even get the girl in the end?
Meg collected the Mora with a hunger to her eyes, took a moment to look at her scryglass, then continued writing her columns and with a smirk she said.
"No, when that fateful time arrives, you drop your sword, turn your back on the Electro Archon and run the other way crying while a strangely familiar blond girl has to pick up your slack."
"Wait what!? The heck kind of fate is that? You definitely just made that up right? That sounded nothing like the grand fates I'm used to reading in stories!" I said taken aback by what I just heard.
"Divination is about precisely foretelling one's written destiny. Over-embellishing that fate only leads to misconceptions." She waved me off with a big smug smile.
"Oh really? In that case all I need to do is not run away or pick a beetle or something and that fate will never happen. Then everything will change." I countered.
If the fate she's giving me is as precise as she claims, then I'll even pull my pants down if I have to in order to screw it.
"The work of the astrologer is to show people what fate has in store for them, and that's exactly what I do. There will always be those however, who are unable to accept what they are told." She said and fixed me with a stare.
"Ehm… So I don't defeat her myself, but do I at least get with the Shogun in the end?"
"You don't either, some foxy lady whom she nearly skins alive a moment before, steals that honor."
"Then the blazes do I even do in the end!!?"
I'll make sure to skin the foxy lady if I ever come across her…. If I remember… But fuck that fate! I'm making sure it never happens!
Meg then said.
"What do you do in the end…? Let's see… you simply come back with us…? Wait nooooo! Stop looking stop working….?! Aaaaahhhh nooooo whhhyyyyyyy! I just intertwined my fate with yours!! The elders always warned about doing these kinds of things!" The astrologer freaked out.
But forget about her. Shit! I shouldn't have even asked, that's the shitty 'walk out empty handed' fate book writers love so much. I always hated those endings when I was reading from the library where you end up with a prize like, 'maybe the real treasure where the friends we made along the way.'
But wait a minute. If I hadn't asked right here then I might never had seen it coming, and I would have even less chances of doing something about it.
"You know what Meg, thank you for the precise warning. Never change professions even if you die starving cause I know you're gonna go far as an Astrologer!" I heaped praise where it was due.
"If I die starved then I'm clearly not going anywhere but six feet under!!" Meg made a good point.
It was then that four bowls of hot soup where placed on the table.
Meg scurried her papers aside and grabbed a spoon with drool coming out of her mouth. The deer serves us our breakfast and inquired on our conversation.
"So he leaves that tyrant behind and comes back with us in the end. I'd say that's as happy ending as it can get. I bet I'm laughing right in his face then like I'm doing now. Ha ha ha ha haaaa!" The deer laughed in my face.
But Meg cut off her bullying.
"Not… really… Is only me, Xiao and a like six more people, but I don't see you anywhere."
"What!? You're telling me he ran away from the skank and I wasn't there to see it!?" The deer stood abated.
And I said.
"No surprises there, I wasn't going to let you come into Inuzuma with me anyways. Just so you know, the moment I find a ship is a far as you go." I repeated myself once again for the sake of being clear.
And the deer also repeated herself.
"I told you my contract won't allow me to leave your side until you reach the shores of Inuzuma! So if you're getting on a boat then so am I!"
"Fine deer, for what I can tell, I just shipped you back on that same boat after I set foot on the shore." I said and boorishly dipped my spoon on the soup.
It was marvelous, warm and had a texture you can only get from exquisitely fried eggs.
"Why you…. You jerk!" She pouted.
The deer grabbed two bowls of soup and two spoons, turned around, swung her hips at me and stormed off the door— slamming it on the way out.
I heard her say "Xiao, let me eat with you!"
I guess the reason I wasn't seeing Xiao was because he was sitting outside. Must be nice with the cool breeze of the storm.
Part 2
I felt my legs rustling against the bedsheets. I had just woken up but I had a terrible headache.
Though physically I couldn't feel better otherwise, I don't think I've ever felt so rested on a morning. I must have had a full 10 hours sleep for sure.
As I was starting to adjust on the bed I hear steps running out of the room and a door slamming shut, like someone had to leave in a hurry.
Though I paid it no more heed and began to stretch.
I got up my bed lazily. Looking at the mirror, I was wearing my boxers and had my hair lose. My body seems shapely as usual. That's fine.
I'm inside a room with two beds, a nightstand, a mirror and a table with some chairs.
This must be a room we rented somewhere. As the last thing I remember was gliding off a mountain because we lacked the ingredients for making the Adeptus Temptation.
"Aaaaaahh." I felt like yawning….
Huh?
I exhaled from my mouth a moment…. The smell of alcohol?
Did I had a drink before I went to sleep? When did I ever had a drink? I can't remember…
I had some of my origami's fly in place— then rest so the toxins would fuel my vision and take the headache away.
My vision needs part of me to use as fuel in order to work. Luckily it makes no distinction between undesirables and what not. Though if only that was enough to use the more potent stuff though, I would never again have to fear baldness.
I better go ask the deer about the hangover. I found out she's used to treating me when I'm drunk because of our last interaction with her granny.
However, as I went to my room nightstand to collect my clothes, I noticed a peculiar detail to them. They where folded. Neatly folded together.
Now, I recognize that form and that's definitely the way I fold things. I make origamis when I'm bored so folding things is sort of a hobby of mine.
But I can't fold to save my life when I'm drunk, so how come I managed this time?
Sus… very sus… what time is it?
I went to the window and opened it up to see outside. Strangely the frame was full of small holes?
A cool breeze washed inside the room. The air smells humid. A storm is coming, big one at that, but I can't seem to find the sun with the black clouds blocking the sky.
Maybe I shouldn't go out at a time like this, the rain would ruin my origami's and it would take me all day to make new ones.
I turned around, I should get dressed and see the others, find out where we are and what we'll be doing about the storm.
I was feeling calm there for a moment, but then I caught sight of something strange on my bedsheets. Something like a stain when I turned them around, something red. Something macabrely laid—
"Aaaaaahhhhhh! Blood! There's blood on my bed!!" I freaked out immediately.
I heard steps coming from the other side of the door. Someone was hurrying their way here and given the blood on my bed it could only be a killer.
I prepared myself to fight for my life when the door opened slowly and a deer walked inside.
"Morning Simp, hope you rested—Kyahaa!" The deer gushed blood all of a sudden.
"Deeeerrrr! Don't die on me deeerrr!" I screamed.
I heard someone running from the corridor and Xiao emerged bearing a plate with a fried egg.
"What are you doing, she needs medical attention right now not breakfast…."
"What she needs is hemoglobin." Xiao interrupted and proceeded to shove the egg down the deer throat with a gentle touch.
Hemoglobin? I get that the loss of blood can make you anemic but, shouldn't we be more worried about the wound she sustained to bleed up that much?
It was as I was pondering that I noticed the deer started to breath more evenly and regained some of her rosy color.
Xiao stood up and looked down on me.
"Put on something before she wakes up." He said and calmly left the room.
He left the door open on the way out. He might be very cut dry but he's quite efficient, he left it open just in case he needs to hear us better and he even had an egg prepared…. He had an egg prepared? Strange.
However, it was him who brought something to my attention, I was still in my boxers and had my hair let loose. I stood up besides the laid down deer on the floor and began to look around my room, then back at her. Particularly her nose.
And so I put everything together.
Five minutes later, a red haired girl woke up in my bed. I was sitting in a chair nearby and the door was locked down— key and all. I was the first thing she saw when she woke up.
"Hmm Hmm…. Hmmm?" She attempted to speak, in vain.
She had her mouth gagged with a sock and was wearing the handcuffs she loves flaunting around so much, on her wrist and the spare pair on her ankles. Which I used to cuff her to my bed.
Me? I was sitting with the back of the chair forward so I could rest my arms and look more appropriate for the circumstances.
"Hmm Hmm!!" The deer freaked and tried to call for help, but only a small noise came out.
She was starting to look deathly afraid of her circumstances.
I ran a finger slowly around her exposed belly.
"Hmmmmrrmmm!" She began to jerk on and on uncontrollably to the ticklish sensation.
I gave a sly smile as I continued with the tickle torture.
"You must be wondering why you're here deer. But perhaps you could enlighten us first on the reason you got me drunk to begin with?"
"Hmm hmmmmmrmrmr!" She tried to answer as best as she could.
However I don't speak gaged victim and continued tickling her armpit mercilessly.
"I see, someone is not feeling very collaborative with confessions today, and since I'm not looking forward to deer piss on my bed, I'll tell you where you failed." I said as I never stopped tickling her to tears.
She jerked her hands harder against the handcuffs, but to no avail.
"First off, I'll praise you for undressing me, that was clever but I believe the sight was a little… to much for you giving the bloody state of my bed. And my, you even folded my clothes in the same way I do it too, when did you learn to do that? However, here take a whiff of my breath." I said and exhaled air near her bloody nose.
The girl immediately caught on.
"Yes deer, I can't fold like that when I'm drunk, so who do you think would know me enough to replicate the way I fold my clothes? Who knows, maybe it was the same person bleeding all over my bed when she was stripping me down to my underwear." I said.
The deer was jerking her head back and forth, arching her back on the bed, trying to resist the merciless tickling.
I bet she didn't foresee this karmic event when she had her funny ideas. She must really be regretting the poor choices she made in life right about now.
After a few more minutes of this I decided I had enough. I stood up and left her there, on the bed, sweating heavily after the ordeal. I've no intentions to let her loose so I hope she prays to Xiao for help.
I left my room and immediately came upon the sight of hatty writing some gibberish on the living room table.
"Morning hatty, what are you writing there?"
"Hatty? I thought you were going to call me Meg now….!" Hatty suddenly covered her mouth.
Or is it Meg I should say?
"What are you writing there, Meg?" I asked
"Gah! How could I let it slip so easily after you went and forgot it even!? Please wipe out your memory right this instant like you did before!" She demanded of me.
"What do you mean, like I did before? What did I missed?" I decided to press the issue.
I get the feeling something went on here, and it ended with me losing my memory after the deer got me drunk. I need to get to the bottom of this…. But that can wait, I'm feeling hungry.
"What time is it? Did the deer left breakfast ready or something?"
"Breakfast again? Not that I'm opposed to the idea but I think lunch would be more appropriated." Meg said.
And I have a few questions about what she said.
"Breakfast, again? Lunch would be more appropriate…? When did we had the first breakfast around here?" I asked.
Meg immediately paled, stood up and ran for her bedroom with paper sheets falling out.
I decided to check the sinker myself. Some bowls had been left there, four in particular. There I notice one was nearly full, like whoever it belonged to, hadn't had time to finish it.
Upon sniffing it, I immediately realized what was going on, and began searching the drawers inside the kitchen for the possible culprit, and then I found it.
Spirit Impact 96% alcohol. Guaranteed to put to sleep even the most honorable samurai in one gulp.
It would seem something happened during breakfast that the deer wanted me to forget. Maybe I should go interrogate her…
Suddenly the door opened and Xiao walked inside the living room.
I gave a smile and offered the bottle of Spirit Impact to him. He cut eye contact with me upon seeing it.
I guess he's headed for our room now, what a shame, there's no way I can interrogate the deer now. Better I walk out of here, I'm not looking forward to finding out how Xiao would react once he finds the deer.
I stuck my hands inside my sleeves as I left trough the front door. A cool breeze washed over me.
I can only imagine Xiao face when he finds the deer tied to my bed like that…. Ah, I wish I could see that face instead. But nope I'm not going back there.
Outside Qingce Village sometime later.
I was writing on a paper origami when some girl in blue unitard came running and shouting, so I put the origami away.
"Wait just a moment Innamorato!" I heard someone calling up to a stranger.
And for as much as I want to pretend I don't know her or who she's talking about, I'd rather not have her pronouncing that name again in public.
"Hello Meg, you look like you just ran a marathon."
The astrologer before me was sweating heavily. I guess her unitard is made with getting wet in mind because I sure am not seeing any clearer trough her clothes.
She caught a break and soon jabbed a finger my way.
"We've been looking all over the place for you…! Hurry let's go back to the house, everyone is waiting for you." She then grabbed hold of my sleeves-sheathed arm and began to pull, only I wasn't moving an inch.
"What's the hurry? I want to take a look around here. This place feels new to me."
"No! You can't be out like…. because you… the storm rain will ruin your paper figurines that's why!"
"I don't know, I don't feel like is about to rain anytime soon." I said.
Truth be told, the clouds couldn't be darker. I just don't feel like running back to that nest of traitors and antler-stabbers.
I had the chance to see the sun a moment ago and it was halfway done with it's day. I know something went on and they want me to forget about it.
"Oh! The stars have spoken! If you don't head home right this moment and stay inside for the rest of the day, something terrible will happen to you!" Meg declared but….
"Is that how your magic works? No scryball or anything? You just close your eyes and start speaking ominously— then the future presents itself?" I said incredulously.
"Y-yes! If you don't come back I predict your future to be black and dizzy like… like very confusing and…" Meg continued looking for excuses.
She seems very desperate for getting me inside the house though. I wonder what is it she doesn't wants me to find out?
And for what I can tell, the deer drugged my breakfast to put me to sleep just as I woke up. Did I did something bad or do they really want me to just stay inside so bad that they'll send me to bed the moment I'd wake up?
It was as I was listening to Meg excuses and pondering good reasons for this filthy betrayal that a group of people caught my eye.
There on the distance where a group of teens playing sumo.
They had their hairs combed into pompaurs and mullets on some of them, the ones outside the dirt draw ring, those where wearing long coats but no shirt underneath. They all looked little above or below eighteen.
I had been looking around wondering if everyone had chosen to stay inside because of the storm, but here was a group of children out playing like you would expect from a village like this.
Meg caught me staring into the distance and followed my gaze. Soon she looked like her big hat jumped on her head from the panic.
"Let's go home right now hurry! If we don't then disaster will befall—"
"Do you really have this low of an opinion of me?" I felt offended now.
I could see what this astrologer was so afraid. The gang of youthful delinquents had written in bold the letters of the name of their gang on the back of their coat, 'The Disrespectful.'
"Sighs… Do you seriously think I'm going to go abuse some children just because they want to act tough? Seriously Meg, I'm a man of honor and I would never do something so unscrupulous."
"Great just great! Let's run home then!" She hastes me.
"No, I want to stick around and breath more of this backstabbing-free air a while longer. You can head home if you want— there's nothing to worry about me here…."
As I was saying, one of the youthful delinquents stood on a cardboard box and announced loudly to the rest of the gang.
"That's right brothers! Today is the day we settle once and for all whose the biggest! Most badass! Most honorable man in all of Liyue! In this sumo maaaaaaaatch!!!"
"""YEEEEAAAHHH!!!""" The Cubs roared.
I placed a hand on Meg shoulder and shoved her to the left.
"Aight, step aside booty witch. The lion shall teach those Cubs how the men roar." I said as I started removing my haori and kimono.
Men need to wear their pants to be respected but no shirt need apply here.
My beautifully toned body bared in all it's samurai glory!
"W-w-why are you stripping!?" Meg screamed in panic.
But ins't it obvious?
"To highlight the sweet abs in me." Of course.
I spread my arms wide like a parent wanting to hug it's children, and show them what happens when they declare themselves men before their time is due.
I felt a pair of girly arms wrap around my bared torso. Meg was dead set on stopping me from having a word with the Cubs.
"Stop! I knew this was going to happen! I didn't even need to be a diviner— even Xiao could see this coming! You! I won't let you abuse those foolish youngsters!"
"What abuse? How rude. I'm just going to play their game and teach teach them the meaning of honor. I'll make lions out of them." I replied.
I walked steady and all smiles, my arms spread like I was looking for a hug, and Meg still wrapped around my torso.
"I won't get violent I promise. I'm just going to push the Cubs off the cliff like all responsible lions do."
"I don't believe a word you said other than the cliff and I'm not going to let you! Ugh! Stop!" What a commotion she was raising and all for nothing.
The Cubs finally heard us and turned our way. They let their jaws hang almost immediately as they laid eyes on us, and why wouldn't they?
Before them was the perfect picture of masculinity with golden long hair and shirtless plus a chick already sticking to my body. I guess the sight was too much for the poor greenhorn child—
"Aaaaahhh! He's alive!" One of them screamed.
"The guy the demon dragged away! He's alive!" Another had declared.
Huh? The guy the demon dragged away?
"He survived! He escaped with his life!" Another shouted.
Seriously what is going on with them?
It was just as I was about to ask them when one started pointing at me and trembling.
"Aaaaaahhh! The demon! The demon has come for us!" The delinquent began to backpedal and run out of there.
"Run for your life dude! He's right behind you!" Another delinquent said pointing behind me.
Then I felt a scary presence emerge behind me and everything went dark.
Part 3
I woke up with a splitting headache. I felt so godly rested yet why was I having this pain in my brain? Is so bothersome I can't believe I even fell asleep.
Maybe I took a blow to the head? But I ran my hand and no sights of damage in the back of my head.
Maybe I drank too much yesterday? But my breath smelled like menthols…. Wait menthols?
Strange. I always wash my mouth so I've never needed those before.
The headache was making it damn near impossible to concentrate, I need some medicine and for that I need to find the deer.
I stood up and found myself inside a rundown room with two beds, a table, some chairs, a mirror and a nightstand.
Besides me, the bed of my roommate looked like it was missing it's bedsheet…. Strange, for some reason the color of my bedsheets matches the other bed better?
Perhaps it wasn't worth mentioning, but I'm feeling so spooked out for some reason that I can't help and pay attention to the small details.
It feels like something bad is going on around here. But nothing seems out of the ordinary.
Waking up in a room I don't know about is natural to me, and I can't think very well because of the headache.
I decided it wasn't important and headed for the nightstand. My clothes where clean and folded just like I always leave them. I began to get inside my pants and tied up my golden hair in a ponytail.
Soon I was done dressing up when suddenly the door opened a little.
"Who's there?" I asked.
But no response came, the door just closed back slowly and I heard steps walking away.
Strange… Maybe I should arm myself just to be sure.
It was as I was looking for my sword that I heard steps coming for the door. And just as I raised my guard in preparation for what's to come, a deer walked inside the room.
"Simp… g-good morning." A pale deer greeted me.
She looked sickly, almost pale. She had napkins covering her nostrils and the napkins where reddish, a bowl of fried eggs in her hand and she was having trouble standing up.
"Deer, are you alright? You don't look too well." I asked her with concern.
For a moment there I could see her taking a sigh of relief. She stuck her bare hand inside the bowl and picked a fried egg to swallow whole. Color soon returned to her.
"I-I'm fine don't worry about me, is just a passing fever because of the storm that's coming." She assured me.
After hearing her out I looked outside the window and noticed it was almost as dark as night but not quite there yet.
I hadn't looked around much because my headache wouldn't let me concentrate. So we are likely taking shelter from a storm.
"Are you hungry? Food is ready at the table, I even made us a Satisfying Salad for breakfast." She said cautiously.
"You made a salad for breakfast?" I asked out of simple curiosity.
The deer began trembling like she'd done something terribly wrong or screwed up a line in a play.
"Yes I made us salad! Aren't you always complaining about how you should be able to eat what you want and when you want!?" She exclaimed.
"Well yes, is just I thought you be more defiant about it…. Are you sure you're alright? You're sweating a lot. Let me feel you a moment." I said and stretched my hand.
"N-no! I'm fine I'm really fine!" She got defensive.
But I just placed my hand on her forehead. She was feeling cold to the touch. It wasn't a fever, it could be something worse but for the moment it doesn't seems like it.
"You feel cool, that's a relief. I wouldn't want you getting sick because you had to come with me on this journey." I told her.
For a moment she stayed staring. Mouth agape and not moving, like her heart had skipped a beat.
She looked up to me and asked.
"Are you feeling alright… too? Like, you don't find anything out of the ordinary? Oh of course! Not that anything would be out of the ordinary here obviously!" She had a cold sweat.
"Well, I do feel spooked out for some reason, but relax, so long as I'm around everything will be alright…?" I looked over my left hand.
Because I was waving her worries off with them, it brought my attention to my left thumb. The ring of elemental energy was shining dimly.
"Ah gotcha, you're just spooked because you woke up on a stranger house. No problem— you do this like every day when we where back in Liyue…." The deer began to go off on her own.
I kept paying attention to my left hand thumb.
Elemental rings are the last set of counter measures that I developed with my vision. My power is very useful even among vision holders, but there's some rules for it to work.
For starters I need to give up parts of me to make it work. My counter measure for this was to hide hair that I comb inside my origami's. Is hair follicles that fell off anyways and I don't need them anymore unlike the perfectly good ones on my head.
Another setback is that my power is pretty weak on startup. I need to adapt to whoever's energy I intend to manipulate with my vision before I can forcefully pull and push them around.
I managed that with the Almighty Shogun because I was working my magic on her presence while I fought Sara, but there's a problem with this side of my vision. If the target gets too far away I need to start all over again.
That's what these are, the one on my ring finger and the one on my thumb. They are concentrations of elemental energy from people I met, so my vision doesn't forgets them.
The one in my ring finger is wholly my goddess, because I doubt I would ever stand a chance to prepare enough to withstand her power again otherwise.
The one on my thumb however, is a concentration of small bits and pieces that are connected to my origami's, and they hold the simple purpose of bringing some origamis in particular to my attention, the notes.
"…..and don't worry, at worse if you commit a crime I'll make sure you just get a lifetime house arrest at home with me. Pretty good deal right?… huh? What's that?" Deery asked.
I had simply made use of my power and one of the origami's flew to me. I opened it up and began to read.
The deer who's for some reason was talking about house arrest with me…. I don't even know how she got to that point of the conversation? The deer stood besides me and looked over what was written in the origami.
My face colored red like a thousand suns and the deer paled a she tried to flee. But I grabbed her by the antler.
"Whyyyy does this keeps happening to me—hmmm!" She cried as I stuffed a sock inside her mouth to silence her.
"Gee I don't know deer, karma perhaps?"
I used my vision to move an origami up and down on the nightstand, what I now understand was a hangover, suddenly went away when the toxins became fuel.
Seems the deer has been drugging my food to make me fall asleep and keep me inside the house, but I had the wisdom to make a note about it before she caught me again this time.
"Hhhmmmmm!" She cried a I stuffed her inside the bedsheets and made a bag with them.
I opened the window, threw the trash out and closed it after with a smile on my face. Good luck to her getting out of there, only an idiot would use a Pyro vision inside a bag and I made that knot with extra love to show her how much I like her.
Having gotten rid of the trash I took a deep wholesome breath and left my room.
I passed trough the living room where I found Xiao and Mona eating salad by the table.
"You woke up." Traitor green had the decency to greet me.
"Innamorato! Good morning, you want some breakfast? H-hurry up or Xiao says he's not leaving you any!" A little nervous, traitor blue lies trough her teeth.
"Good… whatever the time of the day is, traitors." So I greeted the high treason to them and walked strait for the door.
I heard rapid steps running away and into my room, like they where worry for something that I left there.
Aw, I hope they take their sweet time to look outside the window.
After fifteen minutes of walking around an empty cold town I came across a group of teens dressed funny.
"Hey he's here again! That guy— how is he doing it to escape from the demon every-time!?" One of them said.
"Idiot, Is obvious the demon doesn't likes his taste or something. Otherwise he'd be cold dish right about now." Another brat said.
"Hey boys, mind telling me about this demon I keep hearing about?" I asked wondering what they meant.
I don't remember of course, but if a demon kidnapped me once, either he-or-him went to a better place I'm sure of it. So I'm a little surprised hearing it happened more than once.
"Huuuuh!? You punk, the hell we'll want to help you out! Hurry up and get eaten already idiot!"
"Put some ketchup on or something! I'll be offended if a demon kept kicking me out it's pot like you, idiot!"
"You said our band name was stupid, idiot!"
"You said my hair looked stupid after you fired a spark that made it all spiky and stuff! Idiot!"
"You said my hair represents virginity, idiot!"
"Your hair? He said my whole being represents virginity, idiot!"
"You think we'll forget the things you said just because you escaped a demon? Idiot! Surround him idiots— I mean brothers!" The teens spread.
They started to form a circle around me. I'm quite curious to what else did I called them, but is starting to rain now and my origami's can't stand water. I'll make quick work of….
I heard someone landing with a thump besides me and raising dust. I turned around to meet him.
"Looks whose here, my babysitter. Just in time to stop me from having fun." I rolled my eyes.
Xiao returned the gesture.
"Would it kill you to stay put one single day?"
"Of course it would! How can I feel safe at home when I don't know if I can thrust my own friends to watch my back!" I snapped at him.
"Cut off the drama. You should know you keep finding ways to piss these guys when we let you out." He defended their stance.
He defended their stance! The audacity in this Yaksha!
"So what!? They're just juicy punks and practically asking for it! I just saw the back of one of these guys coats and they call themselves 'The Disrespectful.' And is my fault I want to punch them? Just look at them— are they for real….?" I looked.
Nobody but one of them delinquents remained. The others had ran away but this one looked too paralyzed with fear to make his escape.
He was trembling with his pants wet as he said.
"The demon! Behind you! That guy behind you is the demon! Aaaaaaaahh!" He ran for his life.
I didn't have time to process his meaning before the cork of a bottle made a sound and I was forcefully turned around to find a bottleneck shoved inside my throat.
Part 4 Yanfei PoV
The door of the house opened and Xiao enters the house soaking wet and dragging a mud-covered idiot trough the floor.
"Oh Xiao, thank the Geo Lord you caught him! Did he hurt any of the gangsters?" I asked.
"He hurt their feelings before I could arrive." Xiao let go of the idiot leg and sat besides us at the table.
We all looked at the dirty shamurai carpet adorning our floor and sighed.
"Thank you for bringing him in Xiao, you're an angel." I said.
"Don't mention it."
Mona got down her chair and flipped Simp on his back.
"Is going to be a drag to clean him up again and make it all look like he just went to sleep."
"Don't worry Mona, I got adepty solvent for these kinds of scenarios. We just need to make sure we destroy all his notes this time on top of everything else we been doing before or else he's going to find out again." I said as I gave the carpet a light kick in revenge.
No matter how much time I spend with him, this man is just so weirdly unpredictable…. I love him.
"I have a question about this whole thing Yanfei. I get that they are still young, but do we really have to restrain Innamorato just to protect some no good delinquents?" Mona made a good question.
"Yes, these aren't really gangsters, they're just kids playing around. You see, not two months ago I was called to this village because they threatened visitors, only those visitors where Treasure Hoarders who where out to cause real trouble. These kids just read too many books and want to look cool. They even helped by defending the neighborhood. And as you know, it wouldn't be right to leave them to deal with this." I said looking at 'this' on the floor.
From the moment we arrived here I knew this idiot wouldn't take a second to start a fight with the gangsters wannabes. I don't want to stick around too much but we need to weather the storm. We simply had no choice but to restrain him against his will.
Yes, we had no choice at all! Is not like I just wanted to try this plan out or something!
I was thinking and soon found Xiao tapping his fingers on the table.
"You have everything you need right? Then make us that dish." Xiao seemed unusually excited to ask.
"That's right! The Adeptus Temptation! I completely forgot about it because of this blond headache!"
The two fixed me with hungry eyes that I almost felt threatened on an existential level.
"Sorry, not until this idiot is there to share with us. I'll make us something else in the meantime." I said.
He took this left turn with us after all. He agreed to come here even when I know he's in a hurry to get to Inuzuma.
"Aw come on! Can't you just tell him he tried it and loved it but forgot about it?" Mona suggested.
"Seconded." Xiao seconded that notion.
"Nope, it would be me he throws in the cooking pot if he ever finds out, and I don't like him when he's angry." I lied, I love him even more when he's angry.
We simply resigned to the fact we won't get to try the legendary dish until he wakes up.
"Well, better get to work and clean him up so he thinks he just went to sleep. Xiao you already dragged him here so we'll handle the rest. Yanfei you clean the floor and I'll pass him the menthols and undress—"
"I'll do it!" I cut off Mona.
"Hmm…. I think is better I—"
"I'll do it!"
"But you lost so much blood last time that you nearly…."
"I got this!" I insisted.
I stood up and shamelessly dragged Simp to his room and locked the door.
Part 4
We had arrived at an old and desolate village on Wuwang hill of the Bishui Plains.
The place has been known for its legends of many young drowning by the river and many ghosts and other supernatural activity that—
"Kya!" I screamed after being tossed away like yesterday's trash.
"My muscles are sore from carrying trash all the way up here. Get on with the dish deer, I'm hungry." A blonde shamurai impudently demanded.
I looked at the others for help. 'Say something to him!' I wanted them to defend me but none spared me a glance.
I bit my lips. "Fine! Just let me out of here already and I'll cook you the dish!" I said, finally getting the rest to look at me.
I fainted from anemia while I was innocently cuddling to this idiot on his bed— after I had stripped him down. He woke up screaming and thinking someone had committed a murder when he saw all the blood.
I was wondering what kind of man screams like a sissy to find a cute girl sleeping on his bed! I guess the kind of man who thinks you've been murdered.
He didn't take too well to finding out what was going on like the last times, and trapped me from the neck down in a bag made of his haori. Xiao and Mona made no attempt to stop him too. We left the house after the storm calmed and here we are.
The sharmurai in question finally released the knot on his haori and collected it for wear. I got up and was able to stretch at long last. It was so cramped in there.
"Grrgh… Those memories… So dark…" Xiao said looking around the place.
I could see two broken down wells and a flooded area near the center of the village, several rundown houses and lighted torches.
"No way, a-are there really spirits around here…?" Mona said trembling.
I believe she had said everyone's future is only written till death, and spirits roaming and antagonizing the living goes against the paths written in the stars. And that's why she didn't wanted to come here.
But we had no other choice, after that idiot woke up it was only a matter of time before he went out to 'honor' the gangsters and Xiao informed me we had ran out of Spirit Impact to contain him.
We moved here under the pretense that the last ingredient was an exotic Matsutake mushroom of the region and here we are.
"What's going on? Are you two afraid of spirits?" The birdbrain shamurai said.
"The dammed will sooner die again than lay a hand on me." Xiao responded.
"A-afraid of what!? The Great Astrologer Mona Megistus fears nothing!" Mona played tough.
Even I am a little spooked right now. The atmosphere feels cold and eerie. The lanterns and torches light the way of the village, yet a storm just ended a moment ago and our footprints are the only ones left in the mud.
…. Is creepy, this is starting to feel really creepy. Maybe we should put off the Adeptus Temptation till we get out of here? But I'm just so hungry right now… I wish that idiot did something useful for once and assured us everything would be okay.
"I see, well I got a neat trick to see if there's really any spirits around or not." Simp said as he made an origami figure float out of his sleeve.
Wait a minute! That airhead sack of honor and violence is going to do something useful for once!?
"I've a friend of mine whose sensible to the elements and such. He can hear a storm coming from a mile away that it almost feels like he can see the future."
"Hump! That's nothing special! I can see the future too— I mean seeing the future is definitely one of the most majestic skills one can have but not if it isn't done trough real divination!" Mona response to Simp talking about his friends.
Simp listened to her and held a finger to the paper samurai.
"Yeah, cool trick and all Meg. As I was saying, he seems to have a strange affinity for reading natural occurrences, and my vision has something similar for supernatural occurrences. So, if we want to know whether there's evil spirits around here or not, we just need to look at this little guy demonstration."
All eyes of the group focused on the floating origami. At first it didn't do anything, then strangely enough, a second paper origami flew out of Simp sleeve.
"Huh?" Simp sounded confused to the event, as if he had never seen it play out like this.
What transpired afterwards was the second origami piercing the back of the first one and ripping it in two and then pieces before batting in its paper shreds like it where a shower.
"Hey! That's bad right!? Please tell me it isn't but that can't be any good right!?" Mona freaked out even more.
Simp was standing wide eye and jaw hanging. He got on his knees to hold the torn paper shreds that where being carried by the eerie wind.
"I guess… I never seen them launch a Paperlity before when demonstrating." He said.
Now I'm seriously scared! And Mona looks like she's about to faint any time now. We have to leave this place before this trip becomes one of those horror stories about a bunch of teenagers in a vacation to a dangerous…
"Worthless waste of time. I could sense them anyways and I wasn't going to let even one get away." Xiao glared at one of the abandoned houses nearby as he crossed his arms.
Wait, that's right Xiao! He's the Conqueror of all Demons!
"This is right up your alley right Xiao? That's so reliable, if it wasn't for you I've been scared for my life right now…. So, could you please go and exorcise the village while I prepare the dish? I promise it'll be ready before you're done." I said to Xiao.
This is great, we'll have our Adeptus Temptation at long last and the place will become safer for future travelers threading here.
I snuck close to Xiao while holding my excitement and admiration for him. He's my hero. The true definition of duty and what an Adepti should strive to be.
Xiao strangely, turned his head away like he was avoiding making eye contact with me… Huh?
"Xiao… is something the matter— Eek!" I was shoved aside by someone.
"Leave the guy alone deer, nobody can fight on an empty stomach right my man?" The birdbrain said.
"Ksh. Don't make assumptions on how I carry my duties." Xiao responded.
"Right right, of course I never would. Still it's bunch of evil spirits, nothing to ruin our meal over. Just let them be and once we're done I'll help you clean them out." Simp assured with a dump smile.
That guy can fight, seriously? I don't think his 'fist of honor' techniques are going to hurt a ghost but whatever. So long as we have Xiao here I guess we really are safe. In that case I'll get to cooking then.
"Alright, there's nothing to worry so long as Xiao is here so I guess we can finally have dinner if that's the case." I said.
"Oi deer, what do you mean so long as we have Xiao, don't I make you feel safe?"
"As a matter of fact, you don't. You're just a headache and you just pushed me a moment ago. Keep up the mistreatment with me and I'm suing you for domestic violence." I threatened.
"Ha. That's quite the attitude after everything. Go ahead deer, sue me and we'll see who goes to jail."
"Oh, are you worried about jail? With what I have and what you got I can orchestrate the entire jury so we both walk out with a house arrest. How's that for a sweet deal?" I said.
Then I'll tamper with his address forms so he gets sent to house arrest at my house and he'll never ever again will get away from me and we can happily argue all day with nothing else to do….
Damn it why did I had to sign I would do everything in my power to get him to Inuzuma!? I could just sue him now and live happily ever after otherwise!
But the birdbrain just went to picking his nose like he didn't even care anymore. I decided to just give up on him and take out my Adepti Seekers Stove.
Visions have a certain store capacity that allows us vision holders to be unencumbered by our equipment. Once the stove was in place I sent birdbrain to keep watch with Xiao so he wouldn't get scared by one of the ingredients. Now only thing to do is follow the recipe to the letter and.
Half an hour later.
"Oh-oh my stars it smells delicious!" Mona could barely contain her excitement.
"Damn deer, you really outdone yourself this time." Birdbrain praised me.
Good, I really feel like I don't get enough praise around here!
Xiao didn't said anything of course but I could see he was first in line with bowl in hand. He must really be looking forward to this.
"Alright, no cutting in line and come so I can give you a serving." I said holding a soup ladle and extending my hand for Xiao's bowl.
In the back of the line, Mona and Simp where fighting to get second place. The smell of the Adeptus Temptation filled my nostrils that it made me almost want to stick my head and drown in that stove. Maybe it was all these happy happenings between friends that made us forget this was a cursed land.
A plunging ball of dark billowing smoke crashed on the teapot.
"Kyaaah!" I screamed as I felt the impact behind me.
In the blink of an eye I was floating across the air in Xiao's arms. He had rescued me and jumped away from the stove.
Out the cloud of dust left I could see Simp running away while dragging Mona by the hand. Xiao landed and we all simultaneously turned back to see what was going on, and it was horrible.
"GRRRRRHEHR!"
"Aunomnomnomnomnom!"
"Reeeeeeeekkkkk!" The spirits screeched.
Before our very eyes was the demoralizing image of the evil spirits dipping their heads on our hard earned Adeptus Temptation.
I know not if spirits can eat, but soon they removed their heads from the stove in satisfaction and flied away in billowing smokes just as fast as they stricken the first time.
I looked at my friends hoping to see hope, but it had been devoured by the spirits just like our meal was.
Mona began crying inconsolably on my shoulder after the stove rolled down with not a drop left for us. By our side Simp was folding some paper in silence and I couldn't see Xiao's face because he already had his mask on.
I can't believe this, after all the effort we put to get here and all the hard work, only for it to be snatched away. And I don't even have all the ingredients left anymore. Even I felt like crying too.
Simp finally stood up wearing a conic hat made of paper to look like it belonged to an exorcist. Xiao began walking for one of the abandoned houses with his Jade lance in hand, and Simp began following right after him with his hands stuck inside his sleeves.
"Xiao and I… we're gonna go have a word with the spirits. Be right back in a second." He said eerily as Xiao kicked the door down and they walked inside.
Silence creeped across the deserted village for a few seconds before a rumbling began.
"Is time TO LOOSE THE MIND AND LET THE HONOR OUT!!!"
Part 5
"Shush! Someone is coming." I whispered as I covered Mona lips so she wouldn't scream.
The spirits went wild after Simp and Xiao entered the abandoned house and they started popping all over the place. Mona and I, we where forced to hide inside another of the abandoned houses from the mob of evil spirits.
Currently we are hard pressed against each other's inside a closet. I think I heard a sound outside.
"Please go away, please don't come this way! I cannot go out like this, I need my space! The world will miss me too much I can't die like this." Mona was crying.
We heard a book hit the wooden floor nearby, someone had walked inside. We tried to control our breathing as much as we could so no sound would come out.
Silence crept. I made a gesture for Mona and tried to peek out the closet. See where the spirit is— "AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!"
"Nooooooo!" Mona screamed too.
A spirit with bull horns opened the closet doors. I felt like my soul was about to jump out of my body when I saw a lance pierce trough the chest of the bull.
"Rguaaaaaaaaaaa!" The bull squealed in pain.
The Jade lance soon dragged back taking the evil spirit as they exited the house leaving a hole in the wall…. Wait that was Xiao lance, but it where Simps origami's that took it back along with the spirit…
Whatever the case might be we need to get out of here.
"Mona, we need to run now!"
"My space, please my space!" Mona was still having a nervous breakdown.
I took her by the hand and we left the bedroom of the abandoned house heading way for the kitchen—
""KYAAAA!!"" We simultaneously screamed when we caught sight of a headless spirit sharpening a knife in the kitchen.
"Nooooo! I don't wanna end up like spirit menu!" I cried, seriously I cried my panic out.
It was then when the spirit tried to charge at us with it's knife raised, but a hand burst trough the window and caught the spirit, followed by the visage of a masked demon.
Before I could see exactly who it was the demon dragged the spirit entire body trough the broken window and we heard throes of pain coming from outside along the sounds of a blade rendering flesh, or is it a blade rendering spirit.
"This place is the worst! I nearly peed myself and I don't have spare clothes!" Mona said.
We headed for the next door and opened it only to find a floating sword on the other—
""YAAAAAAAAHH"" We cried in unison.
The sword raised its blade in preparation to strike the both of us hugging each other's.
It was then when another floating sword tapped the blade from behind.
The clink clink clink of the one blade calling the other was heard and the sword turned around like it was trying to see who called.
"Wait, is that Simp sword— EEK!" I cried when Simp sword began to violently smash the other floating sword to shards and pieces.
The ghost sword finally fell down releasing a gust of black smoke and then everything got quiet.
Seeing no other spirit nearby and luckily not interested in us, Simp sword flew out the door and left.
Mona and I… we tried to calm ourselves and look outside. I almost felt my hearth jump out my chest in horror when I saw one of the evil spirits clawing at the dirt while a bunch of little paper samurais dragged it to the center of the village. And what a horror show was the center of the village.
"Gyaaaaaaa!"
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
Ohhhhhhh!" The spirits cried as lances of ameno Jade pierced them like kebab meat.
In the middle of the village Xiao was jumping and plunging down with his spear the dozens of spirits the origami's where dragging trough air, earth and even coming out from the well.
"T-t-those guys are the real monsters here!" Mona cried as we hugged and trembled together.
I saw Simp pointing in the direction of a tree and Xiao launching his spear like it was a falling star. The spear split the tree in two and soon enough a pair of origami picked it up and returned it to Xiao where he continued his plunging barrage.
Simp looked like he was more concentrated on a hunting role, with dozens of origami's flying everywhere and cries of horror coming from the spirits when they get found and the paper figures start dragging them towards Xiao deathly skewer.
The screams and horror persisted for several more minutes before everything was over. The village was now truly destroyed and fallen origami's adorned the muddy roads and the roofs of the houses.
Xiao and Simp returned dusting their clothes like they've been doing miners work.
"That's the last of them?" Xiao asked.
"Every single one of them. Now deer..." He glared at me.
Rather, I'm sure he didn't meant to glare but that's just what he looks like right now.
"W-what is it?" I found myself stuttering a little.
"Make me a new Adeptus Temptation."
"What!? You want me to make that entire dish again!? Do you think ingredients grow on trees!?" Actually some of them do but…
Is not like I want to wait any more than him but I wasn't counting on having to make the dish more than once before our next stop, so I didn't stock up on more than one round ingredients. Aw, how I wish I could see the future right now…
"It seems you find yourself at an impasse, Innamorato, b-but fear not! I foresaw this occurrence and came prepared." A still trembling Mona haughty posed before her vision pocket started to materialize ham and the other ingredients needed for the Adeptus Temptation, sans a crab which I had one anyways.
I was overcome with glee when I saw the ingredients.
"Amazing Mona! You predicted this would've happened— wait you saw this coming and you didn't say anything!?" I snapped.
I know Simp is the short tempered one here, but I couldn't help and grab Mona by the fluff collar.
"N-no wait! I swear I didn't know this was gonna happen! I can't look too much into my future because I can cause fate to turn on itself! I just was so excited that I decided to take a peek and only found out the ingredients wouldn't be enough for the first time!" She defended herself before my boiling rage.
I realized she was likely telling the truth and there was no reason to get angry at her. I let her go and started apologizing when I felt a hand land on my shoulder, it was Xiao.
"Can you make it with what you got or do I need to plunge in the first village we can find for more?" Xiao said with his freaky mask still on.
He's scaring me a little, and it sounds like he's not giving me a choice other than to make the Adeptus Temptation ASAP!
I gathered myself, received the ingredients from Mona and went to find my portable stove. No matter what, tonight we're dining like all abyss be dammed that's for sure!
Forty minutes later.
"Humm! Delicious! Ahh, I know I shouldn't indulge in ludicrous dishes but this is just sho goo! Onm!" Mona was crying in happiness as she ate from her bowl.
She's really cried a lot recently the poor thing.
"I can't believe something can taste so good. What kind of meat is even this? I can't have enough of it." Birdbrain was happy too.
"That's the power of the Adeptus Temptation recipe. It makes everything taste like a whole new ingredient." I lied to him, that's just the crab meat that comes with the recipe but he's never had because he fears crabs.
"Seconds. Now." Xiao extended his empty bowl for another round.
Though I wouldn't call this his seconds, more sixthconds given we've been rushing our meal because it looks like he'll eat everything by himself otherwise.
I grabbed the ladle and went to the stove to get him a sixth serving. Ahh, so peaceful, so peacefully quiet and chill.
This hill isn't so bad once the evil spirits have vacated the place. Now is just us enjoying a warm meal after all the adventures it took us to get here.
I looked over at Simp whose shivering from how good the dish tasted. He made eye contact and gave me a coy smile.
"I must say, it was worth the detour, but we need to get back on track soon if we want to get to Inuzuma. Say, how did you said your friend could help us?" He asked me.
"Don't worry, if there's someone you can count on when you're in need, is her. She'll find us a boat to set sail for sure once we explain your cause to her. Monstdathians value freedom above everything else. I know we are in the right track." I assured him, but I wasn't so sure myself.
The right track… Every time I think of whether we're going the right way, it doesn't comes down to what way we are using to get into Inuzuma.
The problem that always arises…. Is the final obstacle.
I looked over at Simp, he was fighting with Xiao for the stove leftovers.
I know he only has bad memory and he's no idiot. I know he has confronted her before, and I even heard from Mona that his future is one where he lives, but why can't I shake this horrible feeling?
Does he remembers how to fight like he used to? Does he still has the power to face her even after he showed her his trump card before? Wouldn't fate still change when confronting a god?
No matter how much I tell myself he's going to be okay. Something always feels off about this, like I'm missing something in the details….
But what is it?
Part 6 Kujou Sara POV
I knocked on the door to the throne room. Today is the day we put an end to this crisis once and for all.
Ever since that dumbass had to go and show his stupid face around the throne, the Almighty Shogun hasn't been the same.
She barely comes out of her throne room and the screams of a woman that sound very similar to her seem to echo around the Almighty Shogun wherever someone brings up that execution.
…. Sighs…
I looked back on my memories of the man in question. I knew him from the training camp. I knew his family, I knew how competitive he could get. I knew when he received his vision. I knew when he started to stray.
Just thinking about him I found myself reminiscing on the memory before I knew it.
'Simp you, you're the only one who doesn't makes fun of me when I talk about the Almighty Shogun all day. You always listen to everything I said no matter how embarrassing I can be… And you even help me to keep up my rigorous training as my sparring partner.' A much younger me once said.
'Sure, no problem Sara. Is not like I can find a better sparring partner anyways.' That insufferable brat said back then.
We where having lunch under the sakura tree that grows outside our school… We went to school together and he was the only friend I could bother all day whiteout him walking out on me.
That day in particular, I remember it was that faithful day that we got into a fight… That I said back then…
'Simp I… Simp I always wanted to tell you something… that I…' I had finally mustered my courage to tell him how I felt, but he cut me off and said.
'That you love the Shogun?'
"CURSE THAT MAAAAAANNN!!!" I behowled in present.
"Eeeeeekl!" I once again heard that mysterious voice everyone says it's coming from the Shogun room at night when everyone is sleeping.
"Shia ha ha ha ha." The hag behind me began laughing for some reason.
This hag in question, we brought her here because she's a renowned Astrologer that can read the future.
We had hopes she could assure the Almighty Shogun that 'that' man would never show his dense as brick face around here. But the hag claimed she had to see the Almighty Shogun in person to work her magic on someone so powerful.
Then the day came and the hag just made things worse.
"Be quiet and remember the deal. You're here to assure her, not make her loose her mind again!"
The hag finished a gulp of the bottle of vodka she had in one hand and smoked her cigar with the other. After she was done exhaling smoke before the throne room she said.
"Fate has always been uncertain when it comes to gods, but as a stubborn apprentice of mine would say when the stars get to her head. 'Fate is called as such for it cannot be changed, nor can it be reversed. It can only but be accepted.' Don't know who taught her that nonsense though, I told her clearly that if she wishes to change fate she has but to look a her bright future and it will never be the same. Seriously is like she learned nothing from me in all her tutelage." The hag said before another drink and smoke combo again.
Honestly I'm quite preoccupied about how this will turn out, but we need the Almighty Shogun to take action in urgency.
That monster whale Mob Ivory has forced us to completely cut trade with the rest of Teyvat and to top it all off it even attacked one of our border patrol ships.
If things continue as they are we will lose our fishing grounds to that beats too. We need the Almighty Shogun to come out and reign it in.
I opened the door to the room after announcing myself in.
Before us was the vast room that makes the throne of our glorious leader. She sat calmly on her knees like she was meditating.
Just that strangely I noticed her eyes began to flash on and off in purple when she saw us.
"Your grace oh Almighty Shogun! I come bearing great news regarding the… Regarding the fate of…" I cut off before I knew it.
Curses! I can't assure her whiteout having to bring up that man first.
"Anyways, the fortune teller has come bearing a new and brighter future for you—"
"Oh no dear, I just looked and I still recommend she starts working on her stretches."
"Eeeaaaaaaahhhhh!" There was that mysterious woman scream coming near the Shogun, but her grace seems unbothered.
"You! Damn you hag! I thought we had a deal." I snapped.
"Yes, a deal. You bring me here and I see if her fate has changed in any way. And I said she's going to need some more flexibility for all the 'exercise' she'll be doing. Shia ha ha ha ha!"
"Noooooo aaaaahhhh!" There was that strange woman voice again.
Maybe an evil spirit has possessed the Shogun…? No, it would be unthinkable for something to even pose a threat to her much less dominate her like that.
I clenched my teeth at the merrily laughing hag who was spilling vodka and cigar ashes on the floor, and I directed my gaze at her grace.
She was looking as stoick as ever yet her eyes flashing has intensified almost as if it was from a hearth attack.
Here in this throne room where I had failed to dispel my leader worries again. I Kujou Sara shall vow to KILL that man to DEATH the next time we meet!