Through the jungle and the forest, therein lay a mountain. Panning from the bottom up high above the skies and clouds.
Above the mountain perched atop its flat rests a rock. Throughout the decades, generations, and centuries, as the howls of storms and winds blew, it lies there…
.
Unwavering,
"Yuuki…"
.
Unyielding,
"Yuuki…"
.
Undying…,
"Yuuki…!"
.
and only when calamity came as the peaches rained and thunder struck, with the world of man changing forevermore…
It cracked.
"YUUKI…!"
"W-Wha-?!", I exclaimed, hastily raising my head from my desk.
I looked around, remembering where I was, seeing my classmates staring at me as they fail to hide their grins and laughs of amusement.
Realizing this, I looked at my teacher, who had a very angry look on her face.
Whoops…
She took a deep breath… and smiled.
"Yuuki…", she said with a serene tone of voice.
I gulped.
"Y-Yes ma'am…?", I answered nervously, stuttering, as I wiped some excess drool off my mouth.
She tilted her head with a not-so-innocent smile.
"Pray tell, you wouldn't happen to be sleeping in my class are you…?", she asked.
"I w-wouldn't dare!", I refuted, shaking my head in denial, which only seemed to make her angrier.
"Oh…? Is that so?", she said with sarcasm. "Then perhaps you wouldn't mind giving me your exam paper, considering you must be done answering them!", she spat with thinly concealed venom.
"Uh…ahahaha!", I laughed nervously…
"Well, you see…", I continued while grabbing my test paper as I looked through it, scanning from top to bottom as if the answers would appear if I continued to do so.
Suddenly, a buzzing sound rang, prompting me to stop as I realized it was my phone…
Hmmm, okay.
I smirked, catching her off guard.
"Welp, if you insist teach!", I said confidently as I stood up and walked towards the front leisurely, exam papers in hand, which made everyone befuddled.
But none more-so than my teacher who, once I handed over my papers, nearly dropped her jaw to the ground.
"Here you go then!", I exclaimed as I heard various shouts of my classmates in denial.
"N-No way!", one exclaimed in disbelief.
"He actually got it done… in thirty minutes?", another said.
"W-Well then!", my teacher exclaimed, shocked. "It seems I've been mistaken-", she continued, seemingly trying to apologize.
"No need for that~!", I said cheekily prompting her to blush. "I'll be going off now!", and before she could even reply, I briskly walked out the classroom…
…and as soon as I was out…
I ran.
After all, … I only answered less than half of what was even in there…
"YUUKI WAKURA!", I heard right behind me as I kept running.
Haha… sorry teach.
I laughed dryly. It wasn't my fault, really it wasn't! It was all those numbers and letters I tell you! I mean really, the numbers were already hard enough, why'd they have to mix in letters like x, y, z!?
Haah… no helping it, I'll just make up with my philosophy class!
I thought as I waded through students in the halls, uttering "Excuse me!" and "Coming through!", as I passed by. After a bit of hassle, I finally found it… my locker!
I opened it up grinning, as I grabbed the assortments inside, which included a duffle bag containing various cleaning materials and finally… my trusty broom!
After all, I had a friend in danger…!
"Aghh… what do I do…?!", a young man, with spikey hair and noticeably huge lips, exclaimed while pacing, seeming to be troubled as he continued to bite his thumb in anxiousness.
"The place is a mess…! If I don't get it cleaned in 30 minutes, I'm screwed!", he continued as he bit his thumb on one hand in anxiousness as he held his phone on the other. "He says he's coming but isn't he taking a test right now?", he reflected as he turned over at the text message he'd sent.
.
Yuuki! can you pls come rn, I knw we agreed on the afternoon but I rlly need you bruh -
- Bet.
.
"…and our school is a ways from where I'm at…", he bemoaned. "I'm so screwed…!" He yelled, clutching his head.
"Don't count your chickens just yet!", a voice exclaimed.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed over him blocking the sun's ray, prompting him to turn.
"Y-Yuuki!", he cried out in surprise as he watched his 'savior' leaping above the concrete wall, duffle bag on his back and a broomstick on his hand. I landed over the flush grass with both my feet, as I struck the back end of the broom onto the field causing a light shockwave of air, halting my momentum.
"The Great Yuuki Wakura is here to save the day!", I exclaimed standing up as I spun my broom, hoisting it above my shoulders with a smirk.
"Yuuki!", my friend immediately jumped onto my legs hugging them, "I-I thought you wouldn't make it…!", he exclaimed gratefully.
"I said I was coming, didn't I?", I said with amusement looking down at him, prompting him to look back up at me.
"You were over fifty blocks away! Even with the train you'd have taken at least 35 minutes just to get here!", he refuted, which caught me off guard.
"Uh…", I looked away nervously. "A-Anyway! Shouldn't we get to cleaning?!", I 'flawlessly' tried to change the topic.
"…Ah! Right!", my friend exclaimed, quickly recovering as he stood up, leading me to the building he had rented.
Phew…
And with that, came another problem…
"…what am I looking at?", I asked him, dazed as I looked around the place, if you could even call it sanitary.
"I know!", my friend exclaimed. "Really! I had no choice, considering the fact most of the money was dumped into decorations, presents, food and whatnot, I had to make do with the cheapest I could find, and this was it!", he continued to explain as we walked around inside.
"I just… didn't expect it to be this bad…", he bemoaned as I examined the interior of the building filled with dust, spiderwebs, and even bits n pieces of leftover trash…
Probably from those who last used this place to be honest.
"You really should have appointed my services at an earlier date y'know?", I pointed out bemusedly.
"Give me a break… I genuinely thought we could do it! If only my family hadn't gotten so excited and decided to leave their province earlier than expected…", he continued to complain as I listened to his rants.
As amusing as this was, I hated seeing my friend so troubled.
"Alright alright, I never said we couldn't do it~!", I rebuffed cheekily, giving him hope.
"R-Really!?", he asked ecstatically. "I knew you were a lifesaver!", he yelled as he tried to hug me again, to which I sidestepped.
"Calm your jets now", I placated, dropping my duffle bag onto the ground, kicking a light dusting in the air, as I brought down my broom from my shoulders, giving it a light twirl.
"Before that however…", I said as I walked to a nearby glass window, opening it. "You may want to step back brother.", I told him, prompting him to step back short.
"Let's take care of the dust shall we?", I exclaimed with a smirk as I raised my foot up high.
and slammed it down.
The perimeter shook as dust from the ground, ceiling, and walls, all came undone as they floated in the air.
"Ack!", my friend cried out, some dust getting onto his eyes.
I did warn him.
I brought my broom up grabbing it with both hands and started twirling it at impressive speeds.
My movements were precise. I went back and forth with both hands switching the rotations left then right, creating suction on both sides. Dust in the air started gathering to where I was as I glided through the floor dragging them right behind. I continued to spin, where it went, the dust followed creating an almost ephemeral dance between me and the dust around. As soon as everything was sucked at a certain point, I dragged my still spinning broom near the open window with my one hand. I then started reeling my other backwards until…
BAM !
I slammed my reeled open palm onto the broom causing the gathered wind to be pushed forth, a light shockwave appearing, causing the dust within the vortex to be pushed out into the open window…
And with that, all the dust in the room had been flushed out.
"…Woah…", I heard my friend whisper out in awe.
Smiling as I relaxed twirling my broom back onto my shoulders, I turned towards him with a smirk.
"Wanna take a pic?", I teased him, smiling as he sputtered.
"…I can see how you've earned the title of 'Great Caretaker' around these parts…", he continued, totally not adding onto my ego or anything…
I pointed at my duffle bag, telling him to get the other supplies for cleaning which both me and him could use.
"Come brother! Let's vanquish this filth together!", I voiced out playfully as I snapped my cleaning gloves onto place.
"Right!", my friend agreed as we headed.
…
"…actually didn't you have an exam tod-"
"Less talking, more cleaning brother…! Ahaha…"
And so, throughout the remaining time, we cleaned, we organized, we cooked…!
and so…
""Cheers~!""
Everyone chorused as the clinking of wine cups resounded throughout the building with laughter bubbling forth.
It was already afternoon when he had finished cleaning just in time for the family to arrive. Said family consisted of both his grandparents, parents, three sisters, and two brothers… That hasn't even considered his family's other relatives…
Jeez, no wonder he had to rent out a building.
"Mmmm~. This wine is delicious!", my friend's mother uttered as she then turned towards him.
"I really love what you've done with the place dear.", she continued proudly looking around the building interior, and it wasn't hard to understand why.
Chandeliers lit high on the ceiling; the golden hue exuded which creates a scenic moment adorning the entire interior with its shine. The tables and chairs properly arranged, windows cleaned, and the floor practically spotless, reflecting the relatives and families who went and joined in.
And of course the food…
"Brosher… were-" *nom nom "-you acshually able to prepare all thish?", his little sister asked while chewing with stars in her eyes. "Ish sho delicioushh~!", she tried to speak.
"Amy! Don't go talking with your mouth full!", my friend hurried to wipe her cheek with a tissue as the family laughed in amusement.
I, on the other hand, probably had a permanent smile stuck on my face as I heard everyone's comment on the food…
"I agree, the food here is exquisite!", muttered a distant relative.
"Mom, we want more of this!", children ecstatic.
"I wonder who made all these… why I would pay for such a fine meal~!"
Oh what was that? I'm sorry I couldn't quite hear that properly~! Can you say it again please? It's yummy right? You want more? more… !?
"Hays… to answer your question though…", my friend continued as he got up wrapping an arm around my shoulder, snapping me out of my daydreams. "It's because of my man right here!", he answered with a smile.
"Y-Yuuki Wakura at your service!"I answered, stuttering a bit.
"Wait, Yuuki Wakura? Ahh, so you're the one my son has been talking about…", his father mentioned.
"Oh?", I asked in surprise.
"Yep…! Couldn't stop mentioning how cool and awesome you were n all that.", his older sister continued as she took a sip. "We almost thought he was into guys or something.", she finished rolling her eyes.
"S-Sis..!", he exclaimed looking at her.
"Y-You are…?", I asked with dread.
"HELL NO!", he yelled desperately, his head snapping onto me, as his family laughed at our antics.
"But really, this food is quite amazing. Is it true you cooked these Yuuki?", his father asked.
"Yes, I did! With a little help of course~.", I announced proudly as I wrapped my arm around my friend, before smiling cheekily. "Just a little of course…", I continued while he spat rebuttals.
"Oi oi, I can agree with the cleaning, but you can't hog all the food by yourself!", he argued indignantly.
"To be fair, I was guiding you throughout all of it, so really?", I argued back, grinning.
It's no surprise I'm great with my cooking skills. Not just that but every household related chore! Whether it be cleaning, cooking, sewing, you name it, I mastered it…!
…Albeit I just wished it wasn't due to me being such a clumsy child since I ended up breaking everything and anything I touched, and so my sister decided I take responsibility for my own actions by learning just how hard it was to clean up the mess I made…
"If you wanna argue, you're gonna have to answer to my sister y'know? I'm sure she'd be happy to tell you just how outmatched you are dear brother!", I answered challengingly.
Just as we were about to continue, my phone buzzed, prompting me to check it.
"Ah, speaking of my sister…, looks like its about time I headed off!", I announced, excusing myself.
"S'it you're curfew man?", my friend asked.
"Yep, else I'd have to deal with my sister's wrath… hehe", I confirmed as I started packing my duffle bag.
"Can't be helped then.", my friend shrugged before smiling at me, "Still…", he raised his fist.
"Thanks for your help man, I really couldn't have done this without you.", he thanked smiling gratefully. "You made this day ten times better!", he exclaimed.
"Of course, we're friends after all!", I returned sincerely with a grin of my own, pumping his fist back with mine. "See'ya next week brother! Enjoy the party!", I uttered out looking back as I began walking through the exit, duffle bag on my back and my trust broom in hand, as he and his family waved goodbye.
I strolled past the building's exit, raising my arms in a satisfying stretch as my joints popped and cracked.
Ahhh~, I probably just flunked my exams… but atleast I was able to help my friend.
I chuckled ruefully
Now, time to get back home, else my sis would probably- hmm?
My musings were stopped as I suddenly sensed a distortion in the air…
This is…
I looked towards my left to see a crack forming in the space getting bigger and bigger, webs tearing through reality. It didn't take me long to realize what was happening as a dark giant hand reached outwards, followed by a hulking mass of body…
It's the Shuuki…
-and not just one, but more and more came out, around five, as they all started walking forth. Snarls and unnatural grins plastered on their faces, if it could even be called that.
Of all times…!
I looked back towards the building where my friend was probably having the time of his life with his family whom he probably hadn't seen in a long while. With the Shuukis' presence, no doubt the celebration would end up disrupted.
and I…
"You made this day ten times better!"
"Haaah… sorry sis", I sighed and muttered not-so-regretfully, as I stood my ground against the monstrosities, prompting them to take notice.
"Looks like I'm working overtime…!", I announced with a grin, twirling my broom, as I pointed it at the Shuukis.
As the Shuukis snarled and ran towards me in retaliation…!
Or they would be, if they weren't so sluggishly slow.
To a normal person, perhaps they would be moving at quite impressive speeds-especially with their size, I mused…
However, I was anything but normal.
With the noise going on from the party, they probably wouldn't hear much from outside, and luckily considering how old this place is…
I looked around, spotting the cameras in the vicinity.
…there were bound to be blind spots, and it just so happened to be…
I leapt backwards, leading to the Shuukis and just as they were all within reach… I smiled feral.
right here…!
"Time to sweep the opposition…!"
dum~ dum~ dumm~ *Boom- dum~
"Oh..? Did the music…?", one of the relatives noticed.
"Woah… brother, I thought we agreed on classical music, what's with the backdrop?", one of the siblings asked.
"Uhh? But it was supposed to be classical…", answered the confused friend.
Boom dum dum~ *Boom dum~
"...Well, this isn't so bad either huhu~", chuckled one of the members.
"-Really hope they aren't hearing this…", I muttered just as I bashed a Shuuki in the head with my broom tip sending it flying backwards, creating an audible boom from the force.
A shadow loomed over me, revealing itself to be a Shuuki going for a grab, to which I somersaulted backwards, striking the back of its head in the process. Landing, I immediately finished it off with a sweep, causing the still disoriented Shuuki to tip sideways while breaking its leg in the process. Not that it had any need for it anyways as it soon died after I leapt up, broom overhead, finishing it off with a slam on its head. The sheer pressure cracking its head and the ground in the process.
"That's two swept…", I observed, as I regained my stance, broom behind. "Three to go~.", I glared.
I'm Yuuki Wakura, and I wasn't normal.
I dashed forward towards the trio, as they came, sliding under the first in between its legs, then springing off the ground with my hands kicking the second on its chest sending it upwards. Using the momentum, I followed it upwards flipping in the air as I did so with my feet ready to spring.
In this world where only women had abilities through the consumption of 'Peaches', I alone was the exception.
Smiling cheekily, I kicked once more, but downwards, which launched the airborne Shuuki straight to its third comrade, smashing them both onto the ground. A slight bit of debris was launched as I backflipped from the momentum in the air towards the first one which was looking back at me in the process of swinging-.
I was fast.
-only to hit nothing but an afterimage. With a gust of wind, I was already behind it.
The Shuuki however, used its momentum from the swing to completely spin around back at me. Its huge fist came right down from an overhead swing, to which I responded by raising my broom with both hands to block. Predictably, the sheer weight and pressure from the swing shattered straight through the broom-!
-only to be stopped dead by my hands. The downpour of air pressure shifted the leaves around, cracking the ground beneath my feet.
I was tough.
"Heh.", I grinned.
My hands gripped tighter onto the offending fist, crushing it, making the Shuuki wail. With a firm grip, I pulled myself towards the Shuuki's lower abdominal, raising my foot as I delivered a sideways kick straight through. The sheer pressure caused a ripple through its lower abdominal, as it was launched with a resounding boom, towards its fellow brethren knocking them back over.
-and I was strong…
"...Phew.", I let out, holding my pose just a bit longer before bringing my foot back down, seeing as they weren't coming back up.
The bodies usually disappear in a few minutes, thankfully…
I looked at the broken remainders of my broom on the grass. Shame.
"That one lasted the longest too…", I bemoaned sadly.
That was when a huge gust of wind blew from behind me as a giant shadow loomed over twice as big as the three Shuuki's overhead.
Turning to the sky I saw a huge airborne Shuuki, spikes on its shoulders, and two giant fists raised above its head coming down straight at me.
Crap! Weren't there only five?! It must've come out of the portal right after… I got careless!
It started coming down, just a few feet above me, and with my back turned. my mind accelerated.
With the speed it's going, it's definitely not just going to cause a minor crack, but a major shockwave reaching onto the building… Even if I block it, the excess force would still end up causing a huge explosive shock… I can't let that happen!
As the thought entered my mind, everything stood still in a single instant. A single moment, just one, with everything still. The leaves in the air, the birds flying high, the wind blowing and sounds of laughter and chatter coming from the building, all just came to a standstill in that one moment…
The Shuuki was still up high in the air, the clouds still in the night sky, the stars barely visible-
-but I, who had been staring…
was long gone.
I was already on them, both my feet planted on its exposed open stomach, crunching them in preparation to extend. In that one moment… I pushed.
The moment passed-
BOOOM
-the stars shined bright and the clouds no longer filled the night sky.
.
Really strong.
It's official, this was the best day of the year by far… and honestly, it couldn't have been possible without my dear o'l friend.
I thought gratefully as I watched my family and relatives catch up with one another, joyful in their presence. Hopefully Yuuki got home in time, else I might end up being blamed for his tardiness. I mean, it wouldn't be the first time that his sister came after me…
I shivered.
"So beautiful, yet terrifying.", I complained, shivering, reminiscing when she almost bent me like a pretzel for picking on Yuuki when we were children…
Which, come to think of it, was how me and him became friends in the first place.
"Sis! It's okay! we were just playing with one another…!"
I chuckled amused, as Yuuki then clearly took my not so innocent bashing and comments in stride… either that or he was too dumb to realize what I was doing back then, which he probably had been.
From then on, he kept looking for me in order to 'play' as he calls it…
I reminisced in the past, and just as I was about to drink my champagne… a resounding boom echoed throughout the building.
Said boom shook the entire structure, causing my drink to spill. Chandeliers swung wildly, tables and chairs vibrated in place, and utensils clattered and fell onto the floor, and others almost lost their footing.
"W-What was that?!", my father exclaimed frantically, I wasn't any better.
As the entire building came to a standstill, everyone was now anxious and frightened, after all, this wasn't exactly an unfamiliar situation. My heart filled with dread.
Could it be… the Shuu-.
"-Hey! everyone!"
My worries were interrupted by the cheerful voice of my friend…!
"Y-Yuuki?", I asked in surprise.
"Haha… I know I said I left earlier, w-which I did! but I actually forgot something so I ran all the way here-", he continued speaking as he entered. "I gotta say that, that THUNDER-STRIKE nearby was quite explosive. I didn't expect it to be so close, I was quite surprised! Haha", he said dryly, as if clarifying something...
"A-Ah… wait, so what happened earlier..?", one of my relatives asked in hope.
"Oh, you guys felt it too?", Yuuki asked in surprise, confirming our thoughts.
And just like that, I felt all the tension leave my body, and so did everyone in the room. I sighed in relief.
"Oh thank God… ahaha!", I laughed. "Man, we thought it was the Shuuki, guess it was just a bit of thunder eh?"
"Y-Yeah, totally…", Yuuki looked away for some reason.
"Weird… during the weather forecast, it never mentioned any storms and whatnot.", my brother pointed out.
"Ahh well, you know how it is! Weather is quite unpredictable these days, y'know? Global warming n all that stuff ahahaha!", Yuuki continued scratching the back of his head. "Welp! I really should be going now, I-I'll see you brother next week! Have fun!", he ended as he started walking back towards the entrance.
"Wait, what about your missing-?"
"Ahhh, that can wait until tomorrow or something, yeah, really gotta go bye-!", he finished immediately waltzing back towards and out the entrance, shutting it closed.
"Phew…!", I let out.
I slumped on the entrance doors in relief, that was a close one…My efforts almost went to waste.
Luckily I was able to clear up the 'misunderstanding', heh.
It wasn't over however, as I got up and walked back to where the crack, now revealed to be a portal, still was…
"Hays, can't you just disappear already…?", I glared at it, as if it'd make the offending crack in reality disappear.
The Mato world, a dimension which seemingly appeared out of nowhere in the last decades. No one knew where they came from, only as entrances started appearing all over Japan did everyone start taking notice. Within the dimension resides monstrosities known as the Yomotsu Shuuki, or Shuuki in short. Conventional weapons no longer sufficed in taking these monstrosities down, but hope was not all lost as the dimension also provided the so called 'Peaches', which granted special abilities when eaten…
Although, it only worked on women…
As such, the establishment of the Anti-Demon Corpse came to be, or the Mato Defense Force, filled exclusively with women with powerful peach abilities.
"...I really wished that wasn't the case…", I reflected.
When my family and sister found out about my abilities, they immediately told me to keep them hidden, no matter what, and that only if my life were ever in danger could I use it. Due to the society we lived in, I would be treated as an abnormality, and would most likely be treated oddly at best, or captured and even experimented on at worst, or so they say…
But personally, if I had to say what worried me most about all this, it would be my family getting involved.
As such, and as promised, I kept my abilities hidden for most of my life… is what I would say if I hadn't just done what I did!
I looked down solemnly, torn.
I knew that I shouldn't be using these abilities, I knew that I should be playing it safe, keeping it hidden no matter what. I shouldn't be fighting these Shuukis, exposing myself like this, I should just be happy with my family and what I've already got.
"Heck, I even have a reputation as the best caretaker in this neighborhood!", I announced proudly, I should be satisfied with this!
…but still, somewhere inside me, I just knew… it wasn't my nature to do so.
I just couldn't help it. I had these powers for a reason, there MUST be a reason! The dreams I have, a stone atop a mountain, a mountain stretching up high above the clouds reaching further and further…!
.
"Yuuki Wakura… that will be your name, my sweet baby."
"One-thousand points Yuuki! For being the cutest brother ever!"
.
"...but there's no helping it.", I ended up saying with a resigned smile.
After all, as much as I wanted to, my family would always come first. I loved them too much, especially my sister.
"Well, it's about time I headed home, my sister would probably bite my head off now regardless.", I chuckled mirthfully. "Besides, the MDF is probably taking care of it on the other side already, so, there's nothing to worry about at this point… yeah.", I finished as I started taking my first step, intent on returning home.
but I stopped.
The portal still in the air shimmered, only the sounds of distortion in the air present.
But… if another Shuuki comes out… then I can't help it now can I?
I bit my lips, and turned back at the portal,
Just one more, if nothing comes out in the next ten seconds, I'm leaving. I'll continue to live the life of 'Yuuki Wakura', a normal student with a loving family, known as the Great Caretaker of the neighborhood!
So please…
My face hidden as I stared at the portal, holding my breath, as if awaiting for an answer…
-and it came.
In the form of a Shuuki's head, which exited out the portal. Only about halfway had I realized it'd been cut cleanly from the neck, as it was severed from the torso, which came spilling forth from the portal, then…
A blade, sharp glistening from the moonlight above the sky, came forth coated in the Shuuki's blood. Before I could admire it further, luscious long white hair filled my vision, as a woman exited out the same portal. The moon behind her shone, emphasizing her figure, as she brought her blade down swiftly, splattering the blood and cleaning it.
"Looks like I made it just in time.", she commented, as she sheathed her blade, before shifting her attention to me in which, her eyes opened wide as if surprised.
Her eyes were a mesmerizing red, staring into my own golden ones… We stared at one another for a moment, before she opened her mouth.
"...For a person who almost got attacked by a Shuuki… aren't you quite carefree?", she continued.
Huh? What does she mean? Carefree? Me?
Too busy was I staring, that I hadn't noticed my face at the moment… had the brightest smile rivaling the heavens.
Here, underneath the parted clouds as the moonlight shined. This was it, the beginning of how I, Yuuki Wakura, began my journey of becoming…
'The Great Caretaker Equal to Mato' !
.
.
.
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Author's Note:
Welp, here we go. This is just something that has been on my wind, and I thought why not? First ever fanfic that I've written. Don't know where its going, but we'll see...!