Chapter 2 - What rhymes with Hell and rings for your doom?
The gymnasium echoed with the rhythmic clash of bamboo swords as the kendo tournament unfolded. Akane tightened her grip on her shinai, adjusting her stance as the referee announced her next match.
She wondered if she'd be on the other side of theShiai-jo. Furinkan High had been the school Kasumi attended, after all. A monstrous figure echoed in her mind, tentacles with sharp edges and explosions tearing her family apart. She shook her head and focused on her grandmother's teachings. She felt her breathing stabilize and the images fading from her attention.
Across from her stood Tatewaki Kuno, the current champion of the nationals, a feat unheard of from a first-year student. Now in his sophomore year he looked like he had improved by leaps and bounds. His kendo armor was neatly arranged, but his headgear was still resting under his arm. Akane mirrored him, holding her own helmet by its straps as they prepared for the match.
Kuno's self-assured smirk and sharp features caught Akane's attention for a moment, and she begrudgingly admitted he was handsome—until he opened his mouth.
"Ah, Akane Tendo," Kuno declared, his voice loud enough to carry over the murmurs of the crowd. "I heard about you, as surely you have heard of me, the mighty Shooting Star of Furinkan" he smirked, as if expecting praise, and smiled at her. "You're a flower of unmatched beauty, destined to grace the halls of this tournament with her elegance, like a beautiful rose that grows on a swamp."
Akane blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, thanks, I guess?" she muttered, adjusting her helmet over her head. A rose growing in a swamp? Was he insulting Kami High, the gymnasium, or Kendo tournaments in general? The audience's whispers turned to snickers, and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Kuno raised his shinai dramatically. "Hear me, beautiful Akane! If I defeat you here, you shall grant me the honor of accompanying you on a date!"
Akane's embarrassment morphed into irritation. "What? No! How about you focus on the match instead of… whatever this is."
The referee sighed but signaled the match to begin. Akane lunged, her movements precise and practiced. Within moments, her shinai connected with Kuno's torso, landing the first point. The crowd cheered, but Kuno seemed undeterred.
"A mere setback," he announced, his stance growing more rigid. "But I, Tatewaki Kuno, shall not falter!"
Akane rolled her eyes and pressed the attack. Kuno's defense crumbled under her relentless strikes, his footing unsteady as she scored another clean hit.
"Two points! One more and Kami High advances to the next match!" the referee declared.
Kuno suddenly straightened, lowering his shinai just slightly. "Akane Tendo," he said with dramatic flair, his voice carrying over the murmurs of the crowd, "your unparalleled skill is matched only by your beauty. Surely, you cannot deny the undeniable connection we share!"
Akane blinked, her focus momentarily disrupted. "What?!" she blurted, heat rising to her face as her grip on her shinai faltered.
Taking advantage of her surprise, Kuno darted forward, landing a clean strike on her helmet. The referee raised a flag. "Point to Furinkan High!"
Akane's jaw tightened as she reset her stance. "Cheating by distracting me? Seriously?" she muttered under her breath, her irritation boiling over. When the match resumed, she didn't hold back. Her next strike smashed through Kuno's defense with sheer force, driving him backward and forcing him to crouch under the weight of her attack. Her shinai connected cleanly with his chest, earning her the final point.
The referee raised his flag. "Three points! Kami High wins!"
But before Akane could lower her guard, Kuno, desperation gleaming in his eyes, swung his shinai wildly. The bamboo sword slashed through the air, splintering Akane's shinai and grazing her left shoulder. Blood sprayed all over the floor.
A gasp rippled through the crowd. The referee blew the whistle, storming toward Kuno. "Tatewaki Kuno, you are disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct!"
Kuno turned on the referee, his face red with anger. "Disqualified? That should count as a point!"
Akane's voice cut through the uproar. "You had already lost, you moron!" Her eyes narrowed as she pressed a hand to her injured shoulder, blood staining the fabric of her gi.
Kuno opened his mouth to retort, but the referee stepped between them. "Enough. Leave the floor, Kuno."
Kuno removed his helmet, his eyes were red with tears and pride. "This is no longer a school match, my precious!" He rose his kunai one more time. "I've never met anyone so strong; you MUST date me!"
Akane's left hand hung limply at her side, her injured shoulder throbbing with each breath. She tightened her grip on her broken shinai with her right hand, her knuckles white with effort. The air pressure from Kuno's wild attacks whipped past her, slicing through the floor and walls with terrifying precision. She sidestepped another strike, her eyes narrowing as she calculated her next move.
"Get away! All of you, move!" she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos as her teammates scrambled for safety.
When Kuno lunged again, his face twisted with desperation and pride, Akane steadied herself. With a sharp breath, she hurled her broken shinai with pinpoint accuracy. The splintered weapon struck Kuno squarely between the eyes, the force of the impact snapping his head back and sending him crumpling to the floor, unconscious.
Akane exhaled sharply, her stance unwavering. "Get this piece of trash away from me," she muttered, her voice dripping with disdain as the gym fell silent.
Later, in the locker room, Akane leaned against a bench, unwrapping the bandage she'd hastily tied around her shoulder. Her phone buzzed on the bench next to her, its screen filled with notifications. She unlocked it to find a dozen messages, all from Momo.
Momo: Good luck out there!
Momo: You're gonna crush it!
Momo: This is so dumb. Why do guys suck?
Momo: He dumped me! I can't believe he left me! I thought he was my Ken Takakura!
Akane sighed, shaking her head. "Sounds like another classic Momo disaster."
Her thoughts were interrupted by the locker room door slamming open. The captain of the Kami High Kendo Club stood there, his face a mix of frustration and resignation.
"Tendo, we need to talk," he said, arms crossed.
Akane narrowed her eyes. "What about?"
"Look," the captain began, shifting uncomfortably. "Sports are supposed to be about testing your skills against people of similar strength. But you… you're a monster. It's not fair to the other competitors."
Akane's mood darkened. "A monster, huh?" she repeated, her voice low and dangerous.
The captain ran a hand through his hair, his posture stiff and deliberate as though trying to assert control over the situation. "We're grateful for you dealing with that monster, Kuno," he said, his voice laced with a faint bitterness. His sharp eyes darted to the ground momentarily before looking back on Akane. "But let's face it—you're no better. You and Kuno are both monsters who shouldn't be participating in sports meant for normal humans. I'm sure that after what he did, he'll be banned from future competitions."
Akane's voice dripped with sarcasm, her lips curling into a bitter smirk. "Oh, is that it? Giving you guys a chance, right?" Her words hung in the air, sharp enough to cut, as she glared at the captain, daring him to respond.
The captain flinched but pressed on. "You're banned from the team. Effective immediately."
Akane's temper flared. She grabbed the captain by the collar, effortlessly lifting him off the ground. "You think you can just call me a monster and walk away?" she growled, her grip tightening.
The captain's eyes widened in fear. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"
Akane dropped him unceremoniously, her injured shoulder flaring with sharp pain as she tried to mask a wince. Her other hand instinctively moved to press against the throbbing ache, but her anger overshadowed any concern for the wound. "You're an asshole," she said flatly, her voice icy. Without waiting for a response, she dropped him to the ground, and marched away, her steps heavy as she stomped out of the locker room.
Her phone buzzed again, and she took a deep breath, centering herself before sighed, and she tightened her phone in a grip as she stared at the horizon. "Men suck," she muttered when she answered the phone.
"Yes, they do, Akane, dear," her grandmother's voice came through, calm and familiar. "How'd the tournament go?"
Akane sighed, leaning against a wall outside the gym. "It… could've been better."
"Good. Because I need you to get a package something for me, a friend of mine had it delivered to our place, but I got notified that it was misplaced, and now someone has to pick it up on a delivery locker." She paused for effect. "And don't open it under any circumstances. You know what they say about curiosity and cats."
The sun hung high in the sky as Akane walked briskly toward the Delivery Locker on the edge of town. The streets were busy, but her focus was fixed on the errand Seiko had tasked her with.
"Why am I the one stuck running errands?" Akane muttered under her breath. She adjusted the straps of her backpack and quickened her pace, ignoring the faint buzz of her phone in her pocket. The notifications were probably from Momo, who had been extra annoying. After being dumped by her Ken Takakura-looking, good-for-nothing boyfriend, Momo had spent hours venting over voice messages and complaining about his lack of "manly honor." Akane wasn't in the mood for her cousin's usual chaos or melodrama, especially after dealing with Kuno earlier. She grunted in pain, massaging her shoulder. It would take a while to heal.
Akane approached the Delivery Locker and scanned the slip. A soft beep confirmed the match, and a compartment popped open. She reached inside, pulling out a medium-sized box. Her brow furrowed as she examined the ornate seals covering it. Unlike the familiar symbols her grandma often used, these were intricate and distinctly Chinese. The box was heavier than expected and gave off a faint chill that made her fingers tingle.
"Why would a friend of Grandma send her this?" she muttered, tucking the box under her arm and turning to leave. She also wondered who would be friends with her grandmother.
Just as she stepped away, someone brushed past her unexpectedly, and Akane jumped with a startled gasp, her heart skipping a beat. The package wobbled precariously in her grip. She tightened her hold, but in her panic, she gripped too hard, and a sharp crack echoed as part of the box splintered.
"Eep!" Akane yelped, her fingers slipping as the box dropped to the ground with a dull thud.
"Oh! Sorry about that!" came a voice. Akane turned to see one of Momo's school friends, looking flustered. Sucko? Muko? Ruko? Something like that. It was clear she had been walking while looking at her phone. "Wait, Tendo? What are you doing here?"
Akane bent down to pick up the slip. "Running an errand. What's it to you?" she said, brushing dust off her sports uniform.
Muko hesitated before stepping closer. "Have you heard from Momo? I've been trying to call her, but her phone is offline. That's… not normal for her."
Akane frowned, pulling out her own phone. She scrolled through her messages and saw several unread ones from Momo. With a sigh, she opened them. There was a wall of text all from Momo complaining about how she would never meet her Ken Takakura, and that she would be alone all her life like their grandmother. The last few messages, however, had a different tone.
Momo: Hey! OMG! I'm heading to Nagi Hospital!
Momo: Some occult nerd dared me to check out the vibes there. LOL wish me luck!
Momo: You better not tell Grandma!
Momo: Yeah, this place is super creepy. You'd hate it!
Akane's brow furrowed. "She said she's going to Nagi Hospital. Something about a dare?"
Muko's face went pale. "Nagi Hospital? Are you serious? That place is dangerous! People say it's cursed."
"Cursed?" Akane's tone was dismissive, but she couldn't ignore the knot forming in her stomach.
"It's an abandoned hospital! Scary!"
"Momo's always getting into trouble. She'll be fine."
"No, you don't understand," Muko insisted. "People who go to that hospital don't come back the same. Some don't come back at all."
Akane's grip tightened on the package slip. "Fine. I'll check on her. I'll text you if I find anything."
Muko's relief was palpable. "Thank you. Be careful, okay?"
Akane waved her off and looked down at the cracked box in her hands. "Oh, grandma said not to open it. I hope this doesn't count," she muttered, her voice laced with guilt. She turned the box in her hands, inspecting the broken seal. The symbols seemed to glow faintly for a moment before fading entirely. She shivered but dismissed it, chalking it up to her imagination.
As she walked, the messages from Momo replayed in her mind. Nagi Hospital wasn't far, and if Momo was really in trouble, Akane figured it wouldn't hurt to check on her. But her grip on the box tightened as unease crept into her chest. She could feel something off about it, like it was heavier than before, almost pulsing faintly in her hands.
She was halfway there when the box began to tremble violently. Akane froze in her tracks, her heart pounding as the vibrations grew stronger, the package rattling like it was alive.
"What the…?" she muttered, holding the box out in front of her. Her grip wavered as a low, ominous hum emanated from within, resonating through her arms and chest. Before she could react further, the seal on the box shattered with an audible snap. A burst of dark energy erupted, swirling around her like a whirlwind, and she stumbled back in shock, her grip on the box faltering entirely.
The box hit the ground and exploded, its contents spilling forth in a dark tornado as the energy coalesced into a menacing shape before her. Akane shielded her face instinctively, her mind racing with a mix of panic and disbelief as the creature emerged fully formed.
From the swirling energy emerged a large, rotund bakeneko with glowing yellow eyes and a golden bell around its neck. Its fur shimmered unnaturally, occasionally flickering like static on an old TV. The creature stretched dramatically; its exaggerated movements almost comedic against the eerie backdrop of swirling dark energy.
"AT LAST!" The creature roared, its voice echoing unnaturally, but with a strange, out-of-place melodramatic flair. "AFTER THREE HUNDRED YEARS, I AM FREE! MAOMOLIN HAS RETURNED!"
A pause lingered as the creature struck a pose, one paw outstretched theatrically toward the sky. Then, with a loud "ding!" from the bell around its neck, it abruptly broke the tension with a cheeky grin. "And aren't you the lucky one to witness it?"
Akane blinked, her shock quickly giving way to annoyance. "Seriously? A talking cat?"
Maomolin's grin widened, showing sharp, gleaming teeth. "Not just any cat, my dear! I am Maomolin, the great bakeneko! And YOU..." He pointed a clawed paw at her. "You shall be my bride!"
Akane's eye twitched. "Your what, now?"
"Your strength! Your beauty! Your…" Maomolin sniffed theatrically. "Your fear! It's perfect. Together, we shall reign over all cat-dom!"
"Over my dead body," Akane snapped, dropping into a fighting stance. "I'm not marrying some oversized housecat!"
The fight began abruptly, with Maomolin making the first move. His claws extended with a metallic scrape as he lunged at Akane, swiping with feral precision. Akane barely dodged, her instincts kicking in as she rolled to the side. She grimaced, holding her shoulder, and cursed that moron, Kuno for hurting her at the wrong possible time.
"You're faster than you look," Maomolin purred, circling her like a predator toying with its prey. He swiped again, his claws glinting menacingly in the light, and this time caught the edge of Akane's pants. The fabric tore with a sharp ripping sound, leaving a jagged cut along her side, her thighs were visible through the shredded pants. Akane gasped, her face flushing with equal parts shock and fury.
"Pervert!" she yelled, pointing an accusatory finger at the bakeneko. Maomolin froze mid-pose, his eyes widening in surprise.
"What?! No! That was… that was an accident!" he stammered, waving his paws defensively. "I respect women too much to..." His words trailed off as Akane's glare intensified.
"Sure, you do," Akane snapped, her smirk creeping onto her face as she darted forward. "Let's see how accidental your next bruise is!"
The yokai gave out astartled ducked under his swipes and delivered a sharp uppercut to his jaw. The bakeneko yowled and scrambled backward, clutching his face.
"Ow! What the heck was that for?" he whined, his confidence visibly shaken.
"You attacked me first, remember?" Akane retorted, her tone laced with mockery. She didn't let up, rushing him with a flurry of punches and kicks. Each hit sent Maomolin tumbling, his golden bell clanging discordantly with every impact.
"Stop that, you brute!" he cried, leaping onto a nearby car to create distance. The vehicle's alarm blared as the roof caved under his weight. He hissed, glaring at Akane. "You're not supposed to hit back this hard! Where's your fear? Your awe of my greatness?"
"Sorry to disappoint," Akane quipped, grabbing a loose plank from the alley and swinging it like a bat. She empowered her attack with a cry of, "Swing of the Orochi!" The makeshift weapon collided with Maomolin's side, sending him sprawling into a pile of trash cans with a metallic crash.
"That's it!" Maomolin snarled, scrambling to his feet. But before he could attack again, his form flickered unnaturally, and his bell let out a sharp chime.
"Oh no, no, no, this is not going according to plan!" he muttered, panic in his voice. Suddenly, his body began to dissolve into glowing particles, swirling downward and vanishing into the golden bell around his neck. The bell clanged loudly as it fell to the ground, landing with an almost comedic bounce.
Before Akane could react, the bell floated upward, wobbling unsteadily in the air. "Hah! You thought I was running? Think again!" Maomolin's muffled voice echoed from within, his tone dripping with defiance. "This distance? Strategic retreat, darling. Now, let's see how you deal with this!"
The bell stopped midair and spun wildly, releasing bursts of glowing energy that crackled as they surged toward Akane. She leapt to the side, vaulting over a fence to dodge the first attack. The second burst came faster, grazing her sleeve and singeing the fabric.
"A coward and a cheat!" Akane yelled, using a lamppost to propel herself back into the fray. She grabbed a loose trash can lid and hurled it at the bell, deflecting the next wave of energy with a metallic clang.
"I'll show you cheat!" Maomolin's voice retorted, the bell shaking as it prepared another attack. "I just wanted to treat you right, I would be a great husband! I'm a nice cat!"
Akane scoffed, her glare intensifying. "Oh, please. I hate men like you—not that you're a man. Always whining when things don't go your way and acting like the world owes them a girlfriend. Grow up!"
The bell spun wildly and shot off into the distance, zigzagging erratically like a drunken firefly. Akane stared after it, dumbfounded, before calculating how far away the bell was. Three meters? Four? She crouched and jumped.
The cat yokai screamed, seeing her rocketing towards him. "My bell!" He shrieked and sent a wave of glowing energy hurtling toward her.
Akane used a lamppost to propel herself back and vaulted over the attack. She twisted mid-jump, delivering a spinning kick that struck Maomolin's bell with a deafening "ding."
"Time to give up?" she taunted, landing gracefully.
The ghostly cat stumbled, his body reforming, his fur bristling as he struggled to recover. "Not a chance!" he spat, though the fear in his eyes betrayed his bravado. "You'll regret this!"
"Are those tears?" She taunted.
"No! The great Maomolin doesn't cry!" He cried.
Akane leapt onto a streetlamp and grabbed a power wire, her hands gripping tightly as she tested its flexibility. With a determined grin, she yanked hard, bending the pole slightly and snapping a thick wire loose. Sparks flew in a cascade of small explosions, lighting up the dim street like fireworks.
Using the pole as leverage, Akane launched herself at Maomolin, her movements fluid and acrobatic. The bakeneko's eyes widened as she came hurtling toward him like a missile. Her foot connected with his side with a resounding impact, sending him skidding across the pavement. His golden bell let out a discordant chime as he tumbled into a crumpled heap.
"Quit hitting me!" Maomolin exclaimed, flipping upright with uncanny agility for his large size. He clutched his side dramatically, his grin faltering for a moment. "But you'll have to do better than that if you want to best the great Maomolin!"
The bakeneko swiped his clawed paws, sending a wave of glowing energy slashing through the air. Akane ducked under it, but not before the edge of the attack sliced cleanly through her long hair. Strands of jet-black locks floated to the ground like falling leaves, and Akane froze momentarily, her eyes widening in shock.
"My hair?! You… you mangy dried old furball!" she shouted, her voice trembling with outrage. The fury in her eyes flared. Sparks erupted as she swung from the power cable, dodging another vacuum wave.
"You're going to regret that!" Akane snarled, vaulting off another lamppost and landing in a roll to avoid a follow-up attack. She grimaced as one of the strikes graced her injured shoulder, but kept going, using the cable as a makeshift whip, snapping it through the air to deflect further energy waves that Maomolin sent her way. The crackling sound of electricity filled the street as the cable danced like a living thing in her hands.
"You're fast, I'll give you that!" Maomolin wheezed, barely managing to steady himself on a parked car. His rotund body heaved with every breath, his fur ruffled and disheveled. He sent another volley of slicing energy blasts toward her, though it lacked the speed of his earlier attacks. "But can you keep up with me forever?"
Akane gritted her teeth and whipped the cable again, catching one of the blasts mid-air and dissipating it in a shower of sparks. "I don't need forever," she shot back, flipping onto a nearby railing and launching herself toward him. The cable followed her trajectory like an extension of her own body, crackling menacingly.
The bakeneko yelped as Akane closed the gap. His smug expression turning to panic. "You're nuts! Let's not get too hasty!" he stammered, leaping back to keep the distance, but Akane was relentless. The fight had turned personal, and there was no way she was letting him get away with ruining her hair.
"Aren't you supposed to be a bakeneko? What's with the energy attacks?" she demanded, vaulting over a low fence as Maomolin kept throwing blasts at her.
"I'm multi-talented!" Maomolin retorted, barely dodging a whip of the electrical wire, landing on a parked compact. The vehicle's alarm blared as his weight caved in the roof, but Maomolin paid it no mind. "Besides, wouldn't you rather lose to a bakeneko with style?"
"I'd rather not lose at all!" Akane shot back, grabbing a discarded trash can lid and hurling it like a frisbee. The lid struck Maomolin's bell with a resounding "ding," sending the cat reeling.
Seizing the opportunity, Akane closed the gap and delivered a flurry of punches, each strike landing with precision. She swept his legs out from under him and pinned him to the ground, her arm pressing against his neck.
"Had enough?" she growled, her breathing heavy but steady.
Maomolin let out a low, guttural laugh, his yellow eyes gleaming. "Impressive," he wheezed. "But not enough!"
With a burst of supernatural strength, Maomolin surged upward, throwing Akane off balance. He leapt onto a nearby lamppost, but his landing was anything but graceful. His claws scraped desperately against the metal as he teetered, almost toppling off. With a frantic yowl, he managed to claw his way back to the top, huffing and puffing with exaggerated relief.
"See? Perfectly executed!" he declared, his voice slightly strained as he glared down at Akane, his glowing eyes trying to mask his obvious struggle.
"Sure. Look, you're clearly too weak, go away, and I won't punch you no more."
"You dare defy me? Very well! I curse you, you tomboy!" Maomolin bellowed. A swirling energy surrounded Akane, and she felt a sharp, cold sensation run through her body. "Nine days, my bride! Marry me, and all will be well. Refuse, and you'll see what it means to be truly catty!"
Before she could retaliate, Maomolin vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving her standing in the middle of the street, breathing heavily. Blood started to taint her shoulder; her bandages tattered.
"Curse?" she muttered, shaking off the lingering chill, holding her shoulder with her right hand. She frowned, expecting something weird to happen. When nothing did, she sighed in relief. "Your curses are as weak as you, it seems."
Akane stared at the tattered box and resumed her journey. The streets grew quieter as the moon shone over the horizon, casting long, jagged shadows over the road. By the time she reached Nagi Hospital, the desolate structure loomed ahead like a giant, skeletal beast. Its windows were shattered, its walls streaked with grime, and its eerie silence seemed to pulse with an unnatural energy. Akane couldn't help but shiver as she stepped closer.
She froze mid-step as a deafening crash split the air. From the corner of her eye, she caught a streak of brilliant light cutting across the sky. Her heart pounded as the light grew brighter, spiraling downward before slamming into the street ahead with a metallic screech. The shockwave rippled through the ground, making her stumble.
Her gaze snapped upward at the moon hanging high above, flickering unnaturally. For a brief, chilling moment, it shimmered, before the surface erupted in flashes of light. Akane realized with a jolt that it wasn't the moon at all, but a massive, disguised… thing. The not-a-moon fractured in the sky, pieces breaking off and plummeting to the ground like fiery meteors. One large fragment exploded violently, sending a cascade of debris tumbling toward the horizon.
"What the heck is going on?" Akane muttered, gripping her shoulder tighter as her legs instinctively carried her closer to the chaos.
Dust and debris filled the air, and as it cleared, Akane squinted to make out the otherworldly silhouette of thenot-a-moon. Its surface gleaming with an unearthly sheen above the sky. She could hear faint, mechanical groans, like it was alive and wounded. For a moment, she wondered if she should turn back but remembered that Momo was supposed to be at that Hospital, and instead hastened her pace.
Before she could act, a strange tremor coursed through her body. Her knees buckled, and she dropped to the ground as a wave of weakness overwhelmed her. It was as though her energy was being drained, pulled away by invisible paws that left her limbs leaden and unresponsive. Her vision blurred, colors smearing together like wet paint, while a strange, low purr echoed in her ears, growing louder with every second.
"What… is this?" she whispered, her voice weak and cracking as she struggled to stay conscious. The world tilted, shadows bending unnaturally, and her surroundings faded into a swirling black void.
Above her, the massive structure spiraled downward, slamming into the pavement with a resounding metallic screech that seemed to reverberate through her very bones. It cracked asphalt shimmered and continued to let out small explosions like a coughing patient on its deathbed. Akane's eyes fluttered open briefly, catching glimpses of fiery debris scattered across the street and the eerie glow emanating from everywhere around her. Her muscles trembled uncontrollably, her body rebelling against her will to move.
The strange, draining sensation intensified, as though the very life was being siphoned from her core. "What… is this?" she whispered again, softer this time. Her breaths came in shallow gasps before her body finally gave in, collapsing fully to the ground as the world slipped away into blackness.