Of Yokai and Hopeless Romantics

Chapter 11

After another busy week, Benihime was looking forward to that Saturday and their camping trip. The night before Noriko, Mari, Yayaka, Inna, Shoji, and Shige, had met up and all managed to finish their homework, thanks to Mari's assistance so they would be carefree for the weekend. The group met up in the courtyard at the heart of the dorms' first floor. A lush space with flowers, a koi pond, capped by a pyramid skylight, it was a favorite space for both staff and students that lived in the dorms. The group had a quick breakfast, that Benihime had made with Noriko's assistance, and headed off to Mt. Mitake. Sasayama Academy was at the foot of Mt. Mitake, it took only an hour for the group to leave behind the campus and be deep in the woods that surrounded the mountain. Once they found a campground they set about setting up camp. Shoji, Shige, and Inna were left amazed at how acclimated the yokai girls were to the outdoors. It might seem like an odd contradiction, Yayaka, and Benihime, two of the most feminine girls in Sasayama Academy, rolling up their sleeves and driving spikes into the ground and collecting firewood, but the two of them never batted an eye at the work. The forest was more like the Yokai World they all came from, just being there was relaxing to Benihime.

After setting up, Yayaka and Inna said they were going to go off bird watching, while Mari insisted Benihime and Shige go on a hike with her. Benihime knew Mari had ulterior motives, but this time she believed those motives revolved around giving Noriko and Shoji alone time.

" Come on you two hurry up, you're so slow," Mari said as she raced up the trail.

" Slow down Mari-san, this is a hike, not a run," Benihime yelled at her, there was no way she or Shige could keep up with her.

" Oh! What's that?" Mari said and jumped off the trail into the forest.

" Wait don't go running into the forest," Shige yelled as he and Benihime ran after Mari.

They followed her through the forest, but she vanished from sight when the two were a good distance into the woods.

" Where did she go we have to find her," Shige said panic in his voice.

" No we should head back to the trail and to camp," Benihime said, she was not going to play Mari's game. " Mari-san knows these woods, she will not get lost, but we might."

" We can't just leave her," Shige said.

" If we go deeper into the woods, we will become lost ourselves. What we should do is return to camp, if Mari-san does not return we will search for her with everyone else as a group," Benihime said.

" You're right, I need to stay level-headed like...."

Shige was interrupted by a scream from Mari. Both of them took off running in the direction of the scream. They reached a clearing, but what was waiting for them there was not Mari, but a bear. The massive black bear raised up on its hind legs and let out a terrifying roar.

" Get back Benihime-san, run," Shige said picking up a stick and getting between her and the bear.

Benihime did not run, the bear was giving off yokai aura a very familiar yokai aura. She put her hand on Shige's shoulder, the poor boy was trembling in fear, yet he still stood between her and the bear. This had gone too far, Benihime was getting angry, the temperature had begun to drop as her own aura seeped out of her. " Stop this now! Go, leave before you anger me further!"

Mari looked at Benihime, it was hard to tell, but it seemed she realized her mistake and took off.

" What.... what just happened, did you scare the bear?" Shige asked in shock.

" It's ok I don't think it will be back," Benihime said as she tried to rein in her anger.

Shige kept stuttering, his shaking became worse and finally, his legs buckled. He was having a panic attack, which made sense considering he had thought his life was likely going to end. His sensitivity must have worked against him too, as he was must have been overwhelmed by Mari's and Benihime's auras. Benihime did the only thing she could think of doing, she fell to her knees and enveloped Shige in a hug, holding him tightly and rocking back and forth. Benihime didn't say anything, she did not think she could find the proper words for this situation.