Stars Under the Oni mask.

Chapter one: The carriage at the oni shrine

The sound of footsteps tapping on pavement filled the quiet morning air. A small breeze rustled the leaves in the trees above, causing some loose leaves to fall underfoot and cover the paved path being taken by a lone person. Cream colored blonde hair was tied back, ending mid back. A pair of reddish orange antennae like hairs sprang over her head, barely missing big touched by the red oil paper parasol the young woman was holding. Her face hidden by a mask, tied on her face by a red and white string. The young woman kept walking, no words spilled from her lips as she passed an old statue of a beast that guarded the gate she walked through. She stopped at the two oni statues before the main gate.
The hidden eyes looked up to the two, the ferocious stone eyes stared back. Once again. The young woman looked ahead to walk to the shrine that lay before her. The shrine her family had taken care of for many years. The young woman walked up to the shrine and bowed to the wrinkled old man that was sitting on a rock and sipping tea. Beside the old man was a plate of botamochi. The rice cakes seemed to have been freshly made.
"Good morning grandfather. Didn't your doctor tell you to stop eating so many sweets?," the girl asked.
The man set his cup down and looked to his granddaughter, "Oh now, I can't just ignore the tradition of partaking in the Oni's favorite snack! Plus the doctor is a quack."

"Granpa, are you sure that you are just not wanting to give up your teatime snacks?," the girl inquired and crossed her arms over her chest.
Her grandfather scratched his head with nails that seemed to be more akin to claws, the two circular scars on his forehead were pale and smooth compared to his wrinkled and tan skin. The man grinned with his wizened face. That gave the young woman her answer.
"The oni never gave up his love of sweets.," the old man said, "You just need to relax."
"Didn't the oni supposedly curse our ancestor?," the blonde teen girl asked, "Isn't the curse why we have these unnatural features?"
The old man laughed, "Curses depend on what they are. It could be a blessing in disguise."
The old man hopped off of the stone and took the unoccupied hand of the young woman. He pulled her into the large building. The white statue of the oni sat in a kneeling position in the shrine. Candles and incense were lit around the statue. Mochis and other sweets lined the altar.
"The story is synonymous with both our family and this shrine.," the old man smiled as he looked up to the gentle looking statue gazing down to the two, "I once thought he was trying to reincarnate using your father. But it just turns out my son had a bit of a rebellious streak during his teenage years."
The girl looked at the statue. The supposed oni looked more like a human or heavenly being instead of a mischievous and mysterious horned supernatural creature. She stuck her tongue out at the statue. If he was the reason her family had these afflictions, that's all he's going to get from her.

"Hoshi, come here.," her grandfather spoke and beckoned her to follow, "grandma and I want to give you something."
The cream haired young woman followed her grandfather to where his wife sat, next to her was an ancient looking box with a rope and tag on it. The old woman picked up the box and held it out to her granddaughter. Hoshi sat on the pillow before her grandmother and took the box. She opened the box and looked at the item inside. It was a mask. It was carved to resemble an Oni's face. Painted beautifully. It looked to be an antique. Of course it had to be an oni.
"Grandpa, this mask looks old.," Hoshi said, "Where did you get it?"
"It's one of our family's treasures, we've been keeping it for you., " Her grandmother answered, "The mask is sturdy ironwood, so you don't have to worry about it."
Grandfather chuckled as well, "It's said that our ancestor herself had that mask comissioned to wear before the great oni. So you should have it to carry on our family tradition."
The masked girl took the mask from its confines. She brushed over the horns that seemed to be some sort of stone. The teeth also looked to be made of a strange stone. The eyes looked tp be a type of carved gemstone. The mask itself looked so real, like the snarling oni it depicted was going to snap at her hand to feast on her.
"Thank you.," the young woman said and bowed to the elderly couple.
"Go ahead and try it on!," the cheerful elderly woman chimed, "I've been waiting to see someone wear it."
Hoshi took her own mask that depicted a pretty lady face off, her own face felt bare and exposed without a covering. She placed the old mask on her face and tied the string behind her head. The decorative bells and ties on the mask chimed.