...
AKIO EXPECTED to hear the faint sounds of the woman's feet. Nothing came, just silence. The redhead glanced at the man next to him, a familiar unreadable look adorned the seller's face.
"Are you here to book a room?" Akio jumped, he turned around to face the soft voice. It was the woman. She had a kind smile on her perfect face, it made her more ethereal. However, Akio didn't fall for her charms, he knew what she was.
"Yes, we are," Kusuriuri spoke, Akio turned to face the man, then back at the woman.
While Kusuriuri and the lady discussed what room they'll be checking in, Akio looked all around the inn a second time.
Yes, the place looked old but there were many decorations to make up for the aged inn. They were many banners and pottery placed all over. It almost seemed cluttered.
Akio hated every second of being here. The off feeling he got whenever he was near a Mononoke was one he didn't feel any comfort from feeling. This placed reeked of the feeling. He was sure he was going to die. However, Akio tried his best to ignore it and put on a poker face. Ignoring didn't work but at least his poker face seemed fine.
"Hurry up." Akio hastily turned to the mysterious man and followed him. The red-haired teen slaughtered towards the man, hoping to keep up his cool facade. Seeing is companion gradually getting further and further away made Akio scrap that idea and run to the older man.
---
Kusuriuri glanced at the rushing teen, a smirk married onto his face. He hasn't had this much entertainment in a while. His thoughts then went back to a young girl he met named Kayo. She was kind. Akio was also kind.
He then began to compare the two to himself. Their looks for starters were complete opposites. While Kayo had dark hair, Akio had bright red hair, redder than an apple. Their skins were different as well. Not just in color, Kayo had smoother skin while Akio's wasn't dirty but it was clear he didn't take care of it. Kayo's eyes were a generic brown, Akio's were bright green, almost sea green.
They also had similarities. For example, the two were around the same age. The two were also terrified of Mononoke. Albeit, Kayo was more childish about it.
His smirk turned more genuine the longer his thoughts went on.
The big thing about them was that they believed in Mononoke, which them more considerably tolerable.
Kusuriuri glanced at the teen once more. He wondered if he would see Akio again next time.
---
Akio laid on the bed and groaned, he was bored out of his mind. An hour had passed since they first checked in. Kusuiruir wasn't with him, he went out to get more info, Akio opted to keep an eye on the lady.
He regretted ever choosing to stay behind. The woman left a couple of minutes ago, no he did not know why. But he knew it wasn't for a good reason. Before the woman left she had a sickly twisted grin on her face. This startled Akio immensely, after all, the woman only showed angelic smiles. A cold shutter tingled down his spine. Just thinking about her grin made him shiver.
The door slid opened. His senses went crazy. Akio could tell it wasn't Kusuriuri. It was the woman. He slowly turned to the woman. Akio inaudibly gulped, he feared for his life. She looked completely different.
Instead of her youthful self, she was old. Incredibly old. Every inch of her face had wrinkles. Her once luscious black hair was now gray. She had split ends and her hair was abnormally thin. Her neck wasn't covered by her white Kimono. Akio could see her skin, it was dry, almost flakey. The woman would've looked like a fragile old lady.
That was if she didn't carry such a frightening expression.
Her eyes seemed crazed. Her mouth was attached to an unusually large grin. It was darker than the one she left with.
Without warning, she charged at Akio. He froze. He could not move. No matter how hard he willed his legs to get up and run, nothing happened. Was this how he was going to die. Akio couldn't believe it. After all this, he was going to perish.
"Move!"
"Move!"
"Move!
"MOVE!" Akio shouted as he dodged her incoming attack. Adrenaline coursed through him. He panted hard, desperately trying to catch his breath. Akio saw the door, it was open. He ran as fast as he could with all his might. He could hear her steps coming closer and closer. He did not stop.
He was one step away from the exit. Akio's shown with hope. A smile married onto his face. He was going to make it! He was going to live!
His vision started to shift as he felt something pulling his arm. His smile immediately fell, he could feel the boney hand pulling him further and further away from his only chance of living.
Time slowed down for Akio.
Out of shock, he could only let out a tiny 'oh' pass through his lips. In that short amount of time, all his adrenaline ran out, he could not pull himself free from the lady's monstrous grasp. Tears started to form at the corners of his eyes. Akio was truly going to die.
Not wanting to have the last thing he sees to be the woman's psychotic face, he shut his eyes and smiled. He would have liked to live at least a bit longer.
SHING
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH" A horrifying screech echoed throughout the room. Akio fell to the floor and covered his ears. Once the screaming stopped he turned. It was Kusuriuri, except inverted.
Instead of his pale white skin, he was tan. His hair wasn't blonde, it was white and long. Way longer than before. Akio was sure he had this form once. His eyes lid up, this meant Kusuriuri had figured out the Mononoke's truth and reason. Akio's held back tears began to fall, this was all going to be over.
---
Finally, after minutes of battling, Kusuriuri had won.
Kusuriuri was back into his normal self. Akio got up and rushed to the man. Out of impulse, Akio hugged him.
"What's this all of a sudden?" Akio heard the other say teasingly. He ignored him and only hugged tighter. He then felt pats on his back. Akio was grateful for Kusuriuri.
Akio let go of the older male. He then began to feel curious about the woman. The green-eyed teen stared at the vendor, curiosity filled his gaze.
"What was the lady's story..." He asked unconsciously quieted down at the end of his sentence. If he was going, to be honest, he would have probably been better off without knowing the woman's backstory. Though, curiosity got the best of him.
The colorful man then began to explain the story of Himari.
---
Himari was an average person. Her family, however, was rich. Her father was a samurai and her mother owned the only inn in the village. So, her family was wealthy. She could have anything she wanted from an early age. Himari was an only child so she didn't need to share with anyone.
She knew she was spoiled but she loved it.
If one were to describe Himari, they would tell you she was an arrogant child. Himari's family was the only family to have any familial connections with a samurai. She was known to bully the other children in the village because of her status. Himari also bullied story owners to give her what she wanted, she would threaten to tell on them to her father. They would always give in to her commands.
Life for her was great.
However, that didn't last long. Her father gained a misteress and had a son with the other woman.
The son became the center of attention. All of Himari's toys were taken from her and given to her younger brother. Her father stopped paying any attention to her, he became solely focused on the aforementioned brother.
Worse of all, her own mother paid less attention to her. Himari's mother became closer to the mistress and her son. Her mother even became close friends with the mistress.
The bullied children caught whiff of what was happening and began to bully her. The adults of the village stopped listening to her empty threats. Some even joined the children in bullying her.
Himari never lost her arrogance. She never humbled down from the teasing. It only fueled her rage and jealousy for her younger half brother.
Years passed by and she was now a teen. Her half brother was a kid. Himari was about to get married to a man thrice her age. The man was a scholar and apart of the government. It was the perfect match.
Yet, her brother somehow ruined it.
Her soon-to-be husband became close to the young boy and spent most of his time with him. He would always talk about him. He would always say how an amazing little brother her brother would be. How smart and kind her brother was.
Himari was blinded with rage.
What was so great about her brother?! She was much better, he was just a child for goodness sakes!
Himari and her brother were home alone one night. Their parents decided to go out, it was the perfect chance. She snuck into her brother's room. She silently slid the shoji open. Her brother was sound asleep. A shilling grin etched onto her face. Himari sauntered towards the sleeping boy, her eyes were so so dark.
Himari kneeled in front of her brother. She could see his chest slowly moving.
Up
Down
Up
Down
Up
Down-
She clutched his neck. Himari could hear him gurgling, she felt small hands cover her own. This only fueled the flame as she tightened her grip. With that, her brother took his last breath and perished.
Himari felt a certain weight leave her chest. She felt... relieved. Her twisted grin became soft. She started at her brother's blue face, it was so lovely, the way it was stuck in an agonized expression. Himari caressed his cheek. Then gave it a sharp slap.
As she was about to get off her dead brother she heard the shoji slid open. It was her parents and mistress.
Once they saw what she had done, the next day she learned her head was going to be chopped off.
Himari stared at the shining blade, the way it sparkled in the light was unfitting. She cursed at everyone around her. Her insults were then directed towards the person responsible for beheading her, it was her father. Himari cursed at him, her mother, and the entire village. She spoke about she would come to the village and make sure none of them could ever think lowly of her.
And with that, her head rolled away.
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Words: 1844
A\N: Sorry for not uploading for almost a month! I dont have an excuse, but I will be finishing this story soon. Anyway, I want to thank you guys for being here with me and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)