Trials and Tribulations of a Makai Butterfly

[Nobu]

The Temple of Myoren.

A low, slow chant resounded through the air, echoing off the newly carved stone walls of the building. A lone figure sat at the head of the altar, her head sunk low. Byakuren was interrupted from her sutra by a voice.

?Excuse me, Byakuren-sama.. you have a visitor.  She says you should be expecting her..?

?Oh? That?s odd, I don?t remember arranging any visits for today. You may send them in, Shou. I?ll just be a moment.? Byakuren closed her eyes, and continued her chant. Just before she could finish, a voice cut through the tranquility like a piercing arrow.

?It appears that you?ve settled in quite nicely.?

That voice. Byakuren turned around, and laid her eyes upon a familiar face. For a long moment, the air was still.

Byakuren broke the silence. ?It?s been quite some time.. Shall I put on some tea??

?There?s no need. I won?t be staying long. You should already know why I?ve come to visit.?

?Of course,? Byakuren acknowledged. With all the preparations we?ve had to do to open the temple, it? slipped my mind. I haven?t been awake for very long, after all.? Rising to her feet, Byakuren unwrapped the scroll of St. Nikou.  She readied herself in a combat stance.


?Then, without any delay.? 


The figure in the doorway rose into the air. Her short stature was betrayed by the overbearing weight of her presence that filled the room, almost appearing tangible in certain spots. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a wave of bullets hurtling towards the monk.

Muttering a short incantation, the unwrapped scroll pulsed in a purple light. She amplified her speed just enough to narrowly graze the wall of bullets that threatened to box her into the corner.

Byakuren readied a spellcard, and a magic circle flared about her as she called out. ?Great Magic [Devil?s Recita??

Too late. Byakuren was enveloped by a purple wave of energy, and sent flying backwards. She collided with the ground. Hard.




?Atchacha.. It hurts.? Byakuren winced in pain, her clothing in tatters.  ?You haven?t changed, I see. Never been one to take it easy..?

?If I were, I wouldn?t be very good at what I do, now would I?? The girl landed next to her, and extended a hand. ?I know you can still stand. It hasn?t been that long, and you?ve been through far worse.? Byakuren gratefully took the offering, and rose to her feet.

?Besides.. someone has to make sure you stay on the right path. Job title aside, it?s also my obligation as a friend.? For the first time since stepping through the doorway, the girl smiled.

?Thank you, my old friend.? Byakuren beamed. ?Oh, and congratulations on the promotion by the way. It seems much has happened since I?ve been gone.?

?Indeed, you?ve missed quite a few cycles. This last one was particularly rowdy..? she mused for a moment, before reverting to the stern expression she wore when she came in. ?..but that?s a story for another time. Now, about that card.. ?Great Magic [Devil?s Recitation]???

?Spell cards tell a story, and bare the soul for all to see. I can?t deny my past. And after all..? Byakuren cleared her throat. ??Even if you are trying now, unless you face your past there is absolutely no meaning in what you're doing,? right?? she recited.

The girl nodded in agreement. ?Indeed. I see that you?ve managed to retain at least some of what I?ve taught you. Now, it?s best if I get going. I know my reputation precedes me, and if word got out that the Judge of Paradise frequents this temple, it might scare off anyone curious enough to take a look.? She turned to the doorway. ?As you were.?

Before she could make it very far, a pair of arms clasped around her torso, and held her back in a warm embrace.

?I?ve missed you, Shiki. Thank you for coming to visit me.?

For that brief moment, the Judge of Paradise let herself relax. Closing her eyes, she sunk into the nostalgic feeling of Byakuren?s warm embrace.







?I?ve missed you too, Hijiri. It?s good to have you back.?



Afterword:

This is a gift for a certain someone who thinks I should write more often, and I couldn't wait until tomorrow to give it.  (Now that I think of it, it's also my first Touhou fiction, so go easy on me. ><;) I hope I did the characters justice, as I know you wouldn't forgive me otherwise. D:

I've actually been playing around with the idea of these two characters interacting in my head for a while now, but I finally motivated myself to put thoughts to paper. It turned out a bit differently than my original inception, but i'm satisfied. Took me forever to come up with a title too, but the one I came up with really only works if I continue the story. Hmm..

[Alfred F. Jones]

:*

I hope I did the characters justice

Is this a pun? I'm going to say it's a pun. :V

And thank you, Nobu~n. You done good. Establishing warm, kind relationships between characters I love is already turning out to be one of my favourite birthday gifts.

[Esifex]

Es ist sehr gut :3

I definitely need to get a copy of... every windows game. I'm so far behind on the characters and personalities, I weep in despair.

Either way, this is a worthy gem to be a gift.

[Nobu]

Is this a pun? I'm going to say it's a pun. :V

I didn't even notice that until you pointed it out. :V Ahaha.

I totally blame you for this by the way. I wouldn't even count those two as in my top ten favorite characters, but I have a feeling if I continue writing about them that may change. @_@; I thought writing this would clear my head, but it's only gotten my thoughts churning about all the things I didn't write about. Argh.

Es ist sehr gut :3

I definitely need to get a copy of... every windows game. I'm so far behind on the characters and personalities, I weep in despair.

Either way, this is a worthy gem to be a gift.

Thank you so much ^___^;

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

Hmm ... nice story. I ... was going to go into slightly more detail, but I couldn't put it coherently.

I'll just say that Shiki needs to meet more people like this, heh ...

[Nobu]

Part 1, Append.

"Ayayayaya, what a scoop! This is just what Bunbunmaru needed!" exclaimed the tengu reporter perched in a nearby tree.

Aya had heard from a reliable source that the Judge of Paradise was spotted near the human village, and figured that humiliating the target of one of Shikieiki's stern lectures would be worth at least a feature on page three. But never in her wildest dreams did she expect something like this! She could already see it now:

[BLACK, WHITE, AND RED ALL OVER!] Hm, too vague. And I already used that for the Reimu x Marisa two page spread from a month ago.. How about..

[BYAKUREN AND SHIKI GET IT ON!] Nah, that's too straightforward.. I'll have to think about it.

Headline ideas danced in her head as she began winding her camera. That's odd.. she thought. Something didn't feel right. There was no resistance as she wound her camera, almost as if the camera was..

"Empty?! But how..?!" Aya exclaimed. Impossible. I KNOW I loaded this film! But I might be able to get a few more pictures... wait, where'd those two go? Aya fumed as she took off from her perch.

"Rats!"
 


*ACHOO!* Nazrin sneezed as she took the roll of film from the grey mouse perched on her shoulder. "Good work, you've found exactly what I was looking for. Ah, and just in time too," she said as she turned to face the figure that approached. She momentarily lowered her head.

"Shiki-sama. I've done what you've requested," said Nazrin as she handed the roll of film to the Yama.

"Thank you, Nazrin. I will let Bishamonten know that you performed this favor for me. So, how are you getting along with your latest assignment? You seem happy." Shikieiki asked.

"Are you kidding?! She's irresponsible, loses things all the time, can't cook or clean, would lose her head if it weren't attached... I don't know HOW she managed to get by before I was assigned to her.." she huffed. "But... I guess it's not all bad. She's very nice, at least.." Nazrin admitted as she kicked the dirt.

"I'm glad to hear it's going well. Take care, Nazu." The yama smiled as she pocketed the roll of film and set off towards Higan.

[Chaore]

I was expecting Phoenix Wright.

I am disapoint, Nobu.

[Forte Blackadder]

I thought of Phoenix Wrong too, but well...
The fic are good. Tho I don't really understand the Shiki-Byakuren relationship yet

[Nobu]

I thought of Phoenix Wrong too, but well...
The fic are good. Tho I don't really understand the Shiki-Byakuren relationship yet

Thank you. :3 Their backstory will be fleshed out more in the later parts (whenever I get around to writing them that is.)

[Dizzy H. "Muffin" Muffin]

"Rats!"
 


*ACHOO!* Nazrin sneezed

I see what you did there. XD

[MysTeariousYukari]

"Rats!"
 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*ACHOO!* Nazrin sneezed

I see what you did, and I like it :V

[Nobu]

HOLY SHIT.

Somebody up there is watching.

[Suikama]

HOLY SHIT.

Somebody up there is watching.

[Alfred F. Jones]

Somebody up there is watching.

Crack pairing of the ages.

Spoiler:

... or is it? :3

[Nobu]

Crack pairing of the ages.

Spoiler:

... or is it? :3

Just have to wait and see. :3

Now with DS mostly out of the way, I have the rest of spring break to write. I'm going to try and get an update done by the end of the week (and hopefully bridge the gap between what I have posted and what i've already written >< )

[Nobu]

Chapter One - The Omen in Purple Mist.



Myouren Hijiri was hailed as a bodhisattva, a paragon of the Buddhist faith close to achieving enlightenment. He travelled the countryside, providing aid to who needed it and succoring the sick in remote places where medical assistance was hard to come by.

And he had died alone.

The thought had rooted itself in the front of Byakuren?s mind, numbing her head even as the torrent of cold rain fell on the exposed Byakuren and soaked through her clothing, chilling her to the bone. Her once vibrant sprit was crushed under the weight of the sorrow that had consumed her thoughts these past few days.

She sat in the middle of the grassy field where she had found her brother?s lifeless body only days ago, not far from the temple that they had called home all these years.  Her brother, the only family she had, the brother that had supported her while she supported him back, had left this world without even getting the chance to say goodbye to her only sister.   

While less well known, Byakuren was still a popular person with the locals. She did not travel much in comparison to her brother and spent most of her time at the Tobikura, the great grain silo that had been converted by Myouren into their temple and living space. Byakuren was getting along in years, though her body aged gracefully. Her face had lost some of its youthful vitality, and she had the makings of crows feet forming around her eyes. But by now, that vitality had completely drained from her features and left Byakuren hollow and broken.

Supplanted with the despair she felt over her brother?s passing was the sinking feeling of fully realizing the truth of her own mortality. She was going to die one day as well. ?Is it my fate to die alone as well, just like my brother did??

The creeping fear of death pulled at the corners of her emotions, and she shuddered as she hugged her legs closer to her chest, repeating the scene of that faithful day in her head.

--------

Byakuren had awoken in a cold sweat. For the third night in a row she had the same dream, of  rolling purple mists that enveloped the countryside. There was something about the dream that put her at unease, but she couldn?t quite put her finger on it. While the other nights the mist was practically opaque, this night she could see the outline of a figure in the mist, along with the rough details of the area.  It had reminded her of her brother.

While it had been months since Byakuren had last seen her brother, she was accustomed to it. Often large spans of time would pass with Myouren away, wandering the countryside, and he was more than capable to handle anything that came his way.

Still, this dream gave Byakuren an ill-sitting feeling in her stomach, and she could not get back to sleep. She decided to start the day early, and went out back to fetch some charcoal for the cooking fire.

To her surprise, she encountered that purple mist outside as well. She rubbed her eyes thinking it might be a afterimage from her dream, but the mist remained. It was real.

She noticed a dense, spindly trail of mist that receded off into the distance, and she impulsively began to follow the trail. She felt in her heart that at the end of this trail would be her brother, and a sinking feeling took root deep in her stomach.

The sky began to lighten, and it had made the hanging mist more difficult to see, which caused Byakuren to break out into a run. She knew that once the sun rose, omen or not, the dispersion of the mist would soon follow.

The trail had taken her around the base of Mt. Ooe, and the brush opened up into a clearing. By now the sun had peeked up over the horizon, and the golden rays began dispersing the mist, clearly illuminating Myouren?s lifeless body.


--------

 
Something in Byakuren?s mind registered that the repeated assault of rain on her body had ceased, yet the sound of rainfall still echoed around her, rustling the leaves and tapping out a rhythm on the nearby branches. A voice roused Byakuren from her stupor.

?You shouldn?t stay out in the rain like this, you?ll catch a cold.?

She looked up at the person who had entered her field of vision, wiping away the intermixed water and tears from her eyes. The girl wore a crisp navy-blue dress with white sleeves, lined with gold trim around the collar and bows adorning her shoulders and skirt. She held an umbrella over Byakuren?s head, and had a concerned look on her face.

?Oh..I.. Um..? Byakuren was at a loss for words to face this newcomer, staring into the calm blue eyes that seemed to look straight through her. The air seemed to hang for just a moment, before the girl broke her gaze away and began to scan her surroundings.

?You live around here, don?t you? Come on.? She extended a hand.

Byakuren looked at the hand with apprehension, wondering whether she should accept the aid from this complete stranger, or ignore it and return to her thoughts.

It wasn?t until she felt the warmth of the girl?s palm in her hand did Byakuren realize she had already reached out to take it.

[Nobu]

Byakuren?s stared at the palm of her hand, recalling the warmth she had felt that day and the memories that drove her forward. She had been travelling on foot for a couple of weeks now, and the human settlements had became more and more spread out.

She could not shake the fear of death that gripped her soul after her brother?s death. It colored everything she did. Byakuren had lost the vigor of her youth. The visitors to the temple had dwindled, and it was not long until Byakuren decided to close the temple and set off on her own journey.

The Buddhist magic that she had acquired from Myouren and spending much of her life near the tobikura was potent, but regardless of how she enhanced her physical abilities she was still unable to slow her aging. Central to the teachings of the Buddha was the concept of Samsara, the cycle of birth and decay that gripped all mortal beings. Yet, she became obsessed with researching ways to slow the aging process and breaking out of that cycle, finding some way to stave off the inevitability of death that befell all mortals.

She wondered if she was making a mistake, shortening her lifespan even more by chasing after the fleeting promise of youth, and going against the teachings that her brother had followed so devoutly all his life. 

She had heard the rumors from travelers who had sought refuge at her temple over the years, that there existed a haunted area of Japan dense with youkai. They referred to it as ?Gensokyo?. The high concentration of youkai also meant that the place was a fount of magical and spiritual energy, and there were rumors abound of eternally youthful magicians and youkai hunters that inhabited those parts. If Byakuren was to find way to transcend the limitations of Buddhist magic and the mortal coil, she would find it in Gensokyo. That thought pushed her forward as she travelled along the dirt trail, pushing aside the branches and vegetation that had grown across the path.

It had been days since she had last stayed in a town, and had taken to sleeping in the wilderness. Getting closer to the region where Gensokyo was reported to exist, the warnings by villagers to be of youkai that stalk the night had increased, and Byakuren felt anxious. The sun began to sink low in the horizon, and the distant cackling sound she swore she heard had driven Byakuren to search for a place to set up camp for the night.

Her search had drawn her to a rocky outcropping on the side of the mountain that turned out to hide the opening of a cave. She felt an odd reverberation of energy emanating from the cave face, and despite the uneasy feeling she decided to go in for a closer look.

Though the cave should have been pitch black as she travelled deeper in, she realized that she could still see where she was going. It was as if the walls of the cave were emitting a soft, blue light. Though somewhere in her head Byakuren knew she should be wary, something had put her mind was in a haze, and she pressed on.

After what seemed like an eternity of wandering, just when she began to wonder how deep this cave could be, the crevice had opened up into a foreign landscape.

The sudden change in environment bringing her back to her senses. ?W-Where am I..?? she wondered. The cave had opened up into a massive barren landscape. In the distance, she could see the shapes of buildings that dotted the horizon. The air was dead still.

She looked overhead, and was amazed to see stars twinkling in the sky. But the arrangement and intensity of these stars were unfamiliar to her, with none of the familiar constellations that she used to navigate and guide her way on her travel. It was as if she was looking at an entirely different night sky.

?This isn?t Gensokyo.. is it?? Byakuren wondered as she walked on. Before she could fully take in her surroundings, her amazement was interrupted by the sharp feeling of killing intent that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She was not alone.

She wheeled around to face a towering bestial figure the likes of which she had never seen. The demon had leathery skin stretched across rippling muscles. It stood hunched over, with the massive fists dangling from its long sinewy arms almost scraping the ground. A pair of horns twisted around its head as a makeshift crown. Even hunched over, the demon was easily double Byakuren?s height, if not more, and Byakuren craned her head to stare into amber eyes devoid of pupils. The demon grinned, and flashed a row of dagger-like teeth.

?Oho.. a human? I haven?t tasted the flesh of a human in some time, what a treat.? The towering crimson-skinned monster sounded out in a low sandpapery voice, triggering a shiver through Byakuren?s body. She stood there paralyzed, caught in the monster?s gaze like a deer in headlights.

Byakuren?s self-preservation instinct kicked in, and her body went on auto-pilot as she narrowly leaped out of the way, and stared back at the fist that came crashing down on the spot she occupied just moments ago. The demon?s face contorted into one of surprise, not expecting the aging, frail human to be able to move so fast. It?s neck craned to look at Byakuren, and her heart seized in her chest.

?I can?t die here, not like this.? Byakuren pulled the scroll of St. Nikou from the folds of her clothing. It was a relic given to her by Myouren that he had obtained from one of his travels, and she used it as a focus to perform magic. In one deft motion she had unwrapped the scroll, and began muttering a chant that caused the runes of the scroll to burst in an aurora of color.

By then the demon removed his massive fist from the depression it created in the ground, and turned to face the monk. ?Oh? It seems like this one has a bit of life in her,? it rumbled. ?I suppose I should take this seriously then..?

The demon?s towering stature betrayed its lightning speed, and Byakuren was not prepared to dodge away from the second assault. Its fist impacted her side with a loud crack, and Byakuren was sent sprawling onto the ground, face in the dirt. She heaved, and flecks of blood splattered onto the ground. Her hands still gripped the scroll tightly.

The demon flashed a dagger-toothed grin, and loomed over her prone body. ?That?s all the fight you had in you? How disappointing. It?s time for your story to draw to a close, little human.?
?Myouren.. I can?t die here, not yet.. ? Byakuren strained out under labored breaths, and finished the incantation.

A purple light spread from the scroll to her, enveloping her in a dim aura. This time it was the demon?s turn to be caught off guard, as Byakuren launched herself straight up. She turned in the air, and landed on top of the fist that she had again barely managed to dodge.

The demon grunted in surprise as Byakuren dashed up its arm and dismounted, landing directly behind it.  Wasting no time, Byakuren concentrated the physical enhancement aura around her fist, and propelled it straight into the demon?s right calf.  Her fist stung, and Byakuren gritted her teeth through the pain. 

The ground shuddered as the demon toppled forward, crying out in anguish. Twisting its body as it fell, the demon swung its arm around to strike her. Without missing a beat, Byakuren ducked under the blow, the arm missing its mark completely, and launched forward with a magic-enhanced kick to its side.  A loud crack broke through the still air, and the monster roared out in anguish.

Byakuren took shallow breaths. Faced with her mortality, all thoughts of reason or constraint left her head.  She reached deep within and pulled out her last reserves of energy, and pounced on her hapless prone foe with a flurry of blows. The demon raised its arms in a feeble attempt to defend itself from the assault.


The sound of bone and sinew snapping echoed throughout the empty landscape.

--------

As the feverish haze over Byakuren?s head began to lift, her blows began to lose their intensity, and her eyes slowly came back into focus. As she raised her fist above her head to deliver another crushing blow, she froze, and stared at the body below her.

The demon?s struggling had long since ceased, its form battered and disfigured by the force of her assault. She pulled herself off from the corpse, and stood, staring blankly at the gory scene.

?I.. what happened? What have I done..?? Her eyes darted from the mangled corpse, and back to her still-glowing, bloodstained hands.  Byakuren kneeled on the floor, and heaved. As the adrenaline left her system, fatigue consumed her as she collapsed onto the ground.

As she lay there, before her vision faded away, a single thought flashed through her head.

?I? I don?t want to die..not here, not like this..?



***********


?This poor thing... Seems like she?s been through a lot. She managed to do quite a number on this one. ? The goddess in red mused as her eyes drifted towards the demon?s remains, then back to Byakuren crumpled heap. 

Shinki had felt a disturbance in the eastern border of Makai, and was curious enough to investigate. Her head maid, Yumeko, had accompanied her. They had arrived at the scene just in time to see Byakuren collapse.

A pensive expression crossed Shinki?s face. ?How interesting.. a human managed to find her way into Makai.? She turned to face her head maid. ?Yumeko-chan, I want you to bring this one to Pandaemonium, and get her cleaned up. I?ll be along shortly, alright??

She gestured towards Byakuren?s unconscious body, and Yumeko complied. In one deft movement the maid hoisted Byakuren over one shoulder, and took to the skies. Shinki watched her form recede into the distance, before bringing her gaze back down.

?Hmm.. I suppose I should do something about that open gateway after all, if people are just wandering in here. A gatekeeper, maybe?? Shinki said to no one in particular, as her eyes drifted towards her surroundings. ?Now for some suitable material.. ahah! This?ll do nicely.? Her eyes rested on the battered remains of the demon. She raised one hand, and the body began to dissolve away, leaving behind a glowing red ball of substance.

Shinki approached the ball, and her fingers set to work gliding over the surface and shaping the material as if it were clay. She began with the rough outline, cutting away large chunks of the ball as they dissolved into thin air and smoothing over the rough edges, and in no time at all there was a roughly humanoid shape in front of her. She pulled a bit of white essence from the air, and used it to lighten the red of her hair and eyes to a nice pink. The remainder she weaved into the clothing, accenting the unchanged color of the red dress she sculpted.

In no time at all, her work was completed. From the mass of demonic essence, she had crafted the form of a young girl. ?And now for the finishing touch..? Shinki grasped the face of the simulacrum, and brought its lips inches from hers. She exhaled a breath, and as the figure took in the breath of life, a light flickered in her eyes. Shinki took a step back and surveyed her newly-aware creation, which seemed a bit unsteady on her feet.

?I think I will name you Sara. You think that?s a good name, don?t you Sara?? Shinki smiled sweetly at the girl, and Sara nodded back at her beaming creator.  ?Now Sara-chan, I have a job for you~?

-----

There was a quiet knock on the doors of Shinki?s personal quarters. ?Come in, Yumeko-chan.? The door creaked open, and Yumeko stepped in. She bowed her head slightly before addressing Shinki.

?I?ve dressed the human?s wounds, and put her in clean clothes. She?s still unconscious, so I laid her down in one of the bedrooms on the East wing.?

?Good, good.?  Shinki glanced at Yumeko, noting the slight apprehension in her voice. ?Was there something else??

?May I ask a question, Shinki-sama?? Yumeko paused for a moment, before asking. ?Why did you decide to help that human??

?They?re beautiful things, aren?t they? Caterpillars.? Shinki mused.

Yumeko tilted her head slightly. ?I?m sorry??

?Caterpillars, Yumeko. Even a creature as insignificant as a caterpillar..? Shinki raised the teacup to her lips.  ?..if given the opportunity, can be reborn into a marvelous butterfly.? She took a sip. ?You?ve never seen a butterfly, have you Yumeko??

Once again Shinki?s thought processes are a mystery to all but herself, though Yumeko. She sighed softly. ?No,  I can?t say I have.? Yumeko replied.  ?There are no butterflies in Makai after all.?

?Indeed.? Shinki smiled to herself, and took another sip before setting her teacup back down. 




*END Chapter One*


Next: Chapter Two - Mystic Fragrance of A Makai Butterfly

[Nobu]

I found out what was keeping me from writing the beginning of this: I needed to be in the right mindset. I guess loneliness and depression can be good for something, huh?

I hope it's readable. I'm not even sure.  :ohdear:

[IcedFairy]

It's quite readable, I assure you.  I like where this is going.  It'll be interesting to see another Makai.  And I like your style here.

Though I hope you feel better.  Better to artifically tweak moods with music or something then to actually feel bad.

[Alfred F. Jones]

I like how you wove the names of Byakuren's future spellcards into the tale. And Sara's origin was pretty neat, too.

[Nobu]

Surprise! Sorry for not updating this in so long. It's partially due to my writing being so disjointed from jumping back and forth in the timeline as ideas and scenes come to mind, and partially due to motivation issues. Hoping that the gap between this and the next update isn't nearly as long.  :ohdear:

Anyway, without further ado~


Chapter 2: Mystic Fragrance of a Makai Butterfly


Yumeko looked down at the unconscious figure she had just brought in from outside and set onto the large sofa. She was quite the sight, her tattered robes and light skin soaked red with blood, still slightly wet. This would be far more serious if the blood was hers and not from the former-demon-turned-indiscriminate-mass.

Yumeko pulled out a small knife from her palm, and with surgical precision ran the blade lightly across the top of Byakuren?s blood and gore-splattered robes. As she peeled the clothing fragments away, Yumeko couldn?t help but admire the smooth, blemish skin that lay underneath. ?The years have been kind to this one,? she mused.

Once Yumeko finished removing her ruined clothes, she began the meticulous work of sponging off every inch of her body and wringing it out into the ever-reddening pail of water beside her. She took special care around her midsection, and the patches of bruises that had appeared. Once she finished, she cut a bandage roll into thin, long strips, and carefully wrapped the strips around each digit before moving on to her knuckles, which had been worn raw. Once her hands and upper arms were wrapped, she began to inspect the rest of Byakuren?s body more closely, focusing her attention on the large patches of purple along her right side.

?How is she??

Yumeko was too absorbed in her task to sense Shinki?s presence, and jumped slightly at the sound of her voice. She wheeled around to face her. ?Ah, I?m sorry Shinki-sama. I didn?t hear you come in.?

Shinki giggled. ?Come join me when you?re done, okay? Let?s let the child rest for as long as she needs.? Shinki walked up to the sofa and knelt down beside Yumeko, brushing a chestnut lock of shoulder-length hair away from Byakuren?s face.  ?Poor thing.?


She ran. Twigs snapped underfoot as she dashed through a forest. Something, or someone was chasing her.

However, far from nervous, Byakuren felt confident and full of energy. She glanced behind herself at the trailing figure, before focusing on the path ahead. She darted in between the thin trees, with her young body and long, slender legs easily carrying her across the forest floor at a good clip.

?Hijiriiiiiii---! Wait for me!? The trailing girl huffed.

?Aw, come on ****-chan! You?re too slow~ Can?t you grow longer legs or something? ?

****-chan stuttered. ?B-Black! Blaaaaaaack!? She yelled out. ?T-This is a sin, y?know that! Now SLOW DOWN!?

The short girl?s yells mixed with Byakuren?s giggles, as they continued to run.




Byakuren?s eyes snapped open, taking a minute to register the flowing fabric of the bed canopy that hung above her.

She sat up quickly, and pain shot across her body causing her to wince. The fleeting remnants of her dream left her head as her memories came flooding back. The demon. She had been fighting, and then blacked out somehow. And then.. what? Between the pain and the grogginess, she was having trouble thinking straight.

Her head throbbed, and she brought a bandaged hand up to her face. She stopped, and examine the wrappings that encircled her fingers, hands, and arms. Her eyes drifted down to the sleeves attached to the simple white dress she was now wearing. 'I guess this means I?m not dead... but then where am I?'

Carefully propping herself up to a sitting position, she looked around. The room she was in was large, but was mostly empty beyond the bed she was sitting in. The room was illuminated in a pale blue light, and the light source was nowhere to be seen.

She pulled herself unsteadily to her feet, and paced to the open door and out into the hallway. Doors spaced far apart lined either side, and it was too dim to see how far the hallway extended from here. She noticed dim, yellow light streaming out of large double doors a few doors down, and could hear faint voices. For a lack of any better ideas, she began to head towards the light. The voices stopped as she approached the door, and she hesistated slightly before pulling it open and slowly stepping into the room.

The two sitting at the table stopped to look at her. The woman on the left had long blond hair and wore a red maid?s outfit with a white apron, while the woman on the right wore long red robes and had her blue hair up in an odd ponytail to the side. The stare of the blond maid unsettled her, and Byakuren felt as if she was being sized up. She chose to focus her attention on the warm smile coming from the person in red robes seated across from her, which eased the feeling of discomfort slightly.

?Ah, it looks like you?re finally awake.? The robed person beamed. ?Welcome to Pandemonium. I am Shinki, master of this mansion and Goddess of Makai.? She gestured to the maid. ?This here is Yumeko-chan, my head maid and companion.? Yumeko bowed her head slightly at the mention. ?And you??

Byakuren couldn?t suppress her look of shock, at both the revelation of who it was that sat in front of her casually sipping tea, and the way she was so nonchalant about it. ?H-Hijiri.. Hijiri Byakuren.? She went to bow her head, which was a mistake. Pain shot through her side, and her face contorted. After a few shallow breaths, Byakuren straightened up and regained her composure.

Shinki looked worried. ?I apologize for that, Byaku-chan. Makai?s not exactly the safest place for humans y?know. You?re lucky we found you while the two of us were out on a stroll. Humans don?t wander in here every day after all.?

She sipped her teacup. ?So what brings you to Makai? Got lost? Just passing by? You don?t look like the adventuring type, but I guess I shouldn?t judge a book by its cover.? Shinki smiled, as she set her cup down and leaned forward, resting her chin on entwined fingers.

?No kidding.?, Byakuren thought, looking back at the nubile goddess. ?I.. ? Byakuren paused. She felt slightly woozy, and took a step to steady herself. She was physically and emotionally exhausted.

?Y?know what? Don?t worry about it for now.? Shinki clapped her hands together. ?You need your rest, and I?m sure you?re starving too. Yumeko-chan can lead you back to your bed and serve you there.?

Shinki gestured, and Yumeko got up from her seat to help steady Byakuren on her feet. ?We can talk more tomorrow. Until then, sweet dreams~?


END Part 1


_{I wrote the first part with a particular person in mind, no points for guessing who :3}