This won't take long.
-----
Not again. Of all the times for this to happen why does it have to happen now. She was supposed to be near her stand tonight but it would appear that someone wanted to attempt to have a bit of a night time snack. Running from a sudden gastric death is something the night sparrow, Mystia Lorelei, is quite accustomed too. Having met the ghost princess, Yuyuko Saigyouji, during that eternal night fiasco long ago she has been nothing more than a side dish to the constantly ravenous ghost that ruled Gensokyo's Netherworld. Still, even if she is used to it, having the thought of someone coming to see you only to devour you is not always an easy thought to take sitting down. And by golly Mystia was NOT sitting down for this, in fact she was flying, flying at a break neck speed to escape the fast approaching Yuyuko who was hot on her trail for some time now.
Looking back, the fleeing night sparrow was able to see that even though she was flying at such a high speed, she still could not escape the phantom that was steadily closing the gap between them a truly voracious smile on her, otherwise, dainty face. A smile Mystia knew all to well, and a smile that struck terror in her little bird like heart. "Wh-why do you continue to do this!?" Mystia shouted as she ran futilely from Yuyuko who only seemed to get closer by the minute. "You're a ghost, you don't even need to eat!" That was true, Yuyuko was, in every sense of the word, dead. Yet, despite that she not only appeared as a living human, but ate like one as well...although the sheer amount she eats is enough to make someone say; 'Okay, is this even possible?.'
Yuyuko only seemed amused by Mystia's questions as she drew closer and closer to the panicing bird who tried to get farther and farther away. "Because, you silly bird, I want to partake in your flesh~" Ah, that had some meaning behind, despite the rather nonchalant tone Yuyuko said it in, Mystia new full well there was alot more meaning behind the words 'partake in your flesh'. She's escaped the ghosts jaws more than once but this time, something told her that she wasn't getting away that easily. Sure enough, Mystia felt a strong grip hold onto her legs, halting her mid flight and pulling her back, it didn't take much for her to realize that her predator had finally managed to catch her; like that one coyote and road runner.
"I've had many different birds before, but I don't think I've ever eaten night sparrow. This should be a rather tasty treat indeed~" Yuyuko mused her hands grasped tightly around Mystia's ankles, the bird in question flailing about fruitlessly trying to get away. There was no getting around it...of all the times Yuyuko has chased the night sparrow around this forest many times, and by now Mystia knew what she wanted from her and it was clear where she was going as well. As Mystia struggled and sqawked in the strong grip of the hungry phantom, Yuyuko's ever so loyal servant managed to catch up to them.
"Are you sure you wish to eat the bird raw, Yuyuko-sama?" The half ghost asked to her mistress, her hand hovering to the sheathed blades at the waist of her green skirt. "I can quickly prepare her for you, the stand she uses shouldn't be too far from here..."
"Ah, I don't think so, dear Youmu." Yuyuko replied to her servant as she looked over to the caught night sparrow, her smile spreading to inhuman lengths. "It would be a little time consuming to thoroughly cook her, especially if you're as hungry as I am." There was alot of emphasis on the word 'hungry' that Yuyuko just spoke, and it is that very emphasis is what managed to send shivers of terror down Mystia's spine. Yuyuko turned Mystia right side up once again, holding her by the shoulders now as she smiled at her soon to be meal for the night. However, Yuyuko's stomach was getting rather impatient with her and decided to voice it's opinion by letting loose a ravenous growl. "Hmm, I don't think I should draw this out any longer than it should be. I hope you can forgive my manners, Youmu~" Yuyuko says to the half ghost before turning back to Mystia, and to the bird's horror she came to see Yuyuko's, once smiling mouth, open unnatrually wide, her salivating jaws widening so is to fit her entire body inside.
"N-No!" Mystia protested loudly her legs kicking about in a feverish manner but to no effect. "S-Stop! Please STOP!" It was all too unfortunate...nothing Mystia could say would stop the approaching black abyss from engulfing her.
Yuyuko had already gone into her own little world at this moment, which is possibly why she said for Youmu to forgive her manners, she would not only be eating in a rather strange way right in front of her but would also be too preoccupied with eating Mystia to pay Yukari much attention until all of the sparrow rested within the ectoplasmic sac that was her stomach and her snarling hunger had been sated. Yuyuko pulled Mystia into her mouth further and further still, reeling her head back slightly to work on swallowing her down. By this point, Yukari would be able to see the bulging of Yuyuko's throat the shreiking face of Mystia somewhat visiable through the flesh. The bird's upper torso had been fully immersed into Yuyuko's mouth and now her lower body was being pulled in, Mystia's kicking feet raising up to the ghost's mouth inch by inch as time went on.
Mystia's wings tickled the inside of Yuyuko's mouth but she tried not to laugh on it until she swallowed Mystia up completely, and by this point she was getting mighty close, the night sparrow's head now passed the throat area and was now dangerously close to the opening of Yuyuko's awaiting stomach, her lower body now inching past Yuyuko's lips leaving only her dangling legs for Yukari to see. Then Yuyuko tilted her head back a little more and with one powerful gulp she pulled her prey's legs into her mouth sending the remainder of her body down into her still flattened stomach. Eventually, the muffled screams of the sparrow were completely silenced as Yuyuko gulped the rest of her body down into her maw, the grotesque bulge in her throat sliding down and disappearing into her body. Just like that...Mystia was no more, her existance on the outside world having now vanished without a single trace.
"Ah~ much better~" the (temporarily) full ghost chimed as she patted her midsection. "I believe I should have night sparrow more often, it tastes alot better than the average chicken."
===
"And...that's all I can really remember..." Mystia concluded, her voice trailing off as she looked around and took note of just how dreary and and depressing this place was, the landscape fleshy and organic but having many ruined structures jutting out of the squishy earth beneath them. The atmosphere was alive with the haunting breathe of the one who carried them, the scent of the air being a horrid smell...an absolutely rancid and stomach turning mixture of rotting flesh and gastric juices. Mystia always thought that once she was eaten she would surely die...but, here she was in some kind of alternate world that somehow defied the laws of nature and came to exist within the stomach of Yuyuko. It's no wonder the ghost princess can eat so much, there's a whole seperate world in her gut.
"So, you were eaten too huh?" The youkai asked, Mystia nodding silently, still taking in her surroundings. Everything looked so hostile and inhospitable in this world, Mystia could even see a pool of acid sitting a few feet away from her, the bones of a decomposed monster floating in the murky puddle of hydrochloric acid. Even so, despite the gloomy and miserable world around them, these youkai seemed to find some way to deal with it...a way to cope, adapt and survive a prison that was by far the most hostile environment in the world.
"How...do all of you live down here?" Mystia asked, glancing to a stitched up demon, who scratched the side of his head in an attempt to come up with a decent answer for the night sparrow's question.
"I dunno, I guess we sort of adapted to this place. All of us were sent here against our will but we managed to make it our home either way." The demon eventually replied with a shrug. "I mean...it's not like we'd take the obvious exit."
"You mean, there's away for me to get out of here?" Mystia perked up, a glimmer of hope sparkling in her eyes. It mattered not what it took or what she had to do...if there was a way to escape this prison then she would take it. "Please, tell me! I have to get out of here!"
"Do you really want to know?" Another youkai inquired. "Knowing the truth is going to make you feel worse..."
"I don't care, I can't stay in a place like this!"
The demons and youkai began to mutter amongst themselves, discussing on what they should tell Mystia. The night sparrow tilted her head in confusion to their inaudible conversation and was opted to ask on what they were speaking of. That is until one of them stepped forward with the truth in hand. A truth that would most likely shatter the nightbird's dreams of leaving. None of them wanted to give her this...keeping the truth away from their minds is what kept them going from day to day here. Unfortunately, Mystia wished to know and she would realize first hand that, somethings were best left unsaid. "Down here, Yuyuko's stomach is divided into 5 zones; Styx, Acheron, Cocytus, Lethe and Phlegethon. There are technically 2 exits but, the way back up through the Pit of Abaddon closes up tightly once it swallows a victim and cannot be opened until Yuyuko eats someone else. The only constant exit opens after several days."
"So?" Mystia says with a raised eyebrow. "Why don't you wait for the exit...?"
"After several days, digestion begins. The sea of acid in Phlegethon will begin to flood the entirety of Yuyukos's gut and will destroy all inside." The youkai said in a grim tone. "The only way to leave...is to die."
