As Nanashi disappeared into the darkness, she exhaled heavily, her heart pounding like a caged gorilla. "Gosh, that was close," she thought. "I'm nowhere near capable of fighting her. I see now why Sasuke warned me not to venture beyond my territory. This place is bloody scary... but still, I'm hungry."
Suddenly, Nanashi found herself engulfed by a giant fire tornado. Instead of being terrified by the scorching heat and wind that could rip her to pieces, she felt oddly content. She went with the flow, spinning with the wind and enjoying the warm breeze.
Meanwhile, Sarashina mumbled to herself, "Ah, there goes another potential friend. I was really hoping to make one this time around. Too bad everyone is hungry for power, sexually frustrated, or just... hungry." She exhaled heavily, took a sip of her tea, and opened a book.
As Sarashina began to read, she felt a surge of heat. The pillar of fire she had cast engulfed Nanashi, but it was short-lived. The flames dissipated quickly, revealing Nanashi unharmed and hovering in the air. She resembled a miniature dragon, with paws burning the grass below, a tail flickering like a torch, and nostrils emitting wisps of smoke. Nanashi landed gracefully, facing Sarashina with a smug grin.
"Now, that was hot and filling," Nanashi said, stretching her front legs. "If I had stayed there any longer, I might have fallen asleep."
"What?!" Sarashina shouted, jumping out of her chair.
"What?" Nanashi asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Interesting. You're the first person to survive that. Now I have no reason to hold back."
"Oh," Nanashi replied nonchalantly.
Sarashina's eyes transformed into an abyss of pitch black, with crimson veins resembling molten lava crawling across her face. Two imposing horns erupted from her forehead, and her fingertips elongated into formidable talons reminiscent of an eagle's claws. Her physique expanded, becoming large and muscular, exuding an unsettling aura. The scent of decay permeated the air, swirling around her as an ominous testament to the profound metamorphosis taking place.
"Koi! (Come!)" Sarashina said in a husky, deep voice.
"Yeah... No," Nanashi replied. "I don't fight on a full stomach. It causes cramps and nausea. But maybe next time. See you!" She turned around and walked away, waving her tail as she faded into the darkness of the forest.
Sarashina was left in a state of utter shock and confusion, resulting in her falling flat on her backside.
"What a strange creature," Sarashina said to herself, looking up at the night sky as tears slowly rolled down her face.
Meanwhile, Nanashi wandered back home, listening to the sound of her wailing abdomen and swaying side to side as her stomach consumed the last bits of her energy. Suddenly, something caught her eye: a faint light coming from an old, run-down temple in the distance.
"Well, there are no demons tonight. I guess an old priest will have to do. Forgive me, Sasuke, but desperate times call for desperate measures," she said to herself and ran towards the light.
As she approached, Nanashi caught a faint smell of chicken. She saw what looked like a chicken being cooked, its shadow projecting against the wall.
"Well, what do we have here? It's not a priest, but some sort of bandit or thief," Nanashi mused. "You should thank me, Sasuke. I'm keeping this village you hold so dear safe from the scum of the earth."
"Scum, you say? Are you not the real scum here, Su Da Ji?" a voice rang from inside.
"Su Da Ji, the great terror!" another childlike voice shouted.
"How far the great has fallen," a third, deep voice added.
"Seems to me, no matter where I go, I have quite the fan base," Nanashi replied, amused.
The loud voice chuckled before answering, "Still full of yourself, I see. Old habits die hard."
"Come out here so I can show you just how full of myself I really am," she said, baring her fangs and starting to glow.
"With pleasure," all three voices replied in unison.
As the temple's shadows stirred, an otherworldly presence emerged, plunging the surroundings into an impenetrable darkness. A bone-chilling dread crawled up Nanashi's spine, her instincts screaming of imminent danger. In the pitch-black void, she sensed an unseen menace hurtling towards her with terrifying speed.
With a sudden, primal surge of self-preservation, Nanashi ignited her fur. The ethereal glow flickered against the encroaching shadows, momentarily pushing back the darkness. The creature, caught off-guard by this unexpected illumination, let out a blood-curdling shriek that echoed through the night. It staggered backward, its full, horrifying form now revealed in the wavering light.
Nanashi's eyes widened in revulsion at the abomination before her. Sprawled on the ground was a monstrosity beyond her darkest nightmares - a massive, hairless entity that resembled a grotesquely oversized infant. Its skin was mottled and blistered, as if it had been subjected to unspeakable torments. The creature's face was a twisted mockery of humanity: a patchy beard and balding pate framed features that seemed to have been sculpted by a madman's hand.
Most disturbing of all was its mouth - unnaturally elongated like a beak, yet unmistakably human in its grotesque flexibility. The eyes that stared back at Nanashi gleamed with a predatory intelligence that sent shivers down her spine
"In all my centuries of being alive, I've never encountered a creature as hideous as you, except for Jorogumo," Nanashi said, feigning nausea. "Just what the hell are you?"
The creature rose to its feet, towering at nearly seven feet tall. It looked down at Nanashi and opened its mouth, revealing three heads peering from within its throat. All three heads spoke simultaneously, their voices blending into an eerie harmony.
"We are not one, but we are many. We are—"
"Legion! One of the seventy-two lesser keys! Am I right?" Nanashi interrupted with a smug smile.
"No," the creature replied flatly.
Undeterred, Nanashi continued, "I heard about you being cast into pigs, then running into a river. They said you drowned, though. How can this be? Well, who cares about the details, right? This is going to be a major power-up for me. I might even get my human body back!"
"I said NO!" the demon roared, its patience wearing thin. "Don't you listen? This is why people hated you. I am not Legion. I am Onmoraki, the shadow and shapeshifter demon." It announced with pride, sucking in its stomach and puffing out its chest.
"Okay," Nanashi replied nonchalantly, picking something out of her teeth.
"Let's kill this piece of crap," the childlike voice said from within the demon.
"Agreed!" the other two voices chimed in unison.
The creature lunged forward with savage ferocity, its cavernous maw stretching impossibly wide. From within the nightmarish orifice, three entities emerged, each brandishing a lethal weapon that gleamed with malevolent purpose. A sword, a spear, and an axe – instruments of death poised to rend flesh from bone.
The air itself seemed to recoil as the unholy trio surged forth, their blades catching what little light remained and transforming it into wicked gleams of promised violence. Time slowed to a crawl in that breathless moment before the onslaught, the world teetering on the precipice of chaos.
But fate, it seemed, had other plans.
In that fraction of a second, Nanashi's body convulsed with an involuntary reaction. A thunderous belch erupted from her throat, and with it came an inferno. The very same fire tornado that Sarashina had unleashed earlier now poured forth from Nanashi, engulfing her attackers in a maelstrom of searing flame and howling wind.
"Aaah, all talk and no bite makes for a boring fighter," Nanashi lamented, her voice tinged with disappointment. Then, realization struck. "Aaah! My food is going to be ash!"
In a display of childlike futility, Nanashi blew at the raging tornado as if it were a stubborn birthday candle. Her efforts were in vain; the vortex of flame continued its relentless dance, consuming all in its path.
When at last the fiery tempest subsided, not a trace of Onmoraki remained. The battlefield lay scorched and barren, devoid of any sign of the fearsome demon or its tripartite manifestation.
Nanashi tilted her head skyward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears of frustration.
"This is the worst night of my life," Nanashi muttered to herself.
"I wouldn't say so," a deep voice rumbled from the darkness.
"The worst is yet to come," added the childlike voice, its tone unnervingly playful.
"I wouldn't be so happy if I were you," the female entity chimed in ominously.
Nanashi's ears perked up. "Are you not happy to see me too?"
"NO!" All three voices shouted in unison.
Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes and what sounded like grunting caught Nanashi's attention. She turned towards the source of the noise.
"You guys better not be doing anything funny in there," she warned. "I really don't like salty food."
The sound of leaves and twigs crunching abruptly ceased. Three dark silhouettes emerged from behind the shrubbery and sprinted away in separate directions, likely hoping to disorient her. However, Nanashi's innate night vision allowed her to keep a close eye on their movements.
"Seems like something stinky is about to hit the sword," Nanashi quipped. "Even though mine don't stink. Are you done changing into your kimono yet?"
In chilling silence, her unanswered call hung in the air. Suddenly, a deadly response materialized in the form of a hurtling axe. Swiftly evading its deadly arc, she instinctively lowered her gaze to the ground. To her horror, an ominous force lurked beneath the surface, poised to emerge. With adrenaline-fueled agility, she leaped just in time. True to her premonition, a colossal serpent head erupted from the earth, its razor-sharp fang aimed to pierce her. Desperation fueled her resistance as she frantically clawed at the monstrous assailant. Upon contact, the creature disintegrated into a pool of inky darkness, evaporating into nothingness as the black substance seeped into the ground below.
"Got you!" a voice cried out, followed by a massive fireball hurtling towards Nanashi.
Unfazed, Nanashi merely licked her lips and inhaled deeply, sucking in the entire inferno with one swift motion. The fireball disappeared into her maw as if it were nothing more than a wisp of smoke.
"Told you she was a fire elemental, Kiba!" the woman's voice shouted, inadvertently revealing her location to Nanashi.
"Just shut up, Kira!" Kiba hissed back. "Be quiet, or you'll give yourself away!"
"Boys are so stupid," Kira muttered, exasperation evident in her tone.
"I know, right?" Nanashi chimed in, her voice laced with amusement. She turned her head slightly, pinpointing Kira's position with ease. The night air crackled with tension as Nanashi's eyes gleamed in the darkness.
In a heartbeat, Kira's pulse came to an abrupt halt, an indescribable surge coursing through her veins, locking her muscles in a state of paralysis. Her eyes shifted toward the faint rustling of leaves over her right shoulder, unveiling a chilling spectacle reminiscent of a Japanese nightmare. Advancing with deliberate slowness, an immense black figure loomed closer, its thick fur undulating in the gentle breeze, creating an unsettling, oceanic illusion as if ablaze with an infernal fire. The creature's crimson eyes gleamed with a malevolence that seemed to transcend the very essence of evil. As its mouth unhinged, revealing a menacing array of jagged teeth, the moonlight cast an eerie glow, transforming them into glistening blades. A void-black tongue added to the horror, and Kira, desperate to scream, found her voice silenced, her only expression of terror confined to the quivering of her bottom lip. The suspense hung thick in the air, a prelude to an impending encounter with the macabre.
"Shhh, just let it happen, this is my first time to." She said, stretching her mouth as wide as it go, across her victim's neck, shut a loud clap could be heard, as her jaws slammed shut and chopped the young demon girl's head of clean and proceeded to devour right there and then.
"Kira!" the older gentleman called out.
"Kira is not available at this moment, as she is busy digesting. Please check my feces later, thank you," Nanashi replied in a joyful tone, stepping out of the shadows.
"Why, you!" Kiba cried out.
"No, wait!" the elderly man shouted who was th, finally revealing himself as he stepped out from behind a tree.
"So, you've finally decided to show yourself, you dirty old geezer. Playing with children at your age, you're downright disgusting!" Nanashi shouted, for no apparent reason whatsoever.
"He is no geezer, he is our father, Suzuki." Kiba replied.
The seasoned elder remained unfazed by her ludicrous remark, driving the spear forcefully into the earth. Suddenly, spear-like projectiles erupted from the ground, prompting Nanashi to spring into action with a keen sense of impending danger. In mid-air, she caught sight of Kiba perched in the tree, crafting a bow crackling with pure lightning, scorching the surroundings upon its creation. Locking eyes with him, she vigorously shook her head, but the defiant youth merely grinned. With a release that echoed through the heavens like a resounding thunderclap, the arrow exploded into a colossal cloud of smoke upon striking its target, leaving an indelible mark on the unfolding spectacle.
"Die!, witch!" Kiba erupted.
"Think again, boy."
From within the ethereal veil of swirling smoke, a commanding voice resonated, heralding an unseen presence. Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind materialized from the mystic realms, dispersing the enigmatic haze. As the tendrils of smoke dissipated, a vision of regal beauty emerged – a woman, resplendent in a flowing kimono adorned with the opulence of emerald green and burnished gold. In her grasp, she held two obsidian fans, each adorned with the delicate artistry of autumn leaves. Yet, mysteriously absent was any trace of Nanashi.
"Princess?" the old man asked.
"Princess Sarashina, what are you doing here?" Kiba asked, a glint in his eyes and his cheeks red as apples, blushing like a dog in heat.
"Sarashina? Where? Is she back? I'm in trouble now!" the woman said in a panicked state.
"Princess, but it is you," Kiba said, panting heavily for some reason.
"No, wait boy. I think this is that damned fox who stole your sister's ability," the old man said.
"I am a person," Nanashi said, looking down at her hands. "I must say, even though I haven't seen myself in a while, I do know that I'm definitely better looking than this."
"How dare you use my sister's ability for such blasphemous stuff!" Kiba protested, drawing another, more powerful arrow. It oozed so much power that it caused some of the ground to crack and float, and at its tip was a burst of fire, sounding like a blowtorch.
"Blasphemy? Why are you guys so old-fashioned? What is this, 304 BC?"
"Do it, boy," the old man said.
"With pleasure," Kiba replied, releasing the earth-scorching, shattering, and sound barrier-breaking arrow.
"What can this piss-willy arrow do to me?" Nanashi said confidently. With a flick of her wrist, she unfurled her fan, sweeping it gracefully across her form as if daring the world to challenge her. Little did she know, in the shadowy distance, an arrow loomed, its trajectory aimed with deadly precision. Confidence radiated from her every movement, an aura of invincibility enveloping her. But as the arrow found its mark, shattering her fan into a thousand fragments, time seemed to freeze. A moment of disbelief hung in the air, shattered only by the piercing scream that erupted from her lips as the deadly projectile struck her with unforgiving force, piercing her chest with lethal accuracy. Nanashi's world shattered along with her fan, the illusion of safety torn away in a single, brutal instant.
"I'M DEAD! I'M DEAD!" she shouted, throwing down the other fan in a fit of rage, dropping to her knees and wanting to pull out her hair.
"What are you doing?" Kiba asked, jumping down from the tree.
"Can't you see I'm busy dying, you monster!"
"No, you're not. You absorbed it. It was one of Kira's abilities, to copy and adapt, but you won't survive this one," Kiba answered.
"Kiba! What are you doing?" the old man shouted.
"What now?"
"How can you inform the enemy about their ability? You give her an advantage!"
"Don't worry, old man. I will..."
In instant, his words were severed by a blinding burst of light, followed by the sickening thud of his skull meeting the unforgiving earth. As consciousness slipped away, he found himself gazing into the eyes of Nanashi, her figure looming over him with an air of indifference. With one hand on her hip and the other fanning herself, she met his desperate stare and offered only a disdainful shrug of her shoulders, sealing his fate in a moment of tragic realization.
"KIBA!" His father cried out and ran to his son.
"How?" Kiba managed to muster with his final strength.
"Simple, I am the strongest Yokai to ever exist," Nanashi boasted.
"Don't talk, save your strength," his father said, cradling his son's head. "I will..."
"SPLAT!" Nanashi said, with a savage ferocity, Nanashi crushed the boy's father's skull between her hands, unleashing a grisly explosion of brains and gore that painted the surroundings in a macabre tableau. She tore his head from his body, the sound of ripping flesh echoing like a dreadful symphony as she greedily devoured her prey, sating her hunger until her belly bulged with grotesque satisfaction. Reverting to her fox form, she staggered away, her movements a grotesque mockery of grace, haunted by the crimson dawn breaking over the jagged silhouette of the mountain, bearing witness to the horrors she had wrought.
Not long into her blissful nap, Nanashi's peaceful slumber was rudely interrupted by a cacophony of annoying sounds echoing from outside her cozy barrow. First, a persistent meowing cat tried to serenade her back to consciousness, but Nanashi, determined to cling to her dreams, paid it no mind. Then came the unmistakable braying of a donkey, stationed right at the entrance of her burrow, as if it was auditioning for the role of the town crier. But just as Nanashi was about to shoo it away in her half-asleep haze, the donkey's bray morphed into a bear's growl!
That caught her attention.
With a sly grin playing on her lips, she cracked open one eye to investigate. And lo and behold, there stood Sasuke, her self-proclaimed lifelong best friend, orchestrating this symphony of chaos with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. But Sasuke's mischief knew no bounds. Under the guise of Nanashi's "slumbering innocence," he embarked on a daring mission to tickle her funny bone.
Clutching a leaf between his teeth, Sasuke tip-toed closer and closer, his furry paws barely making a sound. When he reached her face, he gently brushed the leaf across her nose, mimicking the irritating buzz of a mosquito. Every time Nanashi's nose twitched or her expression hinted at a forthcoming sneeze, Sasuke would bury his snout in his fluffy chest, muffling his giggles like a bumbling bandit attempting a daring heist.
But as with all great jesters, Sasuke's amusement eventually waned. With a shrug of his shoulders and a flicker of childish impatience, he declared, "Ah, boredom strikes again!" And with that, he retreated, leaving Nanashi to return to her interrupted nap, albeit now with a playful smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. 'Your no fun.' then stormed out of the barrow, leaving Nanashi with a pleased grin on her face and fell into a deep sleep once again.
A few hours later, while Nanashi, was enjoying her dream of how she conjured the Shang dynasty once again, making all those who went against and betrayed her suffer in very creative manner, she was woken by annoying, sleep disturbing sound of a child crying, just outside her barrow once again, this immediately woke her up with a hell like fury.
'This is it for him, I played along nicely but to interrupt such a beautiful dream is just inexcusable. She grumbled dashing out with great anger.
When she got outside, she noticed that there was no sign of her accused but the crying persisted.
'URUSAI! (quiet)', she shouted in a fit of range the crying stop for a few seconds before it started up again, even louder, infuriating her even more.
"I am going to kill it, even if it is a human." She said and dashed into the woods.
She tracked the haunting sounds, each soft sob leading her closer until she stood before a dense bush. With a fierce determination, Nanashi braced herself, her form expanding as she prepared to confront whatever lurked beyond man, woman, or child. Sasuke would just have to forgive and forget this one.
With a powerful leap, she burst through the foliage, jaws poised to strike, only to be met with a sight that arrested her predatory instincts. There, nestled amidst the leaves, sat a small figure a child no older than three years, her tear-streaked face lifted to meet Nanashi's gaze head-on.
For a fleeting moment, Nanashi's primal instincts clashed with her curiosity as she scrutinized the unexpected presence before her. With a deliberate slow blink, she closed her mouth, momentarily suspending the tension between predator and prey. This encounter held more mystery than anticipated.
'Huh, you are a nice little tender piece of meat, such a shame, that you have you die at such a young age but worry, you will not be missing anything, the world is actually not a very nice place, trust me, I am doing you a favour.' She said, walking over to the girl opening her mouth as wide as she can, looking to eat her up in one go.
In a whirlwind of excitement and curiosity, the little girl sprang to her feet, swiping at her runny nose before boldly extending her hand toward Nanashi's unsuspecting tongue. The moment her taste buds registered the salty tang, Nanashi recoiled faster than a startled cat confronted by a marching band's brass section.
With an exaggerated shudder, Nanashi launched into a frantic frenzy of taste-testing, licking the ground as if searching for buried treasure, then the bark of a nearby tree as if it held the secrets of the universe, and finally resorting to nibbling on leaves like a gourmet chef on a quest for the perfect seasoning.
The little girl's giggles bubbled up like a playful spring, her eyes sparkling with impish glee as she watched Nanashi's bizarre antics unfold. Before her, the once-fearsome Yokai had become a comical sight - lapping at leaves like a thirsty cat, gnawing on tree bark as if it were candy, and chomping at the forest floor with gusto.
The sweet innocent laughter drew Nanashi's attention like a moth to flame. In that moment, all her rage melted away, replaced by a mix of confusion and embarrassment at being caught in such an undignified state.
"So, you think this is funny? You dare laugh at me, you human pest! Now you're going to see, I have something special in mind for you," Nanashi snarled, taking a few steps back. Deciding that a long-range attack would be better for dealing with this phlegm beast, she began to growl.
As she did, a celestial aura enveloped her, igniting her fur with an ethereal luminescence. Sparks of electricity wove intricate patterns around her, casting a mesmerizing spectacle. In the depths of her shadow, a liquid essence stirred, simmering with latent power. From its depths emerged a serpentine form, reminiscent of an ancient anaconda, its scales ablaze with hues of resplendent gold and crimson. Atop its regal brow, a verdant emerald glimmered, a testament to its divine lineage. Rising with majestic grace, it stood tall, akin to a king cobra poised before its enraptured audience, exuding an aura of unparalleled grandeur and majesty.
"Say hello to my little friend," Nanashi said with a prideful smile.
The little girl's eyes glistened with awe and wonder, unconsciously muttering the word "kirei" (beautiful).
This caught Nanashi off guard. This was the time when humans usually trembled in fear, yet this one remained calm and fascinated.
"Flattery will get you nowhere, little girl. Get her, Snakey!"
The serpent swiftly descended, entwining itself with sinister grace around the girl and bringing her up to its face.
"Oi! Don't eat her, she's mine. Just suffocate her or something," Nanashi said, chewing on a stick.
The snake nodded in agreement and turned its attention back to the girl, who was no longer trapped in its coils but busy making her way to the top of its head.
Once she reached, she immediately darted for the shinny jewel at the center of its head, the snake realising what she was trying to do and that it could also spell its end, tried to shake the girl off but soon realised that one should not underestimate the grip strength of a three-old girl, who thought of this ordeal, that it was nothing more than a game, so the snake pull out all the stops, shake side to side back and forth like a mechanical bull, eventually its efforts paid off, when it flung the little girl high up into the air to the point where she go see her village and almost giving Nanashi a heart attack, realising that she could be rob of her tender innocence, she instinctively, ran up the tree and jumped of the nearest branch, catching the little girl in mid -air and cradling her tight to her thick and fluffy chest, providing an effect couching as she landed on her back.
"Ouch!" Nanashi cried, slowly opening her eyes to see if the girl was alright. Indeed, she was, quickly popping into a seated position with a big smile on her face, accentuating her bright red cheeks.
"Again!" the little one said in a tone of excitement.
"You're a troublesome one, aren't you?"
"Is she now?" A voice echoed, sending a cold chill down Nanashi's spine as she realized whose it was.
"Sasuke, I can explain," she quickly said, rolling on her side so the child could gently slide off.
"You can explain how a child was flying in the air?" Sasuke asked, putting his hands on his hips.
"Yes, that's just what I said," she replied, standing up and shaking the leaves off before she continued, "And why are you in a human form?"
"Let me guess," Sasuke began, "while I was on my daily rounds checking on the fellow spirits that inhabit the forest, ensuring they're safe and following the rules, I couldn't help but spot a giggling child launched into the air. So I thought it would be better to show up in human form, in case other humans had seen what I also saw."
"You're quite smart, despite the way you look," she said.
"And you're not. I've told you many times before to stay away from humans. They're very unpredictable, especially when it comes to things they fear and don't understand, so please stay away." He said, walking towards the little girl and picking her up, but the girl refused to sit still, stretching her arms out towards Nanashi.
"What are you going to do now?" Nanashi inquired.
"I'm going to take her home and as your punishment, you'll give her a ride." He said, putting the little girl on her back. She immediately wrapped her hands around Nanashi's furry neck, cuddling and rubbing her face in the fur with complete delight. In the midst of this ecstasy, she muttered the word "Mama," almost causing Nanashi to turn stiff as a rock from shock.
"What! Did you hear that? Did you?"
"I heard nothing," Sasuke replied, putting his hands behind his back and taking a few steps forward. "Come on now, her parents must be sick with worry."
"Okay... okay," she answered and followed Sasuke.
Until they came in full view of her village.
"This is far enough. I'll take her from here. Oh look, she's fast asleep. What a little angel."
"Let me see! Let me see!" Nanashi said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Calm down, or else you'll wake her up," he said, lowering her slightly.
"Look how she sleeps, little trouble maker. Gosh, almost gave me a heart attack. Now take her away before I change my mind about not eating her."
"No, need to pretend to be tough, every creature has a heart you know." Sasuke said before descending down the hill and into the heart of the village, Sasuke was greeted by the girl's mother, whose arms swiftly enveloped her slumbering daughter. With tender affection, she adorned the sleeping beauty with an abundance of kisses, each one a testament to a mother's boundless love. Then, in a moment that even caught Sasuke by surprise, she directed her gaze towards the hill where Nanashi, the ancient tree, stood watchful. With a gentle smile adorning her face, she whispered softly, "Arigato," expressing gratitude to the silent guardian. This action freaked, Nanashi out completely, causing to dash away into the forest like a startled deer.
As she was walking how, questioning her-self about the situation she found herself and how that little girl's mother could have sensed her all the way in the mountain, really freaked her out so much so, that her stomach began growling.
'Great, just what I needed, first, I do not get a good night's sleep, now I am starving, what..', before she could finish her sentence, she caught a whiff of her sense of smell, 'What is that, am I really that hungry, that my nose is smelling food where ever it is going, but it does smell nice though, might as well just follow it.'
She followed the smell all the way to her own barrow, to find her self-proclaimed best friend, Sasuke, hovering over a hot pot, and a picnic style set up in front of her burrow.
"Welcome! Welcome! Please, have a seat," he said, beckoning her forward with his hands.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, not trying to contain her excitement.
"Celebration."
"For what?"
"For taking the human home without eating her."
"I think that's a made-up reason and this is all an elaborate excuse to have dinner with me because you're lonely," she said, putting her paw in front of her mouth.
"And bored."
"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm no one's plaything, so if you wouldn't mind leav—" Before she could finish playing hard to get, her stomach growled louder than ever.
"If you wish for me to leave, then I shall. Guess I'll be taking my delicious five-course meal, including a mouth-watering dessert, with me all the way to Sarashina. She truly does have a taste for the finer things in life. I guess you've lost the desire for these kinds of pleasures after being here in the forest for quite some time."
"Alright, alright. Wow, no need for the gaslighting. You win, but how am I going to use the chopsticks? You'll have to feed me."
Sasuke darkened, and his tone became serious. "Why are you playing dumb? I know you can shapeshift."
Nanashi was startled a little but continued playing dumb. "What do you mean?"
"Are you really going to make me spell it out for you? I'm connected to the forest. I have eyes and ears everywhere."
"Everywhere? That's kind of disturbing. Do you watch me sleep?" she asked, leaning closer with her ear.
"No, definitely not. You really are full of yourself. In any case, I know you ate the Onnoraki."
"Well, they did attack me fir—"
"There's no use dwelling on the past. Things happen, and there's nothing we can do about it, so let's eat," he said cheerfully.
"Why does it feel like I've actually done you a favor?"
"Come now, change and eat. The food is getting cold," he said, starting to stuff his face with rice.
"Okay," Nanashi replied. She then closed her ancient eyes, delving deep into her innermost essence. With unwavering focus, she summoned the memories of her true form, channeling ancient magic that coursed through her being. Suddenly, a radiant brilliance burst forth from her form, illuminating the surrounding landscape with an otherworldly glow. Sasuke's gaze was drawn towards the spectacle.
"Finally, I get to see how you really look," he said, putting his chopsticks in the bowl and placing it on the ground so he could examine the creature emerging from the smoke with his undivided attention.
As the mist of transformation dissipated, a vision emerged: a woman of ethereal beauty, her porcelain skin kissed by the moon's gentle caress, shimmering with an iridescent glow. Cascading locks, as dark as the midnight heavens, framed her countenance, each strand a celestial thread weaving tales of the cosmos. Within her gaze, the hues of autumn danced, mirroring the stars in a boundless night sky, their brilliance unmatched by mortal realms.
Her visage bore the marks of countless ages, etched with the wisdom of eons past, yet beneath the surface, a delicate innocence remained, untouched by the passage of time. Despite the trials endured, her features retained a semblance of childlike wonder, a testament to the enduring resilience of the spirit.
In her presence, the very essence of enchantment stirred, weaving a tapestry of wonder and awe that enveloped all who beheld her. She stood as a beacon of timeless beauty, a manifestation of magic incarnate, her presence a testament to the boundless wonders of the universe.
Sasuke, was mesmerize by the women sitting before him, until more of the smoke cleared, starting to reveal more than in necessary, his face turned beat root red as he, stuck his hand into the fire and pulling a blanket of fire over her head, quickly turning into a glistening bright red silk and wrapping itself around her as it descended upon her skin.
"Have you no shame, a least produce some clothes too." He said, opening his eyes slowly.
"What do you mean, you see me naked all the time, by the way, you have some insane skill, not only did you produce silk out of fire but also managed to wrap it around my body into a kimono., I am impressed, one might say, you have done this many times before." She said, winking at him.
"No, I haven't. Now eat your food, please."
"Okay, okay, I'm just joking," Nanashi replied, waving her hands in the air before picking up her chopsticks and bowl of rice. She started hammering away like a street dog, eating anything and everything her chopsticks could get a hold of.
After gobbling so much food that she looked nine months pregnant, she changed back into a fox, because two legs were simply not enough to carry her body weight at that moment.
Barely able to crawl back into her burrow, Sasuke called out to her.
"And this mess now? Are you not going to help?"
"Nope, I'm very confident in your powers and skills after that little display of yours. So, GOOD LUCK AND GOOD NIGHT!" she shouted, collapsing into her burrow.
As for Sauske, he stood up dusted himself off, snapped his fingers, causing all the stuff the use to turn into a bunch of leaves and blow away.
Then turned back into a fox, circled Nanashi's burrow, scratched some dirt into her barrow, then dashed off into the forest.
The night went on as peaceful as they come, not even a mosquito belting like an Arabian opera singer, could be heard, No, sir, it was a good night to dream and for Nanashi, it was a great day to dream, in which, she was torturing every single member of the Zhou dynasty army, who went up against her and also the towns people, who dared to live happily, without her permission, were stripped naked and made to jump for their food which was hung from a tree, indeed this was the most exquisite dream for a divine comedy and torturing connoisseur like Nanashi, but like all things in life all good things have to come to an end!
As the first light of dawn gently filtered into her burrow, its warm rays delicately brushing against her face, Nanashi welcomed the morning with a sense of peaceful awakening. The soft glow of the sun brought with it a serene ambiance, filling her space with a comforting tranquility.
Amidst this tranquil scene, a faint shuffling noise drifted through the air, accompanied by the soft, melodic tones of a female voice. "You take care now," the voice whispered gently, followed by a tender farewell, before melting into the quiet stillness of the morning.
initially, she thought that it was Sauske, probably bored and lonely after his daily visits to the other spirits, now he is looking to be annoying for a little entertainment, so she thought that she would give him subtle, yet clear signs that she was not in the mood for him today, as she heard the him enter, she curled herself up and covered her face with her tail, but being the persistent bastard that he is, still continued to come closer but this time, had an odd strong smell of milk and dried fish.
Nanashi, thought she would add a little sound, since he seems to be a little dense, so she started growling with a low intensity but this dullard could care less, going so far as to softly stroking her tail, the heat from the hand was so gentle and delicate, in turn pacified her growling Yet, this tranquillity swiftly shifted into a searing sensation as she was suddenly struck on her thigh causing to spring up with a roaring intensity, ready to rip his face off.
"HOW DARE YOU SIR!" she roared.
But it wasn't a "Sir" sitting in front of her; it was her self-appointed daughter, Akiza Hashirama.
"You! You're turning into a real pest. I should just eat you before Sasuke sees you. Should I eat you?" she teased, her voice playful.
The little girl shook her head, her eyes wide with innocence.
"Well, I think I should! Here I come... nom... nom... nom!" Nanashi said, pushing Akiza gently onto her back and playfully pretending to bite her all over. Akiza burst out in the cutest giggle.
"Aren't you the sweetest thing? Ha! What am I doing? Do I have... maternal feelings? No... no... no!" Nanashi exclaimed, flustered. "Come on now... What is your name?"
"Akiza!" the little girl chirped.
"Where is your mother, Akiza?" Nanashi inquired, her tone more serious.
"Here!" Akiza pointed at Nanashi.
"You!" Nanashi gasped.
"Me?" Akiza tilted her head.
"Mama!" Akiza declared, with a bright smile.
"Mama? I knew it! You call me 'Mama'! Wait, why am I excited? No! This is wrong. And you, young lady, you must never ever call me that again. Do you understand?"
"Hai!" Akiza nodded obediently.
"Good."
"Ni-Mama!" Akiza said, her eyes sparkling.
"It seems I can't win," Nanashi muttered to herself. "I'll just take you home and relocate myself."
With a resigned sigh, Nanashi picked Akiza up by the collar and exited the burrow.
"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Just look at what the fox dragged out of her burrow," Sasuke said, standing above the entrance, his silver fur glistening in the wind.
"It's not—"
"What I think it is?"
"I—"
"Can explain, right?"
"If you would just let me—"
"Woof! Woof!" Akiza suddenly barked, interrupting them.
"Hey! I'm not a dog," Nanashi replied, perplexed.
"I think she means me," Sasuke said with a chuckle. "I've visited her village a few times... as a dog."
"Why? I thought you said we should stay away from humans," Nanashi said, her eyes narrowing in confusion.
"I went there for research purposes and I don't need to explain myself to you. I am the guardian here!" he said, then inexplicably jumped over them.
"I understand you're the guardian, but that's no excuse to expose yourself like that, especially ,IN FRONT OF THE CHILD MAN!" Nanashi exclaimed.
"You shouldn't be looking there in the first place! And why are you shouting?"
"I don't know, I'm a woman, I can do whatever I want. It's just the heat of the moment. Anyway, I'd love to continue this pointless argument, but as you can see, I need to get this little girl home. So, nice chat, bye!"
"Bye-bye, woof...woof!" Akiza said as Nanashi began to carry her away.
"Wait! She can't go back now," Sasuke called out.
"Why not?" Nanashi asked.
"Because her parents work in rice fields quite far from here. They won't be back until late afternoon."
"And how is that my problem?" Nanashi replied coldly.
"Seriously, have a heart. If you take this girl—"
"Akiza!"
"What?"
"Her name is Akiza."
"Okay, if you take Akiza back now, who knows what might happen to her. I think you understand, given how long you've lived."
"So, what do you suggest we do with her?"
"Play!" Akiza shouted.
"I wasn't talking to you, young lady," Nanashi replied sternly, then set her down on the ground.
"I have an idea. How about you two join me in my daily check-in with the other spirits that inhabit the forest?"
"Pass," Nanashi groaned.
"Yes!" Akiza protested.
"Don't be like this. Even Akiza is willing," Sasuke said, making puppy dog eyes.
"You know very well they don't like me, I don't like them, and I'm perfectly fine with that," she said with a smug look on her face.
"Why? Aren't friends good?" Akiza asked, looking at Sasuke.
"No, friends are very bad," Nanashi replied.
"What?" Sasuke exclaimed.
"But Okasa?" Akiza mumbled.
"Okasa? Ha! Let me not even get started on your Okasa. Your Okasa is very bad."
"Stop," Sasuke said firmly.
"No, she needs to hear this," Nanashi insisted. "My Okasa was a lady of the night—or more like lady of night, morning, and afternoon. Heck, sometimes all day, every day, twice on Sundays. But one thing she never would have done was leave me alone with her clients or with an apex predator like myself. So your Okasa is pretty horrible."
"I said, ENOUGH!" Sasuke roared.
The air crackled with electricity as blood-red lightning split the sky. The atmosphere grew thick and oppressive, making it difficult to breathe. Sasuke's eyes turned pitch black, vast pools of endless darkness. His size increased exponentially, towering over them like a living mountain.
His head split grotesquely into three, each more terrifying than the last. His hair transformed into razor-sharp quills, each one capable of impaling a man. Nine massive tails, each as thick as an ancient tree trunk, whipped through the air with impossible speed. They moved like writhing tentacles, crackling with barely contained energy. A blinding golden aura enveloped his body, scorching the earth beneath his feet.
The sheer power radiating from Sasuke was overwhelming, like standing before an angry god. The very fabric of reality seemed to warp around him.
Upon witnessing this horrifying transformation, Nanashi took several steps back and bowed her head. Akiza began to wail in terror.
"LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" Nanashi shouted, her blood boiling with rage.
"I am sorry," all three of Sasuke's heads said in unison, their voices an unholy chorus. Slowly, he merged back into one form, shrinking down to his normal size. "I did not mean to. I just got so angry."
"So, you can't control yourself? What are you, five years old? Come on, man!" Nanashi scolded. She turned to comfort Akiza, "There, there. The big, stupid monster is gone. Why are you just standing there with your mouth full of teeth? Apologize, now!"
"But how am I at fault here?" Sasuke protested.
"Apologize now!" Nanashi growled through gritted teeth.
Sasuke sighed heavily before slowly walking over to Akiza and mumbling, "I am sorry."
"What? I don't think she heard you. Open your mouth, man!"
"I am sorry," Sasuke said more clearly. "I promise it will not happen again."
"Good! Now let's get on with those dreadful visits," Nanashi said, rolling her eyes.
"Okay, come along with me into a world of magic and pure beauty," Sasuke invited, his demeanor completely changed.
They followed Sasuke to two large trees whose branches intertwined to form an arch, creating what looked like a gateway to another world.
"Now, close your eyes and enter into my world," Sasuke instructed softly.