Ha ha, even once my writing ability comes back to me, my update schedule remains the same. Now that college is all over and done with, I have a lot more time to focus on my writing. ...I really wanted this chapter to come out right, so I hope you enjoy it too.
---
A party in full swing, attended by both humans and youkai. Underneath the cloudless sky, a timid girl was accompanied by a rare companion...
"S-so, Elly, where are we going?" Kurumi rubbed her arm shyly.
Elly spoke in a grand voice. "We are going to meet up with the head organizer of this party."
Kurumi touched her chin. "I thought you were the organizer?" To this, Elly laughed and waved her hands.
"No no no, I'm just an assistant. I'm far too busy to tackle something this big on my own."
"Busy? That's not very common in Gensokyo. What do you do...?"
Elly adopted a proud smile. "I am the maid and bodyguard of a rich and powerful lady. A caretaker, if you will."
Kurumi "ooh"ed in response. She had no idea there was someone like that in the Human Village. "That would make you pretty busy, I guess... It, umm...sounds rough."
"Aah, no, it's not that bad. She's kind of...odd, but she's a really nice person once you get to know her. So yeah, I get my share of free time, and I make sure to use it. Gotta keep up with my reading, after all!" Elly pumped her fists, mostly to herself.
Kurumi's eyes lit up. "You read too, Elly?"
Elly gave an approving grin. "Of course! I still don't get out much, so I have to take what I can get. Nothing like books to while away the hours, I say!"
Kurumi clasped her hands together. "W-what kind of books? I mean, if you don't mind me asking...!"
Elly giggled for some reason. "Oh, you know, the classics. Not just the Chinese classics either; a lot of western literature has a very distinct taste compared to what's around here."
"Yeah, I agree! I mean, not that the stuff around here is bad or anything...it's just interesting, to read stuff from other places that aren't here." Kurumi thought of all the books in her home with that foreign label of "young adult" and nodded approvingly.
Elly smiled and nodded. "What are your favorites, then?"
"Aah, well, you know...eh heh heh." Kurumi looked away.
Nooo, I should have thought of this...! She just talked about "classics" and "literature." She can't know Kurumi avoids big-worded stuff like the plague...!
Come on, think of somethiiiiiing. The young blond's mind raced for something that sounded classy. Finally her mind settled on the picture book she bought the other day, the one that kid tried to steal.
"Well, the book I finished reading most recently..." She took a deep breath; Elly stopped walking and waited expectantly.
"...was the great work 'Spirits of the East.'" She held her head high, hoping she survived the next minute.
...
...
*snrk*
Elly chuckled and looked away, covering her mouth with a delicate fist. Kurumi flushed red.
"U-uuhm, I...take it you've heard of it."
Elly tried to keep a straight face. "Y-yeah, I have. That's a nice choice, I've heard. From the kids at the school. Heh heh heh."
She should have just taken it, but Kurumi pouted. "There's nothing wrong with appreciating a good children's book!"
"No, I'm not judging you Kurumi. It's just...fitting, somehow." She gave a serene smile which caused the vampire's annoyance to melt away. She looked away for a moment.
"...Eh heh. Thanks, I guess." She scratched her cheek and let the awkward moment last just a while longer.
---
"Ooooooy, Keine!" Elly waved and ran ahead of Kurumi to a proper-looking lady with a lunchbox on her head. The lady turned to face her, her long white hair flowing as she did so.
"Aah, Elly, it's good to see you. And you brought a friend...?" She gave an imperious gaze at Kurumi.
"Kinda. Come on Kurumi!" Elly waved her closer, and Kurumi fast-walked forward, keeping her arms stiff as she approached the woman.
"Nice to meet you! I'm Kurumi...umm, just Kurumi." She bowed deeply. The lady with blue highlights in her hair glanced at Kurumi skeptically.
"I am Keine Kamishirasama. I am the head organizer for this event. Will you be joining us?"
"Umm, if you please..." Kurumi's heart was pounding, trying to impress this big-shot.
The woman raised her eyebrow. "Hmph, very well then." She walked past Kurumi with her arms folded, surveying the party. Kurumi looked down, feeling slightly dejected.
Elly leaned in close. "Don't mind her, she's always this way. She's a really nice person, even if she's a bit stuffy." Kurumi nodded. She could see that, but she also could tell there was zero chance of them getting along.
"Aah, there's a snack table over there. Come on Kurumi, help us get some grub!" Elly rushed forward, and the other two followed suit.
Kurumi put herself in charge of gathering the sweets, while Elly helped filled a plate of fruit and crackers. And the older lady, Keine...filled her sake dish.
It wouldn't kill her to carry something in the other hand... Kurumi stole a glance at the sake dish as she dished some mochi. Keine must have seen her, because she suddenly turned and grew a stern look on her face.
"What? Am I not allowed to have sake?"
"U-uh, yes, of course you are! But...umm, never mind." Kurumi sweated and busied herself with a second plate of sweet bread, and Keine turned away, satisfied.
In any case, it wasn't long before they were all stocked up with food. Keine turned to the other two.
"You should know that along with my duties, I am the chaperone of someone this evening as well."
Elly's eyes widened slightly. "Ooh, I see. Let's find them, shall we?"
Keine nodded. "Then follow me." Taking careful yet steady steps, she balanced her sake dish in a dignified manner and glided towards some far-off destination. Elly turned to Kurumi. "Ready?"
Kurumi nodded. "Yeah, I think I am. Thanks." Elly smiled and walked ahead to Keine's side. The young vampire trailed behind the two and concentrated on keeping her plates level.
"So Keine, how has everything been going, party-wise?"
"Mmm..." The white-haired woman looked up at the stars briefly before answering. "Well, it's certainly going well, as far as attendance goes at any rate..."
Kurumi glanced to the side, eager to not enter the conversation. For the first time since meeting Elly, she took in her situation.
I can't believe I'm doing this...I've never had an outing with humans like this before...
Well, that wasn't true. In her early days she had joined guests for dinner a few times when her caretakers insisted, and she played with some villagers a few times back then, too. But that was so long ago. Plus...that wasn't exactly a positive experience with humans back then, either. Kurumi bit her lips in anxiety, wondering how she should act once the actual talking part happened.
"..."
The sound of nearby voices interrupted Kurumi's train of thought. She looked and saw two girls pointing at her and whispering.
Eh...? She took small peeks at the two girls as she moved a bit closer behind Elly. Why would they be looking at her...?
As if to answer her question, the girls then looked ahead to Keine and Elly and said something Kurumi couldn't make out. The young vampire's eyes widened as it dawned on her: They weren't looking at her, they were looking at the group. The group she was in.
Kurumi gave a meaningful look at the two girls as she passed by them and they turned away, pretending not to be paying attention to her. Paying attention...to me...
...How could she put it? The idea of being a part of something made Kurumi super nervous. As a covert vampire, she couldn't risk letting her true nature be found out by anyone. But...at the same time, it was kind of exciting. Kurumi looked down at the ground and softened her eyes. It was kind of...like it was back then.
---
Finally, Keine stopped in front of a group of two people on the ground.
"I'm back, Youmu." The one she spoke to, a young girl wearing green shorts, perked up.
"Oh, Keine! Thank goodness you're back. This weird youkai tried attacking me earlier..." The other girl, a modest-looking girl with a ridiculous-looking umbrella, pouted.
"I did not! I only wanted you to fear me...not hit me with that big thing..." She rubbed her cheek, and Kurumi noticed a large bruise.
Keine sat down Japanese style. "You appear unharmed, in any case. Elly, Kurumi, this is Youmu. I'm looking after her while she's away from home."
The short-haired girl lowered her head. "Pleased to meet you." Keine took Kurumi and Elly's plates and set them in the middle of the forming circle. As she did this, she turned to the other girl. "And you are?"
The blue-haired youkai gave a wide, if insincere smile. "I'm Kogasa Tatara! Pleased to make your acquaintance!" The five of them nodded and exchanged pleasantries. Elly sat down and patted the ground next to her. Kurumi obliged, sitting cross-legged.
Keine glanced at the hideous accessory next to Kogasa. "That umbrella...are you a karakasa, by any chance?" Kogasa puffed out her chest.
"That's right, a true-born tsukumogami! There's nothing I can't scare when I try!" She turned to Kurumi and waggled her fingers. "You better be careful, Kurumi, or you'll soon find yourself quivering on the ground like a piece of konjac. Ueh heh heh heh heh!"
Kurumi raised an eyebrow. "I'll keep an eye out, thanks." She nibbled on a cracker. The boyish girl, Youmu, leaned towards her.
"Yeah, you better watch out! For serious, keep an eye open when you go around a corner. You can't let her catch you off guard, no matter what!" She turned her gaze to Kogasa and edged away.
Man, what a kid. Kurumi then felt embarrassed, remembering her talk with Elly from earlier.
Elly dished up a plate of potatoes. "So, Youmu, Keine says she's your chaperone at the moment. Does this mean you're not from around here?"
The girl gulped some daifuku she bit into before answering. "Aah, yeah. My home's far away, and I don't get to come out to the Human Village much. But my master insisted I talk with people my age. She calls it "training," but I don't see what I'm supposed to learn..." She had a slightly morose look on her face as she said this last part.
Keine sipped some sake. "I got a formal request to look after her several days ago. It was quite a surprise, but her master isn't someone you say no to."
"Huh..." Kurumi appraised the exotic-sounding circumstances of the girl in front of her as she ate an apple slice.
Taking a closer look though, something was a bit off about the girl. It was hard to see in this light, but there was some fluffy cloud-like thing around her which blended into the background.
"...Umm, Youmu? What is that giant thing around you?"
"Eh?" Youmu looked around, confused. The object adjusted itself behind her as she turned. "What thing?" Keine cleared her throat.
"Youmu is what is known as a half-ghost. As in, half-ghost, half-human. You're looking at her phantom half."
Kurumi tried to hide the puzzlement on her face. "I...see..." A half ghost? Until now she thought this girl was human. The shapeless blob shrunk under her gaze; Youmu suddenly looked a bit shy.
"Is that weird? I know there aren't many like me..."
Kurumi shook her head and waved her hands. "Oh, no, no, it's not like that. I didn't mean to say you're weird. It's, umm..." Shoot, what does she want to say? Youmu looked apprehensive as sweat began forming on Kurumi's forehead.
Elly cleared her throat slightly and everyone turned to her. "I think what Kurumi wants to say is that it's very distinctive to be only part-human." Kurumi perked up, and Elly winked at her.
"Yeah! That's what I wanted to say. It's very...uhm, distinctive." She tapped her fingers together, glad to have someone to back her up.
Youmu looked down slightly. "Oh. Well, thank you, but it's nothing special, really. Just my lineage." Youmu shrugged her shoulders and helped herself to an apple.
The vampire shook her head. "No, I think it's very interesting, to be half and half like that. You get to be on both sides of the coin."
Youmu gave a confused look. "I guess? I'm usually too busy to worry about stuff like that, though." She took a bite of the fruit in her hands.
Kurumi steeled her will and leaned forward slightly. "So if you don't mind me asking, then, how do people treat you? Like a human, or a youkai?"
"W-what-?" Youmu almost lost the bit of apple she chewed into, and everyone in the circle gave a confused look.
Shoot, why did I say that...? The formerly upbeat atmosphere suddenly darkened, and Kurumi felt like every eye on her was judging her. Her breath stiffened and she wanted to apologize, but she couldn't take back what she already said...
Keine was the first to respond. "Kurumi, that was very rude. What would it matter if she were seen as a human or not?" Kurumi's mind felt hot at this remark.
"It matters a lot! Because, you know, everyone in Gensokyo is either human, like you, or a youkai like Kogasa." She motioned at Kogasa, who was listening intently. "How someone'd view you would depend a lot on which one you were..."
Keine brushed aside her hair and gave a small snort. "For your information, there are a lot more than just 'humans and youkai' in Gensokyo. Take her." She glanced at Kogasa. "She's a karakasa. Would it be right to just call her a youkai?"
Kurumi strained her eyes a little. "Well, she's a kind of youkai..."
"Yes, a kind. But there are countless varieties of them, and it'd be folly for you to treat them all the same. For example, there are tsukumogami, magicians, vampires, nyuudo, hakutaku, evil spirits, oni, satori, rokurokubi-"
Kurumi shut her eyes and pouted. "Alright, I get it! But even if there's all different kinds, they're all the same to..." She trailed off, suddenly becoming very nervous. There's no way she could flub saying this up. She glanced to Elly for support, but to Kurumi's surprise, the normally cheerful girl was looking ahead with a far-away look on her face. She gulped and looked back to Keine, who was giving an uncharacteristically intense look on her face.
"They're all the same to...what? Finish your sentences when you start them, young miss. Didn't they teach you that in school? Oh wait, you don't go to school, of course. I've never seen you in my classes..." She gave Kurumi a piercing glare, and the young girl felt like she was being cooked alive. She couldn't finish that sentence. It wasn't true, so there's no way she could say that...
Youmu shifted uncomfortably. "Uhm, you guys?"
Keine's glare turned to Youmu. "Yes, Youmu?" The half-ghost stiffened, but kept herself firm.
"I didn't really mind the question that much, it just caught me off guard is all. So if you could calm down...?" Kurumi was amazed at how she kept herself calm with those eyes on her. She must be a monk or something.
After a momentary eternity, Keine sighed and relented. She relaxed her shoulders and sipped some sake. Youmu wiped her forehead with a "whew."
"Anyway Kurumi, it's no big deal. I'm just a human with a ghost part. I guess if you wanted something strange about me, it's that I age slower than a normal human. And I have my ghost half." The white mass sailed to the front, and she wrapped her arm around it. "That's it, really."
"I-I see. Umm, I'm sorry for asking such an inappropriate question like that." Kurumi wasn't satisfied, but felt like she should cut her losses.
"It's fine." Youmu returned to the apple she had started on before, and the conversation lulled.
...
"Hey, Kurumi..." A soft voice to her left caught the blond's attention. Elly faced her, a slightly worried look on her face. "Is it okay if I ask you a question?"
Honestly? No, she just wanted to get up and run far away to someplace safe right now. But those eyes...she couldn't say no to them. "Yeah...?"
Elly's eyes flickered away slightly before continuing. "Do you think humans and youkai are able to get along with each other?"
"Eh...?" Such a question...why would the organizer of a party like this ask something like that? Still...
"Aah...hmm..." Kurumi looked down at an increasingly abandoned food plate and searched within herself.
Can humans and youkai get along? In all her years of living, she had never seen a reason why not. They both laugh, they both cry, and they both have the same thoughts and feelings. She's never seen a reason why they can't live in harmony. But...
Then, an image of blood-soaked bodies filled Kurumi's mind.
It's impossible. Kurumi closed her eyes and shook the image out of her head.
"Kurumi...?" Elly's eyes looked apprehensive. Youmu was looking anxious and Keine had a patently neutral expression. Kurumi's head was pounding, but she couldn't let herself say what was in her mind right now. To admit that this feeling was right would be to give up. But...but...
"Don't you think that's kind of unfair, Elly?"
"Eh-?!" Kurumi and Elly startled and turned to the voice. Kurumi turned to see Kogasa the karakasa, stroking the handle of her umbrella thoughtfully.
"W-what do you mean, Kogasa?" Elly gripped her collar. Kurumi remained silent, but stared as the blue-haired youkai took a small breath.
"I'm saying that it's wrong to pose it like a philosophic question. After all, a youkai has no choice but to terrorize humans. It's just our nature..." She gave a small, wry smile to herself.
Elly's face stiffened. "I don't think that's true, Kogasa."
Kogasa smiled. "Isn't it? A youkai requires humans to fear it in order to maintain existence. That...is basic. No matter how much we like or hate humans, attacking them is inevitable. We youkai can't exist without that element of fear."
Or for vampires, human blood... Kurumi looked down.
Now it was Keine's turn to speak up. "That may be true, Kogasa, but you're ignoring where we are and why it exists. Gensokyo was made as a haven for youkai so they wouldn't have to disappear from the world. No one in Gensokyo is foolish enough to deny the existence of youkai.
Kogasa grumbled. "Well that's true, but-"
Keine cut her off. "And because everyone believes in youkai, you can exist in Gensokyo without attacking the humans who live in the village. It's enough that people remain who believe in you and your powers."
The umbrella youkai sighed. "You don't get it. That doesn't change anything Miss Kamishirasawa. Unless humans are afraid of us, belief isn't good enough."
Keine narrowed her eyes. "I don't understand. Explain yourself."
The karakasa raised her arms as though she was a monster. "To strike fear into the hearts of humans!" Her hands fell behind her head to resemble horns. "To inspire stories of our might!" She covered her face and shifted her eyes. "And to ensure those stories live on in hushed whispers...!" She clasped her hands together. "That is the kind of fear and respect that makes us who we are as youkai, our raison d'?tre."
Keine furrowed her brow, as if remembering something. "So that's how you see it. That's right, I had forgotten. If your existence originated from a certain quality, needing to express that trait wouldn't just be psychological; it'd extend to your physical health as well..."
Kogasa nodded. "Now you're getting it. And for a karakasa like me, to not scare someone and live on belief alone is like..." She picked a pastry off a plate and ate it in one gulp. "Like a human without sweets."
Elly held herself as she glanced at Keine. "Or a teacher without a class...I think I get what you're saying, Kogasa." This must have meant something to Keine, as the stubborn lady closed her eyes with a difficult expression.
A teacher without a class...yeah, I get it. Most youkai would waste away without this "role" whether or not they continued living; it'd hardly be a haven at all. Not to mention those of us who need to eat humans...it's no wonder humans and youkai have no choice but to fight each other... Kurumi sighed in resignation.
Elly raised her head a bit. "But still...we don't think it has to be that way, Kogasa. That's why we threw this party - as a way to let us intermingle and build lasting relationships. We want to show everyone there's a way we can live in peace together." She waved her hands at the bustling party.
"Aah, I see. That's pretty thoughtful." Kogasa straightened her skirt as she spoke. "So let me ask, how is this party going to solve the problem?"
Elly looked tense. "What...do you mean?"
Kogasa looked around at the various groups chattering in the night. "I mean this." She waved her hand. "How will this quench our need to frighten humans? Do you have a way I'm just not seeing?"
"Nngh..." Elly pursed her lips and let her hands sink into her lap.
This karakasa was kind of pissing her off, but Kurumi couldn't deny the logic behind her words. The problem wasn't that youkai like her couldn't get along with humans like Elly. It's that they have to keep attacking humans in order to remain healthy and active. So long as that's true...this party and the memories it builds won't do anything but make that fact more painful. Elly's goal, as nice as it sounded, was just the hope of an inexperienced child. Kurumi felt like she was about to cry.
"This isn't meant to be an easy fix, Kogasa. These things take time."
Eh...? Kurumi held back the growing tears and looked at Elly, who still seemed to have some fight left in her.
"I'm sure there's a solution that will let us live in harmony with humans in spite of that. But nothing will get done if we don't at least try to look for an answer..."
That's pretty gutsy of her to say, but - wait...something about what she said seems off...
Kogasa gave a sympathetic smile. "Wishful thinking, dear Elly. In the mean time though, we gotta still get our sustenance somehow. You know that as well as anyone. We're not going to just sit back and wait for you to come up with a miracle cure."
...
"E-even so, not all youkai need to eat humans to find fulfillment. Some of us can achieve that through other means. I'm sure there's a way for all youkai to reach that end...!"
. . .
And then it clicked.
WHAAAAAAT?!
Kurumi slammed her palms down.
"YOU'RE A YOUKAI, ELLY?!" Everyone in the circle jumped. Youmu almost fell backwards screaming.
Whoops. Kurumi blushed furiously.
Kogasa gave Kurumi a proud look. "Man, you'd make a grade A karakasa, Kurumi. I'll have to take notes on that one." She took out a notebook from her breast pocket and began writing.
"U-u-u-um, sorry about that. But, Elly, you're a youkai?"
Elly laughed a bit as she caught her breath. "Ha ha...you scared me... Anyway yeah, I am. Sorry, I-I didn't mean to hide it from you...why? Was that important?" The normally self-confident girl suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable.
This revelation hit the vampire like a ton of bricks. Her head was swimming. A youkai? A youkai is the one saying all this? She thought this was all the posturing of an ignorant human, but now...
"You say that even though you're a youkai? That we can live together?"
"Y-yeah...? Is that...wrong?"
Kurumi's arms shook. How. How can she say such things when faced with raw reality? How can she go to the lengths of this party to try and reach out to humans when she knows it won't fix anything? How can she be so stupid and naive? Why...why can't Kurumi say anything against her?
"Ooh..." She couldn't think. Her breath became ragged.
Elly held her fist to her chest. "Kurumi, talk to me. What's wrong?"
Kogasa put away her notebook and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Isn't it obvious what's going on, Elly? Now that she knows you're a youkai, she won't be able to trust you anymore. Because you're a big scary beast, and she's a frail little girl. Isn't that right, Kurumi?"
Elly grew pale. "T-that's...Kurumi, is that true?" She looked to Kurumi with fear in her eyes, and once again that awful feeling rose in her head.
"..."
Kogasa sighed. "Aah, I'm sorry though. You gotta understand, it's not like I like everything about the status quo either. I mean, I'm a tsukumogami, of course I have attachment to humans too. Still, I for one am happy to use my youkai gifts to try and freak 'em out. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, though." With this, the karakasa grabbed her umbrella and stood up.
Keine looked up from her thoughts. "Wait, where are you going?"
Kogasa slipped on her geta. "I get the feeling I'm not welcome anymore. Said too much, etcetera etcetera. You keep up the good work though, Keine. You too, Elly." She nodded to the youkai, who silently turned away.
Keine jumped to her feet. "Now hold right there. You can't just leave in the middle of the conversation after saying all that." She clenched her fists; she looked like she was about to flatten the karakasa. Kogasa leaned back and gripped her umbrella.
Elly looked at her companion. "Keine, stop. It's fine; getting angry at her won't solve anything. It's not like she's wrong, after all..." She tucked her dress between her legs.
"But...! Ergh..." Keine lowered her fists.
Kogasa brushed her hair with a "sorry I'm not sorry" expression. "Geez, I'm really sorry I ruined the conversation you all had going. I swear I'm usually better than this. I guess you touched a nerve in me, is all. Anyway, I gotta get going now - that scare from earlier oughta get a priceless reaction from someone in this party." She giggled to herself. "See you all -"
"Wait a minute, Kogasa. You're not going anywhere." Kurumi stood up.
"Huh...?" Kogasa, Elly, Youmu, and even Keine all turned in surprise to who just spoke up. No one was more surprised than Kurumi. But this feeling in her head had to go somewhere, and that place was now.
"What - what is it, Kurumi?" Kogasa tapped her heel on the ground.
What did she want to say? Her mind was a mess right now. But she couldn't just stay silent anymore.
"I don't appreciate you deciding my thoughts for me."
The karakasa tilted her head. "Meaning?"
Kurumi took a deep breath. "About my reaction to Elly being a youkai. You called me afraid of her and said I can't trust her, but that's not true." She looked to Elly before continuing. "Why, I'm not scared. In fact I'm...inspired!"
Elly's head rose up. "Kurumi...?"
The vampire looked down at the middle of the circle. "You're probably right, Kogasa. It's probably impossible for humans and youkai to get along, given all the stuff you just said. Youkai have to attack humans to survive, and humans have to attack youkai for their own safety. That...cannot be changed. Even so..."
Kurumi concentrated on that image of those eyes back then. She was posing as a human, but Elly still showed her such genuine concern. Even though she was supposed to be the enemy, this youkai still saw her as an equal, as someone worthy to give her hand to. She saw her as an equal worth giving her hand to. The idea that such a person exists...
Kurumi looked up and stared deep into Kogasa's eyes. "Even so, I cannot forgive what you just did. No matter how impossible it is, it can't be foolish to wish for something so beautiful."
! Kogasa's eyes widened. All noise within the circle ceased. Only the sounds of the surrounding party-goers broke the silence.
...
Kogasa looked to the side and grew distant.
...
Finally, the umbrella youkai sighed and threw up her spare hand in defeat. "Alright, you got me. I'm sorry, Elly. Maybe I'm too cynical to wish for such things anymore. But if you want to chase that rainbow, I'm certainly not going to stop you."
Keine didn't respond. Elly too was silent, but gazed up at Kurumi with an unidentifiable expression.
The karakasa swung her umbrella like a sword. "But! When you reach that rainbow, just know that I'll still be waiting behind it, ready to leap out and surprise you! Mwa ha ha!" Kogasa did a feint towards the still-seated Youmu, who yelped and flinched a little too much. Then, without another word, she waved goodbye and spun around, trotting off into the crowd.
...
Youmu looked around nervously at everyone still present and got up with plates. "I-I think we need more food. Keine, do you want more sake?"
Keine sighed. "Please."
With that, the party slowly returned to normal. But strangely, no one felt like talking about the theme of the party anymore...
---
"Are you leaving, Kurumi?"
Kurumi turned to Elly and nodded in an apologetic manner.
"Yeah...I think this party's done for me." She glanced meaningfully at Keine and Youmu, who were drunkenly rambling to themselves and passed out respectfully. Elly gave a weak smile.
"I get you. I should probably start cleaning up soon." She straightened her hat and rose to her feet, and Kurumi stood up as well.
Kurumi itched her collar as she tried and failed to remember how goodbyes went. "T-then, I guess I'll be going home now."
"Okay..." Ooh, that did not sound right. She turned to hide the pit forming in her stomach.
"...Hey, do you mind if I see you off, Kurumi?"
What...? She buried the pit and turned back. Elly's hands hung loosely at her sides and she looked a bit sheepish.
W-what's with that expression? It looks so unlike her. Kurumi tried to hide her smile. But, she thinks she understands this gesture.
"Sure, let's go!"
Elly smiled. "Awesome!" She turned to Keine. "Hey Keine, I'll be seeing Kurumi out. I'll be back soon, okay?"
Keine turned as if her concentration had been broken. "Eh? Aah, yeah. See ya Kurumi." She waved clumsily.
"S-see you, Keine. Thanks for having me." Keine had already resumed her ramblings; she probably didn't even hear her. Kurumi sighed.
Elly turned back to Kurumi and clasped her hands. "Well then, lead the way."
"Okay!" Kurumi nodded happily and began walking toward the distant mountains.
"Eh? Wait, Kurumi, where are you going? The village is that way." Elly pointed towards the Human Village, and Kurumi blanched.
"R-right! Heh heh, silly me. I have no sense of direction, eh heh heh..." Flustered, she spun around and quickly walked in the "right" direction. Elly put her hand on her hip and chuckled before walking to her side.
...
Kurumi glanced furtively at the girl next to her as they walked silently towards the Human Village. She was again becoming conscious of her figure. She really was quite tall. If they hugged, then she bet she'd be nestled safely right against her -"
"Hey Kurumi..."
Kurumi blushed. "Y-yeah?"
Elly paused a bit before answering. "Thanks. For earlier."
Kurumi tilted her head. "Huh? Oh, that." Her mind flashed to that moment when she confronted that karakasa.
"I-I'm still kind of embarrassed. I've never done something like that before. I kind of went overboard with Kogasa, didn't I?"
Elly shook her head. "No, you were amazing! You looked like you were going to throttle her if she didn't listen to you."
Kurumi's eyes widened. "Did I? Geez, that isn't very flattering to think about."
She glanced away. "...I just couldn't stand to see her make you feel bad for something you believed in so much, is all. Don't think anything of it."
Elly nodded, but her eyes suggested she had more to say. Kurumi shot her an inquisitive look.
Elly took a small breath. "I'm just...sorry. I wanted to help you meet youkai, but all that other stuff ended up happening instead. I'm a failure as an organizer..." The youkai gazed away with a self-berating smile. That got to Kurumi, and she shook her head.
"No, don't be like that! Don't be like that for me... It was...interesting. I'm glad I came with you, Elly." Her cheeks felt a bit hot saying this, but it was the truth. Elly must have sensed this, as she straightened up a little.
"Oh. ...Thank you. I'm glad you came with me, too. Thanks Kurumi." Elly smiled, a bit more broadly this time, and held out her hand. Kurumi's eyes lit up at this and slowly took her hand, shaking it as Elly did.
Then she realized what she was doing and felt really jittery.
"U-umm, but you know Elly, it's not like you failed, you know. B-because you're a youkai and so I ended up meeting one after all and you know so you shouldn't feel bad and such, you know?" Kurumi's vision grew fuzzy as she shook her hand, but she could make out Elly's wide grin.
"Ha ha ha, that's true, that's true. And I met a very interesting human as well."
!!! That brought Kurumi back to reality.
"Yeah...I guess." She quickly swallowed the feelings in her throat. Her companion let go of her hand and startled.
"Oh, it's the village. I didn't even notice how close we were." Elly glanced at the slanted roofs in wonder, and Kurumi gazed up at them, fighting off her guilt at lying to Elly.
"Then I guess this is it, Kurumi. It'd be bad form for a youkai to show up in the village on a night like this, so I better stay here." Elly took a step back and crossed her arms. Kurumi nodded half-heartedly.
"Yeah, I'll be fine the rest of the way." She looked at Elly as she walked backward into the village.
Goodbye. This is the part where you say goodbye. She knew that. She's not that stupid. She almost blew her cover so many times, she'd better run before she gives herself away completely. So just say it. Just say goodbye. Come on, say it. Say iiiiiiit...!
Kurumi opened her mouth. "Elly." Elly gave a nod of acknowledgement.
She took a deep breath.
"Would you mind if we met each other again? At the tea house from before, maybe?" That wasn't it, girl.
Elly's eyes lit up, and she beamed. "Yes, I would love that! Would noon tomorrow work?"
"Yeah! I could do that..." That isn't what you were supposed to say.
Elly nodded. "Then I'll be there, on the dot! Alright, I gotta get going. See you Kurumi! Nice meeting you!" The youkai rose off the ground and, waving one last time, flew off towards the party in the distance.
Kurumi stopped waving and let a long breath out. She really screwed up this time. How could she have had such a lapse in judgment? That girl is so good-natured and friendly with humans. If Elly finds out she's a vampire, it's all over. It's...
Kurumi looked down at her hand. She could still feel the warmth of Elly's handshake.
...
"We'll call it even." She turned around and walked deeper into the Human Village. She'd exit out the other side of town, gain some distance, and fly the rest of the way. Then it will be over. It will...be...over... Kurumi glanced down thoughtfully before smiling.
A clear sky. An exciting party. Under the light of the moon, two youkai's smiles lit the night that much brighter.