Eitsu's Nine Lives (永津の九生) [yuri/GL yokai reincarnation story]

15 - Hanasan

A/N: As mentioned last chapter, I'll be taking a two week break to edit the story so far and build up some more chapters for scheduling. Eitsu's Nine Lives will be back on September 25!

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"Tsubaki-dono! Tsubaki-dono!"

Eitsu opened her eyes to the sound of Ayame calling. Although disoriented, she hastened back into her human form and clothing, snatched up the box of pelts, then crawled out of her hiding place to find the servant girl shaking the dancer. Tsubaki remained unconscious, a sheen of sweat on her skin and her eyelids twitching rapidly. Her lips moved.

"Eitsu-san, what's happening? Why won't she wake?"

"Don't panic, I'll wake her up."

She pressed a hand to Tsubaki's forehead. A scent of pine... Something cold...

"Get out," she hissed.

"Make me," Rei replied childishly.

They stared at each other, cat and fox, kaibyou and kitsune, in their true forms. A human watching would not have been able to comprehend the scene. Where Eitsu stood was a bizarre figure that seemed to be formed concepts of fur, of whiskers, of golden eyes and tails and teeth, and yet could not be reconciled with any known creature. The concepts were there, but it didn't mean they made sense.

Rei's eye sockets were empty holes. His white fur was patchy, revealing rotting, burnt flesh. When he spoke, his jaws split his face to his ears.

Eitsu extended and retracted her claws angrily. If she fought him now -

"- what might happen to poor Tsubaki-san's mind?" Rei mused, watching his fur creep off him and disappear into darkness. "You look at a loss, precious one."

His voice was low in her ear. "You know what to do."

I know what to do...

"Hm... you're right."

Between one step and the next, Eitsu was there and gone, and then she was standing beside a glowing red light, surrounded by a dark mist. There was no time to determine what it was, exactly – she took it in what might be considered hands, or paws, or... and ran, Rei right behind her.

"I guess all your running away has made you very fast," she observed.

"If you know I'll catch you why don't you stop?"

"I didn't say you would catch me."

And to the glowing light in her hands, she said, "Wake up, Tsu-bo. Wake up now. You're in a nightmare. Wake up."

A white tail wound between her legs and almost pulled her off balance, but she twisted and righted herself, and the darkness began to brighten around them.

"Tsu-bo, I'm here. I'm here, wake up. Wake up."

There was a sound like a struck bell.

"I'm awake."

"Tsubaki-dono!"

"...Tsu-bo."

Tsubaki lay perfectly still, blinking slowly. "I guess I'm not allowed to sleep anymore."

"I can protect you. I mean it."

"Hm." She didn't even look at Eitsu.

Somehow, this was worse than that look she gave, that night in the garden, several lifetimes ago...

"Tsu-bo... Tsubaki. Can I talk to you? Aya-chan, can you-"

"I don't want to," Tsubaki interrupted.

"... I'm sorry."