⇲ 𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐆𝐎𝐄 𝐂𝐈𝐓𝐘,
𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐔𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆    〉 𝐉𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐍 !
XXXX.      ✿      CIRCA JUNE 2012.
𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐊𝐄
CREEPY NUTS.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

The sound of coughing filled the space, followed by Odette's strained, yet determined grunts as she sat up, wincing slightly. A dull ache spread through her chest, but she pressed a hand to the ground, steadying herself. Momo and Okarun let out simultaneous sighs of relief.

Okarun was the first to act, his face buried gently into the crook of Odette's neck, his soft exhale warm against her skin. "You're okay..." he whispered, the edge of fear still clinging to his voice.

Odette blinked back the threatening tears, her vision blurry for a moment. The truth was, she wanted to cry—big, ugly sobs that reflected every pang of pain coursing through her body—but now wasn't the time. She forced a small grin. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Acro Silky loomed ever closer, her monstrous form weaving through the darkened corridors of the building, relentlessly pursuing Momo and Okarun as they struggled to keep Aira out of her grasp. The unconscious girl was deadweight in Okarun's arms, and the tension hung thick in the air.

"Are you sure you're okay to keep fighting, Dot?" Momo glanced back over her shoulder, concern etched across her face.

"If you can get gobbled up whole and still stand, then me being squeezed by some glorified hair ain't that bad. I can still fight, promise." Odette offered a thumbs-up, even as her muscles protested.

Momo grunted, eyebrows furrowing. "Well, shit, hop on then. Your combat skills hit harder when we're moving around anyway."

Without hesitation, Odette wriggled free from Okarun's grip, her scythe materializing in her hand as she secured herself on Momo's back. She shifted the weapon carefully, mindful not to accidentally nick Momo. Okarun, his Turbo Granny powers giving him a ghostly, speed-fueled advantage, adjusted Aira in his arms and pushed forward.

"This is bad." Okarun muttered, his voice tinged with frustration. "What should we do, Momo? Aira's in the way. I should've been carrying my girl instead!"

"I'm fine, babe!" Odette called out from behind Momo, her smirk breaking through the stress.

"Just keep running away!" Momo barked, focus locked on Acro Silky, who dropped down from the ceiling with a menacing hiss.

"You delinquent girl!" Acro Silky spat, her hair lashing out violently. Momo barely had time to react before a powerful kick sent her sprawling across the floor, forcing Odette to brace herself with a painful jolt.

"Momo!" Odette shouted, her legs stinging as she dug her heels into the ground to stop her fall.

Acro Silky advanced, her monstrous hair spreading like a snare trap. She lunged toward Okarun, nearly separating him from Aira, but her momentum faltered. Her damaged hair snagged against the building's wooden beams—exactly as Momo had hoped.

"Why...why can't I move forward?!" Acro Silky snarled, her hair tangled and pulling taut.

Momo staggered to her feet, eyes blazing. "Your acrobatics ensnare anything and everything, right? With that singed granny perm, you've got no choice but to hold on to whatever you catch."

"Damn pigs!" Acro Silky screeched, thrashing violently, her hair tugging at the beams.

Momo seized her chance, psychic energy surging through her fingertips as she grabbed hold of Acro Silky's legs. "Okarun! Finish her off already!"

Okarun hesitated, panic flickering in his eyes. "What?! I've never properly blown a person away before!"

"Now's not the time for excuses!" Momo snapped. "Headbutt her! Kick her! I don't care—just do something!"

"Alright, alright, I'll try before you stress me out!"

Summoning the Turbo Granny's speed, Okarun shot forward like a bullet. His foot connected squarely with Acro Silky's stomach, the impact sending her crashing backward with a guttural scream.

"Odette! Now!" Momo called, her voice sharp with urgency.

Odette didn't hesitate. She launched forward, her scythe glowing faintly as she swung it with precision, driving the blade into the same spot Okarun had struck. The sharp pierce reverberated through the air as Acro Silky's scream cut short.

"That was wicked as hell." Momo grinned, watching Odette drop to the ground, her chest heaving as exhaustion finally caught up with her. The scythe hovered gently beside her, floating like an obedient servant.

"That hurt..." Okarun groaned, clutching his aching body. "I think I'm gonna explode." He glanced around frantically. "Wait! Where's Odette?!"

"She's right here, idiot." Turbo Granny's voice chimed in, emerging lazily from Okarun's bag. "You used my power, but that's all you could muster? Pathetic."

Odette let out a weak laugh, her gaze drifting toward Aira, who remained lifeless in Okarun's arms. The room grew eerily quiet as Turbo Granny leaned closer.

"This girl's dead."

The words hit like a thunderclap. Momo and Okarun froze, their faces stricken with disbelief.

"Dead?" Okarun whispered, pressing trembling fingers against Aira's wrist. The absence of a pulse confirmed it. "No way..."

Odette's chest tightened as the realization sunk in. "She's...dead?"

Turbo Granny spoke coldly, breaking the fragile silence. "When a human is consumed by a yokai, they die. Simple as that."

"No!" Momo fell to her knees beside Aira, pressing her hands to the girl's chest and frantically massaging her heart. "We can save her, how about you call an Ambulance Turbo Granny! Okarun, help me!"

Okarun dropped down, his hands fumbling as he began CPR. "C'mon, Aira! Breathe!"

The room hung heavy with tension as Acro Silky stood over them, her hair coiling ominously. Her gaze shifted from Aira's unconscious form to Momo, Okarun, and Odette, a dangerous glint in her hollow eyes.

"My little Aira..." The mournful voice of Acro Silky echoed through the dimly lit room as she struggled to rise, her once menacing aura flickering like a dying flame.

"You again? We don't have time for this!" Momo snapped, her voice sharp and unwavering as she continued compressions on Aira's chest.

Odette tried to interject, sensing a shift in the spirit's intentions. "Wait... guys, I think we should—"

"I'll take care of her! Miss Ayase, keep going with the resuscitation!" Okarun interrupted, stepping in front of Momo and Odette, his Turbo Granny form sparking with determination.

Acro Silky's weary voice cut through the tension. "Doing that will not bring her back to life. There's... a better way. Give my aura to Aira."

The room fell silent, the air heavy with disbelief. Momo's eyes narrowed in suspicion, and Odette's gaze flickered between the yokai and her unconscious friend.

"You expect us to trust you after everything you've done?" Momo spat, her hands clenching into fists.

Acro Silky, her movements sluggish but deliberate, reached up and tore out her own mouth—a grotesque and jarring act. "If you still can't trust me," she rasped, "then crush my head with that steel beam over there."

Momo hesitated, unsure whether the gesture was genuine or another trick. Odette, however, stepped forward, her hand pressed against her chest. "I think we should listen to her," she said softly, her voice steady despite the turmoil around her.

"Dot, you can't be serious," Momo snapped, but Odette shook her head.

"She's being genuine about this. If Acro Silky acts out, I'll take responsibility. But let me guide her to the afterlife once she transfers her aura to Aira," Odette added, her tone firm and resolute.

Momo blinked, startled by the conviction in her voice. "You can do that?"

Odette nodded slowly. "I've never done it before—only been taught—but it's worth a shot."

Still wary, Momo glanced at Okarun, who remained poised in his Turbo Granny form. "Fine," she muttered. "But if she tries anything, Okarun, you better take her down."

Odette turned her attention to Acro Silky, her steps cautious as she approached the towering spirit. "Would it be okay if I held what's left of your palm?" she asked gently, her voice filled with an unexpected softness.

Acro Silky hesitated before nodding, lowering her hand. Though the spirit couldn't form words, her posture was docile, almost resigned. When Odette's fingers touched the withered hand, a sudden wave of emotion surged between them.

The connection was immediate and overwhelming. Odette's vision blurred as she glimpsed fragments of Acro Silky's life—a mother, separated from her child, consumed by despair until the pain twisted her into the vengeful yokai she had become.

The memory was vivid. A young woman stood in a bustling crowd, her face lined with confusion and forgotten sorrow. She watched a little girl—a bright-eyed child who clung to her father's hand. The girl, mistaking her for someone else, ran up to her with open arms.

"Mommy!" the girl had cried, her voice filled with hope.

The woman's heart twisted, her fragmented mind latching onto the fleeting connection. But when the father arrived, pulling the girl away and reminding her gently that her mother was no longer with them, the light in the woman's eyes dimmed.

As the girl disappeared into the crowd, the woman began to believe she was the girl's mother in another life. That belief consumed her, twisted her into a creature that could never truly protect the one she thought she loved.

Odette gasped as the vision faded, her hands trembling as she stepped back. Momo's face was streaked with tears, the same images having flooded her mind through her psychic powers.

Okarun tensed at the sight of Momo crying. "What's going on? What did you see?" he demanded, his gaze darting between the two girls and the spirit.

Momo wiped her face quickly, her voice thick with emotion. "Don't attack her. Just... trust us. Aira's alive. She's breathing."

Okarun turned his attention to Aira, noticing the faint rise and fall of her chest. "She came back to life," he whispered in awe.

Acro Silky's disintegration began slowly, her edges fraying like old fabric. She looked down at Aira, her expression a mix of sorrow and relief. "I swore that I would protect you," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "But all I did was hurt you. I couldn't even control my own emotions. I... I became a monster. And now, I will end it all."

"Hey! She's falling apart!" Momo exclaimed, panic creeping into her voice. "What's going to happen to her?"

Turbo Granny's small figure emerged from Okarun's bag, her tone uncharacteristically solemn. "Aura is like a battery. Without it, you perish. And she's leaving regrets behind. She won't be able to rest in peace."

Odette's tears spilled over, her voice cracking as she whispered, "I'm... sorry." By the time she looked up, Acro Silky was already halfway gone, her once-imposing form reduced to flickering remnants of light.

"It's not your fault, dear," Turbo Granny said softly, patting Odette's leg. "You tried your best. Sometimes life doesn't work out the way you want it to."

Amidst the glowing fragments of her fading body, Acro Silky reached out one last time. Aira, now conscious and trembling, stepped forward hesitantly.

"You were my mother," Aira said, her voice wavering. "Even if it wasn't real... even if it was all in your head... you protected me in your own way. I love you."

Tears streaming from what was left of her hollow eyes, Acro Silky embraced Aira, her ghostly arms wrapping around the girl. For the first time, the spirit seemed at peace.

As her form dissolved completely, a faint warmth filled the room, a sense of closure washing over everyone present. Odette, still on her knees, whispered a quiet prayer.

"May you find peace... wherever you're going."

Aira, clutching her chest, looked up at Momo and Okarun with tear-filled eyes. "I hope... she finds her child in a better place," she said softly.

The three exchanged a solemn nod, knowing that, for all the pain and chaos, Acro Silky's story had finally reached its end.

Odette's memory drifted as the warmth of Acro Silky's fading form brushed against her mind. Her thoughts wandered to a distant moment from her childhood—a simpler time when life's questions seemed so much bigger than they were.

——

The room smelled faintly of lavender and sage, the comforting scent lingering in the air as candles flickered softly against the dim lighting. A much younger Odette, perhaps no older than six, sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, watching her mother kneel at an altar.

The intricate setup fascinated her—crystals neatly arranged in a circle, a bowl of water in the center, and a single white feather resting on top.

Her mother, a woman of quiet strength with a calming presence, whispered softly in a language Odette couldn't yet understand. She moved with purpose, her hands steady as she lit a stick of incense and waved it in rhythmic patterns through the air. Odette's curious eyes followed every movement.

"Mommy," she finally said, breaking the peaceful silence. Her small voice carried an innocent curiosity, and her mother turned to her with a patient smile.

"Yes, baby?" her mother replied, her voice warm and soothing.

Odette hesitated, twirling a small curl of her hair around her finger. "Where do spirits go when they... you know... when they're not here anymore? Even if they're bad?"

Her mother's expression softened as she set the incense down and sat beside her daughter. She reached out, tucking a stray curl behind Odette's ear. "That's a big question for such a little girl," she teased lightly, but the look in her eyes was serious.

"I just wanna know," Odette said, her round eyes wide with curiosity. "Do they all go to the same place? Even the mean ones?"

Her mother sighed gently, pulling Odette into her lap. "Spirits, like people, are complicated," she began. "Good or bad, they carry the memories of their lives with them. Sometimes, when a spirit is ready, they move on to a place of peace—a place where they can finally rest. But not all spirits are ready to go."

"Why not?" Odette asked, her tiny brow furrowed.

"Because they're stuck," her mother explained, her tone patient. "Maybe they're angry about something that happened to them, or maybe they're scared to leave the world they know. And sometimes..." Her voice trailed off for a moment, and she looked at the altar, her gaze distant. "Sometimes they just don't know how to let go."

Odette tilted her head, her young mind trying to piece everything together. "So what happens to them?"

Her mother smiled softly and kissed the top of her head. "That's where people like me come in. We help guide them. We remind them that they're not alone, that it's okay to move on."

"And the bad ones?" Odette pressed, her voice lowering as if speaking of something forbidden.

Her mother chuckled lightly. "Even the bad ones need help sometimes. They might fight back, but they're still lost. It's not about punishing them; it's about showing them the way."

Odette nodded slowly, though her small face still looked deep in thought. "Mommy, when I get big, can I help spirits too?"

Her mother's smile widened as she cupped Odette's cheek. "You already have such a kind heart, my little moonflower. Maybe one day, if you want to. But remember, guiding spirits isn't just about power. It's about compassion. Can you promise me that if you ever decide to help them, you'll do it with love?"

Odette nodded earnestly, her small hands clutching her mother's dress. "I promise, Mommy."

Her mother hugged her tightly, the two of them bathed in the soft glow of the candles. For Odette, it was a moment that would etch itself into her soul—a seed planted that would grow into the foundation of the young woman she would one day become.

——

As the memory faded, Odette blinked back the tears that threatened to spill. Her mother's words echoed in her mind: It's not about punishing them; it's about showing them the way.

She looked at the spot where Acro Silky had stood moments ago, the warmth of her spirit lingering faintly in the air. Odette whispered softly, almost to herself, "I hope you find your peace... just like my Mommy said."