the true meaning of friendship is not 'enslaving people you bested in a contest'
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Then retakes her Lucky Cat form. "You used a lot of spiritual energy for that," she observes idly, loafing next to Tsubaki.

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"... 's that why 'm so tired...?"

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Snort. "Yes."

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"Stick to one at a time I guess..."

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"There's still that second youkai lurking about."

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"Nn."

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"Want me to take care of them?"

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"Take care of them... how?"

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"Drive them out, of course. Or purify them, if you want to be all nice about it." 

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"They should get a chance to have their name back too."

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"Then you'll need to catch your breath quickly."

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"Yeah." Deep breath. "Okay. Let's go."

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"Can you sense their location?"

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"Maybe..." Can she?

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There's... A feeling in the air, heavy and sad and desperate - it feels like a cloud of the worst sort of cold loneliness. 

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Can she tell where it's coming from?

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It's hard, but... There's a heavier feeling in a small lonely patch of woods by her house. 

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Let's go then.

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The youkai, Hishigaki, is much easier, but, as Tsubaki returns the name there's an odd sensation like she's floating, and...

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I feel... I feel lonely... Hungry...

(A skeletal hand reaching for a sweet bun left as an offering before a shrine - )

And a human hand snatching it away and popping it in her mouth, whole, making a humming noise as she chews.

- Hey! That's mine!

"Mmm - trust me, it wasn't very good," the human says, brushing crumbs away from her mouth - and smearing a trickle of blood from a nasty cut bruise on her cheek.

...That's not for humans, you glutton!

The human laughs. "If you want quality sweets... I'd recommend Nanatsuji's."

The skeletal figure shifts back and forth, unsure how to deal with this strange human, an odd feeling in their chest.

A smile. "Say, why don't we have a duel? If you win, I'll buy you as many sweets as you can fit in your mouth, my treat. If I win... You'll sign your name over to me."

The skeletal figure leans closer.

You're not afraid of me?

"No, not at all - I'm very powerful."

And they agree, desperate, hungry -

And the human wins.

It's hard to believe... Especially that someone so strong could have an injury like this human does...

What happened to your cheek?

They ask, as they sign their name away.

"Oh, this?" the human says, her smile unwavering. "A human threw a rock at me. He said I creep him out."

She holds out her hand for the name, and the figure hands it over and watches, speechless and uncertain.

"You have a pretty name, Hishigaki..." the human says, reading it. "So now, you're one of my minions - and when I call your name, I want you to rush immediately to my side, and do whatever I tell you."

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She's so pretty...

Reiko...

 

Reiko...

Another day when you didn't call my name...

So lonely... So hungry...

This is worse than before...

Give my name back.

If you're never going to call me, no matter how long I wait - I'd rather you didn't have it at all!

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Tsubaki collapses harder after this one. But...

"Nyanko-sensei. I saw her."

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" - Who?"

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"Reiko."

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Reiko... the youkai murmurs. Reiko... Will you be alright on your own? Will you be lonely now? 

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