The Uneasy Leader
Mikato Dragos
'Ms. President! What will you do about the yukkuri infestation crisis in Japan's forests?'
'We consider freedom a yukkuri right, but, of course, American citizens will have the freedom to deal with them. We will continue pushing for the legality of gun ownership.'
The forty-inch UHD YugL communicates the news through its tinny speakers, slightly vibrating the wooden table it sits on. The room contains a sofa, on which a pretty man sits, drinking tea thoughtfuly. His blond hair flows brightly, and he brushes it with a slender hand as he takes another sip of jasmine.
'That President Clownpiece is a good-for-nothing, isn't she?' an intruder asks. He's a muscular man, in his twenties, and dressed in loose green clothing. Just as the couch potato could pass for the lead vocalist in a boy band, the mohawk-adorned toughie would easily fit into a Fist of the North Star play. The door slides shut behind him as he sits down heavily.
'Greetings, Moha. I believe she's accomplished much, like defunding the police.'
'You're always so liberal, in politics and compliments. Ya should pick up something manly.'
'Is your team not good enough?' the host replies stiffly, perhaps insulted by his guest's words.
'Now,' Moha backtracks, 'we're always looking for extra help.'
'Unless a hundred yukkuri show up and threaten the town in its entirety, I will not aid you.'
'Aw, man. Even if I give you this?', the employer questions, pulling out a slightly tattered orange box from his backpack and placing it on the table. It has silver decor splashed over it, with a serif font reading, 'Yukkuri Red Bean Sugar - Platinum Plus Mark'.'
'You are aware I do not prefer black tea,' his reply goes, but he accepts it.
'The counter guy gives me discounts, mate! Anyway, I'll see ya 'round, Del-kun.'
'Don't die, Moha.'
'Wilco.'
The intruder shows himself out, and Del returns to watching the news, which has switched to an odd report about how the White House employees believe there are poltergeists pranking them.
~
'Dosu! I will not tolerate your dictatorship, da ze!'
Around seventy yukkuri, most of them common types, are gathered around a tree stump on which a yukkuri Byakuren sits. She looks at the large, scarred Marisa confusedly, her graded hair colorful against the dull wood, as her opponent barks out nonsensical claims from underneath dirty yellow hair and a broken black hat. It brandishes a long stick menancingly, two Myons standing nearby for security.
'Yu said, "don't go near mister humans!" But yu tricked us, our families, our ko!'
The crowd murmurs excitedly, wondering what Marisa is going to reveal.
'In reality - yu were in league with mister humans all along da ze! Reimu! Tell them!'
Another yukkuri steps out of the crowd, its matted black hair cutting between its parched skin and slightly ripped bow as she speaks up.
'I saw yu secretly meeting with Missus Human yesterday. Yu explain!'
'Ah… um... ' The leader is thinking of a coherent explanation, but simply appears at a loss for words.
'See?!' booms the Marisa. 'Mister humans have yummy munch-munch, warm Mister House, cool Mister Water, and, above all, easy sweet-sweet' - at this point, some impressionable ko line up behind it in support - 'but yu say that staying away is easy! Yu are stealing easiness! Yu… ARE UNEASY!'
This proclamation instantly sends the clan into a frenzy, chanting 'Ma-ri-sa! Ma-ri-sa!' Byakuren's faint statements for 'order, please' fade under the emotions.
'We will take back easiness! We will kill uneasy mister humans! Whyu's with Marisa?!'
'Me! Me!' ring the voices of the brainwashed population, jumping up and down angrily. They seem to be shaking the ground itself, and leaves tremble at the noise.
'Then… as our first act, kill that uneasy yukkuri!'
As if lying in wait - one Myon spears through the side of the Byakuren, prompting the victim's startled 'yua!' as the mob rush to lynch her. 'Dish ish for big shsih!', a koReimu proudly claims, as she sinks her teeth into the skin, and too late - the leader realises what's happening. It's a coup. 'Yuaaaaaa!' Her pleas fall silent, as a Sanae rips her eyeball out, still glistening from fresh tears - only for a Meiling to stab her braid, a steaming mass of spice, in. The other Myon performs its killing blow with a cry of 'Thousand-Spear Strike!', the sharp branch poking so many holes that the red anko stains the ground - and the soil is indistinguishable from the filling.
'Enough!' Marisa's voice roars. Her soliders glare at her, but they are obedient. 'Yu want to know why Marisa spares leader da ze? This way she will die slow uneasy death! Is it not Justice da ze?!' 'Marisa ish geniush!' a ko exclaims, and the crowd withdraws in agreement.
'Now… let us invade humans da ze!'
The new clan moves out, a Meiling lagging to spit on her former overlord. The chili burns.
…
Byakuren doesn't know how long she's there for. Five, maybe ten, maybe thirty minutes. The harsh boil of the uneasiness burns, even as several ants bite into her paste, ripping it out. She tries to wince, but only twitches. Let it end. Let it end! Her vision slurs intensely -
- so much so that she does not notice the familiar long-haired human make his way onto the field. It is only his tentative voice that tells her Buddha might be smiling down on her after all. 'Hold on, I have orange juice,' she hears, as he fumbles for a can in his jacket.
Shaa - goes the air, as the tinkle of the healing liquid engulfs the friend. Her wound stitches up, fast-forward style, the skin reconnecting itself. Her eye won't heal, but she can still see.
'...town,' she manages to utter. Del understands. He cradles her in his palms, as she falls into the darkness of dreams.
He fishes out his glossy phone, encased in a thin matte black protector decorated with a rose painting. It shudders anxiously as it waits for Moha to pick up.
'Yo, Del-kun!' the contact quips.
'Moha - a clan of strays, at least fifty, are going to attack the town in around fifteen minutes.'
'Eeh?! I'm not being pranked, am I?'
'I went into the forest, a few kilometers deep, and saw them. I am serious.'
'Haaa… well, I'll get the team together. Serve us some tea and we'll call it even, okay?'
'Thank you very much.'
The call app beeps, signifying the end of the interaction, and Del exhales, as if the adrenaline tires him. The long pianist's fingers wrap around a bland cakebox, improvised to hold Byakuren, as he runs a different, shorter route to the town.
~
'Boss, don't tell me you're trying to impress that "Yuuka-chan!" of yours again.'
There are six people in the dilapidated factory. It used to be a cheap yukkuri candy processing plant, but soon shut down after its owners realised they would be better off moving production to China. The sheet metal, an originally-temporary roof for the broken holes in the ceiling where they winched out the packaging machines, is rusted orange from last season's rain. Two shaggy couches, donated by the manager's friend, are the only comforts in the large, empty concrete base, the red tartan like stab wounds on the smooth floor. A wooden desk, one of its legs slightly wobby, sits between the couches, carrying a binder of records. A safe is tucked underneath the table, its lock combination 13-15-8-1-23-11.
The girl responsible for the jab, Doe, seems annoyed. She's rushed here from an outing with her friends, a bottle of boba still half-full, and she chews the pearls as the ice clinkles around in the milk tea. She rests on the side of one couch in boredom. Her gilted clothing from some obscure fashion brand glints in the light.
The person on the other side of the couch, Yuri, is calmly perusing a Harlan Ellison collection, though everybody knows it actually has lewd fiction from a certain A. Shameimaru hidden inside. Nobody knows what her thick black jacket hides. She's the one who stays at the office, because nobody else is around - Moha handles most tasks by himself, and the other members are often unavailable - but she is profoundly appreciative of the silence.
A small girl rocks between them nervously, dressed in a long-sleeved cotton top. Katya is a transfer student from Russia, and her silver hair brings a sense of snow to the town. Despite being an introvert who constantly refuses Doe's offers to introduce her to others, she's able to set traps for both honeybears and yukkuri, much endearing herself to Moha's crush. A small dandelion is tucked into her hair as she fidgets with her school uniform.
Gizaha is the only one on the other couch. Her spiky hair is nowhere near as sharp as her teeth, and her smiling visage is a source of embarassment whenever Katya yelps in fear. Her loose sweater is draped over her shoulders, but it's tight enough for the division between the sofas to seem like the oppai versus flat war.
Several meters away, a young woman in a bright shirt, which proclaims #FuckYou, dances along to her bodied remilia's offbeat cheerleading shuffle. She has no problem following the shaky tune - her humming is pretty good. Fay is a hapa who finds money in choir vocalising for various instrumental bands. Nonetheless, Yuri doesn't look too happy, turning the page firmly.
As for Moha, he's dressed in his usual camo pants, black boots, and green shirt - his Army habits don't die that easily. It still doesn't stop him from wearing a pewter buckle engraved with a design, though. The arrow pierces the circle in the symbol of the Yukkuri Eradication Association of Hibino, or YEAH for short.
'We have received a reliable tipoff that this town is facing an invasion.'
At those words, Yuri continues reading her book, but the other members stiffen.
'There are more than fifty, and they will be attacking from the forest. They will reach the southwest gates in a few minutes, so arm yourselves and I'll see you there.' At those words, the boss hoists a spiked bat onto his shoulder. Yuri remains reading, for it is her job to take care of the office. Doe grasps her signature wood sword from the wall, before dashing out; Moha follows her. Gizaha glances over the weapons lazily, before quickly donning boots and gloves - she finishes even before Katya manages to step up to her guardian, Fay. As the unarmed woman runs out, Fay dons her pack on her front, which contains some plastic bags and a flashlight. They sheath their hands in latex, before taking the back door; their job is to clean up. Remi bounces after them in unchanging joy. As the doors click shut, Yuri unconciously fondles her hidden machine pistol under her jacket, before returning to the tengu's newest work.
~
Moha squats in wait at the fence gate, as Doe swishes her sword impatiently. Gizaha takes a packet of gum out, chewing the lemon-mint flavored candy idly. Heavy footsteps alert the team, but it is merely Del-kun, rushing to help.
'Ah, greetings.'
'Hi, Del,' replies the yankee, while the shark nods in reciprocation.
'Just in time. We'll take formation A4.' That, the commander explains to his soldier, is 'you attack first, scaring them, while Doe will rush in to attack the leader. I'll finish off the ones you hit, and Giza brings up the rear, making sure all of them are dead. Got all that?'
'I think so - I need to attract their attention.'
'Yep, perfect!'
At the sound of the rumble, of the clan making its way through the forest fringes, Moha urges his team, 'wait'. It will be harder to fight them in the forest, where they have the maneuverability advantage.
A line of infantry ko lead the revolution, the forefront of a new age, all decked out with sticks and rocks, a primitive attempt at swords and shields. The herd of Youmus follow, their sticks sharpened by painstakingly rubbing them to an edge. The main party of around thirty adults supports them, though they haven't been given weapons. Some of them have picked up stray stones. The Meiling family, their braids coated in their spicy saliva, is the last team - not counting the leader Marisa guarded, as always, by her stick and the two Myons.
Despite this threatening army, Moha chuckles. 'So they do have some brains after all. Tire us out with the dodgy ko, have the Youmus stab us, then overwhelm us with the Reimus and Marisas, and incapacitate us with the Meilings. Look, the big bad boss even has protection for when he gloats at us in victory. But - it's no fun if they don't have brains. We'll attack in three.
Three.
Two.
One.
GO!'
Del sprints forward, the ko drawing back their toothpicks in anticipation - a soft thud, he's leaped up, almost flying, and lands down, cushioned by the twitching couple of Reimu and Marisa. 'Ofu!' they both shout, and six ko scream, 'Dwaddie! Mwommie!' and three Youmus surge forward bravely, but Del has taken to the air - and slams down again, onto a pair of Myons. 'Geh! Obu!' go their voices, and Del notices Doe overtaking him - he kicks an aerial Myon towards his back, his shoe touching the familiarity of snapped skin, the cream and bean paste on his clothes, a cacophony of noise, as he then grinds over the rushing ko - before flying again, distracting the Meilings, and though they dodge his landing - he low-kicks one into the air, two, their chili splattering over the shrieking huddle - and shins them around to Moha, who bats them far off with exultant cries of 'Score!' Gizaha punches the yukkuri harder than Del has ever seen anyone punch, and she almost looks like an anime action hero, the paste flying around her like the menancing aura of never-before-defeated enemies.
Meahwhile, the guards try to stop Doe - but she weaves left and right easily, and they overcommit to their lunges, falling to the floor… where they are pierced by her sword. They twitch for a moment - but her aim is absolute, and they lay still, their cores broken.
'I'd have thought the emperor's bodyguards to have a little more skill,' she utters drily, savoring the Marisa's expression. It has gone from confidence at the outset, to nervousness at the humans' preparations, to belation at the speed the enemy rippling through, to a chilling fear that she has her life on the line. Or - that's what Doe thinks, as the Marisa trembles, its face hidden beneath its hat brim. Eventually - 'Yuhahaha!' it breaks, its eyes bulging, oozing pride, its mouth twisted in an ugly sneer. The yellow teeth it shows are marred with mold, as it chatters excitedly. 'Yu are no match for my secret weapon da ze!' It raises its braid, like a blade of grass that refuses to bow to the wind, and announces - 'Miss human has trampled on our uneasiness da ze! But Marisa has learned Hoyuto Shin Ken da ze! Youmu says Marisa is unbeatable! Million-spear Godly Death!' At those words, it pierces through Doe's pants, onto her lower leg, with a loud 'atatatatatata!' One second, two, five pass, before Marisa stops. She's huffing terribly, but finds the energy to say: 'you have already dropped dead easy!'
'...heh.'
'Yu? Yu'll die any moment now.'
The Marisa stares at the girl belatedly as she clutches her shoulders tightly, the creases of her clothing making shadows under the sunlight.
'This is the easy power of Marisa da ze!' Yu might beg to take it easy, but Hoyuto Shin Ken is merciless da ze!'
Except - it's the opponent's turn to burst into laughter.
'The pain is making yu go crazy ze!'
Harder laughter - until Doe covers her face, trips, and falls to the ground. It's almost as if Marisa can't believe what happened - and announces, 'the great Marisa has defeated Miss Human da ze! Run away, but Marisa will always catch uneasy humans!'
At those words, the yukkuri army charges with revived strength. A stick point finally gets through to Del, and he winces, prompting him to ask Moha - 'is Doe all right?' His friend mouths, don't worry, and Marisa doesn't notice.
'Now, let Marisa see your expression of most uneasiness!' Marisa declares, and shoves Doe's limp hands away from her face. Expecting to see lifeless eyes - it jumps back instinctively.
Doe is looking at Marisa. Her blush spreads across her cheeks, her eyes a little dilated in pleasure, as she curls a little, and licks her lips. The whole thing is so sensual that Marisa's penipni stands tall, and it tells Doe, 'if yu are still alive, I will make little ones da ze!'
'You see…' her soft voice whispers erotically, 'I love despair.'
'Yu will know despair when Marisa rapes you with glorious penipeni da ze!'
'No, not like that… I just… can't get enough of stupidity and suffering.'
'Yu were very stupid to challenge the great Marisa da ze!'
'I wouldn't say so…' and she gets up, to Marisa's surprise, '...because you're the victim.'
'Yu?!' and the strongman's core gears start turning, 'yu are still alive?!'
'And still very much a sadist,' she replies, yanking out her weapon from the lifeless Youmu. 'These pants were twenty thousand yen. What sort of faces will you repay me with, I wonder?'
'Yuhahaha!' I will go 100% this time! Trillion-Jab Total Annihilation!'
It attempts to crush her shin yet again, but the stick has already been blunted from its previous efforts, so it rubs to no avail. Marisa, when it stops, is evidently tired, and lets out breaths of 'yuha, yuha.' She pushes out, 'yu… are… already… dead.'
'Oh, how dull.'
She raises it - and thrusts it over Marisa's erect penipeni, castrating it easily. The leader turns to it - 'yuaaa! Marisa's golden penipeni that could enter the heavens! Lick-lick! Lick-lick' Her tongue running over the wound and a severed body part is grostequely amazing, and Doe thrusts it through Marisa's side. 'Yuaaaaaa! Gech ich ouch! Gech ich ouch!' Its geatures contort in pain as Doe laughs in madness.
'What'd I tell you?' Moha asks, as the remaining yukkuri scatter upon seeing their leader defeated.
'You have a… wide variety of workers,' Del answers euphemistically. The trio move to kill the remaining yukkuri.
~
'Ah! They must be finished!' Fay remarks, as her phone spams Ronald McDonald's ruminations to the jingle of UN Owen.
'Hey, boss!'
'Three yukkuri escaped into the forest. You know what to do. Oh - and can I speak with Katya?'
'Sure.'
The transfer student can't hear the person on the other side, so she looks at Fay surprisedly when her mentor motions for her to take the phone, and picks it up anxiously.
'um… hello!'
'Yo, Katya. We're all safe. 3 yukkuri got away, but I know you can catch them! Don't believe in yourself - believe in the me that believes in you!'
'um… t-thanks, big bro…!'
I'll seeya around.' Beep!
The duo walk around for a bit, but have just gotten to the first (but empty) trap before a clue is given. 'Yuaaa!' comes a scream, cutting through the foilage. It's somewhere on the left, and Katya cautiously dodges past the thorny bushes to her filled trap. It is a simple wooden box tucked into the tree's roots, disguised with some leaves. A small mechanism sticks out, making its intent clear - a yukkuri would hop inside, nibble the bait, and make the door fall.
However, there is an especially fat Deibu who has stuffed themsleves into the timny hole, and the flap bounces on its backside unsightly as it wriggles, trying to get out. 'Remi! Time for lunch!' Fay calls. The bodied yukkuri skips over happily, a little drool coming out of its mouth. It picks up the box with its pudgy hands, and turns it upside down, shaking it - but the meal doesn't come out.
'um… here…' interrupts Katya shyly, and she hatches open the roof of the contraption. 'Uuu! Miss human is easy!' it exlaims, as it grabs the butt and starts pulling. Somehow, the Deibu has been convinced that her allies are trying to help yer, and yells out 'hurry ud, shiddy slave!' Remi digs in with her fingers, causing a cry of 'Yua! Dad hurdz!' finally managing to pull it free, a pop emanating from the airlock.
'Shiddy humans set trap! Deibu was only daking it easy! Get Deibu foo - ' 'Uuu! Food talks too much!' Remi holds up, and the livestock turns around. 'Yuaaa! It's Remilia! Shiddy slave helb Deibu esgabe!' But - nobody comes. It shakes, but, like its previous situation, can't get free. The predator's leer intensifies, as it rips off Deibu's ribbon and hair. 'Yugeeeeee! Shiddy Remilia sdole Deibu's soft-soft ribbon and silgy-silgy hair! Gid id badg! GID ID BADG!'
'Ichadachimas!'
With that - the Remilia rips off Deibu's side. 'Yueeeee! Shiddy slave save Deibu! Righd now id fineeee!' The kind yukkuri offers a piece to Katya, whom it has warmed to; upon seeing her refusal (a shake of the head), it tosses both the piece and the Deibu into its mouth. "Deibu… wanded… do…' the prey fades, before Remilia's sharp teeth crack its paste core. It chews joyfully and swallows wholeheartedly.
'Easy munch-much dado!' it announces.
Katya lets a hidden smile drift onto her face as she resets the trap. Her deft hands quickly scrub the wood with fronds - if there's any remaining smell, the prey might get suspicious. Then, she resets the bait before sprinkling some leaves into it, then closes the top. It's hidden in the same spot; no point changing it.
'One down, two to go!' Fay says. 'Good job, Katya.'
The trio set off, the young girl leading the way. She needs to check all the traps, even though the yukkuri clan was too preoccupied with marching to set them off, since a yukkuri may have been caught while getting away. They barely reach a hundred meters before Fay motions for them to stop.
A quiet voice can be heard nearby. 'Invisible ze! Invisible ze!' reiterates the Marisa, slightly muffled by the tree trunk walls. Fay mutters, 'bait', and Katya hands a small honey candy to her - it is placed outside the nest. The survivor perks up. 'Sweet-sweet nanoje? God will finally let Marisa take it easy!' It wanders out idiotically, before seeing the humans. 'Yuaaa! Going ho- ' but Fay quickly grabs the Marisa. It's a young adult, its mouth shut by its attacker's finger. 'Katya, take it.' Her student does as she asks, grabbing it gently. Without its gag, the Marisa astarts up again. 'Shiddy humans! Let Marisa go! Right now is fine!' and other statements to that effect.
'Extract its paste core using your knife.' Katya pulls out her small red pocket knife, a memento from her father, and flicks it open. The honed metal cuts easily through the dough as Marisa yells 'Hurdz-hurdz! Stob!' The girl carefully sifts through the opening into the anko, as her guinea pig screams obscenities, until she reaches a hard object. 'Yuboboboboboa!' the yukkuri flaps unintelligibly, and the flat side of the blade scoops out a light brown marble as the corpse lays still.
'It will make better bait than sweets,' the teacher explains, and the student nods in concession. 'Two down, one to go.'
~
The lone Marisa hops into the town. It's circled back from the forest, and knows that the team of humans are too strong. They must be specially-bred warriors. The lone remainder is too smart to go near the houses, instead spotting a broken-down, abandoned factory. Extremely lucky. Its hat is tattered and torn, and it flinches every landing, having been bruised by Del. However, it manages to push open the door weakly.
Yuri dog-ears her book, noticing the door click open. How unlucky - she was almost done, too. The refugee stumbles in, and notices her there. But - it doesn't run. Perhaps it's the knowledge it has nowhere left to go, but it's probably her pride that she can easily take down a weak bookworm. It's punished a Patchouli before; this shouldn't be any different.
'Miss human! Get out ze!'
'That would be uneasy for me.'
'Yu?! Humans are shiddy slaves da ze! Only Marisa should take it easy! If Miss Human doesn't go - then Marisa will make you go to the easy place.' It raises its braid threateningly. 'And if Marisa were to fight, Marisa would not lose to anyone.'
'Hm… I will choose the "fight" option.'
'Yuhe? Marisa is the successor of Hoyuto Shin Ken!'
'Who taught it to you?'
'Our leader da ze! More easy than your books da ze! Hundred heart-att - '
BLAMAMAMAMAM.
'Yuaaaa!' Upon seeing the smoky pistol its opponent has somehow produced from inside her cloak - 'shiddy human must be cheeding da zeee! Id hurdz! Drob dead eajyyyyyy!'
BLAMAMAMAMAM.
Another row of bullets ripple through Marisa's pockmarked body, and one finaly brushes the paste core. 'Yubibobibo…' it trails off, as it dies.
'I've gotten all the information I need. Now… "What did you say about my books?"' Yuri continues the reference. But Marisa won't be talking, forever. The girl blows the heat off the muzzle, before sliding it back into its holster. It's almost as if she trades it for an old flip phone, which she quickly dials Fay's number in.
Ring! Ring!
'Hey, it's me. What is it?'
'A yukkuri got into the office. Please clean it up.'
'What luck! We were just searching for the last one. We'll be there as soon as we clean up the field.'
Beep.
'Sounds like Yuri took care of it for us,' Fay tells the waiting Katya, who nods a little, 'let's
clean up.'
~
'That's not cake, is it, Doe?' Gizaha asks.
The two girls are in the shark's house, the glass walls letting in the moonlight, as they relax on the bean couch. The table carries a cardboard box within a box, a bowl, and a funnel - clearly, the host is expecting something. Shck, goes the cake-box, and out tumbles the leader Marisa, gagged with tape. It stares at them fearfully from the box, even though its wounds are all healed. The gag is torn off, ripping the skin around the mouth. 'Shiddy humans!' it begins, the pain having given it renewed anger. 'Justice will prevail daze! So drop dead easy!'
'Says the one without a peni-peni,' Doe answers.
'Yuge! Marisa was tortured da ze! Yukkuripeace will not let you take it easy da ze!'
'Ahaha! This is great! Your bravado is still so strong!' Doe compliments. She pulls out two pairs of bamboo chopsticks, and snaps them open. With one pair, she stabs through the skin into the cardboard, holding it down and prompting a cry of 'Yua!' She then holds one in each hand, like a master surgeon. 'Whatever should I do first? I think… I'll knock out your teeth.' The tips tantalizingly run over the yellow - 'eeny, meeny, miny, moe' - before jabbing one out. 'Yuaaa! Stob id! Righd now id fine!' 'No.' 'Yuhaaa! Shiddy slabe - ' and a tooth from the back is knocked out, slicing into the roof of Marisa's mouth. Then - the sticks slide into both top and bottom, and - with one swift, watery motion - knocks out the reamining teeth. 'Yageboaaa!' Marisa screams! 'No moar! Mo moar!' Stob id!' and the bean paste drips from the gums.
'Next, I'll rip out your hair, take off your hat, and stuff them into your anus. Then, I'll tear out your eyeballs and push them into your vagina. I'll tape them both shut. Finally - well, Gizaha will thank you for attracting all the ants.'
'Shiddy slave is lying!' yells it, until the chopsticks pull a tuft out, dropping it into the bowl. 'Yuge! Marisa's velvedy goldddd!' Again and again the action repeats, to screeches of 'yuhi! yuha!' and the hair lies in a pile. The bald manjuu shivers under its hat. 'Then, we destroy the hat!' Doe announces cheerfully. 'Nuoooo! Marida's eajy had! Gib id bad!' but it too is torn into shreds. The human picks up a funnel, and touches it to Marisa's anyaru. 'Ready?' 'Nooo - yuhi!' it goes, as the plastic goes in. 'Now, just for the stuff,' and the bowl is dumped into the funnel. 'Three, two, one, go!' as she shoves in the mixture with a chopstick. 'Yugi! Dond made anyaru uneajyyyy!' Marisa repeats, and - even before its tormentor starts the countdown, it understands what's going to happen. 'Drob dead eajyyy! Righd down id f- yuge! Chade id oud!' as the next, and fortunately last, half gets in. The barrel slides out, and Marisa gloats, 'Shiddy slave did whad Maricha asked! Now dond inderuppd supa pooh-pooh time!' 'You forgot about the tape,' Doe remarks gleefully, tearing off a piece with a loud scratch, as it sticks over the hole. One bulge, two - but Doe's done a good job, and it holds. 'Yuwahhhh! Why wond mistah pooh-pooh come oudddd! Shiddy slave help Marichaaaa!'
'Next is the eyeballs!' and the bamboo brushes the left eye. 'Yuwaaaaa! Dond dogh Marida's shiny eye dad gan read da godsssss!' 'No.' The clopstick slowly sloshes it out, and it pops with pleasing tears. 'Here comes the dildo!' the girl grins, as she presses it against Marisa's mamumamu. 'Nuooo! Dond dogh Maricha's honeypodddd!' 'Three, two, one, go!' and with an effort, the eyeball makes it in, the hole pulsing disgustingly. 'Yuhiiii! Dage id oud den drob dead eajyyy! Rigd now id fineeee!' 'Ready to be plunged into darkness?' as she teases the remaining eye. Marisa's vision blurs, covered by the solid, and its eye muscles grabble wildly - but it loses its sense of one entire dimension.
'Yueeeeee! Sdob! Sdob!' Its other senses are intensified so much, that when Doe notes, 'it's time to put it in~' Marisa frantically tries to wriggle away - 'going home quidgly! Shiddy slave lech Maricha gooo!' - but is held in place. 'Three, two, one….' from a distant voice somewhere, 'go!' and it is filled to the brim, its mouth with jagged shards of teeth, its anyaru with hair and cloth, and its mamumamu with sugar balls, all pressing against each other.
'Any last words before I take out your tongue?' It finally, inevitably, realises its predicament. 'Mish human, Macha id shorryyyy!' '...Marisa, "I forgive you".' 'Den quigdly heal Macha, shid- ' rip! and Marisa gurgles with her throat, before Doe squishes the tongue into the mamumamu. Perhaps in more easy times, that would be the tongue of an easy Reimu. But that is not to happen today, not when its exits are sealed shut with tape. It stretches its mouth open in unspeakable, uncommunicable agony.
It's too much for Doe, her sensitive body nestled in Gizaha's large frame. 'A-ah!' It's com - a big w-wave!' she tenses ecstatically. Her friend tucks her fingers into the soaking wet panties as Doe presses her head into Gizaha's breasts-pillow - 'cummmming!' and she squeezes tightly, letting out sticky lubricant.
Slowly, she looks at Gizaha, her blush still plastered across her face. 'Thank… you…' she mumbles, as she closes her eyes in exhaustion.
'Take a break, Doe,' the shark commands, not unkindly. 'I'll take the box outside.'
Marisa feels a slight shudder of her cage. The moonlight air is cool against her skin, but does nothing to stem the boiling pain. The box is set down, and Marisa only has uneasiness for company as it waits. It waits for the ants. Every sharp pain might be an ant, but it's just its own pain. It wants to take it easy. A slight nibble on her backside, so slight that she, at first, doesn't notice, turns into a gnawing shock. The swarm has come. There is no escape.
~
Moha said something about being offered dinner by his Yuuka-chan, Gizaha and Doe are hanging out together, Fay and Katya are going home, and Yuri's at the office, Del recalls. He carefully opens a golden tin, and spoons out some white tea leaves into a porcelain saucer. It's the best in his collection - but he needs something to calm his frayed nerves. He hasn't seen so much action in a long time.
He dextrously rinses the tea leaves, then leaves them to dry as he boils water in a cast-iron teapot. A single bubble rises - and he doesn't miss his chance, shocking the water back down to what he instinctively knows is 77 Celsius before throwing the tea leaves in and turning off the fire. The sweet scent of plants fills the air, like a natural perfume.
'Del-kun! Can I have some?' the surprise party guest asks.
'Of course - but don't you have a date with Ms. Kazami?'
'Naw, man, I realised I like using plants more than growing them,' he smiles. He sits down at his friend's urging, and sniffs the smell deeply. 'Mmm! Nice!'
'Moha - you aren't going to ask how I know?'
'I never would've dubbed you the explorer type, but I won't judge!'
'The truth is - I was allied with their old leader.' Noticing Moha's silence, he continues. 'It was Byakuren, there,' and he points to his newest pet, sleeping in the corner. 'She was peaceful. I thought they would stay to themselves. But the clan staged a coup.'
'I don't know what the fuck you were trying to do' - Del cringes - 'but if it's you, you must have had a reason to. We'd have had to deal with them sooner or later, anyway.'
'...I see.'
'What's the tea?'
'Silver Needle white tea from Fujian Province, China, seventy dollars to the pound.'
'Ooh, fancy! Is it ready?'
'A few more seconds.'
True to his word, Del caitiously pours the hot tea into the clay cups. His guest waits for him to set down the pot, before they both sip.
'You know,' Moha remarks, 'it's just like the old times, having a drink after a hard day of work. To the old days.'
'To the old days.'
'And to the new days, too, for they will be better,' he announces solemnly.
'To the new days!'
