FicWad

Chapter Eight: Dark Pilgrim:

February 8th, 2011.

Kobe, Japan.

3:00 a.m.

Victoria tracked down Kyoko's house. Sosuke leaned on her shoulder.

"I can feel Mother inside," he whispered. Victoria walked up to the door and rang the bell. She rang the bell again, causing more of a reaction. Kyoko peeked out her door.

"Yes?" she whispered.

"I just ran away from my father," Victoria said in a choked-up voice. "I have nowhere to go." The old lady looked at the girl's desperate facial expression.

"Come inside," Kyoko said. She held a bag of salt behind her. Victoria bowed outside.

"Thank you so much!" she said. She and Sosuke followed the old lady into the house.

Victoria sat at the dining room table. She tuned out the clock ticking in the background.

"Are you hungry?" Kyoko asked from the kitchen.

"Not really," the girl said. "Do you have any milk?"

"Sure, give me a second," the old lady said. She turned to her fridge.

"Let's see… Milk… Milk… Ah, here it is." Kyoko pulled out a carton of milk. She poured a glass and served it to Victoria.

"Here you are," she said. Victoria bowed her head. She quietly took a sip. Kyoko sat eyes her at the table.

"I won't pry into your problems," she said. "You can tell me when you're ready. I'll get you an extra futon for you." Victoria took another drink of her milk. Kyoko walked away from the table. The younger girl finished her milk. Minutes later, Victoria walked into the living room. A small futon waited near the bay window. She lay on the stiff cotton and went to sleep. Sosuke dozed off next to her.

7:00 a.m.

Tsuzuki and Anna were packing up to leave in the guestroom. The shinigami replayed Kyoko's warning in his head.

"The clan is dying," she told him outside. "The Mother is tired of the bloodshed. Haruka does not want this. She will do anything to stop the Mother."

"Are you sure about this?" Tsuzuki asked. "How do you know?"

"I have been listening to the rumors. Tell me, I haven't you noticed something about her family?"

Tsuzuki did some thinking. "I can't remember."

"She's slowly killing them. The kitsune already know it. She's devoured one of them. It won't be long before the tsukai see it too."

The shinigami tried to take it all in. "What do you want? I can't stop her."

"Don't," Kyoko said. "This is good in fact."

"Why not tell Anna?" Tsuzuki asked.

"She'll aid in this quest. Shouldn't she move on? Anna's got a family now. She's finally happy."

Back in present day, Tsuzuki shook his head. Kyoko had a point. Anna was married and had a daughter. She should just let the past go. But to tell her to stop is to tell her to stop living. His wife wanted to live.

Anna turned to him. "Something bothering you, Asato-kun?" she asked. Her husband jumped, shaking his head.

"Uh… no, no!" he lied. Anna narrowed her eyes.

"Asato-kun," she said. Her husband sighed and lowered his shoulders.

"I'll tell you when we get home, okay?" Tsuzuki said. He walked out of the room. Anna tilted her head.

"Uh-huh…" she said in a flat tone. She picked up Kirika-chan and the diaper bad and followed Tsuzuki. When they made it to the dining room, the couple was in for a nasty shock.

"Kyoko-can, we're leaving no…" Anna called. She froze before she could finish her sentence. Kyoko turned with a tray of rice porridge in her hands.

"Oh good morning," she said. "Leaving already?" Anna pointed at Victoria sitting at the table drinking milk. The younger girl lowered her glass.

"Yo," she said.

"What's she doing here?!" Anna screamed. Kyoko nervously chuckled.

"Well, it's a funny story, really," she said.