Categories > Anime/Manga > Yami no Matsuei > Boar and Rat
Chapter Forty-One: Boost:
Haruka suddenly remembered that she had an advantage. This came when a soft whisper buzzed in her ear. The old woman smiled.
"Of course!" she said. "How could I forget?" Haruka burst into laughter.
-One Month Ago-
Aki appeared in Tsuzuki's apartment. She stood in the living room. No scents of people here. They had to have been going for them. Still, she had to be quick.
Aki slowly walked across the living room. Where would she hide them? The kitsune walked to the back bedroom. Her footsteps didn't make a sound across the floor. In fact, her feet didn't touch the ground. Aki didn't need to turn on a light. She only chose her first place to look.
That box had to be at the bottom of the closet. Stashed so far in the back. Aki began her dig. Further. Further. Further. She started to sniff. Cotton. Mothballs. Air fresher. Leather. Baby powder. Perfume.
Aki paused.
There!
She darted all the way to the back. Aki grabbed the cardboard box. Fifty cassette tapes total. All of them weren't here. She just needed one.
Aki closed her eyes and perked up her ears. Static and chatter filled the air. She pushed through the noise. Her brain fast-forwarded through some parts. The chatter increased. Every sound grew higher and higher.
Suddenly, the kitsune ripped open her eyes. Her hand dove into the box. She held up the tape and disappeared.
Haruka leaned against the window in the dark. Soft whispers touched her ear. The old lady turned her head.
"Hm?" she asked. A tape fell into her hand.
"What is this?" Haruka asked as she walked to the hall closet. She looked around inside at the top. She found her tape playing towards the back. Haruka took it out and plugged it up. She put in the tape and hit play. Daisuke's voice filled the dark hallway. Hints of rage flared up in her soul. Because of him, the clan was dying. Aki put her hand on hers.
"Shhh," she said. "Keep listening." Haruka frowned and took a listen. They came to the final entry on Halloween. The opening was enough to make her smile. Haruka slowly rose to her feet. Her cheering could be heard throughout the house.
-Present Day-
Haruka rose to her feet.
"I can win this," she said. The old lady looked around her crumbling fortress. Only about three hours left. She could make it. Haruka breathed heavily as she held up her right hand. This was going to hurt. But this gamble would be worth it. Haruka started to chant. Her eyes slipped closed. Her head felt light as she could hear a soft hum.
Stop! Don't do this! You'll die!
Haruka opened her eyes and smirked.
"Sorry. It has to be like this. I choose to win," she said in between breaths. The whole room started to shake. Haruka smiled as red lights swallowed up everything. The old lady coughed up blood. This was it. This was her big gamble. She smiled before she lost consciousness.
Outside, Tsuzuki looked up as the sky began to shake. His stomach dropped as he pulled out his fuda.
"Not good," he said. "This is not good!" The shinigami picked up the pace and started to fly away.
Haruka suddenly remembered that she had an advantage. This came when a soft whisper buzzed in her ear. The old woman smiled.
"Of course!" she said. "How could I forget?" Haruka burst into laughter.
-One Month Ago-
Aki appeared in Tsuzuki's apartment. She stood in the living room. No scents of people here. They had to have been going for them. Still, she had to be quick.
Aki slowly walked across the living room. Where would she hide them? The kitsune walked to the back bedroom. Her footsteps didn't make a sound across the floor. In fact, her feet didn't touch the ground. Aki didn't need to turn on a light. She only chose her first place to look.
That box had to be at the bottom of the closet. Stashed so far in the back. Aki began her dig. Further. Further. Further. She started to sniff. Cotton. Mothballs. Air fresher. Leather. Baby powder. Perfume.
Aki paused.
There!
She darted all the way to the back. Aki grabbed the cardboard box. Fifty cassette tapes total. All of them weren't here. She just needed one.
Aki closed her eyes and perked up her ears. Static and chatter filled the air. She pushed through the noise. Her brain fast-forwarded through some parts. The chatter increased. Every sound grew higher and higher.
Suddenly, the kitsune ripped open her eyes. Her hand dove into the box. She held up the tape and disappeared.
Haruka leaned against the window in the dark. Soft whispers touched her ear. The old lady turned her head.
"Hm?" she asked. A tape fell into her hand.
"What is this?" Haruka asked as she walked to the hall closet. She looked around inside at the top. She found her tape playing towards the back. Haruka took it out and plugged it up. She put in the tape and hit play. Daisuke's voice filled the dark hallway. Hints of rage flared up in her soul. Because of him, the clan was dying. Aki put her hand on hers.
"Shhh," she said. "Keep listening." Haruka frowned and took a listen. They came to the final entry on Halloween. The opening was enough to make her smile. Haruka slowly rose to her feet. Her cheering could be heard throughout the house.
-Present Day-
Haruka rose to her feet.
"I can win this," she said. The old lady looked around her crumbling fortress. Only about three hours left. She could make it. Haruka breathed heavily as she held up her right hand. This was going to hurt. But this gamble would be worth it. Haruka started to chant. Her eyes slipped closed. Her head felt light as she could hear a soft hum.
Stop! Don't do this! You'll die!
Haruka opened her eyes and smirked.
"Sorry. It has to be like this. I choose to win," she said in between breaths. The whole room started to shake. Haruka smiled as red lights swallowed up everything. The old lady coughed up blood. This was it. This was her big gamble. She smiled before she lost consciousness.
Outside, Tsuzuki looked up as the sky began to shake. His stomach dropped as he pulled out his fuda.
"Not good," he said. "This is not good!" The shinigami picked up the pace and started to fly away.
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