Kekkaishi ~ Interlude of the Snow
Prologue Scenario: The Girl behind The Woman in White
4 years ago
A dark overcast sky hung in the night sky that fateful night. The entire place was a winter wonderland, covered by a blanket of pure white snow. Icicles hung below the collapsed rooftops and pillars. Frozen debris, wood and white battered ground were all that remained of the ruined town as Masamori approached the entrance. His skin shivered at the sudden drop in temperature and the smell of frozen, corpses lingered in the stale air. Lowering his gaze to the ground, he saw the bloody cold remains of a thousand Ayakashis. Their red and bluish blood spread splattered all over the white snowy surface.
"What a mess " He sighed.
He had only recently received reports of an Ayakashi attack on the town, but he didn't expect it to be one of such large scale. Now with all the destruction laid waste to the area, he was starting to doubt that there would be any survivors for the night.
Just then, he sensed a foreign presence and readied his hand for a Kekkai. His eyes darted around in his search for the culprit. 'An Ayakashi? No this pressure and energy it feels different.'
In a flash, Masamori ducked to the side, avoiding being stabbed by sharp, thin icy needles. More needles flew towards him, leaving him to catch them with his Kekkai. In one swift swoop, Masamori destroyed the needles sent at him from above, left and right.
"Ketsu! Metsu!" He chanted at the last batch of needles destroyed.
The attacks finally stopped, but Masamori still stayed in a defensive position. "It's useless playing games now, Ayakashi. Show yourself!"
In all his life, the various forms of Ayakashi had changed and contorted into many shapes and sizes. But never in his life did Masamori encounter one that held a close resemblance of a human.
The woman before him stood on top of roof, dressed in a flowing white kimono. Her silver hair flowed like a waterfall down to her legs, her skin awfully pale white, even her lips looked as if they were paled by winter's harshest coldness. Then there were her eyes, glasses holding irises of the colour of ice, staring back coldly into the dark eyes of the Kekkaishi before her. She clutched the white katana in her hand, never leaving her gaze at the man below. Masamori snapped himself out of his daze, calmly approaching her. He had to be careful. Humanoid Ayakashis were said to be the most dangerous... and frankly, the most insane.
"Are you the Ayakashi responsible for this?"
The woman jumped from the rooftop, her toe briefly touched the ground before landing gracefully on it. Her kimono floated along the wind, before falling back in place around her body. The blood on her kimono was enough to convince his suspicions. She coldly stared at Masamori before speaking. "What if I am?"
Masamori smirked, bringing his hand up. "Then I will have to eliminate you."
In the blink of an eye, the woman drew her white katana out, holding its icy blade next to Masamori's neck. Not once did he flinch, despite the cold air bristling against his skin. "Honestly, I would like to see you try," She frostily muttered. Masamori was about to prepare his next attack, when the blade withdrew from his neck. "However "
She flipped the katana, sliding it back into the sheath tied to her obi. "I have more important matters to take care of. Such as eliminating Ayakashi."
Now it was Masamori's turn to be interested. "That's ironic. Considering how you're one of them."
The woman bitterly glared with icy-laced eyes. "I never did belong with them in the first place. They have so far caused nothing but chaos in this world."
"True. But did you have to drag innocent humans into it?"
"The residents of this town were all eaten by the invading Ayakashi last night. By the time I arrived, all I found were burning dirt and bloody bones. I simply changed the environment to suit my taste."
'An ice queen indeed ' Masamori eyed the woman with greater curiosity, marvelling at the Woman of Snow standing at peace in her 'Winter Wonderland'. "And how can I trust you on that?"
"Because the body you see before me isn't completely mine," The woman admitted, "I'm but one half of a being born to roam the world with two sides. One by day and one by night. Or so I ever choose whenever I feel like it as long as I feel that the time is ripe."
Masamori stared intently at the woman. "You're an Ayakashi Majiri?"
The woman narrowed her eyes as he smiled. "I know a few friends who are like you. "One half by Day, One half by Night?" Doesn't take a Kekkaishi long to figure that one out."
The woman pursed her lips, remaining silent until Masamori asked her, "What is your name?"
She stared at the man intently before replying at last. "Yuki Onna."
"And your human half?"
Yuki Onna's breath hitched for a moment, hesitation choked her throat. " Toriyuki Fuyuki."
Masamori sat on a fallen rock, resting his chin on his hand. "What is she like?"
"Weak," Yuki Onna deadpanned.
Masamori grinned. "Aw come on, there's got to be more than that."
"She is young and naïve, living in her own world of fantasies just to avoid pain and suffering. People think that she's happy only because she acts like a fool. I'm surprised she managed to pull the wool over their eyes with that transparent act of hers. Yet " The silver haired maiden paused at a distant memory. "She never failed to radiate such warm light."
Masamori raised a brow, grinning a little at her final endearing tone. In response, Yuki Onna reverted back to her cold expression, glaring at him. "I must leave. I have wasted enough time here."
"Where to?"
"To the south. I had heard news of Ayakashi gathering around a sacred land said to grant them power. Karasumori I must end the destruction there once and for all."
'Karasumori? This can't be good ' Masamori raised his finger to his lips, pondering. "How long has it been since you were human?"
"Six years."
"Six years " Masamori repeated to himself, though slightly surprised, he showed no emotion upon turning to Yuki Onna. "Wouldn't your human side need food too? She has to return to her body sooner or later."
"I have long seized control of this body since my release. Toriyuki has locked herself away from the world since " Yuki Onna stopped mid-sentence, turning on her heel. "I've spoken too much. I must go."
'Spilt Personality Disorder so that's how the change goes This is bad.'
"Even so, most Ayakashi Maijiri can't stay in their Ayakashi forms forever. If your human side does not return, she'll die! At the present state both of you are in, who knows what would happen if you were to set foot upon Karasumori."
Yuki Onna whipped around at Masamori, shooting a frosty cold glare. "And what good would that do? Even if I let her take over, she has nowhere to go. Her family abandoned her on Death's door and she has no one to turn to in time of need. If I were to let her regain control over this body, she'll die in a heartbeat."
Masamori stood up, taking a stand firmly. "I can help you."
"Sorry, but I prefer to work alone."
Masamori folded his arms, a solemn expression rested on his lips. "I was talking about Toriyuki."
Yuki Onna froze in her tracks, looking behind her shoulder. Though her face was emotionless, thoughts of disbelief ran around her mind.
Masamori calmly stayed where he was, returning Yuki Onna's stare with a solemn gaze. "I can take care of her. I'll bring her to the Night Troops. If not, I can send her to live with the Sumimuras. They are a family of Kekkaishi, one of their child who is a Legitimate Successor. With the Yukimuras, they can protect her and nurture her until she learns how to stand on her own two feet. You can still protect her during then."
Yuki Onna stared at the man before her, the man whose eyes held no sign of betrayal. Her heart was meant to be cold towards everyone, be it human or Ayakashi. Her human half included. But lately, Toriyuki's connection with her has been fading, and that has been causing some worry. And yet, she was unsure if she could trust a human's word. For her frozen heart was now confronted by confusion.
"Isn't Toriyuki important to you?"
Yuki Onna closed her eyes, contemplating her decision.
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What should Yuki Onna Do?
4 years ago
A dark overcast sky hung in the night sky that fateful night. The entire place was a winter wonderland, covered by a blanket of pure white snow. Icicles hung below the collapsed rooftops and pillars. Frozen debris, wood and white battered ground were all that remained of the ruined town as Masamori approached the entrance. His skin shivered at the sudden drop in temperature and the smell of frozen, corpses lingered in the stale air. Lowering his gaze to the ground, he saw the bloody cold remains of a thousand Ayakashis. Their red and bluish blood spread splattered all over the white snowy surface.
"What a mess " He sighed.
He had only recently received reports of an Ayakashi attack on the town, but he didn't expect it to be one of such large scale. Now with all the destruction laid waste to the area, he was starting to doubt that there would be any survivors for the night.
Just then, he sensed a foreign presence and readied his hand for a Kekkai. His eyes darted around in his search for the culprit. 'An Ayakashi? No this pressure and energy it feels different.'
In a flash, Masamori ducked to the side, avoiding being stabbed by sharp, thin icy needles. More needles flew towards him, leaving him to catch them with his Kekkai. In one swift swoop, Masamori destroyed the needles sent at him from above, left and right.
"Ketsu! Metsu!" He chanted at the last batch of needles destroyed.
The attacks finally stopped, but Masamori still stayed in a defensive position. "It's useless playing games now, Ayakashi. Show yourself!"
In all his life, the various forms of Ayakashi had changed and contorted into many shapes and sizes. But never in his life did Masamori encounter one that held a close resemblance of a human.
The woman before him stood on top of roof, dressed in a flowing white kimono. Her silver hair flowed like a waterfall down to her legs, her skin awfully pale white, even her lips looked as if they were paled by winter's harshest coldness. Then there were her eyes, glasses holding irises of the colour of ice, staring back coldly into the dark eyes of the Kekkaishi before her. She clutched the white katana in her hand, never leaving her gaze at the man below. Masamori snapped himself out of his daze, calmly approaching her. He had to be careful. Humanoid Ayakashis were said to be the most dangerous... and frankly, the most insane.
"Are you the Ayakashi responsible for this?"
The woman jumped from the rooftop, her toe briefly touched the ground before landing gracefully on it. Her kimono floated along the wind, before falling back in place around her body. The blood on her kimono was enough to convince his suspicions. She coldly stared at Masamori before speaking. "What if I am?"
Masamori smirked, bringing his hand up. "Then I will have to eliminate you."
In the blink of an eye, the woman drew her white katana out, holding its icy blade next to Masamori's neck. Not once did he flinch, despite the cold air bristling against his skin. "Honestly, I would like to see you try," She frostily muttered. Masamori was about to prepare his next attack, when the blade withdrew from his neck. "However "
She flipped the katana, sliding it back into the sheath tied to her obi. "I have more important matters to take care of. Such as eliminating Ayakashi."
Now it was Masamori's turn to be interested. "That's ironic. Considering how you're one of them."
The woman bitterly glared with icy-laced eyes. "I never did belong with them in the first place. They have so far caused nothing but chaos in this world."
"True. But did you have to drag innocent humans into it?"
"The residents of this town were all eaten by the invading Ayakashi last night. By the time I arrived, all I found were burning dirt and bloody bones. I simply changed the environment to suit my taste."
'An ice queen indeed ' Masamori eyed the woman with greater curiosity, marvelling at the Woman of Snow standing at peace in her 'Winter Wonderland'. "And how can I trust you on that?"
"Because the body you see before me isn't completely mine," The woman admitted, "I'm but one half of a being born to roam the world with two sides. One by day and one by night. Or so I ever choose whenever I feel like it as long as I feel that the time is ripe."
Masamori stared intently at the woman. "You're an Ayakashi Majiri?"
The woman narrowed her eyes as he smiled. "I know a few friends who are like you. "One half by Day, One half by Night?" Doesn't take a Kekkaishi long to figure that one out."
The woman pursed her lips, remaining silent until Masamori asked her, "What is your name?"
She stared at the man intently before replying at last. "Yuki Onna."
"And your human half?"
Yuki Onna's breath hitched for a moment, hesitation choked her throat. " Toriyuki Fuyuki."
Masamori sat on a fallen rock, resting his chin on his hand. "What is she like?"
"Weak," Yuki Onna deadpanned.
Masamori grinned. "Aw come on, there's got to be more than that."
"She is young and naïve, living in her own world of fantasies just to avoid pain and suffering. People think that she's happy only because she acts like a fool. I'm surprised she managed to pull the wool over their eyes with that transparent act of hers. Yet " The silver haired maiden paused at a distant memory. "She never failed to radiate such warm light."
Masamori raised a brow, grinning a little at her final endearing tone. In response, Yuki Onna reverted back to her cold expression, glaring at him. "I must leave. I have wasted enough time here."
"Where to?"
"To the south. I had heard news of Ayakashi gathering around a sacred land said to grant them power. Karasumori I must end the destruction there once and for all."
'Karasumori? This can't be good ' Masamori raised his finger to his lips, pondering. "How long has it been since you were human?"
"Six years."
"Six years " Masamori repeated to himself, though slightly surprised, he showed no emotion upon turning to Yuki Onna. "Wouldn't your human side need food too? She has to return to her body sooner or later."
"I have long seized control of this body since my release. Toriyuki has locked herself away from the world since " Yuki Onna stopped mid-sentence, turning on her heel. "I've spoken too much. I must go."
'Spilt Personality Disorder so that's how the change goes This is bad.'
"Even so, most Ayakashi Maijiri can't stay in their Ayakashi forms forever. If your human side does not return, she'll die! At the present state both of you are in, who knows what would happen if you were to set foot upon Karasumori."
Yuki Onna whipped around at Masamori, shooting a frosty cold glare. "And what good would that do? Even if I let her take over, she has nowhere to go. Her family abandoned her on Death's door and she has no one to turn to in time of need. If I were to let her regain control over this body, she'll die in a heartbeat."
Masamori stood up, taking a stand firmly. "I can help you."
"Sorry, but I prefer to work alone."
Masamori folded his arms, a solemn expression rested on his lips. "I was talking about Toriyuki."
Yuki Onna froze in her tracks, looking behind her shoulder. Though her face was emotionless, thoughts of disbelief ran around her mind.
Masamori calmly stayed where he was, returning Yuki Onna's stare with a solemn gaze. "I can take care of her. I'll bring her to the Night Troops. If not, I can send her to live with the Sumimuras. They are a family of Kekkaishi, one of their child who is a Legitimate Successor. With the Yukimuras, they can protect her and nurture her until she learns how to stand on her own two feet. You can still protect her during then."
Yuki Onna stared at the man before her, the man whose eyes held no sign of betrayal. Her heart was meant to be cold towards everyone, be it human or Ayakashi. Her human half included. But lately, Toriyuki's connection with her has been fading, and that has been causing some worry. And yet, she was unsure if she could trust a human's word. For her frozen heart was now confronted by confusion.
"Isn't Toriyuki important to you?"
Yuki Onna closed her eyes, contemplating her decision.
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What should Yuki Onna Do?