Shinrabansho: Myriad Souls

Natalia was the first to wake.

She sat up in bed, covering a yawn with an elegant hand, her movements unhurried despite the faint ache of memory settling behind her eyes. When she lowered her hand and looked around, understanding came relatively quickly. One entire wall of the room was gone, blasted outward as if torn away by some enormous force. Baku’s home lay mostly in ruins, exposed to the open air. The trees were visible. This chamber, by some small mercy, had been mostly spared the worst of the destruction.

Sumire, Rui, Ume, and Akuchi lay nearby, slumbering peacefully, their breathing slow and even, their bodies slack with the deep exhaustion that followed true memory integration.

Natalia rose and stretched lightly.

“They’ll most likely be out cold for much of the day.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, turning her head slightly toward Baku. She knew him by the sound of his voice.

He stood a short distance away, his posture weary but composed, and raised both of his hands placatingly. “Memory integration takes time. Only those with prior experience can process it quickly. The mind needs to sort what belongs where and what takes priority.”

Before he could finish, there was additional movement.

Akuchi suddenly sat up, stretching her exaggerated female body with a long, satisfied motion.

…

Baku stared at her.

“That’s surprising,” he said at last, then glanced back toward Natalia with a faint, tired smile that faltered. “I expected you to wake first, Natalia-sama. You barely had time to integrate Haruka-sensei’s memories with your own. You spent less than a single evening in the dream world.”

“That makes sense,” Natalia said, nodding once. She turned back to Akuchi with visible relief. “I’m glad you’re awake, Akuchi. We’ll need to transport the other three back to the human world. I wouldn’t have been able to manage that feat without you.”

Akuchi blinked at her with fuzzy eyes and raised one finger.

What came out of her mouth was a stream of incoherent ferret gibberish.

Natalia and Baku stared.

For a moment, it was as if sweatdrops might actually appear above their heads.

They waited.

Akuchi fell silent, yawned deeply, and rubbed at her eyes.

“Oh… my apologies,” she said with a small frown. “It took a moment to organize my head. I’m not sure what to do with all those memories of running on my wheel, drinking from my bottle, and eating so many pellets.”

No one spoke for a few seconds.

Natalia cleared her throat. “I think it would be best to leave the yōkai world by the fastest route. Can you take the form of a gurney capable of accommodating all  three girls?”

“Uh… sure,” Akuchi said, nodding.

With a soft poof, she shapeshifted into a compact, motorized gurney, padded and stable.

Natalia inclined her head politely. “Thank you!” She looked at Baku then and asked, “Would you be so kind as to send one of your soot sprites to the Yōkai Council? We’ll need the gate opened once for our passage.”

Baku’s shoulders sank slightly.

“It’s not my gate any longer,” he said. “I will likely set up shop elsewhere and resume my studies. Perhaps, in time, the Yōkai Council will rescind their order to remove my privileges. I don’t blame them for distrusting me. I’ve proven myself… unreliable. Too easily corrupted.”

Natalia nodded. “Even so, please let me know where you’ve moved. I would be sad to lose my shogi partner.”

Baku rubbed at one moist elephantine eye and nodded slowly. “Of course, Natalia-sama.” His voice wavered. “I am deeply sorry for my conduct. I acted improperly and kept too much to myself. I caused harm that cannot be undone. I took two lives in pursuit of my ambitions. And worse than that, I turned on you and devoured you and your power as well. I lost control.”

“It is not too late,” Natalia said gently. “Most yōkai bear such burdens. One as gentle as you will suffer more deeply than those like Noh Face or myself.”

Baku’s head lifted sharply. “You… killed? You, of all beings?”

“It was a very long time ago,” Natalia replied, her gaze distant. “In my youth, when I was feral. I do not like to dwell on those times. But kitsune are not strangers to death. I can tell you this. It will take time, but you will recover. I am confident the Yōkai Council will forgive you, provided you demonstrate sufficient remorse, as you are now, and work diligently toward your craft. When you master your human form, they may even issue you a license.”

Baku smiled, his shoulders loosening despite the fatigue in his posture. “That is very relieving to hear.” He wiped a tear away with the back of his hand. “I will continue to work hard. I will strive to gain greater mastery over my power.”

He hesitated, then straightened.

“Speaking of which…”

Baku crossed the room and bowed deeply before Natalia. When he rose, he opened his hand, revealing a necklace, a fine chain bearing a green jewel that seemed to hold soft light within it.

“I long considered how I might ease that girl’s burden,” he said quietly. “And I concluded that this belongs with her.”

“What is this?” Natalia asked.

“A precious dream,” Baku replied.

Natalia studied the jewel. “Explain.”

“Very well.” Baku took a deep breath. “My power resides within it now. The dream world exists in that very jewel now.” He paused. “I saw how naturally she manipulated the dream. The moment she changed her clothing and created those bracelets for herself, I knew. Combined with her earlier transformation, it proved she might one day invoke the dream directly. For now, there is a simpler way.”

He placed the necklace gently in Natalia’s palm.

“What must she do?” Natalia asked, curling her fingers around it.

“All she must do is sleep with it,” Baku said. “However, if used that way, she will leave the dream world upon waking.”

“I see. Can anyone use it?”

“Yes. Anyone can. The dream will assign an appropriate role to the bearer upon invocation.”

Natalia nodded slowly. “Thank you, Baku-san. That is what they would say to you, I’m sure, if they could speak.”

“I will never forget that girl, you know?” Baku said softly. “Not Sumire, although I did like her as well.”

“Which one?” Natalia smiled, tilting her head.

“Aoi Kurobane. Or rather, Reiko. I overheard Sumire call her that as we fought. She spoke to me on the stage with complete sincerity. No, she always did. Even when I attacked her in my madness, I never wanted to harm her. I believe we are kindred souls, in some way.”

“I understand,” Natalia said.

A familiar presence stirred nearby.

“You wish passage to the human world?” came a calm voice.

They turned and saw Kagami-no-Kami standing nearby, her hands folded within her kimono sleeves, her posture still, her gaze steady and unreadable.

“I will grant you permission immediately,” she said, her eyes remaining on Baku. “And I will watch you very carefully for a while.”

Baku nodded, resigned, his elephantine lips pressing into a thin line.

Natalia and Akuchi emerged from the yōkai world directly into Sumire’s bedroom at the new house.

The transition was gentle this time, no lurching sensations, no disorientation. The room was there. Moonlight spilled in through Sumire’s single window, pale, painting thin silver bands across the tatami.

Akuchi shifted shape mid-roll, her body flowing into the form of a wide cushion as the material softened and slowly deflated, lowering Sumire, Rui, and Ume to the tatami without jostling them. None of them stirred. Akuchi then changed again, becoming a slick surface that slid out from beneath the three before returning to her usual female body with its exaggerated proportions.

Their breathing stayed slow and even, their bodies slack with relaxation after having been driven past exhaustion.

Sumire bore no wounds carried over from the dream world.

Natalia moved quickly and without wasted motion. Within minutes, she had prepared futons for the three of them, laying them side by side and layering them thickly. She worked in silence, smoothing the fabric and adjusting the pillows just so.

Between the two of them, they undressed the girls without difficulty, with one exception.

Natalia winced at seeing the deep red creases left by Rui’s small panties. She checked the maxi pad that Rui had loaned her and grit her teeth.

“Would you please help me get a sponge and a tub of hot water from the kitchen?” Natalia asked Akuchi.

Akuchi blushed, staring at Sumire from the waist down.

“Don’t stare at her like that.” Natalia’s lips twisted.

“I could transform into both,” Akuchi said, grinning.

“No,” Natalia said firmly.

Akuchi drooped.

A short time later they returned with a real tub.

Akuchi didn’t argue as Natalia began cleaning Sumire’s bloodstains, working slowly and with care.

Akuchi couldn’t resist wrapping her arms around her own long chocolatey legs as she stared at Sumire.

“Hey… do you think that perhaps I’m too fake?” she asked.

“In what way?” Natalia asked as the sponge in her hand turned pink. She wrung it out in the tub.

“Sumire told me how that moment before we went after Mitsuhiko I looked the most attractive to her,” Akuchi mumbled.

“Ah, I see… Yes. You do try a little too hard.” Natalia nodded as she finished, setting the tub aside. “While I’m no expert, I wonder if the dream world caused a little hiccup in her body’s normal rhythm.”

Akuchi looked at her blankly and ignored the last part. “I already decided to try to be more sincere with her. How do you think I should do that?”

Natalia sighed and smiled. “That’s entirely up to you. Think about what sincerity means. What you do will follow from that understanding,” she said, crossing her arms under her chest.

“I see. Thank you.” Akuchi smiled. “I will worry about that later.”

Natalia nodded. “For the time being, I suppose this will have to do. It might be for the best. I’ll have Sumire’s clothes transported here properly later,” she murmured, a small, mischievous smile on her lips.

They arranged the three carefully.

Sumire lay in the center, her expression peaceful in a way Natalia hadn’t seen in a long time. Ume settled on one side, an arm draped around Sumire’s torso, her posture relaxed even in sleep. Rui lay against Sumire’s other side, close enough that their heads nearly touched.

They looked so impossibly adorable like that.

For a moment, Natalia had the very human urge to take a picture of them… something to preserve the softness of the scene, but she resisted. Some moments were better left untouched.

Akuchi stood there for a second longer, staring down at them.

“If I were the old me,” she said quietly, “I would complain bitterly about this arrangement.” She yawned, the sound wide and unguarded. “But I’m too tired. I think I’ll sleep too. Sharing isn’t so bad.”

She poofed her clothes away without ceremony and slipped into the futon beside them, curling in close and snuggling against the group like a mischievous child sneaking into her parents’ bed. Or like a timid but eager lover.

Natalia giggled softly and shook her head.

She remained standing for a moment, the room hushed except for the rhythm of their shared breathing. From within her sleeve, she drew out the necklace Baku had given her. The jewel caught the moonlight faintly as she turned it between her fingers.

She looked at Sumire for a long moment.

“I suppose I could give her this now,” Natalia murmured. “But she’s had enough dreams for the moment, I think.”

She slipped the necklace back into her sleeve, her expression thoughtful, and quietly left the room, closing the door behind her with barely a sound.

The moonlight shone in the room, bathing their sleeping faces.

And not much longer later, the whole house slept.

Rui was the first of the three to wake the next morning, her eyes still filmy with sleep. She stared at nothing for a moment and muttered to herself, her voice thick and unguarded.

Her body felt extremely off.

It wasn’t anything painful… just a general sense of something not being right. She lay there, blinking slowly as sensation caught up with memory. Out of habit, she expected a certain amount of weight on her chest, the way it usually pulled her forward even at rest. But there was almost nothing there now. The realization settled in as her mind finished sorting itself out, fragments clicking back into place and her eyes filled with tears.

“Damn it,” she muttered and sighed softly.

“That’s right… I’m not Riko anymore,” she murmured, rubbing at her wet eyes. “I really enjoyed being her.”

As she set her arm down, her wrist bumped into something warm and yielding.

“Hmmm?” Rui’s lips pursed slightly. “Soft?”

Still half-asleep, she rubbed her eyes more firmly, wiping out the last tears—and froze as her gaze finally focused on what her hand had brushed against.

Sumire’s perfect breasts, peeking out from beneath the futon cover.

DOKI-DOKI

“Th-they…” Rui’s breath caught. Her face flushed immediately, heat rushing up her neck as she fidgeted in place, her fingers curling in the bedding. “Just like… Ummm… Well… that’s only natural.” She kicked her legs around in frustration and peeked back at Sumire, chewing her lip.

“What should I do?” she complained quietly, her lips twisting as she stared, torn between embarrassment and something far more honest… arousal.

She hesitated, wrestling with herself.

She needs all the sleep she can get after everything she’s been through. Oh damn it…

She clenched her fists but then…

…With a tiny defeated sound, she gave in to the urge completely and scooted closer, nestling her face against them. The warmth and softness was unmistakably what she’d missed. She let out a long, contented sigh as her body relaxed into the contact.

“But it’s Susumu in there… no… Sumire… What’s wrong with me?!” Rui muttered against Sumire’s chest, not that it was the first time she’d done this. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “It’s your fault that you look so much like her now.”

“Isn’t that a bit unreasonable?” Ume yawned from Sumire’s other side. She arched her back in a long stretch, her joints popping softly before she blinked herself awake.

She propped herself up on one elbow, her sleepy eyes sliding over to Rui. A grin spread across her face, her fangs poking out as she took in the scene.

“Oh… how adorable, you boob oni,” she teased, hearts in her eyes.

“Shut up,” Rui muttered, her cheeks burning as she doubled down instead of backing down, snuggling even closer and stubbornly refusing to budge from where she was.

The futon rustled softly as the room settled back into quiet, sunlight beginning to creep in where moonlight had been only hours before.

Rui and Ume sat at our new kotetsu, stretching and yawning as the morning finally caught up with them.

“I’m amazed that you arranged all this,” Rui said, gazing around.

Natalia sat nearby, sipping tea with composed ease, idly toying with a curious necklace between her fingers.

Rui glanced at it curiously, then back at her. “How much did the movers get done while we were off in the yōkai world?”

“Everything. It was rushed,” Natalia replied calmly. “I’ll show you your new office when you’re ready.”

Rui blinked. “Did you pay them extra for expedited service?”

“No. They’re yōkai as I mentioned.” She smiled thoughtfully. “As you know, it’s possible for them to complete these sorts of tasks quickly.” Natalia took another sip of tea.

“True,” Rui said with a smile. “But they say Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“What does Rome have anything to do with this?” Akuchi muttered, crunching into a handful of cookies.

“Rome was an empire too, wasn’t it?” Rui cackled.

“Oh my…” Ume giggled. “Are you some kind of an empress now, RuiRui?”

“Shut up, vampire princess,” Rui shot back, sticking out her tongue.

Ume sipped her Blud Plus, entirely unconcerned.

“Come to think of it, are you actually some kind of princess, Ume?” Akuchi asked, biting into another cookie.

“Sort of,” Ume said cheerfully. “More like an idol, though. They all love me so much they line up to do whatever I need.”

“Maybe I should let you convert me into a vampire so I can recruit an army of goths too,” Rui muttered.

“Nope,” Ume giggled. “No can do~. I like you just as you are RuiRui. Plus, I don’t really want the competition.”

“Stingy!” Rui sprang to her feet and stamped once on the tatami.

“Being a vampire isn’t everything,” Ume replied lightly.

“Well, what else am I supposed to do?” Rui said, throwing her arms out. “I’m completely useless. All I do for us is this…”

She launched into a mock Caramelldansen, flailing with exaggerated enthusiasm.

“Well…” Akuchi said mildly, watching her, “you are a talented investigator at least. Even if your dancing skills could use some work.”

“Wha?!” Rui blushed and pounced on her. “You’ve just lost your cookie privileges in this house furball!”

“What—nooo!” Akuchi screamed dramatically, clutching at her cookie bag.

Natalia cleared her throat softly.

“On a more serious note, RuiRui, you’re also a good leader. That’s what you do for us. Isn’t that enough?”

Everyone froze.

I groggily flomped down at the kotatsu, completely zoned out, a yawn tearing its way out of me as I sagged forward.

“Mnnn… tea please…” I mumbled.

Everyone stared.

“SHE’S ALIVE!” Akuchi shrieked, instantly poofing herself out of Rui’s grip and pouncing on me.

I barely reacted, rubbing at my eyes with both fists. “I feel so lagged out.”

“Memory integration is that rough for you again?” Akuchi frowned, trailing a finger down my shoulder.

Weirdly, I didn’t care at all about what she was doing. At least she wasn’t groping me.

“Tea please…” I repeated.

Rui pouted and stood when no one moved. “Fine. I’ll get you your stupid tea. Just wake up so that we can explore the house together.”

“What’s so difficult about integrating your memories?” Ume asked, frowning slightly. “Sumire in the dream world seemed a lot like you.”

“Mmm… yeah… she was…” I slipped forward and rested my forehead on the edge of the kotatsu.

“What’s wrong?” Natalia-sama asked softly.

“...I don’t know… I just…” My voice trailed off into another mumble.

Rui returned and slapped a cup of tea down on the table next to my head with a little more force than necessary. “What’s going on with you, Sumire?” she asked.

“Mhhh.”

Everyone exchanged looks.

“Maybe you need more rest,” Natalia-sama suggested gently.

After a moment, Rui sat down beside me and sipped her own tea, watching me carefully out of the corner of her eye.

“She smells off today,” Ume said, lifting her drink. “I can’t tell what’s going on in her head, but… maybe that’s fairly obvious.”

“Smells off, how?” Natalia asked.

“That warm smell she usually has is completely missing.” Ume drained her Blud Plus and set the cup aside. Then, with unsettling deliberation, she stepped up onto the kotatsu. “Hmmm…”

“Sumire-chan,” she said. “Please look up for a moment.”

“Mhhh…” I rubbed my eyes and lifted my head—

—and immediately went scarlet as I yelped and flopped backward.

Ume had lifted her skirt and flashed her panties at me.

“Much better,” she said with a satisfied grin.

“What are you doing?!” Rui yelled.

“It had to be done,” Ume replied calmly, stepping back down. “She’s in a weird funk.”

Then she leaned forward again.

“Tell me what’s bothering you,” Ume continued sweetly, “or I’ll have to use these on you…”

She squished her breasts together and shoved them right into my face.

“Wha—!!!” I squeaked, scrambling backward. “No!!! I’m fine! Don’t worry!”

“What’s going on, Sumire-chan?” Rui asked urgently, grabbing my arm—pressing it firmly against her flat chest.

I stared at her for a moment and digested what she was doing.

“I know I don’t have what it takes to stir you up like Ume-chan but—”

I gasped and blushed even harder.

“Talk!” Rui snapped, turning red too. She reached up and seized my face. “Spill it!”

I looked into her eyes, flushing. “Careful, oni.” I muttered.

Rui gasped. “What was that, baka?” She asked, squeezing my cheeks. “Stop this weird moping right now!”

I yawned around her grip on my face.

She stared into my eyes for a long moment.

My lips tightened and I seized her wrist and gently twisted it and spun her around it.

Rui stared at me in shock.

“What are you doing?” She thrashed in the hold. “Susu?”

“You can’t just do whatever you want with me all the time like that, little baka. I’m not here to be toyed with until you’re all satisfied.”

Natalia’s eyes widened, but she smiled.

Akuchi watched with satisfaction, her tail and ears twitching.

Ume gasped and giggled. “Don’t hurt her, Susu.”

Rui struggled. “What are you going to do with me like this, baka? Let me go!” She stamped a foot.

“You can’t keep messing with me like that.” I adjusted my grip on her arms and pulled her firmly into my lap and wrapped my arms firmly around her.

“Hey!” Rui wrenched an arm free and tried to round on me, turning. “I’m just worried about you, baka!”

“I know. It’s just that I’ve had enough of how you treat me,” I mumbled, grabbing her wrist and turning her to fully face me.

“What do you mean?!” Rui scowled.

“How you grab my breasts and act like I’m your plaything. I’m a person, you know.”

Rui chewed her lip and tried to wrench herself free but I didn’t let her go. “I’m sorry. I thought that maybe you... that you...” Rui looked away.

Natalia tilted her head.

“You’re going a little too far, Susu. Don’t hurt her,” Ume said softly.

I ignored everyone.

“It’s just... I’m not the same person that came to your office on Halloween anymore, Rui.”

“What does that...” Rui gritted her teeth. “...Does that mean that you don’t really have any feelings for me...? Is Reiko all you can think about?”

I let go of her wrist, but pulled her closer, holding her, pressing my forehead against hers.

Rui gasped and thrashed in my arms.

“What are you...” she squeaked.

“You know... I don’t hate you for how you touch me...” I mumbled, my lips close enough to hers that she probably could feel my breath tickling against her face. A tear leaked from the corner of my eye down my cheek. “I miss her... so much... but... I love you too...”

Rui gasped and froze. “Wha...”

“How would you feel if I...” I turned my face and seized her lips with mine, holding her against me.

Ume beamed and sipped her tea, fuming. “I thought it would work out like this.”

Natalia nodded, toying with something in her hand that glinted in the morning sunlight.

My tongue pressed into Rui’s mouth, and her resistance melted fast. My fingers stroked her back. My hand slid down her side through her shirt and traced to her hip, then settled there while my arm stayed tight around her.

The taste of citrus and our morning tea bloomed in my mouth.

Eventually I leaned back. Rui didn’t pull away. I kept my hand at her hip and lifted it to her cheek, running my fingers softly across her skin.

“I’m sorry if my touch… if you feel anything left of the man that I used to be in it.”

Rui shivered and answered by leaning up and kissing me herself.

Shivers ran from the top of my head to my tailbone and down my legs.

“There are many people who love you, Sumire-chan,” Natalia-sama said quietly. “Let the people around you into your heart. That is all you must do.”

I nodded, my face still warm. “I’m very sorry, everyone. I should have been thinking about what I have instead of what I lost.”

“Everyone here loves you in our own ways, Susu,” Ume said, her grin softening. “I’ll be happy to accept my own kiss like that when it’s my turn, especially when it means I get to keep smelling that delicious scent that comes from you whenever your blood overheats… like that.~” She licked her lips around her fangs in a slightly dangerous way.

“The mistress has leveled up.” Akuchi watched with her chin resting in her hands, her eyes soft.

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