Chapter 148 – Subus vs Oni
<span style="font-weight:400">Oftentimes I wondered how different things would have been if I didn''t be a subus. My status as queen among the subi, having immense magical powers, and the ability to essentially mind control people has left me without facing consequences for the longest time. Now, faced with the very real possibility of bringing irreversible harm to the world, and involving more than just myself and with zero idea how to fix it, all I could do was despair.
<span style="font-weight:400">"When you say yokai, do you mean… all yokai?" I stammered.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You heard correctly. We kami once worked together to seal them in Takamagahara, but Tamamo no Mae seeks to undo our efforts. Until recently, only a slippery few have managed to pass through the barrier. But once it is destroyed, nothing shall hold yokai back, from the most gentle to the most unfathomably malignant, may very well roam your world and wreak havoc upon it."
<span style="font-weight:400">Forget facing my parents. If Tamamo and Shuten had their way, there wouldn''t be a Tsukiji left.
<span style="font-weight:400">Amaterasu''s talisman had given me a semnce of hope. But as I held it now, the strip of parchment seemed to bear the weight of the world.
<span style="font-weight:400">Then, like a light in the dark, Mio jumped to my side. She put an arm around my shoulders and pressed our cheeks together. I felt the warmth and tension of her cheek muscles tightening into a smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey, we''re not giving up that easily!" Mio said, her voice snapping me from my despair.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re right. We''re going to stop them." I nodded, then turned to Amaterasu. "Are you able to send us back home like you did before?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"You dare ask another favor from me after I have bequeathed one already?" Amaterasu raised a brow at my audacity, drawing from me and Mio a hard gulp.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You can at least be a little nicer to my wife. One day, she will bear my children. <i><span style="font-weight:400">Your</i><span style="font-weight:400"> grandchildren!" Uta said, tugging on her sleeve.
<span style="font-weight:400">The supreme kami of the sun heaved a sigh that filled with so much heat it baked me alive.
<span style="font-weight:400">Blood rushed to my head. I put a hand to my face out of embarrassment, because there might very well be a day where I have Uta''s babies. In Shinto folklore, unions between kami and humans were plentiful, but we would be the first kami and subus pair. Who knew what a divine matrimony meant for me in the future.
<span style="font-weight:400">Not to mention… Amaterasu being my mother-inw.
<span style="font-weight:400">When I nced up, Amaterasu scribbled into another talisman and cast it to mine and Mio''s feet.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Try not to charm Kon anymore. Inari, the kami of all kitsune, can be rather vengeful when ites to his children being toyed with," Amaterasu warned.
<span style="font-weight:400">As a burning circle drew around us to send us back, Uta, who was holding Amaterasu''s hand, waved to me with his free one.
<span style="font-weight:400">"After we deal with Tamamo and Shuten, I''lle back and take responsibility for what I did," I promised Amaterasu.
<span style="font-weight:400">"See ya around, kid!" Mio waved back. "Have fun with those sexy shrine maidens from now on!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Just as the fire consumed us, Amaterasu turned to Uta and asked, "What does she mean by… sexy shrine maidens?"
<span style="font-weight:400">The portal threw us out of Takamagahara and back into Tsukiji. High above the city to be exact, far enough from any prying eyes. Not that it mattered anymore now that people knew subus were living in Japan. The storm was gone and clouds were dissipating, sunlight enveloped the city, and a cool breeze pulled gently against my hair.
<span style="font-weight:400">First, we needed to get an idea of what was going on.
<span style="font-weight:400">Inded on the rooftop of a building, then stretched my aura wide and thin to epass as much of the city in the immediate area as possible. Within seconds, a subus with long blue-dyed hair and a nose piercing presented herself to us. She knelt down on one knee and bowed her head.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I sensed your aura and came as fast as I was able, Queen Saeko. What is your order?" Her voice, huskier than I expected, tickled my ears and made me realize there were many subi I hadn''t personally met yet.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Update me on what''s been going on with Tamamo and Shuten while we were away," I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Selene, Yumi, and Hana expanded the search with their own groups to the neighboring cities as far west as Tatsuno, and as far east as Osaka. Before you came back, the only one who hasn''t checked in this morning is Hana over in Kobe," the blue-haired subus exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hana likes to screw around, but when ites to being serious, she doesn''t let things slide. I''m almost sure something''s going on over there," Mio added.
<span style="font-weight:400">The real question was whether or not we could take them this time. We almost defeated them with reinforcement, but there was no telling how much stronger Tamamo had be by the continued misfortune of just simply existing. Either way, I couldn''t back down anymore. The queen within me wanted vengeance for the peaceful life that was upended.
<span style="font-weight:400">Summoning the de to my hands, the lesser subus before me gasped and kept her eyes glued to the ground as though believing she wasn''t worthy to see it. I knelt down and lifted her face by the chin.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Tell Selene and Yumi: Mio and I are headed to Kobe, so be prepared in case we need them."
<span style="font-weight:400">"At once!" The subus leapt off the building to do just that.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Looks like we get a head start to fuck some shit up." Mio pounded her fists together.
<span style="font-weight:400">We made our way to Kobe Port, following the coastline on the way there. It shouldn''t take us very long, but the others might bete to the party. Mio appeared distracted by something a little ind.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh, shit. You got a surprise waiting for you on your left." Mio was staring at the side of a building, in which a giant electronic billboard was ying the video of me and Tamamo as Beatrice in subus form.
<span style="font-weight:400">People gathered at the foot of the building and across the streets, watching with vested interest. If I needed any more proof that the secret of subus living in the city was out, there it was. The fallout for my mistakes were dire.
<span style="font-weight:400">After casting invisibility on ourselves, wended on the sidewalk of a busy intersection. Cars zipped by on the roads, kicking up dust and a single discarded coffee can. Pedestrians squeezed by each other as soon as the crosswalk light lit up.
<span style="font-weight:400">Those that milled about to watch the billboards also had newspapers in hand that reported about subus. One sryman walked out of a convenience store and scooted off to the side so as to not block the entrance, then whipped out the newspaper he had purchased. On the front page was a very clear shot of me and Tamamo.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Chin up. At least they got your good side. No use mulling over dried cum caked on your hair. Wash it out and roll with the next dick, know what I mean?" She grinned.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mio, we need to sit down and have a talk about your metaphors. But I get you''re trying to cheer me up, so thanks for that." I rolled my eyes and sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">We continued our flight to Kobe Port and noticed that there were fewer people about than the other cities we passed over. The boardwalk in particr, the long walkway stretch along the coast that provided a magnificent view of the blue sea, sandwiched by rows of variety stores and restaurants, were mostly empty during what should have been high traffic hours in the afternoon.
<span style="font-weight:400">There were, however, unconscious subus scattered about. Some bruised up, and othersid out t on the ground.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Tch. They really roughed ''em up." Mio growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">We flew down, and I scooped up a subus who looked like she had taken a sucker punch to the chin. She was alive, just knocked out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m not sensing Tamamo anywhere. Do you?" I asked Mio.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Come to think of it… Nope. You think they left?" she asked in return.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought I saw some familiar faces. Finallye around to see how good of a lover I can be?"
<span style="font-weight:400">A shiver ran up our spines, and definitely not the pleasurable kind. We spun around to see a torii gate rising from the ground and Shuten stepping out of it. He dragged a subus out with him by a leash, a butt-naked, pink-haired trickster that was bound by her wrists and ankles. Her mouth was stuffed by a gag ball, and one of her own magic vibrators was attached by a waist harness and pumping into her.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mmmrrpphh! Mmppphh!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio erupted intoughter. "Kahahahaha! I had a feeling you went and got yourself captured, but this is too good!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Hana couldn''t so much as re at Mio, trapped in a mixture of humiliation and pleasure.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We''re not here to ept anything from you," I shouted to Shuten. "Where''s Tamamo hiding?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Our paths diverged, and she is after a greater prize now. All I want to do is enjoy the fun I was never granted the pleasure of— women. What do you say? If you be my consorts, I can keep you safe from Tamamo," Shuten offered, licking his lips.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio and I shuddered with disgust. When I locked eyes with Hana, she nodded in my direction, unbeknownst to Shuten.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sorry, but we want you out of our boyfriend''s body. This threesome rtionship doesn''t have room for you— Hana, now!" I pointed my de at the demon, conjuring ck chains to bind him.
<span style="font-weight:400">"OOUUUUAAAHHH!" Hana broke free from the restraints and ripped out her ball gag, taking Shuten by surprise. "I''m not a pet! I don''t bark!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hold him still for me!" I shouted.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio dove forward, joining Hana intching onto Shuten''s arms and throwing themselves to the ground to pin him down with my chains. I seized the chance they gave me and pressed the paper talisman to the demon''s forehead, right between the horns. The demon bore his fangs at me and snarled, then suddenly becamecent, demeanor more calm, and body ckening.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What was that supposed to do? Did we do it?" Hana asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sae… ko?" Kana mumbled my name, and hearing my name in his voice brought me to tears.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Kana! Are you back? Did the exorcism work?" I grabbed his shoulders as Mio and Hana let go.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, almost immediately, he began to struggle and shoved me away. Kana rolled onto his elbows and knees, clutching his head.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Get… out of my head!" Kana and Shuten''s voices growled in unison.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Come on, Cum Hydrant! Fight it! There''s a threesome waiting for you at the end of this, and we don''t got room for that demon in your head!" Mio cheered him on.
<span style="font-weight:400">The struggle between them didn''t look like it was going in Kana''s favor. At this rate, we might lose him forever. There had to be something I could do.
<i><span style="font-weight:400">But what?</i>
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko… Mio… You guys have to… hit me with everything you got," Kana said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What? There''s no way I can do that!" I cried.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It''s the only way!" he shouted, half in his and half in Shuten''s voice. "I''ve been watching from the back of this pervert''s mind. I know you two have been holding back for my sake, but more than anything… I''d rather you two survive than let me live with this bastard in my body!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Shuten took over again momentarily and furrowed his brows together. "Shut up, you idiot! If they kill us both, only you will die permanently. My soul will travel back to Takamagahara, and it doesn''t matter if in ten, a hundred, or a thousand years, I''ll find my way back to this world one way or another to rape your precious girls!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"If that''s what it takes to get your creepy ass off Saeko and Mio''s backs, fine by me!"
<span style="font-weight:400">The longer we wait, the more we risk Shuten taking over again. What do I do? Could I kill my best friend? Did I have it in me to kill Kana?
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio looked me dead in the eyes. "You can''t seriously be thinking about it?"
<span style="font-weight:400">I picked up Kana and threw one arm over my shoulder, then flew out to sea as fast as I could with Mio and Hana chasing me down.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey, stop!" Mio cried even more desperately. She managed to get ahead of me, and I was faced with a tear-stained face. "You can''t! He''s mine, too. I''m not going to let you kill him!"
<span style="font-weight:400">My strength and will to do it suddenly vanished. What was I thinking just then?
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re… right… I-I can''t do it… It''s all because of me that Kana''s like this. It''s not fair to him!" I cried as hot tears streamed down my face.
<span style="font-weight:400">For whatever reason, Kana bursted intoughter. I thought Shuten had regained control for a second, but there was no mistaking the cute and heartyugh of my childhood friend.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sorry, sorry! It''s just that… I told you before: I always knew you would be the death of me!" Kanaughed so hard, he hunched over. "And Mio, I''m d you feel that way about me. I used to always be jealous of you for winning over Saeko''s heart first, but I never expected to end up caring about you two as much as I do now."
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio choked up and embraced me from behind, burying her face into my back between the shoulder des. I felt her tears like they were burning a trail down my soul to test my resolve. She couldn''t face him. She refused to witness it. I didn''t want to either, but he was my best friend, my childhood friend, and my first love. Back when I was still a boy and even now, I owed him a lot.
<span style="font-weight:400">When I gazed at Kana, he nodded at me to do it.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, Mio… My only regret is that I couldn''t keep showing you guys how much you mean to me. I love you both, so please, find happiness after me, okay?" Kana shed his goofy, boyish smile that always reassured me when I was down.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I love you, too," Mio and I whispered together, letting loose the cataclysmic st.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kana faced it unflinchingly, and the ghostly form of Shuten let loose a shrieking howl. They took the st head on that consumed them whole.
<span style="font-weight:400">The de of the First Temptress vanished from my hand, and the spell fizzled to a stop. A charred and unmoving Kana began to plummet to the ocean, but Hana swooped down to catch him.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Kana''s still alive!" Hana eximed, returning to us with a severely injured Kana, who was still very much a demon in appearance.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio nced up and gasped.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I thought you—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"I couldn''t do it… I can''t kill Kana…" I said, drawing a sharp, painful breath.
<span style="font-weight:400">The st didn''t vaporize Kana because I held back. If I was made to choose the world or Kana, I would have allowed the world to die a thousand times over before even considering the other option.
<span style="font-weight:400">As I clenched my shaking hands, a new resolve on how to save him came to mind.
<span style="font-weight:400">I unburdened Hana by taking Kana instead. I felt the fragileness of his hybrid oni and human form.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mio, I think there''s another way to save him," I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How?!" Mio asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We''re subi. If Shuten is controlling Kana from the inside, we might be able to drive the demon out from within. What do you think?" I asked as the pieces clicked into ce in her mind.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well fuck me in the ass with your tail again, you''re right! I say it''s worth a shot. It''ll be a dry ce in my pussy if we off Kana before trying that," she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hana, what do you think?" I turned to her since she was supposedly one of the eldest subi, but her reaction was less than hopeful.
<span style="font-weight:400">"For now, let''s get him somewhere safe as fast as we can." Hana''s demeanor hardened.
<span style="font-weight:400">As we flew Kana back to my house, I was left wondering why Hana didn''t share the same hopefulness that we did. In the meantime, she made a call to Selene and Yumi to have them meet up with us at home. Hatsumi was there to wee us back. She didn''t expect to see who we brought though.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh, my goodness. Is that Kana? Isn''t he being controlled by a demon?" Hatsumi asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"He is." I nodded. "But I may have figured out a way to save him."
<span style="font-weight:400">"I-I''ll fetch some towels." My sister ran for the bathroom.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio and I carried Kana up to my room and ced him onto the bed. I didn''t even care that he was getting the sheets and pillow dirty. The wait for the others felt like an eternity. I kept throwing nces at the clock, incessantly tapping my foot, afraid that Kana might wake up as Shuten again, and we wouldn''t get another chance like this again.
<span style="font-weight:400">When the front door opened downstairs, I jumped to my feet. My two other subus confidantes entered the room and tensed up in battle-mode upon seeing Kana''s body.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We heard from Hana that you want to delve into your friend''s mind?" Selene asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I would have expected such recklessness from Mio, but Saeko…" Yumi frowned with maternal worry. "Do you understand the dangers of delving into the mind of someone that doesn''t want you there? It is precisely why our targets are charmed or under the effects of our auras. However, with the creature you call Shuten having taken over Kana, there is a good chance he will resist you both."
<span style="font-weight:400">"W-What does it mean to be resisted that''s so dangerous?" I hesitantly asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hana continued in Yumi''s ce. "Because if they resist you, there''s a damn good chance you can be trapped in their mind forever. It''s why when Mio first came to your dreams when you were still a boy, she got pissy about being rejected. We subus gotta pull out as soon as we sense any sort of resistance."
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio turned away, appearing ashamed as I looked at her.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You didn''t think to tell me this?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I… I know it''s dangerous," she began. "But I don''t want to lose you or Kana. If there''s even the slightest chance of saving, I want to take it."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Knowing this, do you still wish to take that risk?" Yumi asked me.
<span style="font-weight:400">I never seeded at anything being scared and meek. No one gained anything from avoiding risks. Seeing Kana in such a poor state and how Mio was already prepared for the risk, I had only one answer to give.
<span style="font-weight:400">Breathing conviction into my answer, I said, "Let''s do it."