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Time.

Time passes, people change. Youkai change, too. 100 years have passed since the Incident involving Ibara and those she loved. As for the outcome, well, we'll save that for another tale. No...today, our tale begins with a certain Mirror Youkai, one Sabitsuki Kaibutsu.

In her younger years, she attended Keine's school, like many other human and Youkai children. After graduating, she decided she would live among the denizens of the Underground, so she could be close to her mentor and 'big sister', Yasashii Ikou. Many years have passed since those days, and little Sabitsuki, while still young in terms of Youkai, has matured well into the beginnings of adulthood. Living in the Underground helped to combat her fear of darkness, although prolonged exposure would still frighten her. To help with this, Yasashii forged a heavy, iron oil lamp and gave it to Sabitsuki as a gift, one the Mirror Youkai cherished above all else.

She carried the lamp everywhere, and even took it to her bedroom before she slept, where she would place it on the window sill. Countless days and nights passed without any reason to fear this habit, but one day, Sabitsuki awoke to find her prized Lantern.... MISSING!



"Where is it? Where is it?! Oh no, oh no!" Sabitsuki cried out in alarm, throwing the wooden slats on the window aside, nearly breaking them off their hinges. Panic flooded her mind as she peered out the second-story window of her home, looking around the alley way below for any sign of the iron lantern. She quickly returned inside and dressed herself properly; a white, flowing and sleeveless dress and a large red shawl wrapped around her shoulders, matching in color to a headband already in her short, messy white hair. She thought nothing of running out the door barefoot, having accustomed herself to walking along the warm, jagged stones that made up the Underground's expansive floor with her toughened skin.

"Where could it have gone? Who took it?!" she spoke aloud to herself, as there was nobody else to voice her concerns to in the small, dark alley. Fear and anxiety welled up inside her as she searched frantically for any sign of her treasured item.

"Y-you! Hey, get back here!!" Sabitsuki screamed at the thief, giving chase through the city. She followed as quickly as her feet could carry her, but the figure was faster, and closing the distance between them seemed impossible. The thief was careless, knocking the lantern around and causing a ruckus as they ran, each strike sending a wave of anger through Sabitsuki's senses.

She followed the thief away from the city, and over a bridge not unlike the one that was guarded by a certain Hashihime, though disturbingly foreign and decrepit. The thief ran into a desolate shrine, seemingly guiding Sabitsuki with her own lantern's light, and disappeared inside. Seconds later, Sabitsuki herself burst through the shrine's doorway. She took a moment to catch her breath. Her lunges threatened to burst, and her legs ached. She placed a hand against her heaving chest, and tried to regain control of her breathing.

A pang of fear shot through her when she realized the shrine was completely empty, and completely dark, save for the glow emanating from her lantern. Swallowing her anxiety, she took careful, deliberate steps towards her lamp, comforted by its warm glow. She felt like she was being watched, but that didn't matter. All that mattered was retrieving her treasured lantern... Closer and closer, she reached out for the lantern, wrapping her slender fingers around the broad iron handle riveted to its top. Relief washed over her. She picked the lantern up and turned back towards the door, forgetting she had just given chase to someone moments before....

Sabitsuki gasped upon coming face-to-face with the thief, recoiling backwards with her lantern, casting its glow away and allowing the figure to escape her view. She spun in place, swaying her lantern back and forth, cutting swathes in the darkness in an attempt to find the source of the voice. Was it the architecture? Her own disorientation? The voice seemed to come from different angles with each passing moment and echoed off the walls (assuming there were walls here - with the darkness, Sabitsuki couldn't be sure), adding further confusion.

"Jealous? But I'm..not beau..." Sabitsuki tugged at her shawl, pulling it slightly tighter around her shoulders. "Who are you? Are you a Youkai?" She turned again, eyes darting around. "W-why would I mind? It's just a..a few shadows!" She furrowed her brow, attempting to display an air of feigned confidence. "And besides, i-if you're using the shadows to hide, that means you're cowardly and...and probably weak!"

Her fingers groped the side of the lantern, feeling for a knob along its casing. Touching it, she twisted the knob a little, sending more oil into the flickering flame within. The fire brightened, casting its warm glow further around her and deeper into the room.

The light poured into the room, revealing...nothing. For a split second, Sabitsuki questioned her sanity, when out of the corner of her eye she saw something move. Something...kicking. Sabitsuki looked up to see the figure high above her, still partially concealed in shadow. She hesitated at the thief's shrewd retorts, followed by a half-hearted compliment.

"My..my big sis gave this to me!" She wrapped her free hand around the lantern, almost pulling it into a hug; it was warm to the touch, but the thick, sturdy casing prevented it from burning her. Oni aren't known for their subtlety, but their constructs, while crude, did their job quite well. "If you touch it again, I'll...you'll regret it!"

Her legs wanted to move, to leave this place and this...this demon behind, but her curiosity got the better of her, and perhaps, just perhaps, she wanted to get back at the thief for taking her beloved lantern. "Who... Who. Are. You?!" She nearly screamed at the figure, stifling a mixture of anger and fear that welled up inside her.

"L...Livid...?" Sabitsuki repeated, holding the lantern between herself and the thief, as if it were a shield to protect her. Livid's verbal assault on Oni integrity threatened to enrage the Mirror Youkai, but she forced herself to keep her composure.

She backed up a few steps, intimidated by the air of confidence the strange Youkai carried, as did the hint of malicious intent behind her words. "My name...is Sabitsuki...Sabitsuki Kaibutsu! I am a Mirror Youkai! I..I can return whatever you throw at me tenfold!" she lied in an attempt to intimidate Livid. In truth, her Doppelanger powers didn't even allow her to completely emulate her Host's true power, but that didn't stop her from using a stronger form to combat a lesser one.

"If you do something to me," she added, backing up another step, "My big sis will hunt you down and...and kill you!"

"Why...would I want to copy a being as disgusting as you?!"

That was it. Livid's cruel words pushed her over the edge. Sabitsuki set her lantern on the ground, before her body flashed a blinding white. Her silhouette grew in size and changed shape, gaining a pair of horns and much longer hair.

"We'll see how worthless you think Oni are when I'm through with you!!" Sabitsuki, taking on the form of her beloved big sister, charged forward, bounding over her lantern and ready to bring a clenched fist down on Livid.

Sabitsuki's fist bludgeoned the ground where Livid once stood, and then her other fist struck the pillar, trying to hit the sinful Youkai as she moved. Splinters of wood were sent flying into the air as the Psuedo-Oni's blows connected with the ancient wooden structure. Her knuckles throbbed and ached; despite having the sturdy Oni body, Sabitsuki's own extremities felt the abuse.

She spun around to face Livid as she discarded her cape, Yasashii's visage twisted with anger. "Shut up, worm!! Showing off your wings won't save you!" Digging her claws into the floor, Sabitsuki tore out a large, wooden plank and threw it at Livid, wincing slightly as she did.

Sabitsuki gasped and coughed up blood, doubling over in Livid's grasp. Her body flashed white, and her silhouette reduced to her original size, losing her horns and other additional features. It had been a long time since she had fought anyone, and the sudden trauma from the blow was a shock to her system.

She grasped Livid's wrist with both hands, attempting to pry the demon's hand from her stomach. However, the pain was too much. She whimpered and buried her head against Livid's shoulder to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. "Why did..you lure me here..?" she asked in a whisper, trying to hide the pain and emotion in her distressed voice. "What do you want from me?"