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Ibara felt shadow pass her as Selkie leapt over them. It was quiet in the field, she wished she could roll over to see if Yuuka was okay, just to be sure. Her body refused to let her, and so the oni staid still for what seemed like eternity.

It was like not being to move in the caves, but this was different. She had Yuuka by her, the flowers in the field, the sun above her, and soon enough a grumpy mermaid complaning but healing them.

Slowly her sense of direction returned and her vision once more worked. She was on the sore and ached side, but she could move herself. The hornless oni sat up slowly not willing to test her limits at the moment. "thanks Selkie-" she bowed her head in thanks, quickly turning to Yuuka. "Yuuka? Are you okay?"

((more like, "For everything else, blame the master spark" xD ))

Sylpheed scoffed as Ibara thanked Selkie. Why was she thanking her?! "Hey!" She said, "I did the work, she just went to get me. I healed you, not her." As the two she healed began to move around, her caring nature kicked in, but she made it seem less so by adding another scoff before she spoke. "Best not to move yet, you two are still not in good condition..." She said to them, looking to her left and not at the group.

Selkie nodded at Ibara, assuming it was for bringing the healer. "It was no problem-" She said, but was cut off by Sylpheed's complaining. She looked at the healer and said, "It was probably just for getting you." And when the healer said that the two weren't in good condition yet, she nodded in agreement. "Just rest a little bit you two." She then looked to Sylpheed, who was looking away from them. "Why don't you heal them a little more?" She asked her.

Sylpheed crossed her arms and looked at the rabbit. "Because... Because... FINE!"" She said, crouching down by Yuuka and Ibara again and beginning to heal them even more. Now they were closer to their usual potential. She didn't want to try and come up with a reason. She didn't have one.

"I'm fine, Ibara."

With her physical pain diminished, Yuuka pulled herself to her feet, taking a moment to peel some of the deadened, charred skin from her arm, revealing the newly healed skin beneath thanks to Sylpheed's magic. "That will be enough for today... It looks like we- ...I've failed, again."
Nothing had been accomplished today. Ibara was no closer to gaining control of the Monster than she was before, even though she almost lost her life at the hands of her caretaker. Was there truly any hope for the hornless Oni? Sadness could be seen in the gardener's eyes, and perhaps, a hint of embarrassment. She remembered what she had said: Did anyone else?

She turned to Sylpheed and Selkie, nodding a solemn thanks to them both. "As for you two...thank you, for coming to our aid. We owe both of you our lives." Whether this was true or not was uncertain; Yuuka may have recovered eventually, given enough time for her natural regeneration to kick in, but what would have she awoken to find?

"How rude for a fish." Ibara grumbled standing up to her full height now. She rolled her shoulders and stretched her neck, trying to make the grogginess slide off her,"Yuuka is strong, she would have been fine with or without your help." The oni scoffed trying to knock Sylpheed off her cloud, then again she was being rude herself wasn't she?,"I, however, was in need of help. So thank you, anyway."

She smiled at Selkie,"I am fine, thank you. It's enough what you have done today." Ibara had fought Selkie from the drunk memories she had. She remembered a few of the sharp pains she had received, the magnum spark in her hands, the thorns in her flesh, and lastly the master spark that had sent her back to the caves that haunted her so. The hornless oni figured Yuuka had thought it'd be a nice plan to stir up that oni in her, further more thinking that she could some how tame her in one go.

Not sure if she should be offended or distressed, Ibara clenched her fists, turning to face Yuuka, her annoyance trained on the gardener,"What where you thinking? Attacking me like that! You knew what would happen, and you did it. I could have easily killed you! Just because you were appointed over me doesn't give some sort of magical shield against me!"

Ibara had little knowledge of why she was boiling how she was. Yuuka had meant well after all.

"That's enough!" Sylpheed and Selkie both said to the two youkai. They looked at each other before Selkie continued on. She held her hand to her heart as she spoke. "She was only trying to help you, Ibara. She's worried for you. We all are. When I told Byakuren I was coming to see you, she wanted to come but she was busy." She told Ibara. She looked down at her feet as she continued. "We had heard about what had happened, nights ago, and she wanted to see you, and I did too, so I came for both of us. And I... I didn't know what to think about what I saw here when I came, but it makes sense now." She said, she looked at Ibara as she began to finished what she was saying. "It's because... Yuuka loves you, Ibara... She wants you to be free of this monster, even at the cost of her own life. She doesn't want to hurt you, but she has not other choice." Selkie had some tears welling up in her eyes due to the bond between Yuuka and Ibara, Yuuka risking her life for Ibara's happiness, and the sadness Byakuren felt when she couldn't come to see Ibara, but Selkie smiled at Ibara. "She just... wants you to be in control of your life, and not have to share it with some other thing that you can't control." She finished.

Sylpheed listened to what the rabbit said, and was in awe of what she heard. Is this what friends did for one another? Did they risk their lives for the others happiness? No. That was a special bond that builds up over time. Sylpheed couldn't help but want a relationship with another just like this.



Mizuki heard all of this. It was... interesting. How would the gardener plan to continue if the oni would get so angry about it? Mizuki teleported herself to an area near the front door of the mansion. The relationship between the gardener and the oni certainly was an interesting one, but Mizuki wasn't there for interesting or not, she was there to watch them, and on her own accord.

How?

How could such a young being, this...this rabbit, say everything Yuuka wanted to say, perhaps more? Yuuka stopped dead in her tracks upon hearing Selkie's heartfelt words. It irritated her that Selkie could find the words she couldn't, speaking what the gardener wouldn't dare...what she couldn't.

She turned to Ibara, who had followed behind her. "You don't...have anything to apologize for. If anything, I am the one to blame. I acted with haste. Living alone for so long, one tends to...forget...the needs of others."

"Hadn't you thought of how I would feel about it?!"

These words still echoed in her head. In truth, she had never stopped to consider Ibara's feelings on the matter, instead acting only on her own accord, and doing only what she felt was right. But...what if what she wanted isn't what's best for Ibara? Was her meddling strictly one-sided?

These thoughts swirled in Yuuka's head. She felt ashamed, invasive. No one had ever tried to change her. No one had ever dared. If they had, she might have laughed, before cutting them down where they stood. What right did she have trying to change the Oni? Such a double standard was unfitting...

The oni slumped her shoulders a bit, Yuuka was quiet and Selkie was being gooey-ly adorable. She thought she had to cheer them up somehow, after all, she was an oni, and that's what oni do!

"Hey, We will figure something out, Yuuka." Ibara beamed, pounding a fist to her chest and putting the other to her hip, with a faked grin of smugness,"I took enough hit to the head with a shovel that a pitiful Master Spark to take me down!"

She took a thumb and pointed at herself,"If you want to take the Monster that's stronger than me, then we will need to work harder and together for the matter!"
She looked after Sylpheed,"HEY MERMAID. COME BACK HERE."

Ibara went after her, picking her up from behind and shouldering her, on her way back, shouldering Selkie as well before putting them down by Yuuka. "You may have had a good plan."

"But it's going to take alot of power." Ibara grinned, looking around,"Mh...a way to incapacitate myself before I slip... I rather keep my limbs... But If we go through this, I want to be sure they can win. ... "

Sylpheed was too deep into her thoughts to notice Ibara coming up behind her, but she was snappe out of them when Ibara suddenly picked her up by her shoulder. "H-hey, you!! Let me GO!!!" She screamed as Ibara carried her by her shoulder. She put up a bit of a struggle, but gave up after a few seconds.

Selkie too was picked up by Ibara, but she didn't put up a struggle. She was a bit more confused as to why Ibara was lifting her up in the first place. As both Selkie and Sylpheed were placed down by Yuuka and Ibara told them about some sort of plan, Selkie asked Ibara, "Umm... what are you planning?"

Sylpheed nodded in agreement. "Yeah what are you planning, and why do you need me here for it? You have the flower girl and the bunny here, I think that's enough, don't you?" She asked Ibara, but in her head she thought she already knew the answer. Her healing powers perhaps?