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Michiko bid Lumine Good-bye, giving the celestial nothing but good wishes, she wasn't the type to realize the effect of her words; she was a tamer of words in paper, not upon air. She retired that night to the back of her room, with her mother's diary in her hands. For the first time, she felt pain that wasn't not discontent or dislike towards her mother,rather, her eyes dimmed upon the parchement paper lined with words in the warriror's curious cursive.

For a long time, Michiko sat, simply following the curvitude of the writing with her eyes. Why did she feel regret tonight? Perhaps it was the photo now that hanged in the main room. The reminder that she wasted her mother's life, and that now, all she would see would be that grave stone high on the mountain past the tengu village. The blades at her lower back weighted all of the sudden.

Maybe it was her mother's blessing upon the blades she had chosen to carry as a young girl... Or maybe it was her own guilt at having been foolish in her younger age.

Like Lumine's, her lap was stained with tear marks, as she bowed her head in silent prayer for her departed mother's soul.

---

Night fell. Cold and Crisp. The celestial now alone in the night, with a large blade upon her shoulder, sat against the tree melancholically. There was more in the dark than silent bugs going about their business.

Michiko's unofficial neighbor roamed the vicinity, and with perked ears found the sniffling girl in the forest's dark. Not many strayed this far, perhaps the tengu scared them away, so curious, the Rabbit inched towards the celestial, gingerly.

They had met long, long ago, under the room of a magician's home, but the rabbit had already been old. Older now, as if possible, her memory took longer yet to jog her memory.  She observed from the distance for a nice amount of time, trying to pry any sort of clue as to what this blue haired girl was doing here.

Finally, the small youkai stepped out, inching still tentatively. "Miss, are you okay?" She asked, crouching down about a meter away yet perfectly aligned in front of Lumine. "Are you lost? ... This is Shinigami Turf, and, though they are usually on  break... They will get to work right away." Old and Slow as she was, she knew this girl was a celestial, they just gave off a certain vibe, one perhaps only the oldest of the land could perceive.  

The moon shined off the still-to-large round spectacles, but as Ochiba sat there, she tried to smile,"If you are lost, I can take you to the Human Village, or wherever it is you live."

"Shinigami have stole away even emperors, Miss Celestial." The rabbit moved to stand to her full height, though it wasn't particuarly impressive.

"Oh no,no, this isn't my territory, and heavens, I like company, though these parts of the forest don't see them often." Ochiba said, moving a step closer,"The only one who claims a house around here is the wolf in the forest, but, otherwise, all we do is keep to our dens... No real territory. These parts are for the older inhabitants I guess! The ones who want no trouble and can live happily on their own!" She pushes her glasses," You truly won't have trouble with others around here... Except for the Shinigamis. Maybe you want to spend the nights at my pl-...YOu are probably to big for that... Hm... The shingami never enter a youkai's home...."

The rabbit pondered outloud and shook her head,"If you don't haave where to go you can always lodge off in the Human Village, Miss..."

"Yes, living out here is usually peaceful." The rabbit smile hopping ti the side and starting to lead the way to the village," I am sure the wolf wouldn't mind housing someone every few centuries. She is awful anti-social...."

Ochiba waved for Lumine to follow her,"I am sure you wouldn't burden her. Come come, before the Shinigami stir! It's late so maybe they will be asleep." Fate had different plans this night, for , as if cursing Ochiba's words, not far a Shinigami listened to these words. Slowly, it trailed the two, waiting for them to exit the dense forest.

Theatrics she loved, and she fould imagine how these two girls would jump when they saw her scythe!

"Oh I see," Ochiba said as she walked, watching the celestial mess with the straps. She seemed to not be used to the weight of the overly-large blade,"Celestial are always so boastful... That is why eventually they are taken by the Shinigami.... I have never been caught by the Shinigami, mainly because I know when to flee."

The rabbit looked sideways at being called 'fluffy butt' but she ignored it," I am Ochiba Saiseki, earth rabbit youkai. And you m'dear?" She steered them through the forest with little struggle, it seemed the path to the deeper side of the Forest was not quite that far away, rather it as more of twists and turns that could lose anyone.

Eventually they reached the last clearing before the edge of the forest. "We are almost out of the forest, but we still have some ways before the Human Village, Miss."

"Well If Pride keeps you alive, any reason to live is a good one." The rabbit responded, hearing the celestial mummble her name. "Yes, Ochiba." Next she heard Lumine's step come up to her.

"Got m---" The hat fell on her head, slipping past her glasses, luckily not knocking the overly large spectacles off her face. She couldn't see, but she could feel wthe celestial's arms wrap around her. A small 'loading' pause, then the Rabbit laugh," Oh Lumine~! It's been a long time!" The small youkai hugged Lumine back. "It's great to see you too!"

"Haaaaaalt!"

"Mh?" Ochiba blinked inside the hat, "Someone's out there....?"
"Celestials on earth are a defiance of Samsara. They should be in Bhavagra, away from the impurities of earth."
"Oh brother, the only ones that speak like that are the Yama or the Shinigami....." Ochiba sighed, and moved the brim of the hat as a tall, woman stepped into the clearing. "And it's the latter."

The long scythe's blade dragged in the earth, though it seemed as if the owner had done that to let the weapon rest there."Celestials are meant to stay in Bhavagra. Now I have to take you to court."
"How about you let us off easy? I haven't seen you around. You must be new to the courts." Ochiba said.
"...No offense,... aren't you past your own date, miss rabbit..?" It seemed like a very innocent question from the blink the woman gave.
"This is how it goes, punk. You things come my way, and I get away, ask your boss, that's why I am still here." Ochiba grumbled back.
"But.... I just want the Celestial, anyway." She pointed to Lumine, just as innocently.

Ochiba laughed stepping around Lumine setting the hat down on the celestial's head, "Do'hoho, prithee, I am not one for running when there is a third party involve. Matter aside, I did say I would take you to the Human Village. " The rabbit's palm begun to glow with the danmaku energy she had learned to better control in the ages she had lived.

"A fight this soon...?" The shinigami moved to take the scythe's shaft in one hand, kicking the back of the metal portion, and propelling it on its axis onto her shoulder. She quickly moved the weight and placed it across the length of her shoulder blade. "If I can't take both of you, either one will do. Akira-sama will be please to see me bring in the first soul this fast! 

Ochiba snickered,  she removed the glasses and tucking it inside her shirt's chest pocket,"I see truth, and the truth in you says you are fearful. Why do you not leave before you get hurt, Miss Shinigami?"
"U-uh! You are crazy, Rabbit! I am a Shinigami! I am not afraid of anything!" She slid the scythe off her shoulders and tried to make a threatening swipe. That did little, as the weight of her weapon got out of her grip, stabbing the blade into the earth and knocking the youkai into the floor. 
"See? I told you she was new." Ochiba rolled her eyes, the Shinigami too busy trying to stand. "She isn't a threat. Like this they hardly understand what their job is."
"I-I know what my job is!!" She pulled herself up using her scythe,"I am a shinigami! Embodiment of death! I bring the end to all those whose time has arrived!"
"Now work upon those words."

The worker of courts seemed to cringe at the wise Rabbit's words. Ochiba stepped in front of Lumine,"You don't know how to use that thing do you? Let me help you with this Shinigami if we can't scare her off. I have beaten Shinigamis before, far more than you, ... But I am old, and I am growing tired.... So Help me today and I will help you too."

The rabbit smiled to the celestial,"Is that a deal? When we finish here, I will show you to an old home. A place you may call your own. Does that sound good?"

"Shini? T-that's not my name!... My name is--"
"Alright then, Lumine," Ochiba Nodded,interrupting Shini,"Don't get over confident, even new Shinigami can be dangerous." 

The shinigami jumped taking the scythe in both hands and unstabbing it from the earth, and holding it across, with both hands. "I just have to take one soul back,  then Akira-sama will be proud!"

"You already said that." The rabbit ran forward, jumping up and coming down on the shinigami with both feet. The rabbit landed on the scythe's shaft knocking it off her grip and jumping up right away, placing a hand on Shini's shoulder to flip herself over. Keeping a grip on her shirt, Ochiba used the powerful momentum to swing the taller woman over herself and into the ground. 

Mischievous as she was, the rabbit stepped back and took the scythe with both hands running back towards Lumine dragging the scythe along. The shinigami was busy trying to discerned what had happened and how to get up.

"Didn't think she'd go down so easy." Ochiba said standing by Lumine with the scythe in the ground; the blade had dug a long thing trench through were she dragged the large weapon.

"Not really. Like I said, I am migthy surprised she just fell like a log,"Ochiba responded," Most of the Shinigami who come to rest here are experienced ones, who know that resting close to the Sanzu is no rest at all." The rabbit struggled a bit , but she managed to successfully stab the blade into the earth, so that the shinigami may get the tool later.

"Uwaaah... That was pathetic...." She mummbled to herself, still on her back where Ochiba had left her. Opening her eyes again, she looked over at Lumine, if upside down, but clearly."Yeah, I'm fine," There was no need to mock her further was there. Then she noticed the celestial's face.Still without moving, she asked"Wh-what's with that face? You won, leave me alone."