Chapter 10: 10• Shadow Hunt
Two men chatting while walking on a street under a bright sky.
They both look heading towards their work to the farm when suddenly, their fun chatting and laughing stops when they bumped into a little girl, Meisa weirdly standing ahead. She has a poker face and black eyes seem hypnotized.
They both look at each other with a wondering face and then decided to go near the kid.
"Hey, little girl," One of the men say and bend down to her. "where is your mom? why are you alone?" Despite the questions, Meisa didn't react and just look straight ahead. After a few seconds waiting for her to answer, "Hey" He tries to take her attention but no reaction at all.
"This kid is weird maybe she is just living near here" The other man assumes "Let's go ahead and leave her" He said.
"Alright!" the other one also decided and stands up and put both hands in his waist "we don't have all the time of today to waste with you kid," He said "c' mon," He said inviting the other one to go ahead. They both walk and passes her.
Suddenly, Meisa makes a mischievous smile after the two passes her and moves her pupil to the side acknowledging the two men walking away behind her. And then, black aura starting to go outside her body and her eyes blink and turn to red.
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Warm and bright day...
Kagura is standing alone under a big Sakura tree benefiting in its shade. She looks from afar and seems she is in her deep thinking. Despite the beautiful surrounding, she looks so sad.
It has been a few days since the Omyouji forbade her to use the Seimei umbrella and locked it to their Sacred temple. And Hayabusa...She sighs and turns her head down when she remembers Him. Kagura is always visiting this place where she can randomly find him on any day of the week, but lately, Hayabusa never appears for more than a week since the last time she saw him. She knows why but she diverts it into thinking that maybe he is just busy or in a mission. She is still hoping that Hayabusa will let her know if he is about to go outside Iga. She is still worried about the fated mission he has to do. Right now, Kagura is sure that Hayabusa is a little disappointed with her, angry maybe. Involving herself to recent danger put Hayabusa in distress and this is the first time Hayabusa made the distance to her.
She will visit this place again hoping that some of these days, she will see Hayabusa again.
She turns her back as she walks and about to go back home.
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Scanning the view as it gives peace, no threats, no signs of danger. This bright sky added peace to the whole land of Iga. All the ninjas are doing their best working behind unnoticed, just to guard the land.
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Walking through the peaceful path heading to Omyouji land.
In the middle of passing a wide rough roadway when suddenly, Kagura stops and she sees two men lying on the ground; these are the two men Meisa encountered earlier. She runs towards them with concern in her face, quickly bends down and checks if they are still ok or alive.
"Hey" she said while holding the arms of one of the men and slightly shaking them "uhmm, are you ok?" She asks full of concern. She sees that the man slightly reacted and squint. The man slowly opens his eyes but Kagura notices something strange in his eyes.
"B...Blood" The man says. "B...Blood...I...I want blood" He quickly grabs Kagura's neck with his one big arm. "Blood...hahaha...I want blood" Kagura gasped for air and put her both arms to pull off the man's arm. She successfully does and put a distance to him. Suddenly, she notices the other one weirdly standing up too. They both look like zombies hungry for blood. Oh no! Kagura is frightened because she knows she can't do anything right now. She needs to escape.
She moves her pupils to both of them left and right. Her eyes are worried.
"Blood...I want blood" Suddenly the other guys said while weirdly standing up and then face her too. The two men look so weird and slowly walking towards her.
BLOOD!...BLOOD... Kagura swallows a bit while thinking about what to do.
The two keep saying that word walking towards her while Kagura keeps on stepping back one step each time while still analyzing what is happening. This is hopeless so she decided to quickly turn her back and run towards the town expecting people to ask for help and alert them too. She runs quickly and goes towards the town. She knows they will be heading there and may harm people. She keeps running while taking a look at the two as she runs away. She keeps running until reaching the busy street and shocked at what she sees. She stops and stands straight with shock on her face while staring at the surrounding.
Some people lying on the ground, some are in sitting position or maybe in the middle of their work when they fell unconscious. She started to get worried and wondering as she walks while looking at all of the unconscious town people and while scanning the place. She really needs to see some authorities, she must have to head back to Omyouji to report this incident. She hurries up and runs ahead quickly to their land. She must have to get to a safe place first.
She runs while looking at other unconscious people she passes by. As she is busy running and taking a glimpse of them, she unexpectedly bumps into something. She was shocked as her head bump straight to someone.
"Huh" she recoils to that impact and quickly takes a look at it. "Are you Hanabi?" She said as she saw the lady in front of her.
"Huh" The lady also shocks on that sudden bump but then she stands up straight after that "what is happening here?" suddenly, Hanabi asks.
"I don't know either" Kagura answers. "I am about to head back home to report this and alert them"
"So many dead people"
"What? Dead people?" Kagura was shocked. So all of the people here are already dead.
"No, they were not dead" She confirms "they are...maybe hypnotized or something"
"Like what? Black magic?"
"May..." Kagura was interrupted when she heard
BLOOD...I WANT...BLOOD
a voice of a woman that unconscious a while ago, now, walking towards them. They both look at her.
"You must leave now, I can handle this" Hanabi commands Kagura.
"Are you sure?" Kagura is worried
"Yes, go now!"
"I'll be back, I will look for some more help"
"Okay, now go"
Kagura quickly continues to head back to Omyouji land while Hanabi was left staring at a weird woman walking slowly towards her.
She stares at her and alerts herself at any moment.
"Who is behind this?" She is trying to ask the woman expecting it to response "Who is controlling you?" but the lady didn't answer and just continue walking to her when she is few steps the lady raise her both arm up and about to grab Hanabi.
"BLOOD...I want Blood!" She is about to grab Hanabi when Hanabi quickly move sideways to avoid her. This is hopeless, Hanabi feels this woman is out of her mind.
The lady then turns her back to look at Hanabi again with the same words coming out in her mouth.
"Blood...I want blood"
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While Kagura is heading back running, she slowly stops as she notices black smoke going around her area. This is the same thing happen when she is with Meisa and it always ends up she is being trapped in danger. She was shocked as she doesn't want to see herself again in danger because she can't do anything, at least, for now. She looks around and realizes it was too late, she is covered up with black smoke, all-around in her area and she can't see clearly as the smoke seems like a fog around. She covers her nose and mouth with her arm assuming this is like toxic made from fire. But suddenly, she feels drained and sleepy. She feels she loses all her energy all of sudden and drops herself to the ground. Kagura fell down... unconscious.
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while Hanabi still dodging the woman, suddenly, black smoke flew all around the town and reaches them too, covering them up and she notices it.
"Huh?" Her reaction as she suddenly notices the are.
After a sudden change, the woman suddenly drops down unconscious again and Hanabi just looks at it.
"What is this?" She turns around and the surroundings slowly going darker because of black smoke.
She can do anything at the moment so she runs as she wants to find a lighter place but the area all around seems darker.
Anywhere she looks, it is so dark. She can find any clue where she is exactly standing at that moment.
From the side of her vision, she notices a red shadow passing by. She quickly stops and looks at it, but nothing, then she moves her pupil left and right, she feels there is something around. She feels something strange going on so she alerts herself again. She feels any danger behind this dark smoke around. She moves her pupil while feeling the surrounding for anything that will come out at any moment as she walks slowly observing the blank place.
After a few minutes, suddenly the smoke area slowly dissipates and reveals her area.
She reacts as she sees a girl standing a few steps aways looking at the unconscious Kagura lying on the ground.
"Huh" Hanabi is shocked and quickly runs towards them.
Meisa just keeps staring at Kagura while Hanabi gets near them.
"Hey kid, what happens to her?" Hanabi asks but Meisa ignores her. Hanabi holds Kagura on her upper arm trying to wake her up "Hey are you ok?" She said with a concerned voice.
Meisa walks around to the other side of Kagura and faces them while Hanabi just looks at her.
"You know her?" Suddenly Meisa ask. "Who are you?" Then she looks down at Kagura.
While suddenly, Kagura reacts as she hears noises.
"Ha...Hanabi?" She said while catching up and trying to open her eye. Meisa secretly smiles mischievously after hearing the name Hanabi.
"Are you ok?" Hanabi said with concern to Kagura. Kagura finally opens her eyes and sees the two of them, Meisa and Hanabi staring at her but is more shock to see Meisa and quickly open her eyes widely.
"Huh! Meisa!" She is shocked and quickly put herself up to sit and stares at Meisa.
"Why?" Hanabi has no idea "You know this girl?" Hanabi asks but Kagura locked her eyes to Meisa.
"When the black smoke appears you're always here!" Kagura said staring at Meisa. "Tell me who is behind this Meisa?" She insists.
"Huh?" Hanabi really has no idea and keep staring at the two.
Meisa turns her expression to a sad face feeling that she is being judged by Kagura.
"Oniichan, I really don't know what is happening," Meisa said with a lonely face and Kagura reacts to that unconvinced.
Hanabi on the background just keep observing while thinking "I shouldn't be speaking while on a mission" She said on her mind " I have been interacting with them for so long"
"I should head back to Omyouji now" Kagura stands up while Hanabi looks at Meisa. "Hanabi" Kagura calls and looks at her. Hanabi looks at her too " I don't want to be with Meisa right now" Kagura doesn't want to be mean but she avoids danger everytime she goes with Meisa. "can you bring her home?" Kagura request.
Hanabi then looks at Meisa again and see her sad face. "Sure" but Hanabi still doesn't have any idea what is the problem and what is going on. "Are you ok now?" Hanabi still asks about Kagura as she found her a while ago lying on the ground.
"yes, though I feel a little dizzy with that black smoke"
"Yeah, That is suspicious"
"That is why I have to report this no matter what I am also clueless"
"Ok, I will find answers too" Hanabi assure her.
"Thank you, I will go now I must report this" Kagura turns her back and quickly walks away and left them. They both look at her as she walks away and after a few moments, Hanabi stands up and turns her attention to Meisa.
"Hey kid, let's go" After a few minutes, Hanabi calls Meisa and Meisa looks up to her.
Meisa has a poker face and Hanabi notices it.
She bends her back to reach the eye view level of Meisa. "Let's go, guide me the way to your house" Hanabi explained.
Suddenly Meisa's change to red and Hanabi was shocked.
"You're not safe" Suddenly Meisa speaks in a suspicious manner. " Who are you?" She asks
Hanabi sees as Meisa gives her a mischievous smile. Hanabi gets a conclusion and from shocked, she suddenly becomes determined that she finds some clues.
"Are you behind this?" Suddenly she asks "Did you created that black smoke? who controls you kid?" Her questions when she feels something strange about Meisa.
"Who are you?" Meisa still asks.
"Answer me! or else!" Hanabi made a threat and puts out a kunai.
"...a ninja" Meisa said.
...then fast forward from the far land of Iga, somewhere unknown, inside a deep darkest part of the forest, a guy observing all this time. By using Meisa as his surveillance, it helps him to find what he needs.
"Finally!" Suddenly, Hanzo said while in a meditating pose revealing that all this time, he is actually controlling Meisa's soul.
"...a ninja"
He continues as he finally finds a remaining trace of one existing ninja of Iga and then...a short silence.
After that, he made a demonic laugh from mild to louder and louder, scalating and spreading all throught out an open space flowing like a wind on where he is in that moment.
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