Cycle // Giyushino

The Den

Tomioka's POV:

"FU---" Kocho yelped. As I turned around I saw Kocho fall into a hole. Immediately, I fell into the hole right after her. It was kind of a shortfall. As we fell, I landed on top of the bodies, unluckily for Kocho, she was buried underneath them. "Tomioka! Help me get out of this," she frustratingly said. I ran by her side and helped her. "You stink," I said. "No way, it's like I never knew that. It totally does not reek," she sarcastically said while staring at me. As Kocho cleaned up, I looked around. "Where are we?" I asked. "Some kind of cavern I believe," Kocho said.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?", a raspy and mysterious voice said. "Come out," I said. "Hmmm, how about... no?", it responded. It started laughing hysterically. "YOU COWARD, COME HERE IMMEDIATELY!", Kocho shouted. "COME HERE AND TASTE MY BLADE! I HAVE COME HERE TO SATISFY YOUR TASTE!" "Kocho, that's enough!" I yelled. Kocho looked at me with her death glared and smirked. "I apologize but sometimes, someone has to step up. Plus, you never have the guts to say it either so I had to do it for us," she said as she while moving into her charging position.

As she was about to charge, a figure walked towards us with its hands on the side. "Aiko-san?" I said confusingly. The figure I identified as "Aiko" then walked us at a slower pace. Although it was pretty dim in the den, I saw a smirk appear. "Hello dears," She said, "Welcome to the Den!" Kocho and I just stood there in disbelief. "Well, well, excuse me, I have to do something," Aoi said. Soon after her "excuse" she quickly transformed into a hideous demon. 

We stood there in shock. Our feet were stuck to the ground as if we stepped on gooey tar. "That's it!" Kocho exclaimed and charged at "Aiko-san". "Dance of the Dragonfly: Compound Eye Hexagon!" As I watched her six-stroke attack take place, the demon brought her hand up to her face. As the strike gets closer and closer, the demon's nails grew out and blocked each strike. "HAHAHA," Aiko-san said. "Yes, very expected from him."

Oh s###. Is she talking about him? Damn it. I quickly rushed to Kocho's side after she failed attempt of putting a scratch on Aiko-san. I said, " It seems that her nails are impenetrable." "I second that," Kocho said. "Any plan?" I looked at her with an "unintentional" smirk. "Yes, but you won't like it." "Tomioka-san, wipe that smirk off your idiotic face before I slash it myself," she replied cruelly. "But really? Does it involve me being a distraction?" "No!" I said. "Then, what?" 

"Bait"

...

"Tomioka-san, I swear are you trying to get me killed?"

"No," I said. Kocho gave me a disgusted look. Before she was about to reply, Aiko yelled, "I'm bored! Let's play a little game. It's called Tag... TEAR APART EDITION!" Shivers went down our spines while she cackled. Kocho and I swiftly and quietly ran behind a high pile of dead bodies to slightly hide us from the monster as she (tried?) to clear her throat. "You know the rules and so do I." Since you are the last meal for the day, here is your prize...A Clean CUT FROM THE NECK! Okay, I'm done talking. On your marks, get ready, TEAR!"

"It would be a good time to tell me your plan now Tomioka-San.", Kocho said. "Okay here is the plan."

(Sorry, I'm too lazy to type it in)

"1, 2, 3, GO!"

Kocho's POV

"1, 2, 3, GO!"

I ran as fast as I can away from Tomioka-san and closer to Aiko-san. Every step of my feet fuels me with rage every time. Countless lives were lost because of this devil. They were innocent victims. Like Mom and Dad. Dammit, I'm getting too emotional.

"Here's the plan. First, you distract Aiko-san. Try to aim for the neck to distract her. From there, I would try to get close enough to cut off her wrist." Why her wrist?" I asked. "While you performed your six-stroke Hexagon attack, I saw her grab her wrist with her other hand. From what I can see, it seems that she was trying to protect it and to have better control." Do you think her nails are putting more weight on her hand?" Possibly but I'm not sure. Okay, then Kocho, like what I said before, you would try to aim for the neck and distract her from noticing me getting closer to her. As I cut her wrist off, quickly go to the back of her neck and slash it. Because of the poison on your blade, she will die eventually but eventually do it quickly. Who knows how long is the regeneration process for Aiko-san." "Not bad, Tomioka-san. I don't need to hear it again."

As I walked away from Tomioka-san, he grabbed my wrist. "Kocho, be careful out there." I looked at him and said, "Don't worry. You should too. Your plan better work. Ready?

"1, 2, 3, Go!"

"DANCE OF THE CENTIPEDE! HUNDRED-LEGGED DANCE!"

As I came up to her, she, again, grasped her other hand up to her face and blocked the attack with her indestructible nails. As she blocked the attack, she giggled like a maniac.

What the heck is wrong with her. Whatever I just want to get this over with. I quickly ran behind a tall rock while Aiko-san grew back her nails. She's good at defense... But how does she attack? Oh wait, it's her nails. It's making sense now. Each of her victims has 5 clean cuts. The torso is cut separately from the head, arms, and legs. So that means... a nail for each cut? Hmm, probable. She is only using her right hand though. Is she able to use both hands? Also a possibility but she is still in defense mode. Gotta take advantage of that! Okay, where's Tomioka... How the heck did he get up there!?

As I watched Tomioka hold onto the stalactites (the spiky things hanging on the cave vault? I think that's what it's called.) I returned my attention back to Aiko who just finished growing back her nails. Better be ready Tomioka. "Aiko, I'm coming!"

I gripped my sword as hard as I could and ran towards her. She smiled and held out her hand. She grasped it again and came at me. Yes! I smiled in return, seeing this energy gets me pumped up. I can feel the adrenaline increasing and feeling more energized than ever! As she shot up her nails right at me, I slid down to the ground. At that one moment, I involuntarily held my hand up. As my fingers made contact with the nails, blood spilled out. Since that has been a second in a half since I got that cut, my nerve hasn't reached my brain yet. Eventually, as I slid under her from her arms and her legs. I quickly got up, gripped my sword, and slashed her calves before she turned around.

"ARGH!" We both said in unison.

Aiko- san fell down and I tried to keep my cool. Dammit, that was a long and deep cut as I looked at it. There was a huge cut from the tip of my fingers to the forearm. Oh... it's bleeding. As I looked up to see what is happening, a hand came at me. Oh... guess what. I got knocked out.

._.

What a disappointment. All I remember before blacking out is seeing Tomioka-san dropping himself onto Aiko-san and slashing her wrists. I presume that he killed her. Don't underestimate Tomioka-san. He has potential. Then, everything went black.