A Black Butterfly's Emergence || The Story of Eto Yoshimura

A Caterpillar's Journey up the Tree || Playdates

Cold, it penetrated deep through the tunnels. It glazed the skin, forcing hairs to stand on end, it chilled the air until it stung to breathe, but what could be done? There was precious little resources, and even fewer options.

A hazy grey cloud of carbon dioxide expanded from what could've been mistaken as a bundle of thick red cloth. Blue eyes could barely be seen in the faint orange glow. Tiny hands clutched together under that thick bundle of cloth. Green locks spilled over the fabric

"It's caused us nothing but trouble!"

The sound was sharp and loud, seeming to echo around the small dug-out chamber. The girl didn't move nor speak. Her gaze was fixated on the ground.

"We've been over this before, Yashushi."

A brief silence ensued.

"What choice did we have? I gave him my word. If it was me who asked would you not have agreed?"

The sound of heavy footsteps echoing around the room pinged wall-to-wall.

"That doesn't matter Noroi! How are we supposed to care for a child in a place like this? Keeping her  alive in this kind of environment is impossible, we're barely even surviving on our own, now we have to give up resources and deal with the girl's childish whims!"

There was a soft growl. The girl clenched her knees tighter than before. She couldn't look up, her body would not let her.

"We came here as a last resort. She is here only because it was a last resort. I will not abandon her. I'll raise her as if she was my own child, I'll protect her with my life if I have to!"

The girl's eyes widened as the words entered her ears. She lifted her head, her bright blue hues gazing toward the noise.

A woman's face. it filled her vision, she wasn't particularly tall, but she wore a large red cloak similar to the small girl. A single hand reached out.
"Don't worry about them, come on, let's go play."
She had a warm smile, her black hair spilling over her shoulders and framing her gentle features.

The girl stared for a moment before a small smile crept onto her face. With a nod, her tiny hand reached up. Her skin warmed as she made contact with the woman's hand.

Footsteps echoed around the empty tunnel. Hands interlocked the two continued walking.
"I'm sorry you have to listen to them argue. They're just under a lot of stress."
The girl bit her lip as a brief silence came over them.
"Honestly, I'm glad you're here. We've been down here for so long we were starting to forget what it was like to be normal... You reminded us what it was like, it's almost like having a little daughter of my own"
The woman smiled with a huff.

"Does he hate me?"
The girl's head rose, her blue eyes focusing on the woman's barely illuminated face. There was a dull light only a few feet away giving shining light on the pair.
"No, he's just... afraid of losing you."
The girl's gaze moved to the floor as they walked.
"Losing me? But I never wander off and I have you watching me whenever we come out here. Why would I get lost?"
The woman shook her head, her smile growing slightly as she stopped moving and turned her body to the young girl. Bending down her free hand moved to pat the girl's head. The light was now almost directly overhead now, giving a decent amount of light in the barely-lit tunnels.
"He just worries, I won't let you get lost. I'll always be looking out for you, you know that."
A sweet smile spread across the child's face. Her head instinctively moved into the woman's hand. The biting cold seemed to fade as she looked up at the woman.

"Now let's get moving, you still wanna play, don't you?"
The girl nodded happily.
"Yes!"
Laughing softly, the woman took her hand once again.
"Good, let's go."
The two continued down the empty tunnels. Harsh concrete surrounding them on all sides. It was almost completely dark, only dying lights every fifty or so feet. Akiri was special, even among ghouls. She had the ability to perceive sounds at a superhuman level. Even in the pitch black, even with her eyes closed, she could precisely determine her surroundings with just the echoes of their footsteps. It was these senses that allowed her to navigate so effortlessly.