[UPDATE IN PROGRESS] Onmyou-Pocketville: Fallen Dusk

Chapter 24: Of Fallen Golden Petals

Chapter Warning: This chapter contains scenes of blood, violence, characters in distress, and weaponry. Read at your own risk.

Malorie.

The kimono-clad canine gijinka thought she heard a voice in a dream. But she did not have a dream, instead just seeing a dim light for a long time as her eyes were shut. Then the voice grew closer.

"Malorie?"

It was then she felt a furry presence rub up against her back. Was it somebody's paw or snout? The voice was heard again, this time right next to her.

"Malorie-san. It's time."

This made Malorie roll over, making Tia wake up as well.

"Not right now, grandma...let me sleep..." she growled softly. But she finally opened her eyes just to see the long pelt and blush amulet of Amaterasu, who at first appeared to be a vermillion and ebony blur.

"Grandma?" the fox wiggled her nose. "I know I'm going to have grandkits for the first time, but I'm not your grandmother."

Malorie rubbed her eyes. "Sorry, Ammy, you sounded like her at first."

"Do I? Anyway, let's just head down to the shrine. Sanae, Himiko, and the others are waiting for us there."

Malorie got up staggardly, but then she made a quick move to obtain a few items from her bag: a hairbrush, the spell cards Sensei Steel Wool had given her and Tia, and the two pouches from Eva: one for her and the other for Tia. For a bit she set the other items on her lap and brushed her long chocolate hair, which would always bunch up whenever she would lie down for a while.

Tia was on the mat stretching out her back and made a huge yawn like she was a great big lion. Then she looked at Malorie with her big apple-green eyes. "It's strange waking up when there's no light out."

"I agree with you, Tia. It's like we're near one of the poles during midwinter." Malorie said as she placed the brush back inside her satchel bag. She handed over the packet of spell cards with a yellow ribbon and a pouch over to the corgi inugami, who held both of them securely in her mouth and Malorie kept her own in her paw. She didn't need to log a whole bag around whilst outside, so she just left the satchel there and walked out of her sleeping area to see Hana still sleeping in her futon. She didn't want to wake her up, but at the same time she didn't want her to be startled by suddenly being inside of Tachibana Manor rather than in her room at Balmoral Castle and wanted to show up to her to show that her "big sister" is there too.

She used her paws to rub Hana's shoulders so she could comfort her. But this also woke up the little vulpine gijinka, two innocent and sad dark amber eyes revealed upon her face.

"M-Mal...where am I?" Hana whimpered as she held Malorie close.

At first Amaterasu had vanished from the room until two midnight black ears appeared from the open doorway, then the rest of Amaterasu's fiery pelt.

"What are you waiting for- oh. She's awake?"

Both Malorie and Hana turned their eyes to Amaterasu, who stood at the doorway leading to the room. The kitsune's neutral but elegant demeanour was clear. She was going to be a grandmother soon, but despite this, she seemed as if she still had much of her youth in her vulpine face and features. However, Malorie could see the age in Amaterasu's sard-like eyes.

"Don't worry, Ammy." Malorie said before looking at Hana, who wrapped her arms around her in a hug. "You're in Onmyou, in a dimension separate from ours. I...don't know how you got here, but just stay close to me, okay? And this place...it's known as Tachibana Manor."