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

A Caterpillar's Journey up the Tree || Underground Ghouls

"Three"

Her voice seemed to echo as she spoke. A black haired woman stood tall. Her gaze locked on the child only a few feet from her.

"Two"

The child gripped her red cloak tightly. Her eyes narrowed, focusing as her right eye shifted to a glowing crimson. She stared across to the woman who's eyes suddenly shifted to match hers.

"One"

Red fabric flowed off of their shoulders. They seemed to move in slow motion as the two sprang into action. Bursts of red. Large wings flared up from Akiri's shoulders. She'd jumped high into the air, a volley of sharp red crystals flying out from her wings. Eto remained planted to the ground, her arms hitting the ground as she ducked low and pushed herself away. Her small body twirled along the ground, projectiles shattering behind her as she moved.

Akiri's feet touched the ground. There wasn't a moment to breath. Eto lunged forward, from her shoulders two large spike-like tendrils grew. The kagune clashed together. Eto gave no ground, pushing forward constantly. Akiri huffed as she scrambled back, desperately moving to avoid each slash.
The girl's jaw clenched as she stabbed toward the older woman. Wings slammed down on her kagune. A foot smashed into the young girl's jaw. She winced as her body skidded back.
She rolled on her back with the momentum, bringing herself onto all fours.
On her back a plumage-like part of her kagune had formed, a ball of spikes.

Dark red shards shot from Eto's back.

The shock on Akiri's face was apparent as the large projectiles whizzed through the air. She wrapped herself with her wings. Eto sprinted forward, her body almost touching the ground as she ran. As the wings spread once again Akiri found a spiked tendril at her head. Her eyes widened she rose her hands.
"Looks like you win this one"
The woman's kagune dissipated. Her wings disintegrating into tiny flecks of RC Cells, vanishing entirely within a moment.

Eto smiled up at the woman, her kagune similarly beginning to dissipate.
"I did it!"
She jumped in place, her green hair flopping behind her as she did.
Akiri approached her and placed a single hand on her head.
"You did. I'm proud of you Eto."
The child's smile widened as she looked up at the woman. Smiling back at the child, Akiri leaned down.
"I'd bet Noroi and Yasushi are back with some food now. Why don't we go back and see?"
Eto nodded and extended her hand.
The woman grabbed it and the two moved back toward the open metal door.

A small fire hissed in the center of the room. The group of four were gathered around it. Yashshi sat on his mat and leaned back comfortably on the wall.
"Only six and you're already beating Akiri, hm?"
The woman chuckled. She sat cross-legged with her hands outstretched toward the fire.
"She's grown a lot, and so strong too!"
Noroi placed himself atop a crate, a smile creeping onto his face as he glanced down to the green-haired little girl who sat at his feet, entranced by a journal that she was holding. He remained silent, simply observing.
her finger traced the lines of the journal before suddenly stopping. She groaned softly before raising the book up to head level.
"Noroi, could you tell me what this word is?"
The man's head tilted as he looked down to her. He squinted at the journal, his mouth parting before he paused again.
"Well, uh..."
He nodded to himself.
"I believe that word is dadl. It means-"
Akiri cast a glance toward him, shaking his head.
"Daedal Noroi? It means skillful."
His head shot up to her, his hand pressing against his forehead.
"Ah, right. That's what I was going to say."
Eto smiled, and nodded. Without another word she began to read once again.

The flame turned to embers as time passed. Gazes locked. A nod. Akiri stood from where she was laying.
"Eto, why don't you get some sleep?"
The girl looked up at the woman then back down to her book.
"Okay"
Eto's arms rose above her head, stretching before she stood up. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep, truthfully she was exhausted. Using her kagune still took a great deal of effort. Her long-ranged attacks took even more out of her. She wasn't yet able to use them to their full potential like Akiri was.