The Fall of Eternity

The Tengu in the Mountains

A limp, motionless body of a little girl laid still upon the small cot. The first few streaks of sunlight slipping through the broken window and ceilings, wooden walls filled with cracks that needed immediate repair. She flinched as sunlight hit her small frame, illuminating her features. Golden eyes fluttered open as the heat settled upon her face uncomfortably, waking her from her slumber.

Reluctantly, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Taking a moment for her sleep induced mind to settle in on her surroundings. She was at home, lying on her little corner, the wooden walls protecting her from the harshness of the mountains. Although the small house she was in was old and rackety, it dealt a huge amount of protection for a little girl deep in the mountains.

Especially when the great evils that plagued the mountain had gotten stronger in their pursuit—specially at night. The little girl had laid awake till the cracks of dawn, allowing herself to doze off once the heart lurching sounds of the monsters that roamed the night faded into nothing as the sun came.

The little girl knew that she could no longer stay in the mountains, it was getting far more dangerous as another night came. But she couldn't abandon this small house, it was all she ever knew. This is where she had gained consciousness, the small house and the mountain was her only world.

To a little girl like her with no name, what could she have done?

She pushed herself up, wobbling slightly on her feet, she was tired from the sleepless night, her head throbbing, screaming at her for a much needed rest, but her stomach was pleading for her attention as well. She pushed the door open, creaking loudly at her actions, the door barely holding on to its hinges.

The little girl walked through the familiar path of the mountain, knowing it like the back of her palm. She went through her favorite tree, which bore fruit to lavender melons. The little girl had been patiently waiting for the fruits to ripe, for it was sweet, and to the girl who lived in the mountains, it was the closest thing she had for a treat.

She froze in her tracks when the tree came in sight, to her utmost horror, the shimmering purple fruit was no longer to be seen. She had perfectly remembered that the fruits were ready for picking yesterday. She knew, because she had checked it herself daily. But now, her precious fruits were missing.

She heard munching sounds behind the tree, making her flinch. Dread settled on her stomach, thinking of the monsters that roamed the mountains. She glanced at the sky where the sun shined brightly, it was morning, surely the creatures had gone?

Slowly, she approached the tree, straining her neck to see who was creating the strange noises behind it.

Her golden eyes settled upon long white spiky hair. Her eyes widened, taking in the sight before her. There was a boy sitting on the ground, leaning his back on her favorite tree, eating her favorite fruit.

Her temper flared in an instant. The nerve of this boy! How could he eat her fruits that she had cultivated for weeks?!

"Hey!"

His spiky head shot up, red eyes meeting hers. She unconsciously took a step back, noting the red horns and the strange marks running down his face. He looked like one of the monsters that plagued the mountains, yet so different.

Like her, who was also different.

Her who was abandoned here in the mountains.

He shot one eyebrow up at her, curious about the little girl in front of him who looked like she had never seen better days. She was extremely thin, purple locks framed her sunken features, her clothes barely covering her from the cold of the mountains.

He brought the fruit up his lips, munching down casually as he eyed the girl before him.

His actions caught the girl's attention, snapping her back to whatever reverie she fell into. "Hey! That's my fruit!"

His eyes widened looking down at the innocent looking fruits gathered in his lap. "This is yours?" He grabbed on of the fruits, red eyes skimming through, inspectioning left and right. "I don't see your name on it."

"Of course you wont! It's a fruit!"

"Exactly. So it's not yours. I found it first, so it's mine." The boy replied stubbornly, gathering the freshly harvested fruits in his arms, standing up.

"But it's mine! I've been taking care of it for weeks!"

"Well!" He gave her a childish flick of his tongue, making her temper flare once more. "Finder's keepers!"

With an enraged cry, she launched forward, a monster or whatever this boy be, be dammed! She was a tengu for goodness sake and she belonged to this mountain, the mountain was her's and everything in it belonged to her especially those fruits! People had long abandoned this mountain so what claim do they have on it when she was the only one sho stayed behind?

"Hey!" The boy grunted as they fell on the ground, battling each other. The little girl was trying to free her precious lemons off his hold, clawing and scratching whatever she could reach on his person. The boy let out a pained cry for her attempts, they tousled on the ground, the fruits had long slipped past the two bodies on the floor. The boy was scared shitless, despite the scrawny appearance of the little girl, her hands had strength in them that reminded him of his Grandma Oni.

He pushed the girl away, not caring if he hurt her in the process, it was only fair, she had hurt him as well. He stood up panting, eyeing the girl in front of him, he admits that she was an admirable foe. And any admirable foe on his book deserves an respectable duel.

"If you want to get your lemons back then fight me in a duel! A sumo match! In the byakko plain!"

The girl shot him a deadpan look, "A what?"

"A sumo match!"

She frowned, "I don't know what you're talking about."

The boy gasped in shock, "An admirable foe indeed! A true fighter doesn't agree that easily without handing down the rewards of the battle!" He crossed his arms, "Fine! I will give you two times the amount of these fruits for a sumo fight!"

At this, her ears perked up. Two times the amount of lavender melon would last her for weeks. With those, she could survive a little longer and not only that, it was her favorite, she would be drowning in sweetness for a few days with the offer. Although, she had no idea what a sumo fight was, she grabbed her hips, raising her chin, eyeing him with determination. "Fine! I agree!"

The boy gave her a bright grin in return, making her heart flutter. Her eyes widen, not used to the sight of such bright happiness on a person's face. In her mountains, only cold and darkness loomed, such a bright smile was a rare sight for the young girl.

"Alright! I will prepare for our terms and conditions right away!" With those parting words, the boy wave his hand goodbye and run through the mountains, where she presumed was the way he came from.

She stood there for a minute. Quietly gazing at the path the boy took, mesmerized. After a while, she turned her attention back to the forgotten melons at her feet. Picking them up and bringing them back to her small home.

A small smile graced her lips, delighted that for once, after leaving for how long in the mountains, something different had changed in her routine.

The little girl had gotten her first contact with a person other than the creatures that loomed the mountains.

And he was exceptionally bright, like the sun.

~~~

(A/N: I'd like to inform everyone first that I have not done the Itto quest yet simply because I am procrastinating and I haven't got Sara yet but that won't stop me from making this fanfiction. All contents here would be inspired from their lore, yes–I did my research and I wanted it to be as close to their personalities as possible, I've read through their character lores and took down notes individually. So if like me, you did your own research, this scene is from Itto's lore. You'll know what I'm talking about if you read through his character. I'll post a few more chaps and depending on the feedback, I'll work through more with it so you better not let this flop.)