That Time My Late Husband Was Reincarnated as an Oni

Chapter 4: The Healing Fox

"Were...you the one that saved me?" Hikari asked, her face still red as a beet. She still couldn't get over the fact that this girl was going completely commando. Especially since she was right in front of her and could see everything. So, to keep herself from being distracted, Hikari uses the blanket over her like a curtain and covers her up. "To have healed such a terrible injury... Do you know Yokai Magic?" She asked.

"Mhm." The white haired fox nods.

"Healing magic of that level is comparable to my own. Are you...also a nine tailed fox?" Hikari would continue to ask.

"That's right. I just don't like flaunting all my tails. They get in the way sometimes." She says and stretches her arms up, causing the blanket to drop again.

Hikari quickly covers her again, her face going red. "And...you're naked why exactly?"

"Just preference." She smiles. "Or, maybe I should say habit at this point? Oh yeah, you never asked me for my name, ya know? That's kinda rude. To sleep with someone and not ask for their name...~" She says with a grin.

Once again, Hikari's face blushes. "D-Don't twist things around like that...!" She says. "Besides, I was just about to ask that...! So, what is the name of my savior?" She asked.

"Yua. A pleasure to meet you, Miss." She says with a smile. "Your name is Hikari, right?"

"Huh...? How do you know my name?" She asked.

"We're from the same village. Don't you remember? When Lady Chaeyu saved our home, the village offered me to her." She says and stands up.

"That...event does ring a bell... Wait, Lady Chaeyu? As in the Goddess of Existence? That Chaeyu?" Hikari asked.

"Mhm~! That's her. Ah, it's actually been so long since I've seen her. How is she?" Yua would ask with a smile, as she threw on a loose fitting kimono. It did very little to cover her exposed legs, and her chest was still very open to imagination. But at least she was clothed. "So, what are you planning on doing from here? Are you going home to your kids? Challenge that oni to a rematch? She asked.

"I...don't know yet." Hikari mumbles. The two dolls were likely worried out of their minds right now, so it would probably be best to just return home. She stands up and puts her own clothes back on herself, and walks past Yua.

"Hey, can I tell you one more thing before you leave?" She asked.

Hikari stops in the doorway, and turns to look at her. "Yes?" She tilts her head.

"When the time comes for you to make a choice, make one that you know you won't regret." Yua says with a soft smile. "I'll be staying here at this inn for a while longer. If you need me, or just want another night, you know where to find me~" She wink, making Hikari flustered again. With that out of the way, Hikari turns to leave once again.

"Goodness... The youth these days... I will never understand them." She mutters to herself as she walks back through the town. She walks by the sake bar from where she fought with that oni, Dojimaru, and finds her parasol behind the counter. She retrieves it and apologizes to the owner for any inconvenience she caused with her duel. Once she had her belongings again, she starts to head home to her estate in the forest. As she walked, she had noticed a set of footprints that she didn't recognize. Did some of the townspeople come by to tell the dolls Hikari was injured? No, if that were the case, the two would have barged into the inn. The tracks didn't match Dojimaru's sandals either, so it couldn't have been him.

As she neared the house, she sees a man standing at the front gates, tapping his foot against a rock impatiently. He reaches into his black coat and pulls out a pocket watch, clicking it open, then closing it again. He was pale as snow, as if the man had not been outside and touched grass in years. His hair was messy, with locks of black just sticking out in all directions. The right half of his bangs was pure white, covered most of his right eye. As for his fit, he wore all black. Black button up shirt, black suit blazer over that, dark grey ascot around his collar, black dress pants, and shoes, gloves, and belt. On his left shoulder was a bronze shoulder pad, with an ornate circular accessory. He also had a neon green brooch resting over his ascot, and a black scepter in hand that he seemed to be using as a cane.

As Hikari steps up to him, she lets out a soft noise to get his attention, which it did as he turns around. "Ah, hello there, madam. Is this your home?" He asked. His voice was deep and suave. Smooth like butter, as some would say.

"It is indeed. How may I help you, good sir?" Hikari asked with a polite smile.

"How kind of you. I'm here to ask if there is a pair of dolls that take residence with you here?" He asked.

"That...is correct, yes. You must be referring to my children, Cheryl and Sherrie." She says.

"I see... May I speak with them?" He asked kindly.

"Oh. Let me go fetch them real quick then." Hikari claps her hands together and walks by the man in black, and into the house. "Cheryl! Sherrie! A man is looking to see you two!" She calls as she walks inside. Out of nowhere, Cheryl suddenly jumps on Hikari, surprising her.

"Mother...! You're okay...! We were worried sick...!" She cries oily tears all over Hikari's kimono.

"Goodness, Cheryl...! You almost gave me a heart attack with that hug...!" She pouts and hugs her doll daughter affectionately.

"Mother..." Sherrie walks up to her next. "Could you please get rid of that man...?" She asked.

"Huh? Get rid of? Why?" She asked, a bit concerned.

"We'll explain later. But he is not a good man." Sherrie adds, which makes Hikari nod in understanding.

"Very well then... Sherrie, please get me a change of clothes." She says. The oil stains would be too obvious to not notice. So once she got changed into a different kimono, she steps back out to the front gate. "I apologize for the wait, sir. It would seem the two had disappeared... I checked all around the house and couldn't find them." She lies to the man.

His face remained unchanged. His polite smile still plastered on his face. "I see. Perhaps they went out on errands? If it's alright, may I come in and wait for them with you inside?" He questioned her.

"I apologize. But I think I'm spent on social interaction for today... I need time to recuperate." She continues to spin a web of lie to get him to leave.

"Very well then, I understand that far too well. How about I return tomorrow then? When would be a good time?" He asked again. This man was much too persistent to just be someone random. But with the way he speaking, it seemed like he was intent on meeting with Cheryl and Sherrie.

She couldn't just say to not show up at all. That would make it seem like she was hiding something. "Then...perhaps around noon?" She says.

"Wonderful. I'll be back tomorrow then. Have a good rest of your day." He bows slightly, then leaves her property. Hikari watched as he walked, to ensure that he was actually gone. Once she could no longer hear his footsteps, she closes the gate and returns to the inside of her home.

"He's gone." She announces, as Cheryl hugs her again. "Do you know that man?" She asked.

The twins step back and look at each other, then nod at the same time. "That was...Father..." Sherrie says.

"Father? Do you mean...your creator?" Hikari asked. "Why so reluctant to see him again?" She wondered.

"He was a bad, bad man...!" Cheryl says with clenched fists.

Sherrie comforted her sister. "He was the one who left us on the roadside you found us at... One night, during a performance, we...killed an audience member who volunteered for our trick..."

"It wasn't our fault...! It was a total accident...! It's not like we were expecting the water tank to crush him...!" Cheryl continued to get emotional, as Sherrie held her sister close.

"Father 'scolded' us harshly that night... We were labeled as defects, and weren't allowed to take part in any future performances... Because after our 'scolding', we were simply left behind..." Sherrie ended the story, as Hikari walked up to hug them.

"By 'scold', did you mean that he...?" Hikari's voice trailed off, but her assumption was proven correct by the doll's shared nod. The kitsune pulls them both closer to her. "Poor things... I promise that I won't let that man near you... Ever..." She says softly.