The Obake of Daiwa

1

"Come one, come all!" I shouted into the bustling streets, prodding people to come over to my stand.

It really wasn't much of anything honestly, just a box as a table and a wooden bowl for people to throw their money into. I'd found them both abandoned in an alleyway, among with some other rather unsavory things. I'd ran away with nothing but the ragged clothes on my back and the family heirloom (it was going to become mine anyways), so I couldn't afford anything flashy. I was hoping my striking good looks would draw people in instead and they would just ignore the dingy stand.

I mean, it wasn't everyday you saw a pink haired girl, right? Even if that said pink hair was currently a mangled mess that looked more like a mane than hair. Well, I preferred it that way since it would hide my eyes. I mean, I wanted to draw people's attention, not scare them away! I was also pretty tall for a girl, so I definitely stuck out among the crowd. Speaking of...

A man had walked up to my stand. He was a bit taller than me and much wider than me, probably twice my width. I stiffled a small laugh. He didn't look very happy and was probably looking down at me, and I meant that literally. Or was it figuratively? Nevermind.

"Step right up!" I said, "If ya er- you can beat me in arm wrestling, you'll get this jade bottle."

I pulled back my tattered sleeves, holding up my family heirloom. It was a bottle made of pure jade, with a cork and a few beads hanging off the top of the nozzle. It was a rather thin thing with a fat base and a curved handle. It also had a few magical properties I'd discovered, but he didn't need to know that, since he wouldn't be getting it.

"It's only 200 yen per try," I said, holding up two fingers and securing the prize back on my hip, "Do you feel up to it?"

I grinned at him, or well, it might've been more of a smirk. He stayed quiet, I guess he was still weighing it up? I yawned a bit, stretching and then stepping back behind my dingy stand. I placed my elbow on the makeshift table, exuding all the friendliness I could muster.

"I'm ready whenever you are," I said.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, asking, "How'd a vagrant like you get a treasure like that?"

"What'dya say?" I asked, a slight hiss in my voice, "Are ya gonna stand there insultin' me or are ya payin' me?"

"I won't give you anything," He said, "I bet you stole that thing after all, why should I pay for a thief?"

I slammed my hands on the makeshift table. The wood creaked slightly, splintering on the sides. I didn't care. That was two strikes. First he'd called me a vagrant, next a thief. When my stupid old geezer croaked, the sake brewery and everything in it was supposed to become mine. Girls couldn't own property or run a businesses though, not without a husband. Still, that didn't make me a thief or a vagrant. The man stumbled, visibly shaken.

"Monster! Her hair is proof, that unnatural color like wine! And just look at those teeth!" He shouted, turning heads.

Three strikes. The other two might've been forgivable, but this definitely wasn't. I kicked my makeshift table, sending it careening and then splintering across his face. He screamed as the wood planks exploded into pieces on his body. Next was a square uppercut to his jaw so he wouldn't ever be able to insult anyone again. Just punishment for the disgusting things that come out of his mouth. As my fist was about to connect with his jaw, there was a clap of hands.

"Now now, violence won't solve the problem," I heard a gentle voice ring out.

Despite myself, my hand stopped mid punch. I narrowed my eyes, struggling and tangling on... Metal? It was drawn into thin nearly invisible strings, you'd have to look closely to catch the slight glint it made in the sunlight. And yet they were as tough as nails. I turned to the voice while the man nearly collapsed. There was a thin girl with long white hair and moon yellow eyes. Two long strands of hair framed her face while the rest was put up in two buns, looking like cocoons of silk.