[UPDATE IN PROGRESS] Onmyou-Pocketville: Fallen Dusk

Chapter 8: Omori Palace Chase

Back in the uplands, where the cool wind blows and cedar trees sprawl, Yami flew over to his boss Noroi after witnessing the group of nine being told to go back to Pocketville by a canine-like spirit. He was a bit distraught after what happened.

"That two-legs and those muddles she's with are gone!" squawked Yami as he landed in front of the splotched cat.

Noroi's pupils widened. "What do you mean they're gone? Did you lose sight of them?"

"It wasn't my fault though!" replied the bird. "They refused to accept my challenge!"

"They what?!" Noroi tensed up, her fur standing on end. She approached Yami suddenly, keeping her eyes locked on his. "What challenge did they refuse?"

"I wanted to put them through a test, to see if they could meet me up at that hill," the bird nodded, locking eyes with the piercing amber eyes of his leader.

"I suppose they wanted to stay with that old cat." scoffed Noroi. "I suppose that wouldn't be very...fun."

A flock of different birds, most of them bald eagles and falcons, were hiding within the cedar trees of the plateau. Amongst one of them was Ichiro, a barn owl who happened to be Kozue's older brother. He turned his head to a near 180-degree angle to where he would look at one of the eagles, who happened to be the leader of the flock.

"Stay quiet."

Ichiro simply nodded back, as he did not want to be heard by the suspicious cat and her bird goon.

"Do we have to retrieve the Friendship Heart or Ocean of Friendship or something?" Yami had some ideas in mind.

"No!" hissed Noroi, her eyes filled with such fear. "Do you want history to repeat itself?!"

The grackle shook his head. "Uh, no! We don't want to have Queen Ami end up in an Otherworld again! I hate to admit it, but it's boring without her in the kingdom!"

"That's very much agreeable." said Noroi.

"Then what should we do to experiment with this forbidden magic?" Yami made a shrugging expression with his wings. "Oh, we should've gone into the Ever Grey Swamp and consulted Miyo for it!"

Many Onmyoujin were known to fear Miyo, who was a wise but sinister snake who resided in a cave deep in the swamp, but Noroi was one of the few who did not. In fact, Noroi didn't want to care so much about that legless reptile as she'd rather go on her own, but with Yami at her side of course.

"That old geezer you speak of? I don't think so." Noroi had a bit of sass in her speech. "If we did, she'd expect us to give her a gift in return, and I ain't giving anything away to a lazy scoundrel like her! And, the swamp, you say? Too warm and humid. I prefer the climate of cool and dry, which is why we are here rather than in the swamp!" She then thought for a few seconds. So...we have
Hairo and Sakuya on our side, so I think they're going to put themselves into good use... Finally, Noroi found a useful idea. "I got it! We need to- "

"Maybe summon some more of us akuyokai!" exclaimed Hairo. "They're perfect for causing mayhem! And maybe get ahold of some magic I know about..."

Back in the cedar trees, Ichiro's feathers ruffled up as he heard what the ghost said. What?! No!

"But I have my own idea." Sakuya chimed in. "First of all, I can just swoop on over to Omori Palace and get everyone distracted by running off with a kidnapped Onmyoujin...perhaps one of the royals?"

"If that gives you enough attention." replied Noroi.

Oh no they don't... Ichiro stretched his wings outward and took off in flight. He was eventually noticed by Noroi and her own group.

Sakuya made a running start over to the direction the owl was flying in, and she then began to float into the air, following Ivan over to the city. "Get back here!"

Now Noroi was the confused one. "Why is that idiot following a measly little owl? Or..." She then realised that Ivan was going to tell everyone about their plans. "Curses! Someone's been spying on us, and now we're going to get in trouble!" growled Noroi.

Yami prepared to go and follow the two that were heading for Onmyou-Kyou. "I'm going to-"

"No, Yami." Those two words Noroi uttered caused the kea to cease flying and to come back to her.

"You've got us, don't you, Noroi?" Hairo's lifeless amber eyes showed determination.

"Even so!" spat Noroi. "You know how the Queen, all her guards, and everyone else over there are! They always win and they always brag about it!" And the Queen is yet another old geezer too, but she sure doesn't look like one.

"Well, this time we will be the ones who'll win!" Hairo's statement was followed by his bone-chilling cackle, which sounded like if all the mountains of the range north of the capital, where they all were at, collided into each other.

"Why did he- " The lead eagle was interrupted by another one of the birds.

"I think he's going to alert the Queen! We'll only move if everyone else moves!" said a magpie.

As Ichiro was flying south, he suddenly saw Sakuya glide over so fast that she appeared like a dark blur.

"I'm faster than you, you stupid bird!" Sakuya taunted as she continued to hover ahead of Ivan the owl.

"When everyone starts to find out, you're going to pay!" exclaimed Ichiro.

Ichiro flew as fast as he could to bypass Sakuya and get ahead of her, but he then lost the dark figure of her to a crowd of puffy white clouds. It nearly got him disoriented, but he then adjusted his position and continued his flight, trying to make the outline of the feline spirit.

"Oh dear Kami, I can't see in these clouds! Shame on you, stupid mountain climate!"

After a period of time, Ichiro was now out of the clouds, and he could now see the decorated turrets of Omori Palace and its gardens in the distance, as well as catching sight of Sakuya again. He lowered himself gently, to where he would be even closer to the ground.

"Are you still there?" bellowed Sakuya. "Oh, wait, of course you are. Determination got the best of you."

Eventually they both landed on the grass of the palace gardens, and they found themselves surrounded by astonishing flowers such as roses, camellias, wisteria, and more. Sakuya used her dark magic to magically open one of the tiled windows that would lead to one of the rooms of the castle. She leaped through the opening, with Ichiro following. Both had found that they entered the Camellia Suite, the monarch's bedchambers, through the windows. Sakuya turned over to see that the owl was still with her.

"Stop following me!" After those words were uttered by the spirit, Sakuya's eyes started to glow a pale green hue. Then, a rather large and colourful book was levitated from the shelf with a dark aura surrounding it and flew over towards Ichiro, knocking him into the wall. Sakuya then ran out of the room, sliding the two doors open wide.

Ichiro was dizzy from the blow, but he eventually snapped out of it. He could now see that the spirit of Sakuya was gone, without leaving a single hair from her pelt. He glanced down at the book that was thrown at him, and he could see that its yellow and red-bordered case was exquisitely detailed, with red heart-shaped gemstones embroidered in it. Even though it was thrown, it did not appear to have any tears or other damages to it.

"Huh? The Royal Tome? Why would she throw that at me?" Ichiro clutched said book in his talons and gently placed it back in the bookshelf next to the vanity, which, of course, belonged to the monarch.

Meanwhile, Sakuya made her steps into an ornate corridor with delicately painted wallpaper and tiled windows. She made an evil smirk on her face, as she knew exactly what she was going to do.

"Since that silly little tengu is gone, now I can do my bidding."