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мєℓσ∂у ραят 1: ѕσиg

Three days have passed since the battle of the chess game, and all you had done since was go out on nightly patrols to look for the Hātosairen. The days were filled with skimming your Nomicon for a way to track it. Nothing new came from anywhere. No sign of it, no spell to hunt it, not even anything on the news about a strange figure walking around town. Things weren't looking great for you in regards to this, and your nerves just started to grow. You were now sitting on your bed with bags under your eyes and a yawn escaping your lips. Your face was splattered in specs of mud from tripping several times in the last midnight darkness to faceplant into several gardens while on the hunt, and you couldn't be bothered to wash it off from your anxiousness. Obviously, hunting at night doesn't give you much sleep, either. Your body ached and your mind could barely focus on a single thing for more than a few minutes. You would honestly be a lot more stressed about the current situation if you were better rested.

"Sweet cheese, this is taking forever..." You muttered as you leaned back with your arms on the bed to prop you upright. "Maybe... Maybe I really didn't release it. Is it something I'm doing? Is Nomicon playin' me? ... Nah, too ancient for that. But where could this thing even go?"

Another yawn cut off your thoughts as you leaned back, your form sinking into the softer than usual bed. "I can't quit lookin'..." You mutter as your eyes grow heavy. "But... Maybe... A small nap... won't..."

Your words were dragging out as you slipped further and further into a state of much-needed sleep, and you shifted to get yourself more comfortable. It didn't take too much before you were ready to sleep a proper one for the first time in a few nights. It may be 9 A.M. on a Saturday morning now, but sleep was sleep, and you finally let your eyes shut to join the realm of dreams.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kiss... me... my love..."

You look ahead to see the subtle shifting of golden curls, a soft echoing voice singing to no one. The area was empty, other than what seemed to be an infinite ocean that you both stood upon. You already recognized this figure, even though her back was to you. You huffed and stepped closer, the sound of drips following each step you took while ripples formed in the aquatic mirror below.

"Come rest... in... my arms..."

"Hey!" You demand with an echoing sound. "I know you're the Hātosairen! Turn around!"

Sure enough, it was who you suspected, and her song stopped. She turned to face you, her form once more blacked-out other than her gown, hair, and piercing eyes. The same woman from your dream the other night. The embodiment in a mindscape that you know you can't reach. She said nothing. She didn't approach. She didn't even flinch when you stopped only a meter away. It was also clear now that she had a height difference on you. You seemed a foot shorter than she was. You both spend seconds in a thoughtless staring contest. And then you spoke.

"Where are you?" You ask firmly as your eyes narrow. "I know you're out there! I know you're walkin' around the city, just waiting for Ninja!"

"And who's fault is that?" She spoke with a low tone, almost echoing with several other voices of different ranges.

You flinched as you growled, instinctively reaching for a sword you didn't have. You sigh and glare up at the figure. "You're not the one asking questions. I am! Now where. Are you. Hiding?"

"Do you honestly believe I'm that ignorant?" She added as she finally walked forward, you taking a step back. "Do you truly think that I will obey the likes of you? You may be the Kunoichi. But you are a child. You are so young..." Once she got close, she began to weave her fingers through your hair. You froze in discomfort as her cold touch occasionally grazed your cheek. "So frail... So naive..."