The Highlands, one of the bigger places to get eaten alive by wild animals... Unless your a carnivore of course, then you have a fighting chance. Of course, the Highlands are in the griffon region, and the locals sometimes go and hunt in this plot of land. Today, two hunters in particular are in this hunting ground, a griffon and a human. The griffon's name was Black Wing, an older Griffon with black-tipped quills, armed with a cross bow and his talons. The human was named Kage, brown hair and a pair of yellow shades, wearing skinned animal hide light-armor. The armor was skinned from wild boar, the various bones added in for detail and more protection. Kage looked like a savage, and played the roll to boot as he was currently gutting a dead boar, soaking his kukri in animal blood. "Ah, god it stinks... Kinda smells like you, Blacky!"

"Shut up, least I don't smell like a dead yak!"

"Ey, they don't have deodorant out 'ere..." A spurt of blood came out of the beast's stomach, nailing Kage in the face. "Gah! Mother FUCKER!"

"Woah, what the hell's your problem?"

"Bloody... Nothin', nicked an artery and the bastard splashed me... Pie-chuckin' piece o' shit was enough trouble trackin' down."

"The fat-ass puts up a fight too, took three freaking arrows, then I had to pin it so you could mutilate it."

"Well at least he's a plump bastard, we'll be eatin' plenty tonight." Kage licked his lips, hearing the sound of flesh rip. "Yeah, I'd say this lil' piggy's got fifteen extra pounds on 'im. Oi, Black, make yourself useful an get the bloody cooler."

"Yeah, I got it."Black got the cooler and popped the lid, revealing uncooked meat that smelled as bad as it looked.

"Alright Black, help me get fat-arse off the ground." Kage took it by the tusks and Black grabbed it by it's back legs, hovering off the ground with his wings, a bit shakily but he held.

"Holy shit, you weren't joking! This waddling pork-pie weighs a ton!"

"Quit ya belly-achin', just tip his stomach over the cooler and let it spill." They tipped the boar and let the meat spill into the cooler, the sloshing and other disgusting noises filling the air.

"God, sounds like a mean shit doesn't it?"

"Smells like one, too... Oi, you alright? Lookin' a tad pale, mate." He didn't answer, all he did was stare in shock. Kage looked to what he was staring at. "Bloody hell?" In the cooler, stabbed within the boar entrails, was a pair of hedge trimmer handles covered in blood and rust. "Holy Dooley... Did this lard arse really eat a hedge trimmer?" Kage grabbed the handles and pulled it out.

"Oh... That ain't no hedge trimmer, Kage." Black said.

"Yeah, it's an over-sized pair o' scissors... No wonder we found him squealing, ol' waddles swallowed 'em whole! Ahahahaha, he's as dumb as the dirt he eats!"

".............."

"Ehehe... Oi, you doin' alright Black?"

Black's wings froze up and he dropped to the ground, a look of horror on his face.

"Seriously Black, you okay? You look like you seen a bloody ghost." Kage placed the dead boar down and stood up.

pat

As he stood, he bumped into something. His hands instinctively reached behind him and he grabbed that certain something, it felt toned and sleek like a human leg, yet cold and lifeless like stone. It was kind of like a tree, a smooth, fleshy tree. "Black?... What the devil am I grabbing?" Black didn't answer, but the being behind Kage did, non-verbally however. It placed something cold over over his hand. It was cold like clay, it wasn't ice-cold, just... cold. Kage looked to see what had touched his hand and beheld the long sleeve with a hand at the end, it's skin white as snow with long nails painted red. It's fingers slowly curled between the spaces of Kage's own, eventually binding him in a hand-hold. The hand lifted Kage's hand off of it's... Trench-coat? Yeah, it was wearing a trench-coat. It let go of him when his hand was separated. "................" The being was silent, and Black just stood there paralyzed in fear.

Kage decided to take a risk and, knowing well in his mind that he would regret doing so, quickly turned around to meet his unknown companion. He was met face-to-face with... the thing's waist? "Eh... Wha?..." Kage traveled up the being's waist, past it's chest, and believe it or not he had to bend his head all the way back to finally be greeted with it's face. The being was without a doubt human, in fact it was female! She was, as you would have guessed, very tall. Here's a comparison, Kage was average height for a guy, but he only came up to her waist at best, that's just not natural! She had long, straight black hair and the creepiest hazel irises Kage ever saw, she also wore a surgical mask with a few blood stains in the material, so she could have been a doctor... Maybe. Her brown trench-coat covered her body, not counting her shins which were concealed in her rugged jeans, she also had no shoes to speak of. Looking back to her eyes they appeared to be slanted, a possible sign of Asian heritage, but her extremely pale skin said otherwise. Kage forced a smile as to be polite and held out his hand. "Eh... G'day ma'am, names Kage... Did you migrate here from Earth?"

The woman nodded slowly and grabbed his hand, she shook it slowly, her cold hands absorbing the warmth from Kage's own. Her eyes never left his, until they looked to his other hand. She just stared at his unoccupied hand until Kage realized what she was really staring at. He held up the over-sized scissors, her eyes followed along with it.

"Um... Does this... Belong to you?"

She slowly nodded.

"Well... Um... Here?"

The woman released Kage's hand and slowly grabbed the scissors, after she took them she looked at her hand to see it was covered in blood, the blood that Kage had caked his hand with from gutting boars and other game all day.

"O-oh, sorry 'bout that Sheila... Hang on a tic," Kage reached into his pocket and got his bandanna, he cleaned the woman's hand until the blood was gone from her pale hand then put the bandanna back in his pocket. "Sorry 'bout the mess, been huntin' game all day. Them scissors were in that boar over there." The woman looked at the boar for a moment, then back to Kage. "Yeah, uh... You can keep the boar I guess, still got some meat in 'em... Uh, but I guess you wouldn't want a dead boar, bloody thing smells like-"

"Hey," The woman said, stopping Kage mid-speech. She leaned down so she can see him more clearly with her haunting eyes. "little man," She continued, Kage felt hurt by here remark but... Well, she was bigger than him... And intimidating. "Do you think I'm... Pretty?"

"Erm... Come again?" Kage said, visibly blushing.

Her eyes narrowed. "I said... Little man." She paused for a moment, observing Kage very closely. "Do you think I'm... Pretty?"

"Um... Pretty?"

"Beautiful, gorgeous, stunning, fabulous, godly, attractive... Sexy, even." She paused again, carefully eyeing Kage. "But, to keep it simple... Am I... Pretty?"

"Um... Uh." Kage knew not to say no, that was guy 101. But his gut told him not to say yes, chances were she would see through this lie or take it the wrong way... Plus it just seemed abnormal for a woman to just go up and ask some random person if they were attractive or not, something wasn't right... But, he didn't want to anger the woman and say no... "Um... Average?"

"A-... Average?"

"Y-yeah, you know, fifty-fifty, so 'n so?"

The woman got the most confused look in her eyes. "..... I... I must leave." The woman rose to her full height, she then grabbed the boar and hoist it over her shoulder, belly up... I'm dead serious, she effortlessly lifted a boar that took a man and a griffin to barely get off the ground and propped it on her shoulder. "Goodbye, Kage, and thank you for finding my tool." She walked into the woods, showing no signs of struggle as she carried the boar. Good lord, she's friggin' strong!

"......... Black?"

"Yeah?"

"Where the bloody hell were you?"

"Cowering in fear." Well at least he was honest. "Um... Wow, I... I've never seen a human female before... Are they normally that tall?"

"Um..... Well, I can't say it's impossible... Usually the blokes are taller than the sheilas..." Kage put the lid on the cooler, then used some straps to lock it. "Ya know, she kinda reminds me of an ol' legend I heard about when I went huntin' in China."

"What's the legend?"

"The legend of the Slit-Mouth woman, an ol' legend that was told to children to keep 'em from wandering around by their lonesome." Kage explained, grabbing the cooler handle and dragging it back to their camp. Black followed behind, growing nervous as Celestia's sun began to set.

"So, how does the legend go?"

"Curiosity killed the cat, mate. You sure you wanna know?"

"... Yeah, I ain't scared!"

"Well then," Kage dropped the cooler, then sat down on the lid. "Gather 'round, and I'll tell ya a touchin' story, mate." Black shifted a little out of fear, but he approached and sat down on his haunches. "Alright kitties, here's how it goes." Kage cleared his throat. "Once upon a time, there was a strange land filled with magic, gumdrops, and soda machines that dispenced girl's grundies instead of soda cans. A place that was home to ninjas, giant monsters, and people who think Americans are bloody drongos, just like everybody else in the world... Well, except for those bloody Duke Nukems in the U.S. Yes, this was the land... Of Japan." Kage paused to add effect to his story. "Alright, I was pullin' ya leg about the monsters, ninja, and magic... Not kiddin' 'bout the panty machines though, or the Nukems... Anyway, this story takes place in Japan, not sure where the bloody hell in Japan though, bloody towns are a tongue-twisters along with more than half the names of the bloody Japs livin' there... Well, it's said that there was once a gorgeous skirt married to a bloody samurai."

"What's a samurai?"

"Think knights, but they got some sword called a katana and they look a lot more badarse... Well, the skirt was married to the samurai, but she wasn't exactly 'fair' if ya catch what I'm throwin' at ya."

"..... Oh, so she was a cheat!"

"That's usin' the ol' noodle there, mate. She was a loose skirt she was, slept with a different man every chance she got. But one day, fate decided she wasn't the sly fox she thought she was... Her husband caught her red-handed, he let the man go but the wife was in some deeeeep shit." Kage took out his kukri. "She begged and begged for forgiveness like a kid with his hand in the cookie jar, but the samurai wasn't as dumb as he let on, he knew she was a cheatin' bitch right from the start." Kage positioned his kukri on his cheek. "So, the bloke took out his sword," Kage moved his kukri across his face in a swift motion. "and sliced her mouth, giving her a gash across her mouth going ear-to-ear." Kage sheathed the kukri, noticing the sun had set and the moon was hanging high in the sky. "As he looked down at her writhing body, he said, 'Let's see if anyone would ever love a face like yours.' then he killed himself by stabbing himself with his own katana. The woman died from drowning in her own blood or blood loss, can't remember which one though."

"....... He... just, killed himself like that?"

"The Japs are very honorable people, mate. They'd rather die than live with shame, and this goes double with samurai because of their code of honor or some shit." Kage explained, Black just gave a confused look. "Yeah, I never understood it either, mate. But the legend doesn't end there, the woman was angry after death, she was so consumed by hate and revenge that she came back as a malicious spirit... They say that if you wander the streets of Japan alone, you'll find her. She's described as being very tall with long black hair and hazel eyes, her mouth covered by a surgical mask to hide her mutilated mouth. She hides a large, bladed object in her sleeve... I think it was a knife or somethin'... Anywho, if she takes an interest in ya, she'll ask ya one question."

"Am I pretty?"

"Woah!" Kage jumped off of his cooler and fell backwards, his face pale from shock. A voice had startled him, it wasn't Black's nor his but he had a good idea who's voice it was, the accused person was currently looking down at him. "You!... Eh..."

"Kuchisake-onna." It was the woman from before, her hazel eyes looking down at him with no emotion. "You were talking about the legendary Kuchisake-onna, yes?"

"Bloody hell, you scared the dick offa me!"

The woman knelt down and held out her hand, he took it and she helped him too his feet. "I'll take that as a yes." She said in monotone

"Alright, what the bloody hell is a Kuchi-whatzit, Sheila?"

"Kuchisake-onna" She corrected. "And it means, 'Slit-mouthed woman' in your language."

"Oh... You know the story then?"

"I am from Japan, the legend is well known... You know, they even made a movie about the spirit." She informed.

"Huh... Well, I reckon you know how the story goes, Sheila?"

"Yes, I know the legend...Also, she does not use a knife, she uses a large pair of scissors." She informed again.

"Well, how 'bout you tell it then? See if you can give me an' Black a good scare." Kage challenged.

"Very well then, I will finish where you left off... She will ask you 'Am I pretty?' and you can answer in two ways. If you answer no, she will brutally stab you to death with her scissors." She said, poking at Kage's stomach.

"W-what if you answer yes?"

"Well, cowardly griffin..." She paused to build-up the ominous setting. "She will remove her surgical mask and reveal her bloody, mutilated mouth and ask 'How about now?'. If you answer no or scream in horror she will cut you in half and leave you to bleed to death, and if you think you're smart and answer yes then she will cut your mouth open from ear-to-ear like hers and say 'Now you are as pretty as I', leaving you to bleed as was her fate..." The story ended, black was pale but Kage stood strong. "Anyways, I should be going, it is very late and it is dangerous to wander in the woods this late." She leaned down to get closer to their faces, then narrowed her eyes. "You never know what you might find out here at night... You could be staring death in the face right now and not even know it..." The woman stood back to her full height and walked past them, her destination unknown to Black and Kage.

"Oi!"

The woman stopped, and looked back to Kage.

"Who are you, anyway?"

".....Me?... You want my name?"

"Um... Yeah?"

The woman looked a bit shocked, like asking for her name was the same as complimenting her. Yeah, that expression. "................ I need to get going."

"Now wait a second, I just asked for your name!"

"You're sweet..." She started to walk away. "But... It would be best if you didn't know me..."

"It's just a name. I told ya mine, didn't I?" Kage said, she turned her head halfway to meet his gaze. "It's not like I'm askin' for ya number or somethin'."

`"M-My number?"

"Yeah, it's not much is it?"

"... Perhaps there is a misunderstanding between us." She turned her head back around and started walking away. "I said it would be best if you didn't know me..." She disappeared into the night, Kage didn't bother chasing her.

"What's up with her?"

"Eh, dunno mate. Seems kinda... Secretive?"

"She's definitely hiding something... Hey, you don't think?..."

"That she's Slit-mouth?"

"Yeah." Kage slapped Black in the back of the head. "Ow! Why'd you do that!?"

"Because you're thinking like a dumb-arse, bird-brain." Kage scolded. "If she was the monster she'd have already murdered us, not only that, but she is a legend. From bloody Asia, not Equiss."

"But she matches the description perfectly!"

"If I had on a hockey mask, would you automatically assume I was a bloody Canadian?"

"Um... Yes?"

"Sigh...... Bleedin' idiot... My point is, don't judge a book by it's cover." Kage grabbed the cooler handle and started walking to their camp. "C'mon, let's get this meat back to camp."

"I still don't trust her." Black retorted.

"Shaddup." Kage ordered. Eventually, they got back to their camp, a large tent and a lit fire... "Oi, did you put out the fire this mornin'?"

"I never started it in the first place, Kage." Black said, loading his crossbow.

"Hmph, 'bout time you started showing some back-bone." Kage pulled out his Kukri, ready to spill blood. "Black, stay outta the fray and cover me, I'll ambush the bloody drongo."

Black nodded and took to the sky, his sights locked on the tent's zip-door. Kage slowly approached the tent, he didn't see any movement inside so it could have been empty. All in one motion, Kage quickly unzipped the entrance and thrust his blade inside. Of course, it was empty, and everything was untouched.

"Huh... Nothin'..."

"See anything, Kage!?"

"Nothin 'ere!" Kage yelled, he zipped the tent back up and took a look around. "Hm... Must've left somethin' behind... Oh?" Kage saw something glimmer near the fire, he went to investigate and found a rusty pair of scissors. "Oi! Think I found a lead!"

Black descended beside Kage. "What is it?" Kage showed him the rusted cutters, his eyes widened.

"Look familiar?"

"That woman's scissors..."

"Yeah, looks like she knows where our camp is." Kage said. "You think she was waitin' for us?"

"I-I think she still is!" Black pointed to the path leading to their camp, there was the silhouette of a tall figure with long hair moving with the wind. It's yellow eyes glowing in the darkness and setting it out from the rest of the night. it was the woman, no doubt.

"Piss..."

"Kage..." The woman said. "I believe you have something that belongs to me... Please, return it."

"Why were you in our camp?"

"... Please, return my tool." She responded.

"I asked you a question, now answer it!"

The woman was silent, she slowly started walking toward Kage, getting taller as she did. She stopped right in front of him, looked down, and stared. "I wish for you to return my tool, then I will tell you."

".............. Fine." Kage gave her the scissors and she stored them away in her coat pocket. "Now, tell me why you were in our camp."

"Goodbye." She turned to walk away, but Kage grabbed her hand. It was cold like before, and the cold absorbed the warmth of his hand which made his spine shiver.

"You're not goin' anywhere, Sheila. You gotta do your end of the bargain." Kage said, she stopped and remained silent.

"........................ Your hand..... it's warm..."

"Don't change the subject, you ain't leavin' until I get an explanation!" Kage said, but the woman was... Distracted, by her own hand as it was clasped onto Kage's, almost hypnotized. "Oi! I'm talkin' to you!"

This seemed to snap her out of her trance and she responded. "Bathroom."

"... Bathroom?"

"Your camp had a bathroom..." Their camp DID have an out-house.

"... Well why didn't ya say so?"

"It was embarrassing..." Well she certainly didn't sound embarrassed, but Kage decided to believe her. "....................." They stood in silence.

"Eh... What?"

"You can let go of my hand now." She said.

"Huh? Oh! S-sorry..." Kage let go of her hand, it was as pale as the moon's surface.

"............." She stood in silence, simply looking at her free hand.

"Uh... You alright, mate?"

"......Why were your hands warm?"

"Um... Pardon?"

"... Nothing." She said. "Forget I said anything, goodnight." she then walked back down the path.

"... Oi, you think you can tell me ya name?"

The woman stopped, and half turned her head to face him. Her eyes glowed with an ominous yellow. "You want my name?"

"You didn't tell me when we talked last time, you said somethin' about 'being for the best.'" Kage said.

The woman stared in slight shock, she muttered something under her breath but her surgical mask prevented her lips from being read. "I... I must leave... Right now... Goodnight." She turned her head and ran, not walked, ran away... She was fast, like, really fast. Within half a second, she disappeared down the path and into the darkness... The path was a straight line, with it going up-hill if one were starting from the camp and it went for about twenty yards until the next turn... She covered twenty yards going up-hill in less than a second...

"Holy Dooley..."

"Okay, that wasn't natural." Black said in shock.

"You think?" Kage said. "The boar was one thing, but that... Bloody hell, she ain't human." Kage grabbed Black's crossbow and his quiver. "Stay 'ere and keep an eye out, I'll be back."

"Where are you going, Kage!?"

"I'm huntin' bigger game, much bigger game... If I ain't back by sunrise, don't come after me like a bloody jackarse." Kage said.

"Are you serious!? If you fight her you're a dead man!"

"And if I don't than she'll find us eventually, and when she does...! Well, I got a feelin' are funerals ain't gonna be open casket." Kage said, now wanting to think too hard about that scene.

Black was silent for a moment. "... If you don't come back alive, I'm gonna be really pissed not having my drinking buddy when we get back to Talon Rock!"

Kage nodded and ran down the path as fast as he could, not nearly as fast as the woman did but fast none the less. He eventually reached a fork in the road and pondered on what to do. "Alright, let's see..." He noticed a the tracks on the ground, they lead to the right side. "Hm, big mistake, didn't even cover your tracks."

"Cover who's tracks?"

Before Kage could turn around he was struck in the back of the head, he fell to the ground with his vision blurring.

"Oh, did you mean my tracks? I'm sorry to say, but you've seen too much..."

"S-... Slit-Mou..."

"Don't worry, after I'm done with you, I'll send you on your way with a halo and a set of wings... I'll even let your friend go along with you!"

"N-... No..." Kage was fading in and out of consciousness, he saw the woman's feet step in front of him. He was picked up by his waist and held in front of his captor, her eyes glowing yellow.

"Mhmhm, you're mine now..." That was the last thing Kage heard before he passed out.....

(An undetermined amount of time later)

"...........Mnh..... Huh?" Kage woke up feeling stiff as a brick, probably because he was tied to a tree... "Aw, bloody hell... Mnh! C'mon...! Dammit, no good." Kage said as his attempts of breaking the vines that bound him failed.

"Struggle all you want, you'll never break free of your restrains." A tall woman stepped in from the shadows. "About time you woke up as well, I was getting rather impatient with you."

"Y'know, I always thought that I'd go belly-up at the paws of a wild bear, not some psychotic she-demon." Kage scoured, the woman only laughed.

"Ahaha, oh Kage, you flatter me so!... Hm..... Kage..." The woman pondered on that name. "... Kage...... Kaaaage..... Hmm......." No, the woman wasn't trying to freak Kage out, she was genuinely thinking about that name. "Hmm...... Kage... That name..... So distant, yet... For some odd reason..." The woman looked down at Kage. "Hey, Kage. Did I know you when I was alive?"

"...Eh... When you were... Alive?"

"Yes, when I was still a fair maiden in Kyoko, back when I wasn't dead... Hmm....... Nah, I highly doubt we've ever even met... But-"

"Wait, you're actually dead!?"

"Hm?... Oh! Oh, yes, I am very well dead. Murdered by an oncoming truck I'm afraid..."

"Huh... You're a lot more... Open, when you're alone." Kage pointed out.

"Hm?... Open?... You do have a point..." The woman shrugged her shoulders. "I guess I'm just more comfortable around you."

"... You said an oncoming truck killed you?"

"Yes, I did." She answered.

"And not an angry husband?"

"Angry Husb-... Ohhhh, that old chest-nut... You know, you're not the first of my victims to bring up that false story." The woman pulled out her rusty scissors, filing her nails with it. "Oh course, with all my victims, I always set the record straight with them... You should know, I am somebody you've been talking about all night... An ol' legend told to children to keep 'em from wandering around their lonesome. as you put it... Ring any bells?"

"You're... Oh Christ Almighty..." Kage said in shock.

"Yeeeeesssss?" She hissed, suddenly invading his space bubble.

"..... Slit-Mouth..."

"BINGO! You guessed right! Now, do you know what your prize is my sweet?"

"Um... Freedom?"

"Like I haven't heard that a thousand times... No Kage, you will still be brutally murdered. But, not at this very moment! I will let you live a little longer... At least, until I finish my story." The woman stabbed her scissors into a wooden stump, then lowered her mask... It... Wasn't as bad as Kage had thought. The huge, bloody gash of legend was stitched up in the appropriate places, she practically looked normal besides the stitch-job. "Surprised? I did it myself... Personally I don't think it's too bad for a first time patch-up. It especially helps when your dead flesh can't feel pain, you know..." the demon felt her own handiwork, admiring it for a brief moment, or rather, remembering that day. "Sigh... Let me tell you my true legacy... The true tale of the Kuchisake-onna... I was twenty-two when that day came, I had just finished my hours at my quilt shop... I was known back then, as Miyama Nago, a shy girl married to a stupid, lying, CHEATING SONE OF A-....... ahem, sorry... I'll get to him soon enough... I was closing up shop when the kids made their rounds, throwing hurtful insults at poor little ol' me... Oh, how they destroyed my self-esteem, mocking me and my height... Later, I murdered them- Oh, look at me, already spoiling the story. Well, on my way home to meet my wonderful, loyal husband I discover that he went and cheated on me like the cold, little SHIT-STAIN I TURNED HIM INTO-!............ Sorry, I have some, malicious issues with a certain man..." The Demoness calmed down after that little moment.

"Sooo... You never cheated on your husband..."

"He cheated on me... Yes, after finding that out I blindly ran outside crying my heart out and BOOM! Next thing I know, I'm lying next to my mutilated corpse with a bloody truck bumper lodged in my torn mouth and a panicking driver... I didn't attend my own funeral, I was too saddened by the fact that I'll never have the experience of raising my own children... Or meeting my grandchildren... Or seeing my own mother and sister crying... It was a real downer that day. Of course, I got to see my grave, and I meet those hoodlums desecrating it....." Miyama chuckled to herself. "It's funny, of all the things that happened to me... I had one positive thought... I'm dead, and I would never have to worry about those... those little brats, and my stupid husband......... Calm down Miyama... Anyway, I thought they would leave me alone... I thought that I could be at rest... But my stupid husband started altering the story saying I cheated on him and that he was a great samurai. Then the kids came by and mocked me even after death... I guess I... I finally snapped. Those kids were my first victims, out of many, many others........ To be honest, I'm not really sure why I came all the way out here, I just had a feeling in my gut..... I guess, It was fate that brought us here." She took her scissors and removed them from the stump, tracing them along Kage's mouth. "Wouldn't you agree, my sweet?"

"Ey! Banshee reject!" A voice called out, the source intentionally snapped a branch with it's talon to give away it's location. "Why don't you be a good little ghost and untie my bro before I scratch your eyes out with my talons!" Yep, it was Black Wing.

"Black!? What the bloody hell did I tell you!?"

"Oh, you're that Griffin I scared the shit out of... How pleasant, my victims making my job easier by coming to me." Miyama's personality did a complete 180, she was now her unemotional cold self.

"Black! I told ya to get the hell outta 'ere!" Kage shouted.

"No can do, Kage. One, bros never leave another bro hangin'. Two, I'm not alone." At that moment, a tall figure rushed in and circled around Miyama, spreading a white powder into a ring surrounding the demon. Once the circle was complete, the figure stopped and rose to it's full height.

It was the woman? "Salt circle has been set, the spirit is trapped."

"Wait a bloody minute! Who are you!?"

Miyama was about to ask that as well until she processed what she was trapped in. "Salt circle!?" The demon tried punching through but an invisible wall blocked her path.

"Demons cannot cross salt, you are trapped until I release you." The woman said in monotone.

"No! Nonononono!" Miyama tried punching through the wall again and again and again, all efforts in vain. "LET! ME! GO!" Miyama saw the woman pull out a silver cross, her eyes shrinked. "NO! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO MEEE!!!"

"In the name of the lord, I purge you!"

"Get away from meee....... GET AWAY!"

"HANG ON A BLOODY MINUTE!" Everyone stopped what they were doing, seeing Kage had cut himself free with his Kukri. "Let me talk to her... I dunno who the devil you are, Sheila. But lemme talk to her... Please..."

"......... Why?"

"Because, I know her story... She's been through some deep shit, I just wanna talk to her." Kage said.

"... Fine, you may speak with the Demon." the Miyama Look-alike stepped aside and let Kage talk to Miyama.

"Miyama... I'm sorry for what you had to put up with... But you have to stop this, it's not right!"

"No! I!......I..... Can't." Miyama fell to her knees. "I just can't!"

"Miyama, look at yourself!" Kage pointed to her scissors, which showed her reflection. "You're a bloody demon! You kill people for no reason, just because you can't get over your past!... What the hell happened to you?"

"......... I pushed back." Miyama attempted to strike Kage, but the salt protected him from the attack. "I pushed back! I was a pushover, I should have murdered those brats long before I died!" Miyama screamed at Kage, he wasn't intimidated.

"Miyama, stop... This ain't right, this ain't who you are!"

"It... It... Isn't... This isn't me..." She tried to strike Kage again, the attack once again being deflected by the salt barrier. She kept swinging regardless. "This isn't me! This isn't me! This isn't me! This isn't me! This isn't ME!......" She stopped her assault, panting and taking in sweet air. Once she got her breath under control she started to speak. "... This isn't me....... It's the new me... I'm a..." She started to cry, softly at first but it only grew over time. "I'm a Monsterrr! I k-killed so many, just because of my stupid hunger for revenge!... I... sniff I can't go back to how it was... I've killed so many, I've spilled too much blood to gain redemption..." Miyama stopped to cry some more, then she wipe her face of tears. "I... I miss my mommy, I miss my sister, I miss my old life! I didn't want to die, there was so much too see, so many experiences to live through..."

"You weren't out for revenge, mate." Kage grabbed the woman's cross, showing it to Miyama. When she saw her reflection in the silver, she didn't see her demonic hazel irises. She stared back at soft, green irises, her true irises. "You just wanted to live... You thought it was to exact your revenge, but that was just your judgement bein' clouded by hate..." Kage retracted the cross and crossed the barrier, Miyama started pushing him out.

"Get away from me! I'm a monster!"

"Now that's enough!" Kage shouted, Miyama flinched back in responce. "You ain't no bloody monster!... You wanna see a real monster, than look at me. I kill animals for bloody fun and I wear their skins like a damn wack-job!... I ain't no better than you, princess." Kage pushed the cross into Miyama's stomach, it sizzled like a hot iron. "In the name of whatevah bloody god watches over us, I purge you of sin!" Miyama felt a warmth overtake her, her eyes glowed as she witnessed a vision of the best day of her past life. "Bloody repent! Whatevah the hell that means!"

(Twenty years ago, Kyoko playground)

"Hah! Look at you, you're way too tall to be our friend!"

"B-but-"

"Can't you take a hint, Giant-chan? Nobody likes you, you're a freak!" The kids left the playground, and with it, a very sad little girl named Miyama Nago.

"I... I just wanted to play a little..." Tears threatened to leave little Miyama's eyes.

"Oi! You alright there, lil' girl!?" A tall man called out to her, he had scruffy hair and a pair of yellow shades. He wore a red T-shirt with a brown, sleeveless jacket that had various pockets lining the front. She noticed a symbol on the right side of the jacket, it looked like a ram skull. He had light-brown cargo pants and dusty boots, he certainly didn't dress like a Japanese man and his language wasn't Japanese either, so he must have been a foreigner. He eventually reached Miyama, a little winded but he wasn't panting for breath. "Oi... I saw what happened just now... You... Hang on, lemme catch my breath..." He took the time to catch his breath before speaking. "Okay... You alright there, miss? I saw those lil' brats givin' ya an ear-full, they rough ya up any?"

"U-um... Mommy said not to talk to strangers..."

"She did, eh? Well she's raisin' ya right... Now c'mon, tell me what's troublin' ya." The man said.

"W-well... Everyone hates me! Nobody wants to play with me, j-just because I'm tall!"

"Huh... The white wolf singled outta the pack 'cause he's different, eh?" The man turned and looked around. "Hmm... Oi, Kage!" A child came out of the big jungle gym with a candy bar in his mouth. He ran to the man with the candy hanging from his mouth.

"Whash up, popsh?" He said with the candy bar still in his mouth, making his speech sound like this.

"Git the bloody food outta ya mouth when ya talkin' to me." The man ordered. the boy took a bite out of his food and swallowed the piece. "Good. Now, this 'ere girl's got no one to play with, why don't ya keep 'er company?"

Kage looked at the girl, who looked away from him in shyness. "Akay." He walked up to the girl and held out his hand, giving a bright smile. "Names Kage, Sheila!"

"U-um... Sheila?"

"Yeah, yer a Sheila aren't ya?"

"Boy, they don't say Sheila round 'ere, call 'em ladies." The man said.

"Ohhh, Akay." The boy held out his candy bar to Miyama, which upon closer inspection, wasn't candy at all. "Oi, want some jerky, ladies?"

"Now don't git smart with me, boy." The man said, Kage just smirked. "Well, you waitin' for a bloody signal flare? Get to it, I'll be back 'ere when ya mum's done sight-seein'."

"You just want me gone so you and mum can go to that 'love hotel' you were talkin' about." Kage said, which made the man quickly cover Kage's mouth.

"L-Love Hotel!?" Miyama said with a blush.

"Ahahaha! Bloody joker, you are!" The man gave Kage some yen. "This'll shut ya up, right?" Kage gave him a thumbs up and took the money. "Right then, I'll be back later." The man walked off and left the two children to themselves.

"M-my names... Miyama Nago, it's nice to meet you." Miyama said with a bow.

"Names Kage, nice meetin' ya!" Kage took her hand and vigorously shook it, flustering Miyama.

"O-oh! Um, that was-"

"C'mon, let's go!"

"Wait, where are we- Woah!" Kage took off with Miyama in tow, they went into the castle where a large hole was dug up. Kage let go of Miyama's hand and jumped in.

"I dug a hole!"

"... Why?"

"Dunno... Just felt like digging!" He climbed out, taking a bite out of his jerky and then stuffing the rest into Miyama's mouth. "C'mon, have a bite! It's beef flavor!"

"Ack! Phea! Don't just shove things into my mouth like that, idiot!"

"Why? It's good jerky, ain't it?"

Miyama opened her mouth to yell further, but then she paused once the taste hit her. "... Huh, it's not bad..."

"Yeah, that meat's the fair dinkum... You know what that means, right?"

"No, what?"

"Means it's the real thing, mate." He explained.

"Oh... Well, you said it was beef flavored earlier, right? So isn't that a bit redundant?"

`"... Oh yeah, I said that already... Guess I got a Kangaroo loose in the top paddock, mah right?"

"Um..." Miyama was very confused by his jargin.

"... Right then. So whataya Japs do for fun round 'ere anyway?"

"I take offence to that." Miyama warned.

"I can go a lot worse, mate. People round 'ere aren't exactly throwin' out the welcome wagon for foreigners. Hell, some guy called my pop Gator-bait a while ago!" Miyama couldn't help but giggle a little. "Oh, you think it's funny when I'm hurt, mate? I'm serious, some of these blokes are mean as cat piss!"

"Pffh- What!? Mean as cat pee!?"

"Yeah, it's a sayin' we got down under. Let's see... How 'bout 'dryer than a nun's nasty' or 'as useless as tits on a bull', we got loads of 'em!"

"Ehehe, your language is very..."

"Shit-mouthed?"

"I was gonna say colorful." Miyama said.

"Huh... Still, why the bloody hell do your people hate us?"

"... Well, we get a lot of foreigners here in Japan... Some businesses have to know English to accommodate for them." She said.

"Like yours?"

"Yeah... My mom is a seamstress she taught me English to help out." She explained. "Japan... Has a bit of a foreigner problem..."

"Hah! That's rich, you think you have it bad? Look at them Seppos in the U.S., they made a border to keep the bloody immigrants out but they still sneak in!" Kage lounged back on the castle walls. "So, like I said, whataya do for fun round 'ere?"

Miyama tried to think of something, but nothing came to mind.

"You don't know either, mate?... Can't say I didn't see that coming... By the way, what's up with those dogs you were talkin' to?"

"Dogs?"

The Sheila's that nearly gave ya an ear-bashin', they just up 'n left ya!"

"You mean the girls I was talking to?... Well, um..."

"I thought so, mate." Kage said.

"... I just wanted to be friends with them." Miyama said. "But they said I was too tall..."

"Too tall? Bloody hell, that's the dumbest excuse I ever heard!" Kage shuffled beside her and patted her back. "Aw, don't beat yourself up like this, those hard-arse dropkicks ain't worth the trouble."

"But I have no friends, just because I'm tall!"

"Yeah, and I ain't got no friends round here either just because I'm a dinkum Aussie, it's a sorry excuse ain't it?"

"Well... How do you cope?"

"Me? I just ignore 'em, the drongos can stir up shit somewhere else. Hell, the dogs you were talkin' to weren't nobody's cobblers, especially yours." Kage said.

"A cobbler?"

"A friend, buddy, mate, ringin' a bell?" Kage said, tapping his head.

"So you're saying they weren't my friends to begin with?"

"I figured you knew that when they denied your friendship, but yeah... Oi, I know what'll cheer ya up!" Kage got up and ran out of the castle, he went back after a moment. "C'mon, let's go get an ice-block!"

"Ice-block?"

"Ice-cream, popcicle, whatever ya call it round 'ere. My throat's as dry as a dead dingo's doodle and you could use some cheerin' up." Kage held out his hand and smirked. "How 'bout it, mate?"

Miyama was silent, but soon she took his hand and nodded. "I'd like that."

"Aw, how adorable." A girl walked into the castle, blocking the entrance. "The Giant is friends with the Hick, who would've guessed!"

"Hick!? Why don't you say to my face ya half-eyed ankle-biter!"

"Half-eyed!? At least I don't smell like a dead rat!"

"Least I don't act like a rat, you bloody coward!" The girl was obviously getting angrier, as was Kage. "Why you messin' with us anyway? Don't you have somethin' better to do than to meddle with us?"

"The castle's MY turf, Aussie." The girl said, trying to act tough. "Why don't you beat-it before I get angry."

Kage just stood there with a confused look. "....... Is she serious? Does she seriously think she can scare me? Hah! I bet you've never even been in a scrap before!" Kage simply moved her aside with a little push, escorting Miyama out.

"I-I have so been in a scrap!... Hey, don;t ignore me!"

"I'll believe it when I see it, come talk to me when you earn a few scars and a set o' ovaries." Kage and Miyama left the bully, who was fuming with anger. "See that? That's how ya piss off a bully, don't give 'em any attention."

"....... T-Thank you, Kage." Miyama said.

"Don't sweat it, I had a bully too when I was younger. He was a mean bastard." Kage chuckled at the memory. "Yep, kicked my arse every bloody day at recess, but one day, I hit 'im back... Worse mistake I ever made, he beat my arse like a bloody mule that day... But, I earned his respect by taking that beatin' like a man... "

'chu'

"Huh?" Kage touched his cheek, feeling the wet spot on it. He looked back at Miyama who was blushing like a tomato. "Did you just..."

"It was... I just... I felt so thankful that..."

"Woah now, cool ya jets there. No harm done, you were just thankful." Kage said with a comforting tone. "Besides, we're mates right? Don't need to be embarrassed when ya mate's involved... Unless it's somethin' inappropriate..."

"Mate..... As in, friend?"

"Whataya think it means?"

"Oh..... Right." Miyama looked down and then away from Kage, she seemed nervous.

"What's wrong?"

"Um......... N-nothing, let's just get some ice cream." She said.

"Certainly doesn't sound like nothing... C'mon, tell me what's bitin' ya." Kage asked.

"..... Kage, have you ever... Liked someone?"

"You mean love?... Eh, I've had my fair share of crushes, nothin' serious though." He said halfheartedly. "Why, you fond of someone?"

"... Well, I guess..... Does love make you wanna throw-up?"

"Yep, that's love alright... Sucks, doesn't it?"

"Especially when the person I like is completely oblivious..."

"So he's an idiot, eh?"

"Well...... He's a funny idiot, I guess..."

"..... Ya know, I just realized somethin'." Kage looked around for a moment, then sighed. "Yep, I have no idea where the bloody hell the ice-cream place is."

Miyama looked around for a landmark to identify their location. "Over here."

Kage followed her back a distance until they came to a brightly colored building with a large Ice-cream cut-out on the sign. "How the hell did I miss that?"

"It's fine, you couldn't read it anyways. Come on, let's get some ice-cream." After they got their frozen treats the two walked around town a little. The sun was close to setting which meant they didn't have much time left. "... Hey, did you hear about the new planet that was discovered?"

"You mean that Equesta-whatsit place? Yeah, they said that a few men were sent there. Came back alive, they did... Said there were beings there like us in the brains department." Kage licked at his cone. "They said in a few years we'll be able to go there..."

"Space travel?... Sounds kind of scary to me." Miyama said.

"Well, that's where I'll be when I leave the nest. I'll hunt me some nasty beasts and mount 'em on my wall!"

"You wanna kill them?"

"The animals, not the sentients. My ol' man was a hunter and I plan on bein' one too... You know Miyama, I'm leavin' today..."

"You're leaving Earth?"

"No, I'm leavin' Japan. Gotta go back home, you know?"

"Oh..." Miyama took his hand. "Don't worry Kage, no matter what happens we'll always be friends!"

"... Yeah, you're right. Don't matter where we go, we'll always be friends." Kage smirked. "Hell, maybe when I go to the planet we can meet up an' share a gutful o' piss!... That means share a few drinks... Or get wasted, though I'm referin' to the first thing... So, whataya say Miya?"

"... Yeah, I'd like that very much." Miyama said, smiling at Kage's antics. "But how will I know it is you?"

"Simple, you'll know me the minute you shake my hand!... Oh, wait." Kage spit in his hand and held it out to her. "Now, do what I did and let's shake on it!"

"Eh..... That was... Gross..... Why would I shake your spit-covered hand?"

"It's called a spit-shake, pops told me nothin' is more sacred than a spit-shake. He told me doin' a spit-shake is like swearing your life on somethin'. So let's shake on it, that you and me will meet in that planet!"

Miyama was hesitant, but she spit in her own hand and grabbed Kage's own. "It's a deal."

"Oi! Kage, s' time to go!"

"Ah piss..... Ah I'm sorry Miya, I wanted to hang out some more but..."

"Will I ever see you again?"

"Course ya will! We shook on it!" Kage gave her a hug and started walking to his dad. "Oh, and about that idiot ya like... Tell 'im how you feel, blubberin' air-head probably won't figure it out on his own."

"Wait, um..... About that idiot..." Miyama was shifting around nervously. "Well..... What if he says no?"

"You won't know until you try, right?"

"......... Kage, we're... Mates, right?"

"Yeah." He said.

Miyama ran up and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Thanks for being my friend... I'll always remember you... you...you...

(End of Flashback.)

"Miyama's vision returned to her, all those memories of that boy, her only... friend she ever made when she was young. "That day..." She said. "That day was the happiest moment of my life..." She looked down at Kage, she started to shed tears. "It's... It's you... That boy that... Kage, I'm so sorry, I would have killed you if your friend and..." Miyama looked at the woman near Black. "....... Tsu... Tsubaki...? Is that..."

"Yes." She said in monotone. "It's me... Sister."

"Tsubaki... It's so good to see you again, and you became a priestess like you wanted..."

"Yes, and you are looking much better now, your mouth has returned to normal." Tsubaki pointed out.

"I see that now..." Miyama looked down at Kage. "Kage... It really was fate that brought us together."

"Uh, it was?"

"Do you not remember? You went to Japan when you were little, and you met a girl there... You became friends with her, and did a spit-shake promising to meet her at Equiss." Miyama said.

"..... Yeah, I remember that day... Was that...?"

"It was me, Miyama Natsu... Well, you weren't wrong about the spit-shake, we DID meet up here..."

"Ehehe, yeah, guess we did... Say, what did you mean when you said I'd be better off not knowin' ya name?"

"That would be me, Kage." Tsubaki said. "I said that to you to try and scare you away from this place... I knew my sister was here and I didn't want you to get hurt."

"... Coulda just told us a bloody murderer was 'ere, but alright." Kage turned back to Miyama. "Say, whatever happened to that boy you liked?"

Miyama chuckled a little. "Oh Kage... You're such an idiot..."

Kage raised a brow in confusion. "..... Wait a minute..."

"For now... Goodbye..." Miyama bent down and kissed Kage on his forehead. Her body became spectral and a halo hovered over her head, her body was slowly disappearing. "My love..." She finally faded away, leaving behind little sparkles of light.

"Bloody hell... I was that idiot..." Kage turned to the woman, who was putting her mask back on. "So, you're her sis?"

"Yes, I was her sister before she passed away... I suppose I still am as well." She said.

"Huh... Does height run in the family?"

"We were identical twins, technically she was older since she came out first." She explained "I was her twin, our height was a mere coincidence, not hereditary."

"And the bloody mask?"

"I have a lung condition that makes me cough up blood, I use this to contain my bloody coughs and protect my lungs from harmful things in the air." She explained.

"..... Well, how the bloody hell did you and Black meet?"

"I stumbled into your camp, Black freaked out and I explained myself as a priestess. He told me the situation and we formed a plan to help you." She explained.

"Well how did you find me out 'ere?"

"Wings bro." Black said. "And eagle eyes."

"....... Huh, well Black, I owe you a drink." Kage stepped out of the ring of salt. "Too bad I couldn't share that drink with Miya... Poor thing."

"Yes..... By the way, what are your feeling toward her?"

"Feelings?... You askin' weather I love her or not?" Tsubaki nodded. "Course I don't... I mean, we barely knew each other, she wasn't hard on the eyes but love isn't something that just happens, you gotta fall into it over time... I don't hate her, far from it. I just..."

".......... I understand, but what if you spent more time with her?"

"... Dunno, we were good friends for a short time, we could make it work... Probably can't now, she's gone." Kage said.

"..... Interesting." Tsubaki took back her cross and left without another word, leaving Kage and Black by themselves.

"... Huh, weird." Kage remembered something important that he'd forgot about. "Oh bloody hell, the cooler!"

"Oh shit, we forgot didn't we?"

"Yep... Bloody hell... Probably rotted by now too..."

"Don't sweat it, we can just grab some grub at my place in Talon Rock." Black offered.

"Yeah, you're right... Ehehe, hell of a week, come out huntin' for game and we find a bloody demon." Kage said with a smirk.

"Ain't no rest for the wicked, right?"

"Yeah, ain't no rest for the wicked... Okay, I'm bored now." Kage stated.

"You wanna go get wasted?"

"You know I do." The two walked down the path Tsubaki took, made it back to their camp, and went back to the Griffin town of Talon Rock to get tanked, and they lived happily ever after. As for Miyama, she could finally rest in peace while watching over Kage until his inevitable demise. Since she couldn't meet him on Equiss, maybe they could catch up in eternity...

(Ending Song: Boats and Birds by Gregory and The Hawk. Look it up, this cute song fits well here.)

Author's Note

Happy Halloween my Pretties! Ahahahaha!!!..... Yep, it's Halloween and all that that good stuff. Anyway, I am NOT Australian, so Kage's accent and jargon are things I looked up. I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long, I'm a disorganized train wreck of stress and school work! Yay, school work... Well, this has been the Halloween special, good night and don't walk alone out there... Or she's gonna get you... Tootles!