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Orin peered around the corner of the study, a look of concern etched into her face. At a glance nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Satori, Mistress of the Palace of the Earth Spirits and her dear master, sat in a plush, purple armchair near the fireplace with a book in her hands and a tray holding her lunch on the table beside her.

Yet, taking a closer look revealed several things wrong with the picture. For one, her food was untouched; the sandwich Orin took special care to slice into little triangles and line up nice and orderly sat undisturbed and her glass of juice was still just as full as when she poured it. Then there was her book. She took a glance at it when leaving her master's food and even from her current distance she could see the same bold chapter number as before.

The kasha glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner of the room. 2 o'clock. An hour and a half and yet her master hasn't even turned the page of her book, let alone touch her food. She just sat there, unmoving as she stared with vacant eyes at the empty chair opposite her. A soft sigh escaping her lips Orin turned away, keeping her thoughts quiet so as not to disturb the mind-reader.

In times past she might have assumed her feline form and jumped up in her lap, paw at her for attention and try to comfort her with her purrs, and while it used to be effective, Satori gradually became less and less responsive over time. Last time she tried she got maybe a few strokes behind her ears before her master's hand simply laid on her like a deadweight. Even when Okuu joined in, perching on her shoulder and nuzzling against her cheek, there was little reaction beyond a few light caresses of her feathers.

Orin walked into the kitchen and seeing Utsuho lazing about at the table plopped down into the chair opposite her with a heavy sigh, startling the hell raven. After a beat of silence the taller youkai spoke up.

"Well?" Okuu asked.

Orin shook her head.

"Nothing. Not so much as a crumb out of place."

The other girl slumped back in her chair at this, wings drooping to the ground.

"She at least ate her breakfast, right?"

"A little, but not much. Okuu, I'm really starting to worry. She's been getting worse for months now. Not eating enough, not sleeping well, she barely does anything anymore."

Orin looked to her friend for answers. After a second of thought the other girl spoke up.

"Well, it is almost that time of year again…"

At this both girls went silent, their gazes falling to the table. Time was a hard thing to tell down in the Underworld, but the residents of the Palace of the Earth Spirits never forgot when this time of year came around. The time of year when things became a lot less lively around the palace, and the reason their beloved master sits in the study so often, doing nothing by staring forlornly at the green armchair that once held their other treasured master, before the events of "that day."

Neither Orin nor Okuu liked to think about what happened on "that day." There was so much pain in their air, so many tears, so much crying, begging, pleading. But even if they tried to ignore it and focus on their jobs instead Satori did not have that luxury. They tried their best to comfort her, distract her, find her new hobbies or interests, but whenever the anniversary of that dreadful day came around the palace always felt akin to a ruin as old wounds resurfaced.

That's how it's been for decades now. While nothing more than a drop in the bucket for the lifespan of youkai, the days were still long, and whenever things died down in the palace a heavy silence filled the air unable to be ignored. And it seems that time is finally chipping away at their master's armor, if her increasingly subdued demeanor is anything to go by.

"We need to do something."

Okuu perked up.

"Like what? Oh! How about a cake?"

"Uh…no. I was thinking something more along the lines of a, um, gesture? And besides, I think baking Miss Satori a cake might send the wrong message."

"Aww. I know your right, but still, cake sounds like a good idea…"

Orin pinched the bridge of her nose. Okuu was very dear to her, even more so than their master in some ways, but sometimes calling her 'birdbrained' really was the most fitting descriptor, and not just for the pun either.

"Well," Okuu began. "What kind of gesture did you have in mind?"

"Hmm. I suppose it would have to be more permanent. Whenever we cheer her up it never lasts long. So, what we need is something that will do just that, last. Something that'll make her spirit shine just a little bit brighter. But what could it be?"

"Humph, there's only one thing that could do that…"

Orin fell quiet, knowing exactly what her friend was referring too. Okuu, however, seemed to have a revelation at her own words and shot upright.

"Only one thing…" she echoed.

Orin looked at her quizzically.

"Okuu?"

She didn't get a response as instead the bird girl jumped from her seat, eyes alight.

"Okuu!?"

"I have an idea! But I can't say, can't stay here either, Miss Satori can't know about it!"

She turned and ran from the kitchen in the exact opposite direction of the study.

"Okuu!"

Orin called after the other girl but it was too late, she was already gone. With a huff she looked over the counter and cabinets.

"Guess I'm making dinner on my own tonight…"


Sure enough, later that day Orin and Satori sat together at the dining table, steaming bowls of stew placed before them. Orin was quite confident in her cooking skills, but today she decided to try harder and make a fancy stew she read about once. The idea is that having something new to try will provide her master with a distraction, if only for a little bit, but even so she found herself worrying about if she would even like it.

"I assure you Orin that I am not lying. Your stew is very good."

"Thank you Miss Satori!"

The kasha didn't even think twice at having Satori voice her own thoughts, instead flashing her a pleased smile. In contrast to how she was when Orin checked up on her earlier the mind-reader appeared to be in much better spirits now. She didn't even need much prodding to get her to come to dinner.

Or at least, that's how it would look at a glance. While it may have gone unnoticed by Okuu had she been present, Orin was observant enough to pick up the signs; how she moved a little slower, held her third eye a bit lower, stirred her stew just a tad longer than necessary. Little signs that didn't mean much separately, but together showed that which Satori was trying so hard to hide from her pets.

"I must ask though, where is Okuu?"

She cast a look to the spot the hell raven normally sat at, now empty. Orin turned her attention back to her bowl, stirring up the contents with her spoon in the hopes it would keep her thoughts from wondering. But she can't just ignore her master. What was she supposed to say? That she was off planning some sort of way to help get their master through the next few weeks?

"Oh, so that's what it is…"

This time Orin flinched at her lapse in vigilance. Normally she didn't consider her master's mind reading abilities invasive in the least bit, but on the rare occasions she did have a secret to keep, be it serious or silly, it was virtually impossible to keep for long without avoiding her entirely.

Before she could respond Satori continued.

"Orin, I understand that you and Okuu are worried for me, and I do appreciate your efforts, truly. However, such actions are unnecessary. I will simply continue on as I always have."

That's the problem though…

Orin immediately mentally smacked herself for letting the thought slip out. Sparing a glace to her master showed Satori with her head hung low, face hidden behind her hair. Her third eye, which had just barely been hovering above the table, likewise dropped out of sight. Even though they had barely been at the table for five minutes it was clear that she wouldn't be eating anymore of her dinner.

"Miss Satori, I…"

The words died on her lips. What could she possibly say to console someone who could read her heart and know how she really felt? That she genuinely thought her master was wasting away and not even caring? Orin didn't have the answer, so rather than reply she returned to her stew. It tasted bland.


Dinner had long since ended and Satori had retreated to her room for the night. Orin had taken what was left of her stew and fed it to the other, non-youkai pets that roamed the palace before getting started on the dishes. Heaving a heavy sigh she leaned on the counter top, gazing blankly into the soapy water as her mind ran in circles.

There wasn't much conversation after Orin's mental blunder. Not for lack of trying; she did try to start up conversation a few times, but between not being able to clear her thoughts and her master's uneventful day there really much to talk about. It wasn't long before dinner was over and, after giving her pet a half-hearted hug, Satori went off to bed.

"Orin!"

"Eep!"

The kasha gave a startled yelp as a harsh whisper broke silence, flinging dishwater everywhere.

"Oh, sorry…"

Okuu learned around the corner with a sheepish look as Orin turned to glare at her. With a huff the shorter girl got down and began wiping up the now soaked floor.

"Jeez Okuu, don't scare me like that!"

"Hey, I was trying to be quiet you know!" she interrupted. Grabbing a towel she joined her friend on the floor, her wings fidgeting every few seconds giving away that she was excited about something and failing to hide it. Orin raised an eyebrow at her.

"What's gotten into you Okuu? First you skip dinner, then you sneak up on me acting all suspicious?"

"That's just it Orin, I think I figured it out!"

Okuu shot forward and shoved her face into Orin's, coming nearly nose-to-nose with her. Orin stiffened at the sudden closeness and hastily tried scooting back only for Okuu to match her, keeping her beaming face mere centimeters from her own.

"W-W-What's that Okuu…" she stuttered.

"A way to help Miss Satori of course!"

Orin blinked, processing the words, and rose to her feet, Okuu following her lead.

"Okay, explain then."

"It's actually quite simple! Really! You see, you and I go to the surface, find Miss Koishi, and bring her home! Problem solved! Oh, Miss Satori will be so thrilled!"

She put her hands on her hips, a proud smile plastered to her face while Orin just stared at her before dropping her head into her hand, rubbing her brows.

"Okuu… is that really all you could come up with?"

"Yup!"

"Then where were you all afternoon?!"

Okuu jumped at Orin's sudden outburst, the smaller girl once again glaring up at her with her arms crossed and tails flicking in agitation.

"I-I was making preparations! Here!"

She quickly ducked out of the kitchen and appeared a second later with two large bags in hand, one dark green and the other light green with her control rod sticking out from it. She handed the darker one to Orin.

"You really need some new clothes, all I could find was the same dark green dress. Then again, all my clothes look the same too…"

Orin stared at the pack in her hands, stuffed with clothes much like Okuu's.

"You made us travel packs? Wait, you went through my clothes?!"

She held the pack to her chest as if scandalized, only for Okuu to tilt her head in confusion.

"Yeah, why? We need clothes if we're going to be gone for a while, wont we?"

"That's not the point! Actually, this is beside the point. Do you really expect us to just leave and go hunt for Miss Kosihi and drag her back here?"

"Uh, yeah."

Orin facepalmed.

"Okuu…"

"Orin, you know it's the only thing that'll make Miss Satori better."

A sigh.

"I know…"

"And besides, if we don't go, how will Miss Satori feel when she reads our thoughts tomorrow and sees what we were planning to do?"

"We? This was your idea!"

"But aren't you thinking about doing it right now?"

At that Orin faltered, images of traveling to the surface and searching far and wide for their missing master filing her head. Vaguely she wondered to herself if Okuu had planned this out to coerce her into coming along. Judging by the innocent look she was giving it was highly doubtful.

The silence between them held for a moment longer before Orin gave one last heavy sigh.

"Okay, we're going to the surface then," she relented. Okuu was about to cheer before Orin held up her finger. "But first, you help me finish the dishes. Then we're redoing the bags. What did you do, just grab random clothes and shove them inside?"


Hi there! If you made it this far then thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this then please stay tuned for more. I can't promise a consistent upload schedule but I can promise that I will see this story through to the end. Feel free to leave a review, otherwise take care!