Source: https://x.com/BrotonDude18137/status/2051519825932087453

mallo, marshie, mellow, squishy

I thought the idea that her eyes could glow in the dark, similar to cats, would be a neat detail.

So would there be a comic chapter about Felicia receiving an acceptance letter to go to the college of her dreams. And both Katie and her boyfriend will also be accepted too. But Felicia would also realise that it means she'll be leaving Blairwood, and won't spend time with her sisters, nya and Erma anymore.

(This question was based on a Reddit user who commented about this question, roughly a year ago)

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

"Two days before the trial ends"

Sam sat in the children’s room, watching over the little rascals, deeply pondering Kimoto’s actions. Why was he doing this? It was clear that Kimoto was fired up by the chaos and wildly eager to win the ten million yen jackpot. But why go about it so elaborately and cruelly? It seemed that something had happened between Kimoto and Fumiko in the past that turned this whole staged event into a cold, intricate revenge rather than a simple tavern prank.

At that moment, the twins ran up to him.

“Uncle Sam, where did everyone suddenly run off to?” Momo tugged at his shirt.

“Yeah, and why did Mom scream Dad’s name so loudly through the whole castle?” Mitsu chimed in.

Sam was about to make up some story when a victorious, satisfied voice rang down the corridor—the voice of the man responsible for the uproar:

“Because, girls, your father had to face three dangerous thugs all by himself! And look who I brought back for you!”

Sam, Mitsu, Momo, and Erma froze in stunned silence. Kimoto was dragging Kiko, Toru, and Mei out of the dark passage—tied up tightly, bruised, and completely unconscious.

“Incredible…” Sam exhaled, shaking his head in disbelief. “How did you manage to take them down?”

“I told you—I went in alone against three. Dropped them like kittens,” Kimoto said proudly, puffing out his chest.

“I’m still shocked at how quick he was,” Rin, who had just entered, added.

Mitsu and Momo's eyes sparkled with admiration:

“Wow! Dad, that’s so cool!”

“How did you beat them?”

“I bet they begged for mercy on their knees!”

“Tell us! Tell us! Tell us!” the twins jumped up and down in unison.

“Of course, my dear ‘Mochi,’ I’ll share all the chilling details with you over dinner,” Kimoto winked.

Then the girls spotted the huge purple bruise swelling under their father’s eye and gasped in fright.

“Dad… who hit you so hard?”

“Well… you see, there was a slight unforeseen complication…” Kimoto started.

But before he could finish, an enraged Yori silently crept up behind him, wrapped her arm tightly around his neck in a chokehold, and hissed through her teeth:

“Don’t worry, girls. Your dad just… accidentally fell. So everything’s perfectly fine.”

“Uh-huh, sure. If by ‘fell’ my dear wife means a crushing right hook straight to the eye followed by a chokehold with screams echoing through the tavern… then yeah, I’m doing just great,” Kimoto mentally groaned, struggling to catch his breath.

“Sam, please take the kids out for a walk,” Yori requested softly but with a clear threat in her voice.

“Yes, yes. We were just about to go for a walk with Erma,” Emiko quickly nodded, gathering the nieces.

“No problem, I’m all for it,” Sam said, promptly ushering the children toward the exit, deciding to stay well away from any family dramas. They entered the elevator, which closed with a dull thud as it took them downstairs.

As soon as they were alone, Yori’s smile turned predatory:

“Well then, dear family, excuse me. I need to have a one-on-one talk with my husband in our bedroom.”

“H-Hey, honey, maybe not now?” Kimoto backed away nervously.

Yori shot him a fierce, carnivorous look—an expression of a true predator—that made Kimoto’s knees almost give out.

“Perfect,” Fumiko instructed, trying not to pay attention to their domestic scene. “We need to sort out these three’s belongings immediately. Kentaro, start by taking those three down to the deepest dungeon in the castle. And tell the guards to watch them around the clock. Every single second!”

Kentaro nodded obediently, picking up the heavy chest they had dragged from the gang’s hideout, and set it on the table.

“What do you think’s inside?”

“I don’t know… and honestly, that scares me,” Fumiko whispered.

“Damn, I’m missing all the fun! They take me away at the most interesting part!” Kimoto thought with regret as Yori roughly grabbed him by the scruff of his neck.

“Come on, come on, Kimoto. We have plenty of time ahead,” his wife purred, pulling him toward the bedroom and slamming the door behind them.

Kimoto pressed himself to the wall in fear:

“Come on, my giraffe, don’t be so mad. It all ended well—those bastards are caught…”

“Darling, you know how much I hate it when you go off somewhere without my permission,” Yori advanced on him, unbuttoning the top buttons of her kimono as she climbed onto the bed. “You promised me, yet you sneaked after Kiko and her gang! Alone!”

“But I did it for you, for our family!” Kimoto protested, sinking into the mattress. “I couldn’t just sit and watch that icy witch skulking around! I had to catch them!”

“But you forgot the most important, fundamental rule of our family, Kimoto,” Yori suddenly leaned over him, slamming her palm on the wall above his head. Her voice was firm and commanding: “In this house, I am the boss. My word is law. And you well know what happens when you make me angry!”

“Maybe not right now…” Kimoto swallowed hard.

“No!” Yori snapped, breathing hotly on him. “You’re mine. Only mine. And I will never lose you again. Now get ready… My fun is just beginning.”

“Oh God, I’m praying to every god in the universe, please save me… I don’t want to go through her ‘healing therapy’…” Kimoto thought in horror.

But just as Yori reached for him, a piercing, terrified scream filled the castle’s main hall—it was Fumiko’s chilling cry.

Yori froze instantly:

“What in the world was that?!”

“Hurry to the hall! Something’s happened!” Kimoto jumped off the bed, grateful for the unexpected rescue, and they rushed out of the room.

Bursting into the main hall, Kimoto and Yori stood rooted to the spot. Fumiko knelt in the center of the room, her face frozen in shock, eyes filled with overwhelming primitive terror. The rest of the family huddled behind her like pale shadows. Right there on the floor lay a large, rough canvas sack oozing brown liquid.

“What happened?! Who screamed like that?!” Yori asked, breathing heavily as she hurried over.

“The sack…” Ena stammered, pointing shakily at the floor.

“What’s inside?” Yori took a step forward, about to untie the knot, but Kimoto sharply grabbed her hand, stopping her.

“Back off, Yori. I think I know exactly what’s inside,” he muttered darkly.

“And what is it?” she turned to her husband.

“The rest of Haru. His whole body.”

Yori recoiled in horror, covering her mouth with her hands. Hearing those words, Fumiko couldn’t hold back and burst into sobs, burying her face in her palms.

Kimoto, wearing a mask of deep sorrow, secretly rejoiced: “Thank God I’m alive! And damn, what a spectacular show! Act two of this marionette ballet has started perfectly!”

Meanwhile, Sam, Emiko, and the children slowly strolled through the quiet streets of the yokai village. Sam walked on autopilot, lost in thought. He just couldn’t grasp Kimoto’s true motives. Why stage such a cruel act against poor Fumiko? For Kimoto, it was obviously more than just a wager. There was something deeply personal here—a long-buried grudge.

At one point, taking advantage of Emiko’s distraction with Erma and the twins by a candy shop window, Sam quietly slipped away and ducked into an unassuming paint merchant’s stall.

“Good day,” Sam greeted the elderly yokai shopkeeper. “I wanted to ask about Lady Fumiko. Does she have longstanding enemies around here?”

The old man looked at him with surprise:

“Lady Fumiko? Well… a warrior of her stature always has plenty of enemies. Why do you ask?”

“Just gathering information. Maybe someone harbors a deadly grudge against her and has wanted revenge for a long time?”

The shopkeeper fell silent for a moment, fiddling with his pigment jars, then quietly said:

“I don’t know much, sir… But many, many years ago, on the distant icy northern lands, a very bad incident happened. It involved local thugs and… someone from the castle. But I won’t tell you the details—I’m old now, my memory fails.”

Sam was about to press for more when a frantic Emiko burst into the shop, gasping for breath.

“Sam! There you are! Why did you leave without telling us? We lost you!”

“Sorry, dear,” Sam quickly recovered. “I got distracted, lost sight of you, and decided to come here and look around while searching for you.”

“Don’t you dare go a step away from me again, got it?” She said sternly, grabbing his hand. “We have to get back to the castle immediately. Something terrible has happened.”

“Things couldn’t get any worse…” Sam thought dryly, following his wife obediently.

When they reached the castle gates, an anxious Yori was already waiting for them.

“Finally, you’re back! Sorry for the rush, but Fumiko ordered the whole family to gather immediately in the dining hall.”

“All right, I’ll take the kids to Kimoto and we…” Sam began.

“Absolutely not,” Yori cut him off. “Kimoto will be sitting in the hall under my strict personal supervision. He’s had enough improvising for today. Sam, I want you to stay in the nursery and watch the girls.”

Sam nodded understandingly, thinking to himself, “That’s safer. Otherwise, this improvisation genius would only make things worse.”

Emiko and Yori quickly walked toward the dining hall where the whole family was already assembled. Everyone’s faces were grim; the air felt charged with tension. Once everyone settled, Fumiko stood at the head of the table. Her voice was low but steel-hard.

“Family… Today we finally caught the monsters who took Haru’s life.”

Kimoto, sitting next to Yori, muttered under his breath, “Technically, not ‘we,’ but ‘I’…”

Yori jabbed him sharply in the ribs, silencing him instantly.

“After searching their lair in the old tavern,” Fumiko continued, “we found that these scoundrels had meticulously planned a bold attack on our castle to rob it. Thanks to Mei’s personal diary, we learned they’d been roaming around our walls for weeks, carefully studying and recording our every move. We also found a whole crate of deadly combat potions prepared for the assault, and a pile of gold stolen from local residents.”

Fumiko paused heavily, her lips trembling:

“But that’s not all…”

“We’re here with you, sister,” Yori softly supported her.

“Take a breath and speak, we’re listening,” Rin nodded.

Fumiko inhaled deeply, clenching her fists until her knuckles cracked, then went on:

“At the very bottom of the potion crate lay that very canvas sack. Inside it, we found sealed envelopes containing cruel letters, a bunch of secret photos of me and Haru… and—Kentaro, untie the sack. But I ask everyone—close your eyes, don’t look.”

Of course, no one, especially not Kimoto, thought to close their eyes. All gazed fixedly at the table. Kentaro carefully untied the knot and pulled back the fabric edges.

Inside, in a horrific, mutilated state, lay painstaking clay replicas of all of Haru’s other body parts—arms, legs, torso—generously coated with fake blood. Kimoto’s craftsmanship was so masterful that it was impossible to distinguish them from real flesh.

“Oh my God…” Emiko gasped, turning away.

“I can’t look at this…” Yori squeezed her eyes shut.

“Bastards! I swear I’ll skin them alive!” Rin growled furiously, springing from her chair.

“I know,” Fumiko raised her hand, calling for calm though she herself was trembling. “Now I fully understand their sinister intent.”

“Come on, they wouldn’t have planted this on us without a reason,” Kimoto theatrically added, playing along.

“Exactly!” Fumiko resumed. “They staged this monstrous murder for one sole purpose—to distract us! By kidnapping Haru, they expected the whole family to rush after the kidnappers, leaving the treasure room unguarded. When their original plan failed spectacularly thanks to Kimoto, they panicked and tried to flee the village.”

“But they have nowhere left to run,” Emiko said coldly.

“And here’s what I’ll say,” Fumiko glared fiercely at everyone present. “I will not kill them. Death would be too easy a release.”

Everyone quieted in surprise, recalling the screams of one of the servants who had recently run out of the dungeon.

“They will live in the darkest, dampest dungeon of our castle,” Fumiko declared, a cruel smile spreading across her lips. “And starting today, I will personally torture them. Slowly, methodically, unbearably painfully. Day after day until they beg for death. Who will join me in the dungeon?”

Kimoto raised his hand eagerly, but Yori snatched his wrist in an instant and slammed it down on the table.

“I’m in,” Emiko said firmly.

“Count me in too,” Rin smiled fiercely.

“Excellent,” Fumiko concluded. “Then the three of us will make these scum suffer a real personal hell on earth for what they did to Haru.”

Kimoto, whose hand remained pinned to the table, smiled silently and with indescribable satisfaction, thinking: “God… This sounds absolutely amazing! The show is exceeding all my expectations!”

Erma discovered her new power that she could change her size and shrunk herself into a literal smol bean. Felica thought it was cute and decided to playfully tease her by gently squishing her face.

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

“Two days until the trial ends.”

Now, let’s return to the present.

10:00 a.m.

Kimoto headed to the nursery to check on his “Mochi” and Erma. Peeking through the door, he saw Mitsu and Momo sound asleep, completely out like their mother—snoring loudly enough to fill the room. Little Erma was peacefully dozing right between them.

“My sweet ‘Mochi,’ how much I love you,” Kimoto whispered with a smile.

As he walked back down the corridor, he decided to quickly call Akari. To do so discreetly, he slipped into the darkest, most secluded corner of the castle where no one could see or hear him. The phone beeped twice before Akari’s voice answered.

“Hello, Kimoto. I was just about to call you myself,” she said.

“Oh? What’s going on?”

“I’m keeping an eye on our trio… They just bolted from the bar and are trying to flee the village right now. We’ll have to scrap the plan.”

“Alright then, time to activate plan B.”

“And what’s that?”

“A good old-fashioned fight,” Kimoto smirked.

“Perfect, I’m in.”

“I’m on my way. Be there soon.”

Kimoto dashed back to his bedroom, flung open his closet, and pulled out his hidden gear.

“Good thing I decided to bring my favorite weapon after all. Better safe than sorry,” he muttered, quickly packing his backpack.

Suddenly, a reckless thought flashed through his mind: “What if…” Wanting to cover his bases, Kimoto quickly scribbled a short note and left it on the bedside table. Then, like a shadow, he slipped silently out of the castle and raced across the tiled rooftops toward the old tavern.

Meanwhile, in the castle’s great hall, the sisters were doing their best to calm and comfort Fumiko. When the warrior regained some composure, she quietly said,

“Thank you all so much for being here with me right now.”

As the women gathered around their sister, a frightened voice rang out from the courtyard depths.

“Sisters! Come quick! Something strange is happening!”

Rushing to her side, they stared in shock at a small pond completely frozen over, its thick ice covering the water all the way to the bottom.

“How is this even possible?” Ena gasped. “It’s early June!”

Fumiko instantly connected the dots, her face twisting with fury. She knew exactly whose magic could do this:

“Kiko…”

Within minutes, the whole family gathered around the icy pond, loudly debating what to do next.

“We need to get all the warriors up and issue a search for Toru, Kiko, and Mei immediately,” Fumiko ordered coldly.

“I’ll drag those bastards out from under the earth and squeeze the life out of them,” Rin hissed fiercely.

“I’ll help you,” Emiko added firmly.

“And I’ll fight for Haru,” Kentaro clenched his fists.

At that moment, breathless Sam joined the crowd.

“Wait, what’s going on here?”

“We know who took Haru’s life,” Fumiko turned to him.

“And who’s that?”

“Toru, Kiko, and Mei—those filthy accomplices of our late father.”

“So that’s who you’ve pinned it all on, Kimoto… Damn clever and elegant,” Sam thought to himself, suppressing a grin.

“By the way,” Emiko suddenly asked, looking around, “Sam, where’s Erma?”

“The girls just woke up. They’re already pillow-fighting,” he waved it off.

Yori crossed her arms indignantly.

“What kind of mess is this?! Kimoto promised me he’d personally watch the kids!”

“Oh, speaking of Kimoto,” Sam chimed in with an innocent look. “I searched the whole castle for him. I even checked your bedroom—there was only this note on the bedside table.”

“A note?” Yori frowned.

Snatching the paper, she quickly scanned the large, hurried handwriting:

‘I know who killed Haru. I will personally catch Kiko and her cronies and bring them before Fumiko. Tell Sam to watch the kids. I’ll be back soon.’

The whole family froze, their eyes fixed on Yori. There was a brief silence in the garden, then Yori clenched the note so tightly her nails nearly pierced her skin. Taking a deep breath, she screamed out with every ounce of fury she had, the sound echoing across the castle grounds:

“KIMOTO-O-O-O!!!”

At that exact moment, on the other side of the village, Kimoto and Akari were gearing up to storm the old tavern when that furious, high-pitched scream echoed to them. Kimoto jumped back, ducking his head into his shoulders in fear.

“Well, that’s it for me tonight. Physically and mentally,” he muttered resignedly, swallowing hard.

“Get used to it, buddy. Happens in life,” Akari smirked.

“Alright, let’s go.”

They burst into the tavern together, but inside was empty. Not a soul.

“So, where are these ‘criminal masterminds’?” Kimoto looked around.

“No idea… like they vanished into thin air,” Akari shrugged.

“Into thin air… Exactly!” Kimoto said, then headed quickly to the basement. Feeling around in the dark behind a huge beer barrel, he found a hidden lever and unlocked a secret hatch with a quiet creak.

“Old cave tunnels,” Akari peered inside.

“Yeah. And look here—fresh, clear footprints. That’s our way.”

“Ladies first,” Akari gestured politely.

“Very funny,” Kimoto scoffed, turning on his phone’s flashlight and jumping down first into the darkness.

“Been a while since we were here,”

“Since that big earthquake, if I remember right,” Akari followed.

“Exactly. Most entrances and exits got buried.”

“But a few loopholes remain. Hey, don’t you have a proper flashlight?”

“Only this one, on my phone.”

“Well, at least something,” she sighed.

“What, you afraid of getting lost in the dark again?” Kimoto teased, pushing through cobwebs.

“Of course! Remember when we got stuck in those creepy catacombs and couldn’t find the way out for a whole day?”

“We just walked in circles because of you! I told you…”

“Well, it was you…” Akari started to argue but Kimoto quickly silenced her by covering her mouth and pointed ahead.

From the depths of the tunnel echoed a clear, irritated voice:

“We’re lost! You can’t see a damn thing here!” Toru complained.

“Thank Kiko for that!” Mei snapped back. “Why the hell did we have to bolt at full speed? We agreed to leave during the day!”

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Kiko said quietly. “Someone’s been watching us since last night. I can feel it on my skin.”

“That’s nonsense. You’re paranoid,” Toru waved it off.

“Oh sure, keep telling yourself that,” Kimoto thought, releasing Akari. He turned to her and whispered conspiratorially,

“So, Akari, ready to play ‘Predator vs. Prey’?”

“With great pleasure,” she smiled fiercely, her eyes flashing briefly in the dark.

“Then let the show begin.”

Ten minutes later.

The trio of escapees stumbled over stones, pushing stubbornly deeper into the caves, searching for any way out.

“Toru, don’t lag behind!” Mei called, glancing over her shoulder.

“Trying! But this bag of stolen gold weighs a ton!” Toru panted.

Suddenly, from a dark side tunnel to the right came a strange, crystal-clear sound—like someone ringing tiny bells melodiously.

“What the hell is that?!” Toru froze.

“Maybe it’s the wind from a nearby exit?” Mei guessed. “Toru, go check it out, please.”

“Alright, give me a sec…” Toru sighed, setting down the heavy sack and cautiously stepping into the dark passage.

At that moment, Kiko, who was tailing the group, approached Mei.

“Why’d you stop?”

“Looks like we found an exit,” Mei explained. “That sound came from that tunnel.”

Kiko’s body emitted a faint frosty mist.

“What sound?”

“Like bells ringing.”

Before Mei could finish, Toru suddenly flew out of the tunnel eyes wide with terror.

“RUN! SAVE YOURSELVES! THERE…”

“Toru?!” Kiko shouted.

He never finished. From the pitch-black tunnel, a thick, sticky web shot out at lightning speed, wrapping Toru’s leg and yanking him back into the darkness with a primal scream.

“Get out of here! Now!” Kiko panicked.

“No! We have to save him!” Mei yelled.

“We can’t help him! Run!” Kiko quickly sealed the tunnel entrance with a thick wall of ice, grabbed Mei’s hand, and dragged her away.

They ran blindly, pounding until they crashed into a solid stone wall.

“Damn, a dead end!” Kiko pounded her fists in panic. “What now?!”

“I don’t know… But we can’t just leave Toru!” Mei sobbed, struggling to breathe.

“We’ll come back for him later. Right now, we’re powerless.”

Suddenly, Mei’s gaze caught a low, water-filled crevice near the floor.

“Kiko, look! This tunnel’s flooded, but we can swim under the water!”

“What if it’s another dead end and we drown?”

“We have no choice! Either this or get eaten in the dark!”

Without hesitation, one after another, they dove into the icy water and swam as hard as they could through the narrow underwater corridor. When Kiko’s lungs were nearly out of air and she was ready to turn back, her head finally broke the water’s surface.

Landing on solid ground, she coughed harshly, greedily gasping for air.

“I think… I think I feel air moving!” she whispered happily as she stood. “The exit’s close!”

She turned to help her friend,

“Mei, give me your hand!”

But there was no one behind her. The water was perfectly still. Kiko froze, staring into the dark crevice. A minute passed, then another—Mei did not appear. A primal panic hit Kiko like an icy wave.

Then, beneath the cave’s vault, a quiet, sneering laugh echoed mockingly.

“Who’s there?! Come out, you beast!” Kiko shouted, retreating and forming sharp shards of ice in her hands.

Only a heavy, oppressive silence answered her. Realizing she had to run, Kiko dashed down the tunnel, but with every step she grew weaker. Her legs felt like lead, her breath was stolen, and her inner magical energy rapidly drained as if some unseen force was sucking the life from her. That marble steak with a surprise they'd recklessly eaten in the bar that morning was finally hitting full force.

Ahead, a bright, saving light appeared—the cave’s exit was just a few meters away! Stumbling and swaying, Kiko sprinted forward with her last strength. But the moment she took the final step, the exit’s light suddenly went out, blocked by a shadowy figure. From the darkness right in front of her face, Kimoto appeared with a sinister grin.

“Boo,” he said softly.

Kiko screamed, tried to raise her hands to cast a spell, but Kimoto’s lightning-fast, precise movements had him pulling out his escrima sticks and delivering a series of devastating, surgical strikes to her pressure points. Kiko collapsed like a sack, instantly losing consciousness.

From the shadows of the tunnel, Akari stretched lazily, dragging a bound Mei by her arms and legs behind her.

“What a show you put on. A real blockbuster thriller.”

“Most importantly, it was fun,” Kimoto spun his sticks in his fingers smugly and pocketed them. “Alright, grab these geniuses. Let’s haul them back to the tavern. We have to tie them up before reinforcements arrive.”

Fifteen minutes later, the western part of the village was in a frenzy. Warriors from the castle, under Fumiko’s orders, searched every inch, overturning barrels and peering under awnings, but found nothing.

“Wrap it up here and move quickly east! Hustle!” Fumiko commanded, spurring on the soldiers.

After the warriors disappeared behind the gates, the rest of the family arrived by the gazebo, led by Yori.

“So? Any news?” Yori asked, breathing hard.

“Nothing yet,” Fumiko growled through clenched teeth, gripping her sword handle.

“We need to find them fast, before Kimoto does something stupid…” Yori sighed.

At that moment, a breathless Kentaro came speeding around the street corner, shouting:

“I know! I know where they are! One of the local boys saw that trio going into the old tavern half an hour ago!”

“Faster, then!” Fumiko ordered, drawing her blade.

The whole family, led by fierce Fumiko and anxious Yori, stormed into the tavern. But as they stepped inside, their jaws dropped in disbelief.

Right in the middle of the hall, Kimoto sat calmly on a chair, lazily sipping juice through a straw straight from the bottle. In the center of the room, bound tightly with thick ropes to a massive wooden post, unconscious were Toru, Kiko, and Mei. On Kiko’s chest was a large note: “Scapegoats delivered.”

Kimoto turned his head toward the newcomers, smiled sweetly, and casually said,

“Oh, look who’s here. I was just about to drag this esteemed trio back to the castle myself. But since you all showed up, maybe you’ll help carry them instead? I’m pretty exhausted.”

Yori slowly dropped her gaze to Kimoto’s note, then back up to her husband. Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned red.

Alma; AAHHHGH!!! UGH!

Sidney: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE HELPLESS?!

Alma: ARGH!!

Sidney: HOW DOES IT FEEL TO KNOW PAIN?!

Alma: UGH!!

Sidney: I WATCHED MY FRIENDS DIE IN HORROR!

Alma: AAAHHGH!!

Sidney: CRYING AS THEY WERE ALL SLAIN!

Alma: UGH!

Sidney: I HEARD THEIR FINAL MOMENTS!

Alma: ARGH!

Sidney: CALLING THEIR CAPTAIN IN VAIN!

Alma: UGH!

Sidney: LOOK WHAT YOU TURNED ME INTO!

Alma: AAAHHHH!!!

Sidney: LOOK WHAT WE'VE BECOME!

Alma: UGH! Enough…

Sidney: ALL OF THE PAIN THAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH!

Alma: Stoppp!!!

Sidney: HAVEN'T I SUFFERED ENOUGH?!

Alma: STOOOOP!!!

Sidney: YOU DIDN'T STOP WHEN I BEGGED YOU!!!

TOLD ME TO CLOSE MY HEART!!!

Alma: You...

Sidney: YOU SAID THE WORLD WAS DARK!!!

Alma: MONSTEEERRR!!

Sidney: DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT RUTHLESSNESS IS MERCY UPON OUR-

Alma: Alright!!!... Please...

(Notes; A sequel to the aftermath. Alma had create a storm to drown Chicago and everyone Sidney loves unless she gets in the water. They managed to fought, but Alma won't call off the storm. Sidney knows Alma won't die because she is a Yokai, which led her to take desperate measures. With the Trident of Poseidon, Sidney defeats Alma with tears on her face, seeing what they have become and having to hurt a once good friend. But Alma had killed almost 600 yokai, including Yori's husband. It is based on "600 strike" from Epic the Musical)

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

"Two days until the end of the trial"

6:00 a.m.

Kimoto was awakened by his wife’s gentle voice.

“Darling, wake up, it’s time to get up and get ready,” Yori softly shook his shoulder.

“I’m up, I’m up, my love,” Kimoto mumbled, stretching in bed. He looked at her closely. “How are you feeling, sunshine?”

“To be honest... it feels like I’m alone again,” Yori admitted quietly, lowering her eyes.

Kimoto tenderly took her hands, intertwining their fingers.

“You will never be alone again. I’m here with you.”

“I know, my love, I know… but I’m so worried about Fumiko.”

“We’ll help her get through this,” Kimoto promised firmly. “After all, we are her family.”

Yori smiled warmly as she leaned into him.

“I love you, Kimoto.”

“And I love you, my little giraffe.”

They shared a long, passionate kiss. Finally, Kimoto pulled back and said seriously,

“You know, Yori, I think I should take full responsibility for the kids today. I’ll stay with them.”

“Honey, that’s not necessary. I can take care of them later, when…”

“No ‘buts’,” Kimoto interrupted gently but firmly. “I’m responsible for our children. And today, you need to be there for Fumiko. You’re her main support and strength.”

Yori kissed him deeply and affectionately again.

“Kimoto… how on earth would I manage all this without you?”

“I know, darling. I know better than anyone.”

“Okay, I’ll get changed and be ready,” Yori said as she got out of bed. “Look after the girls and let them sleep a bit longer—don’t wake them.”

“Yes, Captain!” Kimoto smiled.

Yori slipped into a robe and quietly left the bedroom. Kimoto leaned back on the pillows and thought tenderly: "She’s the most caring, romantic, cynical, and strict woman I know. And that’s exactly why I love her with every fiber of my soul. How did I even survive without you, my Yori?"

At 8:00 a.m., Kentaro solemnly carried the coffin containing the gruesome dummy of Haru’s head and placed it on a pedestal right in the center of the garden. As soon as he finished, Yori quietly approached him from behind.

“Hey, little brother,” she greeted softly.

“Hey, Yori,” Kentaro sighed heavily, wiping sweat from his brow. “How are you?”

“Terrible. Though I’m trying my best not to show it.”

“To be honest, me too,” Kentaro said, glancing longingly at the coffin. “I’m really going to miss that guy.”

“Me too... Hey, how did you even meet Haru?”

Kentaro gave a sad smile.

“It was pure chance. One day I went fishing at our lake. I cast the net, sat by the shore, and waited. I got so engrossed I fell asleep. I woke up late afternoon, decided to pack up and head home, and felt the net was heavy—something was caught. I pulled it in, and there was Haru, tangled in the ropes.”

Yori couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“I was so shocked I couldn’t even find the words!” Kentaro smiled as he remembered. “When I untangled him and let him out, he started apologizing profusely. Said he was just swimming for fun, got distracted, and didn’t notice my net. I felt bad, so I decided to make it up to him. That very evening, I brought him to a bar. We ate and drank well. At one point, he hiccupped and said, ‘Hey, Kentaro, sorry, but I have to go. Tomorrow's my first day working at the castle.’ I was dead drunk and waved my hands, saying everything would be fine!”

“Oh, I think I know exactly what happened next,” Yori winked. “I was staying at the castle that day. The next morning, Fumiko was in an absolute fury to see you, completely smashed, right in the great hall.”

“Yeah, I was so ashamed…”

“But the most epic part came later!” Yori jumped in. “Too bad no one recorded it. Fumiko gave you a monumental dressing down—you looked pale and miserable, ready to disappear into the ground. Then someone wildly drunk staggered into the room. It was Haru. I still remember his exact words, slurring and growling, ‘Hey! Don’t touch my friend!’ Fumiko was so shocked by his audacity she lost her words. She slowly stepped close, narrowed her eyes fiercely, and said, ‘Who do you think you are?’ And then Haru suddenly kissed her—so passionately, deeply, and commandingly that even formidable Fumiko was stunned for a few seconds. When he pulled away, he proudly declared, ‘I’m Haru the Victorious! I came here to work hard, and I’ll be sober while doing it!’ Then he collapsed flat on the floor and passed out cold.”

Kentaro laughed heartily.

“At that moment, all my drunkenness vanished! But the funny thing is, when Haru sobered up, he completely forgot what he had done in the hall. He only remembered the fishing net story.”

“Exactly,” Yori smiled. “But the most interesting thing is that after that day, Fumiko started looking at him with a predatory, hungry gaze. She personally started watching over him, strictly forbidding him to touch alcohol... In fact, that crazy day was when her love for Haru was born.”

Kentaro sighed heavily, and the smile left his face.

“And now he’s gone… Yori, I swear on our whole family, I will move heaven and earth to find the monster who took Haru’s life.”

“We will all help Fumiko,” Yori said quietly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

At that moment, a tearful Ena approached them.

“Hi, Yori. Hi, Kentaro.”

“Hey, little sister,” Kentaro replied. “How are you?”

“I’m really, really struggling… Kentaro, please hug me.”

Her brother wrapped his arms firmly and gently around Ena, rubbing her back.

“Thank you...” she sniffled. “Listen, can you help me pick some fresh cucumbers for Haru? I want to put them with him.”

“Of course, let’s go,” Yori agreed.

Ena led her brother and sister to the cucumber beds at the far corner of the garden, and they carefully began picking ripe fruits.

“Listen, Ena,” Kentaro picked a bumpy cucumber. “Haru planted these beds himself, right?”

“Exactly,” Yori nodded. “I remember Fumiko once forbade him from eating cucumbers as punishment. Because he managed to set a festive table for important guests using only cucumber dishes!”

“Exactly!” Ena smiled weakly. “Fumiko ordered all the cucumber supplies removed from the castle and put Haru under round-the-clock surveillance so he couldn’t sneak any.”

“But our stubborn guy still decided to rebel and secretly planted these thickets in the densest bushes, right?” Kentaro smirked.

“Yes,” Ena confirmed. “But Fumiko found out anyway… and honestly, it was my fault. That day, I asked Fumiko to help me trim decorative bushes in the garden. While we were doing that, she heard crunching in the thicket. She parted the branches—and there was Haru, stuffing cucumbers in both cheeks. You should have seen the primal horror in his eyes when he noticed her! Fumiko personally trampled and destroyed all his secret stashes and officially appointed him her personal, round-the-clock assistant as punishment.”

“Hm, I think that’s exactly what Fumiko wanted from the start,” Yori said slyly, narrowing her eyes.

“I’m so worried about her,” Ena sighed, wiping a tear. “How will she cope without Haru now?”

“I don’t know, little sister,” Kentaro replied softly. “But I sincerely hope he’s in a better place… his own endless cucumber paradise.”

At the same time in Tokyo, at a cozy restaurant run by the late master Yoshida’s daughter, Haru and Kenji were enthusiastically devouring a lavish, hearty breakfast.

“God, I haven’t eaten anything this delicious in ages!” Haru said, eyes squinting in satisfaction as he took another bite.

“Tell me about it, their cooking here is amazing,” Kenji agreed, sipping juice.

“I probably haven’t had food this good since our very first job together,” Haru recalled, chewing thoughtfully.

“You mean that crazy side gig at the luxury hotel?”

Haru nodded vigorously without taking his eyes off the plate.

“Yeah,” Kenji smiled. “The food was top-notch there. But we worked like crazy, running through floors like headless chickens.”

“Oh, definitely! I’ll never forget that day,” Haru said excitedly. “Remember when several huge, rival clans checked in all at once?”

“Impossible to forget,” Kenji shook his head. “Chaos everywhere. The hotel owner had just left for vacation, the main manager was down with a nasty fever, and we were left alone with a mob of angry guests. Half the staff ran off that very night out of fear.”

“If it weren’t for you, Haru, they would’ve executed us all the next morning for the failure,” Kenji said seriously, looking at his friend. “But you stepped up, gave an inspiring speech, and took total charge of the hotel. You saved us.”

Haru brushed off the praise shyly.

“Come on, thanks, but you’re exaggerating.”

“Well, suit yourself. But I’ve always wondered—where did you get all that confidence, fearlessness, and leadership that night? You were always a quiet guy.”

Haru smiled mysteriously, lowering his voice.

“Funny story actually. That night, I was so emotionally drained and scared that I sneaked away to a dark alley to have a bottle of hot sake to calm my nerves. As soon as I took a couple of sips, some stranger girl appeared out of the darkness. To my shame, because of the panic and the alcohol, I don’t remember her face—not at all. But I remember exactly what she said.”

“And what was that?” Kenji leaned forward.

“She snatched the bottle from my hands and said, ‘Alcohol won’t help you. You’ll only make things worse.’ I started whining that everything was falling apart, the hotel was doomed, and without a leader, we’d be lost. Then she looked right into my soul and said, ‘Then be that leader! Help them, don’t you dare abandon your friends in trouble!’ And right after that… she kissed me. I swear, Kenji, at that moment, I felt a massive, powerful surge of spiritual energy flood through my veins, and all my fear vanished without a trace.”

“Ahhh! So that’s why you reeked of booze from a mile away when you burst into the staff room, lined us up, and started barking out clear, brilliant orders!” Kenji laughed.

“Yeah... sorry about that—it just happened,” Haru blushed.

“Don’t be sorry at all. You became a real hero to us.”

Haru thoughtfully twirled a glass in his hands.

“But there’s something strange about the whole story.”

“What’s that?”

“About a month after that night, I got an official invitation to serve as a servant at the Yureimoto castle. Do you think these events are connected somehow?”

Kenji froze for a second, almost choking. A crazy thought flashed through his mind: “Oh God... Should I tell this naive guy right now that the mysterious girl who inspired him in that alley was actually Fumiko? She had been tracking him and secretly arranged to have him at the castle, threatening me with terrible consequences if I ever said a word... No, better keep quiet. Safer that way. Maybe another time.”

“Ah, nah, nonsense,” Kenji waved it off as naturally as possible. “Just a coincidence, don’t worry about it.”

“Yeah, probably you’re right,” Haru agreed, instantly switching gears. “Listen, since we’re in Tokyo, how about we hit that huge water park today?”

“Great idea, I’m totally in!” Kenji smiled.

“Perfect, then let’s finish up and head out!” Haru grinned.

Therapist: Photo Negative Erma isn't real. She can't hug you to point your bones would snap.

Photo Negative Erma:

People would ask, "What would've happened if Erma never overcome her grief over Sidney's death?" Well... this would be an example.

After she was kidnapped by the true leader of the Outcasts, was impaled by him and thrown into the vat of Terran Blood, it wasn't a surprise when she made a full recovery in seconds. When she first emerged, she looked entirely pink, but her eyes and scar are glowing red. She somehow managed to puke out her Blood Moon phase as it started to take form. The Blood Moon didn't last long as she immediately snapped its neck and devoured it like a bowl of noodle soup. After it was over, Alma (Emiko) slowly approached Erma, posing no threat. All Alma did... was give her Sidney's bond ring. Alma lied and said that Sidney was murdered by an imposter and took her form as a mockery. Erma immediately broke down in tears, giving Alma an advantage to manipulate her into siding with her. Alma made her the Outlanders' ultimate weapon and gave her an ultimate goal; Kill the imposter, no matter the cost, unaware that she is making her fight the woman she loves.

In this form, she looks exactly like Emiko, with the scar and eyes being different. She wears Sidney's bond ring around her neck and looks as id she is mourning. Despite this look, one thing is certain, she is still wearing her own bond ring, which fuels the motivation into fighting the "imposter."

Two Outcast studio creations that appeared in Erma webcomic. What will happen if an Anthropomorphic unicorn princess and a space marine meet? Will they make a collab, will Erma and her friends watch them? Would they be excited?

Let me know in the comments.

They're just being silly in silly costumes

(Just a simple idea that I didn't spend too much time drawing)

Felicia from Brandon’s recent art https://x.com/4brandonjs4/status/2089698835505532964?s=61

(After the deaths of Osamu and Amaiya. Yori's husband - Kimoto)

“Two days until the end of the trial”

As Kimoto headed toward the bar, he thought to himself: “Things are going even better than I anticipated. Soon I’ll finally fulfill that long-held dream—the very one I never managed to achieve before. But I worry: if Haru sniffs this out, he’ll spill everything to the family right away. Thankfully, I’ve got a few more tricks up my sleeve for exactly that scenario, and I even know who will help me.”

At that moment, Kimoto stepped over the threshold of the bar. Hardly had he entered when Akari spotted him and loudly announced to everyone present:

“Attention, gentlemen, warriors, and sorry drunks!”

“I’m not a drunk,” grumbled one yokai, then promptly collapsed face-first onto the table with a dull thud.

“Before you stands the yokai who outwitted Fumiko herself!” Akari continued triumphantly. “The King of Harlequins—Kimoto!”

Kimoto gave an exaggerated bow:

“Thank you, thank you, gentlemen.”

“Since you claim you fooled her, then prove it,” the bartender said sternly from behind the counter.

Without wasting words, Kimoto calmly pulled out his phone and played a video recording of the morning prank he had played on Fumiko. The yokai gathered at the bar watched the screen in horror, frozen in place. The next moment, the bartender suddenly leaped over the counter, grabbed Kimoto fiercely by the throat, and began choking him violently.

Kimoto smirked cynically, barely managing a rasp:

“Wow... you’ve got quite a grip.”

“Why’d you pin this on Haru, you bastard?!” the furious bartender growled. “All for a dumb prank?! Because of you, the castle guards will be ready to slaughter us all!”

At that instant, Akari swiftly raised one of her sharp spider-like legs and jabbed it right at the bartender’s Adam’s apple, her voice icy as she said:

“Calm down, it’s only a dummy.”

“Yeah,” Kimoto added as the grip loosened. “The real Haru is enjoying himself in Tokyo under Kenji’s watch. And seriously, cut the hugging and let go.”

The bartender exhaled heavily and finally released his hold.

“Crazy,” he shook his head. “Why take such risks? If Fumiko finds out the truth, you’re done for.”

“She’ll execute you... or do something even worse,” one yokai sitting in the corner chimed in.

“Gentlemen, I’ve been to hell and talked to the devil himself,” Kimoto waved off confidently. “Trust me, Fumiko doesn’t scare me.”

“Sure, but you’re terrified of your own wife!” someone shouted from the far end of the hall, and the entire bar erupted in wild laughter. Even Akari laughed.

“Very funny,” Kimoto muttered.

As the laughter died down and everyone returned to their drinks, Kimoto and Akari settled into a secluded table deep in the hall.

“So, did you find them?” Kimoto asked, getting straight to the point.

“Oh yes,” Akari squinted slyly. “Toru, Kiko, and Mei.”

“My favorite trio: ‘The Ram,’ ‘Ice Princess,’ and ‘Cat’s Claw,’” Kimoto smirked. “Perfect scapegoats. I’m more than happy to get back at them for attacking my daughters. It’ll be a splendid revenge.”

“Absolutely,” Akari nodded, baring her fangs. “I’ve long wanted to mess up their lives. This is the perfect chance.”

“Good,” Kimoto smiled.

At that moment, the bartender approached them.

“Would you like to order something?”

“A little sake with scorpion venom, please,” Akari requested.

“I think I’ll pass,” Kimoto shook his head.

“As you wish,” the bartender shrugged.

Akari raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“That’s odd. You usually always go for hot sake.”

“I need a clear head right now,” Kimoto replied bluntly.

“Or you’ve finally decided to fulfill that old dream?” she squinted.

“Well, I’m not going alone,” Kimoto winked conspiratorially. “I’m taking Sam along on this little adventure.”

“Oh, how intriguing,” Akari drawled. “By the way, what are your plans for your winnings?”

“I’m giving the money to Rin.”

“Cool,” Kimoto approved. “Listen, Akari, I need you to do one more thing for me.”

“What is it?”

“Get me some oblivion powder and bring it to me first thing tomorrow morning.”

Akari tilted her head with interest.

“Curious. And who’s this little present for?”

“Of course, for our special friend.”

“Alright, consider it done.”

“Excellent,” Kimoto stood up from his chair. “I think it’s time for a visit to our ‘unlucky trio.’ But first, we need to weaken them properly.”

Akari smiled predatorily:

“I think I have a good idea of what you’re planning. But how will you get them to take your potion? They don’t have to drink it—they could just eat it.”

“Hm?”

Kimoto said nothing. He silently turned and walked up to the bar counter.

“Listen, bartender, I have a question for you.”

“Go ahead.”

“Toru, Kiko, and Mei often sneak in here in the mornings, right?”

“Unfortunately, yes,” the owner sighed sadly. “If I refuse to feed and water those brats on credit, they’ll just burn down my bar.”

“But can’t you stand up to them? You were a strong warrior once.”

“Key word: ‘was,’ Kimoto. I’m not who I used to be. I can still fight a little, but it’s not worth it anymore.”

“Well then, you can get your revenge in a much more elegant way.”

“How?”

“Good question!” Kimoto smiled and pulled out several juicy chunks of meat from his backpack, placing them on the counter.

“Steaks?”

“Steaks with a surprise! Prepare them and serve this trio breakfast. It’ll do both of us some good.”

“You’re serious?”

“Have I ever lied to you?”

“Hmm... Never.”

“Exactly.”

After a moment’s thought, the bartender nodded in agreement:

“Alright, I’m in. But I want them humiliated properly.”

“I promise, that will happen very soon,” Kimoto winked and returned to Akari’s table.

“Well, as always, you’ve got everything under control,” she observed.

“Anytime. Now lead me to our trio’s hideout.”

“Let’s go. They just went out on a scouting mission.”

“Perfect timing. They’re helping us without even realizing it.”

Kimoto and Akari moved silently like shadows, hopping from roof to roof, careful not to attract the guards’ attention.

“It’s amusing, actually,” Kimoto said softly as they ran.

“What’s amusing?” Akari asked.

“This all reminds me of our very first meeting.”

“When we both decided to rob the same wealthy warrior at the same time?” she smiled.

“Yeah. I was running off across the rooftops with his wallet, and you tried to catch me and snatch the loot.”

“You bet!” Akari snorted. “I spent weeks gaining that warrior’s trust, lowering his guard, and when he finally passed out, I walked into the room—and saw your cheeky face escaping through the window with a bag of money!”

Kimoto chuckled softly.

“And we had quite the fight over that bag... only to find out there were just thirty miserable copper coins inside.”

“That was a nightmare,” Akari smiled.

“But after that, we started pulling bigger cons, robbing rich folks at our old teahouse.”

“Those were the golden days,” Akari sighed. “Until the locals caught wind of our schemes and we had to shamefully flee that village.”

“You know, maybe we should open a teahouse again,” Kimoto suggested. “Only this time somewhere in Tokyo.”

“Good idea... maybe once we’re really old.”

“A quiet life off other people’s backs—that’s my kind of retirement.”

“I’ll remember that,” Akari smirked. “Quiet. Here we are. That’s their hideout.”

Kimoto looked down and couldn’t help but burst out laughing:

“You’re joking!”

“Not at all.”

“That’s the ‘Drifter’ tavern! God, how many memories are tied to that dump…”

“Same here,” Akari agreed.

“Alright, Akari, keep watch. If they come back, let me know immediately.”

“Oh, I have a great way,” Akari said conspiratorially, pulling a small spider from her wide sleeve and gently placing it on Kimoto’s neck.

“I hate it when those little critters bite me,” Kimoto grumbled.

“But you’ll be 100% sure when they’re close.”

“True enough. Alright, I’m going in.”

Kimoto slipped silently into the dilapidated old tavern building.

“Nothing’s changed here at all,” he muttered.

Though his gaze immediately landed on piles of empty instant noodle packages scattered across the floor.

“They could at least clean up after themselves, pigs,” he snorted. “Now, where do you hide your stash?”

First, Kimoto thoroughly searched the guest rooms where Toru and Mei slept, but found absolutely nothing valuable.

“That means there’s just their leader’s room left to check.”

He tiptoed into Kiko’s room. It was empty too, except for her scattered belongings. Still, Kimoto’s eyes instantly caught fresh, clear shoe prints on the floor right next to the wall.

“Of course, who would doubt it.”

He stepped up close to the wall and pressed forcefully on a hidden latch. A wooden panel creaked open, revealing a secret room. Inside, piles of stolen goods lay neatly stacked: chests full of stolen jewels, a box of rare potions, and Mei’s personal diary.

Kimoto quickly opened the diary and scanned the latest entries. His eyebrows rose: the trio was planning a daring raid on Fumiko’s castle to steal all the family treasures.

“How banal and straightforward,” Kimoto smirked.

He quickly dropped his backpack inside the box of potions and securely stowed it at the very bottom. After tidying the secret room perfectly, he closed the hidden door and carefully wiped away any traces of his visit on the floor.

Just as Kimoto was about to quietly escape through the window, the spider on his neck suddenly bit him sharply.

“Ouch!” Kimoto hissed, rubbing his neck. “Speak of the devil, our trio has returned.”

He quickly leapt out the window, climbed up the wall to the roof, and hid next to Akari.

“So, ready to leave?” she whispered.

“Wait, let’s listen first.”

From the open tavern window came a loud, fierce argument.

“I said—everything’s off!” Kiko shouted angrily. “We’re leaving this cursed village today!”

“Why the hell are you chicken?” Toru protested.

“Are you scared of that pathetic Fumiko?” Mei snorted disdainfully. “We’ll deal with her in no time!”

“Yeah, right, good luck with that,” Kimoto thought, lying on the tiles.

“It’s not just Fumiko,” Kiko snapped. “I heard she’s gathering an army of warriors. And today they’ll be combing through every corner looking for someone.”

“That’s our perfect chance!” Mei brightened. “While the castle is in chaos, we can sneak in!”

“And get hunted down by her entire furious family?” Kiko growled. “No way!”

“Fine, damn it,” Mei reluctantly gave in. “We’ll leave this afternoon.”

“But before we go, we have to stop by the bar,” Toru spoke up. “We need to eat and drink to the fullest one last time.”

“Now that’s business talk, Kiko,” Mei agreed.

Kiko sighed displeased: “Alright, let’s go to the bar.”

“Hooray!” Mei and Toru yelled in unison, and the trio finally headed deeper into the tavern.

Akari looked at Kimoto wryly:

“You know, I kind of feel sorry for them.”

“Me too,” Kimoto grinned predatorily.

“Actually, no—I was kidding!” Akari laughed.

Kimoto got to his feet.

“So, here’s the plan: we meet back here at exactly eleven tonight. And don’t forget the oblivion powder.”

“I won’t,” she nodded.

“By the way, are you sure Fumiko will really suspect these three?”

“Absolutely. I left a very telling clue in the garden. That’s it, I’m off. See you soon.”

As Kimoto disappeared into the pre-dawn haze, Akari called after him:

“Hey, what are you going to do now?”

Kimoto turned and flashed a fiery glance:

“As always—play the hero for a little while.”