The Vespidian
Arc 9 Twilight
Chapter 11 Interlude Youko part 2
Sunshine trembled as the world around her started to pull itself out of the fog. The unceasing flashes of forgotten shards of her past, piecing themselves together to form and fill out the blackness. The picture, the image formed of so many fragments it was both sad and horrifying. This was not a nice place. She could not tell how much time had passed since the last vision, but some had.
~~~
“Youko… is everything alright? You, you have been acting weird lately. We were getting concerned,” said Cece gulping a little as Youko’s dark baggy eyes turned to her.
“Hmm?”
“Did your parents allow you to get that piercing? My parents would have killed me,” halfheartedly laughed Daisy.
… Parents? What were those again? Youko thought it over, ah, they meant those toys she had been given. Strange that she sounded so weary of such things. They didn’t last very long with Youko’s other friends. Right, right, her friends were getting hungry again.
They look tasty. We want to hunt, imagine their screams as we tear them apart. It would be so delicious.
Youko winced, stamping on the bubbling shadow below them and crushing the eyeball that opened. Not these, these were not toys, not prey. She gave a cold stare into the depths of the darkness on the floor. The squirming shadows settled down.
We haven’t had nothing, but stray cats and dogs for a week!
And you will get nothing if you do not behave.
For now, but we hunger for suffering and sorrow.
Youko became aware that the three girls were staring at her in silence, glancing between the place where her foot was and her face.
“Was there a bug?”
“Oh yeah, just a cockroach. What was that you were asking before?” she asked.
“You changed your whole style so suddenly… not- not that there is anything wrong with black and skulls and stuff,” quivered, Jen hiding behind her dark hair as always.
“Have I changed?” asked Youko rubbing her temple, their words seemed to stir something inside, vaguely she could remember being different.
It had been Mistress’s idea to make a statement. Show that the past was gone, dead and buried. She couldn’t even remember the old Youko… was there even an old Youko? What even is a Youko? Somehow that feels like a never-ending circle of questions trying to figure it out. There was only the present. Youko pressed the stud in her tongue so that it clicked against her teeth.
What had changed? For one she had stopped wearing bright colors, save red cause it mesmerized her and even then it was usually a darker tone. Mistress had taken her out the other day to get a makeover. She was kind enough to let Youko pick and choose what she wanted. She went with jean shorts and fishnet stocking, she liked those a lot lately, rather than skirts, well she did still like some. Tank tops and T-shirts over blouses hands down. Her shoes were even replaced by nice black leathered boots that came up to her knees with straps and buckles. Her long glossy hair had been dyed varying shades of blue in a layered pattern.
“Youko, you can talk to us. Are you really ok?” asked Cece.
She smiled, “I am perfectly fine. Just felt like I needed to change. Out with the old, as they say, and in with the new.”
“Are you sure? Really sure?”
Youko leaned in her chair, “Hmmm. Ah, why don’t you guys come over to my place and we can talk about it?”
“Today?” asked Cece.
“Yeah, why, is it no good?”
“I have to eh go with my parents, how about tomorrow?”
“What about you two?” asked Youko glancing at Daisy and Jen.
“I, I can come over after school,” meekly said Jen.
Daisy waved her hand in front of her face, “Acha, sorry, sorry I got a date with my boyfriend.”
“Don’t worry about it. I have been practicing my power a lot lately, I wanted to show you guys how awesome it is and all the cool shit I can make with it.”
Cece and Daisy were looking rather regretful that they had other plans. Youko lightly touched Jen and held her hand, smiling vaguely, “I am sure you’ll love it.”
Everything was going smoothly until the teacher, Mr. Rumer spoke up, “Youko after class come into my office.”
She sighed, rolling her eyes, “What do you want old man?”
“Youko! What is with your behavior lately and you even failed last week’s test.”
“Oi, needle dick ain’tcha not supposed to tell people about that shit?”
“Youko! Don’t you talk back to me young lady.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah, fuck off or I will fuck you off.”
“OFFICE NOW!” he yelled at her.
The class, shrunk away, but Youko rolled her eyes again and stood up. She nonchalantly had her hands behind her head. He pushed her from behind and ended up dragging her to his office. The room was rather small. Hardly that much space after the filing cabinets, desk, and several chairs. He plopped her down in the chair and sat on his desk looking down at her.
“Youko, what the hell is going on with you? You went from a solid B student to failing. And these clothes,” he said, squinting disapprovingly at her.
“You are annoying.”
“I am your teacher, I am supposed to look out for you.”
“Ah, well too late for that. I can look after myself, I got lots of friends you know.”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry about it. Hey, I will blow you if you leave me alone.” She said, stroking the air with her tongue out.
The room echoed with a slap and Youko held her face, she seemed more surprised than hurt.
“What is wrong with you?”
Her eyebrow cocked a little, “Oh. You actually had some balls. You know, I was kinda looking forward to my first real dick, but now I am not really in the mood.”
“What are you talking about?” he grimaced.
“Ah well you see, my dad’s dick is like this big,” she said, spreading her thumb and index finger maybe four inches, “Pathetic, right? I can’t believe I used to be terrified of that thing. You wouldn’t believe the scars I used to have over that little fucking noodle.”
“Are you saying that your father-”
“Yeah, he had been fucking me since I was nine.”
“We, we need to call the police and-”
Youko shook her head, “Nah, nah, too late for that shit man. I am not scared of that piece of shit anymore.”
“You are not scared?” Mr. Rumer asked.
“Why would I be scared of a dead man?” she answered.
“Youko, slow down. Dead?” he gulped.
Youko nodded, smiling, “Yeah. It was the first thing I did once I got the hang of my power. All my new friends ate him. Limb by limb, piece by piece. Ah, just hearing him scream made my chest flutter.”
“Yes, Yes, he squealed like a stuffed pig! The fear was delicious!”
“Who, said that?” He jumped, looking around the empty room for where that deep voice had come from.
“It was just my friend.”
“Youko, I, I don’t understand. What friend.”
“Would you like to meet my friends?” Youko grinned.
“This one looks ripe, yes, he will do nicely!”
Mr. Rumer became very aware of the many red eyes opening all around them in the shadows. Shining white teeth growling as drool and spittle flowed from the gnashing maws. Monsters were pulling themselves out of the shadows. They were hideous malformed beasts. Some had half-formed faces where the bone was exposed and the muscles moved. The limbs were bent into strange angles as the figures shambled closer. He looked back and Youko had vanished. Even though it was only mid-afternoon the room was pitch black save a small circle of illumination. The light bulb flickered as it swayed revealing the horrors that lurked just out of sight.
“Youko? YOUKO?!” Yelled Mr. Rumer, staying in the refuge of the dimming light.
He looked to where the door was and darkness met his eyes. The room itself seemed to be melting. All the colors merging into an inky soup that flowed ever closer to him. He retreated, standing upon the sinking desk. This place was not normal, not natural. He frantically looked around as the light got smaller and smaller with every sway of the lamp.
“Stay back! Stay back whatever the hell you are!” He cried as the varied, misshapen and underdeveloped creatures closed in.
“Yes, yes! Cry some more, feed us more little snack!”
A beast took shape with ragged fur. It appeared to be some kind of canine and yet it was wrong. It was mottled with scars and patches of wounded flesh that oozed blood. The head was stripped of flesh, revealing the skull and muscles, tendons lightly hanging on in certain places. An eye dangled limply from the side while the other glowed dark red. Most of the beast was made of a mist like shadow, which made the form strange to the eyes. Other horrifying figures took shape, closing in around him.
“NO. NO! NOOO!” his screams filled the blackness as the light died and claws grasped at him.
“Finally, fresh meat! Meat is back on the menu boys!”
Teeth ripped flesh and smacked as they chewed. Bones snapped and curled as his cries turned to gurgles and faded into silence. Youko sat watching with crimson eyes as her friends feasted on the annoyance. She hummed merrily tilting her head back and forth.
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“That is what you get for trying to play hero. Don’t you know the Hero always dies? Tasty… all that blood. Savor it my pets.”
~~~
“Thanks for inviting me over,” said Jen, looking over the entrance to the Youko’s house.
It looked normal enough, save the scratch marks on the door frame and what appeared to be a dead spot in the grass to the side.
“A burglar broke in the other day.” Youko commented when Jen stared at the claw marks in the wood.
“Eh… that sounds kinda scary. Did they take anything?”
She shrugged, “Nah, he didn’t get very far before being found out. He was in the kitchen making a sandwich for fuck’s sake, the nerve of some people.”
“What happened?” asked Jen as they continued on.
“Nothing really, he ran.”
Lying to your friend…
He did run, I never said that he got away.
Hehe. True, very true. He was chewy.
“So Youko, what eh did you want to do?” asked Jen lagging a little near the door.
“I got something really cool that I wanna show you up in my room.”
“Where is your Mom?”
“Mom, I got company over! It is Jen, you remember Jen right?” yelled Youko.
To her voice, someone stirred and a face appeared peeking out from behind the kitchen wall. Jen let out a sigh of relief when she recognized Youko’s mother. She had those dark eyes and glossy black hair. She waved, smiling softly.
“Ah, Jen, so nice of you to visit us. Will you be staying for dinner?”
Jen nodded, smiling in return, “I will Mrs. Yagami. Sorry for intruding unannounced.”
“Our home is your home. Have fun.”
With that, she slipped back out of view. Jen had calmed down considerably. There was hardly any of that strange feeling of wanting to flee from this place left. Her fear had stopped oozing out, much to the displeasure of the shadows circling their feet.
They made their way up the stairs, which creaked a little with the added weight. Youko’s room had seen better days. Claw, bite marks and scribbles written in a still wet red liquid covered the walls. Things were broken, the bed snapped in half, stuffing and feathers from the pillows piled in a corner like some sort of nest. Due to the circle of gibberish on the floor it looked like some sort of demonic summoning ritual was going on complete with candles.
Jen took a step back. “Youko? What happened?”
“My practice got a little rowdy. But it is fin-”
She ran even before Youko could attempt to explain it off. She was always the most skittish in the group. She especially hated ghosts and the occult. She bolted down the stairs, tripping and flopping over herself several times before a loud snap resounded through the house when she hit the floor. There was a silent moment before a wail and sniveling. Youko stood at the top staring down at the poor girl as she tried to crawl away, one of her legs bent the wrong way.
“Jen? Are you ok?!” asked Youko, panicking as she descended the stairs.
Jen cried, “MRS. YAGAMI!”
“Let me help you,” said Youko bending down, but Jen slapped her away.
“Stay away from me, who, who are you!?”
She crawled away from Youko into the kitchen when the woman had not come running to her aid. She rounded the corner looking expectantly for the nice woman, only to let out a scream and push herself away from the sight before her. Several skeletons lay on the floor, picked clean so that they were bright white. They almost looked like Halloween decorations, but the smell of rotting meat and circling flies told a more gruesome story.
“Acha, you saw.” Said Youko standing over Jen, “This isn’t what I wanted to show you, you know?”
“Youko, where… what happened to your Mom?”
She nodded snapping her fingers and the shadows pooled around the closest skeleton, making it stand. It fleshed out and there stood Mrs. Yagami. She wobbled for a moment before smiling sweetly.
“You… she is dead…”
Youko nodded with a satisfied smirk, “Pretty cool, right? Told you guys my power is awesome!”
“You… why? Did you kill her?” Jen looked between the shadow controlled skeleton and Youko.
“My friends were hungry. It is hard to control them when they are hungry.”
“What are you talking about?”
“My new friends. I found them when my powers grew stronger. I wanted you to meet them.”
Jen cried, “Let me go home. Please Youko, please I won’t tell on you.”
Youko rubbed her face, “But you saw. Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you Jen, we are friends and friends take care of one another.”
“Really?” she quivered desperately hoping it to be true. She couldn’t run away, after all, no matter how much she wanted to.
“Of course,” said Youko smiling as the room seemed to get darker from a cloud passing outside, “I will make all your pain go away.”
Jen looked down when something warm wrapped around her leg. Her eyes met those of a beast. Bright red glaring against the darkness that had swollen up and swallowed her legs. She panicked, screaming and latching onto the door frame in an attempt to pull herself away from it.
“Youko help me!”
“We are going to be best friends forever and ever and ever. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt ever again,” smiled Youko.
The jaws worked up devouring more of her. The mouth moving up like a snake, unhinging to swallow more and more of the poor girl whole. Realizing that things were dire, Jen jabbed with her hands for the glowing eyes. Her fist stabbed in, causing the beast to rear up and the jaws to snap shut. Her top half spiraled away splattering onto the floor, blood and intestines trailing it to the manifesting monster.
“Poor thing. Struggling only makes it worse. You should have just stayed still. Don’t worry, I will make it all better.”
“Yo- Youko… I wanna go home. I feel so cold.”
Jen lay there, her face losing all of the color as the wooden floor pooled red. She gurgled, throwing up red and quivering. Youko sat beside her, petting her slacking face, “Shhhh. It will be over soon just sleep. Let the darkness take you. And when you wake up we will play lots and lots with Cece and Daisy too.”
~~~
“Son of a bitch! I can’t believe he stood me up. Tch,” scoffed Daisy almost throwing her cell phone on the concrete, but she thought twice about it. It was expensive after all.
“Wanna hang out?” asked a voice behind her.
Daisy jumped and her precious phone hit the ground, cracking, “Fuck! Youko!? You scared the shit outa me. Ah dammit, my phone is fucked!”
“Sorry.”
“Say something next time and don’t just sneak up on me like that. Jesus, I think I pissed myself a little.”
“Sorry,” said Jen, stepping out from behind Youko.
“Jen? Me and Cece were getting worried. It has been two days since either of you went to school.”
“I was feeling a little under the weather and stayed over.”
Daisy sighed, “Oh good. I was afraid something bad had happened. There have been some rumors around lately.”
Youko tilted her head, “Rumors?”
Daisy laughed a little, “Oh, you know, stupid shit like if you walk around alone late at night around here that a ghost will drag you kicking and screaming to hell. A few people have gone missing, apparently. You know, stuff like that. It is probably just the sewer mutants though.”
Youko smirked, waving her hand dismissively, “A ghost pft. That is dumb.”
“Yeah, it is pretty stupid. So what were you two up to?”
Youko and Jen looked at one another, “Playing hide and seek.”
“Hide and seek eh? What are you guys like ten or something? We should watch a movie or something.”
“It is fun. You should play with us.” They both said in unison.
“I don’t know. That sounds pretty lame. I think I am just going to go to bed. Night.”
“You should play with us. Friends play with one another,” said Jen, laying her hand on Daisy’s shoulder.
She shuddered and jumped away from the hand, “Holy fuck your hand is cold! Are you alright?”
“She is fine. Are you sure you wanna go home so soon? Just one round. It will be fun.” Said Youko.
“Sorry, I gotta go, my parents are gonna bitch me out anyway if I stay out any later.” Replied Daisy sulking a little.
“Then we will play tag how about that? If you can get home without one of us getting you, then you won’t have to play with us.”
“Not in the mood. See you around.” Said Daisy dismissively walking away.
“We will give you a head start. One… two…”
Daisy just ignored her. She didn’t think much of it that was obvious. She turned the corner when Youko finished counting. They followed at a walking pace, Youko with her hands behind her head.
“One would expect her to have run a little.”
“It is only fun if they run.” Said Jen.
“I guess we should give her a little start. Get the blood pumping then.”
“Yes, get the fear flowing so that she will be delicious. Like this one was.”
“Go.”
Jen melted into the shadows of the night and surged forward. She emerged on the wall above Daisy as she walked along. The sound of claws gouging the stucco drew the girl’s eyes. A scream erupted and the chase was on. Daisy fled, running as fast as she could. Her done up hair bouncing almost as much as her sizable breasts. She was wearing jean shorts and a white top that didn’t particularly look that warm considering that it was cold out.
She darted glances over her shoulder and cried a little harder every time she saw the monster drawing closer. Daisy ran full force into Youko, knocking her over and she flopped back dazed for a moment. She shook it off and latched onto Youko crying, “Youko there is a monster! It is the thing from the rumors!”
“Ehh… well, we should hide from it then, right?” asked Youko, offering her a hand. “Come on.”
Daisy took it and tried to keep pace as Youko took off, dragging her. Youko shoved her hand out and created a motorcycle. She hopped, mounting it and pulled Daisy on as well. It revved and squealed as the wheels peeled out. Daisy coiled around her shivering and crying as she looked back. The monster quickly faded as they sped away.
“Ah shit, we left Jen back there! Is she going to be alright?” said Daisy now that there was a moment to breathe.
“She will be fine.”
“What even was that thing?”
“A Super?” playfully said Youko.
“I never heard of a shadow monster.”
“There are a lot of Supers so there are lots of powers you know.”
“Oh yeah, you made this bike with your power right?”
“Yeah, pretty cool, right?”
“Yeah, it is awesome. How does it work though?”
Youko shrugged, “I don’t know. I just imagine it and it becomes real.”
“I thought you could only make animals?”
“Nope. I can make anything I want.”
“That is cool… you think we lost it?”
“Nope.”
Daisy looked back, but there was nothing there. She blinked a few times to make sure before looking past Youko and screamed. In front of them was that thing. Suddenly it bulged and the mouth opened so wide that it took up the whole street. Youko kicked off of the bike and watched as it barreled straight into the maw of razor-sharp teeth. Daisy bumbled, attempting to dismount as well, but the bike came to life. It coiled around her to prevent her escape. As the darkness wrapped around her face, she let out a final scream that was shortly silenced when the mouth snapped shut around her and started chewing.
Youko smiled as her friends grew by one. There was only one more to add. One last friend forever, Cece.
~~~
Time skipped to several days later. The fragments congealing at this point in time. Sunshine recognized this day, it was when the madness came to a head.
Youko sat in her house her imagination spread out in every direction sensing everything. This was practice. It was to make her stronger, yes stronger. She was growing hungry, both mentally and physically.
Hungry~ complained Daisy and Jen, lazing about on the floor like the good doggies they were. The two were chewing on broken bones for the marrow.
Youko pet them as their bodies quivered having difficulty holding onto their forms. Using her powers was very straining and so the time she needed to rest had grown or the intake of energy as an alternative. Youko lay there staring at the ceiling while thinking of how to get her hands on her last friend, Cece. Should she be bold and just go to school to take her? That might cause concerns there were already questions floating about.
Something intruded into her domain. Youko concentrated finding a familiar figure crouched and watching the house from behind the fence. It was Cece. How fortunate.
“They have to be here. First, it was Jen and then Daisy. Youko must know something.” Said Cece lightly as she took a final glance around.
She snuck, scuttling across the lawn and slinking to the wall. She scooted and peered through the window. When she went for the handle, the door opened for her. Youko smiled, “Hello Cece. I have been waiting for you.”
Cece retreated a few steps out of surprise, “Youko?! You, you scared me.”
“Sorry.”
Cece cried, hugging her, “Are you ok? I am scared Youko, people have been going missing! How come you haven’t come to school lately? Have you seen Jen or Daisy? Neither of them have been coming as well. I tried to ask their parents, but nobody was home. I thought that you had gone too.”
“No need to worry. Come in, Jen and Daisy are here as well.”
“They, they are? Are they ok?”
“Oh, they are perfectly fine.” Youko smirked.
“How come they haven’t been going to school?”
“I guess we have just been having too much fun and lost track of time.”
“It has been days! Youko what is really going on?”
“My powers are very entrancing you know. I hardly know what day it is anymore.”
“Youko that isn’t healthy. You look rather thin… have you been eating properly?”
“My friends have and that is all that matters.”
“Show me Jen and Daisy. They need to go home.”
Youko nodded and led the way. Cece followed looking over the house. She kept pausing, Youko could taste the trepidation. Cece held it all back and continued. They walked up the stairs and came to Youko’s room. This time Youko stood to the side and ushered her friend inside first. She took one step and froze in place. Every sense in her body told her to flee and she swung around into the wall. The door having vanished. Youko had learned from her first mistake with Jen.
“Youko! What is going on?!” she shrilly cried, clawing at the darkness that should have been her escape route.
She smiled, spreading her hands out, “Welcome home dear friend. Oh, how long we have been waiting. Now we can be complete.”
“Righto!” said Daisy happily.
“Late,” shyly said Jen.
Cece turned hearing their voices and gulped at the sight of her friends. “Is it really you? Jen, Daisy?”
They nodded lightly approaching her.
“I missed you guys. Where have you been?”
“Here. Playing with Youko.”
“But it has been days, Jen it has been a week.”
“Eh? So long already?” they looked at one another. “Oh well. Not like any of the outside matters now that you are here.”
Cece started crying, “I was so lonely. You wouldn’t even pick up your phones. I called every night and nobody answered.”
“Awe, don’t worry,” smiled Youko hugging her, “we will be together forever.”
Cece smiled a little until she froze up again. She recoiled away from Youko, sensing something was wrong. A Tch sound clicked in her mouth. Cece stared in horror at what she had been embracing. The darkness welled up around Youko forming extra limbs that reached for her. She shrieked when they grasped onto her legs and pulled her closer.
“Youko! Stop this! Please, we are friends!”
“I know that is why we will be together. You will be like Jen and Daisy, a part of me. Become one of us.”
“One of us! One of us!” happily said the pair from both sides of Cece.
They held her up, freeing her hands from where they clung to the floor. Slowly the two fed Cece into the abomination that was Youko. She kicked and struggled, screaming as her feet sunk into the hungering maw.
“No! Youko please, don’t, don’t do this!”
Youko leaned down, kissing her on the cheek, “But I love you.”
More of her was pulled in, clear up to her chest. A look of bliss covered all the monsters and Youko. More and more was swallowed whole, she didn’t bite or chew. No, she wanted to absorb her painlessly. Finally, with a slurp, the screaming was silenced and the wriggling mass settled inside of Youko. She shuddered in elation. She would take her time with Cece, it might take days or even weeks to fully take her, in all of her entirety, that was the extent of her love.