章 484: Yoshino & Yoshinon
"Hateful!"
Covered in dust and with a thoroughly embarrassed look, Ryouko Kusakabe scrambled out from the pile of AST girls she had fallen into. She had never been humiliated this badly—this was an utter disgrace.
Luckily, the Manifestation Apparatus had its own safety field, preventing her and her team from taking fatal damage upon falling. Otherwise, at such a height, they would certainly have been flattened. That didn't mean the dizziness and headache were avoidable, however.
The worst part was that their opponent clearly had no intention of killing them. If she had, they'd have been done for already. She was merely toying with them, which only enraged Kusakabe further. That "creature" didn't even see them as a threat.
"Damn it! That arrogant jerk!" Kusakabe stomped her foot, her eyes blazing with anger as she shouted, "I swear I'll take her down! Alert the headquarters to send another batch of Manifestation Devices here, and the new particle cannon as well, and—"
"C-Captain..." a nearby AST member called out timidly.
"What?" Kusakabe turned her head, her tone icy.
"Your clothes…" The AST member gave an awkward chuckle, gesturing at her captain's body.
"What about my clothes?" Kusakabe asked, still oblivious, before following her teammate's finger downwards. Her eyes went wide.
"AAAAAAHHHH!"
A piercing scream echoed across the area.
At some point, the entire front part of Kusakabe's Manifestation Device had been sliced off, leaving her, like the other AST girls, stripped down to bare skin.
Her delicate, flawless skin, her shapely figure, and her abundant chest were exposed, softly trembling with each breath she took. She hadn't even realized it during the fight, and only now, with someone pointing it out, had she discovered that Kaguya's wind blade had cleanly severed the connectors of her Manifestation Device.
"I'll get her… I'll kill her!" Kusakabe muttered, her face flushed as she tried to cover herself. Although she tried to sound menacing, her current state undermined any hint of authority.
In a dimly lit underground parking garage, a small figure was hiding between a car and the wall, clutching her hood tightly as she curled up in fear, her body visibly trembling.
It was Yoshino.
"So scary…" Yoshino muttered in a trembling voice, her large, teary blue eyes filled with helplessness. "Yoshinon, where are you?"
During the chaotic battle, Yoshinon, her stuffed puppet, had been lost. She wanted to go back to find it but feared being discovered and harmed by those who were attacking her, and she didn't even know where Yoshinon had fallen. Helpless and terrified, Yoshino could only hide herself.
Yoshino's heart was filled with fear and anxiety, mixed with a profound sense of loss. Yoshinon wasn't just a puppet; it was Yoshino's other self, a strong version of herself she looked up to, and, in a sense, her only friend. Losing Yoshinon left her as vulnerable as a frightened bunny, prone to firing off attacks at the slightest scare.
Suddenly, she sensed something. Her nerves tightened as she rose to her feet, eyes wide with fear as she looked ahead.
In the shadows, the sharp click of heels against concrete echoed ominously, each step getting closer.
The sound struck Yoshino like a hammer against her heart. Her face paled, and she instinctively backed away. If the wall hadn't been there, she might have bolted.
Finally, a figure emerged from the darkened corner.
Yoshino's heart was in her throat as she raised her hand defensively, ready to attack if the figure made any sudden moves. However, her Spirit Power was nearly depleted, leaving her swaying on her feet. Even running away felt impossible at this point.
Just as she was about to attack, the figure stepped into the light, revealing herself to be the same person who had helped her earlier. Yoshino blinked, momentarily surprised.
"I didn't expect to find you here," the figure—Kaguya—said, flashing a smile from behind her fox mask. "You really made me work to find you."
"Y-You… Are you here to hurt me too?" Yoshino stammered, taking a step back, her expression pitiful.
"No, I'm not here to hurt you," Kaguya quickly reassured her, smiling softly. "Actually, I'm kind of like you. People think I'm a Spirit and try to attack me too. So you have nothing to worry about."
"Really?" Yoshino replied hesitantly, her expression unsure.
"Of course," Kaguya answered. "Otherwise, those people wouldn't have attacked me back there, would they?"
"Mm…" Yoshino, still cautious, kept herself hunched up but managed a small nod.
Just then, a loud rumble shook the ground beneath them, as if an earthquake had struck. Due to the earlier battle, the building above the parking garage had sustained heavy damage from cannon fire. Although it hadn't collapsed outright, the structure was now on the verge of falling, and the underground garage was taking a major impact. The structure had finally reached its limit.
At that instant, Kaguya moved, shooting forward like a ghost and appearing before Yoshino in a flash.
Yoshino's heart seized with fear. Was this person here to harm her after all?
Panicked, she raised her hand, but before she could launch an attack, she found herself being pulled into a tight embrace.
"BOOM!"
A deafening crash echoed through the garage as the concrete ceiling caved in, large chunks of stone and steel beams crashing down, crushing vehicles into flat metal pancakes. The car alarms blared in unison as debris and dust filled the air, creating a dense, choking cloud that obscured everything around them.
As the dust in the air gradually settled, the silhouettes of two people intertwined came into view. Kaguya was cradling Yoshino's delicate, petite body tightly in her arms, making her look like an oversized but exquisitely crafted doll.
The silky, smooth feel of Yoshino's skin transferred through Kaguya's touch, prompting her to gently run her hand over her a few more times and muse, There really is something to be said for cute little girls.
However, this tender moment didn't last long, as Yoshino immediately began to squirm in Kaguya's arms. Her small body twisted as she struggled, her eyes filled with tears, giving her the look of someone who was terribly wronged.
"Let… let me go!" Yoshino cried out softly, but her voice was so faint that Kaguya barely acknowledged it.
Well, they say even a rabbit bites when it's cornered, thought Kaguya.
Yoshino then opened her small mouth, revealing tiny, pearly teeth, and bit down on Kaguya's hand. However, Kaguya's body was protected by a perpetual force field that shielded her at all times, so when Yoshino bit down, it felt like biting into a piece of iron, and the pain almost brought her to tears.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Kaguya, realizing Yoshino's predicament, quickly released her, feeling it would indeed be cruel to keep her any longer now that the poor girl had been pushed to her limit.
The moment she was let go, Yoshino backed away, retreating ten steps until she was in the corner, where she held her mouth with one small hand, glaring at Kaguya in indignation.
Clearly, Yoshino's teeth hadn't fared well from the bite; even Kaguya felt her own jaw ache just thinking about it.
"Sorry about that earlier," Kaguya said apologetically, "but to make up for it, I found this for you. I hope you'll like it." She brought out an item from behind her.
It was a slightly rough-looking bunny plush, with a red and white design, a button-made eye patch on its right eye, and far from pristine; it was covered in dust and caked with mud from the rain, making it look dirty and weathered.
Yet, Yoshino's eyes lit up the moment she saw it. She took a few eager steps forward, only to hesitate again, tears welling in her large eyes. Finally, she couldn't hold back any longer, whispering softly like a kitten, "Yoshinon…"
Kaguya smiled and approached, placing the bunny plush into Yoshino's hands, gently patting her head and saying, "It's okay, don't be sad anymore." Somehow, Kaguya couldn't help but feel like she was petting a small animal.
Yoshino didn't seem to notice Kaguya's affectionate pat, as she immediately pulled the plush into a tight hug, letting out soft sobs as tears dripped down her cheeks, yet a small smile graced her delicate face.
She must have gone through so much, Kaguya thought with a pang of sympathy. Being alone must have been unbearable, clinging to a plush toy as her only friend… It's truly heartbreaking.
After a long moment, Yoshino seemed to remember there was someone else nearby. She quickly collected herself, then gave a small, polite bow and, in a soft, hesitant voice, said, "Th-thank you." Her words were a bit stilted, as if she weren't used to speaking.
"Ah, so you're the one who saved Yoshino and me, aren't you?" the bunny plush spoke up suddenly. "We're so grateful!"
"Oh, it was nothing," Kaguya replied with a smile. "Anyone would help such a cute girl."
Yoshino, seemingly caught off-guard by Kaguya's words, blushed deeply and quickly pulled her hood over her face, clearly shy.
"What's wrong?" Kaguya asked, slightly taken aback. "Did I say something wrong?"
"N-no, not at all," Yoshinon answered with a chuckle, "It's just that nobody else has ever told her something like that."
"Is that so?" Kaguya smiled gently. "Well, that's my honest opinion, and I'm sure others would think the same."
"Others?" Yoshino's expression turned despondent, and she tugged lightly at her hood, clearly still hurt by how humans had attacked her.
"Don't worry about them, Yoshino," Yoshinon said, trying to comfort her. "Those people just don't know how to appreciate you. Sweet and adorable as you are, you'll definitely be loved someday."
"You… you think so?" Yoshino asked softly, looking as vulnerable as a kitten.
"Of course," Kaguya added, her smile warm. "To me, Yoshino is the cutest of all."
Kaguya's praise left Yoshino blushing furiously. She lowered her hood entirely, too shy to meet Kaguya's gaze.
"Oh my, you sure know what to say to girls," Yoshinon teased, grinning mischievously. "Tell me, have you tricked many innocent girls with lines like that?"
Though Yoshinon was a part of Yoshino, created as her second personality, she was quite independent—much more than some people might think. Yoshinon wasn't merely a figment of split personalities; she had her own thoughts and personality.
Kaguya found herself quite amused by Yoshinon's bold personality in contrast to Yoshino's shy demeanor.
"Ah, it's a pity," Kaguya sighed dramatically, feigning disappointment. "I haven't managed to charm a single girl so far."
"By the way," Yoshinon said suddenly, as if remembering something, "we never introduced ourselves. I'm Yoshinon, and this is Yoshino. Please don't get us mixed up!"
"Yoshinon, Yoshino… Such similar names," Kaguya chuckled. "My name is Kaguya; a pleasure to meet you."
"Kaguya, what a lovely name," Yoshinon replied, nodding approvingly. "Nice to meet you, but unfortunately, we have to leave now."
"Leave?" Kaguya asked, surprised. "Where will you go?"
"Why, out of the city, of course," Yoshinon replied as if it were obvious. "This place has been compromised. Those dreadful people keep tracking us, so we'll need to find a new place to hide. Say, Kaguya, why don't you come with us? You're a Spirit too, right?"
"Constantly running isn't going to be a lasting solution," Kaguya said thoughtfully, pressing a finger to her chin. After a moment of silence, she looked at Yoshino and offered, "Why don't you come to my place instead?"
But just then, a thunderous explosion erupted. Violent shockwaves swept through the area, and shards of debris flew everywhere as a thick cloud of dust billowed into the air.
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