Yuugi Hoshiguma
Yuugi Hoshiguma's Fantasy Rebirth Story
...Miss Yuugi.
Yuugi
Oh, welcome.
Yuugi
I'm surprised you managed to get here on your own, what with you being an ordinary human and all.
I pretended to be a youkai...!
Yuugi
Ahahahaha! Good joke!
Yuugi
Well, whatever. Take a seat.
Yuugi
It's nice to sit closer to the street sometimes. It's a bit noisier, but you get to enjoy drinking while watching all the goings on.
It's noisier than usual, isn't it? I thought it would be.
Yuugi
Yeah.
Yuugi
Everyone's restless 'cause of the Lost Word Incident.
Yuugi
The hated youkai, vengeful spirits, and even the disguised fairies are on edge.
It's like everyone's waiting for the fireworks to start...
Yuugi
Fireworks, huh? Yeah, that sounds about right.
Yuugi
The denizens of the Underworld have nowhere else to go. Well, apart from New Hell. But that's hardly an improvement.
Yuugi
That goes for tsurube-otoshi, tsuchigumo, hashihime, satori youkai, vengeful spirits, and, of course, the oni.
Yuugi
We were forced down here by the surface-dwellers. And that experience has shaped our view of the world.
Yuugi
It's not something a human kid like you can understand. And you shouldn't have to.
Yuugi
We've lived as outcasts longer than you humans can imagine, and that won't ever change.
Yuugi
So, to us, this Lost Word Incident that could bring about the end as soon as tomorrow is no different from a rowdy festival.
But everything returns to normal after a festival...
Yuugi
Hmm... I think you're missing the point I'm trying to make.
Yuugi
You can't think about what might happen after a festival while you're enjoying one. That wouldn't be any fun.
Yuugi
This incident is the same as a festival 'cause they both let you forget about your troubles and just enjoy the moment.
Yuugi
What? Is it that strange to hear an oni talking about festivals?
Well, maybe a little.
Yuugi
Shinto festivals are held to appease divine spirits, and that's pretty much what I do down here. I quell vengeful spirits.
Yuugi
There are many ways to calm a wild spirit. You can placate them with words or distract them with a soak in a hot spring.
Yuugi
And, of course, you could just calm them down by force. It doesn't matter how you do it as long as it works.
I've never heard of appeasing spirits by force before...
Yuugi
You're joking, right? Why do you think people put stones on top of graves? It's to force the spirits to stay down there.
Yuugi
Thinking about it now...
Yuugi
If the Lost Word Incident really does spell the end of all things...
Yuugi
It'll be the biggest festival there ever was or will be.
Huh?!
Yuugi
You wouldn't have to think about what might happen after the festival.
Yuugi
No matter how hard you party, there's no risk of the things you did coming back to bite you.
Yuugi
You wouldn't have to follow the rules or listen to your conscience 'cause there'll be literally nothing left once it's over.
Yuugi
It'll probably only last a single night, but what a night it will be. It'll be the festival to end all festivals...
Yuugi
Even back in the Heian era when oni ran amok, there wasn't anything this crazy. The world can only end once, after all.
You mean you'll ruin everything on purpose?
Yuugi
Yeah, pretty much. I bet it'd be really fun to wreck everything without having to worry about the cleanup.
But you'll have to say goodbye to all your friends...
Yuugi
...Hm, I guess that's where the sensibilities of oni and humans differ.
Yuugi
We're outcasts. And not by choice but because people made us that way.
Yuugi
A human like you can't possibly understand us. And I wouldn't want you to.
Yuugi
...Hehe, you think that's sad, don't you?
Yuugi
Don't underestimate us.
N-No... I don't mean to...!
Yuugi
I know, but you shouldn't use your human standards to judge oni. For your own sake, you need to draw a line between us.
You mean oni aren't like humans?
Yuugi
Exactly...
Yuugi
...but, unfortunately, it isn't that simple.
What do you mean?
Yuugi
Oni used to be humans.
...!
Yuugi
...Or that's what some people believe, anyway.
Huh?! But don't most oni look down on humans...?
Yuugi
Yeah, I'm sure some oni reject the idea on principle. I'm not entirely happy with it, either.
Yuugi
But every so often, I hear tales of humans so seeped in malice and resentment that they become just like oni.
Yuugi
All oni possess hearts maddened by hate, so perhaps oni are born from these emotions. Or maybe humans morph into oni.
Yuugi
We could also originate from criminals exiled to the mountains or from humans that drifted here from across the ocean.
Yuugi
People no longer recognized as human are sometimes called oni. And that might not be strictly metaphorical.
Yuugi
Clans that don't bow to the authority of the time and people that exert influence even after death are oni-level threats.
Yuugi
And as soon as these threats are detected, they are no longer considered human. That's what it means to be an outcast.
How would it feel to be declared non-human...?
Yuugi
Now you're starting to get it.
Yuugi
The people who create outcasts want the world to continue. That's why they got rid of us in the first place.
Yuugi
But outcasts couldn't care less. We don't live thinking about what kind of legacy we'll leave behind.
Because everything has already been taken from you?
Yuugi
Perhaps. But we don't care about that, either. We don't harp on about the harm caused to us, nor do we wallow in self-pity.
Yuugi
We eat that stuff up. Everyone in the Underworld subsists on their hate and resentment...
Yuugi
...to lead fairly fun lives all in all.
Don't oni care about throwing those lives away...?
Yuugi
Hrmm...
Yuugi
I think I've finally figured out why you're asking all these questions.
Yuugi
The Lost Word Incident is almost here, and it will be an unprecedented event for both youkai and humans.
Wouldn't you like to enjoy the festival with humans too?
Yuugi
...So that's your angle, huh?
Yuugi
Whether alone or together, it's still a festival... And there's no way of knowing whether it'll be the last until it begins.
Yuugi
Besides, it's not in an oni's nature to hold anything back, so it doesn't really matter if there'll be another festival or not.
(Exactly... I knew you'd understand!)
Yuugi
...
Yuugi
All right, you've convinced me!
Yuugi
Let's work together to make this the biggest festival ever.
Wow, just like that?! ...You're not drunk, are you?
Yuugi
Heh, what are you talking about? Have you forgotten that I'm an oni?
Yuugi
I'm always drunk.
(Right, that was a silly question.)
Yuugi
Hm, this is more Suika's thing, but now that it's come to this, I'm sure she won't mind.
Hm?
Yuugi
I'm gonna put together a new Night Parade!
...!
Yuugi
I'll lead a procession full of all the hated denizens of the Underworld. It'll be the greatest of anomalies.
Yuugi
This might even be effective against the Lost Word 'cause we'll have as much spiritual energy as the great snake of legend.
Yuugi
Tsurube-otoshi, tsuchigumo, hashihime, satori youkai, Hell ravens, kasha, vengeful spirits, disguised fairies, and oni...
Yuugi
We'll all come together as one great line of bullets. Of course, normally, this would be a suicide mission, but...
Yuugi
As long as we firmly believe that this is not the end, our bullets will stay strong and pierce all that stands before us.
That sounds really powerful...!
Yuugi
Why so surprised? Weren't you trying to tell me that this is what it means to give it your all?
Yuugi
But, yeah, I bet there's still some way of making this new Night Parade even stronger.
Yuugi
I've got a few ideas, so I'll get back to you with them.
Um, Miss Yuugi... please take this!
Yuugi
Hm? ...Oh, you're kidding me! Now it all makes sense!
Yuugi
This explains why you came all the way down here and why you were acting all weird with those leading questions!
Yuugi
That super shady Youkai Sage sent you!
S-Sorry!
Yuugi
No, you don't have to apologize. I'm impressed.
Yuugi
You'd be bargaining with your life if you tried to lie to an oni, but it's not like you could just plead to me for help, either.
Yuugi
And besides...
I volunteered to come because I wanted to talk to you.
Yuugi
...Hehe, yeah, I knew you'd say that.
Yuugi
Wow, this costume is awesome. Thanks.
Yuugi
Tell that sage on the surface that even though she hasn't stated her request outright, I'll get it done.
Yuugi
And I won't just be working with the Underworld crew.
Yuugi
I'll lead a super Night Parade with every type of youkai you can imagine. It won't be easy bringing them all together...
Yuugi
But I reckon I can do it if it's just for one night!
Costume Presentation
Yuugi
Ahahaha, you're not half bad! And you've done all this with a human elegance utterly foreign to us oni. I thought humans could only fight with words or cheap tricks, but you're actually quite the menace. I'm gonna stick with ya to the end.
