Mentioned Characters: Nue, Eternity

Drawn in by a sweet scent, I wandered down the dim corridor. Like a moth to a flame, my feet moved of their own accord. Spotting a streak of light emerging from a door left slightly ajar, I peeked inside and saw two youkai waiting for my arrival. "Come in, young lady. Welcome to our makeup studio!" "What kind of look shall we go for today?" Smiles spread on their faces, and I could see in their eyes that they were picturing exactly how I would look when their work was done.

Nue Houjuu was wearing a sleek, modern outfit, as if she were working the floor of a fancy clothes shop in a big city. She deftly wielded a multitude of brushes, her red-rimmed glasses adding a touch of flair. "Intelligence and elegance go hand in hand―or so an old friend once told me." Tucked into Eternity Larva's waist pouch was a pair of silver scissors and a styling comb. The highlights of her outfit were her innumerable golden hairpins and green earrings. "Fashion begins with the silhouette, don't you think?"

Clack, clack. Swish, swish. The unsettling sounds of metal clinking and brushes brushing filled the room as Nue and Larva squinted intently at my face. Was it me they saw, or simply a canvas for their art? "Don't worry, you won't be the same plain old you for long." "Relax, we're only giving you a little trim." That's when I realized they weren't seeing me as I was―they were seeing me as I could be. And yet, I couldn't help but squirm in my seat. Perhaps because they seemed a little TOO enthusiastic...

InCarnation Bouquet With each brush stroke on my skin, a white powder fluttered into the air like enchanted smoke. Foundation coated on to smooth out my skin; eyebrows drawn with precision to match the contours of my face; eye shadow applied liberally to accentuate the shape of my eyes―a full makeover to highlight all my best features while concealing my flaws. Despite working on me at the same time, Nue and Larva's hands never collided. With every second that passed, my makeover leapt closer to completion. They were masters of their craft, making me more beautiful with every stroke of their brush, every snip of their scissors.

Freshly picked fruit. A gemstone peeking out from a split rock. A baby taking their first steps. There is a beauty to all things new. And so, I believed the purest version of myself existed in a past I could never return to. But staring back at me in the mirror was the most beautiful version of myself that I had ever seen. "Did we just stumble on buried treasure?" "Who knew she could glitter so bright?" Seeing my finished look, Nue and Larva grinned once more. Their makeup was like magic, erasing the past and leading the way to a radiant future.