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Once upon a time, there were two onis. A red oni - the energetic, wild one, always listening to it’s heart - and a blue oni, more reserved, more calm and thoughtful. They were living together and the red oni hoped that one day, she and humans could become friends.
The sun was setting in the distance, pink and orange glow descending over the two onis sitting next to a tree. Airi’s head was laid in Shizuku’s lap and the latter girl was stroking her sunlit hair gently.
„They don’t like me, Shizuku. I brought them flowers, heard that humans like them. But when they saw me, they screamed and cried and ran away. I don’t understand why are they scared of me, even though I’m doing my best to be kind.” A teardrop fell from the red oni’s eye, soaking into the blue one’s clothes.
One tear, two tears, three tears.
„Shh, don’t cry, Airi-chan. You don’t have to try to be kind - you are. And I’m sure that eventually, they will see it too.”
Airi’s watery eyes shone in the sunset, appearing bigger than ever. Shizuku loved her eyes, in any form, any light, and even though they still were so, so beautiful, she hated when Airi cried. Much rather she would see those eyes sparkle from excitement, not sadness.
„I just want to be friends.” The oni kept crying.
Shizuku reached out and wiped her tears away, gently pushing a loose hair strand out of her face. „You will be, Airi-chan.”
That evening, Shizuku had sworn to herself that she will do what she can to make the humans realize how amazing Airi-chan is.
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Their home was small, cozy and hidden in the mountains. Airi had decided to bake cake for the humans. She went out to pick up some wild berries and that’s when Shizuku sneaked out.
With a blue cape thrown around her shoulders and hiding her horns, she walked into the village. She didn’t plan to reveal herself, no. She was there just to spectate.
Some humans were sitting on outside terraces sipping tea or coffee and reading a book. Some were selling all types of fruits and vegetables from behind a small table, hiding from the sun underneath a parasol.
When they didn’t see her, nobody was scared. What the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't grieve over.
If only they knew what all different types of species were hiding from them. The humans are so scared of something unknown hurting them that they themselves become enemies.
Maybe if Airi befriended them, it would be the start to living a life in harmony.
A board hanging upon a door was calling the blue oni into a bookstore. Human language was different than the one onis spoke, which was yet another reason why Airi struggled so much. She had to prove herself through gestures without the ability to explain anything through words.
They knew books, had some in their home. Picture books or books written in scribbles decipherable only to ones like them. Shizuku was walking from shelf to shelf and after a bit of looking, she found picture books.
Airi had once tried to create a picture book for them. She drew herself and Shizuku sitting with humans and playing games, eating cakes or laughing. But they burned the book down and threw it at her to lure her away. To this day, there is a small burn on her right wrist and every night, the blue oni makes sure to press a gentle kiss to it.
She took one slim book and silently leafed through it. It was a story about an evil dragon that attacked a kingdom village full of helpless humans, and about a charming prince that defeated the evil dragon. The saved villagers are very thankful to the prince and shower him in gratitude. After that, he marries one of the village girls and they rule the kingdom together, in a modest way that makes everyone like them.
Shizuku imagined Airi-chan’s eyes shining from happiness as all the humans rush to thank her for saving them, and her heart was filled with sudden warmth.
I never want her beautiful eyes to be crying again, she thought and put the book back to it’s place on the shelf.
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„It’s so tasty, Airi-chan!” Shizuku chewed on the soft dough of a strawberry pie. „I’m sure the humans will love it!”
The red oni smiled and packed most of the pie, leaving few pieces for Shizuku to enjoy. But them the blue oni noticed, that Airi herself had not tasted her delicious cake. She stood up and walked to her.
„Airi-chan needs to taste the pie too!” she exclaimed and raised her hand with a piece to the red oni’s mouth.
„I wanted you to have more, since you like it so much.” She responed snd stepped back.
Shizuku stepped forward. „I will only like it if Airi-chan tastes it too!”
„Shizuku…” the red oni sighed, but leaned in to take a bite from offered piece. Shizuku smiled and together, they finished the remaining pieces left for them.
The blue oni was very sure that humans will like it. She imagined Airi coming back, a big smile on her face and full of excitemend to tell Shizuku a story of how she befriended the humans.
But when she really did, her clothes were dirty from her own cake and her face was once again soaked with tears.
That was when the blue oni decided to create her own plan.
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The nearest forest was set ablaze. It was far enough from the village for it not to burn down, but close enough for the villagers to be afraid of it.
When the red oni saw the sky turning red, the air changing to smoke and heard the screams of humans, she ran to help them.
Facing something worse than a very kind and very beautiful oni, the humans for once didn’t run away from her. Airi ran through the village and towards the fire, where a shadow figure was standing amidst the flames.
The humans cheered on Airi as she fought the fire. Seeing that, Shizuku hadn’t regreted her decision even for a second. She walked out of the burning mass and set another tree ablaze. She was well aware that all of the humans saw her, as they all let out an audible gasp.
The red oni noticed the blue oni. For a split second, she stopped in her tracks before continuing to stop the fire from spresding.
„What are you doing, Shizuku!?” Airi yelled.
„Hurting them, because they keep hurting you.” Shizuku responded coldly. Her eyes were burning blue as she glared at the village.
„Stop it! I want to be friends with them, not hurt them! Shizuku!” The red oni moved and grabbed the blue oni’s hands. Shizuku visibly fought but Airi, who was holding her, felt no real physical strenght. „Shizuku?”
„You are an amazing hero, Airi-chan.”
The red oni dropped her hands and stepped back. Shizuku reacted quickly, dramatically falling to the ground like Airi had hit her. The fire spread around them, creating a curtain between the onis and humans.
„What are you doing, Shizuku?” The red oni asked again, but this time, her voice broke. In the corner of her eye, the blue oni saw a droplet. Immidiately, she stood up and walked towards her, rising her hand to Airi’s face and wiping the tear away.
„Making them see just how amazing Airi-chan is.”
„They’re going to hate you. You’re making yourself a villain.”
„If it makes you a hero, then I don’t mind.”
One tear, two tears, three tears.
Standing there, surrounded by flames, Shizuku hoped that this was the last time Airi’s beautiful eyes will ever be soaked with tears. The blue oni had also realized that this was a goodbye for them.
Gently, she raised her other hand up and cupped the red oni’s face. Airi gave in to the touch and Shizuku leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. For a moment, there existed only three things: the two onis, flames burning their clothes and their locked lips.
„I love you, Airi-chan.” The blue oni gently caressed the red oni’s cheeks.
„I love you too, Shizuku.” The red oni calmed a lost flame creeping into the blue oni’s hair.
„Promise me, love, to never cry again. Feel with your whole heart like you always did, but don’t let those beautiful eyes close in pain. Play games, eat and laugh with the humans. Just be yourself, because you’re the kindest and most wonderful oni on the planet.”
„I promise.” Airi’s eyes were wet, but she smiled and kissed Shizuku again. Just a soft press on her lips, before the blue oni deliberately fell to the ground and with one swift move extinguished all the fire.
In the distance, the humans cheered and with a smile, Shizuku softly nudged Airi to run to them. She watched as they celebrated together and even from the distance, she knew that the red oni was smiling in a way that only she could.
Even from the distance, she was so, so beautiful.
Once upon a time, there were two onis. A red oni - the energetic, wild one, always listening to it’s heart - and a blue oni, more reserved, more calm and thoughtful. The red oni became friends with the humans, but the blue oni never came back home.