Days of a Wrathful Demoness

Only two remained now.

It was expected to an extent, the cat always had a certain flair for the theatrics, which was more iconic than leaving your comrades ahead to push forward. As such neither head of Violet made a comment about the dramatised situation. Neither did they think about pausing so as to let their comrades catch up to help them with the challenge to come; there was simply no way the little black cat had not prepared something to ruin any plans around going off script.

Not even the prideful Vibrant dared to flirt the idea that they would be able to outsmart the famed “{Dragon Slaying Mind}” around a plan which had been in the making for aeons. That would not be pride but straight up arrogance. Arrogance they could not afford to have without their final head present to even the score.

Walking through the door to the next room did not have them meet with another well lit corridor of portraits the cat held dearly. Instead they were met with that abyssal black for which the cat had wallowed in since the invention of the spirit world. While Vibrant decided to remain cautious - there was no hesitation in the beast like Vivi who fearlessly stepped into the darkness with her kanabo on her shoulder.

She trusted her instinct.

Not soon after making her entrance…

*BWAM*

“A~ wolf~ is~ at~ my~ door~♪” <Cheshire>

After a single piano note a beautiful yet haunting voice rang out from the dark to bring all attention forward; each word drawn out as if to bring attention to them. Making it impossible for someone to mishear nor misunderstand what she was insinuating. Sure enough, as if that wasn’t obvious enough, a blue light (which flickered between two shades) appeared to highlight a symbol that appeared to hover mid-air

The logo being that of a black wolf skull adorned in a cloak of white wool.

Seeing that made Vibrant frown as she simply did not recognise it however, in contrast, Vivi showed no interest as if she had seen it hundreds of times.

“I feel it…♪” <Cheshire>

Bellow - looking up at the fierce wolf - Cheshire walked into the light as black smoke seemed to rise up in challenge to the titan. Her back seemed so small to the gigantic beast that lay in front of her. She didn’t appear daunted by the task as, behind the sinister song, was undoubtedly a desire to challenge anything that attempted to drag her down.

“I see it in my dreams~♪” <Cheshire>

That black smoke being enveloped by a purple smoke that soon turned the entire abyss around them into a warm haze. The cat suddenly appeared to grow larger right there as she turned around with her arms raised as if attempting to grasp her dream. Steal it from under the wolf snout that always watched her.

“A world of my design~♪” <Cheshire>

Soon the abyss was back in full swing to bring with it images of child- no, spirits, playing wistfully in a true wonderland for the younglings. A place where they could forever play & make new friends without fear nor prejudice that came from the adults in their lives. For once the crazed smile of Cheshire softened into something that almost seemed… Peaceful.

Like a woman on her death bed surrounded by her beloved children.

That didn’t last long though.

“A forced enlightening…♪” <Cheshire>

She practically spat those words out in disgust as she looked back over at the wolf who had been hidden under all the spectacular special effects.

“... Reveals it♪” <Cheshire>

In that moment a smell of rot & decay began to weave its way through the spectral mists - corrupting them into a sickening brown & red endeavour. For the first time Vivi seemed engaged yet it was a frown that faintly formed on her lips. No sign of her usual savageness but instead her eyes narrowed in caution.

“I found a life that I malign~♪” <Cheshire>

Sheer disgust in her voice as now there were not just visions of spirits but various races of mortals & beasts alike was revealed. Cheshire had her hand travel over her eyes as if she did not wish to see what was coming next as something suddenly seemed “wrong”. Those countless races seemed visibly anxious from just their body language alone.

“And I feel it!” <Cheshire>

Not even singing that line as she threw her hand down from her eyes to show those familiar galaxy filled eyes that marked the usage of her ability to see through both space and time. At the same time those worlds had a backdrop of stars as life within the visions began to wither. Shrivelling up at a mortifyingly visible pace which made even Vibrant frown; opening her eyes to bear witness to the disgusting necrotization without noticing the other third's reaction.

“I feel so strange…♪” <Cheshire>

So she said as she slowly walked along the stage to take in all the different entities as they suffered in the various visions as they decomposed.

“Like I'm everywhere~♪” <Cheshire>

Running back to the centre of the stage to challenge the wolf yet the cat wasn’t alone as from the various worlds walked out a very familiar figure. Dozens of Munzumira charged out from their worlds all in order to help Cheshire ‘prime’ with the greatest challenge she had ever faced. Coming together in hopes to topple the cause of all the suffering.

But…

“And that no one was there…” <Cheshire>

It was hopeless.

All her planning fell through in every single world as one by one those bubbles popped with her fellow cats looking around with no amusement to be seen. That wolf from above opened its mouth to send down a flurry of weapons, dyed in crimson flames, to cut down the resistance. The only thing Cheshire could do was raise her arm to protect herself from them by raising her own arms in front of her face.

“We~ only want to live forever…~♪” <Cheshire>

Her sadness audibly as she lowered her arms only to see nothing but the wolf; almost seeming to mock her foolish attempts. Now all alone, she fell to her knees, looking around as all those weapons pierced the floor as if marking an endless series of graves. Each one representing a comrade who had fallen in their attempt to overcome the dark fate of their loved ones… Ultimately unable to overcome the might that the skull represented.

“Repeat serial suicide♪” <Cheshire>

Looking up towards the “rafters” where a surprising sight - from gender and small changes that marked them as different - countless versions of adult “Navy” hung from above. Red strings coiled around their neck as well as their limbs as if to hold them in place. Seemingly the cat was about to continue yet she was destined to never finish her song.

“You can’t-♪” <Cheshire>

“Enough!” <Vivi>

The demoness was no longer willing to give the cat a chance to even get to her chorus as her spare hand came to grip onto her face as an all too familiar purple flame mask appeared. Cheshire raised an eyebrow yet Vivi cared little, lifting her weapon to the sky, she let her intent flow out from her body to fill her weapon with her murderous desires. Even the abyss that surrounded them found itself facing annihilation as she swung her kanabo down to erase everything in front of her.

Something she was quite successful with.

In a matter of moments her demonic intent rendered the abyss from the world. Now, instead of having darkness all around, they found themselves in a fairly regular stage room set with plenty of tables and chairs. There were even some viewing boxes above for those of “higher class”.

On the stage (seemingly unaffected from the attack) was the cat with her familiar grin already back to being hidden under her mask as she tapped her sword on the ground as if it were a cane. Her crimson eyes narrowed as she studied the two challengers in front of her. A sudden wave of clapping came from one of the viewing boxes however she paid it no mind.

“Seems like we have an uninvited guest…” <Cheshire>

Vivi simply growled as she was about to leap towards Cheshire once more - thankfully Vibrant promptly stepped in front to prevent a recurrence.

She needed the demoness to have all her limbs intact if they were going to win.

“You yourself used the exact same loophole so I hardly find it fair; it takes a special kind of shamelessness for the serial killer to call out the bandit for being too ruthless.” <Vibrant>

Surprisingly Cheshire did not really seem to care about the two heads showing up at the same time; waving her hand in a lackadaisical manner. Her eyes soon curled up to express her amusement at the scene in front of her. A sight that clearly confused both Violet’s who simultaneously had their heads fall to one side in a quizzical manner.

“If you put half of your comprehensive skills towards something other than your quippy metaphors the world would already be shaped in your image; I’m hardly talking about you. On the other hand… I certainly hope my new guest takes in the warning else something very bad may happen. It really is a shame that some people just think they are far smarter than they are chehehe~!” <Cheshire>

Shaking her head as that stubby tail of hers wagged around while she cheekily raised her spare hand in front of her face mask - clearly mocking them.

To Violet that just gave them more reason to beat the cat down.

Like usual it was Vivi who charged forward to ram her weapons head straight through the poor Cheshire’s rib cage. An attempt that was swiftly thwarted as she lifted her own weapon up from the ground to have the butt knock into the bottom of the metal club - tilting her head to the side as it flew past her cheek.

Vivi, like always, wasn’t one to fall back due to a small failure so moved her hand in a claw like motion to try to tear the cat's head off. Similar to the cat a claw formed over her hand. Unlike the cat, however, Vivi’s claw was clearly formed from her demonic energies rather than that of impurity. The claw gained a purple flame-like appearance as the air hissed in fear at the promise of destruction.

Despite facing death Cheshire’s eyes only widened. Not in shock due to Vivi’s far faster speed but in sheer exhilaration as she raised her elbow to collide with the elbow that was attempting to remove her head from her tiny shoulders. Even that only managed to nudge the claw slightly yet it was enough to mostly dodge.

Lowering her head to allow the demonic hand to save her life even if it cost her pound of flesh.

Not being one to take things sitting down Cheshire returned the favour as black engulfed her free hand as she swiftly dove under Vivi’s outstretched weapon arm. Deciding to take interest from the demoness taking more than just her technique - claw cleaving through her rivals side. Although that did not even make Wrath even flinch.

“GRRROOOOOAOAAAR!” <Wrath>

The mouth of the hannya mask opened up to let out a blood trembling screech that made the cat stumble a little. A moment that the physically superior demon jumped on as she turned to the cat away to deliver a  powerful knee. At the last moment Cheshire managed to lift her sword and hop into the air to circumvent a lot of the brutish power.

Regardless, she couldn’t help raising her black claw to staunch the black blood leaking out from where a fuggly little cat ear once was. That monster didn’t care as it threw the ear into its abhorrent mouth. Sounds of munching made it clear that the appearance change was more than just a simple mask.

She wasn’t given a chance to consider that as she promptly realised that 4 swords were hovering around her with gold lightning bathed in flames of violet dancing around to create a polygonal dome.

“[Heavenly Destruction - Four Noble Truths]!” <Vibrant>

The cat didn’t even think about actually letting the sword formation finish as she was well aware that her fragile little body wouldn’t be able to last. Swiftly drawing her sword to slice through the confinement that just as suffering activated to cause her body to be racked with pain. Dashing through the hole as hunger began to form; swiftly vanishing just as she made it out.

There, to congratulate her for escaping, was the demonic hannya looking back at her with their metal club already held high into the sky. Having no way to dodge she could only face the monster. Utilising her wisdom to have the club meet her sword at an angle while stepping aside in a perfect parry however the weight of that attack was enough to make her bones into jelly.

Black blood dribbled down from her scarred arms while she coughed up black blood; despite all this she only presented a maddening laugher that contained no anger but instead simple joy

“This is exactly what our last fight should be nyahaha~!” <Cheshire>