The following day swept them by, with everyone doing there best to readjust into normalcy.
Umeko set off on horseback after giving everyone a farewell bow. She left behind a trinket for Reta to remember, a silver locket, to which she immediately threw over her shoulder. It was undeniable how she felt about her ally, and so Umeko gave a pained look and bid her goodbye. Seeing her on her horse galloping down the road before disappearing through the forest was the last they would see of her. It left a strange feeling behind them, one that lingered for the remainder of their day. KuliKuli could tell each time she would peak at her friend when she was alone, that feeling of loss was still there. Before they departed, Janette took Reta aside in private and slipped something in her hand. She hid it inside her pocket before returning to the others.
Once they had returned back home, they returned to their individual duties. KuliKuli got around to feeding some hungry, grumpy chickens before cleaning up the horses and feeding the rest of the livestock. Reta helped Felix with a bit of physical labor, carrying lumber around to patch up a hole in the farm as its wooden material began to crumble with age. He figured that the building would need to be rebuilt bit by bit, it would be a long process that would take up a month or two but every project began with the first step.
By sunset, the trio were finishing up their tasks. Reta slammed the axe down, grunting as she chopped the log into half before stacking it into the small pile beside her. She wiped the pool of sweat and sighed heavily, choosing to remove her top and wrap it around her forehead to catch any sweat from dripping down into her eyes. Besides, she figured the cool breeze of the damp air outdoors would help her recover quickly as she enjoyed its cold touch on her chest and back. Her sarashi was the only thing she wore from the waist up, keeping her from giving the other a show. After seeing Umeko this morning, teasing Felix wasn't on her mind nor was she in a mood for fun, as focusing on these tasks helped keep her busy for the moment.
KuliKuli collapsed into the wet grass, her limbs spread apart and moving in a sweeping motion as if she were making snow angels. Felix sat down, leaning his back against the wooden fence surrounding the farm. He watched her lazily wiggle her body around, rubbing her back into the grass before moving to her side and squirming like a worm.
"What in the blazes are you doing?" He asked with a chuckle, watching this silly display of her.
KuliKuli mewed and opened her eyes, sticking out her tongue before rubbing her belly into another patch of wet grass. "It feels good on my body after a hot day of work. You should try it!"
"I'll pass." He looked around to find Reta enter the cabin with a stack of chopped logs in her arms.
Reta placed them next to the chimney, inserting a few inside before igniting a small fire inside. She blew into it and fed it another block of wood, staring at its orange blaze as it started to grow. She sat on her legs, hands on her thighs with a concentrating look in her eyes. It was not that the fire captivated her, she was lost in her thoughts as she contemplated of the many troubling things in her mind. The small window to her left showed the three moons began to resurface, a constant and daily reminder of the curse she bared.
When Felix and KuliKuli walked inside, their playful laughter stopped when they spotted her sat in front of the fire. They looked at each other wondering what to do, but their moment was interrupted when she stood up on her feet and turned to face them.
"Both of you, please sit. We have something to discuss."
Felix held his breath, feeling uneasy about her statement. KuliKuli nodded and sat on his lap much to his surprise.
Reta giggled. "Cute, but this is a serious topic in mind."
"It's about your curse, right?" KuliKuli guessed, clasping her paws together with a hopeful look. Judging by Reta's raising eyebrows, she had guessed correctly. "It hasn't left my mind since."
Reta bowed her head, looking out the window with a hint of concern. "I have not been completely honest with you two. The first week of my stay, I searched for any literature or magical items in pursuit of a means to rid of my curse."
"I did notice a few items were switched around. Did you break the lock to the cellar?" Felix asked, "That was uncalled for, there's nothing there but food."
"It was, and for that I do apologize. But I did not look into your cellar for food. The night when you held me down there in chains, it proved adequate enough to restrain me. But keep in mind, every time I transform, the process changes and I lose myself to the Wolf. Because of my sex, I believe that the transformation affects me differently from my brother. He did not resemble me before, rather he had taken shape of a hulking feral creature, with powerful muscles, claws sharp enough to pierce through metal, and jaws that could snap a log in two. By then, I believe it was his fifth transformation."
"What-" KuliKuli withdrew, feeling reluctant to ask in fear of her response. "How many times have you transformed?"
Reta calmly looked at her and replied, "That week was the first time I transformed."
"So, if it's the same as your brother, that would mean you have four more months." Felix stated, looking at her for confirmation.
Against his hopes, she shook her head and corrected him. "Three months. By next week, the first of the full moons will bare its lunar light and the curse will begin again. That is why I ask for you two here, to help you both prepare for when it happens."
"What are you proposing?" He asked in a concerned voice.
She looked at him with a steady look, conveying the severity of her request. "I want you to chain me down there by sunset. Restrain me for the next five days, do not let me go until I am human again."
KuliKuli hopped off his lap and huffed with a rising anger in her voice. "Why would we put you in chains?"
"Because, I do not wish to risk the effects of the transformation only for you two to suffer the consequences."
"You're asking us to lock you up like an animal or a monster when you are our friend!"
"I am asking you to do this as a friend!" Reta shot back, shaking KuliKuli's crossed expression. "I cannot say when the full moon begins, but I can already feel my body tingle in response, as if it were preparing for what's to come."
Felix held his chin and closed his eyes, thinking hard about this request. "Did you let Janette know about your curse?"
"Yes." She sighed. "On the first night of my stay with her, I informed her about this and asked if she may help. She purchased a few books to learn more about the curse, but it is a long process. One that I believe will not grant us progress before I transform again. Next week, you lock me down there and wait. In five days, I should turn back to normal again. "
"You didn't seem all that out of control before." KuliKuli mentioned, still not convinced of the idea. "Why would it be any different now?"
Reta shot her a look. "You have the fortune of changing between forms while maintaining your conscious mind. When I learned of my brother's curse, he explained that each night he lost himself more and more. It was like a separate mind was fighting for control, one that craved for fresh meat, territory, and an insatiable urge to kill. Even when the moons had passed and he had three weeks to rest, he found himself struggling to keep his mind in one piece. Those soft whispers at the back of his head grew louder, each suggestion they gave made it harder for him to control himself. He was losing himself, I fear that the same will happen to me."
She entered the kitchen and returned with a small tray, placing it on the ground between them.
"Which is why I suggest that we should learn to defend ourselves should any more trouble come our way."
"Hey now, I think we are quite safe where we are now." Felix said, leaning forward in his chair only for both women to shoot him with a glare. "What? There's no one around here for at least thirty minutes. That is a benefit."
"Or a disadvantage." Reta explained, pushing the tray to them. "This cabin is isolated, there is a river at the back and a nearby forest. Anyone can come upon us by chance and strike while we have our backs turned, and then what? I found you here, you can't expect me to believe that no one else will."
"She's right, you're still hurting from that nasty fight too. I think it wouldn't hurt if someone teaches us how to fight back." KuliKuli chimed in, sitting opposite of her friend with her legs crossed.
"I will be the one training you." Reta pointed out, much to her surprise.
"Wait, you are going to train us?" She asked in a high tone.
Reta huffed. "I may not be the best fighter, but I can teach a few things. That night in the circus demonstrated how awful of a fighter he is, and how clueless you both are to Genki."
"Hey!" Felix whined, looking crossed and upset. "Those guys were invisible, it was like fighting a ghost!"
"True, but my point remains. You can handle the pain from a fight and to that I am impressed." Reta commented, leaving Felix feeling proud. "Nonetheless, I would suggest we start training before my transformation passed through. When the last of the full moons have passed, that should be five days after the first full moon, then you can free me and we can begin."
"Five days, Janette said she would visit us tomorrow." Felix mentioned.
"Yes," Reta confirmed. "She agreed to be here to help teach you about Genki as well. We plan to compare our knowledge that way, she knows it as Essence but I know it as Genki. Perhaps we may learn of something new from one another as well."
The tray placed between them contained a tin cup of water inside. Reta reached into her pocket and placed a small brown bottle next to it.
"This is a sleeping potion. Janette offered a secondary approach to ease this process for us. Just one spoonful is enough to put you to sleep for eight hours."
"That looks like it contains more than eight hours." Felix commented.
"It should suffice for seven days." She stated, wiggling the bottle and hearing its liquid contents swoosh inside.
KuliKuli frowned. "You're going to drink the entire thing?"
"Can you do that, is that safe?" Felix added, looking to her with a growing sadness in his eyes. "What if the seven days pass and you are still sleeping?"
KuliKuli shook her head, growing upset. "I don't like this idea, no. I don't want to see you drug yourself to sleep. If you're staying down there... then I will stay there too!"
"No." Reta shot back, only for KuliKuli to rise up and stomp her leg down.
"You can't ask me to lock you up and pretend like it's not breaking my heart into pieces. I won't, I can't! Not without being there too." Her voice cracked as she stepped around the tray and sat down, holding her hands with her head hung down. "We stay together on this with you. Don't you ever ask me to lock you up again. You are with us and we are with you, right Felix?"
Felix shook his head in agreement. "Right! I haven't a clue how though but... we'll find a way."
"And besides, you seemed in control in the first month. Maybe we can ask Janette for some potion to keep you from being angry?"
"That would be the day." Felix muttered, looking alarmed when the girls shot him a look. "I-I mean yea, would it help?"
Reta grunted, turning back to KuliKuli before hanging her head. "I don't know if such a potion even exists. Janette might know."
"Then we ask her after!" She smiled back, lifting Reta's face. "But you won't be alone, we'll be here with you."
Reta stared back at her with a puzzled look. "You would risk your safety for me, why?"
Her warm smile said it all, moving forward and catching her in a hug, Reta awkwardly kept her hands out, looking at Felix for help only for him to smile back and make a sign for her to hug her back. She rolled her eyes and held the Nekomata in return, sighing but admittedly feeling a bit warm inside. "You can stop now."
"Mmmm, but doesn't this help you feel better?" KuliKuli purred back, closing her eyes and smiling.
Reta grumbled and pulled her back, annoyed and brushing her arms while KuliKuli giggled back. "Sorry, you know I'm a hugger."
"I am not. I still feel like you are making a foolish mistake." She turned to Felix. "And you have nothing to add?"
He shrugged and helped her to her feet. "Don't look at me, I've been making dumb decisions ever since I met her."
"Not true!" KuliKuli retaliated, sticking her tongue out. "You started it by letting me stay."
Reta pushed past the two and headed to the washroom. "I would like to clean myself now, but you two best think about this. The potion remains there should you change your mind."
She closed the door behind her, leaving the pair looking back at the sleeping potion. KuliKuli swept it by her tail and held it for him to grab.
"You're sure about this?" He asked. "She is right, we don't really know what we're doing with this. Magicians, slimes, and now this curse? What if she's right about growing out of control, then what?"
"Well, I could try to beat her butt like I did last time." KuliKuli joked, "But I don't know either. You're asking a woman who can't even remember her past. But we will manage it how we always do."
She slipped past him, heading into the kitchen to grab a spare bucket while he placed the potion in the cabinet next to her.
"Well, how do we do it?"
She shrugged and smiled back. "Together."
The following day swept them by, with everyone doing there best to readjust into normalcy.
Umeko set off on horseback after giving everyone a farewell bow. She left behind a trinket for Reta to remember, a silver locket, to which she immediately threw over her shoulder. It was undeniable how she felt about her ally, and so Umeko gave a pained look and bid her goodbye. Seeing her on her horse galloping down the road before disappearing through the forest was the last they would see of her. It left a strange feeling behind them, one that lingered for the remainder of their day. KuliKuli could tell each time she would peak at her friend when she was alone, that feeling of loss was still there. Before they departed, Janette took Reta aside in private and slipped something in her hand. She hid it inside her pocket before returning to the others.
Once they had returned back home, they returned to their individual duties. KuliKuli got around to feeding some hungry, grumpy chickens before cleaning up the horses and feeding the rest of the livestock. Reta helped Felix with a bit of physical labor, carrying lumber around to patch up a hole in the farm as its wooden material began to crumble with age. He figured that the building would need to be rebuilt bit by bit, it would be a long process that would take up a month or two but every project began with the first step.
By sunset, the trio were finishing up their tasks. Reta slammed the axe down, grunting as she chopped the log into half before stacking it into the small pile beside her. She wiped the pool of sweat and sighed heavily, choosing to remove her top and wrap it around her forehead to catch any sweat from dripping down into her eyes. Besides, she figured the cool breeze of the damp air outdoors would help her recover quickly as she enjoyed its cold touch on her chest and back. Her sarashi was the only thing she wore from the waist up, keeping her from giving the other a show. After seeing Umeko this morning, teasing Felix wasn't on her mind nor was she in a mood for fun, as focusing on these tasks helped keep her busy for the moment.
KuliKuli collapsed into the wet grass, her limbs spread apart and moving in a sweeping motion as if she were making snow angels. Felix sat down, leaning his back against the wooden fence surrounding the farm. He watched her lazily wiggle her body around, rubbing her back into the grass before moving to her side and squirming like a worm.
"What in the blazes are you doing?" He asked with a chuckle, watching this silly display of her.
KuliKuli mewed and opened her eyes, sticking out her tongue before rubbing her belly into another patch of wet grass. "It feels good on my body after a hot day of work. You should try it!"
"I'll pass." He looked around to find Reta enter the cabin with a stack of chopped logs in her arms.
Reta placed them next to the chimney, inserting a few inside before igniting a small fire inside. She blew into it and fed it another block of wood, staring at its orange blaze as it started to grow. She sat on her legs, hands on her thighs with a concentrating look in her eyes. It was not that the fire captivated her, she was lost in her thoughts as she contemplated of the many troubling things in her mind. The small window to her left showed the three moons began to resurface, a constant and daily reminder of the curse she bared.
When Felix and KuliKuli walked inside, their playful laughter stopped when they spotted her sat in front of the fire. They looked at each other wondering what to do, but their moment was interrupted when she stood up on her feet and turned to face them.
"Both of you, please sit. We have something to discuss."
Felix held his breath, feeling uneasy about her statement. KuliKuli nodded and sat on his lap much to his surprise.
Reta giggled. "Cute, but this is a serious topic in mind."
"It's about your curse, right?" KuliKuli guessed, clasping her paws together with a hopeful look. Judging by Reta's raising eyebrows, she had guessed correctly. "It hasn't left my mind since."
Reta bowed her head, looking out the window with a hint of concern. "I have not been completely honest with you two. The first week of my stay, I searched for any literature or magical items in pursuit of a means to rid of my curse."
"I did notice a few items were switched around. Did you break the lock to the cellar?" Felix asked, "That was uncalled for, there's nothing there but food."
"It was, and for that I do apologize. But I did not look into your cellar for food. The night when you held me down there in chains, it proved adequate enough to restrain me. But keep in mind, every time I transform, the process changes and I lose myself to the Wolf. Because of my sex, I believe that the transformation affects me differently from my brother. He did not resemble me before, rather he had taken shape of a hulking feral creature, with powerful muscles, claws sharp enough to pierce through metal, and jaws that could snap a log in two. By then, I believe it was his fifth transformation."
"What-" KuliKuli withdrew, feeling reluctant to ask in fear of her response. "How many times have you transformed?"
Reta calmly looked at her and replied, "That week was the first time I transformed."
"So, if it's the same as your brother, that would mean you have four more months." Felix stated, looking at her for confirmation.
Against his hopes, she shook her head and corrected him. "Three months. By next week, the first of the full moons will bare its lunar light and the curse will begin again. That is why I ask for you two here, to help you both prepare for when it happens."
"What are you proposing?" He asked in a concerned voice.
She looked at him with a steady look, conveying the severity of her request. "I want you to chain me down there by sunset. Restrain me for the next five days, do not let me go until I am human again."
KuliKuli hopped off his lap and huffed with a rising anger in her voice. "Why would we put you in chains?"
"Because, I do not wish to risk the effects of the transformation only for you two to suffer the consequences."
"You're asking us to lock you up like an animal or a monster when you are our friend!"
"I am asking you to do this as a friend!" Reta shot back, shaking KuliKuli's crossed expression. "I cannot say when the full moon begins, but I can already feel my body tingle in response, as if it were preparing for what's to come."
Felix held his chin and closed his eyes, thinking hard about this request. "Did you let Janette know about your curse?"
"Yes." She sighed. "On the first night of my stay with her, I informed her about this and asked if she may help. She purchased a few books to learn more about the curse, but it is a long process. One that I believe will not grant us progress before I transform again. Next week, you lock me down there and wait. In five days, I should turn back to normal again. "
"You didn't seem all that out of control before." KuliKuli mentioned, still not convinced of the idea. "Why would it be any different now?"
Reta shot her a look. "You have the fortune of changing between forms while maintaining your conscious mind. When I learned of my brother's curse, he explained that each night he lost himself more and more. It was like a separate mind was fighting for control, one that craved for fresh meat, territory, and an insatiable urge to kill. Even when the moons had passed and he had three weeks to rest, he found himself struggling to keep his mind in one piece. Those soft whispers at the back of his head grew louder, each suggestion they gave made it harder for him to control himself. He was losing himself, I fear that the same will happen to me."
She entered the kitchen and returned with a small tray, placing it on the ground between them.
"Which is why I suggest that we should learn to defend ourselves should any more trouble come our way."
"Hey now, I think we are quite safe where we are now." Felix said, leaning forward in his chair only for both women to shoot him with a glare. "What? There's no one around here for at least thirty minutes. That is a benefit."
"Or a disadvantage." Reta explained, pushing the tray to them. "This cabin is isolated, there is a river at the back and a nearby forest. Anyone can come upon us by chance and strike while we have our backs turned, and then what? I found you here, you can't expect me to believe that no one else will."
"She's right, you're still hurting from that nasty fight too. I think it wouldn't hurt if someone teaches us how to fight back." KuliKuli chimed in, sitting opposite of her friend with her legs crossed.
"I will be the one training you." Reta pointed out, much to her surprise.
"Wait, you are going to train us?" She asked in a high tone.
Reta huffed. "I may not be the best fighter, but I can teach a few things. That night in the circus demonstrated how awful of a fighter he is, and how clueless you both are to Genki."
"Hey!" Felix whined, looking crossed and upset. "Those guys were invisible, it was like fighting a ghost!"
"True, but my point remains. You can handle the pain from a fight and to that I am impressed." Reta commented, leaving Felix feeling proud. "Nonetheless, I would suggest we start training before my transformation passed through. When the last of the full moons have passed, that should be five days after the first full moon, then you can free me and we can begin."
"Five days, Janette said she would visit us tomorrow." Felix mentioned.
"Yes," Reta confirmed. "She agreed to be here to help teach you about Genki as well. We plan to compare our knowledge that way, she knows it as Essence but I know it as Genki. Perhaps we may learn of something new from one another as well."
The tray placed between them contained a tin cup of water inside. Reta reached into her pocket and placed a small brown bottle next to it.
"This is a sleeping potion. Janette offered a secondary approach to ease this process for us. Just one spoonful is enough to put you to sleep for eight hours."
"That looks like it contains more than eight hours." Felix commented.
"It should suffice for seven days." She stated, wiggling the bottle and hearing its liquid contents swoosh inside.
KuliKuli frowned. "You're going to drink the entire thing?"
"Can you do that, is that safe?" Felix added, looking to her with a growing sadness in his eyes. "What if the seven days pass and you are still sleeping?"
KuliKuli shook her head, growing upset. "I don't like this idea, no. I don't want to see you drug yourself to sleep. If you're staying down there... then I will stay there too!"
"No." Reta shot back, only for KuliKuli to rise up and stomp her leg down.
"You can't ask me to lock you up and pretend like it's not breaking my heart into pieces. I won't, I can't! Not without being there too." Her voice cracked as she stepped around the tray and sat down, holding her hands with her head hung down. "We stay together on this with you. Don't you ever ask me to lock you up again. You are with us and we are with you, right Felix?"
Felix shook his head in agreement. "Right! I haven't a clue how though but... we'll find a way."
"And besides, you seemed in control in the first month. Maybe we can ask Janette for some potion to keep you from being angry?"
"That would be the day." Felix muttered, looking alarmed when the girls shot him a look. "I-I mean yea, would it help?"
Reta grunted, turning back to KuliKuli before hanging her head. "I don't know if such a potion even exists. Janette might know."
"Then we ask her after!" She smiled back, lifting Reta's face. "But you won't be alone, we'll be here with you."
Reta stared back at her with a puzzled look. "You would risk your safety for me, why?"
Her warm smile said it all, moving forward and catching her in a hug, Reta awkwardly kept her hands out, looking at Felix for help only for him to smile back and make a sign for her to hug her back. She rolled her eyes and held the Nekomata in return, sighing but admittedly feeling a bit warm inside. "You can stop now."
"Mmmm, but doesn't this help you feel better?" KuliKuli purred back, closing her eyes and smiling.
Reta grumbled and pulled her back, annoyed and brushing her arms while KuliKuli giggled back. "Sorry, you know I'm a hugger."
"I am not. I still feel like you are making a foolish mistake." She turned to Felix. "And you have nothing to add?"
He shrugged and helped her to her feet. "Don't look at me, I've been making dumb decisions ever since I met her."
"Not true!" KuliKuli retaliated, sticking her tongue out. "You started it by letting me stay."
Reta pushed past the two and headed to the washroom. "I would like to clean myself now, but you two best think about this. The potion remains there should you change your mind."
She closed the door behind her, leaving the pair looking back at the sleeping potion. KuliKuli swept it by her tail and held it for him to grab.
"You're sure about this?" He asked. "She is right, we don't really know what we're doing with this. Magicians, slimes, and now this curse? What if she's right about growing out of control, then what?"
"Well, I could try to beat her butt like I did last time." KuliKuli joked, "But I don't know either. You're asking a woman who can't even remember her past. But we will manage it how we always do."
She slipped past him, heading into the kitchen to grab a spare bucket while he placed the potion in the cabinet next to her.
"Well, how do we do it?"
She shrugged and smiled back. "Together."
