The Oni

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The pack went back to the lair after finally capturing Irene. They tied the fox to an old chair, and had been staring at her for about an hour.

“No offense, Seulgi. But for the record, I already don’t like her even before I found out she’s a villain.” Joy blurted out.

“Is anyone going to pull that arrow from her?” Rosé asked.

“Nah, I think that’s unnecessary.” Joy answered.

The others were just sitting on the couch; completely drained out from the fight they had. Suddenly, the chair was shaking and they started to hear a soft whimper coming from Irene’s mouth. She slowly lifted her head; shaking her head rapidly as the anaesthesia still had an effect on her.

“Irene?” Seulgi approached her slowly.

Irene gasped, “Seulgi?”

She was about to stand up from the chair, but she couldn’t. That was when she realised that she was tied up.

“W-Why am I tied up?” Irene asked. “! It’s me! Let me go!”

Seulgi opened , as if she wanted to say something but she didn’t. Then, she stepped back, while kept staring at Irene who was about to cry.

“What is it? Should we untie her?” Lisa asked, confused by Seulgi’s sudden act.

“No,” Seulgi said. “It’s not her.”

“What do you mean, Seulgi?!” Irene cried. “It is me! Please, untie me, Seulgi! Guys? Please!”

Seulgi clenched her jaw.

“No.” She said.

Irene lowered her head, they all could hear her crying until not too long after that it changed into a laughter.

“You…You are one hell of a smart wolf.” Irene said; the mischievous smile appeared on her face.

“Son of a gun,” Jennie spoke. “How did you know that it it’s not her?”

“Simple.” Soojung interrupted, “Irene does not curse.”

“Also, don’t even try to escape from that rope. It has been Krystal-ed.” Soojung winked at the kitsune.

“Sealing the rope with the power from the spirit world.” Irene acknowledged the rope. “Smart move, banshee.”

“I want to talk to Irene.” Seulgi walked closer to the kitsune. “I know she’s in there.”

But instead of doing what Seulgi said, she spat on Seulgi’s face. Seulgi’s eyes changed into bright yellow as she grabbed the arrow that was still attached to Irene’s body and she twisted it, letting the kitsune groaned in pain.

“Do you know what’s more awful then an arrow that goes in?” Seulgi pressed the arrow deeper. “An arrow that goes out!”

“So, quit your bull and let me talk to Irene!”

“Seulgi, it’s me! Please, it’s me!” Irene whimpered, she looked up and searched for Seulgi’s eyes.

“Irene?” Seulgi’s voice softened.

Irene showed a weak smile.

“Your eyes…” she mumbled.

“You’re a werewolf…”

Seulgi nodded.

“You need to get her out, Seulgi. I don’t have much time.” Irene quickly said. She was clearly in a rush; tears were rolling down her cheeks.

“Find me.” Was the last thing she said before an infamous mischievous smile appeared on her face. Her smirk grew bigger.

“Tick-tock-tick-tock,” she chuckled darkly. “er.”

“Okay, someone please shut her up.” Yeri said.

“I’ll do it.” Jisoo said before launching a punch on the same spot to Irene’s face; knocking the fox out.

“Phew! I can get used to that.” Jisoo said, smiling at the rest of the pack.

---

They were having breakfast together as they were also waiting for Wendy and Seulgi who went to Irene’s house. They wanted to sneak out into the girl’s room and bring all the treasures the kitsune had taken. Soojung, Lisa, Rosé, and Yeri were in charge of keeping an eye of Irene in the basement.

“So, I asked Lisa if she wants to enrol into our school along with Rosé, and do you know what she said?” Joy said, telling the pack a conversation she was having while they were gone.

“What?” Jennie asked, with a mouth full on scrambled egg.

“She said ew. She said ew! I can’t believe!” Joy said, letting Jisoo and Jennie laughed.

“Well, I’d have the same reaction.” Jisoo said.

Joy chuckled, then she raised her head, staring at the door.

“They’re back.” She said.

About five minutes after, Wendy opened the door while carrying three huge sacks of god-knows-what.

“A little help here.” She said.

“Well, girl, you’re a weak vampire.” Jennie commented, as she took one of the sack from Wendy, placing it in the living room with the rest of them.

“We need to bring this to city hall.” Seulgi said, gaining approval from the others.

---

Soojung sat on the floor in front of Irene.

“What are you doing?” Lisa asked.

“Trying to contact Irene.” Soojung said. She closed her eyes, trying to focus herself on Irene’s energy inside of the kitsune. She inhaled and exhaled as she tried to drift herself into wherever the kitsune kept Irene’s spirit. Soojung opened her eyes, and she looked at her surroundings. She was at an unfamiliar place, it looked like she was in a forest but the trees; they were black, and the stems were as red as blood. No. It was blood; dripping from the trees. One thing that Soojung knew for sure. She needed to find Irene and get out of there as soon as possible.

Soojung closed her eyes, again, trying to focus on Irene’s energy as she felt the older girl’s energy was starting to disappear.

“Help!”

Soojung opened her eyes when she heard familiar voice.

“Irene!”

She followed the voice.

“Anybody! Seulgi!”

Soojung knew that Irene was crying, that made her run as fast as she could. She covered when she found Irene. The poor girl was chained on all four; she was covered in blood—and Soojung hoped that was not hers.

“Irene!” Soojung ran towards the girl, trying to figure something out to take the chains off, but she could not.

“Krystal?” Irene spoke.

“Sshh. It’s okay. We’ll get out of here, okay?”

Irene shook her head.

“No, you need to get out of here now. They are coming!” Irene said.

“Who’s coming?” Krystal frowned, her hand was touching the girl’s cold and pale face.

“The Oni.”

---

Krystal gasped, she coughed a few times as she was trying to catch her breath.

“Krystal! Are you okay? What are you doing?!” Wendy helped her get up.

Soojung grabbed Seulgi’s collar, taking the others in shock by her action. Seulgi’s eyes widened.

“We need to get her out, otherwise she is going to die!”

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