11

The vengeful undead forces holding the Gashadokuro together shook and shuddered as the light shot through it and out the other side. Its bones rattled violently as it struggled against the purification spell.

Independently from Suzaku's spell, the ground beneath and around the Gashadokuro began to vibrate. Strangely familiar symbols that Suzaku knew she had never seen manifested above specific points around the skeletal spirit. The symbols didn't glow, but a strange sucking force started to take hold over the Gashadokuro.

Onari suddenly appeared below the Gashadokuro, unaffected by the strange gravity of the symbols. He held a flat, rectangular metal talisman between two of his fingers, and formed a hand seal around it. A pale red aura connected Onari to each of the strange symbols, seeming to pulse with the Kitsune's will.

The Gashadokuro tried to roar as it began to shrink and disintegrate. The roar came out as a weak whimper. The invulnerable Gashadokuro's bleach-white bones turned to dust. The dust was then sucked into the metal card-like talisman in Onari's hand.

It didn't take long for the weakened spirit to be fully sealed within the talisman. Onari cut the aural link connecting him to the symbols. The sealing formation slowly faded away as he went around collecting the spent talismans he had used to set it up.

Suzaku stared at him as he worked, perplexed and awed by what she just saw. The magic Onari used still looked like it was of Eastern origin, but she didn't recognize any of it. She had never encountered a style of magic like Onari's and it left her feeling uncharacteristically curious.

The Vermillion Bird landed on her shoulder again, butting her head with its own. The contact startled Suzaku out of her awe. She scratched the bird's head lightly.

"Have you ever seen magic like that?" Suzaku asked quietly.

She didn't get a response, but she could swear that the Vermillion Bird was smirking at her. Onari walked up to them. He bowed to the Sacred Beast on Suzaku's shoulder. The Vermillion Bird fluffed herself up with pride at the respect she was being shown.

'Curious. Your kind usually bows to no one. While I appreciate the face you've given me, those who fight against the heavens must hold their heads high. Rise, young master,' the Vermillion Bird 'said'.

"You'll find that I am unique among my 'kind', venerable one," Onari said, raising his head respectfully.

Suzaku looked between the two of them. She was obviously confused, and Onari couldn't help but think her expression was cute. The Vermillion Bird snickered, but otherwise stayed silent. It was clear that she wanted to preserve the mystery of Onari for Suzaku.

"What did you do with the Gashadokuro?" Suzaku asked, seeing that no answers were forthcoming.

"Ah," Onari smirked. "I simply sealed it within this talisman. Now I have a free Wu-gi-woah card that I can summon at will. I think I'll start a collection."

"Wu-gi-woah?" Suzaku asked, tilting her head cutely. "What's that? Is it tasty?"

Onari barked a laugh at Suzaku's unintentional memeing, "Ha! Oh, you sweet summer child. You have a phone, right?" Suzaku gave Onari a confused nod. "Okay, give me your number. I'll send you memes and educate you on the culture of the internet."

Suzaku obediently followed instructions, handing Onari her phone. He input his contact info, and sent himself a text so he'd have her number too. He handed the phone back. There was a couple of seconds of silence as Suzaku processed what just happened, then the young maiden's face went bright red.

"D-Does this mean we're f-f-friends?" she hesitantly asked.

Onari shrugged, "I don't see why we wouldn't be. Us young masters and mistresses have to stick together after all."

"... I've never had a friend before. The closest thing I've had to one would be Akeno-chan, but… she's gone now."

Onari knew sensitive territory when he saw it, and even the Vermillion Bird nuzzled her head against Suzaku's to comfort the young mistress. With the support of her Sacred beast, Suzaku quickly shook herself out of the funk that remembering her cousin had put her in.

"Anyway… it looks like we're finished here?" Suzaku half said, half asked.

"Yup," Onari nodded in confirmation. "We'll have to have your clan head send a team to find and clean up the remains that spawned the Gashadokuro, but our part is done for now."

Suzaku's smile lit up the night, driving away the remaining chill from the skeletal Youkai, "Thank goodness."

Onari got lost in staring at her for a second. A tweet from the Vermillion Bird shocked him out of his bewitched state. He cleared his throat awkwardly as the bird seemed to smirk at him.

"R-Right… We should probably get out of here."