A Cleric who use dark magic for good.

Her weapons are

Moon Staff: a staff that casts Shadows and Moon Magic.

Necromomicon: a book that summons and controls Zombies and Ghosts.

What did you think? Feel free to rate it.

If this post gets 15 or more likes, there will be a part 2.

I'm Brazilian btw

It was the early morning, and Hudson was sitting on the couch with Kristy, she was eating a bowl of cheerios for breakfast, as the two watched TV while Felicia was down the hall sleeping in bed. He had just come back from work while Kristy had sometime before getting ready to go working at the music store.

Kristy: “How’s work?”

Hudson: “Sucks.”

Kristy: “Oh…”

Hudson: “You? Workin’ at the music store yesterday, I mean.”

Kristy: “Eh, y’know, not bad actually. Met a girl there, she was kinda cute, it helped that she has some good taste in music when talking to her. Ended up getting her phone number, see where that goes.”

Hudson: “That’s awesome, what’s her name?”

Kristy: “White trash name. Guess.”

Hudson: “Mandi?”

Kristy: “No.”

Hudson: “Marilyn?”

Kristy: “No.”

Hudson: “Brittany?”

Kristy: “No.”

Hudson: “Tiffany?”

Kristy: “No.”

Hudson: “Candice?”

Kristy: “No.”

Hudson: “Don’t fuck with me on this. I know this shit.”

Kristy: “Do you see me fucking with you? I’m completely serious.”

Hudson: “Okay, speed round. I’m gonna rattle off some names and when I hit it, fucking buzz it.”

Kristy: “You do it, I will tell you.”

Hudson: “You got me?”

Kristy: “Yeah.”

Hudson: “All right. Brandi, Heather, Channing, Briana, Amber, Sabrina, Melody, Dakota, Sierra, Vandi, Crystal, Samantha, Autumn, Ruby, Taylor, Tara, Tammy…”

All the while, Kristy shakes her head with a knowing smirk, occasionally taking a bite of her honey nut cheerios as Hudson listed off names in vain.

Hudson: “...Laura, Shelly and Shantelle? Courtney, Misty, Jenny, Christa, Mindy, Noel, Shelby, Trina, Reba, Cassandra, Nicki, Kelsy, Shauna, Jolene, Earlie, Claudia, Savannah, Cassie, Dolly, Kendra, Callie, Chloe, Devon, Emmylou, fucking Becky?!”

Kristy: “Nope.” She said with a mouth full of cereal as she talked.

Hudson: “Wait, was it any one of those names with a ‘Lynn’ after it?”

Kristy: “YES, ‘YA SHEEP DOG!” *Her smirk grew into a big smile.*

Hudson: “Oh I got you motherfucker, I got you! Okay, Brandy-Lynn, Heather-Lynn—”

Kristy: “Tami-Lynn.”

Hudson: “FUCK!”

---

Based on a scene from the movie, Ted 2012.

(Also, originally on my first post of Hudson, my OC, I made it so that he and Felicia were roommates. But looking back, I thought it was stupid, so I'm rewriting that Kristy is also roommates with the two, Eddsworld-style. But yeah, that's about it.)

Mickey: Well Akira, will there be a surprise win for the Surprise Party in Florida?

Akira: I'M IN IDAHO! DON'T YOU LISTEN?!

Mickey: (nonchalantly) I do not!

(Based on Animaniacs (2020) Sp1E06 segment "Equal Time")

Mickey: You think I should do it?

Samantha: Absolutely not.

Mickey: I mean, if not me, who?

Samantha: Any god.

Mickey: If not now, when?

Samantha: Never.

Mickey: You know, why not me?

Samantha: A million reasons.

Mickey: I mean, who do you want in there? Some flashy deity?

Samantha: Yes.

Mickey: What are they gonna do?

Samantha: Give all they've got.

Mickey: Thanks, Sam. Your support means a lot.

Samantha: You don't have it.

(Based on Family Guy S17E20 "Adam West High" R.I.P. Adam West.)

Mickey and Samantha were at a cafeteria table. Mickey looked agitated while Samantha is reading a Stephen King book "Carrie"

Mickey: You know what I think the problem is, Sam? I need to show them that I deserve to be Blairwood's protector.

Samantha: You don't.

Mickey: Well, they probably see a woman like me and think, "she's got it all."

Samantha: They don't.

Mixkey: I know it's a silly little title, but I don't ask for much.

Samantha: You do.

Mickey: And this is the one place, the one place that makes me feel happy.

Samantha: You aren't.

Mickey: I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. I feel like I really vibe with everyone there.

Samantha: You don't.

Mickey: I'm one of the town's best people. You know, if I stopped showin' up, they'd probably wonder where I went.

Samantha: They wouldn't.

Mickey: Because I'm a benevolent person.

Samantha: You're not.

Mickey: I track down criminals.

Samantha: So?

Mickey: And I can't think of one reason why they wouldn't pick me.

Samantha: I can.

Mickey: Oh, thanks for listening, Sam.

Samantha: I had no choice.

(Based on Family Guy S19E12 "Customer of the Week")

(Fanfic based on the webcomic «Erma»)

Several days had passed.

Sam sat in a cozy corner of the makeshift underground tavern, carefully jotting down new entries in his journal:

“April 6th. It’s been two days since we settled in this cave. I still can’t quite believe we managed to get here, but we did. Unfortunately, not without losses—three of our fighters were captured—but we made it. Finally, Kimoto and I can take a breather. I’m not the only one: I’ve noticed many of the men who reached this refuge are gradually recovering and resting. No wonder, considering the hellish journey we all endured.

The cave itself is surprisingly huge, and setting up a shelter here was a brilliant idea. Kimoto told me this place was originally founded by a few traveling yokai. They hid in these grottos during the Month of Love, and they liked this remote spot so much that they began sharing the coordinates secretly—and of course, for a price—with other men. So only a few hundred chosen yokai, including us, know about this refuge. Supplies are abundant: food, fresh water. Someone even managed to create underground gardens here to grow vegetables, and others have organized cockfights. Overall, the atmosphere is one of reckless fun, so we definitely won’t be bored.”

Sam closed the journal with a quiet sigh. Just then, Kimoto approached the table carrying two massive, frothing mugs of beer.

“Here you go, Sam, drink up!” he called cheerfully, sliding a mug across.

The two friends eagerly took a deep pull.

“Sam, you won’t believe it,” Kimoto winked conspiratorially, wiping foam from his lips. “Some crafty folks built a real sauna here—with a huge pool!”

“Seriously?” Sam asked, surprised.

“Oh, yes! So, shall we go warm up our bones?”

“Why not?”

“Then finish up and let’s go!”

They quickly drained their mugs and headed toward the bathhouse.

Meanwhile, right at the cave entrance, the guards were standing watch. Four sentries passed the time idly by tossing cards back and forth.

“Three of a kind,” said the first.

“A straight,” interrupted the second.

“Full house!” the third declared triumphantly, grinning broadly. “Looks like luck’s on my side today.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, my friend,” smirked the fourth, laying out his cards on a stone boulder. “Royal flush!”

The others froze, mouths agape.

“What the hell?!” cried the third.

“Three times in a row! How is that even possible?” the second protested.

“Are you cheating again?” the first squinted suspiciously.

“No cheating here,” the lucky one raised his hands placatingly. “Just damn lucky today.”

“Yeah, tell that to someone else…” grumbled the second.

At that moment, a strange muffled sound came from the dark cave entrance.

“What’s that?” the first guard tensed.

“Sounds like it’s coming from outside,” the second answered quietly.

The fourth guard stood up, adjusting his weapon. “Alright, I’ll go check. Stay sharp and don’t relax.”

“Got it,” nodded the third.

The fourth guard disappeared into the darkness of the outer passage to inspect the surroundings.

Minutes passed. Minutes stretched into a quarter of an hour, and the remaining sentries began visibly uneasy.

“So where is he stuck?” the third asked gloomily.

“No idea. We should check it out,” the second said nervously.

“I’m not going in there,” the first quickly refused, shivering. “It’s freezing cold—I don’t want to risk frostbite.”

“To be honest, me neither,” the second agreed.

The third guard sighed heavily and stood up.

“Alright, since you’re such cowards, I’ll go myself—”

But before he took a step, the silhouette of their missing comrade appeared from the corridor’s darkness. He walked oddly—slowly, swaying, awkwardly placing his feet.

“Oh, there you are!” the third breathed with relief. “We were starting to imagine the worst. So, what’s out there?”

But the returning guard was silent, steadily approaching.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you saying anything?” the sentry frowned.

At that moment, a sinister shadow formed behind the silent guard.

“Oh God…” the third only managed to whisper before their comrade’s armor crashed noisily to the ground, and from the darkness an unknown attacker lunged at them.

Meanwhile, Sam and Kimoto strolled leisurely through the underground mini-market, heading toward the baths.

“I’m still in shock,” Kimoto shook his head. “How on earth did they manage to build a full sauna here, and with a pool to boot?”

“Well, there are about a hundred yokai gathered here,” Sam reasoned. “Besides, many have pretty unique abilities, so it’s no problem for them.”

“That was a rhetorical question, Sam,” Kimoto smirked.

Chatting animatedly, Kimoto didn’t notice a warrior in heavy samurai armor walking toward them and collided hard into him.

“Damn, sorry!” Kimoto exclaimed, rubbing his bruised shoulder. “I was distracted and didn’t watch where I was going…”

“No worries, it’s fine,” the warrior said softly from beneath his lowered helmet visor.

Kimoto bowed politely to the massive guard, and he and Sam continued on. The two friends didn’t see that the armored warrior didn’t move from his spot. He slowly turned his head and fixed them with a sharp, predatory gaze, lingering especially long on Kimoto.

A few minutes later, the friends finally reached the sauna. The moment they stepped inside, they were enveloped in a thick, heavy haze of hot steam. Shedding their clothes and wrapping towels around themselves, they entered the steam room. Settling onto the wooden benches, they blissfully closed their eyes, savoring the enveloping heat.

They might have boiled alive in there if not for the saving grace of the nearby icy pool. In this manner, they spent about two hours: steaming well, then screaming as they plunged into cold water to catch their breath.

Eventually, Sam, breathing heavily, rose from the bench.

“Listen, Kimoto, that’s enough for me. I feel like I’ve been cooked through. I think I’m going to head out.”

“Alright,” Kimoto replied lazily, luxuriating in the warmth. “I’ll sit for another hour or so, then I’ll wrap it up too.”

“Got it. If you need me, find me at the ramen place where we had dinner last night.”

“Deal.”

Sam left, and Kimoto remained alone in the steam room. He leaned back, relaxing as he breathed in the hot air. Suddenly, the heavy wooden door creaked open, and someone entered. Through the thick white steam, Kimoto couldn’t make out who it was—only a large silhouette was visible.

“Who’s there?” he called out.

“Sorry, it’s me,” came a muffled voice. From the voice, Kimoto realized it was the same warrior he had bumped into earlier.

“Oh, it’s you!” Kimoto exclaimed. “What a surprise.”

“No kidding,” the warrior replied smoothly, settling on the bench beside him.

Kimoto didn’t want to disturb the newcomer and closed his eyes again, soaking in the warmth. After a few minutes of silence, the warrior broke it.

“Sorry, but I have a rather strange question for you.”

“What is it?” Kimoto asked lazily.

“Why have you decided to hide here during this festival?”

Kimoto chuckled without opening his eyes.

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m running from crazed women. Like all the other guys here.”

“That’s understandable,” the companion whispered. “But for some reason, I feel like you’re running from someone in particular.”

“Well… you’re right, I won’t hide it,” Kimoto sighed.

“A girlfriend? A fiancée? A wife?”

“A wife.”

“Ah, so it’s all about the wife…”

“Basically, yes. It’s just that my wife… how to put it gently… She loves me very much. Maybe too much. You can understand, of course, but…”

“Really?” The warrior’s voice held strange undertones. “Could you tell me more about her?”

Pampered by the heat, Kimoto eagerly began to reminisce:

“Well, when we first met, I realized right away she was head over heels for me.”

“How did you know?”

“She dragged me to her hotel room that same day without ceremony… for the whole night.”

“Wow…”

“Exactly. After that… ahem… tough night in the hotel, I decided to return home to Tokyo as soon as possible, thinking we’d never see each other again. Don’t get me wrong, I liked her a lot, but after that encounter, my whole body ached—especially… well, the lower part.”

“But I guess your story didn’t end there?”

“Not at all! When I got back to Tokyo, I had this terrible feeling that someone was constantly following me. Later, at my apartment, I calmed down a bit and went to bed. But in the middle of the night, I woke up to a strange rustling in the kitchen. Tiptoeing to check, I found no one there. Then I glanced at the window… and there, right outside the glass, was a disembodied head staring straight at me! That was her—my future wife. I was so shocked I couldn’t move. I backed away, but suddenly I felt someone behind me. I looked up—and there was her headless body! It grabbed me fiercely and dragged me back to the bedroom. And, as you can imagine, I had another extremely tough night. From that moment on, she became my wife. Just a week after we met, she decided we should get married and dragged me to the city hall herself.”

“What an incredible and unusual story,” the warrior quietly commented.

“Yeah,” Kimoto smiled warmly. “But you know what? I love her more than anyone else in the world. I’ve never loved anyone so much. It’s just… you see, I have a terrible fear: if she acts like this in her normal state, then what on earth will happen during the Month of Love?”

“Now I understand everything. Thanks for your honest answers, kitten. I never doubted you for a second.”

“Always at your service, Yori…”

Kimoto stopped mid-sentence. At that very moment, a chill, primal terror gripped him. The realization of what he had just said and who had answered hit him like a stone in the chest.

Slowly, with a creak, Kimoto turned his neck toward his companion. Through the dispersing steam, a mad, loving smile greeted him—it was the floating head of Yori.

“Surprise,” she whispered, saccharine sweet.

At that moment, Yori’s headless body slammed the sauna door shut with a dull thud, locking it with a massive bolt.

Kimoto was trapped.

Erma and Snoopy: They are both silent black and white characters who have energetic and kind personalities and care for their friends

Amy and Molly McGee: They are both best friends with supernatural beings and lacked fear when they first met their spooky best friends and have a lot of optimism but have can't stand kids who get out of line and cause chaos.

Terry and SMG3: They are both jerks who love to mess around others but grew closer to their friends and actually began to care for them, even though they are still jerks in the end.

Connor and Luigi: They are both "scaredy cats" who are afraid of everything, but they have good hearts and would do anything for their friends and do brave acts when it really matters. and they both wear green

What you think of the comparisons, do you agree with me? Let’s chat, chat

I couldn't find good renders of Erma's friends so I improvised

Context: Erma has a Micheal Kovach endorsement video inside her stomach, by accident, that belongs to Amy, but Terry wants it to become popular for his YouTube prank videos, but he's unsuccessful however, so he insecurely and desperately wants the video to boost its popularity on his channel.

Amy and Terry are tugging Erma

Amy: Then why don't you let me have the Micheal Kovach endorsement video?

Terry: I just. I need it ok?!

Amy: No you don't. You're being selfish. All you ever think about is yourself. JUST. LET. GO

Terry reaches his breaking point

Terry (lets go of Erma): OKAY!

Amy and Erma fall to the ground

Amy: Okay?

Terry: Yeah! I don't know what I was thinking! I'm doing fine! My channel is ALWAYS flooded with subscribers, I'm SO successful, nobody has ever thrown my merch in the garbage.

Terry (stressed and frustrated): AND I DEFINETLY DON'T FEEL LIKE THE WORST OF THE GROUP THAT LIES TO PRETEND HE'S DOING FINE!

Terry then jumps inside the garbage can he pulled out his merch from and slams the lid on very hard

Terry: So yeah. I'm doing fine.

Erma and Amy start to feel bad for Terry after his breakdown

Connor: I don't think he's doing fine.

Based on SMG4: TRASH FRIENDS, and loosely on u/REDditCarnimelvr5000's headcanon on Terry that there's more to him than just being the prankster or the jerk of the group, I feel like the dude's got some insecurities and self-doubt on himself.

Erma, Amy and Terry in the Erma's bedroom and Terry pulls out his "diary" from his bag and starts writing but then Erma and Amy take a peek

Amy: We've seen you write in that thing for weeks, we didn't know you had a sensitive side

Terry gets offended

Terry: WHAT!? WHAT'S WRONG WITH BEING SENSITIVE!?

Amy: Nothing dude, rela-

Terry: WELL YOU WHINE TOO MUCH!

Amy gets offended

Amy: EXCUSE ME?!! Whining?! I never whine!

Terry pulls up a flashback of Amy's whiny overreacting reaction when they announced that Aurora Starcatcher's voice actor was getting replaced as he covers his ears because of Amy's crying.

The flashback then ends

Based on SMG4: We Don't Talk About What Happened in the Elevator, continuing my Terry's diary hc.

Sidney points to an unconscious rat

Sidney: You're just gonna flush that down the toilet?

Terry: Literally. And then it grows up in the sewer, becomes a C.H.U.D.

Connor: What’s a C.H.U.D.?

Amy and Terry: (In unison) Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dweller.

(Based on Ted S02E06 "Roe v. Weed")

Terry: If you don't come with me, I will tell her that you have a romantic admiration towards princesses.

Amy: You motherf@¢%er.

Terry: I will tell her you watch "Sofia the First" so you can move up close to the TV to admire the character April Winter is voicing, but you keep forgetting there are other characters too, so half the time, you scream at the TV for ruining your moment.

Amy: You wouldn't.

Terry: "Wow, Sofia, what beautiful hair, the lovely dress, the pretty eyes- DAMN IT, CEDRIC! YOU RUINED MY ADMIRATION!"

(Based on Ted S01E01 "Just Say Yes" Note; I hc Amy Thorn to be pan)

I genuinely believe that people in the community need to appreciate and understand Terry more. Like he's more than just 'the kid who likes to pull pranks on his friends', he's a core member of the blairwood gang.

And like.....what if? What if the gang actually don't mind (most of) his pranks? What if they admired his determination and creativity when it comes to setting them up? What if it hurt them to see their friend fail sometimes? What if they understood, more than anyone else, that his pranks are just his way of expressing himself, and that there's more to it than what's on the surface? What if they're genuinely happy and proud whenever one of his ideas or plans worked because he's happy when it does? What if he didn't know any of this for the longest time because he naturally assumed that they were all indifferent to his failures? What if, one day he decides to stop, but instead of being out of something like boredom, it's instead out of fear or sadness that he's hurting others or that he'll be seen as a fool forever? What if they actually miss this side of him and are concerned about it? What if they they told him it's okay and that he's still their friend in the end no matter what?

What if there's a meta/4th wall break moment where it asks "Who even cares about Terry?" and the blairwood gang said "We do"

What if that was the only opinion that mattered?

Amy: (apologetic) I am so sorry!

Terry: (apologetic, blushing) No, no! It was my fault, I apologize

Alice: Good! Now please shake hands! ^^

Amy and Terry: *shake hands*

Alice: How about a little hug? :)

Amy and Terry: ??? *shrugs and hugs*

Alice: A little kiss? :>

Amy: I think we're good little s-

Alice: K i s s!!

Amy and Terry: ....

Terry: *gives Amy a lil kiss*

💛🤎

Who else love these two together?

Amy: (confused) Terry, you didn't take the meatballs out of the freezer!

Terry: *snaps fingers* Of course I didn't...cause we're going out for dinner!~

Amy: (excited) No way!!

Terry: Yeah! Come on, let's go get ready!

Terry's mind: (nervous) I have no idea that she asked me to take out the meatballs, I totally forgot about it...

Terry: Guess where we're going?~

Amy: To the corner to get corn with sweet shredded cheese, french onion soup, and a matcha ice cream!

Terry: Your favorite! What else?

Amy: (ecstatic) AAAA! Okay!!

Terry's mind: (sweating bullets) Psychology 101, I did that cause I have no idea where she wants to eat, and that way she gives me the answer

Terry: Alright, imma go put my jacket on! *goes to grab his jacket*

Amy: Okay! I'm so excited! *goes to grab her own coat*

Amy's mind: (smirking) There were no meatballs in the freezer

Mickey was about to eat a Cheez-It when Samantha and Akira stood at the hallway, staring at her. This puts Mickey in an angered state

Mickey: Aw, come on, man! I CAN'T HAVE $#!+ IN THIS HOUSE!!!

(Based on a meme)

Terry: (surprised) I'm free... (ecstatic) Ha ha ha! I'M FREE! I can be and do whatever I want! No more stupid pranks that backfires! No more stupid mandates! *gasps and looks at Amy in the distance* (realization) No more mandates...

Amy: (confused) Terry? Are you o-

Terry: *runs over and grabs the sides of her face* *inhales* Amy I. love. you! I-always-have-and-I-want-to-be-with-you-forever

Amy: (surprised, blushing) Terry?!

Terry: I'm-sorry-I-couldn't-say-it-sooner-I-just-simply-couldn't-please-love-me-

Amy: TERRY! (happy) I always have too...

*le kiss together*

Extra: Meanwhile with Sidney

Sidney: I have some story arcs again? One with me on my own?! YEEE-

Based on: https://youtube.com/shorts/U2XoAhAYdZ0?si=c7y4gwZ0l33viutM

(Fanfic based on the webcomic «Erma»)

Morning came.

Sam sat at the table, carefully logging new lines into his journal:

“April 4th. Two days have passed since my last entry. Right now, Kimoto and I are finalizing our preparations before setting out to conquer the mountains. There, hidden among the snow-capped peaks, lies our final sanctuary—an old, abandoned mine. It seems to be the only place left where we might still find safety. Though, honestly, I’m no longer certain there is a single hidden corner left in this entire yokai world capable of sheltering us from these predatory women. We learned that the hard way. During our grueling journey, we lost three fighters: Kenji, Haru, and Kentaro. All of them were caught. What is happening to them now remains a mystery to us, but one thing is clear—they are beyond saving. Yet, even in the face of such heavy losses, Kimoto refuses to back down. And so do I. We have only one final push left—the push that will decide everything.”

With a quiet sigh, Sam closed the journal. Just then, his companion walked up to him.

“It’s time to go, Sam,” Kimoto said firmly. “We have a brutal climb ahead of us.”

“Lead the way then,” Sam replied, rising from his chair.

Leaving the welcoming walls of the teahouse behind, they set out on their way.

The road seemed endless.

Kimoto and Sam walked in silence across vast fields carpeted with white flowers, charting a course toward the majestic mountain ranges. Passing by yet another blossom, Sam couldn't resist plucking a flower to keep as a keepsake.

“Amusing,” Kimoto chuckled, noticing the gesture.

“What is?” Sam inquired.

“According to local lore, that flower brings good fortune,” Kimoto explained. “Keep it with you. Maybe it’ll grant us at least a shred of luck—we could certainly use it right now.”

Sam smiled warmly and carefully tucked the flower into a pocket of his backpack. They pressed on.

After some time, the travelers finally reached the foot of the mountains. Wasting no precious moments, the guys began their ascent.

This climb proved to be a true test of endurance for Kimoto and Sam. Even with professional climbing gear, every single step required colossal effort. In some areas, the slopes were practically vertical, but driven by sheer iron willpower, they stubbornly pushed upward until they finally gained the necessary altitude.

They proceeded along a narrow mountain trail toward the abandoned mine workings. Every now and then, Sam and Kimoto would pause, captivated by the unfolding view. From a bird's-eye perspective, the entire Snow Valley lay before them like the palm of a hand, and from up here, they could clearly see the immense and perilous path they had been forced to overcome.

During one of these moments, Kimoto’s expression suddenly turned grave, and he said softly, “Sam, if I get caught, or if anything unexpected happens… don’t you dare try to save me, alright? Just run.”

Sam offered no reply, giving only a silent nod, but those words burned deep into his memory.

“Alright, another five or six minutes and we’ll be at our destination,” Kimoto broke the lingering silence, checking his landmarks.

“Got it,” Sam responded.

A few minutes later, they indeed came upon a massive, dark maw yawning in the cliffside.

“Finally,” Kimoto breathed a sigh of relief. “Alright, stay behind me.”

They began their slow approach to the cave.

“Sam, if anything suddenly goes sideways, stay at my back,” Kimoto commanded in a low voice. “Just in case.”

“Why, is there a reason to worry?” Sam grew alert.

“Well, we’re about to find out.”

The guys confidently stepped over the stone threshold and vanished into the darkness.

Once inside, Kimoto and Sam clicked on their flashlights simultaneously, cutting through the dense gloom with beams of light.

“Alright, let’s move,” Kimoto commanded, and they began their descent into the depths of the mine.

As they cautiously navigated the winding underground corridors, Sam decided to ask a question that had been on his mind for a while:

“Kimoto, listen… This is far from your first Month of Love, isn’t it?”

“Exactly,” he confirmed. “That’s precisely why I’ve accumulated so much experience surviving in extreme conditions.”

“Have you ever been caught yourself during this holiday?”

“Never once!” Kimoto declared proudly. “Solely thanks to my outstanding intellect, a dash of luck, and absolute fearlessness, I’ve managed to survive this madness time after time.”

“Do you remember your very first Month of Love?”

“Of course I do. Want me to tell you about it?”

“Is that even a question? Of course I do.”

“Well, listen up then,” Kimoto adjusted his grip on the flashlight to a more comfortable position and dove into his memories. “It was a very long time ago; I had only just come of age. Naturally, I had no inkling of the holiday’s looming danger. But on that fateful night, it didn't take long for everything to be made clear to me. Our entire village plunged into absolute chaos. Men were scattering in a panic every which way, while enraged women literally leaped on them, pinned them down, and dragged them off to their houses. To put it mildly, it was an absolute nightmare. I stood frozen in the middle of the street, not knowing where to turn, but fortunately for me, one of the veteran warriors spotted me. He decided to save me and forcefully dragged me toward the outskirts. So there we were, running with all our might toward the exit of the settlement, with a furious mob of women hot on our heels. I managed to vault onto a horse and yelled to him in a panic, ‘We need to leave together, hurry!’”

Kimoto paused dramatically, his voice wavering slightly:

“And he replied, ‘Kid, go on without me, I’ll hold them off!’ I kept shouting, ‘I’m not leaving you behind!’ But he cut me off, ‘You have to! Both of us won’t make it out of here. Ride, now!’ And at that very instant, I realized he was absolutely right. I spurred my horse and bolted. The last thing I remember from that night was his desperate screams fading behind me… Later, when the Month of Love finally drew to a close, I went back and tracked down that warrior.”

“And what happened to him?” Sam asked, his heart skipping a beat.

“He’s alive, he’s totally fine,” Kimoto chuckled. “If you don’t count a broken pelvis and the fact that he was completely wrapped in bandages, looking like a living mummy.”

“Right… I see…” Sam muttered, completely taken aback.

“And that fate befell not just him, but practically every single man who remained in our village,” Kimoto sighed. “Down to the last one.”

“My God…”

“Tell me about it. It was right after that incident that I made it a strict rule: exactly one month before the holiday begins, I meticulously plan and prepare a place to hide. Later on, I moved to Tokyo altogether, so I didn’t even think about this crazy month anymore. But it looks like life decided to collect its debt after all.”

“Seems like it,” Sam agreed.

Suddenly, Kimoto stopped dead in his tracks and tensed, listening closely to the darkness.

“What is it?” Sam whispered.

“Something’s wrong,” Kimoto replied, barely moving his lips. “Too quiet. Way too quiet.”

In that exact instant, armed men jumped out from the darkness of the abandoned alcoves with the heavy click of weapon bolts, immediately closing a tight ring around the guys.

“Hold it right there! Who goes there?!” one of the sentries barked roughly, leveling his weapon at them.

“Easy, boys,” Kimoto raised his hands placatingly. “We’re refugees from the west. Just trying to survive this damn apocalypse.”

“And how do we know you aren’t spies serving the broads, selling out our shelters?!” the watchman narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

“What if I present this kind of argument?” Kimoto smirked slyly and deftly pulled a heavy metal coin engraved with a lotus from his pocket. “Catch!”

With a precise toss, he sent the coin flying toward the patrol leader. The warrior caught it, examined the minting closely, and gave a knowing nod to his men:

“Lower your weapons. You may pass.”

“Much obliged,” Kimoto offered a playful two-finger salute to his temple.

The guys proceeded further down the corridor.

“What was that all about?” Sam whispered in bewilderment once they had reached a safe distance.

“Standard face control,” Kimoto laughed quietly.

“And what’s that lotus coin?”

“Think of it as a secret universal key,” Kimoto drawn out mysteriously. “With it, you can gain unhindered access anywhere. Well, almost anywhere.”

“Kimoto, you just bribed the guard, didn't you?” Sam asked bluntly, adjusting his glasses.

“I told you in plain English: it’s a secret key to every door in this world!”

After a couple of turns, the guys finally stepped into the main chamber of the sanctuary. What Sam saw took his breath away. The immense underground cavern was packed with hundreds of yokai who had fled from various regions. The place looked less like a damp mine and more like a bustling subterranean settlement, and an impressively large one at that. Torches flickered everywhere, voices hummed, and the aroma of food filled the air.

“We made it…” Kimoto whispered, unable to believe his own eyes.

“Looks like we did,” Sam smiled.

“Well then, let’s go celebrate our survival, my friend!”

And the guys began descending the wooden scaffolding, heading straight into the heart of the underground city.

An hour later, they were comfortably settled in a small, improvised tavern, blissfully devouring juicy roasted meat and washing it down with cold beer.

“Damn, Kentaro would have absolutely loved this place,” Kimoto noted with a bittersweet smile, setting his mug down.

“You can say that again,” Sam sighed.

Kimoto refilled the glasses and raised his high:

“I propose a toast. To Kenji, Haru, and Kentaro. To the fighters who died a heroic death on this cursed path.”

“Well, I wouldn’t frame it quite so tragically,” Sam offered a wry smile. “Technically speaking, they aren’t dead.”

“Sam, don’t ruin the moment,” Kimoto frowned.

They clinked their glasses together and took a deep gulp.

“This has been the craziest, wildest journey of my life,” Sam admitted, leaning back in his chair.

“I sincerely hope it remains one of a kind,” Kimoto chuckled.

“Highly unlikely.”

They laughed softly, gradually letting go of the tension that had built up over the past few days.

“What do you think will happen, Kimoto, when this month ends and we have to go back?” Sam asked, turning serious.

“Well, looking at it rationally… we’re obviously toast,” Kimoto observed philosophically.

“Which means that in the time we have left, we absolutely must come up with something brilliant to appease our wives.”

“I’m afraid nothing can save us this time.”

“But hey, if we try, at least it won’t hurt as much.”

“Now that—you are damn right about!”

The guys burst into laughter together once more.

“Alright, Sam, I think it’s time to wrap it up and hit the sack,” Kimoto yawned and stood up from the table.

“Agreed.”

They went up to the second tier of the tavern, where they had rented a small room with two beds. Stripping off their heavy outerwear, the exhausted travelers finally stretched out blissfully on the soft beds.

After four days of continuous, grueling flight from their native village, the guys could finally truly relax and think about absolutely nothing.

Or could they?..