Loading User Commands:
[X] Don't take any.
[X] Give one to Komachi.
[X] Give one to Chen.
[X] Custom

---

"I saved these for you, big brother!" cries Chen happily.

Before he can respond, the girl shoves them both into his hands. He can already feel the delicate texture of the buns. Their softness is enough to make his mouth water, and as the delicate aroma of sweet bean paste wafts into his nostrils, he can feel his eyes narrow like a wolf. The memory of his first time is still clear in his head. This sensation... this flavor and delight... he can't resist this.

As he is about to devour and ravage these tasty temptations, he takes a quick glance at Chen. Her smile is full of cheer and innocent brightness. The girl's tails wag playfully as she waits for him to eat. Then, he remembers his sin. Slowly, he forces his mouth closed.

"Thanks Chen," he whispers. "But I can't accept these. Not like this."

"Eh?" says Chen tearfully. "B-but why?"

Vincent forces a pained smile as he pats her head softly.

"I still feel a little guilty over the last time," he says. "When I ate the one you and Machi were fighting over."

"Machi?" says the shinigami irritably. "Don't go around giving nicknames so carelessly! I have half the mind to -"

He suddenly turns to the death-god and tosses one of the sweet buns at her. She catches it by reflex, then looks back at him in wonder. He simply gives her a smile and nod. For a moment, the room falls silent in surprise. Then, she puts the sweet bun to her mouth and looks away.

"W-well, I suppose that 'Machi' is fine too," mumbles Komachi as she chews.

Vincent turns back to Chen and hands the other sweet bun back.

"You can have this one," he says. "I already found something sweet enough to make my day."

"Ah!" asks Chen. "What was it? What was it?"

He simply smiles at the girl and urges her to return to her seat. As he strokes her hair a few more times, he somehow feels something warm and tight in his chest. There is nothing sweeter than watching Chen smile.

"You seem happy," says Youmu, interrupting his thoughts.

Her tone is a bit cold, but he only realizes it after Chen returns to her seat.

"What? Really?" he replies.

"You and Chen seem quite close now," comments the half-ghost.

"I suppose so," he says.

"Must have spent some time together," she mutters. "But I guess that really isn't any of my business..."

"Eh? What are you trying to say?" he replies.

He pauses for a moment. Youmu seems to be glaring at him with the side of her eye, and her voice is anything but friendly. Did he do something wrong? Why does she sound irritated?

"Allow me to explain," says Yuyuko playfully. "Youmu wants to know if you cheated on her while you were out~"

The half-ghost suddenly turns pale white.

"P-please, Lady Yuyuko," cries Youmu. "Don't say things that may cause misunderstandings!"

"I don't intend to," replies the ghost princess. "I'm just curious about Vincent's whereabouts since he disappeared early this morning."

Suddenly, the room falls silent. Yuyuko's grin widens as she waits for his answer. Youmu does her best to look disinterested, but she is failing miserably. Komachi is keeping herself busy with the sweet bun, though she glances occasionally at him (her cheeks are a bit pink, but it's probably the alcohol). Chen looks up curiously at them as she takes tiny bites from her pastry.

"I... umm..."

[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Sit close to Youmu.

---

Vincent scratches his head, still a little confused. Something feels out of place. Then, he shakes his worries away. It probably isn't anything important.

"Take a seat," says Komachi. "You look a bit tired."

"Eh? Is that so?" he replies.

He quickly takes the empty seat on Youmu's left. She makes no visible reaction on her face, though her shoulders seem to relax a little. Seated on the half-ghost's right is Yuyuko, who seems to be reluctant to let go of little Chen. The nekomata's seat seems to be the one across from the ghost princess. Then, beside that seat and across from Youmu is Komachi, who is currently pouring a generous amount of some alcoholic drink into her glass.

"Want some?" she offers.

"Uh.. no thanks," he replies. "I think I should avoid things that can mess with my head."

"Hmm," says Komachi. "That's probably a good idea, too."

"Nyaa!" cries Chen as she pulls herself away from Yuyuko's grip.

"Aww..." says the ghost princess sadly. "Come back kitty~"

"Let her finish eating," Youmu says.

"B-but I only-"

Vincent blinks stupidly as he sees Chen vanish from sight. Then, a few moments later, he feels someone tugging at his left side. He turns to see Chen holding a pair of sweet buns out to him.

"I saved these for you, big brother!" cries the girl happily.

He pauses to think. Somehow, this situation is a tad familiar.
[ ] Take them both.
[ ] Take one for yourself.
[ ] Don't take any.

Optional:
[ ] Give one to Chen.
[ ] Give one to Komachi.
[ ] Give one to Youmu.
[ ] Give one to Yuyuko.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Kill her.

---

Kill her? But why would he even -

"Please," whispers Yuyuko.

The ghost princess slowly closes her eyes in anticipation. Before he realizes it, Vincent has already drawn his sword. For some reason, he can't deny this request, no matter how insane it sounds. Her kind and entrancing voice is like a siren, surpassing both mind and body. After all, he is only a human before this goddess.

Vincent raises it high into the hair. He can see the weapon's shadow against the purple light. Yet, all he can focus on is Yuyuko's calm and peaceful face. Somehow, the moment seems unreal. He knows that he is about to end her connection to this world, yet he does not feel a tinge of guilt, nor sorrow. If anything else, he feels like this is his duty, as her chosen companion.

To free her.

Then, the ghost princess whispers something barely audible.

"Thank you," she says.

With those words as his signal, he thrusts his blade deep into her chest. Her body spasms a few times, blood gushing from the wound violently. His shirt and face are stained red with the impact. Then, in a few moments, she goes limp. With his work complete, he slowly pulls out the sword, shaking off the blood before sheathing it. Then, he lays her down on the ground. As he watches, Yuyuko starts turning into a thin violet mist.

He sheds no tears. Even if he doesn't realize it himself, something inside has changed.

As Vincent walks away from the garden, he has a wide grin upon his face.

Then, he licks his lips, savoring the taste of blood.

...

"Hey, are you coming inside or not?" says a distant voice.

"Wait... what?" he replies.

As his vision clears, he can see a familiar figure calling out to him. She seems to be standing by the doorway.

"Don't just stand and stare like that," says Youmu. "Your blank and empty expression is somewhat disturbing."

"Eh? Ah, sorry about that," he mumbles as he steps inside.

He looks around to see Komachi, Chen and Yuyuko all seated in the dining room. By the looks of it, they started eating not too long ago.

"Still out of it, eh?" says Komachi from inside. "Why don't you have a drink? It'll help clear your head."

"Don't be a bad influence," replies Youmu. "Alcohol clouds the mind and heart. A swordsman has no need for such foolish things."

"Speaking from experience?" Komachi says.

"Oh," says Yuyuko excitedly. "That reminds me of the time when Youm and I -"

"B-be quiet!" cries Youmu.

"Ara? Well don't worry~" Yuyuko replies. "I won't bring up those old stories in front of Vincent..."

The ghost princess then moves her hand toward the plate of sweet buns. To everyone's surprise, Chen suddenly grabs Yuyuko's wrist to stop her.

"I won't let you," says the nekomata.

"My, how brave," replies Yuyuko slowly. "Are you sure you want to stand between myself and those tasty treats?"

For some reason, a dangerous aura starts emanating from the ghost princess. Even Youmu stands frozen and unsure. It disapppears, however, the moment Chen speaks.

"Those are for big brother," she says firmly.

"Ah!" cries Yuyuko. "T-that is..."

Suddenly, the ghost princess gives Chen a big hug.

"So cute~" she says. "I'm gonna take you home~"

"She is already in your home," says Youmu. "Always acting carefree..."

The half-ghost takes a seat beside Yuyuko. For a moment, she looks like she is about to tell the ghost princess off. But surprisingly, she just watches her and Chen quietly, her cheeks turning a little pink.

Vincent scratches his head, still a little confused. Something feels out of place. But the warm atmosphere soon calms his nerves. It probably isn't anything important.

[ ] Sit close to Yuyuko.
[ ] Sit close to Youmu.
[ ] Sit close to Komachi.
[ ] Sit close to Chen.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Talk to her

---

"Dance with me?" offers the ghost princess.

Mesmerizing. Right now, all he can see is Yuyuko's otherworldly beauty and charm. There is no way that he can refuse her request. That would be like refusing a miracle. However, Vincent hesitates for a moment. A tiny voice from the back of his head seems to be saying something.

[Fool. You really are going to die here if this continues...]

"Die?" he whispers aloud, not fully understanding his own words.

But then, the voice becomes silent once more. His focus soon goes back toward the enchanting ghost princess, and its warning is all but forgotten.

"You don't want to?" says Yuyuko sadly.

Her eyes start to tear up at his silence. Vincent immediately shakes his head and gives her an encouraging smile.

"M-Maybe later?" he suggests. "Anyway, why don't we head back to the mansion. We should really get back inside."

Inside? Why would they need to go back to the mansion and ruin this moment? For some reason, he can't really remember. But something tells him that it is important.

"The mansion?" repeats the princess. "But you and I are already here. Isn't that enough?"

As she says those words, Yuyuko steps dangerously close to him. Then, she places one of her tiny hands on his shoulder. He gasps slightly as he realizes how warm she feels. Somehow, he feels safe and at home with this person, as if he belongs with her.

[You are going to die here.]

Vincent blinks stupidly. Did he just hear something?

"E-er, well," he mumbles. "It's pretty chilly right now. We should go someplace warmer, so why don't we head back?"

"Feeling cold?" she replies gently.

Suddenly, the ghost princess holds him in a soft embrace. He can feel her warmth and kindness as her arms tighten around his back. Slowly, he raises his hands to return the gesture. Closing his eyes, he holds the girl closer to his chest. He... can't let go of her.

"Yuyuko..." he starts. "I..."

Without warning, the ghost princess pulls away and looks up at him, staring deep into his eyes. Something changes in her expression, but he can't tell exactly what. She continues stares at him with a sad smile.

"Please... ki... me," whispers Yuyuko.

... what did she say?

[ ] Kiss her.
[ ] Kill her.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Approach the light.

---

"That light," Vincent says aloud.

There is something familiar about it. He has seen this before. Immediately, he turns to the right, away from the mansion. He starts running closer to the source of the strange glow. Moments later, he finds himself obsessed as he continues toward the light. He must know what this is, and he must hold it in his hands.

Before he knows it, he is standing in the middle of a small clearing. All around him stand cherry trees, a few of which are in bloom even if it isn't the season. Then, at the center, is a sight that he could only watch in awe. Thousands of butterflies are spiraling around something, each insect emitting a tiny purple glow, like a large firefly, but prettier. As they circle around the area, a single word comes to mind.

"A dance," he whispers.

Then, he turns around in reflex, expecting the ghouls to attack. But they do not come. In fact, he hasn't sensed their presence ever since he started heading toward the light. Of course, he might have been too distracted at the time. Right now, in this small clearing, he can't see, hear, nor smell the undead. All he feels is a slight chill in the still air.

Vincent turns back to the dazzling display of color and light. As his eyes adjust, he starts to make out a vague figure at the center. Wait, isn't that -

"Yuyuko?" he says uncertainly.

The figure looks up at him and nods. She takes a few steps forward to reveal herself. The ghost princess looks exactly as he would expect. There is nothing physically wrong with her dress or appearance. That is, with the exception of one thing: upon her face is a sad and lonely expression that he hasn't seen before.

"Are you alright?" he asks.

Yuyuko gives him small smile, but her eyes seem full of sorrow. He shivers slightly as he realizes how ghostlike she seems right now. This is so very different from the energetic and playful ghost princess that he knows.

"E-er, we should go back," says Vincent. "It's dangerous right now."

"Dangerous?" repeats Yuyuko listlessly.

"The undead," he says. "Ghouls. Reanimated corpses used to torment the living. We have to return to the mansion. I'm worried about the others."

"Others?" she says, as if the word was foreign to her.

"Yuyuko, are you really alright?" he asks once more.

She turns to him with that sad smile and looks deeply into his eyes. Then, as if awoken from a dream, a sudden realization hits him. Vincent blinks stupidly as he realizes just how beautiful this girl is, even supernaturally so. No, beautiful is a term used for plants and flowers and other mortal things. For some reason, he is reminded of angels and goddesses as he continues watching her, enthralled and mesmerized. He has never seen anything like this in his life, and he wouldn't hesitate to give everything up just to enjoy this moment a little longer.

"Yuyuko," he says aloud, only barely aware of his own words.

"Dance with me?" offers the ghost princess.

Vincent doesn't have the will to outright refuse or run away. After all, why would he?
[ ] Stay with her.
[ ] Talk to her.
[ ] Dance with her.
[ ] Embrace her.
[ ] Kiss her.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Slowly retreat back to the mansion.
[X] Use the sword.

---

They are coming.

Vincent takes on a defensive stance as he looks into the darkness. From the sounds and the chill air, he is sure that the undead are approaching. However, the fog is too thick to make out their numbers.

[Something else...]

He isn't sure, but there is something else approaching him. This is something he doesn't recognize as undead. Pausing, he takes a glance at the way he came. He doesn't sense anything from that direction. Perhaps he should retreat back to the mansion. While the other three can easily take care of themselves, they might be in danger if they are caught off-guard. After all, even the half-ghost didn't sense this attack.

Very slowly, he takes a single step backward. Then, in the next moment, the air is filled with high-pitched shrieks. He barely has the chance to react as three ghouls rush forward from the mist.

[Not these... no, not these...]

Vincent swings his sword widely, slicing through rotting flesh and bone. He can feel their blood splatter against his face. The grotesque creatures pause for a moment, glaring at him with their glowing red eyes. Then, they break up into pieces as they collapse lifelessly on the ground. He takes a moment to look at them more closely. They look like the ghouls he faced the other day. Then, he hears more hurried footsteps approaching.

"Oh shit," he cries loudly.

[Fall back... this one is strong...]

Immediately, he starts running back toward the mansion. A few seconds later, he halts to cut down the faster ghouls. Then, he runs once more, only stopping to slash at a few ghouls every so often. He grins to himself as he remembers this tactic. By fighting a running battle, he only has to face two or three ghouls at one time, since they all run at different speeds. This way, he can reduce their numbers and avoid getting surrounded.

[Dangerous...]

Several minutes pass as the chase continues. He only hopes that he has enough stamina to reach the mansion. Then, as if to answer his worries, he spots something in the distance. A strange, purple light seems to call out to him from the right. Somehow, it feels familiar.

[ ] Approach the light.
[ ] Ignore the light.

Loading User Commands:
[X] There is something strange outside...

---

"Have a seat," says Youmu. "I'll be right back with some snacks."

The half-ghost gives Vincent a tiny smile as she starts walking toward the kitchen. She seems to be in a good mood, and the atmosphere is quite pleasant between them. He almost regrets having to end this peaceful moment, but safety comes first. Before she can go beyond a few steps, he takes a firm grip on her wrist to stop her.

"Wait," he says.

"E-eh?"

"Something is wrong," says Vincent. "There is something strange outside... something dangerous."

"W-what?" cries the half-ghost as she pulls away from his grip. She frowns at him, half-expecting it to be a joke.

"I'm going to investigate," he says. "I really hope that I'm wrong about this."

"Huh?" says Youmu. "Wait, what are you -"

"Stay with the others," he says firmly.

Without waiting for her reply, Vincent starts running off into the grounds. A thick fog has enveloped the area, and visibility is poor. He moves on in the direction that feels coldest. There is something eerie about this atmosphere. It feels... inhuman.

He draws his sword as he walks forward. They are closer now. He can feel them. And as he approaches, their rank stench grows more intense. The smell of rotting flesh and blood becomes almost unbearable as he gets closer. The creatures' unintelligible moans and growls only confirm their presence.

Then suddenly, everything becomes silent. Vincent stops in his tracks to prepare for the attack. He tightens his grip on his blade as he checks for his gun with the other hand. This time, there is no mistake.

They are coming.

[ ] Wait for them to attack.
[ ] Rush forward to cut them down.
[ ] Slowly retreat back toward the mansion.
[ ] Custom

Weapons?
[ ] Use the gun.
[ ] Use the sword.
[ ] Use the crossbow.