Cocoon

“Ran, can you go get the new boards from my classroom?”

“Sure!”

The one who asked Ran is her close and friendly club mate; a 3rd year student. Ran happily accepted her request as she usually does in the club room. So she quickly left the club room and headed her way there.

Turning a corner, she reaches the stairs and goes up, while humming. Though unaware of the sudden quietness.

As she reached the floor, her humming continued until she reached the classroom.

She slid the door open. But, she suddenly had the urge to use the toilet. Ahh, I’ll get it after. It should be fine right?

After that, she washed her hands.

“It’s unusually quiet now that I think about it—where did everyone go?”

Closing the tap, she shook her hands, then left the bathroom. Using her school shirt to wipe her hands, she continued on her way back.

Thud!

“Huh?”

She turned back, looking at a sliding door across the hallway to her right. Is it coming from there?

Standing and looking wasn’t answering her questions, so it became a passing thought as she turned back around and continued her way.

THUD!

Immediately, the same door blasted open, slamming against the opposite wall. From the opened room, two tentacles zoomed out and grabbed Ran’s arms. “AAAAHHHHH!” She screamed heavily.

Two tentacles became many more. Her waist to her stomach were clenched, including her legs.

“AA—!”

As she was about to scream again, another tentacle covered her mouth. The next moment, it was too late.

The now subdued Ran was wrapped from head to toe. Lifting her up for a moment, then pulling her into the room.

Silence grew. A tentacle came out of the room, grabbing the broken door and placing it firmly back in place.

The larva took Ran as hostage. She had passed out after being pulled into the room.

Now waking up to the present moment, her eyes slid open. Her mouth is still covered by the larva’s tentacle. Her body is still coiled, unable for her to move at all. I can’t…move!

The room she’s now in looks to be an abandoned classroom, with no one in sight. The unusual part is no tables being present, only chairs.

With nothing at her disposal and her attempt to escape, she hopelessly closed her eyes. Please! Someone! Hoping that someone can save her.

———᯽———

Izanami’s dark eyes opened as she grunted. Unusually, the ceiling was further away than before. Matter of fact, it doesn’t look the same. The white-grayish square tiles now turned coarse, resembling wood.

Her long black hair blocked part of her vision.

Ah…I’m about to go crazy.

She tried to move, but could barely move a muscle. She tried again, but struggled even more. Then again. Though this time, its as if she wasn’t moving at all.

What is this?

She looked down to see smooth, soft silk that wrapped her body to the clinging chair. The silk even extended, attaching the chair in place in the ceiling. Currently, she’s hanging upside down.

At least the spirit isn’t here.

Her thought turned into another. Noktu? Are you there?

Silence was all that is present.

…What is up with It?

Shrugging away the thought, she centered her attention to the big question:

How the hell am I gonna escape?

This time, she’s calm. Realizing the anxiety and fear that was felt held her back immensely. She’s sure that escape is possible, thus proceeding with whatever comes to her mind.

Struggling was already a failure. Next, she tried to call out her katana, but nothing happened. Then, she brought her mouth to the closest silk stream that held her upper body. Particularly the thinnest—that’s holding down her shoulders and chest. With her teeth, she pulled it up and turned the opposite direction. Slouching down as much as possible—though little—it was enough for her head to go underneath. So she did.

Izanami successfully made her quick attempt.

The slim string she pulled now stayed behind. Perfect, I can now move my shoulders.

Now able to freely move her upper torso, she slowly slid her arms out by giving them a wiggle that continuously increased in speed during tight spaces.

She ground her teeth and slightly drooled as she gripped the tough, string-like silk. Blood vessels throbbed, Izanami’s biceps and forearms bulged with immense, surging strength. At that moment, she pulled them. Then, after a slight struggle, she ripped them apart.

Izanami’s natural ability; the tendency to continue moving forward.

Now finally free and landing down, the sudden change made her unsteady. Hesitating to move, and even stumbling a few times, her mental discomfort arose due to the sudden change of gravity.

But in time, she got the hang of it.

“Okay, now I gotta be even more careful.”

Izanami whispered to herself momentarily before sliding the door open. She turned both directions while peeking out, in case she has to be extremely wary. Especially with what she has to figure out.

Two things she’s firmly concerned about: first, somehow release the spirit free, and second, save Ran without her getting hurt.

“—”

The hallway was as empty as before. Quiet is absolute. Izanami’s focus intensified, becoming completely immersed.

Leaving the room, Izanami proceeded to sneakily maneuver through.

She expected the same quietness, but to her surprise, her long-lost pal’s tentacles zoomed out one of the classrooms’ windows to her side. The glass shattered, despite the spirit being unharmed.

Izanami darted past the tentacles that started to chase her. Her challenge of figuring out the spirit’s desire continued. Okay, change of plans, I got to survive first!

But then, as she already made enough distance, the colorless tentacles began to slow down. Eventually, they stopped their chase, slumping down to the floor.

Izanami looks back. Other than the spirit’s abrupt halt, the broken windows didn’t make any sense to her. Remains appeared on the shattered frames right after the tentacles rushed through. It made her feel skeptical.

Turning a corner, she managed to find a spot to hide temporarily.

That thing, it never had dark skin.

Thinking back, Izanami felt perplexed. Dark skin… Dark skin? Hold on, it had black and white skin.

The spirit’s tentacles that stopped half way faded color. From its black-and-white features, it became pure monochrome.

The spirit’s remains that were clinging to the shattered glass frames appeared dry and withered, like a cast that wore out over time.

Its shedding!

That’s right. The spirit started to shed its skin, which then needed its energy. Animals casts off parts of its body to server some beneficial purpose, and because its so huge, it surely sacrificed its energy along side its destructive power. Figuring out the spirit’s biggest weakness became a turning point for her, or rather, an opportunity.

All she has to do is dodge and deflect while wasting the larva’s energy. The more the larva uses its tentacles, the more it sheds. Thus, Izanami’s plan to use its weakness commences.

Swiftly emerging from around the corner, she summoned her weapon—a katana emitting from a light that grew dark beforehand.

Her hand held the handle, while her free hand stretched along her appearing blade. As Izanami took a step to firm her stance, she waited, and waited. The sheer tension of silence in the hallway made her eager in anticipation. At this moment, she has no idea on how she’ll pull off this plan. She’s conflicted on how to feel.

But, regardless, the anticipation says otherwise.

Then—

Whoosh!

Suddenly, a singular tentacle straightened as it zoomed toward Izanami, who’s still steadfast.

She raised her katana and dropped the blade downward at the zooming tentacle.

The larva still has destructive power, even with its weakness catching up. Her confidence in this very moment; the execution and her attempt on directly hitting the incoming attack.

This very moment is your demise!

Though as her blade touches—CLACK!

Izanami’s eyes scrunched. She shrieked as she witnessed the bizarre outcome. The continuous sound of solidified metal clashing against a soft surface.

Its still shedding?!

What she had to do—all she had to do; a simple task that’s in her capability to achieve—was to defend while fleeing. Merely one biased thought has sabotaged her plan, maybe even change it all in the larva’s favor.

It surprised her beyond comparison. As in that moment, she felt how truly sturdy the spirit is.

—Immediately, she backed away and firmed her stance once more.

Still, it looked like the larva’s weakness wasn’t holding itself back anytime soon. So fast!

The tension of silence came back. Both were ready. Izanami made sure to keep her eyes on the target. However, the larva surely wasn’t happy with that outcome.

More came. A whole horde. A few became five, then five became a dozen.

Outnumbered heavily, she doesn’t want to risk going all out on a battle that favors endurance. She’s only human (ish), or so she believes. Focus on deflecting the tentacles while I run. She looks both sides before another thought. Turn, deflect, then keep running away. She repeats again. Turn, deflect, then keep running away.

Without further thought, Izanami darts away after deflecting another thrust. The tentacle that attacked diverted into the side, piercing part of the wall.

Izanami’s focus on deflecting the larva’s tentacles while darting away, gives her the advantage to think without getting interrupted the next second. One diversion can save her seconds.

A few seconds later, she made it past hallways that almost seemed to stretch endlessly, to a more open area. Nearby, are stairs that go back to the lower floors, and a row of sinks stuck to the wall by the window-side, covered in wooden casing designed to cover the bottom with a cabinet-like look.

Clack!

She turned, deflecting another one of the larva’s tentacle thrusts, they kept coming one after the other. Even so, she continued to dart away.

Noticing the tentacles losing more color; becoming more monochrome, Izanami became aware of how effective her strategy is. Its working! The spirit’s gonna lose!

Again, she turned, but this time her speed was faster than the tentacle had a chance to thrust.

But Ran is nowhere to be seen.

And even so, she proceeded.

That one biased thought may have turned the tables for her instead.

Still… Why Isn’t the main body chasing me already? …I thought I would’ve angered it to that point.

Izanami questioned further, Something’s not right. The tentacles caught up. So with a quick decision, Izanami swiftly turns a corner and spots the staircase that leads back to the 2nd floor.

After reaching the 2nd floor by jumping straight down, she turns to see the tentacles chasing her. They twisted into infinity-shaped loops to prevent confusion while it chases her down.

Smart. But I still got you in my hands.

She hurried her pace, making it past hallway after hallway in a matter of time, enough for her to swiftly dodge the attacks.

Upon finding another staircase, she goes up, leading her back to the 3rd floor.

Izanami has made her final decision. I’ll go through every single room on this floor. Even if my legs break.

Her sheer will pushed her. The tentacles kept coming and halting right after.

She hastily opened every closed door and took a peak through every one of them. Whether it was a classroom or a janitor’s room, after going through a whole hallway—which has around 3 classrooms and a door by chance, still nothing.

The frustration prompted her to snort. Meanwhile, another horde of tentacles came darting at her.

She tried again, momentarily peeking her head in another classroom. Upon taking her head out of the classroom, she dodged the closest to her, which diverted it to strike through the opened classrooms. Immediately, there was more coming her way. Though, this didn’t become an issue anymore.

Izanami opened one more door of a classroom right before turning back as there’s no more past that point. In other words, a dead end.

But there she was, unconscious. The strings, though thin, held her up tightly and firm. Just like the rest of her wrapped body in silk, Ran’s mouth was covered to the brim, leaving no room for proper breathing.

Izanami halted upon witnessing this. If she doesn’t get her out soon, then—

Snap!

Izanami weaved her way through the incoming whiplashes of the spirit in retaliation.

Snap! Snap! Snap!

Continuously dodging, she gritted her teeth. Her dodging kept up with the spirit’s extraordinary speed, though her mind did not. Ran’s safety occupied her mind more than ever. The fact that she’s within hand’s reach frustrated her.

So, in Izanami’s retaliation, she widened her stance as she gripped her katana’s handle, and the sheath with her free hand. One chance is all I have.

Determined and ready, the next incoming horde of tentacles came zooming straight at Izanami while they shed itself.

With one attack in a flash—at face to face distance with the multitude of tentacles—wiped the whole horde in mere seconds. Slash upon slash like cutting meat in style, she carved through them. A beautiful performance that the opponent could merely pass by. No, It couldn’t.

But, the spirit is persistent. It was, ever since the beginning. Even pursuing which it shouldn’t. The horde kept coming, but Izanami kept it at bay.

Her speed increasing at a phenomenal rate is impressive. What’s more is her rhythm not slacking off at all. The sword she wields and uses is holding off pretty well. She steers every strike with precision, holding a firm stance that continued to flourish.

The clashing increased. The sound of clashing metal filled the air.

The same actions repeated for ages. Despite this, Izanami swiftly darted into a classroom after deflecting a dozen more. She cut all the silk holding Ran in place and caught her falling.

Just as she turned back around to face the classroom’s entrance, nothing came.

The once, continuous horde was no more. Suddenly, it became quiet. Izanami’s eyes widened, the unexpected really got to her.

This is not how I imagined it would turn out.

“Hrrmph…”

And another thing is Ran finally gaining conscious again. While her icy blue eyes slowly opened, her short and sleek, blonde hair swayed a little.

Dropped to her knees, Izanami held her even now, waiting for the moment she’s fully awake. She had to: the urge to hear she’s okay from her best friend’s own mouth.

“Ran…”

Ran grunted again, her eyes barely opened. Izanami noticed her condition was poor, but that could also have been due to the silk pressuring her body. Izanami noticed line marks all over Ran’s arms.

With no more hesitation, Izanami carried Ran as she lifted herself up. Leaving the classroom, nothing came. Walking through the hallway, still, nothing came. Like the spirit wasn’t even here to begin with, though the surrounding damage says otherwise.

I haven’t seen the spirit since I was caught.

Izanami continued anyway, unconcerned for the spirit.

Going below to the 2nd floor, a mushy sound was heard above her. Something had joined with the ceiling.

What the hell.

Halting, she spotted shells of what looks to be cocoons stuck to the ceiling. They were spread far and wide across the hallways. This wasn’t the craziest thing she’s saw before. It amused her for a second, then she continued walking through right after.

They won’t move, right?

She’s too exhausted to even react. Carrying someone right after an intense exchange of blows was already too much, but she doesn’t care.

A short while later, she entered the infirmary. Laying Ran down on a bed, she examined her a little more.

If only she could recover as fast as me…

She went to grab first aid supplies from across the room; coming back to Ran to put cream on the marks pressured into her skin. In hopes of preventing skin irritation, its the least she can do.

During the process, she called. Noktu.

Though, still, no response.

Following that, she made sure Ran was comfortable by pulling the blanket until it reached below her neck.

Izanami left the room in silence.

If there was one thing, she needed to do, it was finding the spirit and get the job done. The previous encounters were either struggles or long-lasting clashes. Neither worked in her favor. Which is why, it was finally time for her to act—confronting it in its most vulnerable stage.

Its going through a complete reorganization right now.

In the cycle of a butterfly, the larva’s second stage progresses to its third stage. But for that to happen, it has to be fully grown.

Already assuming it did, it probably grew from taking energy from Ran. Well, at least she’s not in immediate danger any more.

And during its transformation, its preoccupied as it breaks down and reforms its body into wings, legs, and other adult features. All she has to do is find the spirit’s—or rather, the larva’s safe spot.

Ran, rest. I’ll finish the job soon enough.

Leaving the infirmary, she swung her katana, breaking and popping rows of cocoons. Since they’re on the ceiling, green fluids spilled out from the gaping wound.

She continued to do so while confidently walking through.

Where…is it.

Eventually, the floor became a mushy mess.

Scanning her surroundings, she pondered further.

Do I have to go up again?

Its a matter of finding the odd cocoon out. She acts hastily due to it being a spirit and not any normal insect. I mean, its pretty obvious its not normal…at all.

Even a dozen cocoons slashed led her nowhere. She still continued to roam the hallways filled with an endless amount. The fluids that spewed and filled the floor doesn’t concern her, but it is kind of odd to her that its the only thing coming out.

They’re not full to the brim, nor certainly “alive”, but it sometimes feel so.

“I don’t know, something just feels off…” Her thought came out.

Before long, she had found the hiding spot of the spirit.

“…Finally, I found you.”

Izanami’s eyes widened as she proceeded to unsheathe her sword.

She glared at the thick, silken cocoon, ready to strike, but halted before fully unsheathing. She gritted her teeth, but wait—

“You,” She furrowed her brow as dwelt anger came out. “You caused too much suffering.”

She continued to glare while her occupied hand trembled. “Everything you’ve done today…”

Even with her anger, she couldn’t continue unsheathing and strike as she imagined. She’s sure that if she could, it would all be over.

Frustration riled up by her inability to carry on. “So, why… Why the hell can’t I do it?”

“I had no problem with hitting back when you attacked, so why can’t I hit you when your weak and can’t fight back?!” She whimpered while gazing down.

Just as she’s about to leave the room, a sudden thud was heard. No, it was a heartbeat. A very massive one. It froze Izanami in place. She slowly turned back as another was heard.

Wait.

It came from the very cocoon.

Wait, wait, wait.

And it continued to flourish with another heartbeat.

Suddenly, the white, silky cocoon unfolded. It swiftly spewed out its silk around itself. Izanami had her vision blocked by her free arm due to the sheer amount.

Then, the unfolded cocoon shaped back into what it was initially, though smaller. It zoomed past through Izanami, who still blocked her vision from the sudden attack.

Using its thick, silky threads to maneuver—giving itself legs and arms, the moving cocoon had already left the room.

Hold on, it didn’t attack me?!

Izanami panicked.

Why the hell did it ignore me all of a sudden?! Is it after someone el—Ran!?

Panicking, Izanami rushed out of the tangled room, heading her way back to Ran. As quickly as possible—though not in her sharpest form—she still tried. Only a short while later did she catch up with the moving cocoon.

It realizing this, more silk spewed out to attack Izanami who’s behind its tail.

Not bothered by the incoming attacks, she hastens her pace. Dodging some and deflecting the others, the moving cocoon urgently hastened its pace as well.

They weren’t far from the infirmary; shortly after, Izanami tripped and rolled.

The moving cocoon had almost failed, but now that Izanami fell behind, it was way ahead than it had expected too.

Izanami shrieked as she curled her fists and hit the floor. “AAAAHHH!”

Now only a few moments away from the infirmary, the absolute worst-case scenario unfolded for Izanami.

Ran had stepped out. She slouched, holding the door frame for support.

In sync, the moving cocoon thrust its two-dimensional arm, aiming at Ran as it stretches wide and straight.

Ran looked to her side, seeing the incoming wide arm. Paper…?

The arm twisted and it already reached halfway the distance in a mere second.

Ran now stared, its arm seemed to hang in the air.

However, in that split second that the arm almost had contact with Ran—

Whoosh!

—Was now sliced in half.

The moving cocoon lost balance and fell, rolling over a few times after it missed Ran by an inch.

Behind where the cocoon initially stood, was Izanami across the hallway. With her legs outspread, steam emitted from her opened mouth. Her body temperature spiked. And once again, she did it.

Izanami’s muscles pulsated. Before she threw her katana, precisely at the extended arm, it was only due to her will to keep fighting.

Denying defeat, her current state is evidence for her refusal to stay down.

Ran witnessed the side of Izanami she never would’ve. In the current moment, she had no idea on what to feel.

The cocoon moved once again after balancing, urgently striking Ran behind her back without any hesitation.

Whoosh!

Now, both Its arms were sliced in half. Though this time, it was a shattered glass that pierced them.

Izanami darted to swoop Ran in her arms right before zooming past the cocoon.

As she ran further away, the cocoon started to chase as It slung its arms, and bounced off the surrounding continuously after each failed attempt of hitting Izanami.

Right away, her landed weapon vanished.

While the silk arms hits away, the surroundings were fine with little to no damage visible. The hallway they now rushed through was completely intact.

Maneuvering away, Izanami pondered while Ran watched the incoming attacks. Ran yells; Izanami quickens immensely, running like the wind. Ran yelled more; she can’t tell if its because of the destructiveness coming her way or the fact that she got faster.

Either way, the pair gradually got distance. But even so, for some reason, the spirit hurried and eventually started to dart its way to Izanami.

Copying Izanami’s momentum and form, It finally had more than reason. Failing continuously and struggling to keep up because of Izanami, It nevertheless denied defeat, also leading to slight self-resentment.

Straight away, the spirit darted to Izanami—only a foot away.

Its close!

A moment later, half a foot.

Just a little more.

And shortly after, less than that.

Perfect. Thus, Izanami proceeded to throw Ran upwards in the sky. In that split moment, Izanami turned back with a sudden, violent jolt.

During that split moment, the cocoon is only an inch away from Izanami’s face. Pulling back Its slender arm, reshaping it thicker and bulkier, the very next thing it has to do is thrust.

Thrust!

—Yet it didn’t come from the spirit.

The cocoon—No, rather the spirit looked down to what seems to be a wound impaled by Izanami’s very weapon.

It was the perfect moment for her to summon it again.

The spirit started to fade away, which immediately prompted Izanami to dart away. As the thrown Ran, is still mid-air…and yells.

As Izanami caught her, tears started flowing. Not from Izanami, but Ran. The now safely caught Ran wiped them, though tears persist.

The once rage-ramping insect that was trapped, bloomed. Now being free of its own cocoon, Its wings spread high—a beauty of nature that Izanami couldn’t get her eyes off. The lustrous purple existing on top of dark, ebony wings, which is split by distinct white bands.

The butterfly flew, already showing the tendency of adapting. With its body about to disappear once again, it instinctively fluttered towards a window. About to be where it was supposed to belong, a short moment later, it finally did.

That… Izanami’s astonishment caused her to zone out, unaware of Ran’s sharp yelling.

Ran accepts it all. The fact that she’s here and well is enough for her. Eventually, Izanami snapped out of it.

“Its okay,” said Izanami in a soft manner. Saying nothing more, she continues to watch her sob.

Faintly smiling, she says, “I hope you can forgive me, Ran.” Even in the slightest.

In fact, Izanami wants to do better, for both herself and her relationship with Ran. A fresh start.

Putting Ran down, who stumbled but managed to stand up using Izanami’s hands as support, Izanami watched her last sob.

“Then as an apology, spent some time with me, if your that desperate,” said Ran, possibly teasing Izanami.

In return, she chuckled, pushing her shoulder against Ran’s. “Hey, don’t be like that.”

Ran chuckled too.

“Then, as you wish, but…”

Ran nodded with joy. “Take your time.”

Was it a bad call to go to them?, Noktu asked.

Hmm, not sure, honestly—Wait, where were you?

—

Noktu.

—

Hey.

Don’t ruin your moment.

The sun shimmered through the windows as the two casually strolled side by side, like nothing ever happened.

Izanami thought, Maybe being a Drafter is not so bad.

“So what was that moving silk ball?” asked Ran.

“Uhhh…”

“First large tentacles, then that. Way too much happened today.”

Does she even realize you two are alone? asked Noktu.

No clue… Her response reflected her worry.

Yeah, like nothing ever happened…

“But really, what were those things?”

“That’s a secret.”

Ran replied dismayed. “Ahhh!”