I observed this girl’s unwavering attention to the book, I couldn't help but be intrigued by her peculiar fixation, akin to my own. The ever-diligent observer of the written word, lost in the enchanting world of immortality and gods. How riveting it must be to delve into the annals of scholarly pursuits, where the answers to life's profound mysteries are surely hidden amongst the musty pages. Immortality, the stuff of legends and gods, seemed to have her captivated. She gazed at the illustrations and descriptions with a focus bordering on obsession. It was as if the secrets of eternity were contained within those pages, waiting to be unearthed by her inquisitive mind. Not likely. A smile graces her lips, as if the very concept of everlasting existence tickles her fancy. And let's not forget those beguiling illustrations, a visual feast for her discerning eyes.
Her head lifted, meeting my gaze with a determination that suggested she was ready to venture into unfamiliar conversational waters. The intensity of her gaze was palpable, as if she were trying to decipher the deepest mysteries hidden within my very being. Newly instated eyesight or not, her dedication to eye-to-eye contact is commendable, if not mildly unsettling. A gaze that bores into the very soul, surely enough to unsettle even the most confident of conversationalists. But I, the recluse of the shadows, can't help but appreciate the audacity.
With a measured tone, she addressed me, steering the conversation toward a topic I had never expected: hunting the cutest. I suppressed a chuckle at her reasoning for not pursuing the adorable. Her argument about the creature's cuteness somehow being a deterrent to its demise was a curious twist. The dilemma she presents, hunting something so "cute," as if the brutal cycle of survival has the time or inclination to consult cuteness as a criterion. How splendid it must be to possess such luxury, to ponder the moral intricacies of the wild, while the world continues to turn with its cruel indifference.
”Sure. This creature's design, is the epitome of elegance and aesthetic perfection,” My voice resonated with a calm yet eerie tone, my words tinged with a hint of irony, perhaps even veiled amusement at the absurdity of it all.
As her gaze shifted momentarily, I couldn't help but wonder what sparked her curiosity to flip through the pages of this book. Her peculiar fascination lies with the peripheral, the peripheral beings that flit on the outskirts of divine dramas, like the supporting cast in a tragedy gone awry. To seek the shadows of the shadows, the footnotes of mythologies long forgotten. How charmingly eccentric.
Then, her excitement was palpable as she located a specific page – Jorogumo, the pièce de résistance – a being with the visage of a woman and the lower body of a spider. A peculiar choice of admiration. The fervor in her voice, as she praises the creature's aesthetics with childlike fervency, is nothing short of captivating. A passion for the macabre, the monstrous, it's a sentiment I can wholeheartedly relate to. For within the darkness, within the grotesque, there lies a beauty that only the discerning eyes can perceive.
It struck me that she was an enigma of her own making. Unconventional, unapologetically herself, she embraced the dark and unusual with the same fervor that others might reserve for sunshine and rainbows. In the midst of her peculiar interests, she challenged societal norms and the mundane. In the grand tapestry of existence, she is a thread woven with a sardonic needle, a brushstroke of eccentricity amidst the boring. As I observe her peculiarities from the shadow of my bangs, I can't help but admire the audacity of one so willing to embrace the unusual. While the world frolics in the sunlight, I remain content to watch, to contemplate, and perhaps to share a quiet chuckle with her as we revel in the absurdity that life so generously offers. Except, that I don’t chuckle.
However, in her presence, I couldn't help but be reminded of the delicate balance between the eerie and the enchanting. It was as if she were the embodiment of Edgar Allan Poe's poetic prose and Tim Burton's fantastical worlds. A symphony of darkness and whimsy, brought to life in the form of an astute young girl.
As I pondered her unique perspective, I realized that sometimes the most fascinating conversations can emerge from the unlikeliest of topics. Immortality, cute creatures, and spider-like youkai – all threads interwoven into a tapestry of curiosity, curiosity that bound me, even for a moment, in a shared appreciation for the eccentric and the unknown.
“You have an uncanny ability to disregard social norms,” The complexities of human interaction are difficult to navigate even for me. And so, I would loosen my guard just slightly… and introduce myself,
“My name is Orochi Sakura. And yes, it is quite the elegant creature. Tell me, are you an enlisted child weapon to be used on the whims of this village like me? If so, what is your rank?”
[mft]