#venoct

I never mentioned Shadow in the Venoct post.

Ever wondered why?

Well, because I knew he'd need his own separate post for just how much shit I had written out for him separate from his counterpart.

So now you know.

Our story begins with the introduction of a new plane relative to the rest of the netherworld: the Abyss.

The Abyss is linked to both the human and Yo-kai World through the darkness between both. If there is a shadow, the Abyss is there.

Those who've peered into the Abyss describe it as a cold, dark and unforgiving place from which only terror can be conceived, but you'll soon come to learn that couldn't be further from the truth.

Just to add further context, it is through the Abyss that black magic is born, a potent and unpredictable class of magic that seldom few have ever wielded. Historically, only the Oni have ever managed to tame the darkness beyond and survive.

Got all that? Cool, let's get this party started.

Background

All it took was a spark.

Suddenly, he was conscious.

A formless mass of the darkness itself, floating aimlessly in the vast emptiness.

He knew not what awoke him, only that his vessel would be that of a deeply troubled individual. These memories spoke of horrors no mortal man should ever be forced to witness.

Well, no sense in keeping them waiting.

And from the shadows, he arose. It appears this form was highly unstable, struggling to manage even something as simple as a hand.

Too soon, too soon...

Back into the Abyss we go, biding time until it's just right. No need to rush, perfection takes time.

...That time is now.

He emerged again, his body holding shape much better than his first attempt. Everything seemed to be in order, limbs were functional and his clothes were intact. What he didn't understand was the dragons now coiled around his neck, but that would have to be a future problem.

Now, where was he?

This place looked nothing like his memories, but the flickering flames and torturous screams in the distance felt eerily similar.

He chose to explore, surely there had to be an answer to his questions somewhere.

What is he? Why was he brought here? What is this place?

So many questions, little time to ask.

Then again, who could he ask?

All that was here was a lone cauldron.

He scaled floor after floor, searching for any sign of life he could find. Wherever he was, it was certainly not very hospitable.

Eventually, he found himself face to face with an ominous door, barricaded by layers upon layers of locks. It's unclear what it was that enticed him so much; an aura of menace permeated through the wood and iron, but he felt it was worth investigating.

Any attempt he could make to open the door would surely end in failure, so he instead resorted to slipping beneath it. Being a shade had its perks.

Before him, five nameless Yo-kai were strung up on the walls, bound in chains. One appeared to be a cat of some kind, clad in samurai armor with scars ominously marking every inch of his body. One was a serpent, decorated in carnivorous plant life and reeking of decaying flowers. One was a demon with a mane of souls, the most demoralized of the five as his lack of resistance showed. One was a girl whose icy powers were just barely restrained by her shackles. The last one was the centerpiece of the cell, dark turquoise hair draped down his face, with the rest of it being obscured by a metal blinder of the same make as his chains, and what could only be assumed is a purple scarf around his mouth. He seemed... familiar.

While they all might appear incapacitated now, the fact they were sealed this far down indicated they were enough of a threat to require maximum security. Not very "maximum" if he could enter so casually, but that was neither here nor there.

Right as he was about to leave, the prisoner in the center perked up. He could not see what was directly in front of him, so perhaps it was the disturbance in the air that roused him from his slumber? Unsure.

"A visitor? You are not one of the guards... What brings you to our holding cell?"

His voice was hoarse, rasped from possibly years of unuse.

"I only came to see what was here... I was just leaving."

"That voice... hmm... Tell me, shade; you were just made manifest not long ago, correct?"

"Y-yes, how did you--"

"Let's just say I had a feeling that influx of black magic was your doing. Come, sit with me a while. I may be able to answer whatever questions you may have."

So he sat.

They spoke for hours, the shade taking in every answer he received. This place was the Infinite Inferno, a purgatory built to keep the cruelest Yo-kai contained. His manifestation down here was not an accident, he is merely a remnant of a battle long past. He was the shade of another Yo-kai, hence why his form was shaped the way it was. The flowy white hair, the coal black skin, even the shadowy serpents coiling his neck were meant to directly parallel his counterpart.

"So then, what is my objective? This place, it's... terribly hostile..."

"You seek freedom just as we do. My friends and I, we have been trapped here for a very long time. Long have we rotted down here, promised a second chance by the king who abandoned us. If I teach you the way of this world and how to weaponize your dark gift, can I trust you to release us?"

"You are the closest companion I have in here... What harm is there in helping a new friend?"

"Wonderful. Your training begins now, shade."

He was sent out on a mission: retrieve whatever resources he could find. Return to his blue-haired ally after.

He knew not how to fight, only that his lone red eye held the key to his survival in this unforgiving pit of despair.

He gathered the rations scavenged by fallen soldiers, content to never have to squabble with the inhabitants just trying to survive down here. He could only hope it stays this way.

Unfortunately, his hope would be crushed.

He was cornered by a group of sword-bearing demons, frothing at the mouth at the thought of dicing him alive. The masks did little to conceal their true intentions, they sought his blood and his belongings.

Without thinking, he stared them down and in an instant, one vanished.

The others froze, jaws dropping as the leader of their caravan ceased before their very eyes.

The shade used this as an opportunity to make his getaway, joining his chained companion in his holding cell.

"Ah, you return. Were you successful?"

"Yes..."

"Good. The incantations that keep us alive do little to curb the hunger or thirst. Quickly now, we require sustenance..."

He gave all of what he recovered to his allies, though the cat nearly took his fingers off in the process.

"Master, might I ask you a question...?"

"Go on."

"While searching, I was attacked and... I locked eyes with one of the creatures... It disappeared..."

"Good. As intended."

"...What?"

"You've discovered the Abyssal Gaze. It is the art of black magic capable of vaporizing any who are caught in your line of sight."

"But should I not reason with them...? It seems awfully cruel to--"

"Do you want to survive this hellscape, shade?!"

"Y-yes..."

"Then you will come to realize that these heathens are not your friends. There is no reasoning with them. They only see you as competition, an obstruction. You either fight, or DIE. Understand?"

"Yes, master..."

"Good. Now that you've learned the rule of survival, it's time for you to begin your quest to become stronger."

"Why would I need to do that?"

"Ahh, you poor, clueless little shadow... Lesser Yo-kai are easy pickings, but the Boss Yo-kai who reign supreme are your real targets. Only by clawing your way from the bottom can you stand a chance against them."

"What must I do...?"

"Go back out there and fight. Fight until you can't anymore. Fight until you're beaten and bruised. Fight until you can taste the blood of your enemies on the wind. Fight. Like. Hell. Until there is no one left to oppose you."

"...Yes, master. As you wish."

So he fought.

Days became weeks.

He wanted to stop.

But his master insisted he keep going.

Weeks became months.

He tried to stop.

He was berated. His weakness was showing, a critical flaw; a flaw they could not afford.

Months became years.

Eventually, he learned to stop resisting.

If this was his fate, then so be it.

Thousands upon thousands of souls came to test their mettle, only to be discarded like pointless filth.

The hounds of the underworld themselves stood no chance, all would become dust on the wind from the second they made eye contact with the essence of Abyss himself.

He lost count of how long he'd been down here.

But by now he felt... nothing. No remorse, yet no satisfaction either.

Yet to see the fear he wrought upon the innocents cast down here made him feel... repulsed.

This was not his purpose.

This was wrong.

Eventually he'd confronted even the kingpin of this accursed place, and he returned to the cell of his dark tutor to tell of his success.

And that madman was more than pleased with the result.

He was ecstatic.

"You've done well, my pupil… Isn't it delightful? Your enemies catch your gaze once, then they are eliminated from this world. How I wish I could marvel at my handiwork, but these cursed bindings would rather keep me in the dark."

The shade was silent.

"Nevertheless, you've accumulated more than enough strength and supplies to sustain our allies long-term. If you would be so kind as to release me from my bonds, perhaps we can see about your repayment."

"...No."

His master sputtered.

"Excuse me?"

"I said no."

Hearing his disciple double down on his refusal only made the blue-haired bastard cackle.

"You really think you have a choice in the matter? You are a shadow, you exist to be puppeted by your caster. Release me. Now."

"Do you truly think I'm ignorant enough to believe you have any good intent behind those words? You have used me to carry out your senseless violence against others for far too long. I refuse to let myself become another monster like you."

Oh, the rage that awoke was instant.

"You… insufferable… WRETCH! I GIFT YOU MY WISDOM, AND YOU STAB ME IN THE BACK?!"

"What, as if you weren't planning on betraying me anyhow? Enjoy the rest of your stay here."

He didn't stay long enough to hear the rest of it, but the shade could only envision how furious that psychopath was.

It was time to make his escape.

From Death Into Light

Piercing through the smokescreen that sealed over the Inferno, the shade finally felt... free.

The brightness of the outside world, it was beautiful. So many years were spent in purgatory, and this was what he was missing? It was delightful...

But now he was stuck again.

What... does he do now?

He didn't know where he was, let alone if anything here was friendly.

Only one way to find out.

He roamed the land in search of purpose, hiding amongst civilians by their shadows they cast from the sun during the day and streetlamps at night. None were the wiser.

One evening, he decided to allow himself to explore above ground. It felt nice being able to use this form... He felt like he belonged here.

Until one day...

"Venoct?"

He whipped around to find a Yo-kai he didn't recognize, approaching him as though they were close friends.

"Whoa, what's with the new look?"

He didn't know how else to react, but by the time he had formed a sentence they had been dissappeared.

The shade panicked and slipped into the ground beneath him, hoping no one saw.

But when he entered the Abyss again, he saw that whoever it was he just vanished was... there with him?

They were suspended in the dark matter, unconscious but unharmed.

He reemerged, scanning his surroundings carefully before dipping back in to grab the person and push them back out into the open.

Before he left, however, the shade did notice an object laying on the ground. It was a... pendant of some kind? He didn't know where it came from, but it looked like that individual hightailed it away before he could ask.

Ah well, he'll just... hold on to it for now.

After pocketing the pendant, he enveloped himself in shadow once again to plan his next move. That person apparently knew him? Who the hell is "Venoct"? Was that his name? He didn't even know he had a name.

Or was that... the name of his creator?

He didn't know. All he knew was that this was likely to become a common occurence if he wasn't careful.

And just as he suspected, it happened again.

And again.

Several times, over and over again.

He had to get out of this place before he got in trouble. He didn't want to cause any harm, but the amount of times he's almost killed someone was deeply alarming.

So he fled.

He fled the city, fled the countryside, fled the world itself.

Until he found himself someplace similar, but... different.

It was darker, more natural here. Quieter, calmer, but the inhabitants were bizarre... They all looked so similar, yet their distinctions were plentiful. They didn't seem to mind his presence at the very least... It's like they couldn't see him at all.

It was nicer this way...

He'd stay a while.

Until one day, during his usual traversal through the woods, the shade would be found by some random human child. He had hazelnut brown hair, dark eyes and a look of determination on his face. At first he thought the boy was fixed on something behind him, but he never broke eye contact. It was... very unsettling.

The shade stood still. He knew the boy was harmless, but something about that look unnerved him.

And then the child spoke.

"Hey."

The shade didn't answer.

"You're a Yo-kai, aren't you?"

The shade hesitated but nodded, shifting uneasily on his feet.

"Sorry if I scared you, I noticed the bushes rustling nearby and felt the need to check. You haven't been causing any trouble around town, have you?"

The shade found the will to speak.

"Awfully bold of you to approach a Yo-kai of my power, child."

"Just answer the question."

"No, I have not."

"Okay, good. Let it be known that me and my buddy Nathaniel watch over this place, so don't go causing any mischief around here, okay?"

"I've been here longer than you've been alive, little one. I am the least of your concerns."

"First of all, I'm 17. Second of all, can't be too sure with some Yo-kai. Can I get your name?"

His name...

Did he even have one?

"I don't believe I have a name to give. I was once called "Venoct," but they may have been confusing me for someone else."

"Weird... Whatever, just don't do anything stupid, got it?"

"Alright, I won't."

The boy gave him a quick nod, then put on the mask that was in his hand. As he left, the shade caught a glimpse of a small billowy Yo-kai following behind him. It took one look at him, then immediately rushed in front of the boy to lead him onward.

What a strange encounter...

And it wouldn't be the last.

Over time, the shade began to emerge to meander among humans more frequently. It was nice being undetectable, it meant he got to experience the bustle of the city without fear.

Then he overheard a scuffle happening in a nearby alleyway, and he rushed to see what the commotion was.

It was that same boy again, being attacked by some less than savory Yo-kai. They were pitch black creatures with pinprick red eyes, salivating as they closed around this helpless human boy.

He wasn't sure what came over him, but the shade rushed into the fray without thinking, his dragon companions striking down the monsters one by one. For every one he felled, another took its place.

It seemed he had little choice this time.

The serpents broke free from his neck and plunged into the ground below. For a moment, the monsters thought they won.

Until an even bigger beast shot through the darkness and ate them alive, then vanished just as quickly.

The boy stood up, stunned but alive.

"You again?"

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine, but you really didn't have to do that..."

"And leave you to die?"

"Pah! You really think I can't hold my own against the Wicked? I've been fighting them off for years now, these are just the stragglers."

"Kenny, you really ought to thank him! You were almost hurt really badly!"

"Koenra, it's not that serious..."

"Is your pride seriously more important than your safety? We were outnumbered and you know it."

"Okay, okay, you're right... uhh... Thanks. I guess."

"There, see? Was it that hard?"

"You know I'm not used to getting saved by Yo-kai, it's embarrassing..."

"The Wicked, that was what those creatures were? Why would a human boy like yourself feel the need to fight something so dastardly?"

"Me and Nathaniel are the only ones who can see 'em, so we gotta be the ones responsible for ridding Springdale of their ilk. Y'know, like what Moximous would do!"

"...Who?"

"Moximous Mask, invincible champion! You don't know him?!"

"No..."

"He's... very fond of the character. It's how he and Nathaniel became friends. Don't worry too much."

"Defeat the evils of the world with love, moxie and courage!"

Kenny then proceeded to strike the iconic pose.

"Moxie!"

"Right... I'll be on my way now..."

"Wait!"

The shade halted.

"I... Look, I'm sorry for all that, I'm just not used to being saved by other people, so it's weird... You understand, right?"

"I've been alone most of my life... The only friend I had was a madman who used me for his own selfish gain... I suppose it's only natural to be suspicious of others when they've betrayed any trust you've given them..."

"Yeah... so, no hard feelings?"

"No."

"Cool. So uhh, yeah... thanks for the save, I was a little in over my head. Guess I was wrong to assume you were up to no good the first time if you came all the way out here to save my hide."

"Of course... Do not hesitate to come searching for me if you need my help again..."

"I oughta introduce myself finally, huh? My name's Kenneth Forester, but you can just call me Kenny. Usually I'd offer to write your name on a bottle top about now, but... you still don't have a name, do you?"

"No, unfortunately..."

"Damn... Oh well, whenever you get one I'll write it on a bottle top for you, okay?"

"That sounds nice... thank you..."

"Jeez, I should go find Nathan, we gotta regroup. See you later!"

"Good idea... Until we meet again, Kenny..."

"Safe travels!"

The shade stood and watched them depart. That boy had potential, perhaps it'd be wise to keep an eye on both him and his partner?

This could be the inspiration he was looking for all along. What if he could use this unholy power for good?

He became one with the shadows once more, eager to watch his newest associate with great interest.

Confinement

It was all so fast.

One moment, he was searching the skies to fight alongside his friends.

The next, he couldn't see. He couldn't move.

Sealed away in a tiny enclosed space, his only company being the dragons bound to him and his thoughts. His dark, dark thoughts...

"This is what you deserve."

"You betrayed your only chance at freedom."

"Now you waste away in a plastic prison. How humiliating."

"Those humans would never understand the things you've done for them."

"Ungrateful, all of them."

"He was right."

He spent decades in that capsule.

Languishing.

Was this truly where all his hard work landed him?

Then the chanting began.

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me... I'm so hungry, I need to eat!"

The machine shook once.

Then twice.

Then thrice.

But he was not chosen.

As far as he knew, he would never be chosen.

He would be left here.

Alone.

Forever.

Just when he had given up...

The chant began playing again.

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me..."

"Feed me, feed me..."

He could hear the confused cry of a young girl in the distance. Could someone be approaching the machine?

Could this be it?

His ticket to freedom?

The machine shook once.

Twice.

Then he felt gravity pull him under, rolling from the chute and falling to the ground.

There was a moment of struggle, but that was only temporary.

The seal was broken.

He emerged, freedom at last.

How good it felt to stretch after so long spent rotting away, but the blinding light of the sun overhead had him very disoriented.

"What... are you?"

He looked down.

It was the girl.

His first instinct was to banish her and flee, but something about those eyes...

Those intense, dark eyes...

He couldn't do it.

"Ahh... Greetings, human... I am a Yo-kai. Though I am one with the shadows, that capsule was far too much... Thank you."

"Yo-kai? But aren't those things just works of fiction?"

"A common misconception, but your freeing me seems to have established some form of bond between us..."

"Okay... Listen, you're welcome for the help, but I just came here to see what this creepy machine was about, so you're free to go."

"Unfortunately, I can't..."

"Uhh, nothing's really stopping you...?"

"Except something is... Per Yo-kai code of law, those freed from the Crank-a-kai must side with their saviors as a token of appreciation..."

He reached into his pockets to search for that pendant he'd been holding on to for this very occasion.

"This should be a sufficient gift to establish our future friendship, no?"

The girl stepped back, visibly uncomfortable with everything currently unfolded.

"No need to be afraid, this is no trick... I am of no harm to you..."

She reached out to claim the pendant, then paused to examine it further.

"Well, it's certainly my style, I'll give you that... What is this thing?"

"The Yo-kai Watch... With this, you can communicate with other Yo-kai like me..."

"Wh-- Wait, hey, I didn't sign up for this!"

"There are no refunds, girl... Welcome to your new life. I promise not to cause you too much trouble, if that is convincing enough..."

She stares at him, sighs and turns around.

"Alright, fine... Gives me something better to do with my time, I guess. Be warned, my parents aren't gonna like me having company over without their knowledge."

"Fret not, I am invisible to everyone but you..."

The girl led him down the mountain and into the city below. It's been so long, things have changed so drastically... the place he called home before was nigh unrecognizable.

On the way, they finally got to introductions.

"In my excitement, I never did ask your name..."

"I'm Katie. What about yours?"

"Right, I... do not have one."

"Really? You're a Yo-kai, you've been around a long time, how do you not have a name?"

"I was never given one... My creator was not present for my manifestation, so I never received one..."

"That's... kinda sad, actually. Can I pick one for you?"

This was unexpected. No one's ever offered to give him a name before.

"It would be an honor, yes..."

"How 'bout we call you... "Shadow." Sorry, is that one too cheesy?"

He thought about it for a moment. He was a shadow, it only made sense for him to be called as such.

"Nonsense, it's perfect..."

"Great! Shadow it is!"

Some part of him felt warm inside. He was no longer a nameless shade, roaming the universe in search of a place to belong.

He was Shadow.

And from today onward, he would be assisting his young watch wielder in protecting the city from evil.

Unfortunately most of this is better reserved for when I eventually do Katie's loredump post, so for now it's best if I skip over it and get to the fun stuff.

Individual Headcanons

Yeah, it's that time again.

Shadow has full control over his dragons, even capable of absorbing them back into his body if he needs them out of the way for something. He even later taught Venoct how to do it.

His dragons are always active if he's asleep in the surface world, and much like Venoct's will alert him to nearby danger.

His body tried to mimic Venoct in every way, but it couldn't get all of the fine details down. His right eye somewhat functional, but he's still blind in it. All of his body "scars" are warped and unnatural, but still look and feel like scar tissue.

More importantly, he can't form scars because his body is not made of flesh. Any attempts to harm him will only diffuse his form temporarily. Basically, he can't die through normal means.

Similarly to Venoct, Shadow is thought to be bisexual, but all signs are pointing towards him being demisexual instead.

There is only one person he's ever expressed romantic interest for, and it's his longtime friend and fellow wallflower Uber Geeko.

Shadow regards Katie, Baddinyan and the Koma brothers as family, and considers Nate, Whisper and Jibanyan close friends as well.

Katie has been gentle parenting him to help him overcome his jumpiness that often results in someone being vanished. So far, there's only been 5 accidents since he started living with her.

His relationship with Venoct is mostly just professional, but he has likened him to an older brother over the years.

He will sometimes come bother Venoct at random during the nights Katie's asleep, just to entertain himself.

Shadow sustains himself through the Abyss' dark energies and has no need for food, water or air. He isn't even affected by temperature changes and can't get sick.

This has not stopped him from inheriting Venoct's seafood cravings.

Shadow never got his medal printed nor his information uploaded to the Yo-kai Wiki, so Whisper had no idea who or what he was.

He was eventually forced to the Yo-kai DMV by both Whisper and Venoct to get his medal printed and his entry uploaded to the Wiki. The entire encounter stressed him out so bad, he disappeared one of the staff members by mistake. (They were fine, Shadow just freaked out.)

Katie woke up the next morning to find Shadow's medal sitting on her desk with a sticky note thanking her for all her help.

That's ali I got for you now.

This one's been in the drafts for like... 2 weeks, so thanks for all your patience!

Maybe next time we'll continue into someone else rather important to this overarching story...

He could hardly breathe. His heart was racing so fast he felt it in his throat. He couldn't even acknowledge his injuries, all he could focus on was the searing pain that shot across his face, and the sickening smell of charred fur and smoldering flesh.

In the moments before he lost consciousness, he could make out a golden blur out of the corner of his eye.

...

Kyubi helped his partner in the door, Venoct swatting him off of his body as he stumbled forward and leaned weakly against the wall. He took a couple nasty blows to his right arm and leg tonight, just one of thousands of injuries he's dealt with over the past 11 years he'd been doing these patrols. They always exploit his blind spot when his dragons are preoccupied with other targets.

"You know it's not going to heal on its own," Kyubi said plainly, reaching out to help Venoct stabilize himself only for one of the dragons to strike at him.

"Get away from me," Venoct wheezed, struggling to stay standing.

"Will you quit fighting me?" Kyubi snapped, "I'm trying to help you! I had to carry you home because you passed out on the way here!"

"Quit yelling, you'll wake up Lucas..."

"Oh, Enma help me... You're bleeding out and you're worried about Lucas? Let me at least look at--"

"Stay. Away," Venoct hissed, his scarf snapping angrily to keep the fox at bay.

"How many more times are you going to play this game with me?" Kyubi sighed, "You need to be treated, damn it. Stop this."

Venoct didn't even pretend to have a rebuttal, his scarf just kept biting and hissing, insisting that Kyubi stay back. He seemed... scared.

And then it clicked.

"It was the fire, wasn't it?"

"Only took you the entire flight home to figure it out..."

"You could have said something instead of leaving me clueless as to what's been bugging you this whole time. Can I please look at your wounds now?"

"I can still smell it on you..."

"Venoct. Either you let me treat those gashes now, or I am forcing you. I'm sorry, but bathing myself will take too long and you need to be tended to now. Please."

He hesitated, but he really had little choice left. He was in dire need of medical attention and, as much as his brain told him no, Kyubi was his only option here.

"Fine," he huffed, "but can you at least do something to minimize the stench? I'd prefer not vomiting tonight..."

"I have my ways," Kyubi assured him, "Let me help you into the bathroom so you can get undressed, I need to get the medkit."

He brought the snake back into his arms, lifting him up to carry him into the bathroom and set him down on the wall of the bathtub so he could get out of his ruined uniform. There's no way this gi was salvageable, those blood stains were impossible to clean.

"I'll be back in a moment," the kitsune said, exiting the room and closing the door behind him, leaving Venoct to strip himself down in peace.

Venoct waited a few seconds after the door shut before he got to work, needing the combined work of his good arm and both dragon heads to get every layer of fabric off his person. He felt utterly disgusting, between the sweat and grime from being laid out on the pavement like that, there was the blood still drying on his skin and coagulating his open wounds. Those dogs sure did a number on his arm, but his thigh was in way worse shape from the bites. This was about to be awful, but he would manage. He always did.

Once he was finally bare and ready for cleanup, he returned to sitting and rested against the wall in wait. He was so tired after tonight he could probably fall asleep just like this, but he knew his anxiety wouldn't allow it. He was still sick to his stomach and likely wouldn't be able to finally rest until he got his closure for the night.

Before he could go too deep into his thoughts, one of the scarf heads perks up and nudged him in the face, the other coiling his good arm to give it a gentle squeeze.

"Thank you both," he told the dragons, "but you boys need to go somewhere. I don't need you obstructing anything."

They both seemed to get the memo and unwound from his body to rest in the far right corner on the bath wall. Venoct just scoffed watching them try to fit, but they eventually succeeded.

Kyubi wasn't gone much longer, knocking on the bathroom door seconds before entering with the medkit and a towel in tow. He was back in his human disguise, his only way to dissipate the residual smell of their last battle hours ago. He shut the door, locked it, then tossed the towel over the rack and set the medkit beside the bath to begin preparing the water for his injured companion. All without saying a word.

"I know you like it hot after a long day," the fox said after a long period of silence, Venoct only nodding in response.

Once the tub was full and properly warm, Kyubi extended an arm out to give Venoct an easier time stepping in, an offer the snake would take without hesitation. His depth perception was atrocious, so Kyubi ended up just using both hands to lift him into the water anyway.

"You didn't need to do that," Venoct grumbled.

"I would rather you not fall face first onto solid tile," Kyubi shot back, "Focus on relaxing for now."

The serpent was quiet as his partner lathered a sponge in his favorite body wash to carefully scrub him clean. Kyubi prioritized the less battered parts of his body first, trying to keep a close eye on him for any sudden changes in body language. He knew Venoct was difficult to read, and that was by design, but he's gotten the hang of reading him over the years they've known each other.

"Do you want to tell me what happened tonight?" Kyubi asked.

Venoct thought for a while before he answered, "I don't know. I suppose I... I heard a child scream in the distance and it broke my concentration, then everything spiraled out of control from there..."

"You were distracted again," Kyubi replied, "Is there something you aren't telling me, Venoct?"

"I'm tired, Kyubi," the snake groaned, "It's the exact same reasoning it has been for more than a decade now. I'm tired and it's been affecting my battle performance. It's nothing you don't already know."

"Somehow I don't believe that's entirely true," Kyubi pried further, Venoct turning to make direct eye contact to fully convey his agitation.

"You giving me that look tells me I'm right."

The serpent sank into the water again in defeat, sighing heavily. Kyubi had to lean him forward to wash his back, and was laid back against the wall again within a minute or so.

"These attacks are getting all too frequent," Venoct continued, "At first it was just one group every few days, but now it's escalated to multiple bands across town each night. I fear they're bound to resort to process of elimination any day now..."

"The abundance of White Yo-kai has you stressed out, that's what it is?" Kyubi asked, to which he got a slow nod.

"What is it specifically that has you so stressed?"

"I've... been having dreams," Venoct said quietly, "They've been keeping me awake. They each follow the same formula: I'll be performing my usual duties of keeping Lucas safe, then he--"

He paused the second he felt a dry heave hit, but he didn't feel the need to continue. The rest of his statement should speak for itself.

"I understand," Kyubi told him, "no need to force yourself. Breathe."

The snake did as instructed, taking in a deep inhale and letting it out slowly. It did little to put his nerves at ease, but it did slow his pulse down enough to be less nauseating.

"Nothing will happen to Lucas," the fox stated, "Remember, he doesn't just have you to protect him, it's all four of us here in Springdale."

"But--"

He was cut off by the sting of that same sponge going over his clawed arm, hissing in pain. Kyubi took that brief moment they were talking to change soaps to something milder so as to avoid irritating the wounds further.

"Venoct, listen to me," he said more sternly, "You're getting yourself worked up over what-if scenarios, I need you to focus outward. Is Lucas currently in danger?"

Venoct sheepishly responded, "N-no..."

"Correct. He is alive and well, and nothing is going to change that. Not McKraken, not the White Yo-kai. You have done your job incredibly well, and I know our late lord would be proud of you. So please, you have nothing to worry about. Lucas is safe with us. All of us."

That bit of reassurance seemed to help him calm down, at least until he clung to Kyubi's arm as he grazed over his badly bitten thigh.

"You're alright," the kitsune said calmly, "I'm almost done. I assume you'd like your hair done separately after I've wrapped your wounds?"

"Please."

Kyubi went silent for a moment before reaching a hand over in front of Venoct's only functioning eye in warning.

"Permission to touch?" he asked.

Venoct pondered for a moment, then said, "Permission granted."

The kitsune brought that hand up to slowly and gently comb Venoct's hair out of his face, all so he could get a good look at his scarring. It never got easier to look at, the gruesome burn that was left behind was horrifying to see in person, but the gnarly claw marks across his eye were what really put into perspective how severely he was impacted by his demise.

"You can stop staring any day now," Venoct snarled.

"I'm sorry," Kyubi apologized, a sincerity the serpent rarely got to hear from him.

The fox said nothing as he tenderly ran the sponge over the sensitive scar tissue, wanting to make sure it didn't get any worse from neglect. Venoct was clearly in pain while letting him do this, but he didn't fight it like he used to. This was mandatory.

Once he was finished, Kyubi dropped the clump of hair he was holding out of place to let the snake go back to the comfort of his obscurity.

"There," he said, "Can you stand?"

Venoct shakily picked himself up and attempted to stand on his own, but damn near slipped and needed Kyubi to catch him.

"I think that's a no," the snake chuckled, trying to play off the shock.

"How are your dragons?"

"Tired, but they'll be alright to carry me for the rest of the night."

Kyubi nodded and lifted his partner out of the bath, standing him up on the mat and reaching over to grab the towel he set aside for him.

"I'll do my best to make this quick, I know you're exhausted," the fox muttered, working diligently to dry around the wounded areas so he could treat them quickly. They weren't severe enough to warrant much more than just some antibiotic ointment and careful dressing. Surely Venoct's dragon blood would kick his recovery into high gear.

The serpent was still as he watched his companion toss the towel over his shoulder and reach for the medkit. Under any other circumstances, this would be both awkward and humiliating, but he and Kyubi were something far beyond friends at this point.

And Venoct couldn't be more grateful for that.

Sure, Kyubi had a habit of running his smart mouth, but he knew it was just how he was. He does care, even if he never says it out loud. He wouldn't still be considered a guardian spirit if he didn't.

The snake winced and dug his nails into Kyubi's shoulders once the ointment made contact with the inflamed skin of his thigh. The kitsune said nothing, just remained focused on making sure it was thoroughly massaged in.

"Remember, you can't use your human disguise until you've recovered," Kyubi warned him, "I'll make sure Lucas knows you made it home safe and need to be left alone to rest."

"Thank you," Venoct breathed with relief, "for everything tonight."

The fox retained focus as he patched up the bite marks and wrapped them snugly. His pacing seemed to slow after a while, until ultimately stopping as he rested his face against Venoct's chest.

"Kyubi?"

"This is my fault," Kyubi uttered.

"What?" Venoct queried.

"When Sir Berus leapt at you, I hesitated to use my foxfire. I thought you might've been able to hold your own as you always do, but seeing how quickly he took you down... I couldn't-- I had to do something."

"You were holding back? Why?"

"Because I know how poorly you handle fire. I didn't want to subject you to that again, so I've been doing patrols alone for months to make sure I don't induce another episode. I can hold my ground in melee combat just fine, but my true strength comes from my fire magic, so..."

"...You've been restricting yourself for me?"

"Do I have to explain further?" Kyubi snapped, "Yes, yes I have."

"Oh, Kyubi," the serpent sighed, "and all this time I thought you were avoiding me because you were upset with me."

The kitsune scoffed, "You annoy me, but never enough for me to leave you stranded. You're my partner guardian, we're supposed to help each other. You can sit back down now."

Venoct did as he was told and sat back down on the wall of the bath so Kyubi could look at his arm. This one was much less tender by comparison, but still hot and sore to the touch.

"I'm sorry if I made you feel as though you had to hold yourself back," he said, gritting his teeth when he felt that same hand against the gashes.

"Why are you apologizing?" Kyubi asked, "It's not something you have control over."

"I know, believe me I know," the snake snorted, "but please don't force yourself into that position again? I know you hate seeing me in such a state, but I can survive a panic attack. I can't survive being mauled to death by a giant, murderous man-dog... thing."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. If I throw up, I throw up. All that matters is that we make it out of that encounter alive. I feel like this should be obvious."

"Tch, alright, you got me... Let me finish dressing your arm, then I'll go get you a change of clothes and take care of your hair. I know you bought that dry shampoo for a reason."

Once Venoct's arm was bandaged, Kyubi stood back up and approached the door, unlocking it and exiting slowly so as to not reveal too much on his way out.

It was here Venoct whistled to call his dragons back to him, both perking up and slithering back over to climb his arms and coil his neck again, yawning as they rested on his shoulders. Their embrace was a warm, cottony hug against his damp, cold body. He got a little too comfortable, almost nodding off on the spot.

While Kyubi was on his way back downstairs from Venoct's room, he froze when he saw Lucas standing in the hallway looking for him. He didn't think he was that loud earlier, but apparently not.

"Justin, where's Vincent?" the boy asked sleepily, only barely able to make out the figure of his other godfather without his glasses on.

"He's downstairs, he just got out of the bath," Kyubi told him, "He had a rough day today... You can go back to sleep now, sorry if we woke you up."

"Can I see him?"

"Sorry kid, he's not really in a good mood," the fox lied through his teeth, "It'll just be me and you in the morning, okay?"

"I-is he okay?" Lucas panicked, walking up to him.

"Oh, one of the dogs at the shelter got a little too rowdy, that's all," Kyubi made up an excuse on the spot, "Roughed him up pretty good."

The boy mumbled, "Oh..."

"He'll be okay," the kitsune reassured him and ruffled his hair, "I think his heart hurts more than his arm does, heh. You can go back to bed, promise he'll still be here in the morning."

"Okay... Good night, Justin," Lucas said with a yawn.

"Night, Lucas," Kyubi responded, waiting until after he watched their young lord slink back into his room and close the door. He had to move quick to get Venoct in bed before Lucas got suspicious.

...

Venoct's dragons had dozed off while waiting for Kyubi to finish helping him get dressed, which meant he actually did need to be carried upstairs.

"Well, isn't this just romantic?" Venoct muttered jokingly.

"Not the first time I've had to carry you to bed," Kyubi hummed, "Don't get any cute ideas."

"I wasn't, I know what we agreed on," Venoct said.

Kyubi opened Venoct's bedroom door and came up to the bed to set his partner down on top of it.

"Unless you need me to rock you to sleep," he remarked, "I'll be in my room. You know how to get my attention."

"Alright, smartass," Venoct grunted, "get out of here. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Kyubi answered with a giggle, then slowly pulled the door shut behind him.

Venoct swiftly buried himself under the covers to get himself warmed up. Naturally low body temperature be damned, but he'd manage. Hopefully these wounds didn't keep him on lockdown for too long, he hated to keep Lucas in the dark like this for long.

It's fine, Kyubi would handle it.

He always does.

They were a team for a reason.

His worries now at ease, Venoct could finally relax enough to sleep soundly for once. A rarity these days.