Beyond the Vow

Well, here we are.

Don't look so glum, hon. If you hadn't, I'd've just sniffed her out all by myself. She's long past waitin' for a proper hide-tannin', after all...

When I think of how she went and saddled Her Majesty with debt, and then ran right off...

Well, here we are.

To think she saddled Her Majesty with so much debt, then turned tail and ran off...

And started up such a sweet lil' bar all the way over here in the West, why, I don't know what to say.

Oh, my stars. Look at me gettin' all worked up beforehand. It's true, she might have some manner of vital information I'll need to know.

...That's gotta be it.

She wouldn't've left Her Majesty, saddled her with all that debt, and even left Shin itself... Unless she had a real pressin' need to. A secret mission... Or goin' deep undercover to...

Why, thank you kindly. ♪

Aren't you sweet! Come down to the bar every day and I bet I can make that happen. ♡

Aw, you all do so much for me just coming by every day to order...

But I won't turn down your sweet generosity, neither. ♪

Ten, twenty, thirty... Ooh, that's a hundred... ♡

Aren't I blessed, having such kind and considerate regulars... ♪

That's...what I am in this world? A fake-smilin', brazen lil' hussy swishin' her tails to con money out of desperate men?

Outrageous!! I'm goin' in there and I'm gonna tan her hide, you watch!

...Hmph.

Oh, Aldo! What brings you here?

Hmm? It's not like you to look so caught up in thought.

You're coming in pretty hot here, but okay, I think I follow?

I...guess so? What's all this about?

Oh, a customer? Sorry, we just closed.

Hmm? You've got a big ol' cloud over your face.

You're coming in pretty hot here, but okay, I think I follow?

I...guess so? What's all this about?

Huh? What? Another me?

Well now, that sounds kind of fun! ♪ So she's just outside? Does she look just like me or something?

Aw, don't be so shy! I'd love to meet her. ♪

Eeep?!

Go ahead and step away from Aldo, now, would you? There's a sweetheart.

Oh, my my.

...Oh, my, my, my! ♡

I'll be honest, I only understood about half what you said about other worlds and all that... But she looks so much like me, I can't hardly believe it!

The shape of her eyes and mouth are just like mine. Whew, lovely. ♡ But she seems a lot more...uptight.

Don't you touch me.

Aw, don't be like that. Shouldn't we get along with our own selves?

I'm my own self. YOU are a traitor and a scoundrel. You betrayed your Lady, and ran off to this lil' shack for your own selfish desires!

W-Wait a minute!

Lady? You mean Empress Garneli? I borrowed money from her, sure, but I never did serve her.

But you've met her, yes?

How can you just stand on by and watch while her life is threatened by scoundrels on all sides?!

Her life...?

Hmm. I mean, I always felt like she could take a knife or two and be too stuck-up to die from it.

You...!

You really should work on that temper of yours, I think. Besides, if you're working for Garneli, then what are you doing about Yoko and her whole thing?

Yoko...?

Since you're me, that means you got her from your ancestors too, right? It'd be a pain if I was always being possessed by her, so I have her run around sniffing things out.

But if you've been stuck at the palace all the time, you can't have her doing that, right?

What a strange thing to do. Why send away the fox specter that gives you most of your fightin' power?

Fighting power?!

Yoko's foxfire lets me fight with the strength of ten men or more. Why would I go and give that up?

Huh? You mean, you're possessed by Yoko, day in and day out?

It's a small price to pay, to be of use to Her Majesty.

W-wow, this other me is a weirdo... Isn't it hard having Yoko around all the time? She's selfish, pouty, and sprays fire wherever she wants...

Ah! And if I don't have any oagesan, I basically go into withdrawal! Ugh, I hate that.

Withdrawal from oagesan?

Huh? You don't get that? Don't you like it?

I do like it, but...

Okay, then what happens to you if you don't remember to eat some every now and then?

Doesn't Yoko pull pranks on you, or make you act all foxy, or ask folks for headpats?

What?! No! None of that happens!

...Hmm. What I'm gettin' here, is that you haven't gotten Yoko to swear proper obedience to you.

Obedience...?

You're not tough enough on her. If you had a proper contract with Yoko, and trained her right, you wouldn't be humiliated like that.

I-is that really possible?

Have a look. I got my Yoko trained and eatin' out of my hand. Reward her when she's good, punish her when she's bad, don't let her run you 'round. Easy as that.

Not that easy for me...

I always end up giving her what she wants, and she sulks if I yell, and I don't like being mean...

......

If that's how it's gonna be...

......?!

Huh? What happened?

Aah...

...Kya!

This is a rebellion.

That voice... Yoko?!

You, a mere human, have dared for too long to control, command, and even to punish me... Fie upon your "obedience," and fie upon your "training." I have no need for a vessel as rigid as you. This woman shall be my new vessel. She is far more comfortable.

Wha...huh?!

I...I won't allow it! Don't go talkin' like I push you around. We got a fair and square contract...

Be that as it may, I find your bearing arrogant and grating. Do not think that one ancient contract exchanged by your ancestors makes you my equal.

But...

Ngh... C-can't...breathe...

N-no way...! I can't handle two Yokos at once... Feels like my body's gonna tear itself to shreds... Aldo, do something!

Interloper. This woman is my host. I would have you leave.

My Yoko...?

Hah! You have lived a life of indolent comfort in this world. You know nothing of my suffering. Now I have a vessel wherein I may rest myself as I deserve, and you will not deprive me of it!

Uuurgh...

Deprive you?! This woman was never yours! She is mine now, I have decided! Get out, now!

Uuugh, s-stop... Stop having a turf war inside my soul!

Guess I'll have to call Yoko back to me by force.

I don't know. But if I focus on the feelin' I always get when I use her power... Might be as she comes back. I can't promise anythin'.

I'm on it!

Oh!

......Hmm?

...Somethin' doesn't feel quite right about how my tail's sittin'.

......

...Hey, uh, hon, just thinkin'... This one might not be my Yoko...

Urk.

Silence, man-child! To lose my comfortable home is shame beyond what I can bear! You, woman! I will not stand for this!

I hear ya, hon. Don't sit right with me unless it's my proper Yoko.

I see we are of the same mind. I have a plan. You will assist me.

Really? What should I do?

Bring me to the Moonlight Forest.

Thanks, hon. I trust you to get me there.

Sigh...

...Whatever that was, it sure all came sweeping in like a storm. My head's still spinning.

Whatever they intend to do, I shall not relinquish this body.

Oh, are you that taken with me? Stop, you're gonna make me blush. ♪

For now, why don't you and I chat? It sounds like you've had a real rough time of it over there.

Hmph. Why should I stoop to speak to you?

Hm. I had no intention of telling this to my host, but needs must. There is a hidden art that may, for a brief moment, sever a fox from her chosen host.

It requires two rare plants made into a type of incense, burned with spectral power.

One is the flower of the sphere magnolia, which grows here in Moonlight Forest. It parasitizes tall trees, and blooms with strong spectral power.

That scent... Yes. Without a doubt.

...A flower known as fallen bellflower that blooms in swampland.

It should be simple to locate. However... Will you be able to search for it?

It appears she has reached her limit after that last stunt.

Of course I know.

Yes. Withdrawal symptoms.

I may be the cause, but I cannot alleviate this problem. When my host feels strong longing, they suffer my spectral energy like this. The only way to stop this is to address the longing itself.

Your control is unstable. Do you intend to fight like this?

Hah...you are unusually strong, for a human. So be it. You have my power... For this short time, at least!

She has reached her limit. She has been forcing herself to move by strength of will alone...

Huh? Where am I...? Right. I pushed myself too hard... We were so close, too. Aah, I really wanted some. Fluffy, tangy, sweet, rich... Pipin' hot... fresh...

And she's up! ♡

That's right, it's oagesan! ♪ Came out real good, huh?

Easy, easy, don't choke yourself! It's not gonna run away from ya. Take your time at it.

Why what?

Haha, look at your face. ♡ Looks like you got spooked by a fox, huh?

Well, this here Yoko just didn't wanna let you out of her...

Eh? Oh, yeah, yeah. I guess I did promise not to say that.

Anyway, I was real worried too. I wasn't sure you'd manage too well with my girl there.

Yeah. Then you seemed like you were having a real rough time of the withdrawal symptoms, so... I whipped up a batch at home.

That's right, my special recipe. ♡ Made with high-quality dashi, a nice smooth fry, and plenty of love! You like it?

Hahaha. ♪ I guess we both get real honest when it comes to oagesan!

Anyway, think of it like a reward, hm? You put in a lot of legwork looking for those incense ingredients.

You really want her back, huh?

Haha. Let's go with that, sure. ♡

Yes. Mixed with the sphere magnolia we picked up earlier and lit up, it'll chase my Yoko out of that Hozuki.

We won't have but a moment. It has to work, and it has to work fast...

Hmph...we will see if they will be so fortunate. The fallen bellflower only grows in clear, cold water. I doubt they will find it.

Ooh, my new friend Yoko is real knowledgeable about where flowers grow and all that stuff. We're looking for clear, cold water. I'm sure we'll find it in no time. ♪

......

...I don't see it anywhere.

This area is too warm. Find another swamp.

Then...are we stuck like this?

Mm, we may not have a choice. If we can't find the bellflower...

I guess we'll just have to get used to each other for a while?

...... ......

...Or we could look a bit more, too.

Aah! Hey, look! These blue flowers here!

Come on, there's no way you just found 'em that easy...

Hm, yes. My memory is not exact, but I believe these are fallen bellflowers.

Huh?! That was...actually real simple.

Haha. I've got the devil's own luck, you see... or maybe you could call it a fox's luck! ♡ Let's get that incense made, and hurry up and burn it.

Mkay, I'll get a good lungful and chase Yoko out of here.

Hup!

Ghh! S-such powerful incense! I cannot stay in this body!

Now! Come back to me!

Just fine, hon. Mm, this fire... That's my Yoko and no doubt.

Whew. Good to have my girl back!

So...um. Yoko?

...What is it, girl?

There's somethin' I've been wantin' to say...

Haha. Sure take a lot of looking after, don't they?

Though, I guess she gets attached easy...same as me, really.

By the way, Aldo. Wanna hear something funny?

Those flowers I found? The ones I said were fallen bellflower?

Those weren't anything. Just some pretty swamp weeds.

I bet...she just needed an excuse.

I spent a lot of time talking with her after we got switched...

Yeah... That's terrible. Poor thing.

So you understand my struggle? The girl knows no ounce of gratitude.

Haha. She's a lil' bit prickly, but I bet she's a good girl at heart.

Impossible! Why, just the other day...

Mhm...mhm. Wow, that's rough...

Still, from where I'm sitting, you two seem like two peas in a pod, to me. Though, I have to say! Takin' drink instead of cash for your price, that's real sweet of you. Wonder if my Yoko would be willing to make a switch...

Hey, what kind of drinks does she usually get you?

Hmm. If I recall, there's......

...Whoa, no way! That's all top of the top-shelf stuff!

Okay, nevermind! No changing the contract! If I had to give my Yoko that kind of stuff, I'd be drowning in debt within a month...

Hmph...I am not so petty that I do not see that. ...I myself would not care to see the contract dissolved. But...would it truly injure her so deeply to thank me once?

Uh-huh. Mhm. She's real special to you, huh?

It's okay. She knows, I promise.

There, there. There there there. ♡

...So that happened.

Haha. What kinda bartender doesn't know how to listen to a customer's gripes and worries, hmm?

So I figured, it seemed like she was already willing to leave me, so it didn't have to be the real thing.

Sorry about that. What're you two talkin' about?

It's our lil' secret. ♡

What?! Keepin' secrets don't fly around me, hon.

...Wait! You didn't tell her about what I did that one time, right?!

You'd better not have! I mean it! I'll tan both your hides if you did!

Hmmm? What's this? What'd you do, huh?

I'm takin' it to my grave!

Haha. What a shame. ♪