lowkey wish reiko had had her own anime but flashbacks and fanfictions will have to suffice T.T

word count: 364

"A challenge you say?"

The youkai stands hunched over a small lake with its reflection rippling with each drop of water that falls from his form. Reiko stands slightly behind him, one hand clutching her hip, the other her bat.

"Yep! If you win, I'll help you learn to swim. If I win, you tell me my future."

The youkai pauses as he thinks it over, then shakes his body so droplets of water rain down on them. Standing straight, he nods slowly.

"Great," Reiko grins cockily. She slams her bat on the ground once, twice, three times before attacking. The youkai puts up a fight for nothing more than a minute before succumbing to Reiko.

"Write your name on this," she hands him a piece of paper. Her grin reeks of pride that the youkai doesn't dismiss. Looking at her with gradually glowing, red eyes, the youkai peers into her.

"You'll live a short life," he muses. "A short, lonely life. You'll die under a tree with no one around. And for years, no one except youkai will bother to remember you."

Reiko tilts her head, letting the bat touch the earth with a soft thud as her eyebrow raises and a flash of curiosity sparks in her golden eyes.

"'For years?' What do you mean?"

The youkai's eyes diminish in color until they reach an opaque black. He shrugs his shoulders and turns back to look over the lake. "Who knows," he chuckles. "If you return my name, maybe I'll tell you."

"Or I could command you."

"That would be awfully rude of you, human. But shall I give you a hint?"

Reiko shifts her weight on her left leg as she says, "Sure."

"Your grandchild will resemble you greatly."

"Grandchild?" Reiko's face distorts in disgusts. "I heard you've been around for too long, Ran-san, but I didn't think time would make you lose your mind. Geez, I'm out of here."

Ran chuckles tastefully as Reiko disappears into the summer afternoon. Visions continue to appear like a movie in his head and as he waits for Reiko's descendant to return his name, he dips his toe into the warm water and sighs.