"Wake up ya lousy goose! Who told y'all to go out past your bedtime?"
Kurai sleepily rubbed her eyes.
"Five more minutes—"
"Five more minutes?! Why, you little!"
"Mother, calm downnn."
Gengyo yawned and stretched.
"I don't understand! Why are you two waking up so late?! I precisely told both of you to sleep promptly at seven!"
Lady Caltheris stomped about the bedroom, still agitated by them coming back so late at night but the children watched them because they had nothing better to do.
"Teenagers don't know when it's time to sleep, now do they?"
Lady Caltheris groaned and grabbed Kurai and Gengyo by their collars and tossed them off their beds.
"Make up the bed. Now! And don't think I'll excuse you from your daily training because of this bullshit!"
Kurai and Gengyo sat up and shook off their sleepiness; if they continued playing around, they would piss her off more.
Kurai tugged at the edge of the bedsheet, her fingers brushing the soft fabric.
Gengyo crouched on the other side, pulling the corners carefully to avoid messing the bed up.
"Watch the corner," he whispered to himself, as he tried to straighten the sheet without bunching it again.
Kurai playfully rolled her eyes at him.
"Like you know anything about being tidy," she teased.
Gengyo smirked but leaned in to smooth the crease along the middle.
The room was quiet except for the soft rustle of fabric and the occasional sleepy laughter that slipped out of Kurai.
Their hands brushed once or twice, lingering a bit too long and Kurai caught herself and pulled herself away quickly.
"What's up with you two!" Lady Caltheris hollered, "All you've been doing is wasting my precious time. Kurai give me fifty pushups!"
"Fifty?!"
"Do you prefer sixty?"
Kurai dropped to the floor and before she could even manage atleast one pushup, she collapsed.
Everyone but Gengyo roared with laughter.
"I honestly feel sorry for a soul like you. I kidnapped you, thinking you'll make an exceptional villainess but look at you, just embarrassing yourself every damn day."
Kurai dusted herself off as the others whispered and giggled about what just happened but Kurai didn't fret.
Deep down she knew, that they hadn't known about the golden pendant because if they had known, would they be running their mouth like they were right now?
"Nightmare Fuels, use them as an example to never and I mean never sneak out of this house, the world is dangerous, you never know what weirdos could have been waiting to hurt them!" Lady Caltheris announced.
Lady Caltheris was strict with Kurai, giving her the most challenging training among all the Nightmare but no one peeked Lady Caltheris' curiosity none other than Kurai.
Kurai's hair clung to her neck, soaked in sweat.
She was supposed to stop an hour ago.
No one, not even the most disciplined of recruits managed to do this well.
I have to push harder, they'll find out soon that I'm not here to embarrass myself but to surpass them.
"Mother...Her hands...she's bleeding."
Lady Caltheris didn't bother glancing Genyo's way.
"Then she's learning properly."
Kurai's knees trembled, her breath shaky yet she lifted the blade once more, glancing at the invisible opponent before her.
She'll find out soon.
Kurai sliced her dagger straight at the invisible opponent with full force and drew back her blade, her determination had skyrocketed from her dark desire to prove Lady Caltheris that she was nothing more than a lady bossing around a couple of children.
Lady Caltheris' eyes softened for a brief second then hardened again.
"If this girl continues doing well in this training," she said softly, "Then master was right all along."
Her cape swayed as she turned away, anger simmering deep below. But the faintest crease touched he brown, a thought dared not speak aloud.
What if she becomes stronger than me?
The dagger slipped from Kurai's grasp, hitting the floor with a hallow clang.
She stumbled forward, her vision blurring, the morning air thick in her lungs.
Her knees hit the ground.
Lady Caltheris' heels clicked sharply against the tiles, her gaze locked on the trembling figure before her.
The children shifted uneasily, they'd seen enough broken persons to know when to step back.
But Lady Caltheris didn't stop.
"Kurai, why did you stop?"
"I—" Kurai gasped, forcing herself up on shaky arms.
Blood streaked her palms, her shoulders trembled beneath the weight of exhaustion.
"I'm... not done yet."
Lady Caltheris tilted her head slightly.
"Not done?" She mocked, "You can barely stand, and you speak of endurance?"
Kurai's lips curved into a faint, delirious smile.
"Then I'll crawl."
"Then crawl," she said coldly, folding her arms,"You want to stay up late but can't do something simple as your daily training."
Kurai's fingers clawed at the ground.
She dragged herself toward the fallen dagger, her breath ragged but steady.
She picked it up, arms shaking violently, and raised it once more.
Lady Caltheris' heart stuttered in her chest. That same madness. That same spark. The one thing that led her to accepting Kurai.
"Enough," she snapped suddenly, her voice cracking through air like a whip.
Kurai froze mid-swing, her dagger trembling in her grip.
"Stand," Lady Caltheris ordered, "Not as a failure. But as a villainess."
Kurai's vision wavered, but her back straightened.
Her shadow stretched long and thin beneath the bright light.
Lady Caltheris turned away with a swirl of her cape, hiding her sinister smile tugging at her lips.
"So," she said,"The girl deserves breakfast. Chihiro go make us something to eat!"
"Yes ma'am!" Chihiro replied, heading to the kitchen.
The morning sun poured through the kitchen window, spilling gold across the counter.
The kitchen looked like a battlefield.
Steam poured from the pots, and the counters were lined with bowls, spoons, and an army of unfinished bowls.
A few of the Nightmare Fuels had already gathered, teasing eachother as they set out chopsticks and cups.
"If any of you complain about the food," she warned, "You're fasting for the next week."
That shut them up...for a moment.
Chihiro moved through it all, atleast until she tripped over a stray bag of rice.
"Who left this here?!" She barked, steadying the tray of eggs before it hit the floor.
Gengyo, sitting cross-legged on the counter, raised a lazy hand.
"You told me to move it."
"I meant somewhere useful, not where I'd die stepping on it!"
He flattered his eyes, bitting into a rice ball.
"Congrats, you're still alive."
Chihiro glared, the corner of her mouth twitched.
She set the tray down, lading soup into each bowl with the precision of someone who refused to admit she cared.
Across the dinning table, the Nightmare Fuels were impatiently gathered.
One argued about portion sizes, another stole extra dumplings, and a few watched Chihiro like she was performing on stage.
"Why did mother even ask her to cook?" one of them whispered.
"Cuz she wants to be some guy's housewife," Gengyo replied dryly.
A few chuckled, Chihiro rolled her eyes.
"Eat up before it gets cold," she said flatly, setting down the last tray for Kurai.
"And if anyone complains," she lifted her spatula like a weapon," You'll be on dish duty for a month."
All the children went silent for exactly three seconds before the room exploded into chatter again, bowls clinking and chopsticks flying.
Kurai sat at the end of the table, watching them with tired eyes.
Lady Caltheris tapped Kurai on the shoulder.
"Give me your hand."
Lady Caltheris inspected Kurai's hand.
"Surprisingly it has healed already, you already are a villainess!"
Then one of the recruits shouted,"Hey is this chicken raw?"
Chihiro froze, dropping her chopsticks to the floor.
Gengyo leaned over, inspecting the plate, then looked up with that infuriating smirk.
"You're not supposed to question her cooking, you'll make her grumpyyyy!"
Chihiro slammed her palm on the table.
"You!"
The whole room burst into laughter again, and she couldn't help it, her anger turned into an reluctant grin.
For once, the Nightmare Fuels weren't fighting, scheming, or training.
Just eating like a normal family, and somehow, that scared Kurai more than anything else.